Meldreth Matters, May 2020

May 2020

In this issue ‌ Coronavirus Information Meldreth Primary School is 110!

Things to Do During Lockdown

G I L H O O LY

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Contents For COVID-19 Information and Advice See back cover and pages 27-34 27 28-31 32 32 33 34 34

Meldreth Coronavirus Support Network Update How Our Villages Are Supported Royston & District Community Transport Reporting Breaches of Coronavirus Restrictions More Coronavirus Scams NHS, Countryside Hub and Meldreth Volunteers Free School Meals

Children & Education 1st Melbourn Guides 16-17 Meldreth Manor 14-15 Online Resources 20-21 Primary School 11-12 Rail Partnership Comps 24-26 Shepreth Spitfires 18-19 Things to Do with Children 22-23

Online Events and Activities HSRSC Giving Tuesdays 52 Resources for children 20-21 Things to Do 43-44 Things to Do with Children 22-23 Village Groups Friends of Holy Trinity 40 Local History Group 9 Women’s Group 40

Local/National Government Local Councillors 50-51 Parish Council 46-49, 51

Gardens & Nature Gardening 38-39 Spotted Flycatchers 37

Advice/Information Advertisers’ Index 60 Charities 54-55, 57 Home-Start 52-53 Mobile Warden Scheme 53 Neighbourhood Watch 33 Refuse Collections 3 Village Directory 58-59

Miscellaneous Church Fete 40 Meldreth School is 110 6-9 Meldreth Matters Delivery 5 Things to Do 43-44

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

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

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

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Editorial Welcome to the May issue of Meldreth Matters.

I had hoped that we might be coming out of lockdown by the time this issue of MM went to press but unfortunately the present situation looks set to continue for some time yet. Despite this, we have a lot to be thankful for.

We are very lucky to live in such a lovely, well-served village and to have so many great places nearby. I’m fortunate that I am able to go out every day for permitted exercise. In the last few weeks, I have covered all ten miles of the village’s footpaths, walked to all of the surrounding villages and cycled even further afield. Like many others, I am enjoying the quieter roads and almost without exception, everyone I have met along the way has observed the social distancing rules.

One of the positive aspects of the pandemic is the amazing community spirit that we have experienced; not only in Meldreth but in surrounding villages as well. Susan van de Ven and Philippa Hart are to be congratulated on how quickly they managed to form the Meldreth Coronavirus Community Support scheme. There are more details of the scheme and related COVID-19 information on the back cover and on pages 27-34 of this issue.

If you have internet access, we have plenty of suggestions for things to do during lockdown. See the Online Events and Activities section in the Contents on page 1 for details. In addition, The Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Community Rail Partnership has launched a trio of competitions, covering gardening, writing and art. See pages 24-26 for full details.

Finally, remember: Stay at Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives.

Kathryn

This Month’s Cover Picture: Meldreth Primary School’s Year 6. Their last day of primary school turned out to be much earlier than they expected. For the full story, see pages 11-12.

Photograph by Andrew Jones.

Refuse Collections in May Black bins: 13th*, 27th* Blue bins: 5th, 19th

* late collections due to public holidays

Please note that green bin collections have been suspended until further notice.

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

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Meldreth Matters Delivery In unprecedented circumstances, rather than give MM an online only presence, the team has decided that, for as long as possible, production and delivery of the magazine should go ahead as usual. This decision has been based on several factors.

A great deal of vital information about COVID-19 has been collated and included in the April and May issues. As well as highlighting the Coronavirus Support Network in the village this information is particularly useful for those without internet access. For these people MM may be a particularly welcome link with the village.

In both March and April I contacted all of our deliverers individually and asked if they were willing to deliver; there was no pressure and certainly no hard feelings if not! Understandably, there are a few people who are unable to deliver the magazines during the pandemic but the vast majority readily agreed to continue; some offering to do extra deliveries if needed. Members of the MM team have also stepped in to cover rounds. Deliveries have been made as part of their permitted exercise and I am enormously grateful to all of them.

We feel that in these somewhat unusual times, the usual delivery of the magazine to every door in the village will provide a degree of normality for all of us and I was touched and delighted when delivering the April magazine, by a lady to took the trouble to open her door in Bell Close and call out ‘thank you’ as I made my way to the next property.

We hope you enjoy reading Meldreth Matters, that you find it useful, and that we can continue to bring it to you every month. If you get two copies instead of one, or don’t get one at all(!), we are really sorry but some of us are delivering in areas that we are not familiar with so please bear with us.

Finally, I would like to add my grateful thanks to Richard Burns who drove to Linton to collect the magazines as the printers were unable to deliver them as usual. Also, to Bill Peters who very recently took over the distribution of the magazine from Ken McLean. I am sure you will appreciate that this has been a particularly challenging time for him.

He has experienced nothing short of a baptism of fire and survived it extremely well, so our grateful thanks to you Bill.

Lesley Farbridge Meldreth Matters Chairman 5

Meldreth School is 110 Since we are now closed for normal business, we were sadly unable to engage in the school’s 110th birthday celebrations as advertised in the last issue of MM. No great parade; no dressing up in Edwardian costumes; no open event for the village. However, from the splendid isolation of their homes, children in Kestrel class have imagined Meldreth School, possibly taken in 1910 what that first day, on 4th April 1910 might have been like!

The Day the New School in Meldreth Opened April 4th 1910 The cockerel crowed, a new day had begun and a day that we would all remember, a day that we would look back on time and time again, the day that we started school.

I sat up and stretched, brushed the hair out of my eyes, pulled a jumper over my head and padded softly downstairs. I grabbed my big tin bucket and keys and went to collect water from the pump so I could have a wash on this special day. After washing, I scoffed down two whole oatcakes, wiped the crumbs off my mouth and packed up my books ready to set off for school. After giving my mother and father a kiss goodbye I set off for school down the dusty lane and into the muddy high street. As I went, I saw Arthur tramping down through the school gates wearing clothes that were caked in mud! I will tell his mother about that after school.

