Issue 87 Autumn 2016

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...editorial The sun finally came out, and the summer has been very warm.

And what splendid entertainment we have had laid on for us by many wonderful volunteers!

The Fete was very successful, very well attended and the layout was excellent. We shall have to wait for two years for the next one; a huge amount of work is involved. Obviously more volunteers are needed. But many thanks to the committee for organizing, putting up and taking down this brilliant event. Any proceeds will go towards worthwhile projects in the village.

(Page 13) Bloomsday in its second year was spread over three days and again proved to be a success. Very interesting events, varying from reading extracts from James Joyce, music, singing, a sale of work, a concert, events in Churches and pubs finishing in the Black Horse. All the money raised will be sent to Water Aid. (Page 6 & 8) The third major events were the celebrations for the Queen’s 90th birthday, held at the HUB. These were well attended and much enjoyed.

The next big public occasion was the Ring of Flowers held near the Pavilion and Millennium Wood (Page 43) There were readings, songs, a lively performance of 'Wind in the Willows'(under a willow tree;) and delicious homemade cakes!

The inspiration for this event can be found in David Blundell’s article on page 11.

The ring of flowers looked so pretty and natural. Our countryside originally had many meadows filled with flowers, which were cut in May and used, after drying, to feed the livestock in winter. Would it be possible to extend this area of meadow flowers around the millennium wood? By leaving the grass and mowing only when the grasses and flowers have set seed the flowers will spread naturally in a few years.

Happily the Luncheon Club will continue on Thursday Lunchtimes as it has been taken on by the Mobile Warden Scheme. (Page 5) The Saturday morning Coffee Stop at All Saints' Community Hall will also continue. Both schemes are looking for volunteers, as indeed is our very successful Hub. So why not consider volunteering? It is interesting and fun to meet new members of the community.

We hope that everyone in the village had an enjoyable summer, and are ready to resume their work or studies in the autumn.

Front cover: Bullseye window by Marjorie Shaw

Melbourn Magazine is Independent of the Parish Council NO public money is used.

We would like to thank TTP for their continued sponsorship of the magazine.

Melbourn Magazine is printed quarterly and delivered free to every household and business in the village.

All work on the Melbourn Magazine, including layout and design is produced by volunteers.

The

cost of printing comes entirely from advertising and sponsorship.

If you would like to advertise in the Melbourn Magazine see page 71 for details

Contents Village news

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feature

8

WaterAid

Blundell’s Plot

11

feature

15

Melbourn and the Battle of the Somme

Community matters

17

Profile

24

Sally Saunders-Makings

Nature

27

River Mel Restoration Group

Education

29

Village information

35

Diary

36

feature

39

Peter Horley

Nature

41

Melwood – Your Local Nature Reserve Autumn Glories

Nature

43

Wind in the Willows

Sports & Clubs

45

Nature

51

Botanic Gardens Cambridge Sage advice

feature

53

The Harvest

Churches Together

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feature

61

Looking after Melbourn’s heritage

email: melbournmagazine@gmail.com

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Village news Mary Woodcock

Village news Mary Woodcock

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Melbourn Mobile Warden Scheme to take over Lunch Club!

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Melbourn Bloomsday Festival

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New Melbourn Singers

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Melbourn Library

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Melbourn & Meldreth Women’s Group

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Volunteering at The Hub

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The hall for all

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Melbourn Village Fete and Music on the Moor

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LOST Gold ring with 3 Sapphires Tuesday evening, 19th July 2016 The ring was lost somewhere between 52 The Moor, the Church car park and the Church.

If found please contact 01763 260759.

Thank you.

Mary Woodcock, was well known in Melbourn, and at the successful Coffee Stop held on Saturday mornings in All Saints' Community Hall which started at her initiative.

Mary was also involved with the Melbourn magazine for many years.

Sadly Mary died on the morning of Saturday 23rd July and was buried in Wigan on Wednesday 3rd August.

Mary was born at home in Blackheath, London on 22nd March, 1930. Her father worked for the Westminster Bank and the family was moved round the London region as he gained promotion. His last move came in early 1939 when he became Manager of the Gravesend branch.

Gravesend was rightly designated as a Danger Area, and Mary was sent to school in Winchester , seen as relatively safe. She stayed there until she was eighteen when she took the entrance exam to Girton College, Cambridge which told her to try again in 1949. She decided not to and applied to Durham University to study mathematics. She was the only girl in her year taking this subject. She graduated in 1951 and went on to Hughes Hall, Cambridge where she qualified as a teacher.

Her first job was at Huyton College, Liverpool where she stayed for four years.

In 1954, she married Peter Woodcock who had been at Durham and had a chemistry degree.

His employer moved him to their headquarters in Birmingham. Their first child, Geoffrey, was born in Stourbridge and Joanna, Helen and Ian arrived in Coulsdon and Bishops Stortford. Mary returned to teaching in 1971 entirely by chance. She was given to understand that the local Catholic Independent school was looking for a maths teacher. Eventually, she was persuaded to phone the Head who invited her for interview. He suggested that she should arrive about 9.30, having seen her children off to school. She should teach three or four lessons, stay for lunch and then return home in time for her children's return. Thus started her career at St. Edmund's College, Ware which lasted for twenty three years.

For personal reasons, the family moved to Hertford in 1978 and then to Melbourn in 1990. Mary retired in 1994 and was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and Vascular Dementia in 2010. melbournmagazine

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Bullseye glass (Front cover picture) A rare sight in any building, the front cover shows a complete window pane of Bullseye glass. One of the two most common processes for making window glass until the 19th century, it was produced from the left over parts of crown glass, a cheap process as it didn’t require lead or iron.

Molten glass was spun into a ‘crown’ or hollow ball using a blowpipe. This was then transferred to a tool called a pontil. The crown was then reheated and continually spun. The process was repeated until the glass became a flat disk measuring up to 2 metres.

When the pontil was pulled away, it left a characteristic bullseye lump in the middle of the glass, surrounded by a thick area of glass. The relative flat areas of the disk were cut into squares and used in homes or cut into diamond-shaped pieces and used for church windows. The area of glass containing the Bullseye was also cut into pane size and these were sold for use in humbler buildings.

The earliest known crown glass was produced in France in the 14th century and imported into England.

This made the glass very expensive and way beyond the reach of almost all but the wealthy. It wasn’t until 17th century that crown glass was produced in England. Because of its fine quality and low production costs the glass continued to be used for windows until the 19th century.

Ed. PS

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Melbourn Mobile Warden Scheme to take over Lunch Club!

In the last issue of the magazine, Nikki Cross and Julie Myles announced that after more than three years of running Melbourn and Meldreth Lunch Club at Vicarage Close, they will sadly be stepping away at the end of August due to extra work commitments. New organisers were required to avoid closure of the Lunch Club, which has been running for a number of years and for some members is the only outing they have each week, so is very precious to them. Many of those who go to lunch club are also members of Melbourn Mobile Warden Scheme (MMWS) so MMWS stepped forward to offer to take it over to ensure this popular amenity for older residents continues.

The MMWS committee will administer the club and wardens and committee members have agreed to volunteer to take turns in running the sessions each week from September and were thrilled to hear that some of the regular volunteers who currently support Nikki and Julie will Helen Ashworth remain including the drivers. Nikki and Julie will also be happy to take turns on the rota – so a big team of willing helpers.

There is a wonderful family connection too as warden Helen Ashworth’s late mother Janice Guest was a previous volunteer who helped run the club. Not just that but Helen’s grandmother-in-law Eileen Martin actually started the lunch club originally, back in 1980. Eileen’s certificate, awarded to her for her long service to the lunch club, can be found on display at Vicarage Close and if you look back at the Winter 2015 issue of the Melbourn Magazine you will find a feature on the history of the club and those who have helped through the years including Helen’s family.

Nikki and Julie have done a fantastic job and are loved by all who attend. Members have said about their time with them “there is always laughter every week” and “they are wonderful”. MMWS wardens and committee members shadowed Nikki and Julie during the summer to prepare for the handover and warden Jeannie said “Nikki and Julie are a hard act to follow as they are so well loved and are great personalities. We are all excited to take it over and feel sure that the members will keep us in check if we make any mistakes!”

MMWS want to thank Nikki, Julie and all those who have provided this wonderful service and for their help and support in making the transition to MMWS. Lunch Club is held at Vicarage Close every Thursday lunchtime. The club provides a cooked lunch and dessert produced by Moorlands, tea or coffee and a good chat. Transport is available. If you are interested in joining Lunch Club please contact Jeannie on the Lunch Club number 07599 292327.

Melbourn Mobile Warden Scheme

Melbourn Bloomsday Festival

Can we help you?

Can we help a relative?

Can we help a neighbour?

Who does the Scheme help?

The scheme is open to the mobility impaired in Melbourn and Meldreth including those who live alone or with their families, but need the extra support offered by our services. Couples too are most welcome.

It is also open to those in sheltered housing, as the scheme offers different, but complementary services.

Note: The scheme also offers its services for short periods to cover the temporary absence of relatives who otherwise provide this support.

We offer help with:

• • • • • • • • • • •

Friendship and support via twice weekly visits and daily phone calls Ordering and collection of prescriptions Basic shopping Collection of pensions Setting up Lifeline service Bereavement support Advice on benefits Going to the Post Office to pay your bills Advice on getting repairs done in your home Arranging transport to the hospital or other appointments Just coming round for a chat

What will it cost?

Photograph by David L Hone

June saw Melbourn enjoying its three day Bloomsday Festival (from the 14th – 16th) building on last year’s successful one day Bloomsday Celebration. The Festival was many things. Not only was it a ‘Celebration of Literature, Drama, Music & All Creative Arts’ – and, at that, a free, community-wide event – but it also served to raise publicity and funds for WaterAid.

Short Story & Drama Spread across three full days and evenings, the Bloomsday Festival had a varied programme. It started with 'A Writer on the Door Step' on the morning and afternoon of Day One. This saw members of the Melbourn Short Story Reading Group and guest Meldreth and Cambridge readers treat their audiences to eight very different short stories by eight very different world famous authors on eight different doorsteps around the village. Not even a very heavy rain storm deterred the enthusiasm of readers or audience!

An evening of drama followed at Melbourn Village College, where James Joyce’s only play “Exiles” was presented in period costume and in play-reading form by six members of the Melbourn Play Reading Group.

International Issues & Local Writers Day Two was based entirely in Melbourn Community Hub. The morning session was devoted to international issues. Public representative Dr. Susan van de Ven spoke about her published autobiographical memoir 'One Family’s Response to Terrorism: A Daughter’s Memoir' and her political motivation and work. Graham Wild then spoke about WaterAid and the nature and role of development work today. A lively discussion followed. In the afternoon participants heard from local working writers – Ute Sproulle (Orwell), Hattie Brantwood (Foxton), Britta

We do have to make a small weekly charge for the warden’s services.

The fee is only £6 per week (a little more for couples).

Jeannie Seers (Mobile Warden) 07808 735066 email jeanseers1@ntlworld.com Jane Cage (Deputy) 07592 821976 email jane.e.cage@btinternet.com Melbourn Warden Scheme is a registered charity

Photograph by David L Hone

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feature WaterAid “Now we have enough water, the community’s lives have improved. People have gardens and they can water their animals. We are living happily.”

Josephine In Basbedo village, Burkina Faso, West Africa, 40-year-old Josephine has gone into business for the very first time.

Combined with working with the government to guarantee long-term investment in infrastructure and training, this approach could transform lives across the subSahelian region.

For Josephine, it’s the new well that’s made the biggest difference to her family’s life, providing a reliable source of the water she needs to complete the brewing process, which involves mixing red millet with water and yeast to create beer.

“I take water from the well to brew my beer, to wash our clothes and for all our other cleaning activities,” “It’s not far from here – we just cross the road and it’s on the other side. It helps us a lot. If we didn’t have the well I wouldn’t be able to do what I am doing.”

“We had crops before, but it wasn’t enough … Then one night I thought of what I could do to make things different. That’s when I started to make beer.”

A brand new business Josephine who lives with her husband, Andre, and their four children, set up her beer-brewing business in 2013, after WaterAid began a pilot project in Basbedo. Like other communities in sub-Sahelian Burkina Faso, the people face a dry season that can last for up to eight months of the year, with soaring temperatures making rivers evaporate and groundwater levels drop.

Every year these brutal conditions force families into a desperate search for water, or face unimaginable decisions that are all too frequently a matter of life or death.

“We only had one borehole before. There were queues and even serious fights there, … People used to suffer a lot.”

“Making beer means I can take care of my children” Like many parents in Burkina Faso – where almost three million people lack access to safe water and around 12,000 children under five die from dirty water and poor sanitation every year – Josephine’s motivation to supplement her family’s income is rooted in personal tragedy.

“I have seven children but three died, … The ones who died sometimes had pains in their stomach and pain in their body.

“At that time, I didn’t have the money to take them to the clinic. But since I started making beer, I can get my own money to spend myself. I can buy medicine and take my children to the doctor.”

A pioneering approach The results of the work carried out by WaterAid in Basbedo, and two other villages where the pilot project took place, were so extraordinary that in spring 2015, WaterAid launched Project Sahel: Water 365 appeal, with the goal of implementing this pioneering approach in a total of 14 drought-prone communities in Burkina Faso.

This means not only investing in infrastructure and improving access to water, but also training local people to become fully-fledged water experts, so they can monitor rainfall and water levels and help their communities make the decisions that will ensure they have access to water every day of the year.

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For more information on the Project Sahel: Water 365 appeal visit: www.wateraid.org/uk/donate/project-sahel-365/water365-org Support our pioneering new Project Sahel 365 appeal today and we’ll transform life in drought-prone communities in Burkina Faso by:

• • •

building boreholes for drinking water, and hand-dug wells for animals, gardening and washing helping local people to become water experts, who can monitor and manage their supply, so they have enough clean water every day of the year constructing sand dams, which collect water and raise groundwater levels.

Heinemeyer (Melbourn), and Kate Swindlehurst (Cambridge) – all of whom spoke about their differing motivations and read some of their published and unpublished work. The fascinating insights into the creative process provided by these speakers also provoked some interesting discussion. Finally, in the evening the audience was treated to a concert by the Cambridge-based Orlando Singers conducted for the penultimate time by Peter Horley, who was stepping down as conductor a few days later. Peter Horley, who recently retired as Melbourn Parish Clerk, has been conducting for almost forty years! Who knew?

Bloomsday: 16th June The final day of the Festival comprised the famous Bloomsday 16 June Celebration which takes place in many literary and cultural centres across the world. James Joyce’s famous novel Ulysses was celebrated with readings by MVC students and Melbourn residents, re-enactments, a public lecture and general dressing up in fun party outfits appropriate to the novel’s 1904 setting. Indeed, the celebration on a specific date arises because the novel takes place over the course on one day: 16 June 1904! Bloomsday in Melbourn comprised thirteen free events spread across the village, indoor and outdoor, including several with live music and song of the period, starting at 8.15 am and finishing around midnight. They included: a Bloomsday breakfast of sausages and kidney; a mid-morning ‘T for Tolerance’ tea break; a pre-lunch saxophone concert; the famous Bloomsday lunch of Gorgonzola cheese with burgundy; an afternoon of Edwardian crafts; a major public lecture hosted by Melbourn Village College; and finishing with traditional folk music from Green Shoots in a local pub.

See You Next Year?

Overall, a good time was had by all and approximately £1,240 was raised for WaterAid. All involved in planning and creating this free community-wide Melbourn Bloomsday Festival hope you found something of interest. The programme was deliberately wide and varied. If you found nothing to interest you and entertain – perhaps another time. As last year, a Bloomsday: Report Back to the Melbourn Community is scheduled to take place in late September. The slide show presentation is certain to bring back happy memories for all who witnessed, experienced or participated. Come along to the ’Report Back’ - it may even help you to decide to make an appearance next year at our very own Melbourn Bloomsday Festival: A Celebration of Literature, Drama, Music & All Creative Arts. Our sponsors, volunteers and participants will surely be pleased to see you there.

Hugh Pollock, Co-ordinator, Melbourn Bloomsday Celebration Group

Bloomsday pre-lunch concert If excellence can be said to be measured by appreciation, then this concert was indeed great. At only three quarters of an hour long, we were treated to a wonderfully varied performance of dances from many places and periods, which ranged from classical to jazz , folk and contemporary pieces. The variety of sound issuing from the saxophones was indeed staggering. It would be good to hear this group any time, anywhere, and we are fortunate to be able to call on such talent.

WH

New Melbourn Singers The New Melbourn Singers are starting to rehearse Elijah by Mendelssohn for the concert when they sing as part of the Cambridgeshire Choral Society. It is a magnificent work and will be exciting to perform. The New Melbourn Singers will also be taking part in the Community Concert for Home Start.

We are actively looking for new choir members of any age – soprano, alto, tenor or bass. An ability to read music is useful but not obligatory. There is no audition. If you are interested either give me a ring for more information or just come along to a practice session.

We meet on Tuesdays at 7.30pm in Meldreth Primary School.

Jane Stevens, 01763 261858

Coffee Stop All Saints Community Hall Every Saturday 10.30–12 noon After 10 years of running the highly successful Coffee Stop, Sue Toule and Mike Scriven's are hanging up the keys and we thank them for all the work they have done.

However, Coffee Stop carries on under new management

All welcome

Melbourn Library We had a very successful visit by some 20 children from the Melbourn Playgroup when we showed them how the Library works and the sort of books we have for them. They loved it especially when we let them date stamp some of the books. We finished up with a story from Mandy which the children thoroughly enjoyed.

During the summer holidays children of primary school age took part in the Big Friendly Read. This was the annual reading challenge which this year was specifically aimed at books written by Roald Dahl. In readiness for this the library had stocked up with additional copies of his books. As usual many children took part in the challenge and medals and certificates were awarded to those who completed the challenge.

We have a huge range of books for children of all ages which is added to regularly. Children can reserve books with their Cambridge library card without charge either on line or through our team of volunteer librarians.

Finally, we buy a number of best seller books for adults every month which we place on our new books shelf.

Jane Stevens

Melbourn & Meldreth Women’s Group The Group is for all women of any age.

Meetings are held at 7.45 p.m. on the 4th Tuesday of each month, except in December and we vary our venues between Melbourn and Meldreth. We continued on page 10 melbournmagazine

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charge £1 on the night to cover expenses and there is an opportunity to make a donation to the chosen charity of the year, this year we are supporting The Laughter Specialists. We usually have a guest speaker or some in house entertainment followed by a chance to have a chat over tea/coffee and biscuits.

Our September meeting will be on the 27th at Holy Trinity Church Meeting Room in Meldreth and we are looking forward to hearing Marjorie Parsons talking to us about The Queen’s Clothes, Marjorie used to work for Norman Hartnell so it promises to be an interesting evening.

