Meldreth Matters, January 2019

January 2019

In this issue …

Letters to the Editor Melwood: a review of 2018 Events include …

FOHT Supper Messy Church Saturday Sing Tennis Club Quiz

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Contents What’s On

Children & Education

Community Choir 6

Events for Children 46

Crèchendo Choir 6

Messy Church 41

FOHT Supper 11

Preschool 40-41

Football Club Fixtures 3

Primary School 43-45

Tennis Club Quiz back cover

Royston WEA 8

Local Events 48-49 Saturday Sing 7

Transport

Summary of Meldreth Events 3

East West Rail (letter) 19-20 Solar Stud Lights on A10 Path 51

Letters to the Editor

Station & Train Issues 50-51

30 Years of MM 20-21 East West Rail 19-20

Local Facilities/Issues

Farm Traffic in our Villages 16-17

Village Hall Bookings 6 Village Hall Trust 53

Village Groups Christmas Tree Festival 5

Local/National Government

Friends of Holy Trinity 10-11

Local Councillors 36-39

Friends of Maycroft 8

Parish Council 31-33

Futures Group 39 Photographic Club 13

Advice/Information

WI 15

Advertisers’ Index 56

Women’s Group 14

Mobile Warden Scheme 13 Neighbourhood Watch 34

Gardens & Nature

Refuse Collections 29

Gardening 26-27

Village Directory 54-55

Melwood 23-25

Volunteering Opportunities 52-53

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 I hope you enjoy reading this, our first issue of 2019.

If you have made a New Year’s resolution to try something new or to become more involved in village activities this year, then please read on! The Preschool’s move to the Primary School takes place this month and this has resulted in some new groups using the Village Hall. Two of these groups are highlighted on page 6 but please refer to the diary on the centre pages for the full schedule of village activities. If you would like to help manage the Village Hall as it enters this new usage phase, then please see page 53 for how you can become involved.

We also have some interesting and varied suggestions of places to go and events to attend in the local area. See pages 46-49.

Once again, we had a bumper mailbag this month, with letters on farm traffic, East West Rail and the origins of the Toddler and Preschool Groups.

If you’d like to have your say on a local issue, then please email meldrethmatters@hotmail.com.

Happy New Year!

Kathryn

This Month’s Cover Picture This month’s picture was kindly supplied by Andrew Jones, Deputy Headteacher at Meldreth Primary School and depicts a frieze that he made with some of the children on the school’s Decoration Day last term.

Meldreth Sign Pictured right is an image from a lino cut made by Alex van der Wateren.

Many thanks to Alex for sending this in and allowing us to use his image.

Hopefully most of you will recognise this as one of the wrought iron Meldreth signs that mark the village boundary.

They were made by Percy Cox in 1951 to commemorate the Festival of Britain.

For further information visit www.meldrethhistory.org.uk and search for Percy Cox. 2

January Events in Meldreth

Saturday 19th January 7.00 for 7.30pm

Friday 25th January 7.00 for 7.30pm

FOHT Supper

Meldreth Tennis Club Quiz

Holy Trinity Church

Meldreth Village Hall

See page 11

See back cover

Saturday 26th January 10.30am to 3.00pm

Sunday 27th January 3.30-5.30pm

Saturday Sing Meldreth Village Hall

Messy Church Holy Trinity Church

See page 7 for further information

See page 41

Football Club Fixtures Several new groups/activities are starting in Meldreth Village Hall this month.

Saturday Team: 5th & 12th January, kick-off 2.00pm

Please see the centre pages diary for details.

Sunday team: 6th, 13th & 20th January, kick-off 10.30am 3

New Yoga Class for Meldreth Meldreth Village Hall Mondays 9.00 – 10.30 am Starts 14th January 2019 and runs weekly during term time Friendly, supportive classes in a non-competitive environment helping you to develop strength, flexibility and well-being. Suitable for all abilities. £10 drop-in or £90 for a 10 class pass.

More details at www.yoga2.co.uk or email Chris and Shelagh: yoga2@btinternet.com

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Meldreth Christmas Tree Festival The Meldreth Christmas Tree Festival Committee would like to thank all those who participated in this year’s event. This includes the tree exhibitors who provided wonderful original exhibits, our electrician who worked tirelessly on the required lighting, the Craft Group who had spent hours making beautiful hand crafted Christmas gifts, those who provided homemade produce, and those who made the much appreciated variety of soups for refreshments.

Thanks also to all those who were on the various rotas, whether looking after the younger visitors in the Messy Church area (they made in The Church Choir’s “tree” at the excess of 200 decorations), in Christmas Tree Festival the kitchen, stewarding in the Photograph by Kathryn Betts Church, car park duties and of course looking after Noah and his friend Bambi who were a huge success with visiting families.

Some of you will have heard Scrambells, the hand bell ringers, playing Christmas carols to the joy of everyone in the Church.

Without all of your support the Festival would not be possible. We had nearly 1,000 visitors this year which is a record. Many commented on how beautiful the Church looked and on the wonderful atmosphere and how lucky we are to have such great community spirit.

Next year’s event will be taking place on Saturday 30th November and Sunday 1st December 2019. Wishing you all a Happy New Year.

Margaret Goddin 5

Meldreth Community Choir Beat the January Blues January can be a strange month for many. Once the excitement and pressures of Christmas have passed things can often feel a little flat.

Singing in a group has amazing, proven health benefits, by promoting the production of feel good hormones. Meldreth’s new Community Choir could be just the tonic you need.

The group is open to singers of all abilities and will involve no solo singing or complicated choreography. We will be singing uplifting songs and taking a break in the middle for tea, biscuits and chatter.

Please come along on Wednesdays from 1.30-2.45pm in Meldreth Village Hall.

The first session will kick off on 16th January. The cost is £5 per week, on a pay as you go basis. I hope to see you there.

Clare Silver Csilver13@btinternet.com www.claresilver.co.uk

Crèchendo Choir I am starting a new singing group in Meldreth, beginning on 15th January. It’s called ‘Crèchendo Choir’ and is a group for parents which allows them to come and sing with their children in tow. We will sing grown up songs whilst the children play.

The Choir will be held in Meldreth Village Hall from 10.00am to 11.15am on Tuesday mornings during term time only.

The cost is £5 per week, payable in half term blocks.

Eleanor Chalmers

Village Hall Available for Daytime Bookings From the week beginning 14th January, the Village Hall will be available for daytime classes and clubs as Meldreth Preschool will be moving across the road to the Primary School. For booking enquiries, please contact me on (01763) 262512 or 07803 896042.

Sherida Richards 6

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Scandal: A History of Some Worst Nightmares Scandals such as the Dreyfuss, Profumo and Jeremy Thorpe affairs emerged out of a period of change, where old values were threatened by new, and where botched cover-ups lead to exposure and humiliation.

Explore these and others in a 10-week course hosted by Royston WEA Starting on Tuesday 22nd January, 10-11.30am, the course at Royston Town Hall costs £54.75.

To enrol: enrolonline.wea.org.uk or 0300 300 3464 or you can turn up at the first session.

For further information email secretary@roystonwea.org.uk Janice Clarke Secretary, Royston WEA

Friends of Maycroft Greetings to all. Christmas is yet to come as we write; paper and cards and presents strew the table, due dates for posting to hand, pantomime and party and other entertainments to come. Then gone…….! All much enjoyed not forgotten; many of you attended, so lovely memories and echoes to carry into 2019. It is interesting to note where the succulent Christmas dinner came from, e.g. potatoes from the Americas a la Walter Raleigh, Turkey from America, chestnuts possibly from the Holy Land, sprouts and parsnips from the Mediterranean ... we have to thank the Romans perhaps?

So the year has turned, our planet spinning its 24 hour, 365 day year (and a quarter, whoops is it a Leap Year?).

Looking back so much has happened in 2018, we thank you all for your kind support throughout the year.

On behalf of us all we wish you a very happy and prosperous New Year and look forward to seeing you soon.