As I slowly walked through the shining gates I saw many others chatting amongst themselves but all fell silent as the headmaster Mr Aldridge emerged from the schoolmasters house wearing a black suit with a white shirt underneath. He asked us to line up one line boys and one line girls for inspection. Everyone passed easily except for Arthur, he got a rap on the knuckles for disrespect and his mother would definitely whip him when he got back home. As the little ones were led away by Mrs Stern we were led into standard 1 by our teacher 6

quivering in fear. We stood by our desks that had inkwells built into them with calligraphy pens and pencils neatly lined up next to each other. He made each of us try to read a paragraph out of the bible to see if we COULD read, and those that couldn't were sent down to Mrs Stern so she could teach them. Then he asked us to sit with the girls at the front and boys at the back, the classroom had high windows so we couldn’t see out and if any of us even glanced at the door the dunce hat would be on their head and they would be standing in the corner facing the wall.

Our first lesson was English and if we could write neatly then we would be allowed to use the calligraphy pens but if we splodged the ink we would get in big trouble. Mr Aldridge wrote on the blackboard with the chalk clicking noisily. After that tiring lesson we were dismissed for lunch and warned that if we were late we would have three strokes on the back of the legs. I had a ripe apple from the orchard and a ham and lettuce sandwich made from Percy the pig and the lettuces from our garden.

Then we all slowly trudged in and sat at our desks for the second to last lesson of the day Arithmetic. Mr Aldridge made us repeat the same times tables over and over and over again till the end of the lesson and when we were out of time we all had a stroke on our knuckles.

Then we were split up into boys and girls and I had to endure a whole hour of needlework which I could already do while the boys got to go and learn gardening and farming skills (unfair).

Finally when we were dismissed we all ran full speed out down the High Street safe from Mr Aldridge’s sharp whip and quick temper.

Charlotte Doddimeade Monday 4th April Dear Diary, I am one of the lucky children who started at Meldreth School when it opened for the first time today. There was a thick frost on the ground when I went out to feed the chickens in the morning. I said goodbye to my little sister, Alice, at ten past eight as I left my house on Whitecroft Road and headed towards High Street to join the other fifty-four children starting at the school today. Some of them I knew, like Gerald Oldclock and John Jacklin who I had played with every once in a while.

Continued ….

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I had butterflies in my stomach and my new collar was making my neck itch. On the way I met some familiar faces, there were friends like Gerald and John and some people who I would prefer to avoid like Percy Farnham, as I wasn’t particularly in his good books.

We arrived at the school and saw the headmaster. He was wearing a long black suit; I was nervous because I didn’t know if he and other teachers would be really strict. I was also really excited; my generation was going to be a much smarter generation. He bellowed and ordered us to line up in two rows, one for girls and one for boys. We were marched into the hall and I felt sick, if I got into trouble, I knew I would be punished.

Older children had told me that the teachers used the cane if you were naughty.

We stood in a big hall and the headmaster, whose name was Mr Aldridge told us what to do and who our teacher was. My friends and I were all in Miss Meldreth School, 1912 Huggins class. He also told us what would happen if we disobeyed an adult. He swished his cane in the air as he told us the punishments were three strikes of the cane for not listening, five for fighting and three for not following the rules.

The younger boys and girls followed Miss Huggins to our schoolroom, and she told us where to sit. I felt really important as I was shown my very own desk. Our first lesson was arithmetic, and we had to recite the two times table after Miss. No-one wanted to get it wrong and be sent to Mr Aldridge. One of the little boys was so scared to do anything wrong that he didn’t ask to use the toilet and wet himself.

Miss was not happy, but she was quite kind to him. She told him to go home and change and to be back quickly, he was back ten minutes later looking sad and embarrassed. When we went out to break and I saw Percy and ran hid behind the tree just in the nick of time. He was looking about everywhere, it seemed as if he was looking for me. He’s built like a tank and isn’t afraid of anything, so he wouldn’t mind the punishment, but I would dread it, and both of us knew that. Soon it was time to go back inside, I couldn’t believe I’d escaped the terror of Percy. It was time for Geography so Mr Aldridge came in and I 8

couldn’t believe how scary he looked with his cane and stern face. Up until then I hadn’t realised that Percy was in my class because I was too busy examining my private place called a ‘home place.’ When it was lunch time, I rushed home and told mum how I didn’t want to go back this afternoon but she made me, as soon as I was at home for the two hour lunch break I felt as if I could relax. I bent my collar down and felt as if I was in heaven. As I was walking back, I saw Percy Farnham from the corner of my eye and started running. It was time for the three Rs, first was reading and I needed a lot of help getting the words but it was my first time so I didn’t feel that ashamed, then it was writing which I was fine with but I hated the noise of the pencils scraping on the slates.

School’s not that bad, but I need to be on my best behaviour when Mr Aldridge is around, as I don’t want the cane.

Henry Helme

Meldreth Local History Group www.meldrethhistory.org.uk New Website Joan and Tim Gane and I have had several hours of remote training on our new website via Skype. We are now in the process of checking the site and preparing it for launch. In the meantime, our old site is still live, although it has been “frozen” so we can no longer accept new pages or comments on it.

Village Footpaths If you are going out for your permitted exercise each day and walking around the village, why not see if you can walk along all of the village’s public footpaths?

There are approximately ten miles of footpaths in the village.

For a downloadable map and a short description of each walk, please see our website: http://www.meldrethhistory.org.uk/ page_id__162_path__0p21p.aspx

Kathryn Betts MLHG Webmaster 9

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Meldreth Primary School www.meldreth.cambs.sch.uk There is no doubt that the Spring term of 2020 will be far more remembered for the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic than it will for being the 110th anniversary of the opening of the primary school in Meldreth [see pages 6-9]. In January our daily classroom viewing of Newsround had initially alerted children to the fact that there was a new bug in town. However, the extraordinary scenes of lockdown and hospitals in Wuhan being built in nine days seemed too far-fetched for us to envisage such things becoming a part of our own daily lives. How wrong we were.