October 25th will see us busy in All Saints Community Hall making our Christmas decorations for The Christmas Tree Festival in Meldreth Church at Advent. This is an opportunity to come together to have a chat and is often punctuated by shrieks of laughter or dismay as things are completed.

We will meet again at Meldreth on 22 November when Pat Smith will lead us on a reflection connected with Advent.

We are a small friendly group and if you would like to join us feel free to come along. If you would like to know more or need a lift on the evening please contact one of the committee members: Pat Smith 262575 Sue Toule 260955 Anne Harrison 261775 or Angela Leach 262793.

Volunteering at The Hub There are 15 people in the team of volunteers who work at The Hub. We choose our work hours; length of hours worked, and which day suits us. For some, two hours is what they can spare; others do upward of four hour or more, sometimes working over lunchtime. The length of time depends on the volunteer.

Each of us is given a short training in Health and Safety .We are all issued with an apron and asked to wear sturdy shoes.

The work varies too. Some of us do mainly clearing tables, stacking and emptying the steam washing facility. Some do the till as well and in addition a few can make beverages if the cafe is very busy. We are never involved in the food preparation.

The regular staff are a great team to work with and the atmosphere is very congenial. The staff are strict about health and safety protocols especially the washing of knives and glasses and the separation between implements used for meat from those used for other food. The customer experience is always a priority.

The volunteers really enjoy meeting the public. Many of our customers are regulars and it really pleases us to renew acquaintance. Many visitors just drop in casually. We love to see the young families and those coming to use the library who often stop for refreshment. Local business meetings which take place in the meeting rooms add another customer dimension.

Tel 01763 263303 e-mail reception@melbournhub.com

The hall for all

Mamma Mia and Frozen An update on the All Saints Community Hall – the new chairs have arrived! Very smart they look too, in a petrol blue fabric with hammered metal finish legs they are lighter than the continued on page 12

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Blundell’s Plot

It is a wartime story that might have been told a thousand times. A handsome young guardsman meets a beautiful girl.

Romance blossoms, and then, almost inevitably, the two are torn apart by the conflict. Their relationship endures only through letters – those from the girl describing an England being battered by war, those from the soldier telling of life on the battlefront as his battalion fights its bloody way across Europe.

Finally, the story seems destined to end in heartbreak – the young woman’s last letter is returned unopened by the War Office with the bleak message stamped across the envelope: “It is regretted that this item could not be delivered because the addressee is reported deceased.”

That might, indeed, have been the end – another small, forgotten tragedy among so many. But in fact a new chapter is now being written in our village, and the couple’s memories are being kept alive by daughter Liz Williams and her friends through poetry, painting and, above all, wild flowers.

At the house in Clear Crescent where Joan Credland died aged 93 two years ago, Liz sits at the kitchen table and explains how the story of her mother, then just 22, and the brave Grenadier from Cumberland named Stephen Scott, 30, has been a thread running through the lives of herself and her sister Eve since childhood.

“Mum came to Melbourn about 40 years ago,” she says.

“She was a discreet and private woman, like so many of her generation. We can never know whether what the letters show to be a close and affectionate friendship was really something much more – a love story.

“In fact, we were told almost nothing about Mum’s life during the war and we never even discovered Stephen’s name until we opened a bundle of letters she always kept in a fabric pouch in the attic at her home in Fordham Way. Eve and I knew mum had the letters and I suppose we had always half guessed what they were.

“Mum had sometimes talked about a “grand young chap, a real chum” she had known and, towards the end of her life, a photograph of a dashing young Guardsman would appear on the windowsill. And sometimes she would take out the pouch of letters and hold it close on Remembrance Sunday.”

It was only when the sisters went through Joan’s belongings after her death and read the letters that they were able to begin piecing together the full story of their mother – then Joan Wanklyn, serving as a sergeant nurse with the ATS – and Grenadier Scott, of the 5th Battalion.

Their correspondence started soon after they met, when Stephen was posted abroad and saw active service in Europe. Joan’s letters are matter-of-fact.

Stories of missed trains, ATS friendships; gossipy, almost, and clearly intended to help keep a young man far away in touch with the day-to-day realities of life at home. Stephen was never allowed to say exactly where he was stationed, but his letters, too, are always cheerful and chatty, talking of how he and his comrades would unwind by swimming in rivers, or playing football. One describes being bitten by clouds of mosquitoes – which must have given Joan a clue that he was serving somewhere with a hot climate!

In fact the Grenadiers were in Italy, which witnessed some of the Army’s bloodiest battles towards the end of the war. It was from there that Stephen wrote the most poignant letter of all – one that was to be the last addressed to Joan. It was sent in the summer of 1944 and read: “My dear Joan, keep this letter and the enclosed as some day I’ll demand to see it. This may be an historic occasion and I’ll be able to tell you some day where we are.”

Enclosed with the letter was a pressed poppy, picked from the battlefield. Stephen wrote: “This poppy, one of thousands about this scene of past bloody battles, is well and truly symbolical … Poppies have grown where there have been scenes of heavy bloodshed.” Also with the letter was half of a pressed beech leaf and Stephen wrote that he looked forward to the time that he could once again see Joan and reunite the two halves of the leaf.

His reference to bloody battle was both ominous and prophetic. Stephen was awarded the Military Medal for bravery during an action in which he was wounded. His citation reads: “This Guardsman showed himself to be a soldier of outstanding courage and initiative. Finding his platoon was held up by a Spandau (machine gun) post, and without any orders, he worked his Bren gun forward single handed under heavy automatic and mortar fire to a position from where he could engage the post in question. By this means he wiped out 2 Spandau posts and rejoined his section which were then able to continue the advance. His total disregard of the danger was an inspiration to the rest of his platoon.”

Tragically, Stephen died in action just months after that continued on page 12 melbournmagazine

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old chairs and much more comfortable. They are also lighter to manoeuvre and please, only stack them four high! The old chairs had an unfortunate angle to the back of the seat which made for uncomfortable long-term sitting. They were given away to Vicarage Close, the Primary School and Little Hands so they live on to be useful elsewhere.

Money from the Safari Supper and Swing into Spring is being put towards the provision of WiFi to the Hall, plans for which are progressing nicely. Our next fund raising event will be a Singalong screening of MAMMA MIA on Saturday 24th September, the tickets will be £5 and there will be a bar and, hopefully, popcorn and ice cream for sale in the interval. A real movie night out. Tickets are going fast so do call Jacey (263255) or Brenda (261154) or Mavis (260686) Following that there will be an afternoon screening of FROZEN for the children on Friday 30th December at 2pm That also promises to be a sell-out and please note, all children must be accompanied by an adult! As Jacey said, all unaccompanied children will be given three puppies, two kittens and a hamster. (that IS a joke, by the way.)

If you are thinking of hiring the Hall, Saturday morning Coffee Stop is a good time to come and explore the facilities and get a good cup of coffee.

Blundell’s Plot continued

battle and before the medal could be presented. His body now lies in the Commonwealth War Cemetery at Arezzo.

It is his short life and that of her mother that have inspired Liz to come up with the moving plan to pay tribute to them both in Melbourn with what is called Chain of Flowers - three areas of wild flowers in Clear Crescent, Beeton Close and the Moor. It is also hoped that a flower meadow will be planted at Distington, in Cumbria, where Liz has managed to make contact with Stephen’s surviving relatives.

“Mum was a very keen gardener throughout her life,” she says. “She loved wild flowers and towards the end she allowed her garden in Fordham Way to become a beautiful wild garden.

Sadly, our parents divorced but mum went on to become a very knowledgeable plantswoman and helped to design gardens for other people.”

The Chain of Flowers group – Liz, Yvonne Chamberlain and Clare Crossman – have organised a number of events in the village promoting literature and the arts as well as conservation and local issues. They use poetry, art and photography to draw attention to wild spaces and have conducted guided walks and pop-up poetry readings.

Many readers will have seen their stall at Melbourn Fete and at the time of writing an afternoon of theatre and music was being planned to include a performance of Wind in the Willows and a barbeque on the Millennium Copse.

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Melbourn Village Fete and Music on the Moor It has been a few weeks since we put away the final bits of equipment from the fete; time enough for us all to reflect on another great success for our village. The committee and volunteers all worked hard from early Thursday morning until well after the weekend to produce a Saturday to remember.

The day started by Heidi Allen MP who spent several hours walking around the fete judging some of the Classic Cars and some of the entries in the competition tent before formally opening the fete. The attractions and entertainment we booked proved a real success with something offered for everyone. In the arena were all the favourites including displays from local activities, tug of war and finishing off with our ever-popular egg throwing competition. Sheep racing returned with many people joining in the fun by placing a bet on the winner with our tote.

The Classic vehicles section had a fantastic range of cars, bikes, tractors and military vehicles and provided a stunning parade in to the arena.

Our fantastic team of volunteers helped serve at the BBQ and the bar. New this year was a prosecco bar that proved popular. Tea and cakes were served by the Royston Ladies Circle in the pavilion.

The Music event saw some great performances from the Melbourn Village School Band Reunion who have recently reformed after many years and Folding Stars.

Shredded Beat has supported us at so many music events topped the show and brought the evening to a fitting climax.

The estimated visitors were as high as most of us could remember and our takings reflected this. We have yet to finalise our accounts but it is likely that we will have a surplus to give away again this year. If you are involved in an activity based in the village and wish to apply for a grant from the Fete committee then please e mail the address below giving details of your activity, who it is aimed at, how much you would like and what the money would be used for as well as your contact details. Please send the e-mail before 28 October 2016. We will meet in the autumn to decide on grant applications.

At this point I would normally announce the date for next year’s event. We, as a committee, have decided that we will take a break from the fete for next year and return in 2018. Our provisional date will be 21 July 2018; it will be a daytime fete only with no evening element. We hope the break will reinvigorate us, allow us to start with a clean sheet of paper to organise a refreshed and manageable event and also perhaps welcome new Committee members with new ideas for us to

Heidi Allen MP who opened our fete talking to two members of the organising committee

work with. Our website and Facebook page will remain active and members of the committee will monitor it and respond to any correspondence. We will announce details of our next event in the Melbourn Magazine in spring 2018.

E-mail for grant applications to be received by 28 October 2016: chair@melbournfete.co.uk Two of our judges in the Competitions Marquee

Heidi Allen MP and a vintage car enthusiast

Library – LAP (Local Access Point) Library opening times Monday 2.30 to 4.30 pm Tuesday 2.30 to 4.30 pm Wednesday 2.30 to 4.30 pm Thursday 2.30 to 6.30 pm Friday 2.30 to 4.30 pm Saturday 10.00 to 12.00 am melbournmagazine

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feature Melbourn and the Battle of the Somme This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme – one the largest and bloodiest battles of the First World War. The battle took place between Saturday, 1st July and Saturday, 18th November 1916.

Engagement actually began in the last week in June, when with just a few hundred yards of no-man’s land separating the two combatants, the British launched a week long artillery bombardment along the German front line. On the morning of 1st July, 100,000 men were sent over the top to take the German trenches, of which 57,470 became casualties and 19,240 of those died as result of this tragic event.

Two Melbourn men died on that first day, Private Walter Alfred Littlechild, aged 36 and Private James Saunderson, aged 32.

Over the 141 days of the battle, more than one million men from both sides were either wounded or killed.

Thousands were buried on the battlefields, many buried where they fell, others were placed in a burial ground on or near the battlefield.

Seven days into the battle on the 7th July, Lance Sergeant Charles Fordham from Melbourn was killed, he was 31 years old.

By the end of the battle, on 18th November the allies had advanced just seven miles into the German lines.

The British army had suffered 419,654 casualties of which 95,675 were killed.

During the course of the battle two more Melbourn men lost their lives, Private Lionel Beaufoy Frost on 30th August, he was just 19 years old and Private Frederick George Pepper died on the 28th September, aged 30.

The battlefields of the Somme today contain thousands of graves for both the identified and unidentified remains of those who died in this horrific battle. The land on which the British cemeteries and official memorials is situated was presented by the French government in order that those soldiers buried or named there will remain in perpetuity.

Walter Littlechild is buried in the Gordon Dump Cemetery, Ovillers-la-Boisselle, Somme. James Saunderson, Charles Fordham and Lionel Frost are commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme. Frederick Pepper is buried in Mill Road Cemetery, Thiepval, Somme.

Ed. PS The British Army included a number countries from the Commonwealth of Nations (known at the time as the British Empire), these were, Canada, Australian, New Zealand, South Africa, Newfoundland, West Indies, India plus a number of smaller dominions.

A Soldier’s Cemetery Behind that long and lonely trenched line To which men come and go, where brave men die, There is a yet unmarked and unknown shrine, A broken plot, a soldier’s cemetery.

There lie the flower of youth, the men who scorn’d To live (so died) when languished Liberty: Across their graves flowerless and unadorned Still scream the shells of each artillery.

When war shall cease this lonely unknown spot Of many a pilgrimage will be the end, And flowers will shine in this now barren plot And fame upon it through the years descend: But many a heart upon each simple cross Will hang the grief, the memory of its loss.

By John William Streets (killed and missing in action on 1st July 1916 aged 31) Thiepval Memorial, dedicated to the 72,195 British and Commonwealth soldiers killed at the Somme whose bodies were never found or identified. The tall white bands at the bottom of the monument are covered in the names of those soldiers.

Photograph by Chris Hartford. Printed under the under the Creative Commons license

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We can make life a little easier

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Day Centre : based at Moorlands Court with a friendly and sociable atmosphere and includes a tasty 2 course lunch.

Meals service : nutritious, hot lunchtime meal delivered to you.

Housekeeping : we do those jobs which you can no longer manage, from cleaning and ironing, to bed changing and shopping.

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Community matters Melbourn Short Story Group The Melbourn Short Story Group starts up again on Tuesday the 6th of September at 10am. We meet every Tuesday in the Library Area of Melbourn Hub between 10-11am.

Each session is free with a donation to WaterAid welcomed.

We read one Short Story per session.

All are welcome, materials will be provided. For further information please e-mail Britta Heinemeyer, Group Co-ordinator. britta.heinemeyer@gmx.de

Neighbourhood Watch Scheme Please could any street representatives of the Neighbourhood Watch Scheme that are still willing to be representatives pass their email addresses, name and telephone number to me, Maureen Townsend, as I would like to produce a list of names and streets to all concerned, so that if we have a problem in the village we can let our representatives know as soon as possible.

I have read in the newspaper that a new scheme has been started in Medcalfe Way, so if that person can help please do.

If I receive a good response I will arrange for a meeting so that we can all get together and swop information.

Maureen Townsend Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator – New Road, Melbourn. Tel: 01763 260959. email: maureentownsend1@aol.com

From the Parish Clerk – Sarah Adam The planning inspectorate appeal for the 199 houses on the land to the east of New Road took place from 12th – 15th July 2016. Your District Councillors and resident members of the former Parish Council Committee responsible for the village’s fight against the new housing attended the entire appeal hearing. I’m informed that all the evidence and cross examination has been completed, site visits done and so now we wait. It could be as long as three months. Our District Councillors will inform us as soon as the decision comes in. Thank you to all the residents who gave their precious time so freely to help defend the village.

It won’t be a shock to some when I say I have received many complaints from residents about the grass cutting issues within the village. The reason for this is that the County and District Councils have reduced their grass cutting budgets and when they cut the grass, to compound the issue these cuts can be on different days or weeks AND they have different areas of land for which they are responsible! It’s a very difficult set-up and the various authorities are trying to change it. The Parish Council is going to try and take responsibility for the whole of Melbourn – but this will be dependent on grant funding from County and District Council and will obviously take some organising.

May I offer my congratulations to the Melbourn Fete Committee for organising such a fantastic event. We were fortunate to have good weather and the afternoon was enjoyed by all who attended and the ‘Music on the Moor’ event proved very popular in the evening. I’m sure all the people that helped with putting everything together (and taking it all down again) felt their hard work was well worth it.

I am sorry to report that there are still problems with dog faeces on the Recreation Ground and the Village College field despite new signs being erected around the site.

Not only does it cause a problem for school children and other people that use the fields for sporting activities, but also for the responsible dog walkers who sadly get blamed for the actions of the irresponsible dog walkers.

199 houses East of New Road The appeal for the housing development mentioned by the Clerk above has been approved.

The development will include 199 new homes and 75-bed care home, new vehicular and pedestrian accesses from New Road, public open space and a landscape buffer.

We have been asked if the magazine will carry any information on the current situation with the parish council.

Although the magazine is the obvious conduit for information about the village and the various groups including the parish council it would not be appropriate for the magazine to get involved in any political or controversial issues.

If you would like further information, please contact the Clerk to the council Sarah Adam, Telephone: 01763 263303 ext. 3. melbournmagazine

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Established 23 years, The Letting Centre is a local, dedicated letting agency based in Melbourn. With long-standing clients some of whom have been with us for 20 years or more, we aim to provide a personal, tailored service covering Cambridge, Royston, Buntingford, Saffron Walden and surrounding villages.

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From your District Councillors Something we have been asked about recently, is Jose’s position as a councillor. A number of resignations from the Parish Council were noticed by villagers in the May Parish Council minutes, including Jose’s and this may have caused some confusion.

Val had stepped down from the Parish Council for personal reasons a short time previously. Both Val and Jose continue as your elected District Councillors dealing with matters such as local planning, housing, local highways, building regulations, environmental health and refuse collection etc. We both attend full Parish and Parish planning meetings as District Councillors, to offer advice or to give reports. We are therefore both still very much out there working hard for you and our village!

A few updates New Road Development Proposal (199 Houses). At the time of reading this, we may already know the village’s fate regarding Endurance Estates’ application to build 199 houses and a 75 bed care home at New Road in Melbourn. The application was rejected last year by South Cambridgeshire District Council, following work on behalf of the village by the Melbourn Futures Committee. This decision was then appealed against by Endurance Estates. The appeal was heard over four days in July, attended daily by your District Councillors and the dedicated former members of the Futures committee.

The potential development was first brought to the village’s attention by a local pressure group (MELHDAC) in 2013 and as District Councillors we organised an urgent community meeting, leading twice to a village wide public consultation showing that the village was overwhelmingly against the development.

Win or lose, Val and I would like to recognise those who could not have worked any harder alongside us on behalf of our village over the past three years, giving so generously of their time on top of their already busy lives. A special thank you goes to former parish councillors Julie Norman (chair) and John Regan and members of the public Mike Swann, Colin Connor and Clive Maggs – and of course their very understanding families.

Devolution. People in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have been asked for their views on the creation of a Combined Authority and directly elected mayor for the area, as part of a new devolution deal. Seven councils and the Greater Cambridge Peterborough Enterprise Partnership have joined together to ask Government for some powers, responsibilities and funding to be transferred from Central Government to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

This will no doubt bring about much debate concerning the prospect of more decisions on public services being made locally vs significant concerns about added layers of administration and increased costs for an elected mayor.

The consultation for your views on the decision ended on 23rd August.

