Meldreth Matters, July 2022

July 2022

In this issue … Letters to the Editor News from the British Queen Speedwatch

Events … Maycroft Fete Messy Church Orwell Singers’ Jubilee Concert

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Contents Children & Education 1st Meldreth Rainbows 12-13 Activities for Families 20 Kite Design Competition 21 Messy Church 5, 19 Primary School 15-17 Primary School PTA 18-19

What’s On in July Maycroft Fete 5 Orwell Singers 5, back cover Things to Do in July 38-39 Village Diary 30-31 Village Groups Friends of Holy Trinity 36 Meldreth Bowls Club 35 Meldreth Marvells 34 Women’s Group 37

Local/National Government Local Councillors 47-51 Parish Council 42-44 Planning 45

Village News & Issues Closure of Village Hall 5 Jubilee Celebrations 6-10 News from the British Queen 33 Speedwatch 52 Ukrainian Refugees in Meldreth 3

Miscellaneous Letters to the Editor 22-23 Advice/Information Advertisers’ Index 60 Community Transport 53 Coronavirus Support 56-57 Home-Start 54 Mobile Warden Scheme 51 Neighbourhood Watch 41 Refuse Collections 30 Village Directory 58-59

Gardens & Nature Gardening 24-25 Spotted Flycatchers 26 Cookery In Praise of … 27-29

This month’s cover picture: Double Rainbow taken by Christopher van Essen at 6 Fenny Lane on 4th May 2022

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. Alternatively, it may be 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 July issue of Meldreth Matters. Congratulations to all of the organisers of the village’s fantastic Jubilee celebrations. I've included some reports and photographs of the events on pages 6-10. If you have a few hours to spare and would like to volunteer your time for a local group or organisation, then 1st Meldreth Rainbows, Speedwatch and Royston and District Community Transport are all appealing for volunteers in this issue. Finally, I would like to give a mention to Julie Draper, who along with the late Jim Eggleton, began contributing a gardening column to Meldreth Matters in September 2008. Julie is now, as she puts it, “hanging up her boots” so the article on pages 24-25 of this issue is her last. Thank you, Julie, for sharing your knowledge and tips with us over the years. If anyone else would like to share his or her gardening know-how with our readers, then please email meldrethmatters@hotmail.com with your ideas. Kathryn

Ukrainian Refugees in Meldreth There are currently five families in Meldreth hosting refugees from Ukraine, with two more families awaiting visas, and there are many others from neighbouring villages. In fact, South Cambridgeshire has the highest number of Ukraine visa applications and host families of any district in the country. To help our guests settle in, we meet every Tuesday at 3.30pm in the Meldreth Church Meeting Room. These meetings give our guests a chance to meet each other and also give our hosts a chance to help each other with all the tasks (and forms) that our guests need to settle in. If you are hosting already, or thinking about doing so, please join us on Tuesdays. Rachel Fry rachelfry1@outlook.com 3

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July Events in Meldreth Orwell Singers Orwell Singers will be performing in a Jubilee Concert in Meldreth Village Hall on Saturday 2nd July at 7.30pm. There will be songs by Queen and Abba, Jubilee specials and many more. Tickets cost £12 each including a buffet and are available from Katie Reid on (01223) 207387, David Smith on (01763) 662983 and Orwell Village Stores. Barry Sharman Messy Church: Rock or Sand? Sunday 10th July, 3.30 - 5.30pm, Meeting Room, Meldreth Church An hour of activities, a story of wise and foolish builders and some songs, then share a meal. A free event for families. Hilary Crawforth Maycroft Fete Maycroft Fete will be held on Saturday 16th July, starting at 11.00am and finishing around 1.00pm. We have some great stalls including plants, cakes, refreshments, giant raffle, tombola, craft and birdfeeders. We hope members of the local community will pop in to see us and support the residents who will be running their own stalls. The birdfeeders, for example, have all been hand made by our residents. All of the residents are so looking forward to it and we are praying for fine weather. Lynn Ward and the team at Maycroft

Meldreth Village Hall Closure The Hall will be closed from 25th July to 31st August for redecoration and refurbishment of the toilets. Normal service will resume in September. The Village Hall Trustees 5

Jubilee Community Church Fete Meldreth churchyard was the perfect setting for the fete on the second day of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. What a crowd, ranging from babies to grownups all soaking up the atmosphere! Peter Allen opened proceedings and talked us through the day: thank you, Peter. Chris Elbourn and The Malfunctions band had people tapping their toes to familiar 60’s and 70’s music. Later in the afternoon, Clare Silver and the Lift Off Choir, all in good voice, sang familiar songs. Thank you Clare and Chris for entertaining us. The popular BBQ’n’beer was hugely successful along with the teas and refreshments which were on offer throughout the day. This year we introduced a card payment system which was popular and will be used again. Games provided by Messy Church, the Brownies and Wood Green Animal Shelter were fun filled - not forgetting face painting and of course, the coconut shy and tug of war provided much fun for all ages! We were delighted to have Maycroft and Aurora at the fete offering handmade crafts. Jewellery sold well and how lovely to have clothing and crafts provided by The Queen Bee, (behind the British Queen). As always homemade cakes, plants, books and the bottle stall drew the crowds. The magnificent raffle almost sold out of tickets. Competitions in the church appealed to many inspired Jubilee bakers, from young children to adults. The Platinum themed floral displays were beautiful, so thank you to all who took part. Also inside the church was a display by Joan Gane of Meldreth Local History Group. 6

A big thank you to Cam Valley Orchards, The British Queen, Davey’s Butchers, Etex (Exteriors) UK Ltd., Esse, Foulgers (CVS) Ltd, Tom Foulger, Phillimore Nurseries, Melbourn Co-op, Fieldgate Nurseries, The British Queen, Tescos, the Showmen and Mariah, Leech’s, Johnson Matthey and TTP for supporting us. To all who helped with advertising, social media, the PA and others who worked tirelessly behind the scenes before and on the day, thank you. We were determined to make the day an inclusive community event for all and we hope, encouraged by our contributors, a helping hand has been given to Meldreth Primary School, Home-Start and our village church, as it struggles with funding to address the serious rising damp problems. We have received some very heartening and supportive feedback from people saying how much they enjoyed the fete and brilliant atmosphere. Thank you to everyone who helped set up before and on the day and of course the clearing up afterwards. Thank you to everyone who came too and supported us, raising the magnificent sum of just over £5000! Our County Councillor, Susan van de Ven wrote: “Can I just say what a joy it was to be at the fete yesterday, organised by you! I think it’s the best one we’ve ever attended - more people, more children, more fun and relaxed, with so many new things to enjoy. I loved the Lift Off choir! Teas and BBQ were wonderful - dogs, scarecrows, everything!! Yes, yes, all those young families and even a newborn baby or two. Just perfect! Thank you SO much for all your work to make it happen!” Julie and Pauline 7

The Meldreth Big Jubilee Lunch What a good day we had at the British Queen, celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Despite the rain we had such fun thanks to the efforts of various villagers and village businesses. The Jubilee Crew would like to thank Sue and Alan Tobin for hosting the event. Also all their staff who were kept so busy and yet were still smiling at the end of the day. Thank you also to Russell Davey for his great hog roast and barbecue and to Lyndsey Wareing for her tasty Caribbean food. Many people brought their own gazebos and in the main marquee at the BQ there was a wonderful balloon centre piece assembled by Heather Russell (House of Parties) who lives in the village. Thanks go to our ’Queen’ Wendy Braid and to Mary Holland, who was her lady in waiting. They made us feel like we really had royalty present. Even children were so sweetly asking if she was really The Queen! Thank you too, to Malcolm Woods for photographing the happy scenes on the day. The prizes for the children’s drawing competition were kindly supplied by Bury Lane Fun Barn & The Beach, Shepreth Wildlife Park and Tesco. We thank them all for supporting this village event. 8

The nine members of the Meldreth Jubilee Crew started planning in March and all had so many great ideas. In the end, we deliberately focussed on keeping the event simple, but nevertheless felt it was a fitting tribute, especially celebrating the Queen at The British Queen. Even an event that appears simple on the surface takes a lot of planning and organisation, most of which was contributed by Joan Gane, so particular thanks and appreciation go to her. It takes a village to ensure events like this are successful, so thank you to everyone who came for supporting us. The Jubilee Crew

To advertise in this space, please email meldrethmatters@hotmail.com or telephone Beverley Cottrell on (01763) 262176 Our rates are shown on page 60 of this issue

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Meldreth Scarecrow Festival Thank you Meldreth for a fantastic Jubilee Scarecrow Festival; the village was awash with red, white and blue with queens, corgis, horses and daleks. My fellow organisers and judges were blown away with the response from the village with a wide selection of excellently crafted scarecrows, with some fantastic ingenuity. I’ll get down to it: the winner this year was Megsterminate, a truly red, white and blue dalek that was Photograph by Roger Faires just beyond the church on North End. The judges also awarded prizes to Sponge Bob Union Pants and to Queen Elizabeth and Emma. You can view all the scarecrows if Photograph by Malcolm Woods you follow this link: https://youtu.be/YfnB34FKY94. A big thank you to Meldreth Parish Council for providing funding this year and to Jo Brown for helping to organise the festival.

