Meldreth Matters, June 2018

June 2018

In this issue ...

Melwood Memories of the River Mel Recreation Ground Survey Events include … Church Fete Open Gardens Motorcycle Show Race Night

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

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

Contents What’s On

Children & Education

Bowls Club Quiz 22

Events for Children 21

Defibrillator Seminar 15

Maps Donation 16-17

Forthcoming Event 50

Primary School 18-19

Local Events 48-49 Local Facilities/Issues

Melbourn Fete 57 Meldreth Church Fete back page

Maycroft 28-29

Open Gardens 12

Recreation Ground Survey 23-24

Race Night 41

Local/National Government

Summary of Meldreth Events 2-3

Councillors’ Surgeries 43 County Councillor 39-40

Village Groups Football Club 29

District Councillor 42-43

Friends of Holy Trinity 46

Heidi Allen, MP 53-54

Good Companions 8, 17

Parish Council 33-37

Prayer Group 54

Planning Applications 56-57

WI 27

Advice/Information

Women’s Group 44-45

Advertisers’ Index 60 Mobile Warden Scheme 11

Gardens & Nature Gardening 10-11

Neighbourhood Watch 26-27

Melwood 7-8

Refuse Collections 30

Memories of the Mel 4-5

Village Directory 58-59

Station Gardening 13

Cover: Meldreth Manor School in Full Bloom by Faiza Derraz and Devon Hart.

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 On 6th May I took part in the A10 Annual Awareness Ride, which was a great community event as always. This year’s ride was the first since the fantastic cycle path through Harston was completed. It is now possible to cycle entirely off-road from Shepreth to Cambridge and for me it is becoming a viable alternative to driving. The route through both Trumpington and Grantchester Meadows is particularly lovely.

Friday 1st 7.00 for 7.30pm Bowls Club Quiz Meldreth Bowls Club See page 22

Both the new cycle path and the refurbished Meldreth tennis courts are great examples of what can be achieved by relatively small groups to improve our village and the local area. Now the Meldreth Futures Group is looking at ways in which the Recreation Ground can be improved. Please have your say by filling out and returning the survey on pages 23-24 of this issue.

Saturday 16th 12.00-4.00pm Church Fete Holy Trinity Church See back page

Finally, thank you to Faiza Derraz and Devon Hart for taking the trouble to email me some of the photographs they took in the grounds of Meldreth Manor recently. This week’s stunning cover picture is just one example.

Friday 22nd 7.00 for 7.15pm Race Night Meldreth Village Hall In aid of Home-Start

Have a good month!

See page 41

Kathryn 2

June Events in Meldreth

Friday 1st 8.30-11.00pm Live Rock Music with Supersub Eternit Sports and Social Club All welcome, free entry, licensed bar, real ale, etc.

Sunday 3rd 1.30-5.30pm Open Gardens plus Teas and Plant Stall at Holy Trinity Church See page 12

Tuesday 19th

Wednesday 20th Gates Open 6.30pm Royston & District Motorcycle Show Eternit Sports & Social Club Entry ÂŁ5, under 14s free All proceeds donated to local charities

7.30pm Meldreth Village Hall Trust AGM Green Room, Village Hall

Saturday 30th

Saturday 30th

10.00am onwards

11.00am

Meldreth Station Gardening followed by elevensies

Community Defibrillator Seminar

See page 13

Community Room, Elin Way See page 15

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Memories of the Mel Recently, local residents shared their experiences of the River Mel, at a time when it seemed to see more activity than it does now.

Chris Duguid exclaimed “this was our playground”! Many of the other participants also remembered happy hours playing in and around the Mel. Elizabeth Williams provided a photograph of her daughter in the river (right) and many others remembered swimming in it. This must have Elizabeth Williams’ daughter playing in the Mel about 30 years ago been especially enjoyable when there was a very hot summer, like 1976, when areas of the Mel dried up (as the upper stretches did in 2012).

Barbara Harding described a large tree on the recreation ground in Melbourn which was a favourite spot for children to climb on and then jump either into the water or onto the other bank. However, she said, “I never did it; it was only the boys”. Molly Chamberlain remembered trying to float down the river in a galvanised bath, but unfortunately it had too many holes! Someone else described how they had travelled from Sheene Mill to Topcliffe Mill on two oil drums tied together.

Chris Duguid told of her adventures “paddling on tyres from the bottom of Woolpack Way, and you could get quite a long way up towards The Court. The river always seemed to be wider and deeper when I was a child”. There were other descriptions of using a variety of materials to “boat” along the river.

Another account was that “on a Sunday The Court had many guests in the summer, and they would get into their little boats and potter up and down a little bit of moat at the side of the house, and the village people were invited to come and watch the gentry”. The audience was amused by this story of village life at the beginning of the twentieth century!

People remembered fishing off the bridges on the river and in local ponds. Some even remembered catching eels. They used jam jars, nets and bent pins on string suspended from sticks. Nets could be bought from the Post Office in Melbourn. Barbara Harding said “I used to ask 4

my mum for a penny to go and buy a net so I could enjoy myself by the river”. Apparently at Bury Farm they once sealed off their stretch of river with chicken wire and stocked it with rainbow trout. However, the Royston paper then published a small ad saying ‘fishing for free in Melbourn’ and the trout were soon gone! Trout were also introduced at Sheene Mill before it became a restaurant. Boys would catch and sell them locally.

The river was also active in other ways. Ken Winter described looking after otter hounds that were kept in a shed (which can still be seen from footpath 1 along the river). Another feature was osier beds, some up by Guilden bridge. These were areas of willows that were regularly trimmed (coppiced). The wood was used to make baskets to transport fruit to London and also by thatcher Stanford for decorating local thatched roofs. One place this happened was near Stone Lane. It was originally called Broids common, which may derive from Broid – embroidery.

The fields around the river were a lot wetter before new drainage systems were introduced associated with the bypass. The wetter fields were an inheritance from the water meadows introduced in the 17th century. These were areas that would have been regularly flooded in the winter with deposits of silt to enhance fertility to produce more grass for grazing. The Meads, near the station, was always wet and only used for grazing. Cows used to regularly come down to the river to drink, making the edges very muddy in places. Someone described an incident, 10-15 years ago, when “a cow from the Betts’ field found its way down to us, up the bank and into our garden and was spotted by a roofer who drove it back into the field. (Someone commented, “It’s a wonder he didn’t fall off!”.) It was making its way towards our artificial pond which, had it fallen in, would never have got out and our pond would have been demolished. Cows WILL walk down the river!”

We are extremely fortunate that the River Mel Restoration Group have done such an excellent job of maintenance over the last ten years so that villagers and visitors can still enjoy the abundance of wildlife and plants that inhabit our own, very special, chalk stream.

These memories were captured as part of the Waterlight River Mel Film project. If you have any memories of the river you would like to share please contact me on (01763) 232855 or Clare Crossman on (01763) 261300.

Bruce Huett 5

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Melwood, Spring 2018 www.melwood.btck.co.uk Spring is the time of year when the Melwood Conservation Group can relax a little and assess the effects of their winter’s hard work. Despite the frequently inclement weather, which caused a couple of work parties to be cancelled, trees were eventually planted and the crab apple was soon in full bloom. An oak, grown in a pot since it turned up in a village flower border, seems to have settled in to the wood surprisingly well. One that was seeded directly into the wood, presumably by a squirrel or a Jay, has struggled to make anything more than rather spindly growth.

Most of the spring flowers arrived approximately on schedule. The snowdrops put in a great show, which was at its best in early February, as it is most years. The oxlips, primroses and their hybrids have often been eaten by rabbits or deer before they can put on much of a show but this year they were left mostly undisturbed and produced more bloom than I can ever remember. Our efforts to establish wood anemones moved one tiny pace forward, as the two surviving plants bloomed for the first time. Single-flowered leek seems to have established more good clumps and dusky cranesbill seedlings are widely distributed around the wood, although growing as individual plants, they are not very obvious, even when in flower. I was surprised to find a well-hidden clump of Ransoms in bloom, as this is a species that has not been recorded as present in the wood for many years. The clump appears well established, so it will be interesting to see if it persists and spreads in future.