Carol and Ray 8

Richard Burns

Nigel Wigg

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Friends of Holy Trinity www.foht.org.uk This Month’s Event: Saturday 19th January - Annual Supper Starting with bubbly and light canapés and followed by two courses and wine, coffee and mints and a table quiz. See facing page for details.

Future Events: Thursday 21st February (tbc) - Remap An illustrated talk about the work of a UK charity with skilled volunteers who custom-make equipment for disabled people, helping them achieve independence and a better quality of life.

Thursday 21st March - ‘TEU World Tour’ by Peter Hesketh.

A circumnavigation of the world by container ships, positively not a cruise. Re-scheduled from last October.

Friday 10th May - AGM Sunday 2nd June - Open Gardens Sunday 22nd September - 15th Churchyard Car Show Tickets Events tickets are usually available from the following: Mary Gregory - (01763) 260120 John Price - (01763) 260048, Peter Chilvers - (01763) 260742 John Price

West Way and Burtons A big thank you to all the residents who donated to the Poppy Appeal street collection. We raised £71.02.

Daphne Jones-Barrie 10

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Melbourn and District Photographic Club melbournphotoclub.com

Following our two-week Christmas recess, the programme for the beginning of the New Year includes two competitions, lectures and two club evenings. The January programme is as follows: 8th Club Meal 15th Panel Print Competition. Judge: Alison Jenkins 22nd The Art in Photography. Workshop with Adrian Stone 29th My Special Places. Lecture by Colin Westgate Meetings are held weekly from 7.30 - 9.30pm on Tuesdays in 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 to see some of our work should visit our website at melbournphotoclub.com or email me, the club Secretary, at melbournphotoclub@hotmail.com.

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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.

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Melbourn Warden Scheme is a registered charity 13

Melbourn & Meldreth Women’s Group Our November meeting was held at Holy Trinity Church Meeting Room in Meldreth. Alan Hay led an Advent Reflection, based on the “new” collects (special prayers) for the Advent season. Like Lent, Advent can be seen as a journey, in which believers move forwards to meet and greet the baby in the manger. As with all journeys there is a need to wake up “as God’s kingdom dawns … and to turn to the light” and to identify the end point of the journey. There is a stage of getting ready to move forward in joyful love and firm faith. The third collect has the idea that part of the journey may need us to watch and wait, but also to be aware of the landscape through which we travel, a world beset with untruthfulness and injustice. So those who make the journey are challenged to respond by speaking truth and hungering for justice like John the Baptist. The fourth collect returns to the theme of waiting on the journey, sometimes waiting which is hard and painful as it was for Mary but beyond which is the great salvation “in Jesus Christ”.

The end of the journey is in sight on Christmas Eve so “we prepare with joy to celebrate the gift of the Christ-child” but also acknowledge that “in Jesus God comes to embrace the earth with glory and a living hope”. As we worked through these collects we were able to reflect on them and then pray together.

We valued Alan’s time and the opportunity it gave for our own personal reflection; Anne Harrison gave a vote of thanks and a gift.

Our AGM will be on Tuesday 22nd January at All Saints Community Hall beginning at 7.45pm. We will receive reports, appoint committee members and select a charity for the year before we get down to the real business, when we have a bring and share supper.

To know more please contact Pat Smith (01763) 262575, Sue Toule (01763) 260955, Anne Harrison (01763) 261775, Angela Leach (01763) 262793, Pat Ames (01763) 261130 or Kimmi Crosby.

Pat Smith

Did You Know?

Meldreth Matters is also available online. To view issues of Meldreth Matters online, follow us on Issuu: https://issuu.com/meldrethmatters.

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Meldreth WI It was perhaps a good thing that we had an interval before our puddings at our Christmas party. We all enjoyed a buffet provided by members and then Sue Baker gave us a brief description of the ancient custom of belly dancing. To give it its correct name, Raks Sharki, it is an umbrella description of the many styles of dance practiced from as far and wide as Greece, Azerbaijan, Turkey Tunisia and Morocco. It is a living history of the oldest dance forms in the world and a form of low impact exercise by both men and women. By the expressions of the ladies who attempted to do the dancing it wasn’t low exercise!

However, attempt it they did and obviously enjoyed doing it.

We then tucked in to some very nice puddings and finished our evening with coffee and mints and a seasonal quiz. Thank you everyone for helping with the ‘putting away, and clearing up’.

Kathleen Thompson

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Letters to the Editor Farm Traffic in our Villages

I am writing to express my growing concern about the ever increasing amount of tractor/trailer and farm-associated traffic moving along Malton Lane and from there either through Meldreth or Shepreth, en route to ‘somewhere else’. Some go through Fowlmere up to Flint Cross. It now seems there is no farming operation from this site that does not entail multiple movements of tractors, trailers, machinery, animals, muck and straw on vehicles that are much too big and long to be driving safely along our rural roads and through our villages.

Something has changed over the last six months and the farm now seems to have become a base for a heavy duty haulage or contracting business and those of us who live on Malton Lane (and probably elsewhere) are feeling under siege. Verges are being damaged as the vehicles are too big and there are deep ruts being created at the edge of the tarmac. Today, a car actually had to pull in forwards into a neighbour’s driveway as there was nowhere else to go in order to pass one of these vehicles.

Unfortunately, we happen to live on the corner of Malton Lane and North End and this is now becoming an almost daily occurrence; not just the occasional tractor moving something but a constant stream of one sort or another. Last week we had the sugar beet 30 tonne trucks in convoys passing through all day, on a Sunday too. A couple of days ago it was the blue trailer laden with cattle. Today it’s the very long trailers with big bales. Our concern is that these are not just one-off 16

loads of something but multiple movements, back and forth all day, going out with the ‘goods’ and coming back empty to load up again or vice versa.

We’ve heard them as late as 11.30pm and as early as 5.30am. What are they doing, where are they going and exactly what sort of farming operation is going on down there?

I’ve lived in the countryside all my adult life and I know farmers have a job to do but this is becoming way beyond what might be considered normal farming practice. I’m worried the farm has become a holding base for various commodities (straw, cattle, machinery etc) and what we are now seeing is either the development of a farm haulage business or a split farm operation that entails constant movements between different sites.

For me safety is a big issue. Malton Lane is used by dog walkers and cyclists as well as drivers and I cannot believe we are the only ones to have noticed this increase in heavy duty traffic or to be concerned about it. Today, three big round bales fell off the back of one of these trailers on the corner of Fenny Lane. (see photograph above). These cannot be moved manually as they are too heavy. Just supposing they had come off somewhere through the village, onto a vehicle or much worse onto a pedestrian or cyclist. They are heavy enough to cause serious damage or kill someone. For me it is, quite literally, the last straw and I would like to know what we can do about it before it is too late.

Jane and Steve Grimes Malton Lane 17

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Letters to the Editor East West Rail CamBedRailRoad have been asked [by Meldreth resident, Michael Young] if it would like to respond to Mr Dash’s letter, and as one of its co-founders I am pleased to reply. Mr Dash paints a nostalgic picture of the historic ‘Varsity Line’. We all mourn its passing, sold like the family silver, and largely now in disrepair or built over, but singletracked and with undersized bridges.

We embrace a modern replacement, but one that fulfils current requirements.

In 2016, East West Rail published its unfortunate inheritance from Network Rail with an emphasis on uninterrupted long distance travel, advocating four routes in the ‘C-corridor’, with planning blight resulting over a 12km wide swathe of ‘Best and Most Versatile’ agricultural land.

Fortunately, in 2017, the National Infrastructure Commission moved the goal posts, the emphasis now on integrating rail with road to serve local populations with both, and recommending Government-led coordination between Authorities. In 2018, the Government adopted the NIC’s report.

CBRR have devised a feasible alternative, meeting all NIC’s recommendations, which: 1. follows the A428 transport spine; 2. provides four new stations (Wixams, Little Barford, Cambourne and Northstowe), sustainably to reach over three times as many people between Cambridge and Bedford as EWR’s “best performing” route; 3. enters Cambridge from a direction which is currently under-utilised, to reach its three stations; 4. has a smooth spur towards Felixstowe to reduce freight on the roads; and 5. sustainably reduces reliance on cars, which are choking this area.

