Meldreth Matters, February 2018

February 2018

Events include … Be A Councillor FOHT Talk Melwood Conservation Group AGM

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Contents Village Groups Creative Writing 9 Friends of Holy Trinity 5 Good Companions 10 Photographic Club 9 Prayer Group 12 WI 11 Women’s Group 10

Letters Melwood 7 Gardens & Nature Gardening 6-7 Local/National Government County Councillor 38-41 District Councillor 35-37 Heidi Allen, MP 42-43 Parish Council 30-33 Planning Applications 46

Children & Education 1st Melbourn Guides 17 Events for Children 21 Pre-School 14 Primary School 18-19

Charities Home-Start 25, 48-49

What’s On Summary of Meldreth Events 3 Local Events 22-23 PTA Quiz Night 15 Village Litter Pick 45

Advice/Information Advertisers’ List 56 Fire Service 53 Mobile Warden Scheme 27 Neighbourhood Watch 44-45 Police 51 Refuse Collections 53 Village Directory 54-55 Volunteering 27

Transport A10 Cycle Campaign 25 Rail User Group 25 Local Facilities/Issues Maycroft 12

Cover: Meldreth High Street, c. 1905. See www.meldrethhistory.org.uk for more images.

The opinions expressed in the letters and articles in this magazine are those of the writers, who are responsible for the accuracy of the information contained within them.

The last date for copy is the 12th of each month.

Copy should be submitted by email where possible, to meldrethmatters@hotmail.com or delivered to the Editor, Kathryn Betts at 36 North End, Meldreth, SG8 6NT Tel. (01763) 268428 The Editor reserves the right to withhold from publication or to shorten if necessary, any article or letter sent to her.

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Editorial Welcome to the February issue of Meldreth Matters.

Grey days; rain; dirty, flooded roads and pavements: it’s no wonder that January includes “Quitters’ Day” - the day when most people are likely to give up their New Year’s resolutions and “Blue Monday” said to be the most depressing day of the year. However, as I write this there are signs that spring is on the way: the days are gradually lengthening, the sun has made a rare appearance and there are even some bulbs pushing their way through the wet earth.

This is a relatively quiet month in the village, with few events taking place (see facing page). However, there are plenty of things to do in the local area. If you have school-age children, why not have a look at our list of family-friendly events on page 21. For other events taking place nearby, see our listing on pages 22-23: we have a good selection of walks, talks, festivals and concerts for you to choose from.

Kathryn

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February Events in Meldreth

Friday 2nd, 8.30pm Live Rock Music with Muttley and the Underdogs Eternit Sports & Social Club All welcome - free entry Licensed bar with real ale

Saturday 3rd, 3.00-5.00pm Be A Councillor Elin Way Community Room See back cover for details

Saturday 24th, 7.30pm

Wednesday 7th, 7.45pm Melwood Conservation Group AGM Refreshments plus a talk by Bruce Huett: “Melwood Goes Global!”

Green Room, Village Hall

FOHT Talk: The Holocaust

by Eva Clarke Holy Trinity Church See page 5

Meldreth Football Club Fixtures Saturday team home fixtures (subject to change) 3rd February Sunday team home fixtures (subject to change) 11th February 25th February Joan Fallon 3

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Friends of Holy Trinity www.foht.org.uk This Month’s Event Saturday 24th February, 7.30pm - The Holocaust A talk by Eva Clarke on behalf of the Holocaust Education Trust. Eva was born in an Austrian concentration camp in 1945. She will recount her mother’s horrendous three-week journey in open coal trucks to Mauthausen Concentration Camp where Eva was born in the open with no medical assistance.

After the war, Eva and her mother Anna returned to Prague, where Anna married Eva’s stepfather in February 1948. In the same year they emigrated to the UK and settled in Cardiff. Eva married an academic lawyer in 1968, has two sons and has been living in Cambridge ever since.

The talk will be without an interval, with wine and nibbles available afterwards.

Tickets £7.50 (Friends £7.00) are available from: Robert Long - (01763) 261365 Mary Gregory - (01763) 260120 John Price - (01763) 260048 Peter Chilvers - (01763) 260742

Forthcoming Events: Date to be confirmed - Big Band Concert Playing music from the “Great American Songbook” consisting of the most important and influential American popular songs and jazz standards from the early 20th century, many of which were played by Glen Miller, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and many more bands. The evening will include some vocals. The concert will be held in Holy Trinity Church - more details next month.

Monday 7th May - AGM Sunday 3rd June - Open Gardens John Price 5

Notes from a Small Garden I had the chance to spend some time with Jim at the beginning of January. We had had some frosts by then and also quite a lot of badly needed rain and then on the day of writing it was a particularly miserable, drizzly day with mist lasting up until the afternoon. Jim calls this a “dinge” day; the name coming from south Essex and north Suffolk, also Nottingham where I come from. Other words you may be familiar with are the Scottish and north country word “dreich”, “letty” (Somerset) and “mothery” (Lincolnshire).

It has been a great opportunity to tackle my borders, prune some shrubs including a very pretty pink spindle, which goes a wonderful purple/red colour in autumn with pink flowers. Much to be recommended. We have moved a tree peony. People do say that peonies don’t like to be moved, but I have never found it to be so. And it’s just the time to be dividing and replanting herbaceous plants, such as phlox and tidying up plants where you have a profligate number of seedlings, e.g. campanula persicifolia. Although I love this common campanula, which grows so easily in our garden, it tends to produce seedlings in the middle of other plants. I gave up labelling whether the plants were blue or white and moving them to other parts of the garden to try to enhance colour effects many years ago!

I have to admit that the garden is beginning to get too big for us - so we are getting rid of a bed, but it is easier said than done! My mother was much more ruthless than me and I would so like to have her here by my side when tackling big projects like this. Plants and shrubs have been dug up and some planted elsewhere in the garden, with others put in a nursery bed in the veg patch. But some will have to go, including a small bamboo. The tree surgeon is with us today, giving great encouragement, taking down a diseased acacia and trimming a holm oak, which should give us and our neighbour more light.

Jobs for February:  Prune vines and cut down autumn flowering clematis  Continue to spread compost and muck on beds  Buy seed potatoes and chit them 6

 Plant broad beans and salads under cover  Prune roses which have begun to sprout Don’t forget to visit places where you can see snowdrops: Anglesey Abbey, the Botanic Gardens in Cambridge, Wimpole and further afield Oxburgh Hall, Peckover House and Sheringham Park.

Good gardening from Jim and me.

Julie Draper juliedraper@dumbflea.co.uk

Letter to the Editor Melwood Even though it is getting on for forty years since I first started to set about the releasing and reinvigorating of Melwood, I am still very interested in our little woodland. It is lovely to have flowering ground cover, lively bird boxes and a scattering of new shrubs, but it is still, most importantly, a wood. For once, the Management Committee should include the planting of a few new trees if it is to last into the future and they are to take the place of older ones which will gradually disappear, like those who care for them.

Now that the Committee have more money than we ever did in the past, they could well be thinking ahead and in the back among the wild flowers and in the middle amongst the grass and shrub layer, there should be new tree life climbing up to beautify the future.

One other thought: there are not vast numbers of walkers coming through the wood daily, so why put up unsightly barricades to prevent such limited access as there is and why the need for ugly marked paths, so unnatural in a lovely natural environment which would suffer as little from the inclusion of people as it has in the past? We have a precious possession in a county so lacking in woodland and as Arthur Rackham said to me in the past, let’s encourage its growth and attempt its promotion wherever it is possible to do so.

Margaret Hunter 7

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Melbourn and District Photographic Club http://melbournphotoclub.com With the season entering its last few months, we have a full and varied programme coming up, including six competitions, two lectures and three club evenings.

This month’s events: 2nd Three Counties Battle at Saffron Walden. Judge: TBA 6th

Fenland Dawn

Club Evening

13th 3rd Projected Image Competition. Judge: Ron Tear 20th Club Evening 27th The Beautiful Light. Lecture by Jane Goodall Meetings are held weekly from 7.30 - 9.30pm on Tuesdays at Foxton Village Hall from September to April.

The Club has a diverse membership, a friendly and supportive atmosphere and welcomes new members, whatever their ability.

Anyone wishing to know more details or see some of our work should visit our website at melbournphotoclub.com or email the Secretary at melbournphotoclub@hotmail.com.

Peter North Secretary

Creative Writing Group Are you a secret writer? Come out of your hermitage and meet some others. You don't have to have experience, just a will to write.

For further information contact me via email: eleanorfitzgerald@live.co.uk or on my mobile, 07592 872022.