The poor early spring may have had adverse effects on those butterflies that hibernate over the winter. The brimstone appeared a little later than usual but in fairly normal numbers now the weather has improved.

The same cannot be said of the other hibernators. The Small Tortoishell has been very scarce and I have not had any sightings of either the Peacock or the Comma in the wood or adjacent gardens. It will be interesting to see if the numbers recover for the summer generation. The other spring butterflies delayed emergence until the weather improved but are now all present in good numbers. The Holly Blue is enjoying a particularly good start to the year, possibly as a result of diversification of the foodplants used by its caterpillars.

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One effect of the cool, wet start to the spring has been an explosion of growth in response to the unusually warm start of May. Garlic Mustard (also known as Jack by the Hedge) and Hedge Parsley are in full bloom and covering substantial areas beside the river footpath.

Other species such as Dusky Cranesbill are lost amongst such tall plants but will recover as soon as exposed by a late spring cut. Timing this is not an easy decision, as ideally the plants need to be Female Orange Tip feeding on the cut after flowering has flowers of Garlic Mustard finished but before ripe seed is shed. The decision is complicated by the fact that Orange Tip butterflies (pictured) often use Garlic Mustard as a food plant; their caterpillars being particularly fond of the small green unripe seed pods.

Management is often a case of balancing competing interests and it may be twelve months before we know whether we got the late spring cut right or not. Last year we were a little too late with the cut and much seed was distributed, hence the proliferation of plants this year.

Jim Reid Melwood Conservation Group If you are interested in joining the conservation work, please contact: Jim Reid (01763) 260231 or Bruce Huett (01763) 232855.

Good Companions Due to unforeseen circumstances several members were unable to attend our May meeting, so we decided to discuss venues for outings and places of interest we might visit. The next meeting will be held on Thursday 7th June in the Community Centre - Elin Way. Jane Eggleton (01763) 261824 8

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Notes from a Small Garden Recently we went to Veg Plus Club in North End to see a really magnificent veg patch and gained lots of good ideas for all of us to put into practice.

To start with, there was a great variety of greens, salad plants and herbs still producing prolifically from the winter, including perpetual spinach, mizuna the oriental salad, rocket and its companion, wild rocket (stronger and more peppery), and lambs lettuce, American land cress and parsley.

Lettuces were coming through well, both purple and green Little Gem, as were spring onions, not to mention asparagus! And potatoes were earthed up already.

I came away with several new tomato plants and some celeriac seedlings, which I am trying for the first time. Apparently they don’t like to be planted too close together, so it is important to leave at least eighteen inches between each plant. But the big lesson for all vegetable growers is to maximise the amount of manure/compost one adds to the soil, though in my hands it never seems enough!

Several of us are now finding that as we get older, we have too many flower beds. One solution is to grass them leaving a couple of shrubs; another is to replace herbaceous plants with shrubs under-planted with bulbs.

On the subject of feeding tubs, hanging baskets and the like, I have recently received a good tip, Friday Feeding; this is a real help to the memory! My present liquid fertiliser is so easy to use. Just put a capful in a big watering can.

We have been having wonderful weather in early May and I hope that we have such weather in June when the roses are at their best; but not too hot or they go over too quickly.

One great sadness we have this year is that our 34-year-old Prunus Autumnalis is dying. It had a most beautiful shape as well as producing lovely pink flowers in the autumn and spring. But a friend tells me that it has done pretty well. This summer I shall plant several clematis up it and perhaps the canary creeper, Tropoleum speciosum.

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Here are some jobs for June:  Prune spring flowering shrubs (easy to forget)  Pinch out side shoots of tomatoes  Try to keep a succession of lettuces and spring onions going  Hoe regularly to keep down weeds  Stake tall or floppy plants.

Don’t forget to sit down and admire all your work!

And don’t forget to come and visit gardens in Meldreth on the Open Day, Sunday 3rd June. [See pages 12 and 46.]

Our Veg Club Plus meeting this month will be held on 5th June at 5.30pm at the home of Margaret and Terry Lynch, 42 North End.

Good gardening from Jim and me.

Julie Draper juliedraper@dumbflea.co.uk

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Melbourn Warden Scheme is a registered charity 11

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Station Gardening Please join us at one or more of our gardening sessions Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Station Gardening dates have been set for turning the tubs around for summer, and keeping things looking good generally.

We’d very much welcome anyone who’d like to join the station gardening groups, or just come along to enjoy the day and find out more.

Gardening dates and organisers for each of our local stations are as follows: Saturday 2nd June, 3.00pm: Shepreth Station Elisabeth Goodman, Elisabeth.ecgoodman@gmail.com Monday 4th June, 400pm: Foxton Station Rachael Macintyre, rachaelmarymac@gmail.com Saturday 30th June, 10.00am: Meldreth Station Followed by a picnic For gardeners from all three stations, a pot luck elevensies picnic will be held at Meldreth Station on 30th June, following the gardening session, to which our booking office manager Bern will be invited.

If you would like to join in on any of the above dates, please drop us a line so we have a rough idea of who might be coming, bring your gloves and see you there!

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If you would like to attend this seminar, please contact the Parish Clerk on (01763) 269928.

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History Group Donation to Meldreth Primary School Here at the Primary School, we find ourselves tremendously fortunate whenever we embark upon any local history activity, for we have merely to get online and start browsing the Local History Group’s website for instant access to an incredibly rich resource of pictures, stories, biographies and maps that genuinely enable our children to bring the past to life. Visits to Topcliffe Mill, the war memorial and the railway station, as well as a guided amble up the High Street to North End can conjure up the spirit of Meldreth in days gone by with the help of the unseen labours of the Local History Group, the members of which we have relatively infrequent and sporadic contact with.

Andrew Jones with Joan Gane and Kathryn Betts of Meldreth Local History Group

Thus it was with delight and excitement that I opened an email from Joan Gane in March 2017, expressing a desire among the members of the group to sponsor some kind of activity, or make a physical donation or gift to recognise and celebrate the relationship with Meldreth’s history that both organisations share. And so it was that after a number of meetings, emails and discussions, the Group agreed that the presentation of a map would serve best, both as an appreciation of our shared interest in history as well as offering a visually appealing resource that will be of genuine interest and benefit to all members of the Meldreth School community.

In April of this year, Joan and Kath Betts from the Local History Group presented us with a framed version of the 1910 Land Values Duties map of Meldreth, which is delightfully coloured and full of fascinating detail that illustrates how the village has changed and developed over the past century. The map is of particular significance for us, as it was 16

printed the year the school was built, and records our site as a yet undeveloped field; similarly Flambards next door, where many of our pupils come from, remains a field with an unusually-shaped moat prior to the Close being built several decades later. To accompany the map, which has been beautifully framed at no cost, by Meldreth picture framer, Kevin Jones, Joan and Kath also presented us with a large, roll-up, pvc version of the same map and another of the earliest known map of Meldreth - the 1820 Inclosure Map - both of which prove to be priceless resources that eager, yet grubby fingers can trace locations and routes on for generations!

With the new classrooms and corridor springing rapidly to completion behind the school, we are looking forward to hanging our framed map in a prominent position where all can study and enjoy it for generations to come. We remain very grateful indeed to all of our good friends in the Local History Group and look forward to more opportunities to work together in the future.

Andrew Jones Deputy Headteacher

(Over 60s) We meet on the first Thursday of the month 2.00-4.00pm Community Room, Elin Way All welcome Meetings ď ´ Regular Speakers ď ´ Trips Out Telephone Lorraine on (01763) 261432 17

Meldreth Primary School www.meldreth.cambs.sch.uk Two years ago, I wrote in these pages of the impressive footballing feat of our small school football squad which qualified for the regional finals of the English Schools Football Association’s Small Schools’ annual football tournament. Amidst all the pizzazz and excitement around that success in March 2016, we invested in a splendid new purple school football kit and some dapper jackets with the name of the school on the reverse. I’d picked up that that’s what some of the scarier looking teams we play tend to do, so I just thought, ‘when in the lions’ den, why not wear the lions’ apparel? I spent some space in that article recording an anticipation that after our moment of glory we would surely return to the familiar doldrums of mediocrity; however, just two years later we find that the foundations laid in previous seasons may have taken firmer roots than we thought!