After the half-term break, as cases of the virus started to appear in the UK, we started getting daily updates about changes to practice in school. There seemed to be more handwashing than maths in school; all our supplies of hand gel evaporated within a week and every visit to the toilet became a celebration as children sang Happy Birthday with each visit to monitor the length of their wash! Events started to be cancelled; sporting events, our 110th anniversary Edwardian day, the end of term production of Oliver were all pulled, followed even by school assemblies as we tried to minimise crowds within school – a difficult proposition to say the least in a busy classroom. As we entered March, a number of parents had elected to keep their children at home to reduce infection risk to selves and loved ones, yet a kind of normality still struggled to prevail within our four walls as lessons continued.

When staff who were considered to be at a higher risk or with underlying conditions that increased their own risk of contracting the virus were advised to self-isolate, we started to find ourselves short of staff to maintain the school day as we normally would. Then suddenly, on Wednesday 18th March, we were instructed to prepare for school closure in two days time. The common understanding was that schools would now be closed until September.

By now there was a palpable feeling of finality, of the rug being whipped from under our feet as children were issued with exercise books, reading books by the armful and, where necessary, additional learning resources to prepare for a new enterprise ‌ Home Learning!

My heart pounded sorrowfully for our oldest children in Year 6. With their teacher Miss Hill, already in isolation, they faced what they suddenly became aware was likely to be their final day of primary school, inexplicably brought forward to March! No SATS to take, 11

despite months of hard work and preparation; no summer term residential week in the Isle of Wight, no end of year production and no valedictory celebration assembly and party … 20th March was time to say goodbye, after seven years of learning together at Meldreth Primary School.

Needless to say there were tears and questions a-plenty, a wringing of hands and numerous elbow pops (no hugs or hifives allowed in the age of social distancing!) Our ‘leavers’ pulled off their school sweatshirts and armed with Sharpie pens and a determination to make the most of their final day, they spent much of the day collecting colourful signatures and messages on their white polo shirts – a self-made trophy with which to crystalize seven years of memories; a painful day for all. [See the above photograph and the one on the front cover of this issue.]

And then the school was closed.

Well, almost closed! For a small number of children, predominantly those of key workers, we continue to open our doors daily, though the numbers are VERY small! Meanwhile we continue to plan daily lessons for all our children, using a plethora of modern technology to maintain close contact with our classes, including Google classroom for our older children, which enables us to stay in continuous contact with individuals throughout the school day. We have been overwhelmed by the enthusiastic and supportive contact we’ve had from children and their parents, who send work, photographs, comments and questions all day every day (and night). We post lessons and some of the fruits of the children’s labours daily on our class website pages and refine and modify our practice as we become more used to this way of working.

At the time of writing there seems to be absolutely no short term end to isolation, home learning or indeed the pandemic itself, so it may well transpire that the school will continue to be closed for the majority of our community for some time yet. In the meantime, allow me to use these pages to send all of our very, very warmest wishes to all our children and parents. We miss you all so much!

Andrew Jones Deputy Headteacher 12

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Meldreth Manor School In these strange times the normality for our children and young people that our care and teaching staff have been able to preserve is amazing and testament to their unrelenting commitment to creating the very best outcomes, with keeping everyone safe being paramount.

So what is our ‘new normal’? From a social distance all may appear to be business as usual.

This is a significant achievement as it is really important that everything is calm and positive for our children and young people. It is essential that we protect our children and young people from the COVID-19 pandemic, but also from the fears and anxieties that have become a part of our lives at this time. Being a 24/7 52 week provision Meldreth Manor and Orchard Manor remains open and fully operational, but obviously we have made some adjustments and reconfiguration to how we work in order to minimise risk for everyone.

Social distancing is very tricky in our context, as intimate personal care is an essential aspect of the support we provide. Shared facilities we have are not being used, staff are only working in specific areas of the services rather than across the whole service, residents are remaining within their flats unless coming outside for exercise and outdoor learning. Classes have been reconfigured so that the children and young people now learn with their peers that they live with, and teaching staff are going into the flats to deliver learning there and thus minimising social cross over.

Teaching staff have made the most of the good weather by creating outdoor classrooms. In the main our children and young people are only accessing our grounds, but there are some instances when it is essential for our children and young people to go off site.

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It is all the more important that we keep positive and bring joy to our children and young people’s lives.

Our children enjoyed a fabulous Easter Egg hunt in the school grounds.

Music and being outside have been particularly important to us recently. Our grounds at this time are all the more valuable and essential to our well-being, but our further development of the grounds is hindered by the challenges of accessing materials and resources in the current context.

At the fore of this work to keep everyone safe has to be those that all too often are not acknowledged, these include our housekeeping and catering staff who also continue to come to work every day to provide for our children and young people.

The refurbishment of our hydrotherapy pool and other improvements have been suspended due to current restrictions. Obviously our building and facilities still need to be operating at optimum. Our maintenance team are working relentlessly, but are struggling as we currently cannot access any building supplies.

We are grateful to all our delivery drivers and suppliers who are ensuring that we are able to continue to provide the very best care and learning for our children and young people in these challenging times.

The most significant change has to be that our families are not able to visit their children and young people. You will appreciate that this has been a very challenging aspect of our current context. For those that can access and communicate via social media this has helped, but for many of our children and young people this is not possible. Thank you to all our parents, families and commissioning local authorities for protecting us by not visiting, and therefore helping us to keep our very vulnerable children and young people safe.

I am immensely proud of my colleagues here at Meldreth and Orchard Manor. Please think of them when you #clapforcarers.

Nadine McFadden Head of Education Meldreth Manor School nadine.mcfadden@the-aurora-group.com 15

1st Melbourn Guides From skills builders to shipwreck; it’s been a term of two halves for the Guides.

In January, February and early March BC (before COVID-19), we enjoyed a varied Guide programme including swimming at Royston pool, and celebrating Chinese New Year with dance, craft, Mandarin lessons and some home-made dumplings.

On another evening, the girls learnt practical skills with a challenge to make a two storey dolls house from a shoebox, complete with wallpaper and miniature furniture.