Our proposal has received wide-spread support in South Cambridgeshire, and beyond, so we have written to the Chairman of EWR, and to the DfT’s Secretary of State, requesting that our proposed route will have been considered in parity with other routes, when it comes to the short list due to be announced early next year. We have heard from EWR that “... there is no preferred route” and our proposal will be “taken under advisement”. We take this to mean it will be 19

scrutinised expertly. Costs being calculated for its more demanding execution, but balanced against the vastly greater benefits arising.

Our energy comes from the need that this “once-in-a-generation” opportunity is not squandered by a lack of integrated planning. On 27th November 2018, St Neots Town Council unanimously passed a motion in support of our efforts, and Jonathan Djanogly, MP for Huntingdon, has likewise expressed his support. So we are confident there is a groundswell of goodwill. I hope this is helpful, and would refer Mr Dash to our website to gauge public opinion B C Bell

30 Years of Meldreth Matters Following Catharine Walston’s letter in the December 2018 issue in which she drew attention to the fact that neither the Babies and Toddler Group or the preschool had been mentioned in the “30 years of MM” summary in the November issue, it has now been confirmed that both groups pre-date MM. Please see the letters below for further details.

If you have been involved in either group and have more information please email meldrethmatters@hotmail.com.

Playgroup/Preschool I am writing in response to Kathryn’s note on page 10 of the December issue of Meldreth Matters regarding information about the Playgroup.

I first got involved with the Playgroup in around 1971. It was then held in a barn in Chiswick End and run by Penny Jaques and Brenda Knight.

I took my daughter along to join but enjoyed it there myself, so stayed to help. Joan Fallon and I were the first to start the Playgroup in the new Village Hall. We got blamed for every mark or bit of dirt that appeared in the new hall! We had three lockers under the stage for all our equipment, which had to be put away every day as the Hall was being used for other groups after us. What a performance that was!

It was called Playgroup then and that’s what the children did, played.

We had a book corner, a painting corner, a dolls’ house corner and a quiet corner and the children could do whatever they chose to do.

About half an hour before going home we would all sit and sing a song.

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For example, Wheels On the Bus” or “Currant Buns” to learn colours and numbers.

In the summer months we went over to the Primary School - ”the big school” - to the swimming pool which the parents paid for and had built. It helped the children who were going to start school in the September and they met Mrs Thompson who would be their new teacher. We had no outside play area at the Village Hall then. We had lots of children attend - I can’t remember how many. Someone came from Cambridge to make sure that we were doing our job right.

Joan and I both enjoyed working there. We could tell lots of funny stories of things that went on, but as those children are now grown up, many with children of their own, I won’t embarrass them!

It was from there that I was offered a job at the Manor School. I was told that my reputation went before me, so I must have done something right!

I could go on writing forever about the Playgroup. It was taken over from us and, of course, is still going strong but is now the Preschool.

I hope that tells you something about the Playgroup of my day and I hope that the children who came to the Playgroup remember those days with pleasure.

Marian Oakman

Toddler Group Toddler Group was already running though poorly attended and on the second week I went Alex Richardson, who ran the Group, said that she didn’t want to do it any more and asked if I would take over! My duties were to unlock, collect the subs and provide tea and coffee. I didn’t want to handle the money and Karen Course (Mary’s daughter-in -law) took that on. We introduced a craft and a story and decided we would talk to anyone who came through the door and it just kept growing! Initially we used Playgroup’s toys but we quickly became rich enough to buy our own. I think Amanda Davis did a long stint as treasurer after Karen moved on.

Miriam Skuce

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Melwood – a Review of 2018 Despite the extremes of the weather in 2018, Melwood has come through the year largely unscathed. A few of the old Ash trees lost an occasional branch in the gales at both ends of the year. The so-called “Beast from the East” combined with Storm Emma to produce about a month of rather unpleasant weather from the end of February until the middle of March, but was followed by a fairly decent April. There was nothing too unusual through the rest of spring and early summer until the heatwave of July and August, when Melwood seems to have suffered rather less than some parts of the surrounding countryside.

A path through Melwood, freshly topped with chippings Photograph by Jim Reid

In a winter that was fairly average, with just a few short sharp cold snaps, Melwood’s snowdrops were about on schedule. The first fully open blooms were present by New Year but the main show was at the end of January and early February. Quite a few clumps came up very close to the edge of paths, where they were trampled, so the Melwood Conservation team lifted many of these and moved them to safer locations. Daffodils and bluebells were a little late, set back by the cold of February and March, but the show was good when it arrived. This autumn the conservation group have added 100 native English daffodil bulbs to the wood but it may be 2020 before we see the full show from these. We hope we have planted them away from the garden varieties, in order to keep them as a pure strain. English bluebells will be increased over the next few years and here it will be even more important to keep the strain pure, as they may easily hybridise with Spanish Bluebells planted at various places in the wood.

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Bushes planted in previous years continue to make very variable progress but will eventually form hedge lines and areas of cover for nesting birds. A lime tree planted in 2015 remains healthy and in 2018, a Crab Apple, a Hornbeam and an Oak were added to the wood. A rather spindly Oak which was growing from an acorn dropped or hidden in the wood by a bird or squirrel has made very weak progress over the years but in 2018, suddenly it put on a spurt of growth and now looks quite promising. All these young trees and bushes needed support during the summer drought and the conservation team had to run relays from the river into the wood with cans of water for all vulnerable species.

There were a couple of significant new additions to the plant list in spring of 2018. A clump of Ransoms appeared well established and had probably been overlooked for a few years. It was fairly well hidden amongst other vegetation, so perhaps no surprise there. A second plant of the same species was more exposed and obvious but may have been flowering for the first time. We also got our first flowers of Wood Anemone. The Group planted some roots about three years ago and thought all had perished, but a couple of leaves were seen in 2017 and this plant produced flowers in 2018. We will try to build on this success, as neither species is common as a wild flower in the Meldreth area. The soil of the wood tends to be a bit dry and insufficiently organic for many woodland species. The Conservation Group are working on this by using green mulch from the wood and meadow to increase the organic content and by maintaining those woodland floor obstructions that catch drifting leaves in autumn and create small areas of leaf mould.

Nest boxes were not as well used in 2018 as in some previous years but large numbers of small birds in the back of the wood during November 2018 gives ground for optimism for 2019. The boxes will be cleaned over winter and a few that have been damaged by woodpeckers or squirrels will be repaired and returned to the wood. Buzzards are regularly seen flying low over the wood and occasionally Red Kites but neither has attempted to breed, probably because the wood is too busy.

Butterflies have had very mixed fortunes nationally in 2018 and some of this was reflected in sightings in Melwood and Meldreth generally.

The familiar and popular Peacock and Small Tortoishell were notable by their absence in spring. They are amongst the earliest species to emerge from hibernation and may have suffered from the March cold 24

spell. Brimstone, by contrast, was in usual numbers and other spring species like Orange Tip and Green-veined White were fairly normal in April and May. Holly Blues were more abundant than usual and the Speckled Wood continued, apparently unaffected by any of the odd weather. The The team enjoying a coffee break towards the end of a working party heat and drought of Photograph by Jim Reid mid-summer took a big toll on grassland butterflies in the open countryside but on the Mel Meadow, with some shade from surrounding trees, their situation was less severe. It is likely that the summer drought will take a big toll in 2019 on those species whose caterpillars needed to start feeding on grass during late summer As usual, the autumn has been occupied by general “housekeeping� in the wood. Some of the trees in one corner of the wood are beneath power lines and every ten years or so, they have to be cut to avoid contact with the lines. The power company sent its tree surgeons to do this work but the Conservation Group retained most of the wood taken down, as the willow consisted mainly of long straight stems that were easily trimmed into stakes, strong enough to support the netting needed to protect young saplings from rabbit and deer damage. Also in autumn we were able to put chippings down on the path through the wood. A village resident having tree work done in her garden kindly thought of the Group and with the help of the tree surgeons involved, a load of chipping was delivered and spread by the conservation working group.