Photograph by Maurice Prové

Some people have suggested a return next year, and we are considering whether to make this an annual or biennial event. If you have an opinion or ideas on when to run the scarecrow festival again please email Meldrethscarecrow@gmail.com. Roger Faires 10

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1st Meldreth Rainbows Our summer term is in full swing, and the Rainbows have enjoyed various activities; from making promise potions and thinking about their Girl Guiding promise to working in teams to create marble runs. Marigold and Snowdrop joined 1st Meldreth Brownies to run a stall at the Jubilee Fete. Villagers were invited to hook-a-duck to win one of hundreds of soft toys donated by Rainbows and Brownies. We also offered Jubilee badge, magnet and keyring making. It was wonderful to see so many Rainbows and their families at the fete. It was such a lovely atmosphere. In June, the Rainbows attended ‘Rainbows Go Wild’ at Shepreth Wildlife Park. This was a Girlguiding event with over 100 Rainbows attending from units across the region. Meldreth Rainbows were thrilled to make the short journey to and from the park by train. We had free time to explore the park, as well as attending keeper talks, discussing the importance of preserving our wildlife habitats and making animal crafts. The event was finished with a closing ceremony where the girls sang songs with all the attending units before being awarded badges. Would you like to be a Rainbows volunteer? We are keen to obtain an additional helper for this brand new unit. We are looking for someone who is keen to get involved with Girlguiding overall. This would involve our weekly sessions (including set up, etc), termly planning sessions and a willingness to get involved in other activities and days out that happen outside of the regular meetings. 12

If you have any interest in finding out a little bit more (or know anybody else who would like to) about this fun and rewarding role, please do let us know and we can chat in more detail. You can email us at 1stmeldrethrainbows@gmail.com. Marigold, Snowdrop, Buttercup & Primrose (Rainbows Leaders)

Meldreth Brownies and Rainbows Meldreth Brownie and Rainbow Leaders would like to thank villagers for their support of our stall at the Jubilee Church Fete. Both Hook-aDuck and Badge Making were very popular and enabled us to raise some important funds to help ensure Brownies and Rainbows continue to thrive in Meldreth. The fete gave the Brownies an opportunity to gain confidence in handling money and talking to new people. They most enjoyed helping people select their prize soft toys. Brown Owl, Snowy Owl, Little Owl, Marigold and Snowdrop

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Meldreth Primary School www.meldreth.cambs.sch.uk Heading into the final half term of this year, there is much to feel thankful for and excited about. We are all thrilled to see our new swimming pool in action and to see swimming lessons for all classes restart. Classes across the school have also been taking part in exciting events, from art galleries to auditions. Numerous sporting events have taken place, from cricket to Quad Kids and we are looking forward to our first sports day with parents/carers since 2019. Please enjoy reading about a few of the many great things we have been up to at Meldreth Primary School this month. Swimming Pool Our brand new swimming pool is now in action, thanks to the fundraising efforts of the PTA and the generosity of our many sponsors and supporters. Puffin Class took their first swimming lesson this week and had an absolutely fantastic time! We look forward to welcoming Years 1 - 4 back to their swimming lessons in school over the next few weeks, whilst Years 5 and 6 have been lucky enough to visit Melbourn Village College for their swimming lessons at the college swimming pool. [See pages 18-19 for more information and photographs.] Sporting News A group of KS2 pupils attended the Cambridgeshire County Cricket Tournament at Foxton, achieving a very impressive second place in our group. Another group of pupils attended the Quad Kids Athletic Competition at Wilberforce Road this month. They were praised for the determination and came a strong 11th place in the competition.

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Pirates of the Curry Bean! Our Year 5 and 6 classes have recently undertaken auditions for their end-of-year performance of ‘Pirates of the Curry Bean’, a musical comedy. We were blown away by the quality of acting in the auditions and had a very challenging time deciding on a cast list. We are thrilled with the final choices and are confident that it will be a fantastic performance, as the talent shines through the whole of our cast and chorus. Wren Class Art Gallery Parents and carers were invited into Year 2 this month to experience an incredible art gallery. Pupils were inspired by the artists Piet Mondrian, Alma Thomas, Mark Rothko and Yayoi Kusama to create colourful, abstract pieces.

Queen’s Jubilee Stamp Winners We had a fantastic time celebrating the Queen’s Jubilee in school this month. Winners of our Jubilee Stamp Competition were: Riley (Early Years), Ronnie (KS1), Matilda (Lower KS2) and Darcy (Upper KS2). Please enjoy their fantastic designs below:

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Upcoming Events Year 3 are looking forward to visiting the Fitzwilliam Museum and Pizza Express in the upcoming weeks as part of their topic on Roman Britain, whilst Key Stage 1 are excited to visit Whipsnade Zoo as part of their hands-on learning. Sports Day is also coming up, our first with parents and carers in attendance since before the pandemic. We are looking forward to a fun -filled day of athletic achievement and teamwork. A Final Note… On a final note, some of our pupils have been reflecting upon what they enjoy about summer. Please enjoy their comments below: Lewis (Year 3) “I like going to the beach and I get to play on my Nintendo. I get to play with my Lego too. In summer, we can have ice pops in after school club! I’m also looking forward to sports day. My team (Beech) hasn’t won in a long time. I hope that we’ll win this year and I’ll get to hold up the big trophy. I think I’ll be good at everything and I’ll probably be good at bouncing a ball.” Holly (Year 1) “We’re going on holiday to Scotland in the summer holidays. We’re going to see our cousins. At the moment, we’re learning about tigers and today we had a tiger tea party! We had a cake and we had some drinks! This year is my first sports day. I’m really good at skipping and running. I hope grandma and grandpa will come and see me.” Natasha Hill Year 6 Teacher Dust Free Wood Floor Sanding & Restoration

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Meldreth Primary School PTA Meldreth Primary School PTA is thrilled to be able to finally announce that the school swimming pool reopened after the May half term and is being thoroughly enjoyed by pupils. It has felt like a long journey over the last two years, steadily building up the required funds of £20,000. We’ve had great fun encouraging the kids to be active with their sponsored events. We were blown away at how the community came together and donated funds through our page on Crowdfunder. We have been so grateful for the generosity of the Parish and County Councils who both recognised that this wonderful resource represented a unique opportunity for children to learn and develop and should therefore be saved. And finally, such huge thanks to the local businesses that invested in our charitable cause. At the end of winter, contractors began work on replacing the pool with a second hand one in good condition. A parent working party also spent a sunny May weekend weeding, clearing, tidying and painting the pool area to ready it for the children. Finally, the pool was ready to be filled over the May half term. 18

Here are a few photos of the first group to enjoy the pool. The reception, KS1 and lower KS2 children will be enjoying swimming lessons in the pool two or three times a week for the rest of the summer term. So finally, a huge thank you from all the children at Meldreth Primary School.

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Things for Children and Families To Do Friday 8th July, 10.30am - 11.15am and 11.30am - 12.15pm Animal Tails: Under the Sea Museum of Zoology, Downing St, Cambridge CB2 3EJ Stories and play with an under sea theme for accompanied children aged 2 - 5 years. Book at www.museum.zoo.cam.ac.uk. Free. Saturday 9th July, 11.00am or 2.00pm ReMake! and ReSource art workshops Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington St, Cambridge CB2 1RB Artist-led workshops for 11 - 13 year olds (ReMake!) or 13 - 18 year olds (ReSource). Explore the use of sustainable and reclaimed materials, taking inspiration from the True to Nature exhibition. Art supplies will be provided. £5.00 per student. www.tickets.museums.cam.ac.uk. Sunday 17th July, 11.00am - 4.00pm Stapleford Village Day, Stapleford Granary, Bury Rd, CB22 5BP Live music, pop-up food, artist stalls, craft activities. Free entry. The band MISHRA play 2.00pm - 4.00pm. www.staplefordgranary.org.uk. Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th July, 10.00am - 5.00pm A Very Victorian Weekend Audley End, off London Rd, Saffron Walden CB11 4JF Try traditional Victorian games and archery, laugh at the jester and experience interactive plays and stories. English Heritage members free. Non members £21, children £12.60, family with 1 adult £33.60. Book in advance for the best deal. www.english-heritage.org.uk. Saturday 23rd July to Wednesday 31st August, usual hours Let’s Play, Wimpole Estate, Arrington SG8 0BW Dress in adventure clothing and head for the Pavilion of Play with its giant ear trumpets, periscopes and lofty lookouts. Listen for wildlife or invent your own way to play. Free but admission charges apply for non members. For under 11s with an adult. www.nationaltrust.org.uk. Friday 29th July & Friday 12th Aug., 10.30am, 1.00pm & 2.45pm Owl Detectives, Wicken Fen, Lode Lane, Wicken, Ely CB7 5XP Take a close look at owl pellets to find out what the owls of Wicken Fen eat. Book a place for each accompanied child (5 years +). £6.00 per child. 20