Twelve of our girls joined one thousand others from across Cambridgeshire at a Girlguiding STEM day (science, technology, engineering and maths) at Ely college. There they enjoyed maths games, science experiments, and a Lego bridge building competition.

The following Saturday, we ran Coffee Stop and had a cake stall which raised £50 for Shepreth hedgehog hospital.

For Thinking Day, we made cards about ourselves and sent them to Guides in Yorkshire and Birmingham.

After half term we started on the Skills Builder ‘Innovate’ badge; baking biscuits without a recipe, and inventing tools using pipe cleaners, straws and clothes pegs.

Then a mystery virus struck the cruise ship on which the Guides were holidaying with their families! They then had to steal a life raft (make a paper boat) and escape to a remote island.

Every day they have had a new challenge; first to build a shelter, then light a fire, hunt, forage, and fish, explore, and grow vegetables. Now settled in to their isolated new environment, they are finding things to keep busy, including make toys, doing Guide badges, and keeping fit.

If you would like to know more about joining our waiting list or becoming a leader, or if you have any skills, charities or interests which you would like to share with us, please contact me on: (01763) 261443 or email melbournguides@gmail.com Hilary Marsh 16

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Shepreth Spitfires Football Club www.sheprethspitfires.co.uk It is lovely to be writing today for the magazine, in these very exceptional circumstances. Everyone at the club really wishes all of the readers and their friends and families the very best of health!

During these past weeks the young Spitfires, some of whom are at home and others who are at school, have certainly been showing their creative side. Many have drawn beautiful rainbows for their windows, some have made and painted lovely plaster animals and other children have made thank you signs for key workers; some have even decorated their bins with thank you posters for the people who collect the bins.

Poster for bin collectors

Further to this artistic flair, the children have also been practising their football skills. And how do we know all of this? By the wonder of our closed Shepreth Spitfire Facebook page!

The parents have been uploading many photographs and videos of cross bar challenges, keepy ups and free kick spectaculars and they have really kept the children in touch with their team mates and coaches, which is wonderful. We are also getting to see the children playing their other sports; one of our under 8s is an exceptionally good baseball player!

In the videos, it is fantastic to see on Baseball Player the faces of the children the same sense of achievement and the shouts of 'yes' and the celebrations that we are so used to seeing on a Saturday and Sunday at The Eternit Sports and Social Club and at Shepreth Recreation Ground.

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Sadly we know that the season will not be finished now. However, the children, especially the older Spitfires, know that this means that it is presentation time (as soon as it is safe enough for them all to be allowed out to meet again). So the children have been voting for their players’ players. Parents have also been voting and coaches have been labelling up trophies which were bought a few months ago. Our much looked forward to presentation will be held at The Eternit Sports and Social Club; we would like to thank them very much for hosting us again this year.

So, even in these somewhat worrying times, there are lots of ways for the Shepreth Spitfires to keep in touch, challenges for them to do, people for them to pay a beautiful colourful thanks to, and lots to look forward to, which is lovely and promising for the future.

If you would like to join us in Weak Foot Shooting the future, please do get in touch ready for next season. You can join the Shepreth Spitfires from 3 - 11 years old. We are a low cost club, ÂŁ50 per season, and further financial help can also be provided.

Take good care everyone. And if you have any questions feel free to telephone Sean on 07510 175370 or contact Lucy at lucy_smith_9@yahoo.co.uk or use our web page at www.SheprethSpitfires.co.uk.

Lucy Smith

Meldreth Matters is Online To view this or past issues, follow us on: issuu.com/meldrethmatters 19

Online Resources for Children to Help While You Stay at Home Exercise PE with Joe Wicks every weekday morning on www.youtube.com at 9.00am. Raises money for the NHS. Fitness experts have devised programmes for children eg Sports and Activities, 10minute Shake-Up, change4life on www.nhs.uk.

Love Animals?

Zoos, including Chester and Edinburgh, have live cameras in the zoo throughout the day.

London Zoo has lots of information and worksheets for different ages to help with home schooling. www.zsl.org. www.activewild.com has information and activities to do with animals.

Watch videos of sharks, jellyfish (very relaxing!), penguins and sea Otters: www.heartbeat-tmp.montereybayaquarium.org.

The Wildlife Trusts: lots of activities (make a birdfeeder, build a hedgehog home, etc, plus live webcams and more: www.wildlifetrusts.org/looking-after-yourself-and-nature

Computer Programming Fun and free basic programming on www.blockly.games.

History Free learning resources for ages 3 to 16. Information and ideas for home schooling. www.britishmuseum.org.

Science Games, apps and activities on www.sciencemuseum.org.uk.

Join COSMOS and have access to lots of hands-on activities to do at home e.g. create your own fake blood. www.cambridgesciencecentre.org. Free.

Sign up for low cost eight hour projects (ÂŁ1 per child for Primary school children) for ages 5 - 7, 7 - 11. More advanced projects for older children up to age 16. www.crestawards.org.

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Stories Stories free to stream on www.stories.audible.com.

Languages Learn a new language (lots to choose from) at www.rosettastone.co.uk.

Maths and English Worksheets and activities for ages 5 - 9. www.home-oxfordowl.co.uk.

Carol Vorderman’s maths programme at www.themathsfactor.com.

Free activities for ages 4 - 12.

Find out about the World Colourful pictures, videos, facts and quizzes about a variety of topics at www.dkfindout.com.

For older children try www.bighistoryproject.com to discover the story of the universe. Information, videos and quizzes.

Find out about different countries, flags, capital cities etc. www.world-geography-games.com.

Competitions, games, information and worksheets at www.natgeokids.com.

Take an interactive mobile tour of the Space Center, Houston at www.spacecenter.org.

Educational Videos Videos for all ages - and adults - on www.ed.ted.com. Examples are How do you build a tunnel underwater? Viking Ships and The Wicked Wit of Jane Austen.

Videos on a wide range of topics at www.thekidsshouldseethis.com. www.thecrashcourse.com - videos on many subjects.

For younger children www.m.youtube.com/user/crashcoursekids.

Help with GCSE and A Level work Try www.senecalearning.com.