Celebrating Ages tea parties. To celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday, we organised along with host Melbourn Village College (MVC), an indoor street party for around 160 people ‘of age’ on 11th June.

The Celebrating Ages concept came about when Val and I were approached by Cambridgeshire County Council and Care Network and developed the regular tea party idea with MVC to offer benefits to older and younger residents. The first event in 2013 was incredibly successful. The students are fantastic and MVC staff, Lynn Gregory and Paul Belbin do a wonderful job with the catering and music, all well supported by MVC Principle Simon Holmes. Residents who came to the event are still commenting to Jose on how they enjoyed it.

We are regularly asked “when’s the next one?!” We can answer that with “late autumn” – we hope!

Councillor Surgeries. District Councillor Jose Hales and County Councillor Susan van de Ven hold a councillor surgery on the first Monday of every month between 2.30pm and 3.30pm at the Hub, 30, High St, Melbourn.

To contact us at anytime: for Jose Hales – 07703 262649 or Jose@josehales.me.uk or for Val Barrett – 07877 295878 or Val@valbarrett.co.uk

County Councillor Susan van de Ven Oil Club for household heating oil In case you are new to the village or didn’t know about the ‘Melbourn Division Oil Club’, as winter sets in I thought it would be useful to send this information around again: A few years ago a bulk-buying club for household heating oil was set up for the Melbourn area villages. There is no joining fee and no requirement relating to frequency or volume of purchases.

Anyone can sign up, and when you want to place an order you contact our bulk-buyer.

If you’d like to know more, I’ve put some background information on my website under ‘Oil Club.’ You can also contact our bulk buyer directly: Jeremy Cole, Agricole Ltd, 29 The Maltings Cambourne, Cambridge, CB23 5FR, Jeremy@agricole.co.uk, www. agricole.co.uk.

Flooding, pavements and potholes Serious property damage to the Black Horse Pub in Orchard Road Melbourn has taken place five times over the past two years, including June 23, following extreme rainfall. County Highways has at last implemented remedial measures under what can only be described as an emergency conditions.

We know that Highways officers want to do far more than they are able – not just in the realm of drainage, but all aspects of highways maintenance.

They know as well as we do that pavements are broken and often very difficult to navigate; many roads are riddled with pot holes; and remedial drainage work is badly wanting in several key parts of the village.

Extreme austerity measures have depleted the county maintenance budgets to an irresponsible degree.

Because central government has turned off the tap of revenue support of the county council, and because the county council itself has seen fit continued on page 20 melbournmagazine

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to freeze its own council tax, public services are taking a beating.

Nevertheless, any other flooding and drainage concerns, please do let me know so that I can help action. I’ve formally requested that key thoroughfare pavements in the village are upgraded to the good standard people rightfully expect.

From the Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Community Rail Partnership

Post-16 Education Transport provision Central government withdrawal of financial support to local councils has resulted in the ending of post-16 education transport assistance. This means that subsidy from councils, which is not a legal requirement, is no longer be available. However, Govia Thameslink Railways has confirmed that the ‘Cambridgeshire Student Connect’ rail discount which I brokered with the train operating company in 2009, offering 50% off the adult fare (compared to 33% elsewhere in the country), will continue to be available in 2016-17. This is cheaper than the bus deal formerly offered by the council. It can be used on weekends and holidays and anywhere within Cambridgeshire, including the Greater Anglia route. All route details and qualifying state colleges are listed on the Great Northern website. There are some anomalies including provision for a couple of independent schools including Perse Boys/Girls and Kings Ely. It can be purchased only on line (not at Meldreth Station): www.www.thameslinkrailway.com/ tickets-and-fares/student-connect/ Any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Welcome to Melbourn Hub offers a café with free Wi-Fi, a library access point and meeting rooms which can be used for leisure or business.

We also offer a range of key community support services and aim to be a focus point for assistance and advice.

Opening Hours Monday-Friday 9am to 5pm Saturday 9am to 3pm 30 High Street Melbourn SG8 6DZ Telephone 01763 263303 reception@melbournhub.com

The Hub is run by the community, for the community, it is a centre with a difference.

It is yours.

Melbourn Community Edible Gardening It is lovely to report that a small County Council grant (a disappearing species) won by our Community Rail Partnership for ‘Melbourn Community Edible Gardening’ has been such a success.

This brings together Melbourn families and friends, and takes place on the premises of Melbourn Primary School every Monday afternoon. The idea is to discover the delights of growing food on one’s doorstep. Part of the grant means that a good quality polytunnel is on the way; this will serve as year-round, weatherproof space for teaching and learning. A team of dedicated green thumb volunteers from the Rail User Group has been in place to help out at the school from the beginning, so very many thanks to all concerned for making such a success of this venture – which we hope will carry on long-term.

Melbourn Community Hall

Half-hourly off-peak trains on the way!

Half-hourly off-peak services will commence at Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton from 2018, with the roll-out of the Thameslink Service.

The Rail User Group has been lobbying for this for many years. All trains will be eight-car and able to carry nearly 1500 passengers. At all three stations, Cambridge-bound platforms will be lengthened.

On the London-bound platforms, there will be selective door opening. The Rail User Group meets next on September 20 and will be focusing on access issues at Meldreth Station. We have invited representatives of Meldreth and Melbourn Parish Councils to attend, so that we can forge ways of coordinating joint working. At the time of writing, venue to be confirmed – please get in touch and I’ll let you know. You can receive our agendas by email by writing to railusergroup@gmail.com or

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Melbourn Community Hall is in the centre of the village behind All Saints Church If you would like to hire the hall contact Sandie Springall Telephone: 01763 223320 or email: hallbookings@live.co.uk

Surgery and newsletter Please feel free to drop in at the Melbourn Hub on the first Monday of the month, 2:30-3:30, for our councillors’ advice surgery. Or just get in touch anytime. And if you would like to receive our monthly email newsletter, please drop me a line.

Susan van de Ven, susanvandeven5@ gmail.com, www.susanvandeven.com, Telephone 07905325574.

Home-Start check out the latest on our website, kindly hosted by the Melbourn Village site: www.meldrethsheprethfoxtonrail.org.uk/ The Community Rail Partnership has published audits of our three stopping stations, which can be viewed on our website. The idea is to take stock of current facilities and prompt strategic thinking about their enhancement to meet growing demand. Meldreth Station car park is often full, the number and quality of cycle parking is poor, and there is no shelter on the Cambridge platform.

When Govia Thameslink Railway took over our service exactly two years ago, it announced that Meldreth Station would receive a shelter on the Cambridgebound platform, as well as enhanced cycle parking provision. Two years on, no progress, though we are doing our best to push.

Thank you to Melbourn Village College Duke of Edinburgh volunteers: without their help, the Meldreth Station planters would not have looked so glorious this summer. Thank you to the Luebcke and Walker Boys!

A10 pedestrian/cycleway project

Link connecting Melbourn Science Park and Frog End The Greater Cambridge City Deal agreed at its June meeting to fund a pedestrian/ cycle path connecting Dunsbridge Turnpike/Frog End Shepreth with Melbourn at the Science Park entrance. It is expected that construction work will commence around September. The path will be suitable for mobility scooters and will lead directly into the two garden centres and associated shops along Cambridge Road.

Work is expected to start around September. Meanwhile, Melbourn Science Park owners plan to create a new dedicated cycle entrance to the site, saying that safe cycle provision will enable the site to increase its workforce, because car parking space is limited.

What is the City Deal? This is central government funding specifically for infrastructure in the high growth Greater Cambridge area, with a priority on enhancing sustainable transport provision. The new A10 network from Trumpington southward is moving ever closer to connecting up with Royston – the overall project being encouraged locally by the A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign.

More information at a10corridorcycle.com.

A10 path maintenance AstraZeneca, currently based at the Melbourn Science Park, has kindly agreed to provide supplementary maintenance to the A10 pedestrian/cycle network, over and above current arrangements by the council. The extra funding will allow additional verge cuts, cutting back of overhanging and side vegetation, herbicide treatment, etc. This is set out for a two-year trial period. Needless to say it is a huge shame that central government provides grants to build infrastructure but no revenue support to maintain it; the logical arrangement would be for a properly funded council to provide proper maintenance. Huge thanks to AstraZeneca for agreeing to step in.

Please support your local HomeStartOrchid scheme by attending Bee – Ophrys apifera one of our fundraising events, this is what we have planned over the coming months: Friday 30th September – 11.00am – 1.00pm – Harvest Festival Flower Arranging Workshop to be held at Abington Piggots Village Hall – Tickets will be £12 to include all you need to make your arrangement. Materials will be provided for you but please bring sharp scissors and any small-leafed foliage. Tea, coffee and delicious homemade cakes will also be available.

Saturday 1st October – 7.00 for 7.30pm – Quiz Night with supper to be held at Meldreth Village Hall. This will be a fun quiz – teams of 6 are required but if you can’t get a full team, please do still join us and we can include you in another team. Tickets will be £12 each to include your supper and there will be a licensed bar and a raffle held at this event.

Tuesday 8th November – Fashion Show at Esse Retail and Therapy, Melbourn, please arrive from 7.30pm, the fashion show starts at 8.00pm – Parking is available at Esse and at Sheen Mill, opposite. Tickets are £12, which includes a glass of wine or a soft drink.

We will also be holding a raffle during the evening. Please come along with your friends for a fun ‘girl’s night out’ and you might even feel like buying a few Christmas presents!

Thursday 17th November – Sing a long Grease – at Royston Picture Palace (during the evening) – not to be missed, a chance to come along with your friends, dress up (optional) and enjoy singing and dancing along to Grease.

There will be a licensed bar and a raffle melbournmagazine

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Royston - Greneway School, Garden Walk Tuesday 6.15pm Strength 45 7.00pm Dance Mixx Thursday 6.40pm Strength 45 7.30pm Dance Mixx Saturday 9.00am Dance Mixx Melbourn Village College Wednesday 7.15pm Dance Mixx For more information text or call Maxine on 0796 316 1246 jazzercise_ royston.melbourn@yahoo.co.uk *Terms & Conditions apply

Rapidly Growing We are proud to recognise that Clarke Philips is continuing to enjoy steady growth in the Royston and surrounding areas.

We believe it is the result of carefully nurturing our customers’ needs which include: • Offering competitive fees

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Be part of our success and ask us how we can help you sell or let your property today.

E royston@clarkephilips.co.uk T 01763 248682 W clarkephilips.co.uk

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will be held during the evening. It should be great fun – so don’t miss out !

There are many ways you can support Home-Start, here are a few other ideas: Become a member of our Fundraising Events Committee – This committee, chaired by a Trustee, plan and organise our programme of events. Volunteers on this fun and lively committee are always needed to attend meetings and organise and take part in the events.

Snowflake Tea Parties – would you like to host a tea party with your family and friends from your office, playgroup, school, book club etc.? We will supply you with a 'tea bag' fundraising pack with ideas and recipes for all you need to host an event.

Do you shop online?

If you do, please consider using easyfundraising.org.uk – Register your details on www.easyfundraising.org.uk and choose Home-Start Royston and South Cambridgeshire up as your charity. Then when you want to search you sign into easyfundraising first, then click on your chosen retailer, decide on your product and, at no extra cost to you, we will automatically receive a percentage of your spend.

Please remember easyfundraising when you are shopping on-line, and spread the word … tell all your friends and family. If you recruit new supporters HomeStart will get even more!

Get Smart for Home-Start – This is a really tasty and easy way to support us. All you need to do is buy a tube of smarties, enjoy eating them and then together as a family or with friends fill the tube with 20p pieces. Once your tube is full please send a cheque made out to Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire to the address below, pop into our office in Meldreth or you can pay your money directly into our account – HSBC – sort code 40-39-22, account number 71363379 using the reference smartie.

Are you celebrating a special birthday or anniversary soon and don’t really need any gifts ? – why not ask your family and friends to make a donation to Home-Start instead.

Come along and find out more about the work of your local Home-Start scheme by attending our AGM – this will be held at 8.00pm on Wednesday 7th September at The Hub, Melbourn. Refreshments will be available from 7.30pm. We would love to see you there.

If you would like further information about any of these events or activities please contact us at our office – Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire, Unit 6, Valley Farm, Station Road, Meldreth, Herts, SG8 6JP, by calling us on 01763 262262, email us on admin@hsrsc.org.uk or see our website www.hsrsc.org.uk. You can also catch up with us on Facebook.

We are always very grateful for the support we receive from our local community and so if you can take part in only one of the above, this will make a real different to local families. Thank you.

Relate Cambridge Why not focus on your relationships this autumn…

The approach of any new season – in this case autumn – is always a good time to take stock, especially when it comes to relationships. The benefit to your relationships - from taking just a little time out to think about what you appreciate or what is not working - is well worth the extra effort.

Here are a few top tips from Relate Cambridge to keep you going this autumn …

• • •

the opportunity to look at how we can recharge our emotional batteries For anyone who is struggling with relationship issues or who would just like to brush up on their relationship skills, please get in touch and come along to see us at our outpost in Melbourn.

To find out more or make a booking please ring 01302 347712 Relate Cambridge offers information, advice and counselling for all stages of your relationships at our outpost in Melbourn.

The sessions are held in the small meeting room at Melbourn hub on Wednesday each week. Appointment times are: 10:30; 11:45; 13:00 For more information or to book an appointment, contact Relate Cambridge on 01223 357424 Mon-Thur 8am-10pm, Fri 8 am-6pm, Sat 9am-5pm (confidential answerphone at all other times) or visit www.relatecambridge.org.uk

Men’s Breakfast – Dean’s Farm A pleasant Saturday morning was spent on 18th June when the Men’s Group met at Dean’s Farm in Fowlmere for a barbecuestyle breakfast inside Tony Dean’s big green barn. There was a good turnout of Foxton’s men, plus several ladies and a dog called Bruno, who made short work of the leftovers!

A presentation on the ‘Wild-flowers of Chalk Grasslands’ was given by Trevor James, formerly of the Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust, who now manages a nature reserve at Ashwell. This corner of our county boundary runs alongside Hertfordshire and the Chiltern Hills up around Barkway and The Chishills, beneath which many of the chalk springs that run through our neck of the woods

Relationship skills – such as good listening – are well worth investing in and are one of the best ways to lay a good foundation for our relationships However, our relationships will also thrive when we deliver small acts of kindness or gestures, to show how much we care about – not only our partners – but also family members and friends Every so often, it’s good to take stock to work out the things in our lives that drain our emotional energy, so that we have more to give to those who matter to us. If we can see that we are running low on feel good factor, there is then

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Profile Sally Saunders-Makings Sally was born in Walthamstow, London at the beginning of the ‘60s. The youngest of three daughters, her father was a wholesaler dealing in car accessories. She did exceptionally well at school and was considering career possibilities when her father asked her to help him out on one of his market stalls. The prospect of earning some money was naturally attractive and at the same time she was assisting her father so she went to work on the market in the Dalston area and remained there for 10 years. For a long time, she regretted not having done further education but now realises that the experience has been of great value.

Steven Saunders was a chef at The White Hart at Great Yeldon when Sally met him and three weeks later they were negotiating the purchase of the Pink Geranium from Ellen Shepperson. Sally told me that the moment she went up the drive she knew that she had to have the PG, she just loved it. It was a huge step to take on a famous restaurant at the age of 26 but it was a strong partnership based on a mutual love of good food. With Steven’s expertise in the kitchen and Sally’s business sense they built on the fine reputation Ellen had established.

Initially they lived above the restaurant but after the birth of Serena in 1988 they moved to Millside cottage in Station Road and 2 ½ years later Stefanie was born. Stefanie was only 4 weeks old when a disastrous fire broke out at the PG – we remember it well, living next door as we do! All the customers took refuge in our sittingroom – what a night! However, with great grit and determination they dusted themselves down and three weeks later they opened a pop up restaurant at Millside. They were immensely touched by the support they got from local people who continued to dine with them in the cramped quarters of the cottage. Sally gave her kitchen over to the chefs and somehow they managed whilst the Pink Geranium was rebuilt. Those were the good times.

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In 1996 Steven left her to live in London but when he spotted Sheene Mill on the market he approached Sally and suggested they got back together and buy the restaurant/ hotel in partnership. Making a new start, they moved to Bassingbourn, became the owners of Sheene Mill and put a manager in to run the PG. However, things did not work out between them and in 2004 Sally and Steven were divorced and Sally opened Esse Retail and Therapy. (pronounced, incidentally ‘S’ after the initials of their names!) Sheene Mill was still owned by Sally and Steven but was leased to tenants.

Stefanie, who had trained as a beauty therapist, joined her mother in Esse. Serena worked part time at Sheene Mill, then in hotel management at the University and finally went into recruitment but eventually she too came to work at Esse, taking over the Sunday slot and making it very profitable.

Sally was becoming more and more unhappy about the way Sheene Mill was being run and eventually the tenants were removed. Serena needed an outlet for her entrepreneurial skills so it was decided that she should take over management of the restaurant. At that point Steven decided he wanted to leave the partnership and so Ollie bought him out.

I haven’t mentioned Ollie! In February 2006 Sally sent out her monthly newsletter listing Valentine’s Day events and suggested that singletons, such as herself, should get together at Esse for a party. A client who knew Ollie Makings decided to do a bit of matchmaking and forwarded the email to him – he came along to the party and Bingo! A blind date with a happy ending. Oliver has a printing business in Thetford specialising in music books and pharmaceutical printing – quite a niche market. It was he who was the driving force behind the impressive new house which greets you as you come into Melbourn on Station Road. He saw the potential of the site and the old Melbourn Laundry was demolished (no loss as it was always an ugly building with only one right angle!). Ollie oversaw every detail of the construction and it certainly is a beautiful house. The pair moved in on the morning of Christmas Day and entertained the family to lunch!

Sheene Mill is now a successful venue for fine dining, corporate events and celebrations – the mill pond makes it a spectacular location for a wedding and we have also been there for birthday parties and funeral wakes. One often sees a helicopter bringing guests in, Rod Stewart is a regular and many other well known faces can be seen in the diningroom.

Asked about hobbies, Sally immediately said gardening and her Jack Russell Stan, they also have a house in France which they visit frequently, but really her work is her hobby. She is passionate about health and nutrition, in fact she describes herself as a health freak. She is obsessed by the reasons people get unwell and overweight, blaming sugar, processed and white foods. ‘All white foods should be regarded as enemies’ she says, She has a large collection of books on the subject and has now started stocking wholefoods and supplements in the shop. We had a long chat about diets and she kindly gave me some Turmeric Tea bags to try for my arthritis.

This fascination with ‘Beauty from within’ is exemplified in the shop where besides beauty treatments, facials, manicures and pedicures there is a long list of therapies such as yoga, pilates, iambarre (ballet barre work) acupuncture and homeopathy carried out in two studios and several treatment rooms. There is also a tanning booth. Outside the shop there are always a couple of dressed mannequins standing under an exotic umbrella which make you want to go in and explore the wide range of clothing, scarves, shoes, costume jewellery and makeup.