Eleanor Fitzgerald 9

Good Companions We held our Christmas party on 14th December and as usual had a secret Santa, quizzes and a buffet tea. Although it went well, the occasion was also a sad one as members were told of Pat Tobin’s passing.

Pat was a long-standing member of Good Companions and was and will be greatly missed, as will her enthusiasm and sense of humour. Pat was a good friend and neighbour to many and our thoughts are with all her family at this time.

Good Companions

Melbourn & Meldreth Women’s Group Our AGM was held in January and at that meeting we chose a charity to support for the coming year. Our first speaker of the year will be the Revd. Caroline Brownlie who will speak to us on Tuesday 27th February at Meldreth Meeting Room, Holy Trinity Church. Her talk will be about Lent and we look forward to the opportunity to focus on our preparation for Easter.

We are a small friendly group and vary the venue of our meetings between All Saints Community Hall in Melbourn and Holy Trinity Church Meeting Room in Meldreth. We begin meetings at 7.45pm and either have a guest speaker or some in-house entertainment. We usually end the meetings with a cuppa and biscuits which gives us a chance to have a chat with one another. We have no formal membership fees but charge £1 on the night to cover expenses and there is an opportunity to make a donation to the charity which we are supporting.

You are welcome to come along. If you would like a copy of our current programme or want to know more about the group, please contact one of the committee members: Pat Smith (01763) 262575, Sue Toule (01763) 260955, Anne Harrison (01763) 261775 or Angela Leach (01763) 262783.

Pat Smith 10

Meldreth WI Now that the better weather will hopefully soon be here, we can once again enjoy some pleasant outings. In fact, one is in the pipeline already: a visit to Coton Garden Centre. It is nice to have a look around and plan your garden, then sit and relax over a cup of tea.

Once a year, each WI in the country is asked to study a list of resolutions and then vote for the one they think is most vital. This year the list covered many subjects from body image in a digital age; raising awareness of modern slavery in the UK; healthier mouth leading to healthier body. Each of our members was asked to vote for one issue they felt important. All votes will be sent to Head Office and in turn will be passed to the relevant Minister and will hopefully be discussed in Parliament.

At our January meeting, Sarah Harrison, a well-known local author, gave us a brief insight in to the life she now leads. After boarding school, where she convinced herself she would be another Pat Smythe, she decided perhaps writing would be more her style and started writing short plays which her friends would perform. After college, she obtained a post at IPC magazines and worked on Woman’s Own for four years.

However, she still had the writing bug and eventually started to write novels. Her first two were turned down but were published many years later. She was commissioned to write a book about World War One and that turned out to be The Flowers of the Field. This led to many more novels and ventures into other fields, including amateur dramatics, broadcasting and after dinner speaking. Indeed, a busy but very entertaining lady.

Our speaker next month is Eileen Dixon explaining, “What is Pilates?”.

Why not come along and find out: 7.30pm on Thursday 8th February in Meldreth Village Hall.

Kathleen Thompson

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Maycroft Care Home I am starting to write this in early January soon after the mighty storm.

Yet today through the window comes sunshine and the sky has been washed clean; surely Spring can’t be far away! Indeed as you read this, you may very well be enjoying snowdrops and crocuses and may soon be hearing the gentle singing of blackbirds which we are told start nesting as early as February. An old saying comes to mind: ‘January bring snow, February fill dyke, March doth blow’. No doubt there is more to it with sayings for April etc.

Our new building proceeds apace; you may see it as you pass by. Our gardens will be nurtured and reshaped.

It is of interest that in conversations between and with our residents, there is much reminiscing. Apparently, some scrumping took place, with occasional tummy ache which rather gave the game away! Other thoughts returned to school days, the lessons, the discipline, the playground games such as hopscotch and marbles and, when out of school, roller skates. One resident talked about the church choir; ‘we got a penny for regular attendance’, and also his memories of life in the army. We are also hearing about childhood heroes such as Just William and Ginger and Douglas and the like; does anybody remember them?

We hope to include more such memories.

Best wishes from us all.

Carol and Ray

Joint Parish Prayer Group The Prayer Group will be meeting on Tuesday 20th February at 85 North End Meldreth. Prayer requests are welcomed and treated in strict confidence. For more information please telephone me on (01763) 261365.

Marion Long 12

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Meldreth Preschool www.meldrethpreschool.com Preschool is back in full swing and we are enjoying the gradually lengthening days and more opportunities to play outside.

Villagers might notice that we have made some changes to the garden to keep things interesting for the children and provide them with more opportunities to learn, explore and gain an understanding of the world. As the weather warms up, they are spending more and more time outside and they are hoping to grow some plants once spring comes.

The Wednesday woodland walks are continuing to be popular and we are still eager to include parents during these sessions. It’s the perfect way to see how your children interact at preschool and if we can rely on helpers then we may be able to plan more ambitious trips which will give the children a chance to explore more of our local area.

We have also had our first delivery from Fare Share and the children enjoyed some delicious treats from Tesco thanks to the scheme. We are eager to ensure that we are making the most of these deliveries so we will let parents know when we have surplus so that everyone can share our good fortune!

We still have space in a few sessions, so if anyone is keen to take up a place we would urge them to get in touch as soon as possible. We are also taking bookings for next September which might seem a long way away, but spaces are filling up fast so to secure the sessions you want we would recommend that you get in touch as soon as possible.

If you want to make an appointment to come and look around, meet the staff and see what the preschoolers get up to then please get in touch on 07518 173653 or email manager@meldrethpreschool.com to speak to our team and learn more.

Meldreth Preschool

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1st Melbourn Guides ‘To serve the Queen and my community’ is a promise that all Guides make, and we at 1st Melbourn Guides did so on three occasions during the autumn term.

On Remembrance Sunday our girls led the parade with the Union flag and also carried our Unit flag, and many more participated in the march. The following weekend we supported the All Saints Christmas bazaar with a children’s tombola and in December we provided a decorated tree for the Meldreth church Christmas Tree Festival.

At our evening meetings, the older girls have continued to help run the activities; in November Chloe and Niina each ran a cooking competition for two patrols. The Unicorns and Polar Bears competed to make the best risotto and fruit salad, and the following week the Pandas and Penguins created tasty meals from pasta, sausages and various vegetables. Later in the month Niina and Vicki ran an international evening, including baking Scandinavian pastries and learning a few words in Japanese.

At our final meeting in December we presented six of our older girls with their Baden Powell awards, after first having embarrassed them with a slide show of photographs taken over the past four years. As we said goodbye to the girls, we were very proud that most of them are going on to become Young Leaders at Guides, Brownies and Rainbows in the village.

If you would like to know more about joining our waiting list or becoming 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 17

Meldreth Primary School www.meldreth.cambs.sch.uk A Journey to Remember!

We have a wide range of projects in school covering a variety of curriculum areas and disciplines. Some of these can be easy to enliven with a trip to a museum or with a historical theme day, but others present something of a problem in terms of conveying a sense of excitement to the children. Then a little more creative thinking is called for - as is the case with this term’s project on India, currently being studied by our junior-aged children in Key Stage 2.

By shifting around some furniture, making the most of some online videos of aeroplane take-offs and landings, a short in-flight movie and some well chosen refreshments, we were able to transform our classroom into combined airport and aeroplane as we all spent a cold January afternoon flying off to Mumbai. And below, the children describe their journey: To kick off our project on the wonderful country of India, we took a flight of a lifetime from Heathrow Airport in London to Mumbai International Airport on the west coast of India. On the trip, looking after us was Captain James Silver, and his ‘untrusty’ side kick, Toby! Five minutes before take off, we had to go through the baggage check and have our passports checked. After that, we had to walk across the tarmac to the plane, where we were welcomed by the crew.

The captain said a few words and told us the countries we were to travel over and they were: Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Turkey, Iran and Pakistan.—Toby DS

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Our flight path

Finally we started our flight. As we rose above the clouds, we looked down at the wonderful city of London, which looked like a toy set from an amazing store.

Long after that, we had to change our watches to five and a half hours later because that was the time in Mumbai. All the time, we were getting closer to India.

—Finn P After a while, we watched a film called ‘Ivor the Engine’. Even though the film was very old-fashioned and weird, I enjoyed it quite a lot! After that, we and the other air stewards handed out the inPassport Control flight meal which was cranberry juice and raisins, while Captain Silver informed us that we’d be arriving in Mumbai soon, so the air hostesses had to check that everyone’s seat belts were on. He told us that we had been in the air overall for eight hours and 28 minutes and had travelled 7220km.— Otto Finally, Mumbai was in sight, and never before had I seen such a big overcrowded city. Suddenly I saw a place to land on the runway and we needed to land quick, because we were low on fuel, so I took the plane in, going at 380 miles per hour and, all of a sudden, we landed and the brakes went down and the wheels came up. Finally, we had landed and now I was set for the time of my life; exploring all the way through the amazing country of India!