Coming soon Fitzvirtual: Look, Think, Do - activities to help home learning from the Fitzwilliam Museum on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk Compiled by Hilary; thanks to Julie Draper for her input 21

Things You Can Do With Your Children at Home Make Your Own Play Dough Find an airtight container to store your dough (an ice cream tub is ideal). You need 1 cup flour 1/2 cup salt 1 tablespoon cooking oil 1 teaspoon cream of tartar Food colouring Put all the ingredients into a pan and stir over gentle heat until the dough becomes thick and comes away from the sides of the pan. Scrape out onto a board and use while still slightly warm if you can - it feels wonderfully squidgy and soft.

If you don’t have dough cutters etc. use cookie cutters, bottle tops and use a plastic bottle as a rolling pin.

The dough keeps well for several weeks in an airtight container.

Make 3D shapes You will need some cocktail sticks or similar (spaghetti?), some soft sweets such as small marshmallows - or raisins or play dough.

Can you make a cube?

A pyramid?

A tall tower?

What other shapes can you make?

Try Some Lego Challenges Make a parachute for a Lego figure. You might use string, sewing cotton, some thin fabric (ask a grown up before you cut this!). Try dropping the figure from a height (you might need a grown up to help here). Does the parachute slow the figure’s fall?

Does a Lego figure float or sink? Try it in a bowl of water.

If it floats, can you think of a way to make it sink?

Make a Lego boat that floats.

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Make a zip line for a Lego figure. Ask a grown up to help you attach the line to a high point. Think about how to attach the figure to the line so that it slides easily down.

Make a Marble Run You might use kitchen roll tubes or wrapping paper tubes. Think where would be a good place to make the run and how you will attach the tubes to it. You might think of using a bannister or bookcase. A grown up will advise on this. Think what will happen to the marble when it gets to the bottom of the run - will you need something to catch it in?

Make a Bubble Picture Cut a rough circle of bubble wrap - about 20cm across. Carefully paint the bubbles in the middle of the circle (about 15cm across) then dab the painty side lightly on a piece of paper. Try to hold the clean bit of the bubble wrap. You could make a design - a giant flower or a caterpillar or you could make wrapping paper.

If you want to change colours, wash the circle well and leave to dry then re-paint - or cut another circle to paint.

Target Practice You will need a bucket and a bean bag or foam ball.

Put an empty bucket on the ground (indoors or outside). Stand fairly near and throw the bag/ball into the bucket. Each time you get the bag/ ball into the bucket, take one step back and try again. See how far away from the bucket you can go. Keep practising - you will get better!

Make a paper aeroplane. There are lots of instructions online to help you. Have a competition with someone in your family to see whose aeroplane will go the furthest.

Make a target board out of a big piece of cardboard. Cut two or three large holes in the board. See if you can fly your plane through the holes. Give each hole a different score. What is your top score?

Compiled by Hilary Crawforth Editor’s Note: For some fantastic nature-related things to make and do, see the Wildlife Trust website’s list of activities: https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/looking-after-yourself-and-nature 23

Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Community Rail Partnership Stay Safe – Stay Home Lockdown/Burst-Out Gardening, Writing and Art Competitions Plant a seed! Look to the future While station gardening activities have also been postponed, we would very much welcome any flowers or herbs you can grow for us at home.

We’ll need to replant our station tubs after lockdown is lifted and hope to have some specially creative displays this year. Anything goes!

After lockdown, we will put our station gardens back in order with gardeners’ tea party.

Please contact us to let us know what you’ve planted, and when you expect your seedling to appear. Keep a record of all the steps you’ve taken, the materials you’ve used, the results you expect and the results you get!

Write to us and tell us your name, what you’ve planted, when, where you’re keeping it and how you’re caring for it, and when you expect to see green shoots. All ages welcome! Email railusergroup@gmail.com Prizes!

All entrants will receive packets of wildflower seeds to grow at home or at school.

Writing Competition Through recent adventures with our Junior Travel Ambassadors, Melbourn Village College Young Carers and new Cambridge-bound Sixth Formers, we know that many children and young people will have some good stories to tell about travelling by train.

Choose one topic for our writing competition: 

My first journey by train – where, when and why?

What surprised you? What did you like best and worst about your local station? Who did you meet on the train?



I’m in charge!

You’re in charge of our train company. Set out your plan and describe the new service: What will it be called? Where will it 24

run? How many carriages, and what will each carriage be designed to hold? Who gets the discounts? Will there be food?

What changes will you need to make at your local station? 

Great Escape You have four days on the run to get to as faraway a destination as possible. Travelling by a combination of train, boat and bicycle, where would you go and what would you do when you get there? Write a trip diary.



Brighton Day Tripper You’re off to Brighton for the day, with a mission to visit five city destinations during your stay. Write a trip guide, to include three of Brighton’s well-known destinations but also two less-known delights. You may leave as early as you like and return as late as you dare.



Invisible, on a mystery tour You set off after breakfast, at your local station, to a destination unknown until the day before departure. An Invisibility Cloak has been dispatched to you from King’s Cross Platform 9 ¾. And so, you have the opportunity to observe unnoticed any aspect of the train as it moves along – you could sit in First Class, for example.

Or next to the driver. Upon destination, you will be required to visit a pub, a park and a gift shop, with task of bringing back evidence that you’ve successfully completed this tour. You must figure out the timetable to get back to home base before the last train has gone. Write a diary of your day!

Art Competition Produce an image inspired by the following:  A trip you’ve taken  A place you love  A person you’re keeping in touch with during lockdown Use any of the following means to create your image: 

Electronic art – use a phone, tablet or computer



Pencil – black and white only



Paint of any kind



Collage – fabric pieces, recycling bits, items from your garden 25

Continued ...

Writing and Art Competitions – stuff you need to know: Two categories:¡ aged 10 and under; aged 11-17.

Deadline: 31st May, up until midnight.

Prizes! 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes: Family group off-peak return tickets for days out on the Great Norther, Southern and Thameslink services (up to 2 adults and 3 children up to age 14) Tea in London with the head of our train company Send your entries electronically (Word or PDF if possible for writing; a picture or scan for art) to railusergroup@gmail.com. Include your name, age, address and contact details. This information will be used to contact you about the results only, and then destroyed.