Jim Reid Melwood conservation Group Website: http://melwood.btck.co.uk If you are interested in joining the conservation work, please contact Jim Reid on (01763) 260231 or Bruce Huett on (01763) 232855.

25

Notes From a Small Garden Happy New Year to you all, and now that Christmas has passed I hope you can all give your minds to planning the garden for the spring, if you haven’t done so already! Maybe you have had some Christmas presents with garden flavours.

I remember when my aunt gave me a subscription to the RHS many years ago; I was thrilled. I vowed to continue the subscription but it took me a few years to put pen to paper, as one did then and sign up to an excellent society which goes from strength to strength, with a really useful journal and free entrance to all the RHS gardens, includes our local one in Chelmsford.

A few weeks ago, I felt I wanted to get ahead of myself and get the veg patch prepared - rather grandly called the potager as its modelled on an Elizabethan garden - and decided to buy this time some proper vegetable manure from Phillimores. I think that adding this manure to the veg patch throughout the growing season this year, as well as the very unusual weather patterns we experienced, really added to the success of our veg growing. However, I read my RHS journal for December which said firmly that it was better to leave this till the spring as the nutrients in the manure were likely to be leached out of the soil with winter rains. Quite right! So we are just spreading some home made compost instead for the moment. This will increase the “body” of the soil and we can dig in the manure later. By the way, most of you probably know that the soil for root vegetables does not need feeding. They grow very happily in light sandy type soil.

Now back to my garden diary, which I confess not to have written up much lately.

I have bought two really beautiful pots, though they were not cheap! One is a terracotta pot from Whichford Pottery (pictured) which has diagonal criss-crossings first used in the Elizabethan era. I found a lovely second -hand book called the Terracotta Gardener by Jim Keeley in Wimpole’s book shop, which has photographs of delicious planted up pots for both summer and winter, with good 26

instructions on growing particular plants in pots. We have got rid of one of our beds as I may have mentioned before, and are still trying to fill the space, which needs to hide a corner of the box hedge surrounding the potager. Jim’s book lists the potteries where the pots can be obtained, which is very useful.

Jobs for January  Clean pots and tools, and greenhouses; moulds and other bugs can be spread so easily if you don’t give attention to this job. Save it for a rainy day.  Prune apple and pear trees, plus soft fruit including gooseberries and black currants  Start forcing rhubarb  Plan your veg rotation Happy gardening, and lets see how the weather goes.

Julie Draper juliedraper@dumbflea.co.uk (01763) 260323

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Meldreth Village Di Monday The copy deadline for the February issue of Meldreth Matters is Saturday 12th January

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thurs

5.30pm Slimming World

5.30pm Slimming World

7.30pm Slimming World

7.30pm Slimming World

6.00 - 6.45pm Pilates

7.45-9.00pm Bell Ringing

7.45-9.00pm Bell Ringing

7.30pm Parish

7.00 - 9.00pm Tennis

Primary Term

9.30-11.30am Meldreth Local History Group

9.15am Cycling Group 10.00am-12.00 Handbells

9.30-11.30am Baby & Toddler Group

6.00 - 6.45pm Pilates

7.30-8.30pm Zumba

5.00-6.00pm Martial Arts

5.30pm Slimming World

7.30pm WI

7.00 - 8.00pm Aerobics

6.00-7.00pm Brownies

7.00-10.00pm Crafters

7.30pm Slimming World

10.00-11.15am Crèchendo Choir 10.00am-12.00 Handbells 10.40-11.30 Mob. Library 5.00-6.00pm Martial Arts 7.00 - 8.00pm Aerobics 7.00-10.00pm Crafters 8.00-10.00pm OT Dancing

9.30-11.30am B&T Grp

10.00-11.15am Crèchendo Choir 10.00am-12.00 Handbells 5.00-6.00pm Martial Arts 7.00 - 8.00pm Aerobics 7.00-10.00pm Crafters 8.00-10.00pm OT Dancing

9.30-11.30am B&T Grp

9.15am Cycling Group 10.00-11.15am Crèchendo Choir 10.00am-12.00 Handbells 5.00-6.00pm Martial Arts 7.00 - 8.00pm Aerobics 7.00-10.00pm Crafters

9.30-11.30am B&T Grp 1.30-2.45pm Community Choir 5.30pm Slimming World 6.00-7.00pm Brownies 7.30pm Slimming World 7.45-9.00pm Bell Ringing

9.00-10.30am Yoga 7.30-8.30pm Zumba

9.00-10.30am Yoga 9.30-11.30am Meldreth Local History Group 7.30-8.30pm Zumba

9.00-10.30am Yoga 7.30-8.30pm Zumba

8.00-10.00pm OT Dancing

1.30-2.45pm Community Choir 5.30pm Slimming World 6.00-7.00pm Brownies 7.30pm Slimming World

1.30-2.45pm Community Choir 5.30pm Slimming World

6.00 - 6.45pm Pilates

7.00 - 9.00pm Tennis

12.00-2.00pm British Queen

6.00 - 6.45pm Pilates

7.00 - 9.00pm Tennis

6.00-7.00pm Brownies 7.30pm Slimming World

6.00 - 6.45pm Pilates

7.00 - 9.00pm Tennis

Church Services and Bell Ringing are held at Holy Trinity Church. Cam Valley Crafters and Meldreth L Brownies, Messy Church & Melbourn and Meldreth Women’s Group meet in the Holy Trinity meeting Holy Trinity Church. All other events are held in the Village Hall unless otherwise indicated.

28

ary - January 2019

sday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday 9.45am Family Communion for the Epiphany

Fitness

h Council Table

School Starts 8.00am Holy Communion

Fitness

7.00 for 7.30pm FOHT Supper, Holy Trinity Church (see page 11)

Fitness Table

9.45am Family Communion and New Seekers Children’s Club 4.00pm Carol Service

Pub Club,

Fitness Table

Fitness Table

7.00 for 7.30pm Meldreth Tennis Club Quiz (see back cover)

10.30am to 3.00pm Saturday Sing (see page 7)

8.00am Holy Communion 3.30pm Messy Church (see page 41)

Refuse Collections Black bins: 9th*, 22nd Blue bins: 2nd*, 15th, 29th Green bins: 15th - please note this is the only green bin collection in January * different collection day due to public holidays

ocal History Group meetings are held in the Sheltered Housing Community Centre, Elin Way. room. The Mobile Library Service visits Bell Close. The Cycling Group meets in the lay-by opposite 29

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30

Meldreth Parish Council www.meldreth-pc.org.uk Meeting held on Thursday 6th December 2018 We present the main points of this Meeting in the new summary format. The full formal minutes can be viewed in due course on the website at www.meldreth-pc.org.uk and on the Parish Council Notice Board; these will be presented for approval at the next Parish Council meeting.

Decisions taken  To install recently purchased reflective tape on Bollards at the Stocks  To install the WW1 Memorial bench in front of the Primary School,

after further discussions with the school about its installation.  To continue to vigorously oppose the proposals arising from the

Melbourn development S106 relating to the position of the installation of two bicycle racks on the grass verge at the High Street opposite the station entrance, and to suggest an alternative location at the Village Hall as much more suitable from a convenience and safety viewpoint.  To investigate the costs/supply of tree guards for the trees proposed

for the recreation ground, followed by more detailed proposals on type(s) of tree to be acquired and suggestions for an additional contribution from community funds to augment the donation from Anglian Water of £1,000.  To approve the employment of LGSS (who provide specialist services

to local parish councils) in assisting with office records and archiving at an indicated cost of £200.  To approve the next annual payment of £700 as Meldreth’s

contribution to Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Community Rail partnership running costs.  To ask Meldreth Futures Group to consider an application for

funding in respect of Bikeability Training for school pupils. research and report recommendations to the Parish Council .