Compiled by Hilary Crawforth

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Letter to the Editor Whatever Happened to ‘No-Mow May’? Grass verges are cut to smithereens in spring every year, and every year I wonder how this is allowed to happen. May is the absolute wort time of the year to cut – the umbellifers are at peak flowering, providing nectar resources for insects that are just out of winter hibernation. A recent study run by Buglife and the Kent Wildlife Trust found that insect numbers have reduced by 60% since 2004. And yet we continue to remove their habitat. For what? We are in a biodiversity crisis and councils are struggling with money and resources, yet somehow decimating the roadside verges is still happening? I understand that visibility splays need trimming, but not entire lengths of verge. It is the epitome of pointlessness. A waste of fossil fuels, a waste of time and a waste of money. But above all, a waste of biodiversity. And if you are in the ‘keep things tidy’ brigade, I can’t see how heaps of brown dying grass left to rot on roadsides is tidy in any way? How is this still considered acceptable? Why can’t we manage roadside verges in a way that benefits wildlife, not hinders and destroys? I know of examples of other villages in England where councils have stopped mowing their roadside verges in spring and summer and instead manage them as wildflower grassland habitats, with great success and a huge increase in plant species recorded. Lets stop this pointless inappropriate mis-management and instead move to a regime with actual benefits. Gabrielle Wilbur

Motorcyclist Injured in Fail to Stop Collision We are appealing for witnesses after a motorcyclist was injured in a fail to stop collision. Emergency services were called to the A1198 at about 10.50pm on Friday 3rd June with reports of a collision involving a black Honda motorbike and a silver hatchback. 22

The motorcyclist, a 39-year-old man, was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge where he remains in a critical but stable condition. The driver of the hatchback left the scene in the direction of Royston. We would like to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time and may have witnessed this collision or saw the silver hatchback in the moments before or after the collision. Also, any residents, businesses or drivers who may have CCTV or dashcam footage are asked to get in touch with us. If you have information or footage, please call 101 or contact the online webchat service quoting reference 522 of 3rd June. PC Andrew Bowles Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Road Policing Unit

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Notes from a Small Garden Sadly this is the last time I will contribute notes from our garden in Chiswick End to Meldreth Matters. It’s now nearly fourteen years since Jim Eggleton and I first contributed our copy to the Editor and I am 80 in a few weeks’ time, and I feel it is time to hang up my boots! Jim was a professional gardener; full of practical hints and expertise. I and many others in Meldreth learned so much from him, particularly about growing vegetables and fruit and I missed him greatly when he died a few years ago. I loved writing the monthly article together, but getting copy to our Editor of Meldreth Matters on time was not always easy. Jim wrote about vegetables and I contributed the section on flowers, but putting the two sections together was always rather last minute! But I have learned much from writing this column. It’s been so enjoyable and put me in touch with many gardeners in the village. Thank you all so much for your positive feedback over the years. So, June seems to be going like a flash, though the weather has been distinctly odd. Some beautiful days, and at last rain arrived in the first week, but lots of colder and windy days. My vegetables are behind, especially my tomatoes, with some climbing French beans suffering from the cold nights. Like many others in the village, we are bemoaning the destruction of our box hedges by the box caterpillar. I would like to offer many congratulations and thanks to those who ran the plant stall at our Jubilee Community Church Fete. The plants were in tip top condition, beautifully potted up and all with legible labels! They raised a record £450, with total takings of about £5000! It was such a happy event, and weren’t we fortunate with the weather? So what should we be getting on with in the garden in July? Here are some of the jobs that need attending to:  Frequent dead heading of bedding plants and roses. This keeps plants looking attractive and encourages more blooms. I especially dislike taking the dead flowers off petunias; always a sticky job, but I know its worth it! 24

 Water containers, hanging baskets and new plants frequently, especially if we continue to get dry spells, but be water-wise.  Pick courgettes frequently before they become marrows  Cut lavender for drying  Hoe and hand weeds borders and the vegetable patch often so that plants don't have time to set seed! Good gardening to you all as ever, and please pop in to 23 Chiswick End. We would love to see you. Julie Draper juliedraper@dumbflea.co.uk

Editor’s Note: Many thanks to Julie for fourteen years of gardening columns. If you are a keen gardener and would like to contribute to MM on a regular basis, please email meldrethmatters@hotmail.com with your ideas.

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Spotted Flycatchers In the last edition of MM, we reported that two Spotted Flycatchers had arrived at the churchyard in Meldreth, having travelled from subSaharan Africa. Both birds were ringed, possibly by us last year. By late May we were sure the female bird was in the nest incubating eggs. Spotted Flycatchers incubate their eggs for about a fortnight and during that time, female birds are regularly fed by the male. The females also make quick forays to catch insect prey. This was the case with our pair of flycatchers. At the end of May, we believe the eggs hatched, as the birds’ behaviour changed. Both male and female birds were leaving the nest and returning with beaks full of insects to feed to the chicks. They were also seen taking faecal sacs away for disposal. Interestingly, an un-ringed adult flycatcher was also seen at the nest box. It is known that if there is a non-breeding adult flycatcher in the area, it may assist with feeding the young. Maybe this was one of last year’s brood? We were hoping to catch the flycatchers to be able to read the rings and see if these were birds ringed in Meldreth. Unfortunately, our attempts to date have been unsuccessful; Spotted Flycatchers have excellent eyesight and are highly manoeuvrable in the air! We were unsure how many chicks were in the box, but on 7th June, one was seen stretching its wings, indicating that it (they?) were probably close to fledging, which generally occurs a fortnight after hatching. On 11th June, the chick(s) left the nest, leaving one unhatched egg, which was removed. We hope that the adults will try for a second brood but as we go to press, there is no such activity. Jan Butchers and Ken McLean Meldreth Matters is an independent magazine, run by volunteers. We rely on advertising income to fund the magazine. Please mention Meldreth Matters when responding to advertisements. To advertise in the magazine, please telephone Beverley Cottrell on (01763) 262176 or email meldrethmatters@hotmail.com. See our rates on page 60 of this issue. 26

In Praise Of … …

Vegetables

This month we showcase vegetables. The first recipe is an Indian side dish from South India of stir-fried shredded vegetables cooked with coconut and spices which works well with any meat curry. Thoran Cooking time 15 minutes; serves four Ingredients 300g mixed spring vegetables 3 tbsp desiccated coconut A handful of cashew nuts 2 tsp mix of seeds (cumin, mustard, fennel, coriander, fenugreek) ½ tsp chilli flakes or powder Pinch of salt Method Fry seeds in 1 tablespoon of oil until they are just starting to pop. Add sliced spring vegetables, chilli, coconut and cashew nuts with two tablespoons of water and a pinch of salt. Fry for 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are just cooked. Goes well with any curry dish.

Greek Spinach and Feta Frittata Prep 10 mins, cooking time 15 mins; serves two Ingredients 1 tsp olive oil ½ red onion peeled and finely sliced: 1 tsp garlic 250g baby spinach Pinch of ground nutmeg 4 eggs ½ cup crumbled feta cheese 27

25g of cheddar cheese grated Salt and pepper to taste 1 tbsp finely chopped mint/marjoram Method Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Using a non stick frying pan that you can put under the grill, heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook until just starting to brown. Add the spinach and toss for a minute or two until it begins to wilt. Remove from the heat, stir in the nutmeg and allow to cool. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add in the cooled spinach and onion, herbs, and then the feta. Season to taste. Put your frying pan back on a medium heat and add the eggs. Stir gently with a spatula until you feel the egg start to set on the bottom. Turn off the heat so the frittata stays quite runny. Add cheddar cheese on top and then place your frying pan under the grill for two to three minutes, or until the frittata is golden and cooked all the way through. Place a plate over the pan and turn over quickly but carefully to release the frittata. Serve hot or cold. Goes well with a fresh tomato salad, dressed with balsamic vinegar olive oil and fresh basil.