Entries to be judged by a special panel to include: Bern Parsons, Meldreth Ticket Office Manager Rebecca Willers, Shepreth Wildlife Park The Davis family, The Plough Shepreth Winning entries will be posted on our website, www.meldrethsheprethfoxtonrail.org.uk and on the national Govia Thameslink website.

Thank you!

Susan van de Ven and Sarah Grove Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Community Rail Partnership Susanvandeven5@gmail.com, sarah.grove.msfcrp@gmail.com

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Meldreth Coronavirus Community Support (MCCS) Update Helping You Help is available. By now, you should have received a flyer with the name and contact details of your local volunteer. Otherwise, please get in touch through your Zone Leader – see below.

Prescrip ons: We can collect your regular prescrip ons and deliver to your door.

Telephone Nick Garner on 07968 568599.

Food: Please use the locally available delivery services where possible. We can help with addi onal essen al shopping.

Food Bank: Supplemen ng the Bri sh Queen’s ‘Honesty Box’, we have a food and supplies bank focusing on toiletries, sanitary products and non-perishable groceries.

Ini ally it will be open on Tuesdays from 10.00am to midday and Thursdays from 2.00pm-4.00pm. To contribute or access, please Tel Anne Bobeckyj, 07592 355279.

Emergency Supplies Fund: If you are unable to get hold of urgently needed supplies, please contact your local volunteer via your Zone Leader (listed below).

Sharing informa on: For the latest news see h ps://www.meldreth-pc.org.uk/ or h ps://www.facebook.com/groups/MeldrethCoronavirusCommunitySupport/.

Raising Money: We are fundraising ini ally for an Emergency Supplies Fund, to cover any gaps in essen al daily needs unaccounted for by other agencies. Search for ‘MCCS’ on h p://www.justgiving.com, or see h ps://www.justgiving.com/ campaign/MeldrethCoronavirusCommunitySupportGroup Zone Leaders: For a friendly chat, to find out what help is available, how you can help or to tell us your ideas, please call:  Kneesworth Rd, West Way, Burtons & Fenny Lane: Anna Holness, 07793312137  Elin Way and Howard Road Zone: Andrea Cook, 07931 230012  Whitecro Road, Chiswick End, Oakrits, Melrose: John Crawforth, 07595 627684  High Street, Flambards, The Grange, Woolpack, Sta on Yd & Rd: Helen Munday 07712 555598  Bell Close and Gables Close: Cathy Walston, 07757 086380  North End, Brewery Lane, Malton Lane, Cam Farm: Bev Co rell, 07773 592838 & Ian Mitchell, 07726 936635 Thank you to all our volunteers, and for all friendship and support in the community.

Philippa Hart and Susan van de Ven Philippa: 07811 323571, Susan: 07905 325574 Stay home, stay well, stay safe 27

COVID-19 Crisis: How Our Villages Are Supported Sharing Good Prac ce – Village Networks Every village in South Cambridgeshire – that’s over 100 villages – now has its own local support network, each with par cular features and ideas. There has been much sharing of good prac ce on prescrip ons collec ons, village communica on, emergency financial support for residents in need, local food bank need, and social and prac cal support. The bigger the village the more ac vity.

What about ‘NHS Volunteers’ and ‘Cambridgeshire Community Hub Volunteers’?

Both organisa ons put out early calls for volunteers; at the me of wri ng, the overwhelming response is being processed and organised. Needless to say it is the inten on for all these networks to work efficiently and not duplicate, and for the NHS and County Council respec vely to deploy people with appropriate skills to health and social care oriented roles. [See page 34 for more informa on.]

Here is a sketch of village networks in our area, and what they do: Melbourn Coronavirus Community Response Team: Tel (01763) 263303 Op on 1 mebank@melbournparishcouncil.co.uk and melhub19@gmail.com.

Melbourn incorporates resources provided by the Melbourn Timebank and Melbourn Hub. Its network is coordinated by the Timebank Coordinator with the District Councillor, Parish Council Chair and Hub Director working as a team. A large network of volunteers provide support on a neighbourhood level. The Parish Council-funded Timebank has spent the past year or so establishing itself and is now in an ideal posi on to serve community needs. The Melbourn Hub serves as a call centre, and the Timebank's 'Melbourn and Meldreth' Facebook page provides an informa on sharing pla orm. Melbourn Parish Council convened remotely to authorize the use of 'Sec on 137' monies to underwrite a £2.5K fund to provide loan-based assistance for any resident unable to purchase needed prescrip ons and provisions; the parish council also successfully applied for an addi onal £5K grant from South Cambridgeshire District Council, as part of an SCDC dedicated Coronavirus community grant aid scheme.

Meldreth Coronavirus Community Support: philippajoyhart@gmail.com, Tel: 07811 323571; Susanvandeven5@gmail.com Tel: 07905 325574 Meldreth’s support network is run by the District and County Councillors, assisted by six Zone Leaders who coordinate a large network of neighbourhood volunteers. A dedicated Facebook page provides an informa on sharing pla orm. The Royston Rotary Club has organised a dedicated Meldreth JustGiving page, which raising funds for emergency supplies that are not available from Meldreth’s dedicated food and supplies bank or Honesty Box. More funds will be needed and the network is ac vely exploring how to seek support from both public and grant sources.

Bassingbourn Helpers: bassingbournhelpers@gmail.com parishclerk@bassingbourn.org.

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07496

084509,

Bassingbourn’s large volunteer network is coordinated by a local resident and runs on a WhatsApp channel, covering all parts of the villages. This is closely supported by the Parish Clerk and District Councillor, with a team represen ng the church, Parish Councillors and County Councillor. A ‘Care and Share’ food bank has been established. The Parish Clerk is available to discuss Sec on 137 funds. The 'Bassingbourn Repor ng' Facebook page is an ac ve village communica ons pla orm.