After a similar trajectory of success in the seven-a-side tournament this year, winning the Local Schools, then the Cambridgeshire finals, our young squad of nine players earned the school a second visit to ‘Sporting Thamesmead’, to do battle with our counterpart champs from Kent, Essex, Sussex and Hertfordshire in the South East Regional Finals of the competition. Whilst the 2016 tournament took place on the coldest day of that winter, this year’s tournament fell at the height of a heatwave, making the conditions of play very demanding indeed.

Strong support from families and staff helped to lift the team’s spirits and one parent, Darren Brignell, who coaches the Y5 Melbourn Dynamos side at the weekend, provided fantastic additional support with me, on the side-lines.

One member of our squad, George Munday, was the sole survivor from our first visit to Thamesmead, when as a young Year 4 player, he absolutely lifted the confidence and performance of that squad after we’d lost our first game. An absolutely mercurial, tireless and inspirational player, George has been instrumental in instilling ‘belief’ and drive into recent Meldreth school teams. For the Thamesmead finals, George captained the team out for four games of fifteen minutes duration in the sweltering heat of the astroturf pitches. Coolest customer must have been Isaac Willers, who as goalkeeper had little to do all morning, keeping an impressive clean sheet as Meldreth became the only team in the competition not to concede a goal! This feat was in part aided by his two stalwart defenders, Elias Rice and Charlie 18

Walder, formidable at the back and reading the game with singular intelligence. Little gets past these boys and NOTHING did on May 5th! Meanwhile, as central midfielder, George worked with Daniel Brignell and Luca Heard either side to build sustained waves of attack against all our opposition, feeding Cuan Hoole up front and spreading fear and panic through each opposing defence that we met. In the heat of the day, Annabelle Helme and Eddie Cook provided invaluable fresh legs as super subs, replacing hot and weary players in each match.

Meldreth finished the day as runners-up, earning the team a place in the national finals at the Ricoh Stadium in Coventry, and a note in the school’s history as the furthest a team from the school has ever progressed in a competition. The finals will have taken place by the time this issue of MM goes to press, and readers can be sure that our players will have given their all. Sadly, neither George or Elias can be present for the last stage of this contest, as both have prior engagements elsewhere (one is competing overseas that weekend!), but we wish both of them every success and toast them for their fantastic contribution to this year’s successes to date. In come Toby Day-Small, James Silver and Levi Desmarais to add a little youthful Year 5 determination and zeal to the squad for our BIG DAY OUT! Andrew Jones Deputy Headteacher

The School Build Here are two photographs showing the progress of the school build.

Andrew Jones Deputy Headteacher 19

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What’s On for Children and Families in June Friday 1st, Saturday 2nd, Sunday 3rd June, 10.30am - 4.00pm Wild Things at Half Term, RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy SG19 2DL Small charges for outdoor activities such as den building, trails, dragonfly making (weather permitting). No booking needed. Parking £6 for non members. For more details ring (01767) 693333.

Saturday 2nd June, 11.00am - 3.00pm Hungry Caterpillars, Botanic Garden, Brookside, Cambridge CB2 1JE Take a close look at caterpillars in different stages of development.

Make a life cycle artwork. Free, drop-in event. Accompanying adults pay garden admission (£6). For details ring (01223) 331875.

Saturday 9th June, 2.00pm - 4.00pm MAKE! Cut and print, Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge CB2 1RB Study ceramics and create a lino cut print with an artist’s help. For ages 11 - 13. Admission £5. Book on education@fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk or (01223) 332904.

Saturday 9th, Sunday 10th June, 10.00am - 5.00pm Cambridge Town and Country Fair, Parker’s Piece CB1 1JF Entertainment, stalls, refreshments, heavy horses, birds of prey, circus skills workshops, animals to feed and pet, bike displays and more. Free entry. Companion dog show on Sunday - bring your dog along.

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Wednesday 27th June, 1.00pm - 3.00pm SGMinis - Flowers and Nature, The Stained Glass Museum, Ely Cathedral CB7 4DL Monthly crafts and activities for under 5s. £2 per child. Stories at 1.00 and 2.00pm. Drop in.

Saturday 30th June, 4.30pm - 5.30pm Children’s Film Concert, West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge CB3 9DP For ages 4 and up. Dress up as your favourite film character and listen to music from Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean and more. Tickets £5 for children, £18 adults from (01223) 300085 or online at www.westroad.org.

Compiled by Hilary Crawforth 21

22

Meldreth Recreation Ground Survey

Meldreth Futures Group would like to identify ideas on how to make Meldreth Recreation Ground a better place for us all to enjoy, whilst encompassing sport and other activities for all ages.

We are so fortunate to have this large green area in the village with a recently refurbished pavilion. This is a chance for us all to have an input in making the Recreation Ground a pleasant place to be in the future.

Please take a few minutes to return this completed survey by emailing it to admin@meldrethfutures.org.uk or to our Parish Clerk by emailing it to parishclerk@meldreth-pc.org.uk or by putting a completed hard copy into the Clerk’s post box at the Sheltered Housing building in Elin Way. The survey can also be downloaded from our website, www.meldrethfutures.org.uk.

Survey Questions Do you use Meldreth Recreation Ground? Yes / No (please circle)

What do you like to do when you go there?

What would you like added to the Recreation Ground?

What don’t you like about the Recreation Ground?

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Would you like to see any new play equipment added? Please make suggestions:

Are there any other recreation grounds you really like to go to where the facilities are better than Meldreth? Where are they and what do you like about them?

Would you like to play any of the following on Meldreth Recreation Ground?

Football, netball, basketball, cricket, ride a bike/scooter, roller skating, BMX biking or any other specific activity. If so, please suggest some ideas below.

Do you like to visit a natural environment? How could this be enhanced at Meldreth Recreation Ground?

Would you like to use picnic tables? Yes / No (please circle)

Would you like there to be more shelter from the weather? Yes/ No (please circle)

Would you like some adult outdoor gym equipment added? Yes/ No (please circle)

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey.

If you have any other comments please use a separate sheet.

Spring 2018 24

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25

Neighbourhood Watch Cyber Security and Passwords One of the most important ways to be safe on the internet is to ensure that no-one can access your online accounts. You may only have an email account, or you may have many online shopping and social media accounts, but they are all potentially vulnerable and hackers would like to access them.

Your most important online account is your email account. This is because it can contain details of other online accounts and personal information. Personal details such as date of birth can be used by scammers to convince you that they are calling from your bank, or to try and access your bank accounts directly.

For these reasons, the password to your email account should be a unique, strong password. Unique means that you only use that password for your email and no other accounts, so that if other passwords are compromised, your email is still safe. Strong means that it's not easy to guess. It is easy to find lists of the most commonly used passwords on the internet, and the passwords "password", "123456" and "qwerty" commonly appear in the top passwords. Using a password like this is like locking your house when you go out but leaving the key in the lock.

A strong password doesn't mean that it has to be long or complicated.

The UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) advise using three random words to create a strong password.

For example, coffeetrainfish or walltinshirt; but not onetwothree! The three words should mean something to you so that the password will be easy to remember, but should not contain any personal information e.g. children's or pet's names, mother's maiden name, schools attended, favourite sports teams etc. To make the password even stronger, add in some numbers and/or symbols and a mix of upper and lower case letters.

If you're worried about a possible scam, talk to someone else for advice, including one of the trusted contacts in Meldreth: Graham (01763) 260358; Peter (01763) 260323 Linda (01763) 261405; Tim (01763) 262801 Always report scams to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or visit www.actionfraud.police.uk.

26

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

Meldreth Neighbourhood Watch

Meldreth WI We left Meldreth for part of our meeting and were invited to a Korean wedding, well, in spirit. But first, past and forthcoming events were discussed.