Warm Salad of Broad Beans and Bacon This salad is delicious served with hunks of fresh crusty white bread. Prep 30 mins, cooking time 15 mins; serves four. Ingredients 500g podded young broad beans 150g rindless, smoked, dry cured streaky bacon 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tsp and extra to serve 1 fat garlic clove, finely chopped 50g (1-2) shallots, finely chopped 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh flatleaf parsley or mint Sea salt flakes Method Drop the beans into a pan of well-salted boiling water and cook for five minutes or until just tender. Drain, and when cool enough to handle, 28

nick the skin of each one with your fingernail and pop out the bright green beans. If using very young broad beans omit this step! Cut the bacon rashers crossways into thin strips (about 2cm). Heat the teaspoon of oil in a large frying pan, add the bacon and stirfry over a high heat for about three minutes until crisp and golden. Tip onto a plate lined with kitchen paper and set aside. Add the 3 tablespoons of oil and the garlic to the pan and put over a medium heat. As soon as the garlic is sizzling (but not browned), turn down the heat, add the shallots, then soften for three to four minutes. Stir in the beans. Stir for two minutes until warmed through. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, most of the crisp bacon, the parsley or mint and some seasoning to taste. Spoon on to a serving plate, drizzle over a little more oil, then scatter over the remaining crisp bacon and a few sea salt flakes and serve. Goes well with chargrilled chicken breast Jane O’Hagan

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Meldreth Village Monday The copy deadline for the August issue of Meldreth Matters is Tuesday 12th July

Tuesday

Wednesday

Refuse Collections Black bins: 5th, 19th Blue & green bins: 12th, 26th

Get reminders on your mobile: download the Bin Collections app

Thurs

Meldreth Village Hal be closed from 25th Ju 31st August for redecoration and refurbishment. See page 5 for deta

10.00am-midday MLHG

9.15am Cycling Group

11.00-12.00 Trigger Point Pilates

1.30-2.30pm 50+ Aerobics

9.30-11.30am Baby & Toddler Group

3.30pm Ukrainian Refugee Meeting (p3)

1.30-2.45pm Lift Off Choir

4.45-5.45pm Tang Soo Do

8.00-9.00pm Bell Ringing

4.00-6.30pm Street Dance for Children (multiple classes) 8.00-9.00pm Zumba

7.00-8.00pm Fitness Pilates 9.15am Cycling Group

4.00-6.30pm Street Dance for Children (multiple classes)

3.30pm Ukrainian Refugee Meeting (p3) 4.45-5.45pm Tang Soo Do

8.00-9.00pm Zumba

7.30pm Parish Elin Way Com

5.00-6.00pm Rainbows

11.00-12.00 Trigger Point Pilates

1.30-2.30pm 50+ Aerobics

10.00am-1.15 Hartbeeps (mu 4.00-5.00pm A 6.00-6.45pm P 7.00-9.00pm T

9.30-11.30am Baby & Toddler Group 1.30-2.45pm Lift Off Choir 8.00-9.00pm Bell Ringing

10.00am-1.15 Hartbeeps (mu classes) 4.00-5.00pm A

6.00-6.45pm P

7.00-9.00pm T

5.00-6.00pm Rainbows 7.00-8.00pm Fitness Pilates

11.00-12.00 Trigger Point Pilates

9.15am Cycling Group

4.00-6.30pm Street Dance for Children (multiple classes)

3.30pm Ukrainian Refugee Meeting (p3) 4.45-5.45pm Tang Soo Do

8.00-9.00pm Zumba

5.00-6.00pm Rainbows

1.30-2.30pm 50+ Aerobics

1.30-2.45pm Lift Off Choir

10.00am-1.15 Hartbeeps (mu classes) 4.00-5.00pm A

8.00-9.00pm Bell Ringing

6.00-6.45pm P

9.30-11.30am Baby & Toddler Group

7.00-9.00pm T

End of Sch

7.00-8.00pm Fitness Pilates 9.15am Meldreth Marvels Cycling Group 3.30pm Ukrainian Refugee Meeting (p3)

10.45-11.30 Mobile Library 8.00-9.00pm Bell Ringing

Church services, Messy Church, Ukrainian refugee meetings and Women’s Group m Meldreth Marvels Cycling Group meet in the lay-by opposite Holy Trinity Church. MLHG meet in th

30

Diary - July 2022

sday

Friday 9.30am Slimming World

ll will uly to

Saturday 7.30pm Orwell Singers Concert (see page 5 and back cover)

Sunday 9.45am Sung Eucharist

d

ails.

5pm ulti. classes) Acro Pilates Table Tennis

9.30am Slimming World

8.00am Said Eucharist 3.30-5.30pm Messy Church (see page 5 & 19)

h Council mmunity Rm

pm ultiple

9.30am Slimming World

11.00am-1.00pm Maycroft Fete, Maycroft Care Home (see page 5)

9.45am Sung Eucharist

9.30am Slimming World

Time TBA Hartbeeps Baby Rock Café (check online for details)

9.45am Said Eucharist with hymns

Acro

Pilates

Table Tennis

5pm ultiple

Acro

Pilates

Table Tennis

hool Term

meetings are held in Holy Trinity Church. The Mobile Library Service visits Bell Close. he Community Room in Elin Way. All other events are held in the Village Hall unless otherwise indicated.

31

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News from the British Queen www.thebritishqueen.com Hello again from the British Queen. So much has happened in the last month … where should we begin? We’ll start with some sad news: poor Donald Duck is no more. Unfortunately, we suspect that he picked a fight with the wrong dog and did not win the encounter. However, Pancake and Charlie are still living their best life on the River Mel and have now made friends with two wild ducks who come and join them each morning and evening. With the above in mind, we would like to request that dogs are kept on leads on the river walk, and through the pub grounds. There was an incident between a dog and one of our chickens, which is now suffering from a damaged wing. We love and enjoy the wildlife and would very much like to keep it alive. The British Queen darts team have again started playing in the league. Anyone interested should pop into the pub on a Tuesday evening and have a chat with the players. Our chefs have been hard at work putting together a new summer lunch and dinner menu; please come and try some of the new dishes and let us know what you think. Everyone had such a busy time running up to the Platinum Jubilee and we would personally like to thank Joan Gane; she surely is a force to be reckoned with. She rallied the troops within Meldreth, to organise a wonderful street/garden party Jubilee, allowing us all to thoroughly enjoy the celebrations. Also, thank you to the Meldreth Jubilee Crew, who looked after our Queen, Wendy Braid and her Lady in Waiting, Mary Holland. You were fantastic. More thanks are owed to Russell and his hard working team, who provided a wonderful selection of hot foods and also Lindsey, who spiced it all up with a beautiful Caribbean menu. Please do remember for future reference that both live in the village, and supply wonderful catering for events. Finally, many thanks to all our patrons for your continued support. Alan & Sue Tobin 33

Meldreth Marvels ‘Remember John Ride’ On Tuesday 24th May, another fabulous sunny day, some of us started our memorial cycle rides from Meldreth (34 miles) and a shorter ride (22 miles) from Rushden. Jill, who led the Royston group, enjoyed the picturesque route into Rushden via Sandy many a time with her late husband John, who we all remember so dearly, for his enthusiasm and wisdom on all things cycling. We raised our tea and cake at the Mill End café, for this first anniversary of his passing; when it is our turn, he will give some sound advice on, perhaps, ‘how we get to a better place!’ You are certainly not forgotten, dear John Meadows. Incidentally, as we cycled through Sandy, peahens chirped and disappeared into the hedgerow, with colourful pheasants and partridges scattering to the call of the skylark, so it was a somewhat special day, in spite of a sudden and unexpected downpour, which most of us escaped, I’m pleased to say. Meldreth Marvels cycle every Tuesday, departing from the lay-by opposite Holy Trinity Church at 9.15am. Join us whenever you can. John Rogger Meldreth Marvels Cycling Group Visit your local history website

www.meldrethhistory.org.uk Over 600 pages on Meldreth, past and present See the Meldreth Today section for information on footpaths * facilities * over 25 local clubs & groups 34

Meldreth Bowls Club www.meldrethbowlsclub.co.uk Believe it or not, by the time that you read this, our outdoor bowls season will be at least halfway through. The days will already have started to shorten, robbing us of the light needed to finish our evening matches. August will see us start at 6.15pm but by the end of the month we will be finishing in the dark! We have now had two open days and have been able to welcome a number of ‘locals’ new to the game of bowls, as well as some more experienced bowlers. Some have joined us as members and others have come and enjoyed our roll-ups on Tuesday mornings and Saturday afternoons. If you would like to try our sport, you will be very welcome. Our Quiz Night and Supper at the end of May was very well attended and a good time was had by one and all. The winning team scored an impressive 58 points out of the 60 available; well done to them. The annual match against Melbourn (The Peter Harrup Cup) is played for charity, with all of the proceeds from the afternoon being donated to a charity of the home teams’ choice. The match was played at Meldreth on 29th May and we chose Parkinsons UK to receive a donation of £300. Our internal club competitions have also just started and will culminate in a finals weekend between 19th and 21st August at which spectators are always welcome. We hope to see some of you then. Our website, www.meldrethbowlsclub.co.uk, contains lots of information about our club as well as contact details so why not visit and find out more. Jim Hatch Chairman, Meldreth Bowls Club