Whaddon Parish Council: Whaddonparishclerk@outlook.com, lee.ginger@b nternet.com, ncs3@cam.ac.uk Whaddon is divided into four village zones, each covered by two Parish Councillors.

Whaddon’s exis ng village email network has ensured a smooth and efficient means of communica on, providing a wide range of informa on and virtual social ac vity. With paper copies distributed to households without internet access, 99% of the village is very well covered. There’s also a village ‘Whaddsapp’ group.

Shepreth Network: ruth.white@sheprethparishcouncil.co.uk, parishclerk@sheprethparishcouncil.co.uk Shepreth’s network was set up by the Chair of the Parish Council who was quaran ned at the me! The network is supported by volunteers and the District Councillors. The network uses the ‘Spo ed in Shepreth’ Facebook page to good effect.

Pharmacy Collec ons Pharmacy collec ons are challenging, because so many people are self-isola ng and because pharmacies and dispensaries need to reduce the number of people passing through their doors. Melbourn has developed a pharmacy collec on system now being shared with Meldreth and Whaddon, in liaison with Orchard Surgery and Well Pharmacy Melbourn. This process is designed to greatly reduce the foo all to the pharmacy. The process involves collec on of the prescrip on note, submission to the GP, then the collec on and delivery to the resident. Melbourn Parish Council Chair and a Melbourn volunteer are the only two volunteers doing this in Melbourn and has significantly reduced the foo all to the pharmacy. A Meldreth Parish Councillor and the Whaddon Parish Council Chair then collect their respec ve village’s prescrip ons from Melbourn Hub and deliver to their residents. Melbourn, Whaddon and Meldreth are also working with outlier pharmacies in Harston and Royston as well as Tesco’s.

Data Protec on and Safeguarding All of these networks have engaged assiduously with issues of data protec on and safeguarding, under the guidance of and in direct contact with the new South Cambridgeshire District Council ‘Patch Manager’ as first point of call into the County -wide ‘Community Hub’.

29

Small and Medium Sized Business Concerns These are directly and ac vely supported by South Cambridgeshire District Council.

Please get in touch if contact is needed or see here: h ps://www.scambs.gov.uk/ business/coronavirus-informa on-for-businesses/.

Democracy and Public Services During Covid-19 Lockdown The informa on below is correct at the me of wri ng.

Democra c decision-making during Covid-19: Provision for holding parish council mee ngs remotely has now been established by central government; this has been circulated to all parish clerks. Some official parish mee ngs are now underway.

County and District Council mee ngs are reviewing mee ng cancella ons on a weekly basis and se ng up systems that will allow large numbers of par cipants.

Some smaller mee ngs are taking place remotely. Hopefully arrangements will be in place for May mee ngs.

Suspension of Public Services  The green bin collec on has been suspended un l further no ce due to short staffing. Kitchen waste can go in black bins.

 Recycling centres are currently closed. We’ve made a plea to have these re-opened on social distancing guidelines. At the me of wri ng it is not clear if this is possible due to overall short staffing across the council.

 Library Services. All library buildings have been closed un l further no ce.  Children and Family Centres have been closed un l further no ce.  Madingley, Newmarket, Trumpington and Milton Park and Ride services have been suspended un l further no ce.

New Mental Health Support A number of new on-line resources for mental health support are being launched, including: CPSL Mind (Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and South Lincolnshire) has launched an online wellbeing service called Qwell: h ps://www.cpslmind.org.uk/qwell/. Qwell provides a range of materials to support and assist people with their psychological wellbeing, including educa onal and self-help ar cles and peer-to-peer support via forums.

Adults are also able to receive help from qualified counsellors via drop-in or scheduled online chat sessions. Lifecra at h ps://lifecra .org.uk/ has extended its mental health helpline - Lifeline - by five hours, which is now available on 0808 808 2121, from 2.00pm to 11.00pm.

 New

Cambridgeshire County Council Facebook page h ps:// www.facebook.com/HowAreYouCambridgeshire/ to connect people with ac vi es in the local community that promote posi ve mental wellbeing.

30

Travel and Transport  Contracted bus services: all subject to change, please check before you travel.

 Govia Thameslink is running a Sunday rail service every day, as a service for key workers. Please check before travelling.

 Please don’t congregate at rail sta ons – and please help reiterate this message. Instead, help promote compe ons devised by the Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Community Rail Partnership [see pages 24-26].

 Refunds on season

ckets. Meldreth cket office is now staffed only occasionally. Please check our Facebook page for Bern’s weekly plan: www.facebook.com/groups/meldrethsheprethfoxtonrail/. Royston Ticket Office remains open. Season cket refunds may be made online. For paper and e- ckets see www.greatnorthernrail.com/help-and-support/journeyproblems/paper- cket-refund-form.

For other ckets see: www.greatnorthernrail.com/travel-informa on/planyour-journey/coronavirus-informa on/coronavirus-refunds .

Schools Primary school and village college staff have worked incredibly hard adap ng their teaching to virtual methods, and made provision for those children who need day me school care. For changed circumstances and eligibility for free school meals, see page 34.

Fostering The County Council (CCC) is appealing for people to come forward and foster so that our most vulnerable children and young people can con nue to be supported.

These are uncertain mes, and even more so for children in care. Cambridgeshire has over 750 children and young people who need loving, stable and suppor ve homes. As long as you are over 21 and have a spare bedroom the Council would like to hear from you.

You can be re red, unemployed or living in rented accommoda on – CCC will support you every step of the way. Don’t worry about contact as your enquiry will be handled through video or telephone calls making sure you keep safe. Get in touch via the CCC website or telephone 0800 052 0078.

SCDC and CCC Websites Resources available to support people and businesses during the COVID crisis; overview of impacted public services; links to public health guidance · District Council: h ps://www.scambs.gov.uk/coronavirus/. County Council: h ps:// www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/coronavirus/coronavirus-covid-19-overview.

Please contact us with ques ons, comments, ideas or concerns at any me.

Jose Hales and Philippa Hart, District Councillors Susan van de Ven, County Councillor 31

Royston & District Community Transport www.roytrans.co.uk We would like to reassure clients that during this difficult me, Community Transport will con nue to operate.