Every year the WI as a whole resolves to become more aware of a particular issue and this year it is a focus on mental health. There are very few people who have not had a relation or friend suffering in some form of mental illness. Even though it can’t be seen, it doesn’t mean it is not there. The WI is urging the government to keep to their promise of help both financially and in the community. The matter will be discussed at the WI AGM at Cardiff in June 2018, where delegates and members will be present from all over England and Wales Sue Walters told us about a wedding she had attended in Korea. Her son met and later married a Korean girl while they were both studying here in Cambridge and Sue and her husband and some of their relations flew out for the ceremony. Not a religious ceremony however! The bride and groom to be go to the local town hall, pay a fee, get the document signed and that is it. Later, they do have a ceremony, which in their case was in a hotel, and Sue went on to describe it and showed us photographs of the ceremony.

The bride’s mother asked Sue if she would like to dress in traditional dress and a Hanbok was specially made. Sue brought this to show us and did dress up in it, even to the special little shoes which may look pretty but were jolly uncomfortable. There was a lot of kneeling and bowing and a four-foot wedding cake which although ceremoniously cut, was only made of cardboard. It was a very entertaining evening.

Next month, we are having an interactive talk by Jan Munt on Ely Cathedral. Do come and join us on Thursday 14th June at 7.30pm; you will be made welcome.

Kathleen Thompson 27

Maycroft Care Home We look back on April, when blue skies and sunshine gave such simple pleasures as we sat in the courtyard after lunch, amid the perfume of bluebells. Spring is sprung at last and our hearts and spirits are lifted.

Late in April we had a lovely run around the local villages; our transport was provided by the excellent Royston & District Community Transport (RDCT) whom we thank most sincerely for their caring and excellent work. We thank Ian our driver for a most comfortable trip, which took us through the little country lanes whose hedges were coming into leaf and early blossom, from which the bees gather pollen and honey to feed their young. We had many distant views, under scudding clouds, of fields showing promise of good harvest in the vigorous growth of early sown seed. This trip is part of the activities programme which is introducing new interests whilst nurturing current ones. We use RDCT community cars on many occasions, to enable residents to enjoy outings to local venues for shopping and coffee breaks. These sociable events give a much needed change of scene but the service also provides that vital link for residents when attending appointments with doctors and dentists etc.

We welcome new residents amongst whom is a music buff, who is cheerful and chatty and a great addition to our community, and answers many of the questions in the musical quiz set by our old friend, sing along Jim. We also welcome an RAF veteran who as a young man was involved in the Berlin airlift saga.

We were delighted to welcome friends, family and guests to our party for the birthday of her Majesty the Queen, with home made party food and a large cake decorated as a Union Jack, all of which was the work of our chef team. We drank a toast, wishing Her Majesty a Happy Birthday, sang the National Anthem and finished with three hearty cheers for her Majesty. A letter and card has been sent to Buckingham Palace conveying our congratulations. We also plan a celebration on the wedding day of Prince Harry and Meghan to whom we wish every happiness.

As you spring clean, may we appeal to you to donate books, bric-a-brac and plants from your gardens for the stalls at our coming fete.

We look forward to seeing you. Do visit us.

Carol, Ray and Jane 28

Alzheimer's Research Walk in August Do you remember how the residents of Maycroft Care Home, their families, friends and the local community raised the amazing sum of ÂŁ1600 for this very worthy charity? In August 2017, some folk left Maycroft on foot or in wheelchairs supported by sponsors, to help achieve this magnificent sum.

We are hoping to raise the same amount, or dare I say even more, on Sunday 19th August 2018. Please put this date in your diary or calendar and join us in some way. Sponsorship forms are available so even if you cannot be with us, perhaps you could collect some pledges from your family or friends, to give even a small amount.

Rosemary Childerley Friend of Maycroft

Meldreth Football Club On Sunday 13th May Meldreth United played Waterbeach at Newmarket Football Club, after being invited to play in the Barry Wright Invitation Cup.

We can make life a little easier

Waterbeach scored the first goal but we then equalised, making it 1-1 at half time. We then got our second goal, holding on to our 2-1 lead until the last two minutes, when Waterbeach got their second goal, making it 2-2.

Local Community Services at Moorlands Court

Day Centre Our friendly day centre is open from 10 am to 3 pm, Tuesdays to Fridays.

Interesting activities, sociable atmosphere, home cooked lunch.

We went into extra time: we hit the bar but then Waterbeach scored a goal and then another, so the final score was Meldreth 2 - Waterbeach 4.

Transport available for older people living in Melbourn and nearby villages.

From just ÂŁ7.90 per day.

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

This was enjoyable afternoon: thanks lads.

Joan Fallon 29

Meldreth Village D Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thurs

Refuse Collections Black bins: 12th, 26th Blue & Green bins: 5th, 19th * late collections due to public holidays 9.30-11.30am Meldreth Local History Group 7.30-10.00pm Old Time Dancing

7.30-10.00pm Old Time Dancing

10.00am-12.00 Handbells 5.00-6.00pm Martial Arts 5.30pm Veg Club Plus, 42 North End 7.00 - 8.00pm Aerobics 7.00-10.00pm Crafters 8.00-9.00pm Strutology

9.15-11.15am Baby & Toddler Group 6.00-7.00 Brownies 7.45-9.00pm Bell Ringing

9.15am Cycling Group

9.15-11.15am Baby & 10.00am-12.00 Handbells Toddler Group 5.00-6.00pm Martial Arts 6.00-7.00 Brownies

2.00pm Good Companions 6.00 - 6.45pm Pilates 7.00 - 9.00pm Tennis 7.30pm Paris

6.00 - 6.45pm Pilates 7.30pm WI

7.00 - 8.00pm Aerobics 7.00-10.00pm Crafters 8.00-9.00pm Strutology 9.30-11.30am Meldreth Local History Group 7.30-10.00pm Old Time Dancing

7.30-10.00pm Old Time Dancing

10.00am-12.00 Handbells 10.40-11.30am Library 5.00-6.00pm Martial Arts 7.00 - 8.00pm Aerobics 7.00-10.00pm Crafters 7.30pm Meldreth Village Hall Trust AGM 8.00pm Prayer Group 8.00-9.00pm Strutology

9.15-11.15am Baby & Toddler Group 6.00-7.00 Brownies 6.30pm Motorcycle Show, Eternit Sports & Social Club 7.45-9.00pm Bell Ringing

12.00-2.00pm British Queen

9.15am Cycling Group 10.00am-12.00 Handbells

9.15-11.15am Baby & Toddler Group

6.00 - 6.45pm Pilates

5.00-6.00pm Martial Arts

6.00-7.00 Brownies

7.00 - 8.00pm Aerobics

7.45-9.00pm Bell Ringing

7.00 - 9.00pm Tennis

6.00 - 6.45pm Pilates

7.00 - 9.00pm Tennis

7.00-10.00pm Crafters 8.00-9.00pm Strutology

Church Services and Bell Ringing are held at Holy Trinity Church. The Prayer Group meets at 85 meetings are held in the Sheltered Housing Community Centre, Elin Way. Brownies, Messy Churc Mobile Library Service visits Bell Close. The Cycling Group meets in the lay-by opposite Holy Tri 30

Diary - June 2018

sday

Friday 7.00 for 7.30pm Bowls Club Quiz, Meldreth Bowls Club (see p. 22)

Saturday 10.00am-4.00pm Mouse Show

8.30-11.00pm Live Rock Music with Supersub Eternit Sports & Social Club

Sunday 9.45am Family Communion and New Seekers Children’s Club 1.30-5.30pm Open Gardens 2.30-6.30pm Tea Dance 5.30pm Meat Raffle, BQ

d

8.00am Holy Communion

m Fitness

5.30pm Meat Raffle, British Queen

m Table

h Council 12.00-4.00pm Holy Trinity Church Fete (see back page)

m Fitness

m Pub Club,

m Fitness

9.45am Family Communion and New Seekers Children’s Club 5.30pm Meat Raffle, British Queen

8.00am Holy Communion

7.00 for 7.30pm HomeStart Race Night (see page 41)

5.30pm Meat Raffle, British Queen

m Table

m Fitness

m Table

10.00am Station Gardening followed by lunch, Meldreth Station (see page 13) 11.00am-1.00pm Defibrillator Training, Elin Way (see page 15)

The copy deadline for the July issue of Meldreth Matters is Tuesday 12th June

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

31

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Meldreth Parish Council www.meldreth-pc.org.uk Extracts from the unapproved Minutes of the Annual Parish Council Meeting held on Thursday 10th May 2018 in the Green Room of Meldreth Village Hall.