—James What a great way to start our project!

Andrew Jones Deputy Headteacher Meldreth Primary School

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What’s On for Children and Families in February These events are taking place in the local area.

Saturday 3rd February, 11.00am – 3.00pm Magic Beans, Cambridge Botanic Garden, Brookside CB2 1JE Hold the largest seed in the world and meet some very strange plants.

Create a fantastical artwork to take home. Drop-in event, free for children. Adults pay admission (£6). See www. botanic.cam.ac.uk.

Saturday 10th February, 13th – 17th and 24th, 10.15am – 4.00pm Source, Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge CB2 1RB A programme of workshops and research for art students (GCSE, A Level, BTEC in particular). Advice, tours, studio space with guest artists. Booking essential. Email education@fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk or ring (01223) 332904. Free.

Monday 12th and Wednesday 14th February, 10.00am – 12.00pm Half Term activities, Ely Cathedral, CB7 4DL Free, drop-in sessions for all ages. Stories, brass rubbing, crafts, puzzles, games. For details ring (01353) 660332.

Monday 12th to Friday 16th February, 11.00am – 4.00pm Spy School, Audley End Saffron Walden CB11 4JF Sharpen your detective skills with hands-on training in cracking codes and solving clues. Adults £10.90, children £6.50 (5 – 15 years), families £28.30. See www.english-heritage.org.uk.

Tuesday 13th to Thursday 15th February, 11.00am – 3.30pm Think, Make, Do … Cyber, Bletchley Park, Bletchley MK3 6DS Workshops explore online safety and how codebreakers used hacking techniques to break into Enigma. For ages 5 – 14 with parents. Free drop-in activities but admission charge – valid for a year - of £17.75 (adults), £10.50 (12 – 17 years), under 12s free. Members get 20% discount. See www.bletchleypark.org.uk.

Saturday 24th February, 11.00am – 3.30pm Family Bushcraft Fun, Wandlebury Country Park, Babraham CB22 3AE Make a shelter, cook on an open fire, use camouflage, play games and try tracking. £30 per family. Booking essential on (01223) 243830 or www.cambridgeppf.org.

Compiled by Hilary Crawforth 21

Local Events in February Here is a selection of events happening nearby this month.

Saturday 3rd February, 11.00am to 2.00pm Winter Photography Walk and Competition Wimpole Hall, Arrington, Cambridgeshire SG8 0BW Led by Trust volunteers, explore the beauty of the Wimpole landscape in winter, capture it on your camera or mobile and enter a competition.

Tickets £10; booking essential on: www.liveadvancedticketing.co.uk.

Friday 9th to Wednesday 14th February, varying times/venues Cambridge e-Luminate Festival See Cambridge’s spectacular architecture and open spaces in a dramatic new light during this fun and imaginative festival blending art, science and technology. For further details: www.cambridgelivetrust.co.uk.

Saturday 10th February to Friday 9th March, 10.00am to 4.00pm Snowdrops at Chippenham Park Gardens Chippenham Park, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB7 5PT Acres of beautiful naturalised snowdrops, aconites and hellebores. Entry £5, children free. Excellent refreshments in Potting Shed Café.

NB Opening dates may vary depending on weather so keep an eye on their website: www.chippenhamparkgardens.info.

Saturday 10th February to Sunday 11th March Orchid Festival , Cambridge Botanic Garden CB2 1JE During normal Botanic Garden opening hours. See www.botanic.cam.ac.uk or phone (01223) 336265 for further details.

Saturday 10th February, 7.30pm Valentine’s Concert by Candlelight, Ely Cathedral, Ely CB7 4DL Spectacular concert featuring locally-born pianist Warren Mailley-Smith, string quartet and soprano Susan Parkes. Tickets £25 (include a glass of interval bubbly) from Cathedral box office (01353) 660349 or online: www.tickets.elycathedral.org.

Sunday 11th February, 3.00pm – an Afternoon of Film Music Saffron Walden Symphony Orchestra Saffron Hall, Audley End Road, Saffron Walden CB11 4UH Featuring scores from some of your favourite movies. Tickets £15-£18 from Box Office 0845 548 7650 or online: www.saffronhall.com.

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Wednesday 14th February, 1.15pm to 2.00pm ‘The Object of My Affection’ – an exhibition and talk Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1RB To get you into the Valentine mood….stories of love taken from the Fitzwilliam’s celebrated collections, with Rebecca Virag. Free.

Thursday 15th February, 7.30pm (wine reception) for 8.00pm The History of Anstey Hall Anstey Hall, Maris Lane, Trumpington, Cambridge CB2 9LG John de Bruyne, owner of Anstey Hall, former Grade 1 listed 17th century house, will give a talk about its fascinating history and the family’s London equestrian business. Tickets £15 in aid of Sick Children’s Trust: (01638) 751474.

Saturday 17th February, 8.30am Men’s Breakfast Meeting Village Hall, Foxton, Cambridgeshire CB22 6RN This month’s speaker is Pat Idle who will talk about the work of Medical Detection Dogs. Contact Tony Garrick (01763) 221658; garrick.tony@gmail.com or Mark Howard (01223) 503377; mark-howard@uwclub.net to reserve your place. All are welcome.

Saturday 17th February, 10.00am to 3.00pm Cambridge Launch of ‘Orchards East’ Project Girton College and Orchard, Cambridge CB3 0JG Exciting new project to promote the East of England’s orchards, their legacy and their future. Short talks and displays plus guided tour of the College’s old orchard. Free but book on: www.orchardseast.org.uk.

Saturday 17th February, timings to be confirmed Cambridge and District MG Owners’ Club, Snowdrop Run Starts at Melbourn Village College, The Moor, SG8 6EF Annual 50-60 mile run finishing at Wrest Park, Bedfordshire. For further details and downloadable entry forms: www.cambsmgoc.com.

Proceeds in aid of Target Ovarian Cancer.

Wednesday 28th February, 12.15pm to 2.15pm Literary Lunch in aid of Home-Start, Royston and South Cambs.

The Old Bull Inn, High Street, Royston SG8 9AW Jude Simpson hosts a chat with Madeleine Reiss, local author of ‘Someone to Watch over Me’. Buffet Lunch from 12.15.pm. Tickets £15 from (01763) 262262 or: www.ticketsource.co.uk/hsrsc.

See page 48.

23

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24

Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Rail User Group The next meeting of the Rail User Group will take place on Monday 5th February, at 7.00pm for 7.30-9.00pm, upstairs at the Melbourn Hub. All welcome: being a ‘Rail User’ includes everyone who values having a rail service on our doorstep. No need to sign up – just come along.

A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign AGM: 31st January Although this is the February issue of Meldreth Matters, I’m sneaking in a note about the meeting on Wednesday 31st January of the A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign. This will take place at Sartorius Stedim, opposite Royal Mail, on the Royston Industrial Estate – at 7.00pm for 7.30-9.00pm. We’ll be finding out about progress on the quest to connect Royston and Meldreth/Melbourn with an off-road path and bridge over the A505. All welcome.

Susan van de Ven Susanvandeven5@gmail.com 07905 325574

Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire We have just been awarded £1,461 from the Co-Op Local Community Fund. A very big thank you goes out to all our supporters who as members of the Co-Op were able to have 1% of any purchases of branded goods donated to our cause. The next round of the fund is now open so please sign up to become a member of the Co-Op at www.coop.co.uk/membership or call 08000234708. It only costs £1 to join and this money is then refunded.

Please use easy fundraising when you are doing your shopping online: it's so easy and helps you to raise FREE donations for Home-Start https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/.

Tracy Aggett Office Manager Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire 25

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26

Volunteering Opportunities Cambridge Re-Use We are currently recruiting for Van Crew, Van Drivers and Receptionists to join our dedicated team In return we offer travel and lunch expenses; 25% discount and free delivery on any purchases made from the charity; experience in the charity sector; a warm friendly atmosphere with tea, coffee and biscuits, and sometimes donuts and fruit.

For further information on how to apply please contact Cara (Manager) on (01223) 414554 or email cara@cambridgereuse.org.uk

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Melbourn Mobile Warden Scheme

Now operating in Meldreth Can we help you? Your relative? Your neighbour?

What are our Services?

The wardens make regular visits and telephone calls to provide social contact and friendship. They help people to keep safe and healthy in their homes and carry out errands around the villages for their clients, including shopping, collecting prescriptions and paying bills. Wardens assist clients to access other support they may need such as domestic help, home maintenance , meals or benefits etc.