To

 To approve in principle that the Parish Council finance Elin Way

room hire for two public events, (1) MIND to hold a mental health information evening in February and (2) a Children’s Services Support meeting. Total cost should be no more than £20 and will be 31

subject to a formal vote at the next PC meeting with a further decision on whether the funds will be allocated from our community benefit (solar) account.

Discussion points  Futures Group projects; no proposals brought forward for decision

at this meeting. Further information continuing to be sought on applications from Bowls Club, Melbourn Amateur Dramatics and Village Hall Trust.  Mettle Hill: continuing to await advice from Cambridgeshire and

Peterborough Association of Local Councils and the National Association of Local Councils on legal, financial and tax issues.

Next meeting in early 2019.  District and County Councillors’ report; see pages 36-39.  Traffic Group: 20 mph speed limit in High Street not to be

recommended.

Proposal to purchase MVAS (motor vehicle activated speed signs) to be investigated, to include the formation of a small group to oversee and look after the signs when in use. Work to continue on advising residents of the need to trim footway hedges with recent article in Meldreth Matters. Discussions under way with County Highways on traffic calming measures. Pedestrian crossing at the School to be investigated. Proposals to be developed for pedestrian/car warning signs on access drive into Village Hall car park. Further steps needed to improve sight lines at Fenny Lane crossroads.  Playground; all in good working order but new chains to be fitted to

swings. Further quotation(s) waited for matting.  Melbourn S106 proposal to locate bicycle racks near the railway

station; as noted above. The Chairman apologised for a drafting error in last month’s minutes in which it had been incorrectly noted that the bicycle racks proposal was supported by District and County Councillors. This should have recorded that the opposition of the Parish Council to the proposals was supported by our District and County Councillors. The Chairman thanked them on behalf of the community for their robust support.  Financial Regulations document to be presented to a future Council

meeting for approval. Several issues to be clarified in the meantime, including the preparation of a three-year general budget framework.

32

 Annual Budget and Precept proposals to be presented by Finance

Working Group to January Parish Council meeting.  Rail User Group; well-attended meeting held on 5th December 2018;

minutes to be circulated in due course  Elin Alms Houses: appointment of new Trustee noted.  Drone activity had been noted in the Village and it was suggested

that such events should be reported to the Police  A memorial bench located at the Stocks has very recently been

destroyed by a car colliding with it. The bench was understood to have been provided by local residents. To be discussed at next PC meeting after further research.  Clerk’s annual appraisal: has been completed.

Next Meeting Thursday 3rd January 2019 at 7.30pm.

Meldreth Parish Council Editor’s Note: The planning application information had not been received by the Parish Council at the time of going to press. Any decisions will be included in the February issue.

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 Mr R Goddin (Chairman) (01763) 260061

parishclerk@meldreth-pc.org.uk richardgoddin@gmail.com

Mr R A Searles (Vice Ch)

(01763) 260435

robert.searles@btinternet.com

Mrs C J Fallon

(01763) 262822

joan.fallonpc@gmail.com

Mr N Garner

(01763) 268328

nickphgarner@gmail.com

Mrs P Gilmore

(01763) 263138

patgilmore.mpc@gmail.com

Dr R James

(01763) 261085

roger+pc@rogerjames.net

Mr C A Land

(01763) 261004

conradland@btinternet.com

Mr Nigel Pellatt

(01763) 262444

nppellatt@btconnect.com

Mr A Young

(01763) 263484

andrewmpc@gmail.com

33

Neighbourhood Watch Take Five to Stop Fraud in 2019 Take Five to Stop Fraud, a national fraud awareness campaign, issues the following advice to try and prevent people becoming victims of scams:  Requests to move money. A genuine bank or

organisation will never contact you out of the blue to ask for your PIN, full password or to move money to another account. Only give out your personal or financial details to use a service that you have given your consent to, that you trust and that you are expecting to be contacted by.  Clicking on links/files.

Don’t be tricked into giving a fraudster access to your personal or financial details. Never automatically click on a link in an unexpected email or text.

 Personal information. Always question uninvited approaches in case

they’re a scam. Instead, contact the company directly using a known email or phone number.

This advice doesn't replace advice on specific scams, but bearing these cautions in mind, it will prevent many, if not all, scams being successful.

More information on the Take Five campaign, plus more detailed advice on avoiding specific types of scams, is available from their website: https://takefive-stopfraud.org.uk.

If you're not sure if something might be a scam, always 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) 260358

Linda

(01763) 261405

Peter

Tim

(01763) 262801

(01763) 260323

Always report scams to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or visit www.actionfraud.police.uk. The Newsroom on the same website also contains details of recent scams and more advice on how to avoid being scammed.

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

Meldreth Neighbourhood Watch 34

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35

District and County Councillors’ Report SCDC Local Carbon Emissions - Zero by 2050 Members of all parties unanimously backed a motion proposing that ‘South Cambridgeshire shows responsible climate leadership by supporting the transition to zero carbon by 2050 in the next Local Plan.’

This means that the next Local Plan will consider how new homes, jobs and services will support that commitment to making South Cambridgeshire carbon-neutral by 2050. This will be a joint local plan with Cambridge City Council, which is aiming to make Cambridge zero carbon by the same date. It will look at ways in which SCDC can press for a carbon-free area through the design of homes and other buildings, land use including open space, transport links, energy supplies and waste and recycling services.

SCDC Financial Position Finance Portfolio Holder, Councillor John Williams, has urged Parish Councils to raise as much as they can to support services in their villages, as central government cuts to local authorities continue to rage.

Local authorities have faced especially deep austerity cuts, and council tax rises are capped, leaving a significant gap in the ability to fund public services.

SCDC spend £19 million on services, from which £9 million is raised through Council Tax. The Council is capped at either 3.99% or £5 per annum per household, whichever is the larger. Business rate receipts raise about £6 million. We are OK for the next two years but the Fairer Funding Revenue will bite in year three.

New Homes Bonus: £5/6 million per year is spent on the A14 upgrade, in order to avoid the eventuality of a toll road. The Fairer Funding Review may well also look at the New Homes Bonus, which means that this funding stream is uncertain.

Council housing: SCDC borrowed £205 million to keep our housing stock on the expectation that we would be able to raise rents in order to keep building council housing. However, Government then ordered councils to reduce council rents incrementally for the next three years, which effectively halted the house building programme.

36

The Mayor and Money District Council leaders who help comprise the Combined Authority were not aware last week that the Mayor had sacked their CFO (the Combined Authority’s fourth interim CFO). Staffing costs of the Combined Authority have risen from the first estimate of £850k per annum to £5.66 million in 2018-19. New spending by the Mayor has been in East Cambridgeshire and Fenland, with nothing elsewhere.

County Council Staff Pay Cut at Christmas County Council Leader Steve Count’s proposal to impose three days’ unpaid leave at Christmas for council employees earning over £26,000 per year came to the Council in the form of a motion on 11th December. Susan voted against, on the basis that staff shouldn’t have wages reduced on account of the Council’s financial position.

Cam Vale Bus Users Group We meet next on 23rd January, 7.30pm at The Limes, Bassingbourn .

The Mayor’s Bus Review results were expected in November, but on 12th November the Mayor tweeted that this would come in the New Year. That’s been the only communication from the Mayor.

Bus subsidies come out of County Council funds even though the Mayor is now the Local Transport Authority. The Mayor can levy funds to cover subsidies directly from the County Council, but the County must agree its budget on 5th February and is still looking for ways of meeting huge savings requirements.

The current cost of subsidising Cambridgeshire buses is £1.7 million; another £300K is received as a government grant.

SCDC’s Mobile Warden Scheme Grants Community groups can now bid for a share of £20,000 as part of a South Cambridgeshire Mobile Warden’s grants scheme that helps older residents to stay in their own homes and tackles loneliness.

Last year, SCDC supported eleven Mobile Warden schemes covering 20 villages, benefiting around 260 elderly residents. The schemes are complementary to statutory care services and don’t duplicate or replace the medical or social care services that individuals may also require.