Present: Councillors R Goddin, Chairman, R A Searles, Vice Chairman, C J Fallon, N Garner, P Gilmore, C A Land, N Pellatt, A Young.

In attendance: J Damant, Clerk, Councillor J Hales (SCDC), Councillor P Hart (SCDC) (arrived at 8.00pm) Apologies for absence: Councillor R James (personal reasons), Susan van de Ven Election of Chairman Councillor R A Searles nominated Councillor R W Goddin, this was seconded by Councillor Pellatt, agreed by all. Councillor Goddin took the Chair.

Election of Vice Chairman Councillor C A Land nominated Councillor R A Searles, this was seconded by Councillor C J Fallon, agreed by all. Councillor Searles accepted the position.

Public Participation There was one member of the public in attendance, no issues were raised.

District Councillor Report See pages 42-43.

Councillor Jose Hales was welcomed to the meeting. Councillor Hales, along with Councillor Hart, will now represent Meldreth.

Councillor Hart's report was circulated prior to the meeting and the issue regarding the Marley Eternit appeal was raised. The hearing is to take place on 26th June and the Parish Council will be able to attend.

However, it is not certain at this time if the attendees should also include Mr Kratz as the Parish Council's legal representative.

Councillor Hart will seek confirmation of this and will contact the Chairman in due course. A site visit is also expected to take place with the Inspectorate.

33

County Councillor Report See pages 39-40.

The report was circulated and one of the major concerns is the state of the roads and the many potholes. It was suggested that a note be put in Meldreth Matters asking residents to report any potholes to the CCC website and if possible to take photographs of it.

Office IT Computer System Progress continues to be made with the system changes.

Election of Planning Committee It was proposed by Councillor Young to nominate Councillors Goddin, Searles, Gilmore, Land and Pellatt. This was seconded by Councillor Fallon; all agreed.

Working Group Updates/Reports Representatives were appointed/confirmed to all Council working groups and representative posts. See the Parish Council website for details.

Meldreth Futures Working Group No applications have been received.

Melbourn Area Youth Development (MAYD): Councillor Goddin reported that the Futures Working Group are still awaiting the latest attendance figures. Councillor Gilmore will attend the MAYD meeting in June where this may be clarified. It was also felt that more could be done to try and encourage children from Meldreth to attend the youth club.

Mettle Hill Working Group Councillor Goddin reported that investigations continue. The working group will meet once a decision on Marley Eternit is known.

Security for Pavilion The CCTV is in the process of being installed and an early conclusion is to be sought.

Ongoing Projects Playground Councillor Fallon reported that there is still concern over the matting under the swings and deterioration of the grass area under the zip wire.

RoSPA are due to carry out their annual report soon. Clerk will get 34

quotations for replacing the matting under the swings. The benches and five-aside football goalpost have now been installed. The Football Club will mark out the five-aside pitch when they next mark out the main pitch.

Street Light Survey Councillor Searles reported that he had been in correspondence with Balfour Beatty who have given him a price list on what would be needed to upgrade all thirteen lights (ten in North End and three in Chiswick End). It would cost approximately ÂŁ10,000 to upgrade all thirteen lights. Enquiries into energy efficiency issues are to be further explored.

Defibrillators North End: it is hoped that this will be installed within the next two weeks. The date of 16th June for defibrillator training has been changed as it clashed with the Church Fete and the new date is now Saturday 30th June from 11.00am to 1.00pm [see page 15].

The Village Hall committee has agreed to install a light above the defibrillator at the Village Hall.

Correspondence and Clerk's Report We have received one quote and are awaiting another for maintenance work on the recreation ditch.

Work on the audit is proceeding, to be signed off at next meeting Clerk has been in contact with both the Planning Department and Environmental Health at SCDC with regards to residents’ concerns over the burning of brush in the field behind No. 70 Whitecroft Road.

Clerk has received correspondence from Cam Valley Forum regarding an alien species of weed that has invaded the River Cam and some of its tributaries. It is a South American plant called Floating Pennywort.

The clerk was asked to forward this to the River Mel and Parish Path groups. Councillor Garner reported that it has been found in the River Mel. Clerk is looking into who is responsible for trees on the verge near 2 Whitecroft Road and two ash trees on the verge outside 9 High Street.

Clerk is awaiting a report from tree surgeons about a dead tree near the eastern entrance of the churchyard.

35

Other Items: Burial Ground Rules and Regulations Policy: It was agreed to have this on the agenda for next month. Councillor Young also suggested taking legal advice in due course.

WW1 Memorial Figures A discussion took place regarding the Parish Council purchasing and installing a 'Lest we forget' ‘Tommy’ silhouette figure. It was proposed

by Councillor Young that this should be purchased at a cost of £625 and this was seconded by Councillor Gilmore. All in agreement; to be funded from the Community Benefit/Solar fund.

Proposal for a change to the junction layout of Whitecroft and Station Road Councillor Gilmore had previously presented the council with a proposal to improve the junction at Whitecroft and Station Road.

Councillor Searles reported that at the present time the junction is not considered dangerous as there have been no serious accidents reported, but the bridge area is of concern. It was suggested by Councillor Young that the issue should be passed to the Traffic Working Group for their proposals on how to proceed, to include discussions with CCC Highways and County Councillor van de Ven. GP Provision Councillor Goddin reported on the meeting he attended, hosted by Barrington Parish Council and attended by local councillors and doctors, to consider the possibility of providing health care facilities funded by S106. The matter is very complex and no decision on how to improve things came forward at the meeting. Councillor Hales also reported that Melbourn and Harston had originally been looking at a new health centre between the two villages to help alleviate the pressures of increased patient numbers arising from all the new developments in the area.

GDPR and Appointment of a Data Protection Officer Clerk has attended a recent training session held by the Local Council Public Advisory Service (LCPAS). It was agreed by the Parish Council that LCPAS should be appointed as its Data Protection Officer.

Councillors' Reports Councillor Goddin reported that he had been asked by Foulgers to check a damaged post on the track at the rear of their commercial 36

premises. After the site meeting Councillor Goddin confirmed that the track is an “Adopted Highway� and therefore is the responsibility of the Highways Department. Foulgers were advised to contact them directly.

Councillor Young commented on Councillor Hart's report with regards to access issues for Meldreth Manor. It was suggested that the Clerk contact Meldreth Manor, Meldreth Primary School and Maycroft Residential Home to ask if they would like to be included on the Traffic Working Group, which will be looking at all aspects of footways, roads etc within the village.

Councillor Searles asked if the Clerk had received any feedback from the Highways Department regarding the damaged safety barrier along North End and SCDC in respect of the damaged street sign. These issues have been reported but there has so far not been any response in either case.

Annual Village Meeting The Annual Village Meeting was due to be held on 24th May. Meldreth Parish Council The official Minutes of Meldreth Parish Council are those signed in Public Meetings by the Chairman. They are available for public inspection from the Clerk and can also be accessed on the Parish Council website at www.meldreth-pc.org.uk or on the Parish Council notice boards, opposite the One Stop Shop and at the corner of Elin Way and Whitecroft Road.