35

Friends of Holy Trinity www.foht.org.uk Planning for several events is underway, including those listed below. Further information will follow in next month’s Meldreth Matters, once the committee has met to discuss details. Open Gardens - September Date to be agreed for a group of gardens yet to be confirmed. Car Show – Sunday 11th September Future Talks (dates yet to be arranged) Climate Change – by Tom Heap of Countryfile and Radio 4 Architecture – by Meredith Bowles, founder of Mole Architects of Cambridge National Portrait Gallery Miniatures - by Catharine MacLeod. John Price

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Melbourn & Meldreth Women’s Group Our May meeting was held in All Saints Community Hall and our thanks go to the members of the committee who worked so hard to make it a nice evening for the 32 members and guests. We shared food and friendship and it was a good night for all. Thanks too for all who supported the raffle which raised funds for the Stand-by-me bereavement support charity. Our next meeting is on Tuesday 26th July when Ray Munden will be coming to talk to us; Ray has given us talks before and we look forward to an interesting evening. Please note this meeting will be at ASCH in Melbourn and not Meldreth as on your programme. We usually start our meetings with any notices and our Women’s Group prayer and finish with a cuppa and biscuits. If you would like to know more about the group, need a lift to meetings or would like a copy of our programme please contact any of the following committee members: Pat Smith (01763) 262575, Sue Toule (01763) 260955, Angela Leach (01763) 262793, Pat Ames (01763) 261130, Kimmi Crosby (07976228377), Mary Bailey (01763) 220171 and Diane Blundell (01763) 221415. Pat Smith Harvest Supper Earlier in the year, the Women’s Group asked if there was any interest in a Harvest Supper this year, but we received very little response. Women’s Group members are happy to bring an event together, but we would need support from people attending and help with salads and apple pies. If it were to take place it would be held on Friday 30th September in Meldreth Village Hall. If you would like this to go ahead please contact one of the Women’s Group Committee members (see above) and let them know of your interest as soon as possible. Pat Smith, Sue Toule, Angela Leach, Mary Bailey, Kimmi Crosby & Diane Blundell 37

Things to Do in July Here are some things happening in July in the local area. If you would like to let us know about any future event or activity please email meldrethmatters@hotmail.com. Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd July, at varying times The Big Weekend and Mela Parker’s Piece, Cambridge, CB1 1NA This lively annual event takes place every summer on Parker’s Piece, featuring big-named performers plus local musicians, French market, games, educational activities, fireworks and lots of family-friendly entertainment. Free entry. See www.cambridgelive.org.uk for full programme and timings. Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd July, 10.00am to 5.00pm and every weekend day until Sunday July 24th (inclusive) Cambridge Open Studios Various locations in and around Cambridge For four weekends in July painters, jewellers, woodworkers, sculptors, photographers and many more open their working studios and give you chance to browse and buy directly from the artists. Free admission. For details of which studios are open please see www.visit.cambridge.org. Sunday 3rd July and Sunday 17th July, 10.00am to 4.00pm Great Chishill Windmill Open Days 57-67 Barley Road, Great Chishill, Royston SG8 8SD One of only seven open trestle post mills in the UK. Found to be in urgent need of restoration in 2011, work is now underway to preserve this historic mill for future generations. No need to book, just turn up. Donations welcome towards the cost of the restoration. See www.greatchishillwindmill.com for further information. Sunday 3rd July, 2.00pm to 5.00pm Fellows’ and Provost’s Open Garden King’s College, Cambridge CB2 1ST Fine example of a Victorian garden with rare specimen trees, herbaceous and sub-tropical borders, rose pergola and short woodland walk. Plus fantastic views across the river and chance to view the new wildflower meadow created on the former Great Lawn. Admission £6, children free. Home-made teas. See www.wherecanwego.com. 38

Saturday 16th July, 2.00pm to 9.00pm Shuttleworth Evening Drive-in Air Show Old Warden Aerodrome, Alder Drive, Biggleswade SG18 9DT Enjoy a spectacular flying display featuring many vintage aircraft and help celebrate the 90th birthday of this famous old aerodrome. For further details and ticket pricing please visit www.shuttleworth.org. Saturday 16th July, 8.00pm In situ - Hamlet at the Leper Chapel Newmarket Road, Cambridge CB5 8JJ Directed by Richard Spaul, the classic Shakespearean tragedy becomes a one-man performance to make this a Hamlet unlike any other. The medieval chapel provides a wonderful atmospheric setting. Tickets £15 from www.insitutheatre.co.uk or at the venue on the night from 7.30pm. Sunday 31st July, 11.00am to 2.00pm Constable Revealed at Anglesey Abbey Quy Road, Lode, Cambridgeshire CB25 9EJ Discover the small but fascinating collection of paintings by John Constable at Anglesey Abbey as part of your tour of the house. Included in your entry to the estate and no need to pre-book. Normal National Trust admission applies. Also accessible online for those with limited mobility. See www.nationaltrust.org.uk/events. Tuesday 26th July, 7.00pm to 9.00pm (ish) Summer Wildlife Stroll, Waresley and Gransden Woods Waresley, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 3DA Join Communities and Wildlife Officer, Rebecca Neal for a sociable gentle evening stroll (around 3 miles) looking for common wildlife. Aimed at adults but interested older teenagers welcome. Tickets £6 (£4 for members of the Wildlife Trust). Book on 07894 599020 or by email: rebecca.neal@wildlife.bcn.org. Thursday 28th July to Sunday 31st July, at various times The Cambridge Folk Festival Cherry Hinton Hall, Cherry Hinton Rd, Cambridge CB22 3FB 2022 sees the return after two years of one of the longest running and most famous folk festivals in the world. With top-rated performers and a host of new talent, tickets are available for the full festival or on a day basis. For programme and to book visit www.cambridgelive.org.uk. 39

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Catalytic Converter Thefts Cambridgeshire Police are warning that thieves are targeting catalytic converters, with thefts having recently taken place at the Trumpington Park and Ride site, Broad Street and Carl Zeiss in Cambourne, Suez Road in Cambridge and Station Road in Whittlesford. Catalytic converters are found in the exhaust system of cars and reduce the output of toxic gases and pollutants. Stealing them has become popular because they aren’t easily identifiable and can be sold on for the precious metals found inside them. Thieves will use either a wrench to unbolt the catalytic converter from the vehicle, or an electric saw to quickly cut it out. They may also jack up the car using the sort of wheeled jack that garages use, which again makes the theft quicker. It can take less than three minutes to steal a catalytic converter, so it is important to make it as difficult as possible as follows:  To restrict access to the underside of the car, park next to a fence, wall, hedge or kerb. This will make it particularly difficult for the thieves to use a jack. A higher clearance vehicle, such as a van or pickup, is easier to access underneath, so parking next to a normal clearance car will again make access more difficult.  Park your car where it can be seen by CCTV or passers-by, and in a well-lit area at night. At home, consider installing security lighting and CCTV and use a garage if possible. A cheaper alternative to installing CCTV at home is to place a ‘Beware of the Dog’ sign on your garden gate. Thieves tend to avoid houses that have dogs, as they may bark and attract attention during a theft.  Etching a catalytic converter with a serial number will act as a deterrent as it potentially reduces the opportunities for selling on the converter at reputable scrap metal dealers. If you discover that a catalytic converter theft has already occurred, you should call the non-emergency 101 police number and report the crime immediately. If you see anyone working under a vehicle and they are acting suspiciously, be wary of disturbing or approaching them; instead, call the Police on 999. You can contact Meldreth Neighbourhood Watch by telephoning Graham on (01763) 260358 or emailing nhw.meldreth@btinternet.com. Meldreth Neighbourhood Watch 41