Customers/clients are always offered a cup of tea or coffee and as the premises are licensed when they do Hen Parties or group events they can sell glasses of fizz. Understandably, these events are very popular. Whilst having your treatment you can also order lunch to be brought over from Sheene Mill – the two businesses are interactive.

Sally says that Ollie is a hugely important part of the operation, overseeing every detail and constantly offering advice and support. It is a little empire on the edge of Melbourn – Serena and Jordan, partners in Sheene Mill, are getting married in August, Stefanie managing the shop and stepping in as a therapist when needed and Sally and Ollie pulling everything together.

Sheene Mill and Esse are a huge asset to the village and it is lovely to see a family united in a successful business. Long may they continue to thrive.

Mavis Howard

have their origin. It was very interesting, but occasionally got just a little bit technical. Who, for example, knows what ‘hemicryptophyte’ and ‘calcareous’ mean? Well, I didn’t, until Google came to my rescue. Look them up for yourself, if you are interested.

We were then taken for a walk in Tony Dean’s magnificent wildflower meadow on the other side of Long Lane, and were rewarded with the sight of many interesting species one would never see in gardens, including bee orchids and pyramidal orchids. All worth getting our feet slightly wet for.

We donated £75 to the Herts. & Middlesex Wildlife Trust following the meeting ‘Men’s Breakfast’ Schedule @8.30 am on 3rd Saturday on the Month in Foxton Village Hall. We have some interesting speakers lined up.

Speaker List

»» 17th Sept – David Wherrell – on Royston & District Community Transport

»» 15th Oct – Ziba Tabrizi - on Iranian Dance, Asian performing arts scene in London, View of gender inequality.

»» 19th Nov – Caroline Lloyd Evens. Personal & Business Coaching, CLE

Consulting & Training; 75 Years of Cambridge Citizens Advice Bureau & needed even more.

Healthwatch Cambridgeshire Healthwatch Cambridgeshire is your local health and care champion.

There are lots of important conversations happening at the moment about the future of our local health and care services. It is our job to make sure you are listened to when decisions are made. We are there to ask questions on your behalf.

Some of the conversations we’ve been involved in recently include: Hinchingbrooke Hospital merger Care at Addenbrookes and the Rosie The future of older people’s health care and adult community services Children and Young people’s mental health Crisis mental health care NHS 111 and out of hours GP care

• • • • • •

We have also published Thriving, our report into children and young people’s mental health.

We wrote Thriving to help make sure children and young people are listened to by local commissioners and providers. They are using it to help redesign children and adolescents’ mental health services.

Talk to us We need know how health and care is working in Cambridgeshire for you and the people who are important to you. We will listen to your experiences and share them with the people who make decisions about local services, without identifying you.

We also provide an Information Service and can help you find out about: health and social care services near to you what to do if you have a concern or complaint organisations that can give you help or advice

• • •

We are always happy to talk to local groups and attend events, so please do invite us.

Contact us www.healthwatchcambridgeshire.co.uk or call 01480 420628. melbournmagazine

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Little Hands is a Private Nursery School specialising in quality education for the under fives and offers Flexible hourly booking - open 08.30 to 16.30 Term time bookings with optional holiday club Bumble Bee room for children 12 – 24 months Ladybird room for 2 year olds Butterfly room for children 3-5 years With optional “ready for school sessions” Holiday club for children aged 12 months to 8 years All sessions have a high staff to child ratio and are available for funded 2 year olds and funded 3/4 year olds with no extra charges Categorised as “Outstanding” by Ofsted For further information please contact Anne McCrossen - Nursery Manager : 01763 260964 e-mail lh-melbourn@btconnect.com Little Hands is also at Bourn, Linton and Newton visit the website at www.littlehands.co.uk

Banish niggling aches and pains!

We keep many local village people supple and mobile with our range of osteopathy and complementary treatments including sports massage, chiropody and acupuncture.

Give us a call on 01462 490141 at our clinic in Baldock High Street for an initial chat or to book a treatment.

AMBER HEALTH Serving the local community

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PC Repairs Advice & Installation of Home Networks Help with Selecting a Computer Fault Finding Brian Girling 01223 208529 (Wimpole) E-mail bg@moncraft.co.uk

www.amberhealth.co.uk

We can also provide the following services:

Appointments available in Ashwell, Melbourn and Baldock Easy parking at all 3 clinics

Design of brochures, posters, business cards A4/A3 laminating • A4 comb-binding Small print runs on A6 to A3 media

www.melbourncambridge.co.uk

Nature River Mel Restoration Group

This summer saw the Environment Agency undertake one of their periodic electro-fishing surveys on the River Mel. This involves netting off stretches of the Mel and passing a small electric current through the water to stun any fish present. The fish are then counted, measured and released back into the river. Although this sounds quite drastic, the fish recover quickly with no adverse effects. In addition to taking measurements, small samples of scales are taken from some of the fish to check for parasites and to help assess the general health of the fish stock.

The last survey was three years ago, and we are pleased to report a significant increase in the number of brown trout seen. Interestingly, the numbers of stickleback and bullheads has decreased over the same period. Unfortunately for them they have probably been eaten by the trout!

While the Environment Agency was undertaking this survey they witnessed a pollution event, where the river lost its usual clarity and became cloudy and turbid. As the Environment Agency was present they were able to take oxygen measurements and then immediately report this pollution event to Anglian Water. The measured oxygen reading had dropped significantly due to this pollution.

Fortunately the river cleared while they were still on site.

However, these pollution events are very concerning as fish cannot survive these conditions for long. Further investigation showed that on this occasion this pollution did not come from the Waste Treatment Plant that discharges into the Mel, but originated further upstream in Melbourn.

If you see that the water in the river has become cloudy and there is no obvious reason, such as dogs in the river or even our volunteers on a working party, please contact Pollution Watch on 03457 145145 or report it online at anglianwater.co.uk/pollution. We urge you to call this number as soon as you see discoloured water with no obvious cause – please do not assume that someone else will! The people on the help-line are helpful and pro-active; they deal with all types of pollution events whether due to sewage overspills or any other type of pollution. Very few pollution incidents are deliberate and timely advice and intervention by the appropriate experts can often prevent any lasting damage to the river. Your call gives Anglian Water and the Environment Agency a chance to intervene and save wildlife – it is really too late once dead fish are seen floating on the surface of the water. Such an event would undo years of conversation work.

To finish on a positive note, we are now seeing fish in the River Mel in numbers that have not been seen in decades.

This is a real tribute to the hard work carried out by our members under the guidance of our partner agencies.

For further information further information about the group, or if you would like to join one of our working parties, please contact info@rivermel.com or telephone Maureen Brierley on 01763 262752.

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M I L L .S I D E CA B I N E T M A K E R S

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Ground Source Heating & Cooling Thermal Response Testing (TRT) & Pump Testing Hydro-Thermogeological desk & field studies Borehole design & drilling Pump installation & maintenance

Millside’s bespoke joinery, caters for our customers individual requirements, from Kitchens, Bedrooms and Studies Millside Cabinet Makers Ltd The Moor, Melbourn, Royston Hertfordshire, SG8 6ED Telephone 01763 261870 email: millsidecabinetmakers@yahoo.com www.millsidecabinetmakers.co.uk

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Abstraction licensing & regulatory services Borehole CCTV & ROV inspection

B.A. Hydro Solutions Ltd 3 The Sidings - Shepreth - Herts - SG8 6PZ Tel: 01763 26 27 26

www.bahsltd.com

Little Hands Karen

Melbourn Playgroup Jane Crawford

MVC EDUCATION

U3A

PLAY SCHOOL NOTRE ECOLE PLAYGROUP

Education SCHOOL LITTLE HANDS PRIMARY

VILLAGE COLLEGE

Melbourn Primary School 01763 260964

07842 151512

Notre Ecole Janet Whitton Pippins Children’s Centre Alison Wood

261231 223460

Primary School Headteacher Stephanie Wilcox 223457 U3A (Univ. of Third Age) Chairman Tony Garrick 01223 510201 Village College Principal Simon Holmes

223400

FREE GCSE ENGLISH & MATHS COURSES GCSE ENGLISH 9.45am – 12pm Monday x 30 weeks at The Children’s Centre, Melbourn 7pm – 9.15pm Tuesday x 30 weeks at Melbourn Village College GCSE MATHS 12.30pm – 2.45pm Tuesday x 30 weeks at The Children’s Centre, Melbourn 7pm – 9.15pm Tuesday x 30 weeks Melbourn Village College Courses start w/c 12th September 2016 For further information or to reserve a place please ring Community Education on 01223 264721

At the time of writing the end of the summer term is almost upon us and with all endings there is an element of reflection. It has been a successful year for us with many high points. One of the highlights undoubtedly for the school community has been achieving our Ofsted grading of Good after four years of hard work and improvement planning. We celebrated with a whole school picnic and recruited the help of Royston Glazed Creations, for each child and member of staff to paint a ceramic tile with an image that they associate with our school as a ‘good’ school.

Now glazed, the tiles will be displayed together as a mosaic a permanent reminder of our success. If you walk along Orchard Road you may be able to see it through the gate!

Another highlight this year has been the introduction of Forest Schools into our curriculum. This is led by Miss Jobson, now a full, qualified Level 3 Forest School Leader. Children take their learning outside to our ‘forest school’ area and whilst developing their understanding of the natural world, learn about themselves and how to work collaboratively in a way that cannot be achieved indoors. All of our Foundation and Key Stage One children enjoy a Forest School lesson every week.

At Forest School we have discovered that the children learn how to assess risk and make decisions. They have become more competent physically and play more imaginatively. They have an increased awareness of the consequences of their actions on peers through team activities such as sharing equipment and participating in play and their language development has been prompted by the children’s sensory experiences – the woodland fascinates them and they have developed an eagerness to participate. In particular, they have developed an ability to concentrate over longer periods of time.

Researchers from the Social and Economic Research Group (A marvellous opportunity for children to learn, O’Brien and Murray) found that children who attended forest school exhibited an increase in: confidence social skills motivation and concentration physical skills knowledge and understanding

• • • • •

2016 has been a year of special anniversaries. In April we held a Shakespeare week to commemorate 400 years since Shakespeare’s death in 1616. Our year 5/6 production also was a nod to the bard with ‘Shakespeare Rocks,’ our musical extravaganza.

Then in May we celebrated the Queen’s 90th birthday with a street party and danced our way through the decades of the Queen’s life! Each class took a different decade, researched news items of the decade and a popular dance which was performed to the school in a special assembly. We learnt to lindy hop, to twist and melbournmagazine

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Melbourn Primary School Fireworks Night

Saturday 5th November

Celebrating the Queen’s 90th birthday

dance the charleston; what a fun way to learn historical aspects of the last century.

We got excited about the Rio Olympics. Rion Pierre, hopeful Olympic athlete, inspired the children with his testimony of his journey into athletics during a special sporting day and assembly. We enjoyed a visit from the ‘One Day Creative’ team who brought their Brazil Dance Carnival workshop to us. Each class spent time learning about Brazilian carnivals and the dance moves that would be seen at these colourful spectaculars. At the end of each session, the class performed their dance complete with carnival masks, feather boas and flags. We also enjoyed a samba drumming workshop although at times it sounded like thunder coming from the music room!

It was fantastic to see the children learning about another culture so enthusiastically and performing their dances and drumming with such passion and creativity.

So we came to the end of this school year and said goodbye to forty-four year 6 children. They were without doubt a fantastic bunch of year six children. They are friendly, polite and caring and have shown grit and determination in working towards the increased expectations in the curriculum. We will miss them all and are hugely proud of them – we wish them all every success at secondary school.

Finally, we currently have a vacancy for a school governor.

School Governors are one of the largest volunteer forces in Brazil Dance Carnival workshop

Tickets available in October from: Co-op, Premier Shop & School Office the country and the role of the governing board is absolutely key to the effectiveness of a school. Our Governors were with us every step of the way on our journey to becoming a good school. They supported and challenged us, in equal measure where necessary. If you think you have the skills to join our board of highly effective governors, please contact Natalie Mulvey on telephone number 01763 223457.

Melbourn Primary School and Playgroup fund-raiser We are excited to announce the remedy to post summer holiday blues and pre-Christmas chaos an evening of live music, dancing and laughter on the 8th October at 7.30pm.

The Primary School and Playgroup together are hosting a fundraising barn dance with hog roast, homemade desserts, licensed bar (I could go on) so get in quick and get your tickets to come and enjoy an evening dancing to the sounds of the Magog Band!

Don’t worry if you have never been to a barn dance, there will be a ‘caller’ who provides all the instructions that your two left feet may need!

Grab your dancing shoes, bring a load of friends or make new ones! We look forward to seeing you there!

Tickets are available from the school office during term time or from Sally on 07709 448246. £20 per ticket early bird offer, including hog roast, increasing to £25 from 8th September.

Melbourn Village College Towards the end of last term Melbourn’s new senior prefects were thrown straight in at the deep end when they performed their first official duties.

Rose Pedge, Emily Littlewood, Rebecca Webb and Alex Farrow were only appointed a few days before South Cambridgeshire MP Heidi Allen visited the school for the first time.

But the Year 10 students showed some of the qualities which earned them the job as they chatted effortlessly to their VIP visitor about their school, how it has shaped them and their aspirations for the future.

Ms Allen came out saying: “Wow – you have some seriously ambitious pupils here!”

During the day she also met Melbourn Principal Simon

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Holmes, dropped into a maths lesson and chatted to Assistant Principal John Barnes and Pupil Premium and Young Carers champion Caroline Deadman about the ways the college is improving outcomes for the 65 students in receipt of Pupil Premium because they are in low-income families.

Melbourn has developed a wide range of strategies to help these students make the same progress as their peers – closing the gap nationally is a current government focus.

These include everything from homework clubs, mentoring, a summer school for new Year 7 pupils and intervention groups for English, maths and science to providing resources, uniform and even breakfast and other financial support.

“You can really see what an individual difference it makes to students,” said Ms Allen, who has offered to help with further work in this area.

The South Cambs MP has now visited all the village colleges in her constituency and said: “It’s a system that works very well and you wouldn’t want to change it.”

Alistair Patrick-Heselton Not even the buzzer marking the end of the school day caused a stir in a whole school assembly with a difference.

Staff and students were so rapt with inspirational guest speaker Alistair Patrick-Heselton that nobody moved as he spoke about his life to a packed hall.

Alistair had already seen the ups and downs of professional football before injury forced him to change tack. But he was still playing semi-professionally when his life was changed forever in 2006.

He had his head literally split open after being catapulted from a car in a crash that killed his best friend. He spent months in a coma. When he came round he was told he might never walk again and that wherever he was with his recovery in five years was likely to be as far as he could go.

However, he worked incredibly hard to not only regain his mobility, but to play his beloved football again. Four years after the crash, he joined the team for Cerebral Palsy or brain injury sufferers and has since played for England and competed at the Paralympics in London four years ago, although he can’t head the ball and knows that a serious blow to his scull could kill him.

Working as a mentor for the Youth Sports Trust, he now

talks to youngsters about his experiences and how to ensure nothing holds you back, whatever happens. And he told the Melbourn students: “whatever you do, aim to do it better the next day.”

Celebrating success was the focus of the evening as youngsters from MVC’s partner primary schools gathered for an inaugural awards evening.

Having spoken to MVC students during the afternoon, paralympic athlete Alistair Patrick-Heselton was then the guest speaker and, as well as giving out certificates of achievement to students in Key Stage 2 for everything from maths to dance and swimming to language learning, he inspired them with his story.

Having kept the audience of adults and children totally absorbed as he outlined the incredible ups and downs of his life, he then went on to hand out framed certificates for outstanding achievement at a range of events staged at MVC in the last year.

The winners of the sporting achievements, including netball, football and swimming, were joined by students chosen for their outstanding endeavour at the Year 5 humanities day, the Year 5 Gifted and Talented maths sessions, art and MFL taught

by Melbourn teachers in the primary schools and dance.

Melbourn Principal Simon Holmes said: “It was fantastic that so many pupils, their parents and teachers from our partner primary schools were able to attend this event.

“Alistair was an inspirational speaker as you could see by the long queue of children wanting selfies and parents thanking him.

“Successful people are those who get up and carry on after setbacks and his life has been full of ups and downs.”

Celebrating Ages ‘Celebrating Ages’ continues to bring together the young and old in the community at Melbourn Village College. The highlight of this year was a celebration of the Queen’s 90th melbournmagazine

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new people and I felt I was really helping.”

Jose, who also helped host the event, said: “These parties are always so popular, bringing the generations together which is so important for building a strong community.”

GCSE art exhibition

birthday. There was no need to worry about the weather as the college welcomed 160 guests to an indoor street party in the school hall.

Students from the college left their uniforms at home as they joined members of the community to help serve an amazing spread of sandwiches, sausage rolls and cakes, including 20 birthday cakes with the message ‘Happy 90th Liz’, which had been prepared by MVC catering manager Lynn Gregory.

This tea party was one of several that Melbourn staff and students have run each year since 2013. They are supported

by District Councillors Jose Hales and Val Barrett and funded

by Lightsource community grant money held by Melbourn Parish Council.

The parties, usually held at Christmas and Easter, are aimed at bringing older residents from Melbourn and Meldreth together with the college students, for a good chat, music and food. The Queen’s birthday was a good excuse for an additional get-together and included a rousing rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ as well as a range of patriotic tunes played on the piano by Melbourn Head of Music Paul Belbin and Principal Simon Holmes.

The most moving scene was when former soldiers stood to honour the Queen when the National Anthem was played, which brought tears to the eyes of many.

Students ran the free raffle and handed out a special Queen’s birthday cake as first prize and 10 tubs of chocolates to the lucky winners.

One of the students said afterwards: “I loved it. I like meeting

The class of 2016 GCSE art group were given the amazing opportunity to hold their GCSE art exhibition in the Upper Gallery at The Plough in Shepreth, using a dedicated art space which hosts exhibitions all year round.

It was great for the students to see their work professionally hung in the beautiful rooms there. The atmosphere was buzzing at the preview evening as students proudly showed their work to parents and friends.

Mrs Heeks and Mrs Reade, MVC’s art teachers, were delighted with the exhibition, which “embodied the creative energy, dedication and technical skill of the class of 2016 GCSE Art students”.

Marjorie Shaw, an invigilator who supervised the students during their 10-hour GCSE exam, said that it had been “a privilege to be able to witness the creation of the work from a blank sheet of paper or board to the finished piece.

“The exhibition included all the finished work plus all the preparation which shows the amazing knowledge and talent of these students.”

Farewell to their class of 2016 Melbourn Village College said farewell to their class of 2016 with a spectacular Evening of Elegance at the school.

Students, immaculately dressed in beautiful ball gowns and smart suits, arrived in all manner of vehicles from an electric pedal car and a wheelbarrow to a huge HGV sporting loud klaxons and a variety of vintage vehicles.