What will it cost?

We do have to make a small weekly charge for the services. The fee is only ÂŁ6 per week (a little more for couples).

How can I join?

For more information please contact Jeannie on 07808 735066 or Jane on 07592 821976.

Melbourn Warden Scheme is a registered charity 27

Meldreth Village Dia Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

School half term is the week beginning 12th February

9.30-11.30am Meldreth Local History Group 7.30-10.00pm Old Time Dancing

10.00am-12.00 Handbells 5.00-6.00pm Martial Arts 7.00 - 8.00pm Aerobics 7.00-10.00pm Crafters 8.00-9.00pm Strutology

7.30-10.00pm Old Time Dancing

9.30-11.30am Meldreth Local History Group 7.30-10.00pm Old Time Dancing

7.30-10.00pm Old Time Dancing

Thurs

2.00pm Good 6.00 - 6.45pm Pilates 7.00 - 9.00pm Tennis 7.30pm Parish

6.00 - 6.45pm 9.15-11.15am Baby & Pilates Toddler Group 6.00-7.00 Brownies 7.30pm WI 7.45-9.00pm Bell Ringing 7.45pm Melwood Conservation Group AGM (see page 3)

9.15am Cycling Group 10.00am-12.00 Handbells 5.00-6.00pm Martial Arts 7.00 - 8.00pm Aerobics 7.00-10.00pm Crafters 8.00-9.00pm Strutology

6.00 - 6.45pm Pilates

7.00 - 9.00pm Tennis

10.00am-12.00 Handbells 10.40-11.30am Library 5.00-6.00pm Martial Arts 7.00 - 8.00pm Aerobics 7.00-10.00pm Crafters 8.00pm Prayer Group 8.00-9.00pm Strutology

9.15-11.15am Baby & Toddler Group

6.00 - 6.45pm Pilates

6.00-7.00 Brownies

7.00 - 9.00pm Tennis

9.15am Cycling Group 10.00am-12.00 Handbells 5.00-6.00pm Martial Arts 7.00 - 8.00pm Aerobics 7.00-10.00pm Crafters 7.45pm Women’s Group 8.00-9.00pm Strutology

9.15-11.15am Baby & Toddler Group

7.45-9.00pm Bell Ringing

6.00-7.00 Brownies 7.45-9.00pm Bell Ringing

Church Services and Bell Ringing are held at Holy Trinity Church. The Prayer Group meets at 85 ‘Coffee Break’ mornings are held in the Sheltered Housing Community Centre, Elin Way. Brownie room. The Mobile Library Service visits Bell Close. The Cycling Group meets in the lay-by oppos 28

ary - February 2018

sday

Friday

d Companions 8.30-11.00pm Live Rock m Fitness Music, Eternit Sports & Social Club (see page 3) m Table

Saturday 3.00-5.00pm Be a Councillor, Elin Way Community Centre (see back cover)

Sunday 9.45am Family Communion and New Seekers Sunday School 5.30pm Meat Raffle, British Queen

h Council 8.00am Holy Communion

m Fitness

5.30pm Meat Raffle, British Queen

9.45am Family Communion and New Seekers Sunday School

m Fitness

m Table

m Fitness

m Table

5.30pm Meat Raffle, British Queen

7.30pm FOHT Talk, Holy 8.00am Holy Communion Trinity Church 5.30pm Meat Raffle, (see page 5) British Queen

The copy deadline for the February issue of Meldreth Matters is Monday 12th February To view issues of Meldreth Matters online, follow us on Issuu: https://issuu.com/meldrethmatters

North End. Cam Valley Crafters, Good Companions, Meldreth Local History Group and the es, Messy Church & Melbourn and Meldreth Women’s Group meet in the Holy Trinity meeting ite Holy Trinity Church. All other events are held in the Village Hall unless otherwise indicated.

29

Meldreth Parish Council www.meldreth-pc.org.uk Extracts from the unapproved Minutes of the Parish Council held on Thursday 4th January 2018 in the Green Room of Meldreth Village Hall.

Present: Councillor R Goddin, Chairman; Councillor N Pellatt, Vice Chairman; Councillor J Fallon, Councillor R James, Councillor A Keena, Councillor C A Land, Councillor R A Searles, Councillor A Young In attendance: J Damant (Clerk), Councillor S van de Ven (CCC), Councillor P Hart (SCDC) Apologies for absence: Councillor D. Lee (personal reasons) Public Participation There were no members of the public in attendance Report from District Councillor The report (see pages 35-37) was circulated; no questions raised.

Report from County Councillor The report (see pages 38-41) was circulated. Additional items: bus consultation date still to be decided. Councillor van de Ven was asked if a notice can be placed at the railway station advising the location of the nearest defibrillator. Councillor van de Ven requested that the Council should consider recording meetings.

Office IT Computer System Councillor Young reported that he and the Clerk had met and, as already agreed, Mr Girling will transfer the data. Broadband and telephone system to be with BT. Mettle Hill Working Group Councillor Goddin and Councillor James are to meet three Park Homes companies to further investigate this option. The asbestos survey has taken place and a report is now awaited. Regarding essential safety work, it was proposed by Councillor Land, seconded by Councillor Goddin and agreed by all, that the contract be awarded to Jacksons Demolition.

30

Tennis Club Working Group The arrangements for booking the court have been published in Meldreth Matters.

Street Light Survey Site meeting to be arranged.

Proposed Closure of the Railway Crossing on Footpath 16 Councillor James attended the recent meeting. A strong case was made for not closing the crossing but the outcome is not yet known.

Defibrillators The Village Hall defibrillator has been installed. The defibrillator for the red telephone box has been received and the telephone box is to be refurbished. Information will be published when the units are ready for use.

Housing Survey This has been carried out by Cambridgeshire Acre and their report was circulated. Cambridgeshire Acre will attend the next Council meeting.

S106 Application Regarding Meldreth Primary School The application relates to the possibility of 160 new homes in Melbourn and the effects of such on Meldreth. The main issues are the extension of the Village Hall car park, a pedestrian crossing to the Primary School and footway improvements at the railway bridge.

Councillor James will draft a report to the County Councillor and the S106 officer covering a broader picture but including these three issues.

Pavilion Construction Proposed by Councillor Young, seconded by Councillor Land and agreed by all that the redecoration contract should be awarded to Jason Kirby, to be paid from S106 funds.

Security for Pavilion A CCTV System is to be installed by Mr Coton, with a notice to be erected on the building.

Church Wall Working Party Awaiting nomination of a representative by the Church.

Playground All equipment appears to be in good working order. Work is required on stepping stones and on the swing matting, for which there are two further quotes. Two benches donated by the Tennis Club are to be installed in front of the pavilion.

31

Budget – Precept for 2018-2019 A decision was deferred to the meeting in February. Draft figures were circulated.

Councillors’ Reports  Councillor Young asked the Clerk to put an article into Meldreth Matters regarding the use by pedestrians and cyclists of high visibility and light clothing and for cyclists to use adequate lights.  Councillor Searles noted that the MHI had been submitted by the clerk but it needs a Councillor to attend to put the case forward; Councillor Goddin to attend if possible. It was also reported that the revised arrangements for the Mary Course award are to be discussed at the February meeting.  Councillor Goddin reported that after the Council Meeting on 7th December 2017, he had been approached by a member of the public who had been present throughout the meeting. She did not introduce herself but said that she wanted to advise him that she did not consider that the Council’s meetings were being conducted in accordance with the law, indicating that she had a legal background. Councillor Goddin asked her several times to give him more specific details of where she considered the Council fell short but she did not do so. He informed her that the Council followed the guidelines for the conduct of Council meetings and, unless she could be more specific, he saw no purpose in continuing the conversation.

There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.45 pm. The next meeting will be held on Thursday 1st February at 7.30pm in the Green Room of the Village Hall.

Meldreth Parish Council

The official Minutes of Meldreth Parish Council are those signed in Public Meetings by the Chairman. They are available for public inspection from the Clerk and can also be accessed on the Parish Council website at www.meldreth-pc.org.uk or on the Parish Council notice boards, opposite the One Stop Shop and at the corner of Elin Way and Whitecroft Road.