Meldreth Parish Council www.meldreth-pc.org.uk Meeting of the Parish Council held on Thursday 9th June 2022 This meeting was held in the Community Room in Elin Way. The main points of the meeting are set out below in the usual summary format. The full formal minutes can be viewed in due course on the website noted above and on the Parish Council notice board; these will be presented for approval at the next Council meeting. Discussions and Decisions District and County Councillors’ Reports The Council thanks our District and County Councillors for the very useful information they provide each month; the latest report can be seen in Meldreth Matters on pages 47 to 51 and questions and requests for further information on this wide range of subjects can of course be raised directly with our District and County representatives. Local and Regional Planning Issues There have been no further reports on the Thakeham ‘new town’ proposals, the Oxford - Cambridge Arc and Local Development plan. Flambards Close Update The Residents’ Association will be informed through their Chair at their Annual General Meeting of the latest discussions with the Parish Council about their obligations under the Lease. The Council continues to consider the options and expects to have further discussions with the Association. The Council wishes to reach a conclusion that recognises the agreements reached when the Lease was set up and importantly enables the Residents to continue to have direct control over the management of their estate. Annual Village Meeting After not being held for two consecutive years because of COVID issues, this public meeting took place on 19th May. The Council was looking forward to the resumption of normal public engagement on matters of interest and importance to the village but the meeting was not well attended this time. Pedestrian Underpass – Meldreth Station to Station Rd, Melbourn A public consultation about this footpath concludes on Saturday 18 June. Further discussions clearly need to await the outcome of this. 42

Platinum Jubilee Celebrations The Council wishes to thank all those in the village who helped to organise the celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee over the weekend of 4th to 6th June. These were well-supported and very favourable comments and reports have been given; the Council looks forward to a full report being published by the organisers in due course. As well as being primarily a highly significant community event, the celebrations had important fundraising dimensions and there will naturally be public interest in knowing what funds were raised by the events and how these were distributed. Recreation Ground There continues to be some delay in effecting repairs to one or two playground items; the play equipment generally is, however, in good order. Some of the adult gym equipment needs to be inspected by the installers, as some adjustments might be needed. This will be arranged. Vandalism The Council continues to be very concerned about growing vandalism in our village. Residents should note that the cost of dealing with this falls squarely on the community at large and we can only continue to strongly urge all residents to help with this by reporting incidents. Village Infrastructure As previously reported there continue to be delays in organising repair works to village infrastructure (signs, bollards etc.) but the Council has these issues in hand and will work closely with our contractors to organise a suitable programme of works. Churchyard The Council commissioned a health and safety report on issues relating to its responsibility for the churchyard under the closed churchyard provisions. The Council has now completed the necessary outstanding actions identified in the report and is awaiting confirmation from the church that all Council responsibilities for outstanding risks are now discharged. This does not change, or seek to change, Council responsibilities for the maintenance and safety of the churchyard. Traffic Group At the Council meeting in May 2022, it was agreed to send our electric speed indicator away for repairs, following damage by 43

vandals. The Council subsequently revisited the subject and it was decided that the Traffic Group could carry out the repairs locally without the need to send the device away, this ensuring a more cost effective remedy in a shorter time period. The Council therefore voted to change its earlier resolution accordingly. Council Responsibilities The Council appoints individual councillors to specified tasks and also has a number of working groups, which consist of councillors and, in some cases, members of the community working alongside members of the Council. These responsibilities are reconsidered annually. The Council wishes to thank all those who have taken part during the last year and those who have volunteered to do so in the forthcoming period. The Council’s website should shortly show these appointments and the composition of these groups as agreed at this meeting. Next Meeting: Thursday 7th July 2022 at 7.30pm. Meldreth Parish Council

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 Assistant Clerk: Mrs Sally Walmesley (01763) 269928 parishclerk@meldreth-pc.org.uk Cllr R Goddin (Chairman)

(01763) 260061

goddin@btinternet.com

Cllr Adam Bostanci

07400 236329

adambostanci@gmail.com

Cllr Joan Fallon

(01763) 262822

joan.fallonpc@gmail.com

Cllr Nick Garner

(01763) 268328

nickphgarner@gmail.com

Cllr Roger James (Vice Ch.) (01763) 261085

roger+pc@rogerjames.net

Cllr Alan Land

(01763) 261004

conradland@btinternet.com

Cllr Martin McGarry

07736 434915

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Cllr Helen Meridew

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Cllr Nigel Pellatt

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nppellatt@btconnect.com

44

Planning Matters Parish Council The minutes of the Planning Meetings on 7th April and 9th June were not available at the time of going to press. Meeting minutes, when available, may be viewed on the Parish Council’s website, www.meldreth-pc.org.uk. SCDC Decisions Some recent decisions are listed below. Ref. & Address 37 North End 22/0393/TTCA

Decision No objection to the thinning of 3 sycamores, the felling and stump grinding of a walnut and a dead conifer

17 West Way 22/01322/HFUL

Permission granted for a single storey rear extension

41 North End 22/0317/TTPO

Permission granted to fell a sycamore to ground level due to multiple failures from weak unions at the base of the tree

12 Chiswick End Permission granted for the erection of a detached store/ 21/05490/HFUL office Full details may be viewed on the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning website: https://applications.greatercambridgeplanning.org/online-applications. The Meldreth Matters Team

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

We accept nursery funding giving 15 & 30 hours/week of free funded nursery for all 3 and 4 year olds & eligible 2 year olds

For further information contact Sharon Tutty,nursery manager on 01763 260964 lh-melbourn@btconnect.com

Reliable and friendly service for all your general garden maintenance needs and much more ...… !

Little Hands is also at Bourn, Linton and Newton visit the website at www.littlehands.co.uk

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Unit 1, Whitecroft Rd, Meldreth, Royston, SG8 8NE

Moorlands Court

Local Community Services

 Homecare – our fully trained carers visit you in your home.  Si ng service – a visit from our experienced staff gives family carers me for themselves.  Day Centre – based at Moorlands Court, with a friendly and sociable atmosphere and includes a tasty 2 course lunch.  Meals service – nutri ous, hot lunch me 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, just call us at Moorlands Court on 01763 260564, or email : denise.taylor@chsgroup.org.uk 46

District and County Councillors’ Report A10 Underpass Consultation Thank you to Parish Councillors for visiting the A10 pedestrian underpass to understand public concerns, and to understand possible actions to remediate the environment there. And we’re really grateful too for all the public responses to the consultation. We look forward to bringing you the results. Rail User Group and Try the Train Our Community Rail Partnership Officer Sarah Grove has been investing much time in working with local businesses on the ‘Try the Train’ initiative, to encourage take up of rail rather than driving to work, where possible. Thank you to Melbourn Science Park for working so collaboratively and supportively on this effort. Ukraine Scheme South Cambridgeshire has the highest number of Ukraine visa applications and host families of any district in the country. We would like to welcome all those people who have arrived at homes in Meldreth, and to thank their hosts, too. Both the District and County Councils are helping to coordinate efforts to support people seeking refuge from the war in Ukraine. The SCDC website contains a huge amount of practical information, from travel and transport assistance to applying for school places, and including a weekly e-newsletter to help keep up with a changing situation: https://www.scambs.gov.uk/ community-safety-and-health/support-for-ukraine. It was lovely to meet some of our hosts and guests at the Meldreth Holy Trinity Church meeting room, and to know that this is now a regular weekly Tuesday afternoon event, starting at 3.30pm. [See page 3 for further information.] Increased Guest Payments, Homes for Ukraine Scheme The Government scheme provides £200 per guest as a one-off payment to help with essential costs as guest arrive, though guidance gives flexibility to local authorities to decide what additional support may be needed. Hosts and guests in our district have fed back that guests are running out of money in their first month while longer-term arrangements are being established - whether that is applying for Universal Credit or finding work, both of which can have a lead-in time 47

of a number of weeks before an initial payment is made. In response to this feedback, SCDC is adding a further £150 payment to each guest – totalling £350 per guest. Hosts whose guests have received the previous £200 payment are being emailed with information about how guests can access a £150 top-up. Guests who have not yet received the historical £200 payment will receive the new amount of £350 in one payment. Guests or hosts with any urgent questions about guest payments can contact the team on ukrainepayments@scambs.gov.uk. Local Councillors Fundraising for Home-Start Whaddon, Melbourn, Meldreth, Harston and Bassingbourn Parish, District and County Councillors, joined by the Chair of South Cambridgeshire District Council and two members of the public, would like to thank everyone who supported their swimathon in aid of HomeStart South Cambridgeshire, Royston and Buntingford. So far, £695 has been raised to help support young families in crisis. https:// visufund.com/charities/home-start-royston-buntingford-and-southcambridgeshire Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority: poor support for buses & active travel Further to the disappointment of not receiving any funds at all for its Bus Improvement Bid, the Combined Authority has recently learned that it will receive only £635,000 from the Government’s latest round of Active Travel Funding - millions less than other Mayoral authorities. Another Request for Meldreth High Street and Fenny Lane The condition of these roads is such that motor vehicles and bicycles alike must swerve from one side of the road to the other in order to avoid potholes and slits. We regularly request that these stretches are added to the surface treatment list – for which there is a long queue, in the wake of many years of neglect and underfunding. That request has recently been renewed. Transport Consultations Various transport consultations currently underway. Here are two concerning Cambourne to Cambridge links and Cambridge road classifications, which may be of interest to Meldreth residents. ‘A new road Classification for Cambridge’, hosted by the Greater Cambridge Partnership. This seeks to reset the current A and B road 48