They were greeted by staff – also smartly dressed – and parents before heading into the hall to celebrate the end of exams and also mark the end of five years at MVC. After a delicious buffet laid on by the school’s catering team, students had the chance to have their photos professionally taken then listened to speeches from the Head Prefects and members of staff, including a toast from Head of Year 11 Kate King.

Finally awards, voted for by the students themselves, were handed out and the tables cleared to allow everybody to dance the night away.

“The Prom is viewed by Year 11s as one of the highlights of their time at the college and the students certainly looked amazing,” said Principal Simon Holmes. “The turn-out from the village to welcome them was fantastic as always and the evening was a great success.”

Animal rescue Shepreth Wildlife Park has taken delivery of 25 new reusable hedgehog boxes thanks to students at Melbourn Village College.

Year 7 students have been working in small groups in their technology lessons to build the boxes and just before the end of last term they went to the park to deliver them.

While they were there the students were able to learn how

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vital these boxes are to rescued hedgehogs and what a critical part they play in the conservation work undertaken by the Park to support endangered animals in the UK.

Sawston Adult Education We are excited to offer you a completely new range of courses for the next academic year! Indian Dance, Jive, Afternoon Singers, Turkish for Fun and Travel, is just a small sample of what we will be offering….

We have some taster sessions on Saturday 10th September 10.00 – 11.00 for which we charge £5 (this is refundable upon enrolment for the same course commencing September).

Booking is essential to guarantee your place. The subjects currently available to try are French beginners, Guitar, Indian Cookery, Introduction to Writing Fiction, Art History, Italian beginners, Portraiture, Spanish beginners and Tai Chi. All our new and usual courses are on our website www.sawstonadulted.org, we are sure you will find something of interest.

If you wish to make a booking you will find a booking form on our website or alternatively, please feel free to pop in at the main reception here at Sawston Village College. Plus we have an enrolment morning on Saturday 10 September 09.00 – 12.00, so you could pop by then to book your place. The Adult Learning team will be available Monday to Friday 9am – 1pm.

Our contact details are 01223 712424 or email community@ sawstonvc.org We look forward to welcoming you this Autumn!

Sue King & Amanda Hoskins The Adult Education Department

Notre Ecole At Notre Ecole from time to time we practise vocabulary related to rooms of the house and their contents. During the first half of the summer term it was time for the Wednesday group to look at ‘la Salle de Bain’, the bathroom. The children learnt a wide variety of vocabulary to do with the bathroom and practised this while playing a range of games. As usual we took part in several activities to practise numbers in French and during one lesson we looked at Road Safety, translating instructions on how to stay safe near the road.

Half term came and went and then it was time to start practising our play. This year we decided to perform a play based around the characters of Batman and Robin since we had enjoyed the Batman topic earlier in the year. In our play the crime fighting duo won the day and as always saw that justice was done. The children worked hard on their play so that it would be ready to show to friends and family at the end of term.

Children at the Thursday group at Melbourn Primary School have been learning words around the theme of insects during the summer term. Again we played a variety of games and we learned to sing Incy Wincy Spider in French. We also went looking for insects in the school grounds. We found quite a few different ones that we could name in French but mostly we saw little flies (les petites mouches) as they seemed

to be out in force that day. At the end of the term after several weeks of practise, we sang a number song, a fruit song and acted out ‘La Chenille a Faim’, the Hungry Caterpillar for friends and family.

If you or your child are interested in joining one of our groups please get in touch. Notre Ecole, led by a native speaker and a graduate of European Studies with French, has been teaching French to pupils of all ages for fifteen years. Call either Marine on 07533 443153 or Janet on 07791 853448 for further details. If you prefer e-mail, contact boultermarine@gmail.com or janet.whitton@tiscali.co.uk. We look forward to hearing from you.

Learn French in a friendly atmosphere *French for Children – Games, role-play, songs etc.

Every Wednesday from 3.45pm to 4.30pm Every Thursday from 4:15pm to 5:00pm *French for Adults – All levels, Conversation Every Wednesday from 8.00pm to 9.00pm GCSE lessons available by arrangement.

Individual lessons also available.

Telelephone Marine 01763 222876 or Janet 01763 261231 mob-07533 443153 mob-07791 853448 Email marineboulter@yahoo.fr or janet.whitton@tiscali.co.uk.

We look forward to hearing from you.

(Enhanced CRB clearance recently completed)

Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) – Royston Enrolment for the Autumn courses will be on Tuesday 20th September at Royston Town Hall between 10am and 11am or enrolment may be made on-line.

Choice of two courses – History of Clothes – Tutor Honor Ridout.

Royal Gardens – Tutor Andrew Sankey. Both courses will be for 9 weeks @ 1½ hours each week and the total cost is expected to be £47.25.

Further details from Secretary 01763 660234 or www.roystonwea.org.uk melbournmagazine

33

Age-appropriate rooms and activities: Caterpillar, Ladybird, Bumblebee, Butterfly, Grasshopper and Dragonfly rooms* all-weather playgrounds and large open grass areas to run, jump and skip!

The great outdoors is a very important part of life at Bumpkins; even babies go for walks around the farm in the comfort of the Bumpkins buggy

Outdoor Fu n

Learning through play: Music, Dancing, Art and Craft, Story time, Cookery, Dressing Up, Role-play, French and Spanish; NEW Montessori equipment for the pre-schoolers Pre-school care Building independence in your child as they grow, in preparation for “big” school

Craft Art and

Home cooked food using only the best local ingredients Individual care and support for each and every child Bumpkins offers a loving family environment created by qualified happy staff

“Children like to explore th e environment and enjoy mes sy play... make go od use of the enclosed outd oor space... ar e highly imaginat ive... make up their own gam es.”

Bumpkins Day Nursery

caring with a difference

34

www.melbourncambridge.co.uk

OFSTED, 201

4

face bum book.com pkins nurs / ery

*pop over to our website to discover how we chose our nursery room names

birth to pre-school - free-range fun for your child

Open 7.30am - 6.30pm, Bumpkins is based on a working farm in Whaddon, nr Royston. For all children aged 3 months - 5 years old.

Come and see for yourself the difference that Bumpkins can offer you and your child.

Call us today to arrange a visit

www.bumpkinsnursery.co.uk

01223 208 777

MELBOURN PARISH COUNCIL 30 High Street Melbourn SG8 6DZ Telephone: 01763 263303 ext. 3 e-mail: parishclerk@melbournpc.co.uk The Parish Office is open Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm (the office is closed between 1p–2pm www.melbournpc.co.uk

Parish Clerk Sarah Adams

Village information IMPORTANT NUMBERS Orchard Surgery

District Councillors

Appointments & Dispensary 260220 For repeat prescriptions send email: prescriptions.orchardsurgery@nhs.net

Jose Hales – Telephone 221058 Mobile 07703 262649

Hospitals

Val Barrett – Telephone 261227

County Councillor Susan van de Ven – Telephone 07905 325574

Due to changes within the Parish Council details have been removed for this issue.

We will update this section in the December issue.

For more information, please contact the The Parish Clerk Sarah Adams

Addenbrooke’s Royston

01223 245151 01763 242134

NHS111 – Urgent Care 24hr helpline

111

Police Non Emergency number Help when not a 999 emergency

101

Medical help when not a 999 emergency

Fire & Rescue Service Crimestoppers

01223 376201 0800 555111

Neighbourhood Watch 260959 Maureen Townsend maureentownsend1@aol.com Telephone Preference Service

www.tsponline.org.uk

0345 070 0707

PLACES OF WORSHIP

EDUCATION Melbourn Playgroup Jane Crawford 07842 151512 Library LAP Jane Stevens johnjane.stevens@tiscali.co.uk Little Hands Nursery School 260964 Out of school times 01223 503972 Notre Ecole Janet Whitton 261231 Primary School Headteacher Stephanie Wilcox 223457 U3A (Univ. of Third Age) Chairman Tony Garrick 01223 510201 Hon Sec Hilary Docwra 222486 Mem Sec Chris Davison 264189 Village College Principal Simon Holmes 223400

HEALTH

Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire are looking for Home Visiting Volunteers Can you give a family the most precious gift - your time?

Our volunteers are all parents or grandparents who can give a few hours a week to help families who are finding it difficult to cope.

All parents need emotional and practical help to get through the first few years, but not everyone has friends or family nearby.

This is when Home-Start volunteers can help!

For more details contact Sarah or Jackie at: Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire, Unit 6, Valley Farm, Station Road, Meldreth, Royston, Herts, SG8 6JP Tel: 01763 262262 or e-mail admin@hsrsc.org.uk / www.hsrsc.org.uk Registered Charity No 1105385

Age UK Cambridgeshire Blood Donors Chiropodist Dentist District Nurses (Primary Care Trust) Home-Start S Cambs PCT 35 Orchard Road Child & Family Nurses Car Scheme Osteopath Kath Harry

Meldreth Local History Kathryn Betts 268428 Mothers’ Union Pauline Hay 260649 National Trust Marian Bunting 246122 bunting@uwclub.net New Melbourn Singers Adrian Jacobs 243224 Photographic Club Bruce Huett 232855 Ramblers Dave Allard 242677 Royal British Legion Women Elizabeth Murphy 220841 Royal National Lifeboat Institution Jean Emes 245958 Royston and District Local History Society David Allard 242677 Royston Family History Society Pam Wright frierley@ntlworld.com Royston Lions Chris Cawdell 448236 RSPB Fowlmere Doug Radford 208978 SOAS (Supporters of All Saints’) Colin Limming 266072 St George’s Allotments Assoc. Bruce Huett brucehuett@compuserve.com Thursday Luncheon Club at Vicarage Close Jeannie Seers 07599 292327 Women’s Group Pat Smith 260103

01223 221921 0300 123 23 23 263260 262034 01223 846122 262262 262861 245228 261716

LOCAL CLUBS Air Cadets 2484 (Bassingbourn) Squadron 249156 Tony Kelly Mon & Wed evenings 7 – 9.30 p.m.

Bellringers Barbara Mitchell 261518 Bridge Club Howard Waller 261693 1st Melbourn Rainbows Abigail Roberts 261505 Brownies 1st Melbourn Stephanie Clifford 220272 Brownies 2nd Melbourn 261400 Samantha Pascoe (Brown Owl) Gardening Helen Powell 245887 Guides 1st Melbourn Hilary Marsh 261443 MADS (Melbourn Amateur Dramatics Society) Donna Sleight 232622 Melbourn History Group Ann Dekkers 261144 Melbourn Mushroom Club John Holden email: frog.end@virgin.net Melbourn Pottery Club Maggie 01223 207307

All Saints’ Church Revd. Elizabeth Shipp 220626 vicar.melbournmeldreth@gmail.com Churchwardens Roger Mellor 220463 Mike Galley 260127 Community Hall booking Sandie Springall 223320 hallbookings@live.co.uk Baptist Church Rev. Stuart Clarke 261650 Secretary Guy Manners 01223 872298 United Reformed Church Minister Rev. Duncan Goldie 260747 Secretary Peter and Eirwen Karner 262346 Hall booking Beryl and Barry Monk 246458

SPORT Badminton Steve Jackson 248774 Bowls Author Andrews 261990 Croquet Janet Pope 248342 Jazzercise Maxine Rustem 07963 161246 Judo Derek Coult 225004 Melbourn Dynamos FC Gordon Atalker 07770533249 Blake Carrington 07730488743 Melbourn Football Club Simon Gascoyne 261703 Melbourn Sports Centre Graham Johnson-Mack 263313 Meldreth Tennis Club Tracy Aggett 243376 Swimming Club Jenny Brackley 244593 Squash Club Nick Sugden 261064

COMMUNITY SERVICES Dial-A-Ride 01223 506335 Home Start Tracy Aggett 262262 Mobile Warden Scheme Jeannie Seers 262651 Moorlands Denise Taylor 260564 Vicarage Close Warden Eileen Allan 263389 Lead Sheltered Housing Officer – Monday to Friday 9–1.30 Vicarage Close, John Impey Way & Elin Way Eileen Allan Mobile 07876 791419 / 245402 Every other week. 9–5 Monday to Friday

melbournmagazine

35

DIARY SEPTEMBER

Thursday 1

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC 2-4pm weekly

Wednesday 14

Craft Club Baptist Church 9.30am (TT) Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am Hub Club lunch 12.30pm

OCTOBER

Saturday 1

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am The Bookshelf Homestart Quiz Meldreth Village Hall (see article)

Thursday 15

Sunday 2

Saturday 3

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC 2-4pm weekly

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am The Bookshelf

Friday 16

Sunday 4

Coffee at URC 10.30am

Holy Communion All Saints 8am Morning Service Baptist Church 10.30am URC Communion Service 11.00am Baptist Communion 6pm

Holy Communion All Saints 8am Morning Service Baptist Church 10.30am Holy Communion URC 11am Communion Service Baptist Church 6pm

Saturday 17

Monday 5

Sunday 18

Friday 2

Coffee at URC 10.30am

New Term begins Drop-in Surgery with Councillors at The Hub 2.30-3.30pm first Monday in the month Melbourn Bridge Club every Monday Vicarage Close 7pm contact Howard Waller 261693 Unploughed Acoustic Session The Plough Shepreth 7.30pm weekly

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am Link Murang’a stall Foxton & Thriplow Gardening Club Foxton Village Hall 2-4pm MADS Quiz Night (see article) Holy Communion All Saints 8am Family Service All Saints 11.00am URC Harvest Festival 11am Tea & Cake 4pm Songs of Praise 5pm Communion Service Baptist Church 10.30am

Monday 3

Drop-in Surgery with Councillors at The Hub 2.30-3.30pm first Monday in the month Melbourn Bridge Club every Monday Vicarage Close 7pm contact Howard Waller 261693 Tuesday 4

Melbourn Bridge Club every Tuesday 2pm contact as above Toddlers Plus Baptist Church 9.30-11.30am (TT) Melbourn Short Story Reading Group weekly The Hub 10-11am Wednesday 5

Tuesday 6

Toddler Plus Baptist Church 9.30-11.30am (TT)

Craft Club Baptist Church 9.30am (TT) Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am

Toddler Plus Baptist Church 9.30-11.30am (TT) Melbourn Short Story Group The Hub 10am-11 weekly Melbourn Bridge Club every Tuesday Vicarage Close 2pm contact Howard Waller 261693 Melbourn & District Photographic Club Foxton Village Hall 7.30pm (runs weekly September to April)

Wednesday 21

Thursday 6

Craft Club Baptist Church 9.30am (TT) Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft and Chat URC 2-4pm weekly Royston & District Local History Society Royston Town Hall 8pm

Wednesday 7

Craft Club Baptist Church 9.30am (TT) Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am Homestart AGM the Hub 7.30pm

Tuesday 20

Thursday 22

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC 2-4pm weekly Friday 23

Coffee at URC 10.30am

Friday 7

Coffee URC 10.30am Saturday 8

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am

Saturday 24

Sunday 9

Thursday 8

Coffee Stop at ASCH 10.30am

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC 2-4pm weekly

Sunday 25

Family Communion 9.45am All Saints Morning Service Baptist Church 10.30am URC Service 11am

Coffee at URC 10.30am

Harvest Festival All Saints 9.45am Morning Service Baptist Church 10.30am URC Service 11am

Saturday 10

Tuesday 27

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am Adult Education Taster Sessions Sawston Village College 9am-12

Toddlers Plus 9.30-11.30am (TT) Women’s Group 7.45pm Meldreth

Friday 9

Sunday 11

Family Communion All Saints 9.45am Morning Service Baptist Church 10.30am URC Service 11am Melbourn Open Gardens 11am-4pm (see article) Tuesday 13

Toddler Plus Baptist Church 9.30-11.30am (TT) Mother’s Union contact Pat Smith 262575 Melbourn & District Gardening Club ASCH 7.30pm Gardens of Devon

Wednesday 28

Craft Club Baptist Church 9.30am (TT) Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am Royal British Legion Women’s Section Vicarage Close 2pm Thursday 29

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC 2-4pm weekly

Tuesday 11

Toddlers Plus Baptist Church 9.30-11.30am (TT) Mothers’ Union contact Pat Smith 262575 Melbourn & District Gardening Club ASCH 7.30pm Extending the season in the herbaceous border Wednesday 12

Craft Club 9.30 (TT) Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am Hub Club Lunch 12.30pm Thursday 13

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat 2-4pm Friday 14

Friday 30

Coffee URC 10.30am

Coffee at URC 10.30am Harvest Supper Meldreth Village Hall

Saturday 15

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am

Sunday 16

Thursday 3

Sunday 20

Holy Communion All Saints 8.00am Baptist Communion Service 10.30am Family Service All Saints 11am URC Service 11.00am

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC 2-4pm weekly Royston & District Local History Soc. Royston Town Hall 8pm

Tuesday 18

Coffee URC 10.30am

Holy Communion All Saints 8am Family Service All Saints 11am URC Service 11am Communion Service Baptist Church 10.30am Foxton Art Exhibition

Toddlers Plus Baptist Church 9.30-11.30am (TT)

Saturday 5

Wednesday 19

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am The Bookshelf

Craft Club Baptist Church 9.30am (TT) Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am

Sunday 6

Friday 4

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC 2-4pm

Holy Communion All Saints 8am Holy Communion URC 11.00am Morning Service Baptist Church 10.30am Baptist Communion 6pm

Friday 21

Monday 7

Coffee URC 10.30am

Drop-in Surgery with Councillors at The Hub 2.30-3.30pm first Monday in the month Melbourn Bridge Club every Monday at Vicarage Close contact Howard Waller 261693 Homestart Fashion Show Esse 8pm

Thursday 20

Saturday 22

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am Sunday 23

Family Communion 9.45am Morning Service Baptist Church 10.30am URC Service 11.00am Monday 24

Half Term Tuesday 25

Women’s Group ASCH 7.30pm Wednesday 26

Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am British Legion Women’s Section Vicarage Close 2pm Thursday 27

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC 2-4pm

Tuesday 8

Thursday 24

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC 2-4pm week Friday 25

Coffee URC 10.30am Saturday 26

Coffee Stop

Wednesday 30

Craft Club Baptist Church 9.30am (TT) followed by Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am Hub Club Lunch 12.30pm

Craft Club Baptist Church 9.30am (TT) Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am

Thursday 10

Friday 11

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am

Coffee URC 10.30am

Sunday 30

Saturday 12

Family Communion All Saints 8am or 9.45am Morning Service Baptist Church 10.30am URC Service 11.00am

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am

Monday 31st

Tuesday 15

Baptist Church Light Party

Toddlers Plus 9.30-11.30am (TT)

Toddlers Plus Baptist Church 9.30-11.30am (TT) Melbourn Bridge Club every Tuesday Vicarage Close 2pm contact Howard Waller 261693 (see article) Melbourn & District Photographic Club AGM Foxton Village Hall 7.30pm (runs weekly September to April) Melbourn Short Story Reading Group The Hub 10-11am weekly

Craft Club Baptist Church 9.30am (TT) Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am Royal British Legion Women’s Section Vicarage Close 2pm

Wednesday 9

Saturday 29

Tuesday 1

Wednesday 23

Sunday 27

Coffee URC 10.30am

NOVEMBER

Toddlers Plus 9.30-11.30am (TT) Women’s Group 7.45pm Meldreth 7.45pm

Toddlers Plus 9.30-11.30 (TT) Mothers’ Union contact Pat Smith 262575 Melbourn Bridge Club every Tuesday at Vicarage Close contact Howard Waller 261693 Melbourn & District Gardening Club ASCH 7.30pm Gizmos & Gadgets

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC 2-4pm weekly

Friday 28

Tuesday 22

Sunday 13

Family Communion All Saints 9.45am Morning Service Baptist Church 10.30am URC Service 11am Tuesday 29

Toddlers Plus 9.30-11.30am (TT)

r the next fo te a d g er The closin 3th Octob 1 y a d ri F in issue is published e b l il w h ts whic listing even r, e b m e c e D nuary and Ja r, e b m e in Dec February.