32

Meldreth Parish Council - Contact Details http://www.meldreth-pc.org.uk Parish Office, Meldreth Sheltered Scheme, Elin Way, Royston SG8 6LT

Office hours: Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 12.30-2.30pm By appointment at other times Parish Clerk: Mrs J Damant (01763) 269928 Mrs C J Fallon

(01763) 262822

parishclerk@meldreth-pc.org.uk joan.fallon@btinternet.com

Mr R Goddin (Chairman) (01763) 260061

goddin@btinternet.com

Dr R James

(01763) 261085

roger@rogerjames.net

Mr A Keena

(01763) 260267

alankeena@aol.com

Mr C A Land

(01763) 261004

c.land963@btinternet.com

Mr D Lee

(01763) 261571

david@oakrits.plus.com

Mr Nigel Pellatt (Vice Ch) (01763) 262444

nppellatt@btconnect.com

Mr R A Searles

(01763) 260435

robert.searles@btinternet.com

Mr A Young

(01763) 263484

andrewmpc@gmail.com

General Building Works, Home & Garden Improvements Tel: Mike on 07950 211 878 Or

email: benjaminandfredericks@outlook.com www.benandfred.co.uk @benandfred

33

To advertise in this space, please email meldrethmatters@hotmail.com or telephone Beverley Cottrell on (01763) 262176.

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34

District Councillor’s Report Crime An escalation of opportunistic thefts is a regrettable feature of the run up to Christmas, but such events tend to die out in the New Year. Not so this year. I have had reports of diesel theft and also a break in to a house during the day, seemingly with the express purpose of seeking car keys, as the vehicle parked outside the house was then taken and used in a crime later that day. Please remain vigilant.

Local Plan Consultation The ongoing saga of South Cambridgeshire’s suspended Local Plan is limping to its conclusion. A consultation on the Planning Inspector’s proposed modifications to the Plan has been launched. Comments are only permitted to be made on the modifications, not any new business.

The key issues are these:  The Inspector looks set to accept a joint housing supply strategy between SCDC and Cambridge City which should reinstate a five year housing land supply.  Sites at Bourne Airfield and Waterbeach have been earmarked to come forward.  The affordable housing threshold is now triggered at >10 houses, rather than >2.

The consultation is set to end at 5.00pm on Friday 16th February. For more information, please follow this link: www.scambs.gov.uk/news/have-your-say-on-local-plan-modifications.

It looks highly unlikely that the Inspector will report before purdah for local elections which starts on Friday 23rd March (during which period the Council may not make key decisions) so even assuming there are no more modifications after the consultation, we will not have a Local Plan in place until the middle of the year.

Recycling Concerns Although not exclusively a problem since early December, I have heard from colleagues in South Cambridgeshire that since paper caddies can no longer be used to put out paper for recycling, extra waste which residents are struggling to fit into blue bins has been rejected on some collection rounds. This is the advice which has been received from the council: 35

If the blue bin is full, excess recyclable material will be collected if placed in one transparent sack next to the blue bin. Please put any glass in your blue bin, not in the sack for safety reasons. One bundle of cardboard may be left next to your bin if it is of a size which would fit inside the bin if there were space. Please tape or tie into a bundle to assist collection. Please do not use other colour wheeled bins for your excess recycling.

We have asked Environmental Services whether such transparent bags are to be provided to residents.

Should residents nevertheless consistently have more recycling than can fit into their blue bin, this is the advice: Also, if residents find that they regularly have extra blue bin recycling, they can apply for an additional blue bin for free, using the link www.scambs.gov.uk/recycling.

I am testing this service and applied last week for an additional blue bin, a belated Christmas present if you will, and will keep you posted if and when it arrives.

NIC Report The National Infrastructure Commission has published a report catchily entitled: Cambridge, Milton Keynes and Oxford Future Planning Options Project.

This appears to have been commissioned in anticipation of the Varsity (Oxford to Cambridge) Railway Line being re-opened/opened. You can access the document via this link: https:// www.nic.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/171122-NIC-Final-Report-5thStudio-optimised.pdf The headline information is that what is included in the proposals is a new town with a railway station at Bassingbourn and a new 'String City' at Sandy. Consultation on Network Rail’s proposed routing of the Varsity Line is set to commence this year. Regrettably, I need to disclose a conflict of interest as it appears that the line will come across, or come very near to land in the ownership of the family farm. The line looks as though it skirts alongside the River Cam from Bassingbourn via Malton to join up with the Kings Cross line somewhere between Shepreth and Foxton.

Youth Council I have picked the brain of the fellow Lib Dem colleague from Somerset about whom I told you last month. At the time, there was County funding for youth outreach work in Somerset and a youth worker 36

helped set up the council. I will investigate whether any such assistance is available from our councils.

The age range was 12-19, comprising twelve members including a Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary. Elections could be held if seats were over-subscribed. Additionally there were two non-voting members, a youth club representative and a member of the parish council.

The geographical remit was the parish, which makes sense in terms of feeding ideas back to the relevant local officials. Most excitingly, it is often easier for young people to apply for grants. An early success was winning a ÂŁ50,000 grant to upgrade the local youth club. Meetings were initially once fortnightly, then once monthly thereafter; there was also a yearly residential trip as a team building exercise.

This seems to me to a very good template as a starting point for a local youth council.

Home-Start You may have seen that I am fund-raising on behalf of our local HomeStart Royston and South Cambridgeshire. So far I have swum seven of the 21 miles I need to cover before the Home-Start Aquathon on Saturday 3rd March [see page 49]. If you very kindly wish to support Home-Start, whose premises are at Valley Farm in Meldreth, and sponsor me please go to https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/ philippahart1. Many thanks.

Litter Pick Last year, Graham Borgonon very kindly coordinated the arrangements for the annual litter pick. Although littering has not built up to the same levels as we encountered last year, Graham and I propose that a repeat exercise take place this year on Sunday 4th March to coincide with the Keep Britain Tidy nationwide Great British Spring Clean campaign. [See page 45 for further information.]

The link is: http://www.keepbritaintidy.org/get-involved/support-ourcampaigns/great-british-spring-clean.

Please do volunteer; the more the merrier! There is a strange joy to be had in tidying up your local environment.

Councillor Philippa Hart Meldreth and Shepreth Ward philippajhart@btinternet.com 07811 323571 37

County Councillor’s Report County Council Finances The County Council’s finances for the current year continue to worsen.

The People and Communities Directorate is now projected to be £5.562M overspent compared to November’s projection of £4.388M. The Economy Transport and Environment Directorate is now expecting to have balanced its spending by the end of the year, but is currently overspent by £1.6M on waste services, though this is likely to be partly offset by underspends in some other areas such as concessionary bus fares and street lighting. The street lighting underspend of £384,000 is useful financially, but is in fact penalties clawed back from the contractor for poor performance.

Budget Preparations County Council committees have been reviewing initial proposals for cutting spending and increasing income. It appears that one set of proposals, for raising more charges on adults receiving social care, is already likely to be shelved. The council needs to cut £37.9M from its budget for next year, in addition to addressing the current level of overspending. Committees have received proposals for achieving these reductions, but even if all these were to be agreed, £2.738M of savings are still to be identified. Since this report was presented to the Parish Council, this figure has risen to £4.3M. Meanwhile, in a comparison with 26 other similar English counties, Cambridgeshire stands out for its two years’ council tax freeze (probably now headed for a third). This has had a cumulative impact on base council tax and makes pressures on funding public services that bit more challenging. Just before Christmas, Government signalled that a general council tax rise of 3% would be permitted, without a referendum.

Shire Hall Move A County Council working party is still working on proposals to move the council’s HQ out of Shire Hall in Cambridge which is expensive to maintain. Options it is developing for alternative new premises are Alconbury and Northstowe. With the new Mayor having proposed to review local government arrangements in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, however, it is not clear that there will continue to be a County Council.

38

Bus Consultation Extension As you know the County Council has been running a consultation on the 127/128 bus; which was extended to the end of January. The proposed changes, which include amalgamating the two routes and bringing Bassingbourn and Meldreth circuits into one, come at the initiative of the operator, and the consultation is being supported by the Cam Vale Bus User Group.

If Meldreth Parish Council would like to ensure that a PC representative attends these meetings, that might be useful, given the changing landscape and the fundamental importance of the bus service for residents of Meldreth who have no other means of transport and can’t manage the station steps. The December meeting was attended by the chair of Whaddon Parish Council and three Bassingbourn Parish Councillors. Please let me know if you’d like to be on the Bus User Group contact circular.

Community Rail Partnership (CRP) Project Officer Post The paid post to which Meldreth, Melbourn, Shepreth and Foxton solar funds and parish councils, together with Govia Thameslink Railway, contributed equal amounts (£700 each) has now been advertised on the South Cambridgeshire District Council website, with a closing date of 21st January. SCDC has topped up the fund for a two-year part time post (two lots of £5K over two years), and is providing temporary administrative support including payroll. A ‘Meldreth, Melbourn, Shepreth and Foxton Community Interest Company’ has now been established to provide legal and financial accountability for the CRP’s new venture, given that it is holding public money. The CIC has three Directors: one is Chair of Foxton Parish Council Finance Committee, one is Chair of Governors at Melbourn Primary School and one is Chair of Melbourn Village College Finance Committee. The original parish contributions were aimed at supporting a six-month paid post on fewer hours so this has turned out to be a much more significant post that we’d hoped for. A repeat request for financial support for year two will be made to the Meldreth Futures group in the near future.