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

parishclerk@meldreth-pc.org.uk

Mrs C J Fallon

(01763) 262822

joan.fallon@btinternet.com

Mr N Garner

(01763) 268328

nickphgarner@gmail.com

Mrs P Gilmore

(01763) 263138

gilmorepat@aol.com

Mr R Goddin (Chairman) (01763) 260061

goddin@btinternet.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 R A Searles (Vice Ch)

(01763) 260435

robert.searles@btinternet.com

Mr A Young

(01763) 263484

andrewmpc@gmail.com

37

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38

County Councillor’s Report The County Council has been quiet during purdah with all decisionmaking meetings generally postponed. We’ll now have a flurry of activity.

Potholes I’ve submitted a formal question to next week’s County Council meeting about potholes and repair techniques. I have received many reports from people who’ve sustained expensive damage to their bicycles or cars, due to potholes. So far, no one I have spoken to has felt it worth their while making a compensation claim, and they often say that they don’t trust the council processes to yield a satisfactory result. I’ve inquired; it is true that if a road has been inspected according to agreed schedules, and no pothole has been reported, compensation is ‘less likely’. Therefore, it’s in the public interest to report potholes (using the on-line system is best). I’m told that the number of compensation claims made this year is about 4-5 times higher than last year!

Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Rail User Group and Community Rail Partnership Our new Project Officer Sarah Grove has set up a new ‘Meldreth Shepreth Foxton Rail’ Facebook page as a forum for local rail users, as she has received feedback in the past month from Meldreth commuters facing a more difficult commute under the new Thameslink timetable.

Other commuters have said that the new timetable with its direct service to London Bridge will suit them well, so there are obvious pluses and minuses. The new timetable takes effect from Sunday 20th May 2018; trains will run to King’s Cross until December 2019 when they will then run to St Pancras.

Sarah and I attended the opening of London Bridge Station with a view to learning more about opportunities to get the best outcomes for our area. We spoke to the Govia Thameslink staff whose job it is to work out the massively complex new timetable for the whole of the Southeast. The timetable starting on Sunday 20th May will be a work in progress; they were well aware of the concerns of London commuters from Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton and will be expecting our feedback, as they make tweaks within the overall timetable structure to try and ease individual problems.

39

The Community Rail Partnership is due to meet formally on 17th May, and an invitation has been issued to Meldreth, Melbourn, Shepreth and Foxton Parish Council chairs, as well as district and county representatives, Govia Thameslink, Network Rail, Railfuture and the Association of Community Rail Partnerships. The purpose will be to agree a line action plan and community-based projects for the coming year.

Cam Vale Bus User Group We met last month at the Elin Way Community Room, with the bus operator, Royston and District Community Transport and the County Council, and agreed timetable changes to the service now to be called the 127, not 128. Since then we’ve been invited by a Cambridge area bus user group to work together to lobby the mayor to exercise his franchising powers in a way that would inject significant support to rural bus services.

A10 Annual Awareness Ride This took place on Sunday 6th May and was wonderfully supported by Meldreth residents, in particular pupils from Meldreth Primary School who serve as ‘Travel Ambassadors’ and have urged as many people as possible to support Walk to School Week.

I hope we can work together to explore more ways to help persuade more people to walk/ scooter/cycle for short distance trips around the village, year-round.

It is now possible to cycle to Cambridge completely off road, along the alignment of the A10.

Photograph by Gerald Cranwell

40

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

41

District Councillor’s Report Elections I am delighted to have been re-elected to serve Meldreth which is now one of the four villages in the newly formed Melbourn Ward with Shepreth, Whaddon and Melbourn. Many Meldreth residents already know Councillor Jose Hales who also won re-election (and got marginally more votes than me!) and who will be working alongside me in the Melbourn Ward. Please do not hesitate to contact either of us equally. We hope to cover all Parish Council meetings in the four villages in the ward between us and your District Council report in Meldreth Matters will henceforward be from us both.

Marley The Planning Inspectorate has decided to determine this by means of a Planning Hearing scheduled to take place on 26th June.

Planning Service South Cambridgeshire District Council Planning Department is going into a Shared Service with Cambridge City Council. Now that our Liberal Democrat group is in charge of the Council, rest assured the success of this partnership is very high on our list of priorities, as is the resolution of the Local Plan Inspection which has dragged on for far too long.

Meldreth Manor School I spent an hour in the delightful company of older students at Orchard Manor who wished to highlight the serious difficulties they experience in accessing key locations and services in and around Meldreth. We are sure Meldreth residents will support any attempts to improve the state of our pavements and Jose and I will be working hard to support the students’ campaign.

Practical Solutions Group The Practical Solutions Group works to build engaging projects and ensure early interventions so that the young people in this community are channelled into productive and enriching activities. I attended my first meeting of this valuable group, attended by local councillors, the Deputy Head of MVC and the Youth and Communities Coordinator at the County Council, this week and look forward to reporting on progress.

42

Community Sweeper Local volunteers are offering their time to drive one of the Environmental Services’ street sweepers and this pilot project was launched on Tuesday this week. Congratulations to Councillors Hales and van de Ven for collaborating in bringing this initiative to Melbourn. It is hoped that if it is successful similar schemes will be rolled out to other villages.

Councillor Philippa Hart and Councillor Jose Hales Melbourn Ward Philippa: 07811323571 Jose: 07703262649 philippajoyhart@gmail.com. jose@josehales.me.uk

Monthly Drop-in Councillor Advice Surgery We hold a regular advice surgery at the Melbourn Hub on the first Monday of the month at the Melbourn Hub (3.00-4.00pm).

Susan is also at The Limes Community Room, High Street Bassingbourn, next to Hattie’s café and the village shop, every third Monday, from 3.00-4.00pm.

Or please contact us anytime and we will always do our best to help.

Philippa Hart, District Councillor, philippajoyhart@gmail.com, 07811 323571 Jose Hales, District Councillor, jose@josehales.me.uk, (01763) 221058 Susan van de Ven, County Councillor, susanvandeven5@gmail.com, 07905 325574

New to the village?

Information on village facilities and over 30 local groups is available at

www.meldrethhistory.org.uk 43

Melbourn & Meldreth Women’s Group Kate Armstrong came and talked to us at our April meeting about her experience of publishing a book based on her mother’s diaries and memoirs. Her mum, Margaret, was an ordinary Cambridge girl who ended up travelling abroad because of her husband’s profession; initially in the Army of Occupation after WWII, where she spent time in Eritrea. She often travelled about the country with her husband as he was expected to be “away on business” for 28 days in a month and it was the only way she could see him. They were protected by armed Askari guards. She carved out a role for herself as an aide to the doctor; Moslem women would not speak to a man but they would speak to her and she would relate the information to the doctor. She also assisted him with various clinics and projects, despite having no medical training.

From 1953 in the Colonial Service they served in Tanganyika and other countries on the eve of their independence. In 1961 they were posted to the Bechuanaland Protectorate (Botswana) and then in 1973 to Gilbert & Ellice Islands - the over riding memories being of coconut and fish!

This was followed by The Turks & Caicos Islands in 1979 which was a strategic island for the UK and USA as it lies between America and Cuba. Margaret led roles which developed out of the local needs and circumstances and were as varied as the postings. In 1981, her husband was appointed Governor of the British Virgin Islands but sadly died before he could take up the appointment.

Margaret returned to the UK after 37 years abroad and, despite the culture shock she joined in various activities in Sussex. After moving back to Cambridgeshire in her mid 80s, she worked with her daughter and granddaughter on her book “An Unexpected Journey”. She hopes it will encourage other women to look at their lives and those of their mothers, to have a greater understanding of women’s history and roots, and to consider donating their own papers and photographs to relevant institutions.

Sue Toule gave a vote of thanks for a really interesting evening and a donation to “Riding for the Disabled”.

Our June meeting will be on 26th in All Saints Community Hall, Melbourn when we will hear a talk about “Dogs for Good” which was the charity we supported last year.

44

If you would like to know more about the group please feel free to come along or contact one of the committee members 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

All Saints and Holy Trinity Harvest Supper This year our Harvest Supper will be held on Friday 28th September.