Service of Remembrance The Cross and All Saints 10.45am

Wednesday 16

Craft Club Baptist Church 9.30am (TT) Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am Thursday 17

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC 2-4pm weekly Friday 18

Coffee URC 10.30am Foxton Art Exhibition (see article)

Wednesday 2

Saturday 19

Craft Club 9.30 (TT) then Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am

All Saints Christmas Fair 11am-3pm (no Coffee Stop) Foxton Art Exhibition

We shall be pleased to receive contributions in any form, articles, poems, drawings, photographs, letters etc., pertaining to Melbourn. Please send any contributions to the Editor, at 110 High Street, Melbourn, marking them ‘MELBOURN MAGAZINE’ or you can email them to melbournmagazine@gmail.com

We’re Searching for

Volunteers

Melbourn Magazine is delivered free to every household in the village by volunteers.

If you would like to help please contact Ann Dekkers on 261144

Village information Orchard Surgery & Dispensary Melbourn Health Visiting Team Monday to Friday 8:30–1pm and 3pm–6pm Phone 01763 260220 www.orchardsurgerymelbourn.co.uk For repeat prescriptions you can: Fax 01763 262968 or email: prescriptions.orchardsurgery@nhs.net

Drop in clinics for parents and babies are held as follows: Melbourn clinic every Wednesday between 9.30am and 11.00am at: 35 Orchard Road, Melbourn.

Telephone 01763 262861

Telephone requests are not accepted

• •

Allow at least 48 hours (two working days – excluding weekends and bank holidays) for repeat prescriptions to be ready.

Do not leave your request to the last minute.

Prescription/medication depending on eligibility can be collected from the Surgery

Co-op

Tesco in Royston

Please let the dispensary know where you wish your prescriptions to be sent.

This will remain your choice until we are informed otherwise.

BIN COLLECTION MELBOURN 3 September

Black Bin

9 September

Blue & Green Bin

16 September

Black Bin

23 September

Blue & Green Bin

30 September

Black Bin

7 October

SATURDAY

Black Bin

21 October

Blue & Green Bin

28 October

Black Bin

4 November Blue & Green Bin Black Bin

18 November Blue & Green Bin 25 November

Black Bin

2 December

Blue & Green Bin

9 November

Black Bin

16 December

Blue & Green Bin

For an update on collections visit: www.scambs.gov.uk/content/friday-b For more information and collections of large household items Telephone 03450 450 063

38

A drop in advisory session is held at Vicarage Close Community Room, the 4th Thursday every month from 2pm to 4pm

See the website for more information www.cambridgeshirehearinghelp.org.uk Battery exchange and retubing.

We do not do hearing tests

Blue & Green Bin

14 October

11 November

8a Romsey Terrace, Cambridge. CB1 3NH Office Mon-Fri 9.00am-12.30pm.

Telephone 01223 416 141 answerphone out of these hours enquiries@cambridgeshirehearinghelp.org.uk

www.melbourncambridge.co.uk

Cam Sight’s Rural Support Group meet in Melbourn to provide help, friendship and ongoing support to local people with sight loss. The group enjoys speakers, music, information, advice and a chance to try out low vision equipment.

They meet on the 1st Wednesday of each month, 2 – 4pm at Vicarage Close.

For further information please call 01223 420033 or info@camsight.org.uk

feature Peter Horley

Clerk to Melbourn Parish Council from 2011 to 2015 Peter was born in Wednesbury in the West Midlands, read history at Newcastle University and taught for 38 years. He has an MBA in Church Administration. He is also a Choral Conductor of some repute.

He has been singing in church choirs from the age of seven; firstly, at St Bartholomew’s Church, Wednesbury where Gurney Harper was Director of Music, and his grandson, Prof. John Harper was later the Director of the Royal School of Church Music and then St John’s, Wolverhampton under Tim Lees, his music teacher and mentor. In those early days, Gurney Harper based the music on that of King’s College, Cambridge and St Bart’s was forged into the best choir in the Lichfield Diocese. Peter’s first cathedral visit was to Lichfield Cathedral as a treble. As a tenor in St John’s, Wolverhampton he, along with a group of young singers with whom he still sings and conducts today, went on a series of cathedral visits which gave him the inspiration to try conducting himself.

In the 1980s he decided to put together a choir in the Parish of Ascension in Cambridge and called it ‘The Ascension Singers’. After a series of concerts, he decided to turn the choir, of between twenty- five to thirty singers, into a specialist choir dedicated to singing in cathedrals composed of singers in Cambridge and those formerly in St John’s Wolverhampton. The first cathedral visit was to Ely in January, 1987.

Since then they have sung in all forty-three English

Cathedrals, the final one being Liverpool Cathedral in 2010.

Some cathedrals they have visited more than once, Ely three times, Durham and Canterbury both twice. These visits were made during the holidays at times such as Easter, August and October. He has also conducted the choir in Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral and Tewkesbury Abbey.

The music was always carefully selected using the liturgy, readings and psalms for the appropriate season. Over the years, the composers William Byrd, Herbert Howells and John Tavener have featured most prominently.

The experience is different in each space, as the acoustic is different. It is very gratifying and moving when you can capture the building and feel it ‘come alive’. As time passes there is a great feeling of adding to and continuing the centuries old musical traditions of church music and liturgy in this country. For example, Durham Cathedral contains the Shrine of St Cuthbert and the choir, which is mixed, sang ‘The Ikon of St Cuthbert’ by John Tavener, a modern composer, in front of the Shrine which a Queen of England was not allowed to encroach further than the West Door, given his antipathy towards women.

When conducting in St George’s Chapel Windsor, with his New Abbey Singers, Peter was standing on a stone slab under which were the remains of Henry VIII and Charles I! However important or powerful one may be in life, all are mortal and but as dust!

After 2010 the original choir closed, but Peter has formed another, ‘The New Abbey Singers’, to sing in Abbeys and Greater English Parish Churches. In August they are singing in Tewkesbury.

Peter also conducted, up until this June ‘The Orlando Singers’, a Chamber Choir which meets weekly and performs in and around Cambridge. His penultimate concert took place in Melbourn Community Hub. Ed. AD

Salisbury Cathedral 1997

Westminster Cathedral 1998

melbournmagazine

39

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Nature

Melwood - Your Local Nature Reserve Autumn Glories The autumn is a particularly attractive season in Melwood.

There is a wide variety of trees in the wood (26 listed on the wood database (www.melwood.btck.co.uk/Databases) and each have their characteristic colour sequence. The falling leaves provide a rich mulch for the 40 varieties of flowering plants present in the wood and the meadow. Most of these will have finished flowering by now and we hope that they will have seeded well and the birds and animals will have distributed them around the site. In the spring we cleared some areas around the path at the back of the wood to encourage seedlings to develop in this area. It had been spread with mulch in the previous autumn and tree and bush cover cut back to provide better light to the developing plants.

Linked to this some large logs were positioned to mark the edge of the path to encourage visitors not to wander in the central area and trample vulnerable plants.

A similar job, which needs to be done regularly in the wood, is to control the ivy on the ground and cut and remove dead vegetation. We do this with a brush cutter and then spread the material cut from the greener parts of the wood as a mulch. This also helps to spread seeds around the site.

These tasks enable small plants such as violets and primroses to be exposed to sufficient light to flourish in early spring and provide a colourful display as the wood wakes up.

Plant life in the wood seems to be thriving with many plants of Dusky Cranesbill having flowered along the edges of the paths and a patch of Forget-me-nots, not spotted before, is developing. A commemorative lime, planted in memory of someone who loved the wood produced a good first year’s growth and now looks well established.

Nine bushes have been planted around the eastern side of the wood this year. These comprised 5 Blackthorn, 2 Hawthorn, 1 Spindle and 1 Guelder rose. Some grubs found in the pots were removed and dropped into the river as possible trout food! The increase in trout in this stretch of the Mel is very encouraging and one volunteer has counted 15 good size fish on a walk from Melbourn to Topcliffe Mill. This is largely due to the efforts over several Cortinarius alboviolaceus fungus: Jim Reid

Autumn Splendour: Time Gane

years of our neighbouring conservation group: The River Mel Conservation Group.

Autumn is the time to spot the fungi appearing in the wood. 15 species have been identified including the common morel which is one of the more sought after edible varieties.

However there are also non edible types in the wood (the one in the picture is part of the genus including several poisonous varieties) so it is important to have an experienced mushroom identifier present if you are thinking of collecting a few as we don’t want to be responsible for some unpleasant reactions!

The bird populations will be changing with the seasons.

An interesting bird walk in May identified 24 species. This was the fifth bird walk since 2008 and the numbers have been consistently in the mid twenties. Species identified this year which haven’t been spotted before were: feral pigeon, spotted woodpecker, house sparrow, kestrel and skylark. Some were only identified by their call and we were grateful to Mike Foley from the British Ornithological Trust and Fowlmere nature reserve who provided a lot of detail on the birds and how their populations were surviving. Nest boxes, several of which were occupied this year, will be cleaned during the winter ready for their new occupants in the spring. We have had to do this earlier each year due to the warmer springs and earlier nesting.

We often disturb some of the rich variety of moths from the undergrowth during our work and a number of voles and shrews have also been seen running away from the area of disturbance. This encourages us to believe that we are maintaining the healthy biodiversity of this small woodland area.

Much of the content of this article is taken from articles and reports by our work team leader Jim Reid.

We have recruited some new enthusiastic volunteers this year, but we always welcome more. If anyone is interested in helping to preserve this habitat please contact Graham Borgonon on 01763 260 358 or Jim Reid on 260 231. melbournmagazine

41

JEREMY RULE FUNERAL SERVICE

Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Delicatessen

Jeremy Rule. MBIE. Dip. FD. Ben Rule. Dip. FD.

Café

Independent Local Family Funeral Director

Butchery Fresh Flowers Gift Shop

Providing a caring and personal service 24 hours a day for all your funeral needs.

Garden Shop Plant Centre Free-range Eggs

Office & Chapel of Rest :

Christmas Shop

12, Church Lane, Royston, Herts SG8 9LG

P–Y–O Open 7 days a week all year round A10 Melbourn By-Pass, Melbourn, Royston, Herts SG8 6DF Tel: 01763 260418

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We are a warm, friendly, family run home conveniently situated close to the station and town centre of Royston.

If you would like to find out more about St George’s, please call us for a brochure or drop in for a chat.

42 Kneesworth Street, Royston, Herts. SG8 5AQ Telephone: 01763 242243 web site: www.stgeorgescare.com

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Offering Help & Guidance through every step.

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Ducks in a tree At the beginning of May, we noticed that a mallard was nesting in the hazelnut tree near the house, about five feet off the ground, (the duck and the drake had been on the pond, and lawn, several times before). The eggs hatched on 31st May, after incubating for about a month we saw duck and family on the lawn, and then in the pond.

We managed to shepherd mother and eight ducklings through the garden and into the Bury meadow, where they were joined by the drake, at a distance.

They were last seen heading for the river.

Arthur & Carole Alderton

Although we generally think of ducks waddling on the ground or happily swimming in water, apparently, it is not unusual to see them in trees.

The Mandarin and Wood ducks are known as perching ducks and spend a good deal of their time in trees.

In fact, the Wood ducks have sharp claws to help perch on branches. Both species are known to nest in holes in trees. As with the pictures above, the Mallard can also be seen nesting in trees. However, for the chicks getting back to earth can be a little tricky.

See the YouTube video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkBSkFyUyv0

Nature Wind in the Willows

A Chain of Wild Flowers’ would like to issue a very public ‘thank you’ to you wonderful folk who helped us achieve our aims regarding ‘Wind in the Willows’.

David Atkins, you are a star, loaning us fete equipment and for tirelessly fielding my many queries and helping set up and close down. To Graham at the Sports Centre for answering more queries and providing access to your superb playing field.

To Keith Rudge from The Parish Council for enclosing our plot. To the many helpers, including members of The Co-op, Wendy Oakley, Britta and Max Heinemeyer, Hilary Marsh and the Guides. Amanda Truman and her friend Amanda. To Dave Catley for rushing around with his car stuffed to the roof, providing the burgers, sausages and baps, the loan of the BBQ and to Emma and her partner for cooking.

Thank you to my son Martin for transporting said BBQ. Thank you to ‘Joint Venture’, aka George and Jenny, for providing superb music.

Finally, thank you to the custodian of our great pavilion hope we didn’t make too much mess.

I had a few memorable moments such as reading some of the sometimes poignant messages the children hung on the Wishing Tree, being thanked by two little girls for letting them see the play (congratulations to their parents for bringing them up to be so polite), and to watch a friend who wrote poetry way back when, read by heart some of her work, and watch her blossom before our eyes.

I loved hearing Clare read her poetry, and also Sarah; loved hearing poems read in German and French, then translated into English by another personal friend Sheila Thomas, to hear Britta’s delightful short story, and to listen to the magical, unaccompanied singing by Marie Archer. It was great to hear Liz Williams tell the story of the wild flowers.

A little feedback. Mr Jonathan Baynes, the beekeeper, was pleased with the number of interested people asking about bees, and so interested to see the hive, complete with occupants. Paul from The Wildlife Trust said it was a joy to meet children who expressed so much interest, and came back repeatedly to ask more questions well done Hedgehog Class from Melbourn Primary School.

The folk from ‘Hearing Dogs for the deaf’ were very impressed with the site. After having had a long walk along the riverbank, they described the area as ‘a good dog space’.

Lastly, ‘Wild Ivy’ entranced the children (and adults, well, me anyway!). Their facial expressions and movement so good they didn’t really need costume.

We had a fulfilling day. You all saw us through. Thank you.

Yvonne, Clare and Liz. Yvonne Chamberlain ‘A Chain of Wild Flowers’

melbournmagazine

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Sports & Clubs Bowls Malcolm Davey 262704 Bridge Club Howard Waller 261693 1st Melbourn Rainbows Abigail Roberts 261505 Brownies – 1st Melbourn Stephanie Clifford 220272 Brownies – 2nd Melbourn Samantha Pascoe 261400 Croquet Janet Pope 248342 Football Club Andrew Edwards 223109 Dynamos Football Club Les Morley 07739 593771 Gardening Club Helen Powell 245887 Guides – Ist Melbourn Hilary Marsh 261443 Judo Derek Coult 225004 Melbourn Karate Club Peter Khera 07866 374674 Melbourn Sports Centre Graham Johnson-Mack 263313 Melbourn and Meldreth Women’s Group Pat Smith 262575 Sue Toule 260955 Anne Harrison 261775 Photographic Club Bruce Huett 232855 Ramblers Dave Allard 242677 Royston and District Round Table Michael Seymour 221398 Squash Club Nick Sugden 261064 Swimming Club Jenny Brackley 244593 Tennis (Melbourn) Dave Liddiard 07508 995 781 Tennis (Meldreth) Tracy Aggett 243376

1st Melbourn Brownies This year we have had a very exciting summer term with a wide range of activities. Early on in the term, we had a trip to the Fun Barn at Bury Lane. Every Brownie thoroughly enjoyed themselves and some made their Brownie promise there too. It was a wonderful evening.

Just before the half term holiday, the Young Leaders ran a camping themed evening, inspired by their experiences from Girl Guiding. For most of the Brownies, this was the first time that they had put up a tent so they learnt lots from the evening. Hopefully lots of them will put their new knowledge to good use if they go on to become Guides. Towards the end of the term we had a trip to Wimpole, in order to enjoy the outdoors. While we were there we practiced an odd technique for measuring the height of trees. For our last evening of the term, we had a party at Brown Owl’s house.

By Amy Selby (Little Owl) on behalf of all the leaders at 1st Melbourn Brownies (Brown Owl, Eagle Owl, Nightingale, Squirrel and Fluffy Owl).

If you (or your daughter) wants come and join in the fun, please contact Brown Owl (Stephanie Clifford) on 07888831140.

1st Melbourn Guides Cats, dogs, hamsters and garden snails visited Guides on the first week of the summer term; they were the subject of the girls’ Animal Active badge. This included a pet diary and care instructions

for their chosen animal. Those without pets studied the behaviour of the wild creatures in their garden, or in the snails’ case, domesticated them for the 10-day project.

On a warm dry evening in May we hiked along the river to Meldreth where we petted the pigs and played tag, then returned via the Melbourn Millennium Wood where we played blindfold ‘meet a tree’, though some girls also met an unexpected nettle patch too.

Guides love cooking cakes & sweets, but on one evening it was time for them to try making something savoury.

Two patrols had gas cookers, and made Spanish omelette, and bacon risotto.

Another group cooked vegetable kebabs on a barbecue, and the Dolphins made cheese puffs which they baked in the oven. It was all delicious, and everybody tried a bit of everything.

The issues discussed prior to the EU referendum were mirrored by a hypothetical debate by the Guides: should our unit break away from Girl guiding UK and become an independent club? The Remainers argued that girls and leaders can access a lot of opportunities and resources from GGUK; the Leavers said we could save our subs to pay for what we want, not paying a census fee, and we could choose our own uniform. I’m pleased to say that in our vote, we chose to remain!

We ended the term in traditional style, with fire lighting to cook popcorn and toast marshmallows, and tent pitching practice for the summer campers. melbournmagazine

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If you would like to know more about becoming a Guide or a leader, or if you have any skills or hobbies which you would like to share with us, please contact me on: 01763 261443 or email: melbournguides@gmail.com Hilary Marsh

Melbourn and District Gardening Club Are you interested in gardening? Why not join the Melbourn and District Gardening Club on a regular or occasional basis.