Children’s Centre Service Changes I continue to ask the County Council for details of changes that local families can expect from 1st April when the £900K reduction is spending takes effect. To date I have no meaningful information to convey to you. I have arranged to meet officers at the end of this

39

month, and would be glad to take any questions you may have.

Councillor Philippa Hart has gained the benefit of first-hand knowledge of the fall-out of these cuts on Home-Start.

Network Rail Public Inquiry It was good to be able to participate in the Inquiry, together with Roger James and a couple of other local residents. I had to give apologies for the December Full Council meeting which took place on the same day.

Collectively, a strong case was made from local perspectives against closing the level crossing. It’s worth keeping in mind that Network Rail intend to close ALL level crossings in the next decade or so. Apart from losing an earring, the lasting impressions from the day include the startling unpleasantness of the barrister acting for Network Rail, and what must have amounted to a massive bill to the taxpayer for the cost of the inquiry. A huge space in the Hallmark Hotel in Bar Hill was rented out for several weeks, and many highly experienced council officers were made to spend a huge amount of valuable time just waiting to be called, and therefore unable to carry out their ordinary work. I intend to submit a Freedom of Information request on the cost of the Inquiry after the result is known. We now wait for the Secretary of State to make a formal decision.

Recycling – Visit to Waterbeach Waste Management Park As you know, the District Council is responsible for collecting waste and the County Council for disposing of it. Over the Christmas period questions came in from residents concerned about the end of the paper caddy in our blue bins, and what we can do about plastic consumption – inspired and distressed by David Attenborough’s Blue Planet TV programme. You may also have read that China and Hong Kong have announced (also inspired by David Attenborough) that UK plastic waste will no longer be received for recycling there – posing a massive and immediate challenge in Cambridgeshire and elsewhere. Our waste is disposed of at the 165 hectare ‘Waste Management Park’ just north of Waterbeach, on a County Council contract with Amey. To find out more about the current state of recycling and what we can all do to make a positive difference, I’ve liaised with the Park to arrange two open-day visits, the first of which is designed to coincide with half-term: Thursday 15th February, either 10.00am to 12 noon or 2.00pm to 4.00pm; and Tuesday 27th February, 10.000am to 12 noon. If you’d like to attend, please ring Jonathan Crisp, Education Officer at the Waterbeach Park, on (01223) 861010 or feel free to contact me directly.

40

Be a Councillor?

I’ve circulated my invitation to neighbouring parish councils and all district council colleagues, and have had many positive responses. This event will take place on Saturday 3rd February, from 3.00-5.00pm, at the Elin Way community room. [See below or back cover for further details.]

Susan van de Ven County Councillor Susanvandeven5@gmail.com 07905 325574

Monthly Drop-in Councillor Advice Surgery The first Monday of each month, 3.00-4.00pm, with Meldreth and Melbourn District Councillors Philippa Hart and Jose Hales, Melbourn Hub cafĂŠ.

The third Monday of each month, 3.00-4.00pm at The Limes Community Room, High Street Bassingbourn.

Invitation: Be a Councillor I have booked the Elin Way Meldreth Community Room for Saturday 3rd February, from 3.00-5.00pm for an open-house type event.

This is intended as an informal occasion for residents in our general area to chat with past and present councillors at parish, district and county levels, to learn more about what the role might entail - so please feel free to spread the word and please come along!

Philippa Hart, District Councillor philippajhart@btinternet.com, (01763) 261255 Susan van de Ven, County Councillor susanvandeven5@gmail.com, 07905 325574 41

News From Heidi Allen www.heidisouthcambs.co.uk I would like to begin my first newsletter of 2018 by wishing everyone a happy and healthy new year! 2017 was an incredibly busy year and 2018 is shaping up to be more of the same!

Having recovered fully from being sawn in half(!) at the Cambourne lights switch-on event, I joined residents for some of their Christmas celebrations. I always enjoy carol services and this year, I joined residents in Papworth Everard (Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer was a highlight for me!) for their community carol service and attended the Christmas service at Holy Trinity Church in Elsworth and was honoured to be asked to read one of the lessons. I reflected on the work local community and faith groups do to bring people together not just at Christmas, but throughout the year. Our communities are stronger because of them.

I was also pleased to be asked to record a message for “Talking News for the Blind� which is provided to about 200 blind and partially sighted people in Cambridge and surrounding villages; this local charity does vital work to bring information and news to people who may otherwise feel isolated.

Last month, I invited Robert Halfon MP to see the excellent work undertaken at Villiers Park in Foxton. Robert is the Chair of the House of Commons Education Select Committee and understands the role education plays in social mobility. Villiers Park is an education charity which actively seeks out the brightest kids from the poorest backgrounds, in the most deprived parts of the UK. They work with the kids, mentoring and supporting them to achieve their potential and a place at a good University or high level apprenticeship.

I am keen to help Villiers Park to expand, so if you work for an organisation which may be interested in sponsoring them, please do get in touch with me or them directly at www.villierspark.org.uk 42

In Westminster, the Agriculture Minister George Eustice kindly agreed to meet some of my South Cambridgeshire farmers to discuss what life might be like for them outside the EU and what small and large farmers will need to keep this vital industry profitable. It was a very worthwhile meeting and we were reassured by George's understanding of the challenges the industry faces.

My ambition is to visit every school in South Cambridgeshire. First off, I took some pretty tough questions from the Council of Great and Little Shelford Primary School! It was also great to be back at Cambourne Village College to hear from student members of CAMnesty, the Cambourne Amnesty youth group; the optimism and straightforwardness of young minds gives me an energy boost. Finally, I visited Vine Inter-Church Primary School in Cambourne to understand the challenges facing a rapidly growing village with a constantly shifting population. The staff and head teachers I meet in every school are completely committed to the children and their dedication is humbling.

Oakington’s latest community facility is now open! Crossways CommuniTea Café at 1 Longstanton Road, Oakington is a social enterprise with the aim of bringing the community together in a warm and welcoming environment. It was a pleasure to do the honours and cut the ribbon. I hope you will be able to support the café; they make a cracking brew!

Since my last newsletter in December, I have held surgeries in Gamlingay and in Great Shelford, to listen to the views and concerns of constituents and to help them with issues affecting their lives, an important part of my role. My next surgery will be on Saturday 3rd February 11.00am–1.00pm at the Hare and Hounds, 60 High Street, Harlton CB23 1ES. All are welcome and no appointment is necessary but as the last surgery was incredibly busy, I recommend you get there early. Details of all upcoming surgeries can be found on my website: www.heidisouthcambs.co.uk.

To contact me, please email heidi.allen.mp@parliament.uk. You can also phone my Westminster office on 020 7219 5091 about national issues or my constituency office on (01223) 830037 for local concerns.

Heidi Allen, MP 43

Meldreth Neighbourhood Watch Phishing, Vishing and Smishing: What do they mean for you?

As fraudsters try varying methods to try and catch victims, so these methods have been given names by the organisations that try to protect us.

Phishing Phishing (pronounced "fishing") is exactly what it sounds like; fraudsters are fishing for victims, using an email as the bait. The email may look like it comes from a shop, Amazon, your bank, HMRC, or even a friend. Phishing emails will contain a link that fraudsters want you to click.

One way to spot a phishing email is that it may have poor grammar or spelling or punctuation, but a phishing email that has been seen recently is an exact replica of an electronic receipt from Debenhams.

Vishing Vishing (or voice phishing) is where fraudsters telephone you in an attempt to gain personal details or money. They may say that they are from your bank, or the police, or that you have a virus on your computer. They will sound very convincing because they may already know your name and address and even date of birth, but they are trying to convince you to give them personal and financial details, or to transfer money to them.

Smishing Smishing (or SMS phishing) targets the increased use of mobile phones by sending a fraudulent text message. It is similar to a phishing email and it will have a link to click, or it may have a number to call. A bank or credit card company may send you a genuine text or email asking you to contact them, but they will suggest that you log in via their official website (not via a link) or ask you to text back a simple Y or N to confirm a suspicious transaction.

ALWAYS be suspicious of unsolicited emails, telephone calls and text messages, however genuine they appear to be.

NEVER click a link or call a number in an unsolicited email or text message.

NEVER give out any personal or financial details in an unsolicited telephone call.