The Women’s Group is happy to arrange this and we are holding a meeting on Tuesday 3rd July at 32 Hale Close Melbourn to discuss arrangements. Please let us know if you wish to attend this meeting or whether you are willing to help on 28th September. Please contact Pat Smith on (01763) 262575 or Angela Leach on (01763) 262793.

Angela Leach

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45

Friends of Holy Trinity www.foht.org.uk AGM, 11th May The Friends reviewed the year’s fund raising activities and re-elected three committee members including the Secretary and Treasurer and agreed to support two resolutions: To approve a contribution of £7,000 towards the renovation of two ground level and two tower rain water pipes and related work  A further £5,000 to support work required by the latest architect’s Quinquennial Inspection report.

This Month’s Event: Sunday 3rd June Open Gardens (see page 12) A chance to visit a selection of gardens in the village plus a plant stall and other attractions in the church and teas in the Meeting Room.

This year we are planning to include gardens from the church towards the station.

Future Events: Sunday 2nd September 14th annual Churchyard Car Show Saturday 20th October “TEU World Tour” by Peter Hesketh A circumnavigation of the world by container ships - positively not a cruise.

Early in 2019 A talk by Andy Malcom of the Fisherman’s Mission.

John Price

Did You Know?

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

46

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

Friday 1st June, 9.00am to 5.00pm French Market, Saffron Walden Common, Essex CB10 1HL The celebrated annual market returns for its 10th anniversary visit. Free.

For further details visit: www.where.canwego.com or call 07977 567726.

Sunday 3rd June, 9.00am to 6.00pm (air display 2.00pm) Fly Navy at Shuttleworth Old Warden Aerodrome, Near Biggleswade, Bedfordshire SG18 9EP A memorable line-up of naval heritage aircraft from the early 1900s to 1960s, plus live music, family activities, food and refreshments. Tickets £24, children 15 and under free. Book online: www.shuttleworth.org.

Sunday 3rd June, 10.00am to 4.00pm Sizzling Sunday Burwash Manor, New Road, Barton, Cambridgeshire CB23 7EY Spend a lazy Sunday helping to celebrate rare breed pigs from the farm pulled pork, BBQ, bar and music. Free entry and parking. Child friendly. For details see: burwashlarder.com or call (01223) 264600.

Wednesdays, 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th June, 11.00am to 12.45pm Wimpole’s Wednesday Walk, Arrington, Cambs, SG8 0BW For the best views, secret places, woodland paths - a different walk each week (2.5 to 4.5 miles). Can be muddy! Free event but normal NT admission for non-members. Meet by stable block just before 11.00am.

Sunday 10th June, 2.30pm to 5.30pm Open Garden Afternoon, Madingley Hall, Madingley CB23 8AQ The Hall’s wonderful gardens are open in association with the National Gardens Scheme. Refreshments available at the Church. Free but donations welcomed. For more information: www.madingleyhall.co.uk.

Saturday 16th June, 8.30am, Men’s Breakfast Meeting Village Hall, Foxton, Cambridgeshire CB22 6RN Edgaras Depsouskas and Shaun Denny from CEMEX will talk about Barrington Pit since cement production ended and how the site is being developed. £7 donation requested. Contact Tony Garrick (01763) 221658; garrick.tony@gmail.com or Mark Howard (01223) 503377; mark-howard@uwclub.net to reserve your place. All are welcome.

48

Sunday 17th June, 1.00pm to 4.00pm Fathers’ Day Jazz in the Garden, presented by Elgood Brewery 72 North Brink, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire PE13 1LW Traditional jazz with Pete Rudeforth’s band. Admission £10 cash on door, under 12s free. Bring chair/blanket/picnic. Tea/coffee and snacks available. Licensed bar. Free car park. Details: davedyer24@gmail.com.

Thursday 21st June, 2.00pm to 4.00pm Wildflower Wander, Wicken Fen, Lode Lane, Wicken CB7 5XP A guided walk on the Sedge Fen with a National Trust ranger, ideal for discovering the many flowers of the Fen. Admission £5.50, including a hot drink. Booking essential. Please call 0344 249 1895.

Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th June, at varying times.

Wimpole History Festival, Arrington, Cambs SG8 0BW Talks, debates, book signings and performances, featuring some of Britain’s best and most engaging historians, plus events for young history lovers, too. For full programme and to book visit: www.wimpolehistoryfestival.com or call box office on (01223) 357851.

Saturday 23rd June, 12.00pm to 5.00pm Melbourn Village Fete, The Moor, Melbourn, Cambridgeshire This year includes vintage, veteran and classic car show, lawn mower racing, mountain bike display team, dog show, children’s entertainment, live music, a bake-off competition and much more. See page 57 or website for further details: www.melbournfete.co.uk.

Tuesday 26th June, 7.45pm ‘Come and Sing’, The Granary, Bury Road, Stapleford CB22 5BP Join Lucy Barlow for a relaxed evening round the piano, singing songs and rounds, popular, folk and classical. Designed to build singing confidence in a large group - no need to be able to read music. Just turn up, have a drink and enjoy the evening: www.stapleford granary.org.uk.

Saturday 30th June, 7.30 pm ‘Serenade to Music’, Royston and District Choral Society Barkway Parish Church, Barkway SG8 8EJ This concert includes ‘A Sprig of Thyme’, a medley of English folk songs arranged by John Rutter. Tickets £12; concessions £9; school students £1. Available on the door, from choir members, online at https://bit.ly/ RCSJun2018 or from Caroline Franks on (01920) 822723.

Compiled by John Crawforth 49

Forthcoming Event: Literary Lunch Tuesday 3rd July The Old Bull Inn High Street, Royston SG8 9AW Buffet lunch from 12.15pm Chat 1.00 to 2.15pm with time for questions Literary Lunch Local entertainer and Home-Start’s Poet in Residence Jude Simpson hosts a chat with Kate Swindlehurst Author of Parkinson’s and the Tango Effect: My Year on the Dance Floor an exploration of the healing power of tango.

Tickets: £15 from (01763) 262262, admin@hsrsc.org.uk or online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/hsrsc. All proceeds in aid of Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire www.hsrsc.org.uk Charity No. 1105385 How do you deal with a diagnosis of Parkinson's? Dancing is probably the last thing on your mind…

Parkinson’s & the Tango Effect is the story of an incredible year in the life of a woman with Parkinson’s. It began with a tango lesson and grew into an exploration of the healing potential of the dance. Quirky, intimate and unashamedly literary, the book takes an unflinching look at the dark side but also at reasons to celebrate. It builds on research on the impact of dance on Parkinson's symptoms and takes it a stage further, with a behind-the-scenes record of private lessons and contributions from tango teachers. It documents the emotional and social benefits of the dance and its impact on the quality of life.

“This book is my story, a story of learning to accept myself as I am but also refusing to be defined by Parkinson’s. It’s about how I found a way of living with illness that is liberating. It’s the story of an extraordinary dance, both exotic and accessible, its history, its music. It’s the story of what happens when the two come together. And it’s the story of a sustaining and enduring friendship.”

Parkinson’s & the Tango Effect challenges our perceptions of disability.

It is essential reading for those with a professional interest in dance and Parkinson's, and for researchers in the field. It's also a book for the ordinary reader, for those living with a chronic condition, and for the tango and Parkinson's communities worldwide.

Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire 50

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

We offer discounted fees for multiple properties, as well as those located in Melbourn and surrounding area.

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51

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52

News From Heidi Allen www.heidisouthcambs.co.uk It’s been another busy month! On Tuesday 10th April 2018, I joined the Prime Minister when she visited Addenbrooke’s Hospital to learn about the pioneering cancer research and treatment work there; she also launched a £75 million nationwide fund to improve research into innovative ways of combating prostate cancer. I am so proud of the hard-working and committed NHS staff and the Prime Minister’s visit showed how important Addenbrooke’s is, not only to us locally, but also at a national level. The Prime Minister was briefed on the hospital’s wish to build a cancer hospital on the campus, to develop a world leading reputation for cancer diagnosis and treatment and also free up valuable space for more general hospital work. The Prime Minister grasped the potential of the proposals and suggested I discuss these in more detail with her special advisor. I’ll keep you posted!