We meet at 7.30p.m on the second Tuesday most months at the Community Hall, behind All Saints’ Church (near traffic lights, lane by red telephone box) For further details contact Helen Powell 01763 245887

Autumn programme 2016

» Tuesday 13th September – Gardens

of Devon, Rosemoor, Hestercombe, Knighsthayers Court, and Marwood Hill – Speaker Peter Walker

» Tuesday 11th October – Extending

the season in the herbaceous border – Speaker Richard Arnott, Garden Designer

» Tuesday 8th November – Gadgets

and Gizmos. This is a look at ways we can make gardening easier and enjoyable, not outdoor housework – Speaker Anne Luder, lecturer at Capel Manor College (retired) and Garden Designer

Meldreth Local History Group MLHG continue to be very active and recent group outings have included visits to Southill Park in Bedfordshire, the home of the Whitbread Family, and a very enjoyable day at the Museum of London Docklands in Canary Wharf.

We still meet every Monday morning at The Sheltered Accommodation Building in Elin Way between 9.30 – 11.30am.

Our current projects include Law and Order under the direction of John Crawforth. John has added numerous pages to the website www.meldrethhistory.org.uk including

one of special interest to Melbourn residents when John interviewed Ron Brooksbank, who was one of the last Police Sergeants in Melbourn. There is an audio snippet of Ron speaking about his last day in the police force.

The audio pages of the Website have proved to be very popular especially the late Joan Gipson speaking about her involvement with the Good Companions day out at Hunstanton.

This would have made a classic comedy sketch the late Victoria Wood would have picked up on.

The history of Meldreth Football Club is work in progress. We have discovered several interesting items including team photographs but we would welcome any memorabilia readers can supply especially relating to the 1980’s and 1990’s.

Our website has nearly 600 pages and we are adding pages all the time.

We have also launched a new Facebook page which is proving popular. Please take a look and post a comment.

Please contact the History Group by calling 01763 268428 or through our website www.meldrethhistory.org.uk

Royston & District Local History Society www.roystonlocalhistory.org.uk Our website shows all the books we have for sale. Many of these result from the considerable work undertaken by our Publications sub-committee.

The books may be ordered by post from David Allard 01763 242677. They may also be purchased at the Royston Museum & Arts Gallery in Kneesworth Street and some are available at the Cave Bookshop in Melbourn Street.

The society is responsible for the opening of Royston Cave, Melbourn Street, Royston which opens from Easter to the end of September on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays 2.30pm to 5 pm (last admission 4.30pm) www.roystoncave.co.uk .

Our evening meetings are held in the Heritage Hall (the main hall downstairs) Royston Town Hall on the first Thursday of the month starting at 8pm. They will recommence on 6th October 2016 and will continue thereafter monthly.

Details will be found on our website.

Annual membership £5 (Sept-Aug) (Under 18s half price) Visitors £2.

Royston Family Society Cambridgeshire Family wound-up History Society Once flourishing Royston and District Family Society was wound-up on 20 June 2016 after almost thirty successful years. The Society was forced to take this step due to falling membership at its Annual General Meeting at All Saints Church Hall, Melbourn.

During its very active period the Society produced and published a number of booklets. These included an index to the birth, marriage and death announcement s in the Royston Crow newspaper between 1876 and 1920.

The Society also published a number of Monumental Inscriptions on graves within the Royston area.

“It will be succeeded by the Royston Herts Family History Group,” says the retiring Chairman Neville Chuck.

“We hope to meet quarterly in private homes. Our co-ordinator is the former secretary Helen Durant of Melbourn.”

In the Summer issue our annual Family and Local History Fair was given a brief mention. Now that it is getting nearer to the time you may be interested in some detail.

The Fair will take place on Saturday 22nd October at the Glebe Primary School, Girton, Cambridge, CB3 0PN between 10am and 4pm. Admission and car parking are free.

Other family history societies will have tables so if you bring along any queries that are outside of this county they will be able to assist. Our own researchers will be there and they have access to many national records. Also present will be a number of traders with genealogical supplies.

Talks will be held throughout the day in a separate room and will be given by well-known speakers. Details of times, subjects and speakers can be seen on our website www.cfhs.org.uk melbournmagazine

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These talks are priced at £2 each per person with under 16’s free. On the website you can also see which societies and traders have booked so far, the page being updated as more book.

You don’t have to be a member to attend – all are welcome.

Melbourn Bridge Club Duplicate bridge has continued to attract considerable interest in Melbourn during the summer months.

Monday evenings averages eight tables and even attracted ten on the evening of one of England’s games in Euro 16! It should, perhaps, be pointed out that the Club is still happy to have individuals turn up and they will be guaranteed a game. Naturally, it is in everyone’s interest to form fixed pairings to advance in the game. The venue is still the Community Centre in Vicarage Close and play starts at 7.30pm so those wishing to participate should be there by 7.15pm.

Results are emailed to all members the following morning.

Our Tuesday afternoon session is at the same venue and starts at 2.00pm so players wishing to participate should arrive by 1.45pm to arrange pairings and table movements.

This session differs from Monday evenings in that it is specifically aimed at beginners and improvers. Absolute beginners are welcomed twice a year and our next intake is in August.

We hope to move these beginners into improvers in about six months if they so wish.

The improvers sessions, which are played alongside the beginners, are of a duplicate format but players can request advice or assistance from the organisers during play. Results are emailed the next day.

This year we have just introduced some short tutorials, on different elements of the game, which take place at the beginning of a Tuesday session.

These will be no more than one per month.

Melbourn Bridge Club has a web site offering general information and listing the year’s results.

Any other enquiries can be made to Howard Waller on 01763 261693.

Melbourn Karate Club Melbourn Shotokan Karate Club was involved and in a tournament at Wodson Park Sports Centre Ware.

Competitors representing clubs across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire put on a superb display of Karate in Kumite (sparring) and Kata (formal sequence).

This was the 11th Annual tournament organised by the Kamaete Schools of Traditional Shotokan Karate (KSTSK).

Families and friends packed out the sidelines, cheering their respective clubs on throughout the day. Events covered all ages, from age five years Kata, through to teenager and adult categories to Black Belt Kata and Kumite.

The popular family team (synchronised) Kata event of three people proved a success again with 20 teams coming forward to compete. Sensei Peter Khera said “Every competition was very close as all the individuals and teams involved put on excellent performances. He was very impressed with club members Gavin Elliott-Turner, Mark Knights and Jenny Mitchell who took Silver in Team Kata. Club members Nathaniel Jaques, David, George and Henry Whybrow also competed and just missed out on the top three placings.

Sensei Peter Khera, instructor at Melbourn Club club was presented with his Black Belt 6th Dan Certificate awarded by NAKMAS National Governing Body. Sensei Khera has been training in Shotokan Karate for over 30 years and teaches weekly at Melbourn Village College Sports Centre.

The club is running FREE Taster beginners classes on Tuesdays. Please call 07866 374674 or visit www.kstsk.co.uk for details.

Ramblers’ Association Royston and District Group Our walks programme continues right through the year. For details visit our website: www.ramblers.org.uk or contact David Allard (01763 242677). Email: david.allard@ntlworld.com or Lesley Abbiss (01763 273463).

There is also a poster displaying walks for the current month in Royston library, Royston Museum & Art Gallery and Melbourn Hub.

We have walks on Sundays, which are normally 5-7 miles in the morning and a similar or shorter walk in the afternoon. Occasionally Sunday walks are Figures of Eight making it possible to do only the morning or only the afternoon. Half-day walks are held on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Our evening walks (3–5 miles) will resume at the end of April next year. Prospective new members are welcome and may come on three walks before deciding whether to join. www.ramblers.org.uk to join.

Melbourn Sports Centre For those of you who don’t already know, we have:

• • • • • • • •

A state of the art fitness suite offering a variety of membership schemes A 20 metre swimming pool (kept ever so slightly warmer than most!)

A comprehensive swimming lesson programme, catering for all ages and abilities Upgraded multisports courts for hire including tennis, football and squash courts Water sports courses and activities Traditional and modern exercise classes Access to Melbourn Village College sports hall and gymnasium for activities such as trampolining, badminton and basketball Supervised sports and pool parties

September / October / November / December We have loads on offer this season, with something for the whole community to get involved with…. So why not come along and find out more about your local sports centre!

Come in out of the cold! With Autumn fully upon us and the nights closing in, why not come in out of the cold and have a go at such activities as table tennis, squash or badminton?

Court hire from only £5.00 per hour.

We have lots of classes to keep you fit and healthy, including Boxercise, Aerobics, Boot camp, Aquafit and Body Sculpture. Or why not take advantage continued on page 50 melbournmagazine

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of one of our great membership schemes to our fitness suite, which houses the latest in gymnasium equipment, including C.V machines fitted with audio visual technology.

Half term activities Children’s Half Term is fast approaching, an ideal time to book your young ones onto one of our great activity courses. These include swimming crash course, soccer camps, trampoline taster sessions and our popular Ofsted PlayScheme.

Party time! Looking for the perfect venue to hold your children’s birthday or Halloween party? Then your search is over! We have all the facilities here for a fun-packed event with a variety of activities for your guests to enjoy, including trampolining (always a popular choice), football and traditional pool parties.

Swimming lessons We still have plenty of spaces on our pre-school lessons, so for more details or to book a place then please contact Toby or Graham on 01763 263313 Waterplay These pre-school swimming lessons are an ideal first step for your child learning to swim, with the aims to build confidence in water, learning basic skills like floatation and movement using buoyancy aids.

»» Tuesdays & Thursdays: 13.30 – 15.00

(30 min lessons) Fridays: 10.30 – 11.30 (30 min lessons) Prices: £3.75 per lesson (paid per term)

For further details on these or any other activities, please drop in, call 01763 263313 or go online at www.mc-sport.co.uk We look forward to seeing you soon.

Activities for teenagers and young adults Teen Training An hour fitness session using our fitness suite machines

»» Monday – Fridays / 15.30–16.30 &

Weekends /14.00–15.00 Price: £2.50 per session / 10 sessions for £20.00

Trampoline Course This course is a great way to introduce your child into this fun and energetic sport. Start to learn all the basics including twists, shapes and drops!

»» Mondays 16.00 – 17.00 (4 ½ – 7 years);

17.00 – 18.00 (7-10 years); 18.00 – 19.00 (10 – 16 years); Price: £4.50 - £5.50 per session (booked on a term basis)

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www.melbourncambridge.co.uk

Melbourn Sports Centre, The Village College, The Moor, Melbourn, Royston, Cambridgeshire, SG8 6EF 01763 263313 / www.mc-sport.co.uk / info@mc-sport.co.uk

Grinnel Hill BMX Club After a major re-development of the beginner, intermediate, and advanced lines over the winter at the lower end of the site, completion of which was late Spring, we’ve seen many new and existing members returning through our gates, from Melbourn itself to surrounding towns, villages, counties and countries as far flung as America and Poland throughout the summer The club is open annually April to September Strictly for BMX use only, for ages 12 and older, members have the option of either becoming a seasonal member for £50 (April to September), or a day member (per session) for £10.

Our aim for the club is to promote an activity for the young community of Melbourn and surrounding areas to participate in, with the guidance of our committee and experts, in a safe and friendly environment. Members will have access to BMX coaching and expertise on site during club open days.

For more details and to download your membership form today please visit; www.grinnelhillbmx.co.uk Acknowledgements: Melbourn Parish Council. Frog End Pet Supplies. Wrights Mower Centre Melbourn.

Nature Botanic Gardens Cambridge Sage advice

Whether used as a culinary herb, grain or bedding perennial, the genus Salvia has a versatile relationship within many human cultures. It is the horticultural value that stands out for me - diverse and vibrant blooms on scented foliage, which come into their own during the longer summer days in British gardens.

Salvia guaranitica

The genus contains nearly a thousand species, and finds its highest diversity in Central and South America, with the Mediterranean Basin and Himalaya also displaying large species counts. The unifying characteristic of these species is the presence of a pair of hinged stamens, which form a staminal lever on the male part of the flower. This unusual pollination mechanism is activated by a visiting bird or bee. A nose around in the flowers Salvia guaranitica Black and Blue on your common-old garden sage (Salvia officinalis) should allow activation of this lever, which under the right circumstances daubs the back of the pollinator with pollen.

The species which cause most excitement tend to be from the New World. Many of these have colourful tubular flowers, such as Salvia fulgens, Salvia guaranitica and Salvia concolor or the deep purple-black of Salvia discolour- all of which are flowering in the Garden’s Glasshouse Bays at the moment. William Robinson wrote of another Salvia species, the Mexican species S. patens, “doubtless, the most brilliant in cultivation, being surpassed by and equalled by few other [garden] flowers”. Rather than bees, these New World cousins are geared up for hummingbirds, and the queen amongst this group is the giant Bolivian sage, S. dombeyi, from the high Andes, with 8cm, vivid scarlet pendent blooms.

Hopefully, this has wetted your appetite for the genus Salvia, which is much more than sage and chia. Many salvia species will be flowering right into September at the Garden, providing some latesummer, colourful and inspirational ideas for the home garden.

The Cambridge University Botanic Garden is open from 10am – 6pm, July – September, 7 days a week. The Glasshouses and Café close 30 minutes before the Garden and the Botanic Garden Shop at Brookside closes 15 minutes before the Garden. Please check the website at www.botanic.cam. ac.uk or telephone 01223 336265 for details about opening times, admission charges, tours, courses and special events.

Salvia leucantha melbournmagazine

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23/12/2015 10:40

feature The Harvest The word ‘harvest’ derives from the old English ‘haerfest’ meaning Autumn. The full moon nearest the autumn equinox is called the Harvest Moon, and festivals are traditionally held on the nearest Sunday to this.

At this time of the year the harvest is almost gathered in and people begin to prepare for Harvest Festivals. These days you are as likely to find tinned goods as home grown or home made fruits of the harvest.

In the past, almost the entire population of Melbourn were involved in agriculture and its support industries, people were very aware of the state of the crops as the survival of their entire families depended on the success of the harvest.

Actually harvesting began long before the autumn. The first main harvest was of hay, in June. Men with scythes, which replaced sickles, were expected to mow about an acre a day. Women and children followed to put the hay into loose sheaves, and turn them, ensuring that it dried.

Eventually it was stored in haystacks until it was needed as animal fodder. The amount of hay harvested determined how many animals could be kept over winter and therefore how much fresh meat would be available to be eaten. The best animals of course were kept for breeding the following year.

Before the harvest were the ‘hungry weeks’ when the grain stock of the previous year was almost gone. Animals were turned out into the fields when the first grass was available for grazing, Cows came into milk after giving birth, and cheese was made, which also provided food during lean times.

After the hay came the first of the grain harvests. The beginning of August is known as Lammas or ‘Loaf Mass’, when a loaf made from the first wheat crop was given to the local church to be used as communion bread, thanking God for the harvest.

When the corn harvest was ripe and reaping was to begin, the workers were alerted by the blowing of a tin horn, the Harvest Horn’. The last Horn Blower in Melbourn was William King, who had worked since the age of seven. He died in 1935 at the age of eighty-four.

Labourers, some from outside the area, negotiated wages with the farmers, and the chief negotiator was the leader,

often known in Cambridgeshire as the Lord of the Harvest.

The last load of the Harvest, the Horkey load was observed with ceremony. The Lord with his men, rode back into the village on a cart which was decorated with branches. He was accompanied by his ‘ Queen’, either a man dressed as a woman, or a pretty girl with a wreath of corn and lowers on her head, carrying a sheaf of decorated wheat. The villagers cheered them in shouting ‘Horkey, horkey!’ Frequently they also threw water over the cart and men, a symbol of fertility, to ensure growth during the following year.

In previous times the ‘Queen’ was a doll (from ‘idol’) made from the last stand of corn in the centre of the field, in which the ‘spirit of the harvest’ resided and presided over the celebrations. The following year she was taken out into the fields during sowing.

This corn dolly survives in different ornamental forms made around the country. These were used to replace the original Dollies in the offerings made to churches Locally it is the Cambridgeshire bell, or sometimes umbrella.

After the harvest was brought home the ‘gleaning’ bell would be rung, and the gleaners, women and children would rush out to the fields to gather up the fallen ears of corn.

Women had special aprons, in which to collect the ears, and they also picked single grains which had fallen from the ears.

Meanwhile the sheaves of corn were stacked and the stacks thatched to await threshing, which took place in a threshing barn. This had a threshing floor in the middle, a high door where the loaded wagons could enter, and a lower door where they exited. The threshed corn was stored in the barn.

Many families depended on gleanings to eke out f lour for bread through the winter. Children were sent to the mill with the grain in a pillowcase, bringing home the flour. The Mill (now The Sheene Mill) in Station Road, was in operation until after the Second World War. When all was safely gathered in there were Harvest or Horkey Suppers given by farmers to their workers and their wives. Barns would be decorated with flowers, corn and fruit, and feasts of beef, plum pudding and beer were consumed with enthusiasm. There was also music and dancing.

In 1881 the Royston Crow reported that ‘a Gleaner’s Tea was held by Mr James Whitby. 73 sat down and there were children’s games and adult dancing until 10pm.’

The farming year continued in much the same way, horses slowly being replaced by tractors, until traditional farming methods were finally swept away after the WWII. Ed. AD melbournmagazine

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Photograph by Nigel Cox

Photograph by Nigel Cox

Churches Together Introducing the new priest in charge On what was possibly the hottest night of the year history was made at the church of All Saints in Melbourn when the Reverend Elizabeth Ann Shipp was licensed to be priest in charge of the parishes of All Saints Melbourn and Holy Trinity Meldreth. Elizabeth (or Lizzie as she prefers to be known) is the first woman priest in the long history of the church.

The church was packed and there were representatives from Lizzie’s former post as Chaplain to the Bishop of Worcester.

The service was led by the Bishop of Ely Stephen Conway and the Archdeacon of Cambridge Alex Hughes. The Bishop was accompanied by the four churchwardens Teresa O’Malley, John Price, Michael Galley and Roger Mellor.

In the course of the service various sections of the two churches came forward with their gifts and at the end representatives from village organisations introduced themselves to Lizzie.

Refreshments had been laid on in All Saints Community Hall where favourite amongst the drinks was cold apple and orange juice!

Mary Price After the service in All Saints Church on Sunday 10th July, the Churchwardens Mike Galley and Roger Mellor made a presentation to Mary Price on behalf of the congregation. During the yearlong interregnum (a time without an incumbent vicar) Mary has given generously of her time in keeping the services running smoothly in both Melbourn and Meldreth.

Her calm and gentle approach has won the affection of everyone, she has conducted funerals and weddings with tenderness and sincerity. She has confessed, however, to being somewhat fazed at having to conduct the Crib Service which is unscripted and totally at the mercy of the behaviour of the donkey! Noah behaved perfectly and the service was as usual a huge success.

Pauline Hay also gave Mary a bouquet of flowers as a token of gratitude. melbournmagazine

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Melbourn United Reformed Church Craft and Chat We knit for various charities and in April we delivered 28 baby blankets, cardigans and knitwear to the Special Care Baby Unit at the Rosie Maternity Hospital. Hats, jumpers and blankets were also sent to South Africa. We meet on Thursday afternoons in the hall from 2-4pm and welcome new members. You can knit from home if you are unable to join us on a Thursday afternoon. Contact Anne Field for further details, her telephone number is 01763 220869.