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If you're not sure whether an email, telephone call or text message is genuine, talk to someone else for advice; there are a number of trusted contacts in Meldreth who you can talk to about a possible scam: Graham (01763) 260 358 Peter

(01763) 260 323

Linda

(01763) 261 405

Tim

(01763) 262 801

Anyone can report a scam to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk.

For more information on Neighbourhood Watch, please contact Graham Borgonon on (01763) 260358.

Meldreth Neighbourhood Watch

Meldreth Community Litter Pick Volunteers wanted Last year we organised a successful litter pick in the extremities of the village not covered by our Parish Council's Litter Picker. About sixteen brave souls cleared nearly 3km of verge- strewn rubbish.

This year we would like to repeat the process. Our throw-away society has ensured that there is certainly a need to clear the same areas as last year!

The Pick will take place on Sunday 4th March and if you would like to participate please email gvborgo@borgognon.net for further details.

Graham Borgonon

Building Plot Wanted Young family looking for plot of land to build family home. Please contact Mike Briggs: 07861 657962 or mikebriggs@outlook.com.

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Planning Matters Parish Council Reference and Address

Detail

Parish Council Recommend

Former GoCold Building Station Yard S/1502/17/FL

Demolition of existing factory building and office and construction of 24 dwellings with associate landscaping

Due to the plans not having been received this matter has been deferred to the next meeting on 4th January 2018. Planning Officer John Koch has confirmed the extension. The amended plans have still not been received. Clerk has received notification from Mr Koch, Planning Officer at SCDC that the Parish Council's recommendation can be deferred until the next planning meeting on the 18th January 2018.

Maycroft Residential Home S/4343/17/DC

Discharge of condition 12 (rooflights), 16 (external lighting) and 18 (underground services) of planning permission S/0984/14/VC 22 Flambards Rear single storey Close lean-to extension S/4449/17/FL and side flat roof extension.

10 North End To reduce the S/4430/17/TC height of the conifers running along the road side by 40% and trim side.

Application has been noted, no comments.

This was for information only.

Planning Committee recommend 'No recommendation'.

Planning Committee recommended to reduce the height of these trees by 40% but that a condition be applied that this height be maintained.

The full minutes of Meldreth Parish Council planning meetings are available on the Parish Council’s website, www.meldreth-pc.org.uk.

SCDC Decisions: there have been no decisions.

Meldreth Parish Council 46

iPLASTER

SKIMMING / PATCHING CEILING REPAIR WATER DAMAGE REPAIR ARTEX COVERED

01763 260 526 07837 645173

Email - iplaster@outlook.com CONTACT FOR FREE QUOTE IAN NORTH END MELDRETH

Cambourne Self Storage Outdoor Storage 24 Hour Access 7 Days a Week 365 Days a Year 24 Hour Remotely Monitored CCTV Sensor Flood Lighting Keypad Entry and High Security Locks, Vehicle Access Directly to Unit Doors

01767 676189 www.CambourneSelfStorage.co.uk

Coton Electrical for all Domestic wiring Full rewiring Consumer units Lights and switches New sockets Gardens Kitchens & bathrooms

NEW! Inspections PAT Tests NEW!

Free estimates www.cotonelectrical.co.uk david@cotonelectrical.co.uk

Call David on 07749 850026 17 Flambards Close, Meldreth

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Home-Start Aquathon www.hsrsc.org.uk Calling all local schools and leaders of youth organisations - whether you help at Brownies, Guides, Scouts, or a football, netball, rugby, swimming or any other sports team, we are inviting your school or organisation to take part in the Home-Start Aquathon which will be held on Sunday 4th March at Royston Leisure Centre.

This event will give you the opportunity to raise funds for your organisation: do you have a project on the go or need funds for equipment etc?

If you are interested in taking part, all you need to do is get together a team of six swimmers; they can be children, parents, PTA members, coaches or helpers. Each member of the team then obtains sponsorship, and at the event, the team swim in relay for 55 minutes.

It's not a race; it's good fun, will help keep you fit and you will be helping to raise much needed funds for your organisation and also towards the work of your local Home-Start scheme as any money raised by your team will be split 50/50.

To book, or for further information, please email admin@hsrsc.org.uk or call us on (01763) 262262.

Tracy Aggett Office Manager Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire

Be Seen, Be Safe!

Cyclists and pedestrians:  Please wear bright, light or reflective clothing  Pedestrians, please carry a torch  Cyclists, use front and rear lights 49

Nigel Wigg Home Improvement Specialist • Exterior and interior home decorating

• Tiling • Carpentry • Refurbishment • Timber carport and veranda

CYTECH Trained · Road Bikes and Mountain Bikes · Services · Repairs · Assembled Boxed Bikes · Puncture Repairs · Folders · Setting Up Transmission · Solvent Free Parts Wash · Wheelbarrow punctures · Much More

design and construction • General home repairs • Pruning / hedge and tree trimming • Professional service

nigelwigg@gmail.com T 01480 700266 M 07801 057514

Competitive out of town rates available for all customers, drop in and see us.

All enquiries welcome.

Dust Free Wood Floor Sanding & Restoration

Flat Roofing Specialists

Is your Wooden Floor in need of Sanding?

CAMBRIDGE ROOFERS

Call today on 01223 863 632 INSURANCE BACKED GUARANTEES FOR ALL NEW ROOFS

Please quote “Meldreth Mag” Denny Lodge Business Park, Ely Road, Chittering

Home heating oil • Prompt delivery service

01223 782382 info@roofing-cambridge.co.uk www.roofing-cambridge.co.uk

• Competitive prices

01223 846846 www.shelfordenergy.co.uk

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Future Policing Model for Cambridgeshire The future policing model for Cambridgeshire has now been agreed and will be rolled out from 30th April. Below is an overview of the new structure:  Every resident will be able to access their local policing team and have an identified PCSO in their area. PCSOs will continue to play a central role in neighbourhood policing. However, there will be no new intakes of PCSOs and the current headcount will reduce by natural turnover over coming years, with a commitment to retain a minimum of 80 full time equivalent posts.  Additional officers will be in those areas where our most vulnerable people and most dangerous offenders are, focusing on issues such as child protection, rape investigation and domestic abuse.  A Demand Hub will be created to merge the force’s contact and crime management functions centrally at force HQ. This will modernise our approach to public contact and allow for early and more effective management of demand.  The previous force model saw it split into six district areas which affected our interoperability. This will change to just two areas, north and south, making us more efficient, reducing supervisory and senior management posts and enabling us to commit more resources to the frontline.  A Missing, Exploited and Trafficked Hub will be created, tasked with protecting children most at risk of harm within these areas and focused on apprehending the offenders who target them.  Community action teams, similar to the current Rural Crime Action Team, will be created to respond to local problems and challenges. These officers will be tasked with dealing with local issues, prioritising those where the risk to individuals and the public is highest.  Every district council area will have an enquiry office function.  The force will continue to have a serious and organised crime team, cyber and fraud team, and surveillance team to tackle crime gangs.

Cambridgeshire Constabulary 51

Little Hands Nursery School

AFFORDABLE PLUMBING

The Moor, Melbourn

Little Hands is a Private Nursery School specialising in quality education for the under fives and offers:

FIXED PRICE SMALL WORKS:

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”

Taps changed/repaired Ball valves changed Cisterns repaired/replaced Blockages cleared Outside taps installed Washing machine/dishwasher installation Radiators replaced, trv valves fitted/changed

All sessions have a high staff to child ratio and are available for eligible funded 2 year olds and all funded 3/4 year olds with no extra charges Categorised as “Outstanding” by Ofsted

For further information contact Anne McCrossen: 01763 260964 lh-melbourn@btconnect.com Little Hands is also at Bourn, Linton and Newton visit the website at www.littlehands.co.uk

The Most Thorough Clean or it’s Free!

All at Affordable prices Free no obligation quotes Contact Michael 07850 652838 or 01223 264658 Email: affordableplumbing99@yahoo.co.uk ALL WORK GUARANTEED FULLY INSURED

Carpet, Upholstery, Leather, Rug & Stone/Tile Cleaning Call today on 01223 863 632 Please quote “Meldreth Mag” Denny Lodge Business Park, Ely Road, Chittering

A garage for the village, run by people from the village MOTs|Servicing|Tyres|Repairs|Diagnostics|Exhausts|Clutches|Cambelts Cars|Light Commercials|Free Collection and Delivery

Book Today Tel: 01223 491005 Email: Info@b2bauto.co.uk Web: www.b2bauto.co.uk

*Unit 2 * Whitecroft Road * Meldreth * Herts * SG8 6NE * 52

Fire & Rescue Service www.cambsfire.gov.uk On-call firefighters are a vital part of today’s fire and rescue service, providing an efficient, effective service that gives emergency cover to more than 90 per cent of the UK. In Cambridgeshire they make up 56% of the workforce.