network and create a reconfiguration to allow and protect different modes of transport along different streets, including transport for people with impaired mobility. Closing 18th July. https:// consultcambs.uk.engagementhq.com/road-network-hierarchy-2022. ‘Cambourne to Cambridge’ project seeking to provide public and active travel connection from ‘C2C’. This may be of interest if you have family in or travel to work in Cambourne. Hosted by the Greater Cambridge Partnership and closing 11th July: https:// consultcambs.uk.engagementhq.com/c2c-eia-2022. Household Support Grant Extension We continue to make this information available – please do share with anyone you think might benefit. Support for people who are struggling to pay for essential items, food and utility bills will continue in Cambridgeshire thanks to an extension of the Household Support Fund. In March the Government announced the extension of the scheme, which initially ran between November and March, awarding Cambridgeshire an additional £3.58million to support children, families and pensioners. Government guidance for this round is slightly different, so as a result, the County Council will be offering the following schemes using the funding:  £1.96m for the provision of food vouchers with a value of £15 per child per week, for summer holidays. Schools and childcare settings, including childminders, will be contacted directly and eligible parents will be notified.  £1.2m to support households that include a person who has reached state pension age (66) by 30th September 2022 and are experiencing financial hardship in line with the requirements of the scheme.  A boost for other services supporting those most in need. The County Council is partnering with Age UK to provide financial support for those of state pension age who are in financial need. People will also be offered wider support, such as access to benefits, support with securing the right energy tariff etc, to support them to manage their finances independently longer term. See www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/coronavirus/household-supportfund. 49

Healthwatch: Patient Advocacy for Health and Social Care We’re painfully aware that some residents are facing a very difficult time accessing the health and social care they need. Healthwatch is a statutory organisation that exists to make sure your voice is heard – and there’s lots of support and signposting available too. Susan works closely with them in her role with the Cambridgeshire Health and Wellbeing Board. See https://www.healthwatchcambridgeshire.co.uk/ Health and Social Care Reforms: What’s Changing in the NHS? It does seem incredible that such a major reform of health and social care is taking place at this moment in time – but it is! As explained previously, these reforms closely involve the County Council which is our social care and public health authority. The King’s Fund has managed to condense health and social care reforms into a clever fiveminute video: https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/audio-video/how-does-nhs -in-england-work. Set Up or Promote a Village Market? South Cambridgeshire District Council is actively encouraging potential traders and market organisers to have a go at setting up new markets, using the ‘market toolkit’ now available on the SCDC website. It’s also encouraging existing traders and organisers to join the online directories which list established or newly launched markets and the details of individual stallholders. All information is here: www.scambs.gov.uk/business/south-cambridgeshire-markets. Any parish, community organisations or local businesses wishing to begin a market of their own is welcome to contact SCDC for further support at businesssupportkeyprojects@scambs.gov.uk. The Council’s new Street Trading Policy came into effect on 1st March and aims to ensure the same standards apply to street vendors across the district, whilst the needs of local residents are considered and shoppers are protected in relation to food hygiene, safety and other important areas. South Cambs Magazine – Did You Receive It? All residents should have received the summer issue by Saturday 4th June. If you haven’t received your copy, please let us know, or please contact scdc@smartdistribution.co.uk, including your full address and postcode.

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You can also read the magazine on-line – but the paper copy is important for those without internet access. See www.scambs.gov.uk/ your-council-and-democracy/south-cambs-magazine/the-south-cambsmagazine/ New Monday Zoom Surgery We’ve moved our weekly Zoom councillors’ drop-in surgery to Mondays from 5.00-6.00pm. Please contact Sally Ann at sallyannhart@riskingonpurpose.com if you’d like the link. Of course, if this time is inconvenient or if you would like to contact any of us by telephone or email to help sort out a problem or concern, we are always available to do so. District Councillor Sally Ann Hart, sallyannhart@riskingonpurpose.com, 07791 233303 District Councillor Jose Hales, Josehales@gmail.com, 07703 262649 County Councillor Susan van de Ven, susanvandeven5@gmail.com, 07905 325574 Melbourn Mobile Warden Scheme Supporting people in Melbourn, Meldreth & Shepreth Can we help you? Your relative? Your neighbour? What is the service? We offer twice weekly visits and daily phone calls to support elderly or mobility impaired residents in their own homes by building a friendship and helping prevent social isolation. We can carry out errands such as local shopping, collecting prescriptions, paying bills or going to the Post Office so people can remain supported and independent at home. We can also help couples or those living with their family. We are also trained to support people living with dementia. Who provides the services? Mobile wardens, who have all been carefully selected for their caring nature and are DBS checked. What will it cost? We do make a small charge for the services, which is from as little as £7.50 per week. How can I join? For more information please contact Jeannie on 07808 735066 or Jane on 07592 821976. Melbourn Mobile Warden Scheme is a registered charity

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Speedwatch Teams of volunteer Meldreth residents work with the Police to help educate drivers to observe the statutory 30mph speed limit on our village roads. Our group is one of several in South Cambridgeshire's villages. If a vehicle is observed travelling over 35mph in a 30mph limited area, the driver will receive a letter from the police. Two vehicles in recent sessions were observed enough times for the drivers to receive a visit from a Police Officer. Our teams watch on six of our busy roads where speeding is known to occur frequently. From late February into May this year volunteers held 22 watches, totalling some 90 hours of their own time. By the latest count 3100 vehicles passed through our watches and about 11% were speeding. The average speed of such vehicles was over 39mph and a top speed of 58mph was recorded. Our team is quite small and we could do with one or two more volunteers who are able to give a couple of hours or so at busy morning rush hours. If you would like to join us or just want further information on Speedwatch, please contact us on csw.meldreth@btinternet.com. Meldreth Speedwatch

PC Repairs

Huw Shortle

Advice & Installation of Home Networks

Pure Water Window Cleaning

Help with Selecting a computer Fault Finding Brian Girling 01223 208529 (Wimpole)

07915 378397

E-mail bg@moncraft.co.uk We can also provide the following services: Design of brochures, posters, business cards, etc. A4/A3 laminating • A4 comb-Binding Small print runs on A6 to A3 media

info@huwclean.co.uk 52

Royston & District Community Transport www.roytrans.co.uk Transport for Royston and Surrounding Villages We are a registered charity offering door to door transport for local people who need transport for trips to hospital, GPs, dental appointments, day centres and social trips, who are unable to drive themselves or use public transport due to age, frailty, impaired mobility, or do not have the use of a car. We offer transport by car, minibus or multi person vehicles, the mini-bus and MPV options being suitable for wheelchair users. All our volunteer drivers are kind and helpful, as well as DBS and reference checked. You can book by calling the office between 9.00am and 3.00pm, Monday to Friday. The cost and availability will be confirmed when booking. This service is designed to be affordable to all. Please call (01763) 245228 for more information, or look on our website, www.roytrans.co.uk.

Drivers Wanted We are looking to recruit new volunteer drivers in your area. If you have a day or more during the week on a flexible basis to suit you, to take people without other means of transport to/from medical appointments, day centres etc. then please contact us. You will be paid 50p per mile mileage allowance, tax free. For more information please call (01763) 245228 or email manager@roytrans.co.uk. Simone Summers, Manager Royston & District Community Transport Registered in England & Wales, No.6744379, and limited by guarantee. Registered charity No. 1127052

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Putting a Smile on Home-Start’s Face In 2022, we have all become fairly used to shopping from home. And whilst many of us have enjoyed the idea of returning to the shops this year, the luxury of being able to buy things from our armchairs will probably never go away. So isn’t it great that shopping online can help you to support your favourite charity too? Amazon Smile is the charity branch of Amazon UK, and every time you shop using the Smile page, Amazon donates a percentage of your sale to your chosen charity. It doesn’t cost you, as the shopper, a penny but every penny you spend contributes towards a good cause. In fact, since signing up with Amazon Smile, Home-Start has received over £200 in donations, simply from people going about their regular online shopping through Amazon. It’s such an easy way for you to make a worthwhile contribution to a local charity! Setting up your Amazon Smile account is easy. It works with your existing Amazon or Amazon Prime account and knowing that your shopping can help to support charities like Home-Start is sure to put a smile on your face. Why not sign up today? All you need to do is;  visit https://smile.amazon.co.uk  sign in with your Amazon.co.uk credentials  choose Home-Start R & SC to receive donations. Thank you for supporting us. Tracy Aggett Fundraising Events Support Manager (01763) 262262 www.hsrsc.org.uk