Friends of BIDII David and Lesley Hollamby, friends of BIDII, gave us a very interesting presentation on 20th May about the work of BIDII in Kenya. BIDII is a Swahili word meaning ‘effort’ and is an acronym for the ‘Benevolent Institute of Development Initiatives’.

The charity was created in 1997 to address poverty in the communities surrounding Machakos, the former capital of Kenya. It is led by a small, highly skilled, dedicated team whose faith is their strength and their logo is ‘strength to serve’. BIDII helps with the development needs of the community and supports numerous projects.

A lot of work is done in relation to HIV and AIDS, education, training Community Health Workers, agriculture and providing water. We enjoyed a buffet supper after the presentation and learnt more about BIDII and David and Lesley’s visits to Kenya.

Bloomsday We were pleased to take part in the Bloomsday Celebrations on 16th June by hosting the celebrations from 2-4pm. There was knitting and silhouette making among the Edwardian Crafts and tea/coffee and cakes to enjoy while listening to readings and music. Donations were for WaterAid.

Village Fete We had a stall at the Village Fete held on Saturday 18th June. There was a fair trade stall, stained glass painting and people were invited to take part in colouring

some artwork with the theme ‘Hope, Love, Share, Care’. The artwork will be on display at our Harvest Festival Celebrations.

Harvest Our Harvest Festival Services are on Sunday 18th September. The morning service is at 11am and in the afternoon there will be tea and cake at 4pm followed by Songs of Praise at 5pm, you are most welcome to join us.

Melbourn Baptist Church Life at Melbourn Baptist Church continued to be busy throughout the summer.

As usual, the holiday time has seen a series of ‘light and deep’ services, with volunteers helping over the holiday period with special activities for the children, while Sunday school takes a break.

The church’s young people and the youth band led a service in July, and young people and leaders were planning a trip to the Soul Survivor camp.

Church members were also looking forward to a visit from missionaries Claire-Lise and David Judkins, followed by a special lunch.

Claire-Lise and David undertook a period of training at the Baptist Missionary Society international mission centre in September 2012. As a family, they then moved to France with a long-term vision of starting a network of churches.

People attending Melbourn Baptist Church who miss the Sunday sermon, or who may like to hear it again, can now find sermons available on the church website, www.melbourn-baptist.org.uk for three weeks following preaching.

The newly-formed church choir now meets once a month at the church on Saturday afternoons. It is proving popular, interest is growing, and church members are looking forward to an even greater variety of worship during services.

A memorial service for long-standing church member Lilian Tan was held at All Saints Parish Church.

As part of the Baptist Cluster exchange programme, Melbourn’s Stuart melbournmagazine

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Clarke preached at Barton, while Adrian Semerene from Comberton preached at Melbourn.

For some years the church has collected used postage stamps to raise money for Baptist Missionary Society world mission, and is grateful to everyone who has helped raise funds in this way.

The church took part in the Melbourn and Meldreth Churches Together fun on the rec picnic lunch and games, and also enjoyed a day out and picnic at Thetford Forest.

Plans are in hand for a church weekend away in autumn next year.

Supporters of All Saints (SOAS) At the time of writing this report we are waiting the arrival and licensing of our new Priest in charge Elizabeth (Lizzie) Shipp. We hear good reports of her and know that she will fit in with our efforts to raise money for our parish church.

Fund raising for the church goes on apace and our latest event was a Beetle Drive. It was a fun packed evening with the rattle of dice and sudden shouts of “beetle”. Splendid refreshments were served by the ladies of the Committee and a profit of £436.50 was made for our funds.

The proposed afternoon tea and tours of the church planned for 4th September has had to be cancelled because it clashes with Meldreth Church’s Car Show. Two other selected dates in September were not possible because of the Community Hall being booked. The Committee will meet again to see if a date can be found.

We have two other events in mind but more of that in our next issue.

Colin Limming, Publicity Secretary.

Winter Flower Festival All Saints’ Church Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th February 2017 We are starting to plan for our sixth winter flower festival at All Saints’.

Would you like to be involved?

You don’t have to be a flower arranger to help – you could pick foliage from your garden to be used in arrangements, make refreshments for the arrangers or serve refreshments over the festival weekend … and there are many more ways you could be involved.

We are also interested in hearing from anyone who would like to sponsor an arrangement (full or part).

Each festival has attracted more and more visitors – we hope you will consider becoming involved in some way.

The Word of God from David Burbridge Christ appeared in the world to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. As it is appointed unto men to die, and after that, the judgement, so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto those who look for Him, shall He appear the second time … unto salvation.

Hebrews 9. 26-28

For further information or to offer help please contact Rebecca Gatward by email – rebecca.Gatward@btinternet. com or telephone Rosemary Gatward 01763 261225. melbournmagazine

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feature Looking after Melbourn’s heritage In the last issue of the magazine, there was an interesting article written by Martin Titchmarsh entitled Melbourn in ‘Buildings of Britain’. Some of the buildings he mentioned were noted as ‘listed building’ and Martin went on to say there were nearly 80 Grade II listed properties in the village. Interestingly, there are 83 listed buildings, but not all on the list are houses.

For those who are unaware of what a Grade listed building is – a brief synopsis. A building is listed when it is classed as having special architectural or historic interest and considered to be of national importance and therefore worth protecting.

As the term implies, a listed building is added to a ‘list’ known as the National Heritage List for England (Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own list). The list is divided into in three categories: Grade I for buildings of exceptional interest; Grade II* are seen as particularly important buildings of more than special interest. Grade II are of special interest warranting every effort to preserve them. Of all listed buildings in the country 92% fall into this last category.

The process of protecting properties began in the 1800's when a limited number of ancient monuments were given special protection under the Ancient Monuments Protection Act. But it was the damage to buildings caused during the Second World War that prompted the creation of the first list of buildings deemed to be of particular architectural merit. Its purpose was to determine whether a building should be rebuilt due to damage caused by bombing.

In 1947 the Town and Country Planning Act was introduced and is the model on which today National Heritage List is built.

Over the years the Act has been tweaked and updated and in the 1980's there was an ‘accelerated survey’ throughout the country of buildings that should be listed. Most of the entries that appear on the list for Melbourn were included in October 1985.

In its simplest form, a building has to be over 30 years old to be considered. The older a building, the more likely it will be listed. This includes all buildings built before 1700, which survive in anything like their original condition and most buildings built between 1700 and 1840. Those built after 1945 go through a careful selection process.

Sadly, in 1930 the government introduced the Housing Act which encouraged local authorities to clear away housing ‘they’ deemed as unfit for human habitation. Over 30 old properties were demolished in Melbourn.

Although most of the entries appearing on the list are residential, other structures such as bridges, monuments, sculptures, war memorials, milestones & mileposts and even pedestrian crossings (for example the one in Abbey Road, London) have been listed. Royston Cave is also a Grade II listed ‘building’.

The Milestone outside 106 High Street

There are two listed milestones within the Parish boundary, one of which is set into the wall outside 106 High Street indicating the distance from Cambridge (10 miles) and London (41 miles). Originally, this was a stone post, it was installed around 1793 when the road at that point became a turnpike.

The other stone is at the junction of the A505 and B1368 (Barley Road) near the The Coach Inn at Flint Cross. In 1725 a Fellow of Trinity Hall, Cambridge began a survey of the roads throughout the county and of the main routes to London. Using a chain* he began at Great St Mary’s church in Cambridge and walked the length of the roads marking each mile point. Typically, the milestone at Flint Cross shows the coat of arms of Trinity Hall above the inscription of ‘XI miles to Cambridge’. *A chain was a unit of land measurement (66 feet or 20 metres in length) commonly used in surveying.

The telephone kiosk at The Cross is Grade II. Known as a Type K6 it was designed to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of the coronation of King George V in 1935. This is not the original kiosk. The first telephone box was a Type K3 and dubbed the ‘Rabbit Hutch’. Built of reinforced concrete, it was painted cream. It was installed in October 1935, but was later replaced with the version that now sits at The Cross. In 2009 the kiosk was stolen, dragged away for the few pennies it held. As a listed building the box was replaced with an identical version.

The K3 or ‘Rabbit Hutch’, Melbourn’s original telephone kiosk.

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Within the village, there are 76 buildings that have been listed. Some of these were converted from a single building into multiple dwellings, but are registered as one building.

All but two of these are Grade II listed.

All Saints’ Church in Station Road/High Street is Grade II*.

Its Norman origins include the Chancel, nave and part of West Tower which were constructed in 1200, and around 1400 the tower was almost completely rebuilt. In 1882–1883 a major restoration took place. Also inside the Church are two Grade II headstones and corresponding footstones dedicated to Thomas Hawkes (1721) and Mary his wife (1716).

One other Grade II* building is the Manor House, 81 High Street, built in c.1710–20.

The United Reformed Church in Orchard Road, originally called the Old Meeting House and also the Congregational Chapel is Grade II. Built around 1716, the front of the building was rebuilt in 1815, and it was at this same time the dome on the roof was added. It is interesting to note that around 1850 a new larger church was built across the road, but due to the growing maintenance costs this grand building that towered over the village was demolished in the mid 1900's.

The Grade II Fire-engine house in Station Road was built in 1862. The bricks used for the building came from the old lock-up ‘jail’ that stood at The Cross.

Ancient monuments As mentioned earlier protecting our heritage began with the Ancient Monuments Act in the 1800s which included structures dating back as far as 5000 years. Melbourn has seven ancient monuments, although some of these can’t normally be seen, at least at ground level.

Bran Ditch which follows the parish boundary between Melbourn and Fowlmere is an Anglo-Saxon (c.410–1066) bank and ditch. About 5 km in length, it runs from Black Peak to Heydon, crossing the A505 near Flint Cross.

Along its course it contains evidence of Anglo-Saxon conflict, an Iron Age enclosure (c.1200–700 BCE) and a section of a medieval lynchet* (c.400–1500). *A bank of earth that builds up on the downslope of a field ploughed over a long period of time.

Causewayed enclosure and two ring ditches close to New Farm.

Bronze Age burial mound at Grinnel Hill

A causewayed enclosure and two ring ditches can be seen from the air just south-east of New Farm. Constructed during the middle part of the Neolithic period (c.3000– 2400 BCE), the enclosure may well have functioned as a settlement or for defence, ceremonial or funerary purposes.

The two ring ditches, probably ploughed‐out remains of a round barrow, suggest the site continued to be used well into the Bronze Age (c.2500–700 BCE).

Just south of Summer House farm and clearly seen from New Road is Goffers Knoll on which sits a bowl barrow.

This round barrow or tumulus was possibly an ancient burial mound or funerary monument and dates from the Late Neolithic period through to the Late Bronze Age. Approximately 170 metres from Summer House Farm is a square barrow. This was a funerary monument from the Middle Iron Age and is approximately 20 metres square.

Along the track that runs off London Way is another bowl barrow. Known as Grinnel Hill, this monument is approximately 3 metres high and is thought to contain archaeological remains dating back to the Bronze Age. About 40 meters from Grinnel Hill is another monument, which also includes a bowl barrow. Today it is less than half a metre high, but in its original condition the monument would have been a prominent local land mark, clearly visible from a great distance.

At Five Hill Field about 300 metres from Heath Farm is another round barrow cemetery from the Bronze Age and a cross dyke which was possibly a prehistoric land boundary.

All of the above are listed under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Act 1979 and any damage to these is a criminal offence.

On the face of it Melbourn is a progressive village with its modern and in some cases innovative buildings, but in truth it has a wealth of heritage under protection.

If you feel a building is important and should be protected, visit Historic England’s website: www.historicengland.org.uk.

Anyone can apply to have a building listed, you don’t need to own it.

In June 2016 Historic England introduced a new area on their website called Enrich the list. It is for everyone to share their photographs and stories on listed properties in the country. www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/enrich-the-list Ed. PS melbournmagazine

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Melbourn Amateur Dramatics Society (MADS)

What’s On Fundraising Quiz Night Saturday 17th September 7pm

Melbourn Amateur Meldreth VillageDramatics Hall Society (MADS)

Fundraising Quiz Night Saturday 17th September 7pm Tickets £12 per person to include Village fish andMeldreth chip supper.

ToHall book tickets please call£12 theper box office on Tickets person 07513 457 845 to include fish and chip supper.

To book tickets please call the box office on (Teams of 07513 6 per 457 table) 845Licenced bar

Melbourn Open Gardens Sunday 11 September 11am to 4pm Gardens around the village will be open in all their late summer glory.

Visit St George’s Allotments to see the Community Plot, buy produce and have private tours of plots.

Other attractions: Refreshments + homemade cakes Plants for sale Gardening books for sale Buy your tickets on the day at The Cross and at participating gardens. Cost: £4 per adult.

Children under 16 free.

Proceeds to local charities

(Teams of 6 per table) Licenced bar

Melbourn Amateur Dramatics Society (MADS) Something exciting is coming, Christmas 2016!

It may only be Autumn but Melbourn Amateur Dramatics are already putting plans in place to bring us their Christmas 2016 pantomime. Jack & The Beanstalk is this year’s block buster at Meldreth Village Hall. All the usual antics from the MADS team, plenty of boos for the baddies and cheers for the goodies, so come along and join in the fun!

Every Monday‚ 7:30pm

Friday 9th – Sunday 11th December If you’ve always wanted to step on to our mandolin stage and sing or play, now’s your chance!

We open up our stage to all acoustic musicians and singers every Monday. Sing or play solo, accompanied or join in with others.

All genres, instruments and ages welcome Bring your own instruments or use ours Call nick on 07968 575220 for details or just rock up on the night

For tickets go to the MADS website at www.melbournamdram.co.uk Or call the box office on 07513 457 845

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Fowlmere and Thriplow Gardening Club Annual Show Saturday 17 September Fowlmere Village Hall 2.00 – 4.30 pm Show Schedules available (price £1) from Thriplow Village Shop and St Mary’s Church Coffee Mornings Open classes include Floral Art, Pot Plants, Fruit, Vegetables, Flowers, Cookery, Handicrafts Children’s section includes a miniature garden, flowers arranged in a mug and home-made biscuits

Duxford Music Workshop If you’d like to be a blower, twanger, scraper, singer or actor, come and start your journey on 17th September!

Duxford Saturday Music Workshop offers junior and adult would-be musicians the chance to learn one of more than 20 different instruments at Duxford School on Saturday mornings during term-time.

For more information, please see the Workshop website at www.duxfordsaturdayworkshop.org.uk.

Foxton Art Exhibition Foxton Art Exhibition is an exciting annual event organised by volunteers on behalf of The Friends of Foxton Primary School with the purpose of introducing and promoting the work of local artists and raising money to provide the children of Foxton Primary School with artistic materials, facilities and activities with an emphasis on encouraging and developing artistic abilities.

The exhibition has been running as a great success for a number of years and has received acclaim from artists and visitors alike. We aim to put on a professional and tasteful presentation of quality works of art from prominent local artists in a village setting, encompassing painting, prints, wood turning and ceramics amongst others. The event takes place over 3 days and all exhibits are available to purchase. In past years we have achieved a stylish event with a relaxed gallery atmosphere and have enjoyed good attendance numbers. We are particularly proud that the event won the Art Exhibition Award in the South Cambridgeshire District Council Arts Awards 2012.

This year our exhibition takes place from Friday 18th November – Sunday 20th November 2015 and will be open during the following times; Friday 18th November 19.30 – 21.30 Preview Evening (Adult Admission Only) Saturday 19th November 10.30 – 16.00 Admission £2.00 (children free) Sunday 20th November 11.00 – 16.00 Admission £2.00 (children free) Foxton’s exhibition team are looking forward to welcoming all visitors and artists to our 2016 event.

Colourful Giraffe image courtesy of artist Richard Clayton melbournmagazine

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Melbourn magazine is non-profit and all work on the magazine including layout is produced by volunteers. The Magazine is published four times a year in the first week of March, June, September and December. We print 2200 copies which are delivered free to every house in the village.

Advertising revenue is used for printing costs only.

Adverts should be supplied as finished artwork and must be at the sizes shown below. Please send artwork to melbournmagazine@gmail.com.

The current rates for advertising in the Magazine are as follows: Size per…

Width x Height

1/4 inside page (79 × 128 mm) 1/2 inside page (163 × 128 mm) Full inside page (163 × 262 mm)

B/W

Colour

£95 £167 N/A

£143 £237 £464

Advertising rates are per year (four issues)

For further information on advertising please telephone 220363.

Remittance or cheques should be made to Melbourn Magazine.

Melbourn Magazine Committee Editorial

Ann Dekkers

261144

Production

Peter Simmonett

220363

Advertising

Yvonne Stokes-Kuch

Distribution

Eric Johnston

220197

Information

Anne Lambert

261480

Parish Profile

Mavis Howard

260686

Proof reading

Brenda Meliniotis

261154

Colin Limming

260072

Brenda Meliniotis

261154

Village Diary

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melbournmagazine

MAGAZINE ADVERTISERS

The Melbourn magazine team would like to thank all our advertisers for their support and sponsorship

71

Kitchens Bathrooms KI T CHENS Tiles Carpets & Flooring • Extensive kitchen, bathroom & flooring showrooms displaying a variety of de signs to suit all budgets from contemporary to traditional.

• Wide range of products including the new exclusive addition “EVERHOT” electric (Aga) ovens.

• Free on-site visit quotation offering a 3D design making your room come alive.

• The in-store and fitting team work closely with you from your first visit through to the design, installation and completion.

01763 245888

Opening Hours Mon - Fri: 7.30am - 5.00pm

To Huntingdon A1198

Unit 5 South Close, Royston, Herts, SG8 5UH

South Close

WE ARE HERE

Rd

Road

Orchard Jewsons

Old North

y York Wa

(Ample FREE parking)

www.roystonhomestore.co.uk

Tesco

A505

Sat: 9.00am - 5.00pm Sunday: by appointment only

info@roystonhomestore.co.uk

A505

To Baldock

A10

ROYSTON TOWN CENTRE

“ A fully tailored stress free service from start to finish”

Baldock St

Mattresses Divans Bed Frames Headboards Furniture Childrens

Bedstore is an independent family run business with one aim: to offer a quality product and unique service to the local community in a personal non sales pressure environment.

01763 247490

This is reflected in the high level of Customers that come from recommendation. Why not visit the showroom and see for yourself, Kevin & Abby are on hand to help you get a better nights sleep Children’s bunk & cabin beds

Opening Hours Mon - Fri: 9.00am - 5.00pm Sat: 9.00am - 5.00pm Sunday: Closed

Pillows in stock

First Floor, Unit 5 South Close, Royston, Herts, SG8 5UH (Ample FREE parking) info@roystonbedstore.co.uk

Delivery & Collection Available

www.roystonbedstore.co.uk

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