Applications from new or existing community schemes close at 5.00pm on Friday 25th January 2019. Please contact Jose or Philippa for further information.

37

Community Sweeper The current scheme is still in pilot form. More news will follow in due course for prospective new schemes. Thanks to residents who’ve offered to join this scheme.

Who’s Seeking Citizens’ Advice Help and Why? North Hertrfordshire Citizens Advice provide free advice for South Cambridgeshire residents at the Melbourn Hub on the first and third Mondays of every month from 9.30am to midday. We asked them for a picture on who is accessing the service and why. Data shows that top issues are benefits, tax credits and debt; Meldreth has the second highest number of people accessing the Hub service after Melbourn.

Superfast Broadband, Marys Way An update from the Connecting Cambridgeshire team: ‘It was hoped that Superfast Broadband could be delivered by the end of 2018. The planned delivery date from Openreach is now within the first half of 2019 but this is dependent on final detailed survey work. We have asked Openreach to prioritise this area and will continue to push for the earliest delivery date.’

Cambridge South West Park and Ride Anyone who depends on Trumpington Park and Ride will know that it is frequently full. With so many villages cut off from any workable public transport, Park and Ride and onward journeys into Cambridge by bus or bicycle is critical. How to expand provision is a difficult question, and some of the options currently out for consultation may or may not prove popular. Please check out what’s being proposed here. https://www.greatercambridge.org.uk/news/cambridge-south-west-parkand-ride-consultation-open/ The consultation was scheduled to end on 20th December but this doesn’t go for decision until March, so please feel free to contact us in the New Year.

East West Rail Consultation Delay It appears that the consultation on the Bedford-Cambridge section of East West Rail won’t happen by the end of 2018 as previously announced, but are expected in the New Year. Options will be presented together with the economic development and housing numbers which would respectively be needed to bring each of them forward. SCDC doesn’t have a fixed position on CamBedRailRoad’s proposed alternative route, but has lobbied for it to be included in government’s potential routes.

38

Dog Waste: New Bins SCDC Environmental Health is going through a phased programme of replacing dog bins with a combined dog waste and ordinary litter bins which are bigger, cheaper, easier to empty and don’t need to be fixed to a post. We will be notified if a replacement is scheduled.

Police Information Meeting All welcome at the Melbourn Hub on Tuesday 22nd Januaryat 7.30pm, for what we hope will be a very useful information meeting with the Police to learn about their current work on behalf of villages in our area.

Drop-in Advice Surgery We’re at the Melbourn Hub every first Monday of the month from 3.00-4.00pm and Susan is also at The Limes, Bassingbourn on the third Monday of each month, from 3.00-4.00pm.

Our email newsletter contains further details about some of these issues. Please let us know if you’d like to receive a copy.

A Happy New Year to all!

Jose Hales, District Councillor jose@josehales.me.uk, 07703 262649 Philippa Hart, District Councillor philippajoyhart@gmail.com, 07811 323571 Susan van de Ven, County Councillor susanvandeven5@gmail.com, 07905 325574 Editor’s Note: Heidi Allen’s newsletter had not been received at the time of going to press. For her latest news, please see her website: https://www.heidisouthcambs.co.uk/

Meldreth Futures Group There is money available from solar funds for projects that will be beneficial to our community.

Visit www.meldrethfutures.org.uk for details of how to apply.

For further information, email admin@meldrethfutures.org.uk or contact the Parish Clerk, Judy Damant, on (01763) 269928 or email parishclerk@meldreth-pc.org.uk.

39

Meldreth Preschool www.meldrethpreschool.com Please note: Meldreth Preschool Spring Term begins on Tuesday 8th January As always, the run-up to Christmas was an exciting time for Meldreth Preschool, not least because alongside card-making, decorating and compiling lists for Father Christmas, we were trying to organise The Big Move.

At the time of writing, of course, this is still in progress, leaving us all in a state of excited turmoil, but we are hoping to have everything in place to begin the new term in our new home, across the road at Meldreth Primary School! The Village Hall has been a fantastic home to the preschool for a number of years, but the chance to move into a purpose -built room where the staff won’t have to move furniture around every day is one that holds an appeal all of its own.

We have big plans for the last couple of weeks of term. In between ferrying furniture and boxes across the road, we are planning a trip to Maycroft Residential Home to share some of the songs we have been learning over the festive period. We are also planning our own concert which should see the children performing once again, this time for an audience of their family and friends who will be gathering for what we hope will be the last time in the Village Hall to bid farewell to our current home.

Meldreth Preschool would like to say a huge thank you to the Village Hall Committee for working with us for the last few years. Naturally, given that we have had hundreds of children coming through the doors, we have occasionally made our presence felt beyond our regular hours in the form of lingering glitter and escaping toys which have been acknowledged with good grace and enduring patience. In particular we would like to thank Paul Ray for his generous support of the Preschool, particularly in recent times, and to Chris Mannix for sharing the benefit of his wisdom as an experienced treasurer.

We are looking forward to working with the school to form a stimulating and engaging environment for the children in our care and to ensure that we continue to provide an early education that stands them in good stead for a lifelong love of learning.

40

We currently have waiting lists for most of our sessions, so please get your application forms in quickly if you would like a place for your child at Meldreth Preschool. We will have all the same contact details in our new home, so you can get in touch with the manager using manager@meldrethpreschool.com or with the committee using chair@meldrethpreschool.com.

Jo Smith Meldreth Preschool

41

Coton Electrical

Village Garden Services

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Contact : Campbell Weir Mobile : 07798 924022 Home : 01223 207583 Email : campbell.weir@outlook.com

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

Dust Free Wood Floor Sanding & Restoration

Call David on 07749 850026 17 Flambards Close, Meldreth

Is your Wooden Floor in need of Sanding?

Call today on 01223 863 632 Please quote “Meldreth Mag” Denny Lodge Business Park, Ely Road, Chittering

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Meldreth Primary School www.meldreth.cambs.sch.uk Applause… lights off… and relax. A huge well done to Puffin, Swift and Wren classes for their hard work. We have all thoroughly enjoyed performing Children of the World. Now for some mince pies…

Joanna Cole In the nativity, I play an angle. I have to wear an angle costume. My favourite song to perform is Come to the Manger. I really enjoyed being the excited angle because I got to showt. My children in the play are very good at there lines. We sang Christmas Day on the Beach Boys whitch was our song. We were Ostralia. I like my first lines. I'm the first one to speac in the play.

Joni Yr2 In the nativity, I play an angel. I have to wear a dress and wings. My favourite song to perform is Christmas Candel. I really enjoyed sing in the songs. I enjoy getting changed into my sparckley angel costume and golden wings allsow a golden thing that goes round my waest. I wead a sparckley hailow.

Samuel Yr2 In the nativity, I play Malawi. I have to wear a grass skirt. My favourite song to perform is Koyimba. I really enjoyed singing. I likd dancing. Iv injoyed woching people sing and danc. Iv injoyd dancing and singing with my friends.

Ashton Yr2 In the nativity, I play a Australian child. I have to wear beech clothes and a hat. My favourite song to perform is Children of the World. I really enjoyed the USA. My best frend is in the USA they cary candy cains. I enjoyed the most the China children. They hold papper lanterns. I have 2 best frends in China.

Fraser Yr2 In the nativity, I play Iland. I have to wear a green dress. My favourite song to perform is Christmas Canddle. I really enjoyed singing on my 43

own, Ellie singing on her own and waching evrywon els, inclooding myself and being on stage with the lits shining at me.

Nola Yr2 In the nativity, I play Yoosay. I have to wear stars white blue and red. My favourite song to perform is Come to the Manger.

I really enjoyed holding the tinsel wif Kara. I enjoyd singing. I liked that I sung on the staij and I sung loudlee and I liked all the songs.

Maisie Yr2 In the nativity, I play a chield from Poland. I have to wear a white shert and a waistcoat. My favourite song to perform is Litel Star. I really enjoyed performing because you faise the crowd and I like singing with Alex. I liked holding the stars.