An on-call firefighter is not based at a fire station but carries a pager and responds to emergency incidents as and when they happen. They receive an annual wage to reflect the time they commit to being available, plus additional payments for attending incidents and drill nights (one evening a week for two hours).

On-call firefighters are men and women who may have other jobs and are able to provide evening, daytime, or weekend cover. When they are on-call they may be at home, working for themselves or for a nearby company, or out in their local community within our five-minute radius of the station itself. Our on-call firefighters are mainly located in rural communities, small towns and villages and we will be able to tell you if you are within range to apply to be an on-call firefighter.

If you are interested in becoming an on-call firefighter please go to our website at www.cambsfire.gov.uk and search for on-call firefighter under the careers section or contact the recruitment team at recruitment@cambsfire.gov.uk.

Cambridge Fire & Rescue Service

Refuse Collections Collections in February will be on the following dates: Black bins: 6th, 20th Blue & Green bins: 13th, 27th Paper caddies will no longer be collected. Paper should be placed directly into blue bins from now on. Householders may keep their paper caddies or they can be dropped of at the Thriplow recycling centre. They must not be placed into wheeled bins.

Kathryn Betts Editor 53

Mick Taylor—(01763) 261118 Graham Borgonon—(01763) 260358 (01763) 262158, open 7am-10pm, 7 days Sherida Richards—(01763) 262512 Paul Ray—(01763) 260304

Cycling Group Good Companions Local History Group Lunch Club Melwood Cons. Group

John Rogger (01763) 260809 Marian Oakman—(01763) 261481 (01763) 260129; www.meldrethhistory.org.uk Nikki & Julie 07599 292327 (01763) 232855; www.melwood.btck.co.uk

Photographic Group

www.melbourn-photographic-club.co.uk

Revelation U3A WI

Miriam Skuce—(01763) 262440 Chris Davison—(01763) 264189 Jane Bates—(01763) 261638

Sport

Bowls Club Croquet Club Meldreth United FC Table Tennis Tennis Club

Vivien Constable—(01223) 207557 Janet Pope (01763) 248342 07930 650036 Christine Knight—(01763) 261676 (01763) 243376; http://cspark.at/Meldr2

Church

Rev. Lizzie Shipp Rev. Mary Price Bells John Price (Friends)

(01763) 220626; https://allsaintsmelbournholytrinitymeldreth.co.uk (01763) 261569 Peter Hinton—(01763) 262045 (01763) 260048; www.foht.org.uk

Baby & Toddler Group Pre-School Primary School

Claire Thunder—07908 902017 07518 173653; www.meldrethPreschool.com (01763) 260432; www.meldreth.cambs.sch.uk

Parish Council District Councillor District Council Offices

Please see details at end of Parish Council report Philippa Hart—(01763) 261255 03450 450500; www.scambs.gov.uk/ Susan van de Ven—07905325574 susanvandeven.mycouncillor.org.uk/ 0345 045 5200; www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/ Heidi Allen—(01954) 212707; www.heidisouthcambs.co.uk/

Councils & Govt.

Clubs & Societies

Facilities

Litter Picker Neighbourhood Watch One Stop Village Hall Bookings Village Hall Chairman

Childn.

Village Directory

County Councillor County Council Offices MP

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Transport Health Support Services Emergencies NonEmerg.

Misc.

Station Ticket Office

Opening hours: Mon - Fri 7-11.15am, Sat 8.45am - 1.25pm

Rail User Group

(01763) 261833; www.melbourn.org.uk/railusergroup

Govia/Great Northern

www.thameslinkrailway.com

The Trainline Stagecoach Potholes, Highways problems, etc.

Streetlights (faulty)

www.thetrainline.com www.stagecoachbus.com/Cambridge 0345 045 5212; http://www2.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/ HighwaysReports/Highways/ReportProblem1.aspx 08007838 247 - give location, fault & SC or CCC no.

Melbourn Surgery Addenbrooke’s NHS

(01763) 260220; Dispensary—(01763) 261246 (01223) 245151 111 (24 hour non-emergency number)

Childline

Community Transport Home-Start Mind (mental health) Samaritans

0800 1111 (24 hours) Cambridge: 0344 848 7979 Royston: 03444 111 444 www.citizensadvice.org.uk (01763) 245228; www.roytrans.co.uk (01763) 262262; www.hsrsc.org.uk 0300 123 3393 (9am-6pm M-F); www.mind.org.uk 116 123 (24 hours); www.samaritans.org

General Emergency Gas Electricity Anglian Water Cambridge Water

999 or 112 0800 111 999 0800 783 8838 03457 145145; www.anglianwater.co.uk (01223) 706050; www.cambridge-water.co.uk

Crimestoppers

S Cambs Fire & Rescue

0800 555 111; crimestoppers-uk.org 101; www.cambs.police.uk Report issues: www.contactcambspolice.uk (01480) 444500; www.cambsfire.gov.uk

Melbourn Hub

(01763) 263303; www.melbournhub.com

Royston Museum

(01763) 242587; www.roystonmuseum.org.uk

Citizens Advice Bureau

Police

Details of village groups and facilities can be found in the Meldreth Today section at www.meldrethhistory.org.uk.

Meldreth Matters Team: Chairman: Lesley Farbridge 261578; Editor & Layout: Kathryn Betts 268428; Distribution & Proof-reading: Ken McLean 261243; Treasurer, Secretary & Trade Advertising: Beverley Cottrell 262176; Advertising Layout: Richard Burns 263121; Editorial Assistant: Robin Farbridge; Founder Member: Ann Barnes Meldreth Matters is available online at issuu.com (search for Meldreth)

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Advertising Rates Size per issue Half page £27.25 Quarter page £16.50 Eighth page £8.75 Business listing per line

6 months £134.00 £74.00 £43.00 £11.00

12 months £216.00 £118.00 £65.00 £16.00

Occasional full page advertising features are also available on request.

For all advertising enquiries, please email meldrethmatters@hotmail.com or telephone Beverley Cottrell on (01763) 262176.

Index to Advertisers Meldreth Matters depends entirely on advertising revenue to cover its production costs. Please mention Meldreth Matters when contacting our advertisers.

A10 Timber ......................................8 Abode Town and Country ..............24 Affordable Plumbing .......................52 Art of Clean ....................................52 Art of Clean Wood ..........................50 Aurora Meldreth Manor (Job) .........26 B2B Automotive ..............................52 Benjamin and Fredericks .................33 Cam Valley Orchards ......................26 Cambourne Self Storage ..................47 Cambridge Roofers (1) ....................50 Cambridge Roofers (2) .....................4 Cambridge Sunblinds ................Cover CHS Day Centre ...............................2 HS Group ...............................Cover Coton Electrical ..............................47 The Country Store ...........................24 Ely Design Group ............................26 Eternit Sports and Social Club ..........16 Four Counties Tree Services .............2 Gilhooly ....................................Cover iPlaster ............................................47 Lawn Partners .................................24 The Letting Centre ..........................34 Little Hands Nursery School ...........52

Meadowsweet Gardens ....................16 Melbourn Flooring ...........................13 Melbourn Village College (1) ............47 Melbourn Village College (2) ......Cover Meldreth Landscapes ........................8 Meldreth Plant Hire .........................19 Michael Easton Personal Trainer .......8 Moncraft Computers ........................16 Nancy Foster Footcare .....................34 Newlings of Royston Funeral Service20 Nigel Wigg Home Improvement .......50 Penn Farm Physiotherapy ....................8 Reflections Hair Studio ....................20 Richard Burns Electrician ...................8 Rod’s PC Support ..............................4 Royston Fencing ...............................13 Shelford Energy ................................50 Slimming World ...............................16 Spice Hut Indian Takeaway ..............13 Summit Landscapes ...........................47 Village Cycle Repairs ........................50 Village Garden Services ....................34 Walkers Partnership Solicitors ...........20 Wedding Stationery ...........................24

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We can make life a little easier Local Community Services delivered from Moorlands Court Homecare: our fully trained carers visit you in your home.

Sitting service: a visit from our experienced staff gives family carers time for themselves.

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.

To find out more, call us at Moorlands Court on 01763 260564 or email: denise.taylor@chsgroup.org.uk

Be a Councillor?

Saturday 3 February, 3-5 PM QUIZ NIGHT Elin Way Community Room Drop-in for a chat with past and present councillors at parish, district and county levels, to learn more about what the role might entail – all welcome!

Your community needs YOU!

Meldreth Matters is printed by Plumridge Printers 41 High St Linton 01223 891407