MM is Available in Colour Online To view this or past issues online, follow us on: issuu.com/meldrethmatters 54

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Meldreth Coronavirus Community Support MCCS – Looking to the Future The MCCS has been looking to the future! We formed in 2020 as ‘Meldreth Coronavirus Community Support’ to help Meldreth residents deal with the Covid crisis by forming a community network of volunteers and by raising funds. We delivered local help and filled the gaps left by regional and national government, their agencies and the charities. Hopefully the Covid crisis is passing but we are concerned at the difficulties arising from the Cost of Living Crisis. There are four distinct areas where, we think, current support is missing and where we can help:  The demand for a Meldreth Food Bank  The interest in an organised community social event - such as a charabanc trip to the seaside  A shortage of practical advice and resources for keeping warm next winter  A new Cheerbox for Christmas 2022 Please look out for an MCCS Flyer on helping out with the Cost of Living Crisis, to be delivered to Meldreth households a bit later in the year. And please let us know your thoughts on any other areas where we could be helpful, by contacting Ian Mitchell, our Secretary, at mitch308@btinternet.com. Meanwhile, we continue to try and support those adversely affected by Covid, with basic information, practical support and friendship and social contact. nOur neighbourhood network contact numbers are listed below. Vaccinations Mobile vaccination centres are still in operation—see the schedule at https://www.thevaccinators.co.uk. Pharmacy Deliveries If you are choosing to self-isolate and unable to travel to a pharmacy, medication can be delivered directly to you by a number of methods.

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Please ask your local pharmacist - WELL Melbourn (01763 260221) or Bassingbourn Pharmacy (01763 250660) - about the services offered. Our coordinator for pharmacy assistance is Nick Garner on 07968 568599. Local Shops Taking Telephone Orders and Making Deliveries Home delivery is available from Fieldgate (01763 260737) and Bury Lane (01763 260418). For Leech & Sons butchers ring 260255 to collect outside in the car park at the back. Mental Health and Wellbeing Support We are supported by the very useful resources available to all at CPSL Mind – that’s Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, Suffolk and Lincolnshire Mind - including common-sense helpful reminders and also phone numbers and links if you’re worried or anxious and need to talk to someone who can help: https://www.cpslmind.org.uk/top-tips-self-helpresources/ or for general queries please call 0300 303 4363 (9.30am – 5.30pm). Our Neighbourhood Zone Leaders Please remember that our team is always on hand for a friendly chat by phone – our zone leaders’ telephone numbers are below. Kneesworth Road, West Way, Burtons & Fenny Lane: Bev Cottrell, 07773 592838 Elin Way and Howard Road: David Hollamby, 07732 106828 Whitecroft Road, Chiswick End, Oakrits, Melrose: John Crawforth, 07595 627684 High Street, Flambards, The Grange, Woolpack Way, Station Yard & Road: Helen Munday, 07712 555598 Bell Close and Gables Close: Cathy Walston, 07757 086380 North End, Brewery Lane, Malton Lane, Cam Farm: Bev Cottrell, 07773 592838 & Ian Mitchell, 07726 936635 If you have any questions, please let us know. County and District Councillors Susan van de Ven, Jose Hales, Sally Ann Hart and all at the MCCS team 57

Village Directory

Village Hall Chairman

David Coton—07749 850026

Cycling Group Local History Group Lunch Club Melwood Cons. Group

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

Photographic Group

www.melbourn-photographic-club.co.uk

Revelation U3A

Miriam Skuce—(01763) 262440 Chris Davison—(01763) 264189

Bowls Club Croquet Club Meldreth United FC Table Tennis Tennis Club

Christine Piper Hatch—(01223) 263266 Janet Pope—(01763) 248239 07930 650036 Christine Knight—(01763) 261676 (01763) 243376; http://cspark.at/Meldr2

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

(01763) 220626; https://allsaintsmelbournholytrinitymeldreth.co.uk (01763) 261569 Sandra Webb—(01763) 261451 (01763) 260048; www.foht.org.uk

Baby & Toddler Group

Bridget Rinaldi—bridgetjrinaldi@gmail.com or Julia Moore—07403 462198

Brownies (1st Meldreth) Hartbeeps Meldreth Rainbows Pre– and Primary School

Email: 1stmeldrethbrownies@gmail.com Kelly@hartbeeps.com 1stmeldrethrainbows@gmail.com (01763) 260432; www.meldreth.cambs.sch.uk

Parish Council

Please see details at end of Parish Council report

District Councillors

Jose Hales—07703 262649 Sally Ann Hart—07791 233303

District Council Offices

03450 450500; www.scambs.gov.uk/

County Councillor

Susan van de Ven—07905 325574 www.susanvandeven.com/

County Council Offices MP

0345 045 5200; www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/ Anthony Browne; www.anthonybrowne.org/

Councils & Govt.

Children

Clubs & Societies

Village Hall Bookings

(01763) 262158, open 7am-10pm, 7 days Julia Moore—meldrethvillagehall@gmail.com or 07403 462198

Sport

Neighbourhood Watch One Stop

Mick Taylor—(01763) 261118 Graham Borgonon—(01763) 260358

Church

Facilities

Litter Picker

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Transport Health Support Services Emergencies NonEmerg. Misc.

Station Ticket Office

Hours: Mon - Fri 7-11.15am, Sat 8.45am - 1.15pm

Rail User Group

07905 325574; www.meldrethsheprethfoxtonrail.org.uk

Govia/Great Northern

www.thameslinkrailway.com

The Trainline Stagecoach Potholes, Highways problems, etc.

www.thetrainline.com www.stagecoachbus.com/Cambridge http://www2.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/HighwaysReports/ Highways/ReportProblem1.aspx or in an emergency tel 0345 045 5212

Streetlights (faulty)

Report on SCDC website. For urgent faults use (01954) 713000 - Mon-Fri, 8am-5.30pm. Out of office hours: (01354) 65432. Give location, fault & SC or CCC no.

Melbourn Surgery Addenbrooke’s NHS

(01763) 260220 (01223) 245151 111 (24 hour non-emergency number)

Childline

Community Transport Home-Start Melbourn Time Bank 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 (01763) 263303; https://tol2.timebanking.org/melbourn 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

Taxi (Butler Meltax)

(01763) 244444; 212223

Citizens Advice Bureau

Police

For details of village groups & facilities see the Meldreth Today section www.meldrethhistory.org.uk. Meldreth Matters Team: Chairman: Lesley Farbridge 261578; Editor & Layout: Kathryn Betts 268428; Proof-reading: Ken McLean 261243; Treasurer, Secretary & Trade Advertising: Beverley Cottrell 262176; Advertising Layout: Richard Burns 263121; Editorial Assistant: Robin Farbridge; Distribution: Lesley Pemberton 07798586875 and Maggie Smith 260378; Founder: Ann Barnes Meldreth Matters is available online at issuu.com (search for Meldreth)

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Advertising Rates Size Half page Quarter page Eighth page/banner Business listing per line

per issue £27.25 £16.50 £8.75

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 ......................................2 AngliEAR Hearing .....................Cover Art of Clean ...................................55 Art of Clean Wood ..........................17 Aurora Meldreth Manor (Job) ..........11 Bridge 2 Fit ......................................9 Bury Lane Farm Shop ................Cover CHS Day Centre ..............................11 CHS Group ......................................46 The Country Store ...........................17 Ely Design Group ............................55 Eternit Sports and Social Club .........23 Eve Construction .............................25 Huw Shortle Window Cleaning .......52 iPlaster .............................................55 Jackson Cox Opticians ....................11 Lawn Partners ...................................4 The Letting Centre ...........................40 Little Hands Nursery School ............45 Melbourn Auto Services ...................2 Melbourn Flooring ..........................4

Melbourn Village College .................14 Meldreth Landscapes .......................13 Meldreth Motor Company ..............46 Meldreth Plant Hire .........................29 Moncraft Computers .......................52 N J Chapman, gardening ..................2 Newlings of Royston Funeral Service40 Nigel Wigg Home Improvement ......13 P D Property Services .......................40 Penn Farm Physiotherapy ................32 Queen Bee .................................Cover Reflections .......................................19 Richard Burns Electrician ..................2 Rod’s PC Support ............................36 Sage Blinds and Interiors ...................4 Slimming World .........................Cover Sparky’s ...........................................32 Specialist Dental Partners .................14 Trademark Kitchens ........................55 Travel Counsellors ...........................32 Village Garden Services ....................45 60

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