Toby Yr2 In the nativity, I play a China girl. I have to wear some dragons and patons on my dress. My favourite song is Serch the sky on Christmas Eev. I really enjoyed doing it in my coshtuem and all so I am really excited to preform to my whole school and my family. I really really really like my dance. I had a really really red dress whith lots of lovely things but I liked the red and blue flowers.

Darcey Yr2

The Nativity That Went Wrong Children in Year 5 were asked to compose an ‘imagined’ review of a fictional primary school’s Nativity play where things don’t entirely go to plan. I thought Owen particularly captured the spirit of the task!

Andrew Jones Deputy Headteacher Yesterday, I went to see Eastingly Primary School’s production of ‘A Wonderful Christmas’….(NOT!) The play was actually quite good because everything in it turned out to be a funny fail.

Not very many things went well in the show, but the acting was brilliant and the scenery was so realistic. Also the use of real animals 44

added to the overall effect. But apart from those things, nothing went according to plan. Everything went wrong!

In this production, everything - just everything completely and utterly failed! At the start of the story, when Mary met the angel, two important things went wrong. Firstly, on the screen used for displaying what is happening, it said ‘ANGLE Gabriel’ Next, Gabriel’s assistant accidentally pushed Mary off the stage onto a soft hay bale that was currently being eaten by the donkey and the cow. Suddenly, the cow stood up, walked over to where I was sitting and started to eat my lunch. Possibly the funniest moment was when Joseph was holding the ‘real’ baby Jesus and he pooped on Joseph’s arm! After that, the baby never stopped crying.

Meanwhile, Mary had lost control of the donkey and had fallen onto the same haybale as Gabriel, while the poor child playing Joseph was violently sick and then fainted. Suddenly, the curtain closes, just as Santa comes cannonballing into the head teacher and and tumbles into the scenery, causing the stable to collapse! Merry Christmas Eastingly Primary School!

Meldreth Primary School

delicious! be with Slimming World MELDRETH WEDNESDAY 5.30pm & 7.30pm Meldreth Village Hall High Street, Tel: Alison 07812 825 389 slimmingworld.co.uk

0344 897 8000 45

What’s On for Children and Families in January Tuesday 8th January and term time Tuesdays or Thursdays, 4.00pm - 5.00pm (see website for dates) After School Science Club, Cambridge Science Centre, 44 Clifton Road, Cambridge CB1 7ED Make friends and get hands on with amazing science from slime to space. For children in Years 4, 5 and 6. £5 per session (first come, first served) or £55 a term. Family ticket £12. For details see: www.cambridgesciencecentre.org.

Wednesday 9th & 30th January, 4.00pm - 4.45pm Stained Glass Windows Cambridge Science Centre, 44 Clifton Road, Cambridge CB1 7ED Drop-in event for any age. Use simple science and everyday materials to mirror the beauty of stained glass windows. £3 for under 18s, £4 for adults. Under 3s free. The centre is also open from 10.30am to 5.00pm at weekends.

Monday 14th January, 10.00am - 10.45am or 11.00am - 11.45am Little Explorers, Scott Polar Research Institute, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1ER Listen to a Polar story about Earth sister, sky sister with renowned storyteller Marion Leeper. Book on: www.spri.cam.ac.uk.

For accompanied under 5s.

Friday 25th January, 10.00am - 10.45am or 11.00am - 11.45am Early Years Studio, Kettles Yard, Castle Street, Cambridge CB3 0AQ Opportunities for children under 4 to explore the world around them through sensory and creative activities. Sessions are led by artists and based on the Kettles Yard collection. £5 per child. No need to book but arrive in good time to ensure a place. See: www.kettlesyard.co.uk.

Saturday 26th January, 2.00pm or 4.00pm The Mouse who Jumped, Cambridge Philharmonic, West Road Concert Hall, West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DP A musical adventure for adults and children; an epic journey following in the footsteps of the mouse who jumped. It’s a tale of courage and kindness. Tickets £12 from Cambridge Live on (01223) 357851 or book online at: www.westroad.org.

Compiled by Hilary Crawforth 46

Whaddon Road, Meldreth, SG8 5RL

Club Facili es

Entertainments

Licensed bar Hall available for private hire for any occasion (compe ve rates) Fully equipped gymnasium (annual subscrip on) Snooker room, Pool table Large children's outdoor ac vity area Bowls green, Petanque pistes Football pitches, changing rooms

1st Friday of the month Melbourn Rock Club One Saturday a month Melbourn Rock Club Rock and Roll Night Every Thursday night Eternit bingo—starts 7.30pm Local gig venue

Big charity events during the year Motorcycle Rally - Air Ambulance - Mini Chill weekend - Camping - Local Chari es Club Charity - LUPUS

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Local Events in January To have your event listed, please email meldrethmatters@hotmail.com.

Tuesday 1st January, 11.00am to 1.00pm New Year’s Day Walk at Coton Countryside Reserve Coton, Cambridgeshire CB23 7PZ Begin 2019 with a sociable stroll through the reserve and surrounding countryside. Meet outside The Plough pub in Coton. Free event but donations to work of the reserve appreciated: www.cambridgeppf.org.

Monday 7th January, 11.30am to 12.30pm (plus 11 other dates) Wimpole Weekday Winter Basement Tours Wimpole Hall, Arrington, Cambridgeshire SG8 0BW Join a fascinating guided tour of the servant quarters below stairs, including areas not on the normal visitor route. Booking advisable. Free admission to National Trust members, otherwise adults £18.90, children £9.50. Please wear warm clothing. To book: www.nationaltrust.org.uk.

Tuesday 8th January to Sunday 17th March, normal opening times Whistler and Nature - an exhibition Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1RB Featuring around 90 paintings, sketches and prints, the exhibition casts a new light on the work of the great late-Victorian artist James McNeill Whistler. Free. Galleries 12 and 13. See: www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk.

Thursday 10th January, 8.00pm to 10.00pm Cambridge Guitar Club St James Centre, Wulfstan Way, Cambridge CB1 8QJ Bring your own guitar, have fun playing or just come along and listen.

All standards welcome. Classical, flamenco, acoustic and jazz guitar.

Entrance £4 with £1 towards room hire. Contact (01223) 565552.

Saturday 12th January 9.00am to 11.30am Fowlmere Farmers’ Market Village Hall, Fowlmere, Cambridgeshire SG8 7RY Crafts, locally-sourced foods & home-made refreshments. Free parking.

Regular event held second Saturday of every month, except August.

Saturday 12th January, 10.00am to 4.00pm Beginners Photography Course at Michaelhouse St Michael’s Church, Trinity St, Cambridge CB2 1SU Full day workshop with expert tuition plus guided photography 48

practice to improve your pictures. Course fee £85. To book your place visit: www.wherecanwego.com or telephone 07527 476656.

Saturday 12th January, 2.00pm to 3.45pm Winter Wildlife Safari, Wicken Fen Nature Reserve Lode Lane, Wicken, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB7 5XP Ranger-led walk around the reserve finishing at visitor centre to watch (with luck!) Hen Harriers coming in to roost over Sedge Fen at sunset.

Tickets £8. Warm clothes, walking boots or wellies and binoculars if you have them. No dogs, please. To book call: 0344 249 1895.

Wednesday 16th January, 10.00am to 12noon Winter Tree Walk Wandlebury Country Park, Gog Magog Hills, Cambs CB22 3AE Join one of our wardens to learn how to identify our native trees using bark, buds, shape, form and leaves where relevant. Meet at car park noticeboard. Free but donations to Park’s conservation work welcome.

Saturday 19th January, 8.30am to 10.00am Men’s Breakfast Meeting, Village Hall, Foxton, CB22 6RN Rev. Angela Melaniphy will reflect on what challenges and opportunities 2019 may bring. Contact Tony Garrick (01763) 221658; garrick.tony@gmail.com or Mark Howard (01223) 503377; markhoward@uwclub.net to reserve your place. £7 donation requested towards running costs. All are welcome.