April also saw the Health Minister Lord O’Shaughnessy visit Royal Papworth Hospital. I invited him so he could hear from the worldleading experts there on the innovative work that they undertake.

Papworth are seeking sustainable funding for their DCD (donation after circulatory death) transplant programme, which is essentially the use of hearts which would not traditionally be transplantable.

Lord O’Shaughnessy left impressed and promised to follow up to see what might be possible.

And now for something less welcome! In the last few weeks, a large number of travellers have taken up residence on land on the A505 at Thriplow. Although increased powers are now available to local authorities to deal with unauthorised caravan sites, the Government is reviewing the powers available and looking at what more needs to be done. Unauthorised encampments continue to be an issue locally and I hope that you can spare a few minutes to take part in the consultation: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/powers-for-dealing-withunauthorised-development-and-encampments.

I have also been coordinating efforts with stakeholders, including Whippet, Royal Papworth, Astra Zeneca, Addenbrooke’s, the County Council and Greater Cambridge Partnership, to ensure a viable future for the Whippet X3 service which serves Cambourne, Papworth and the surrounding area.

53

Supporting local communities is an important part of my role in South Cambridgeshire and in the last month, I have attended a number of local events and campaigns, including prize giving at the Cambourne 10k run (thank goodness they didn’t make me do it, I’d be hopeless!) and meeting with residents in Stapleford who are campaigning to see The Tree public house turned into a community asset. If you would like more information about the Stapleford community’s efforts to create a community hub and their crowd funding efforts, please visit their website: http://the treestapleford.co.uk From Sunday 20th May 2018 onwards, Great Northern will operate a new timetable. The timings of all Great Northern trains from every station have been changed with the intention of providing a more reliable service for passengers and increasing capacity. Details of the changes are available here: https://www.railplan2020.com/. Although I am pleased the operator listened to the majority of concerns raised by residents (and the originally proposed time table generated a lot!) there are still services from Royston and Ashwell and Morden which require further attention. I will continue pushing for these amendments and will keep my website updated with progress.

If there is anything you would like to talk to me about, I will be holding my next “drop in” surgery on Saturday 9th June 2018 between 11.30am and 1.30pm at The Plough Public House, St Peters Street, Duxford, CB22 4RP where no appointment will be necessary. Details of all upcoming surgeries can be found on my website: www.heidisouthcambs.co.uk. If you would like to contact me, please email: heidi.allen.mp@parliament.uk You can also phone my Westminster office on 020 7219 5091 about national issues or my constituency office on (01223) 830037 for local concerns. See you next month!

Heidi Allen MP

Joint Parish Prayer Group The Prayer Group will be meeting on Tuesday 19th June at 85 North End, Meldreth. Please join us for a time of quiet meditation and prayer.

All welcome.

Marion Long 54

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55

Planning Matters Parish Council Reference and Address

Detail

Parish Council Recommend

Land to rear of 19-21 Whitecroft Road S/0914/18/RM

Reserved matters application for appearance, landscaping, layout and scale following approved outline consent S/2553/17/OL for the erection of two dwellings and change of use of part field/paddock to ecological amenity land.

Meldreth Planning Committee recommend ‘support’ with comments ‘that the landscaping is carried out and maintained.

70 Whitecroft Road S/0241/18/FL

Proposed demolition of 70 See comments below.

Whitecroft Road and associated outbuildings and the erection of 9 new dwellings, including new access.

Meldreth Planning Committee looked at this application and have given a twopart recommendation. The first part concerns the overall application. It was proposed that the original concerns whereby the Planning Committee recommended ‘refusal’ still stands; this was in regards to application S/1073/16/OL. Statement sent to SCDC in June 2016 stated: Meldreth Parish Council Objects to the erection of nine residential properties and other associated works with comments. 'Loss of land outside the village envelope (local development framework) which may be available in the future for affordable housing for local people. There would be two roads joining Whitecroft Road in close proximity to each other. The Meldreth Parish Plan of 2005 strongly supported the development framework in place at that time. The second part of this recommendation is regarding the ditch. Meldreth Planning Committee recommend ‘Refusal’ with comments. ‘Meldreth Planning Committee cannot support the application as it has been put forward. The current amendment – the maintenance strip as designated by the applicant lies outside of the boundary of the planning application. This is identified as the ‘red 2 metre maintenance strip’, located to the north of the ditch. The blue fenced area as indicated on the plan to the south of the ditch could appear to prevent access to the water course by future residents therefore raising the question of riparian ownership. In addition, the water course to the north east of the site has no designated maintenance strip or ecological area therefore Meldreth Planning Committee are very concerned with regards to future maintenance and access based on historical evidence’.

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

56

SCDC Decisions There were no decisions.

Meldreth Parish Council Editor’s Note: Full details of all planning applications may be viewed at this website: http://plan.scambs.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/wphappcriteria.display

Melbourn Fete www.melbournfete.co.uk

Saturday 23rd June 12.00—5.00pm  Display of vintage, veteran and classic vehicles including cars,

motorbikes, bicycles and farm machinery  Lawn mower racing  Champion Mountain Bike Team display  Live animal handling - including snakes and a gecko  Magician  Royston Town Band  Activities including archery, fairground, crazy golf, inflatables,

Zorbs  Ceroc dancing, tug-o-war, egg throwing competition  Dog show  Bake-off competition  Local produce, refreshments  And much more!

We are ready for an amazing day. Remember, all profits made go to good causes, charities and activities in Melbourn. Please visit our website for more information and competition details.

Trevor Purnell 57

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 Councillor District Council Offices

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

Councils & Govt.

Clubs & Societies

Facilities

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

Childn.

Village Directory

County Councillor County Council Offices MP

58

Transport Health Support Services Emergencies NonEmerg.

Misc.

Station Ticket Office

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

Rail User Group

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

Govia/Great Northern

www.thameslinkrailway.com

The Trainline Stagecoach Potholes, Highways problems, etc.

Streetlights (faulty)

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

Melbourn Surgery Addenbrooke’s NHS

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

Childline

Community Transport Home-Start Mind (mental health) Samaritans

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

General Emergency Gas Electricity Anglian Water Cambridge Water

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

Crimestoppers

S Cambs Fire & Rescue

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

Melbourn Hub

(01763) 263303; www.melbournhub.com

Royston Museum

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

Citizens Advice Bureau

Police

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

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

59

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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.

A10 Timber .....................................32 Abode Town & Country ...........Cover Affordable Plumbing .......................32 AngliEAR Hearing ....................Cover Art of Clean ....................................51 Art of Clean Wood ..........................32 Aurora Meldreth Manor (Job) .........55 B2B Automotive ..............................52 Benjamin and Fredericks ...........Cover Cambourne Self Storage ..................32 Cambridge Solar .............................55 Cambridge Sunblinds ......................52 CHS Day Centre .............................29 CHS Group ...............................Cover Coton Electrical ..............................25 The Country Store ............................9 Ely Design Group ............................45 Eternit Sports and Social Club ..........25 Four Counties Tree Services ............32 Gilhooly .........................................25 iDNET internet ...............................38 iPlaster ..........................................47 Lawn Partners .................................20

The Letting Centre ...........................51 Little Hands Nursery School ............51 Meadowsweet Gardens ....................47 Melbourn Flooring ...........................20 Melbourn Village College (1) ............38 Melbourn Village College (2) ............13 Meldreth Landscapes .......................45 Meldreth Plant Hire ........................13 Michael Easton Personal Trainer ......38 Moncraft Computers ........................20 Nancy Foster Footcare .....................47 Newlings of Royston Funeral Service 6 Nigel Wigg Home Improvement ........9 Reflections Hair Studio .....................6 Richard Burns Electrician ...................9 Rod’s PC Support .............................13 Royston Fencing ...............................6 Slimming World ...............................47 Spice Hut Indian Takeaway ..............51 Summit Landscapes ............................6 Village Garden Services ....................38 Walkers Partnership Solicitors ............9 Wedding Stationery ...........................20 60

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