Saturday 19th - Sunday 20th January, 10.00am to 8.00pm Festival of Swans, Welney Wildlife Trust Hundred Foot Bank, Welney, nr. Wisbech, Cambs PE14 9TN Enjoy a weekend of swan-related activities including walks, talks and trails. Admission: adults £8.50, concessions £7.40, children £5.00. For programme details and to book visit: www.wwt.org.uk. NB places may be limited.

Wednesday 30th January, 2.00pm to 5.00pm Snowflake Tea Party, Royston Leisure Centre, Woodcock Road, Royston SG8 7XT Hosted by the leisure centre with tea/coffee and cakes. Treat yourself you deserve it, if you’ve spent January burning off all those Christmas calories! In aid of Home-Start Royston and South Cambridgeshire. See: www.hsrsc.org.uk.

Compiled by John Crawforth 49

Meldreth, Shepreth & Foxton: Station & Train Issues Thanks to our Parish Council representatives for supporting the Community Rail Partnership (CRP) which we hope will help to bolster the local voice on improvements on access to rail services, including accessing the station and train services.

The picture from Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is patchy. Monday 10th December saw the restoration of the May 2018 weekday timetable, but weekend services are not set to be restored to pre-May timetable standards until May 2019. Yes, you read that correctly! In spite of this, and in spite of a concerted lobbying effort by all rail user groups between our villages and London, the Transport Secretary will impose a rail fare rise in January. Please note that fare rises are the domain of the Department of Transport, not Govia Thameslink Railway.

Our Rail User Group meeting on Wednesday 5th December dealt with a range of issues big and small. Network Rail was present to help examine the inconsistent and unreasonably long down times at Shepreth station-side level crossing, including a record seventeen minutes down, which caused traffic chaos. We agreed to revisit this in a month’s time, after the new weekday timetable has hopefully bedded in. Restoration of the unofficial car park and the need for a ticket machine on the Barrington side would alleviate problems, and we hope that the car park situation, at the very least, will be resolved sooner rather than later.

We also discussed GTR’s unfortunate failure to spend a Department for Transport grant for high quality cycle parking at Meldreth and Shepreth. The grant was actually spent somewhere else, and therefore the opportunity was lost for Meldreth and Shepreth. The Rail User Group will be pressing for that work to be restarted.

We are aware, too, of two very steep and implausible parking fines at Meldreth and Shepreth Stations: work in progress, and we’ll report back. An astonishing fine amounting to £170 at Shepreth, which is a free car park, is in the process of being contested. This did not involve parking in a disabled bay. Unfortunately for the car park contractor, but fortunately for the Rail User Group, the fine was imposed on a barrister!

More positively, we are lucky to have hard-working and dedicated GTR staff helping to address the most local issues, not least Bern Parsons 50

behind the window at Meldreth Station booking office. We have established good new contact with GTR’s very helpful new senior lead officer for our area, who recognises that being open about warts and all is the most helpful way of problem solving.

Our Community Rail Partnership Project Officer, Sarah Grove, is now working closely with schools on rail safety and public transport confidence with a Junior Rail Safety Conference in the pipeline. She is also working to ensure that the CRP is kept fully informed of the Greater Cambridge Partnership’s work at Foxton Level Crossing; more on this to follow. A developer contribution for the Melbourn Science Park expansion application going to SCDC Planning in December includes contributions toward the funding quest for an access ramp connecting the Melbourn path to the London platform.

And in the New Year, we can look forward to bulbs popping up in our platform tubs.

Susan van de Ven and Sarah Grove, Meldreth Shepreth and Foxton Community Rail Partnership Meldrethsheprethfoxtonrail.org.uk

Solar Stud Lights on the A10 Pedestrian/Cycle Path It’s great to have enough solar stud lights on the pedestrian/scooter/ cycle path between Shepreth and Harston to help commuters find their way home on dark nights. A big thank you to the cycling team at Cambridgeshire County Council who made this happen.

A couple of cyclists have asked us to help raise awareness of the importance of wearing high viz, whether on a bike, scooter, roller blades or walking; cyclists want to be careful of other path users.

Please make sure you are seen!! Thank you.

The A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign www.a10corridorcycle.com

MELDRETH PLANT HIRE TEL: 01763 262738 DIGGERS, DUMPERS, BREAKERS, WHACKERS, ROTAVATORS. AVAILABLE FOR DAILY OR WEEKLY HIRE. WWW.MELDRETHPLANT.CO.UK 51

Volunteering: New Year, New Challenges

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Volunteering: New Year, New Challenges Join the Trustees of our Village Hall The roles of Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer have been held by the same people for five years. They are looking to move on and this presents opportunities for new people to manage the running of a valued Meldreth facility.

The Chairman chairs the AGM and three or four Trustees’ meetings a year. He/she acts as the Chief Executive Officer of a £15,000 a year charity – which owns the Hall and leases the land it stands on.

The Honorary Secretary is responsible for the agendas and taking notes of all meetings and is the manager of the weekday and weekend Housekeepers. He/she purchases Housekeepers’ supplies and arranges routine maintenance and repairs.

The Honorary Treasurer needs to work simple spreadsheets rather than have accountancy qualifications. He/she makes payments, reconciles the bank statements, keeps Trustees informed and liaises annually with the Independent Examiner of the accounts.

If you are interested in fulfilling one of these roles or if you know of someone else who may be interested, please contact Paul Ray on (01763) 260304 or via p_ray@btopenworld.com.

Meldreth Local History Group MLHG needs volunteers who would be willing to help add material to its website. Please contact Joan Gane on (01763) 260129 or email info@meldrethhistory.org.uk if you are interested.

Cambridge Re-Use Drivers and van crew are wanted to join the team at Cambridge Re-Use to help deliver and collect furniture to and from customers’ homes.

Drivers do not need to lift; van crew need to be physically fit and able to lift. We offer a warm and friendly atmosphere, travel and lunch expenses, 25% discount and free delivery on any purchases made from the charity. For further information please contact Cara, the Manager, on (01223) 414554 or email cara@cambridgereuse.org.uk.

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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) 248239 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 Councillors

Please see details at end of Parish Council report Philippa Hart—07811 323571 Jose Hales—07703 262649 03450 450500; www.scambs.gov.uk/ Susan van de Ven—07905 325574 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

District Council Offices 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

07905 325574; www.meldrethsheprethfoxtonrail.org.uk

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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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.

Affordable Plumbing .......................12 AngliEAR Hearing ....................Cover Art of Clean ....................................30 Art of Clean Wood ..........................42 B2B Automotive ........................Cover Cam Valley Orchards ......................4 Cambourne Self Storage ..................30 Cambridge Solar .............................12 Cambridge Sunblinds ................Cover CHS Day Centre .............................22 CHS Group .....................................35 Coton Electrical ..............................42 The Country Store ............................9 Dog Walker/Animal Sitter ...............18 Ely Design Group .............................4 Eternit Sports and Social Club .........47 Gilhooly ..........................................27 The Green Lounge ...........................12 iPlaster ............................................35 Jewellery & Sewing Tutor ...............22 Lawn Partners .................................35 The Letting Centre ..........................30

Little Hands Nursery School ............18 Melbourn Flooring ...........................18 Melbourn Village College (1) ............42 Melbourn Village College (2) .............9 Meldreth Landscapes .......................15 Meldreth Plant Hire .........................51 Moncraft Computers ........................22 Nancy Foster Footcare .....................18 Newlings of Royston Funeral Service 47 Nigel Wigg Home Improvement .........9 Polished Nails & Beauty ..................42 Reflections Hair Studio ....................15 Richard Burns Electrician ...................9 Rod’s PC Support .......................Cover Royston Fencing ...............................30 Shelford Energy ................................35 Slimming World ...............................45 Summit Landscapes ..........................47 Village Garden Services ....................42 Walkers Partnership Solicitors ..........22 Yoga2 Classes ...................................4

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