We will be doing essen al travel to surgeries and hospitals.

We are also available for picking up prescrip ons and food shopping if required Please do not be offended if our drivers ask you to sit in the back seat, this is for theirs and your safety Please telephone (01763) 245228 between 9.00am and 3.00pm, Monday to Friday or visit our website, www.roytrans.co.uk.

Pru Burton RDCT

Repor ng Breaches of Coronavirus Restric ons www.cambs.police.uk We're urging members of the public to report significant breaches of the Coronavirus restric ons online.

A new page has been set up on the force website: www.cambs.police.uk/ informa on-and-services/Coronavirus-COVID-19, where you can read frequently asked ques ons, report fraud and report individuals and businesses breaching the restric ons.

The force is seeking to resolve contraven ons of the government advice on social distancing and the stay at home measures without resor ng to enforcement.

However, those who repeatedly break the rules, despite warnings, will face fines.

The public are urged to only report something if they feel there is a significant issue or breach which they think officers need to know about. Officers will not be dispatched for minor infringements of the Coronavirus restric ons, but mass gatherings should be reported so they can be dealt with appropriately.

Officers will do everything possible to advise people on the guidelines and ensure as many people as possible help protect the NHS by staying at home and saving lives.

The answers to many Coronavirus queries regarding essen al travel can be found at www.gov.uk/coronavirus.

Cambridgeshire Constabulary 32

More Coronavirus Scams Last month's ar cle men oned the threat of scams linked to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 crisis. New scams are always appearing, and many scams will even trick computer experts. However, there are some common signs to look out for:

Authority Is the sender claiming to be from someone official (like your bank, HMRC, NHS, other government department)? Criminals o en pretend to be important people or organisa ons to trick you into doing what they want.

Urgency Are you told you have a limited me to respond (like in 24 hours or immediately)?

Criminals o en threaten you with fines or other nega ve consequences.

Emotion Does the message make you panic, fearful, hopeful or curious? Criminals o en use threatening language, make false claims of support, or tease you into wan ng to find out more.

Scarcity Is the message offering something in short supply (like face masks or medica ons)?

Fear of missing out on a good deal or opportunity can make you respond quickly.

Current Events Are you expec ng to see a message like this? Criminals o en exploit current news stories (like coronavirus), big events or specific mes of year (like tax repor ng) to make their scam seem more relevant to you.

Your bank (or any other official source) will never ask you to supply personal informa on from an email. If you have any doubts about a message, call them directly. Don't use the numbers/links in the email, but visit the official website instead or, for your bank, use the number on the back of your debit/credit card.

This advice has been adapted from the Na onal Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) website at www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/home-working.

If you're not sure whether something is a scam, you can also talk to one of the trusted contacts in Meldreth: Graham (01763) 260358

Linda (01763) 261405

Peter (01763) 260323

Tim (01763) 262801 Meldreth Neighbourhood Watch 33

NHS volunteers, Countywide Hub Volunteers and Meldreth Volunteers We’ve had some ques ons about how the Meldreth scheme sits alongside the ‘NHS Volunteers’ and ‘Countywide Hub Volunteers’ and other schemes.

Both of those schemes have recruited huge numbers of people (750,000 alone for the NHS scheme). All of those applica ons need to be processed and then people actually deployed within a constantly evolving situa on. We know that many Meldreth residents are signed up and wai ng to be called.

Local schemes have popped up in every single South Cambridgeshire village. Being close to the ground has meant they’ve been able to take effect more quickly.

Gradually the different efforts are beginning to marry up. So, the local schemes are working with the District and County Hubs to make sure that everyone who is ‘shielding’ is aware that prac cal help if needed – hence the recent delivery of a flyer to every house, to let every household in Meldreth know how to access assistance should they need it.

The deliveries of food parcels to people who are ‘shielded’ is organised by government. Some people have told us they are pleased to have these parcels while others say they don’t need them. Only the recipient can arrange to have the parcels stopped. There should be sheet inside the box with the relevant website for doing so.

Many people in Meldreth have signed up to volunteer in our own scheme but have not yet been asked to do anything. In some parts of the village the scheme is quite busy; in others less so. Thankfully, at the moment we have more volunteers than needed. We’re really grateful to everyone who’s been in contact offering to help, and reassured to know that the backup is there if needed.

Jose Hales and Philippa Hart, District Councillors Susan van de Ven, County Councillor

Free School Meals For many families, the coronavirus outbreak has meant a change in financial circumstances. If your circumstances have changed, and you have school aged children, you may want to consider whether you meet the criteria for free school meals.

See the relevant no fica on on the Meldreth Coronavirus Community Support Facebook page for details or see the CCC website for the latest informa on: h ps:// www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/children-and-families/schools-learning/helpwith-school-learning-costs/free-school-meals.

Susan van de Ven 34

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.

Call us for a free market appraisal and comprehensive landlord pack.

The Letting Centre, 107 High St, Melbourn, Cambridgeshire SG8 6AP Tel. 01763 263039 email enquiries@letting-centre.co.uk www.letting-centre.co.uk

Huw Shortle Pure Water Window Cleaning

07915 378397 info@huwclean.co.uk

35

Cambourne Self Storage

Nigel Wigg

Outdoor Storage 24 Hour Access 7 Days a Week 365 Days a Year

Home Improvement Specialist

24 Hour Remotely Monitored CCTV Sensor Flood Lighting

• Exterior and interior home

Keypad Entry and High Security Locks,

decorating

Vehicle Access Directly to Unit Doors

• Tiling • Carpentry • Refurbishment • Timber carport and veranda

01767 676189 www.CambourneSelfStorage.co.uk

iPLASTER

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

SKIMMING / PATCHING CEILING REPAIR WATER DAMAGE REPAIR ARTEX COVERED

01763 260 526 07837 645173

nigelwigg@gmail.com T 01480 700266 M 07801 057514

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

Reflections Hair Studio Specialist in all aspects of Unisex Hairdressing.

Cutting * Colouring Techniques * Hair Extensions We have a wide range of home hair care retail.

Gift vouchers and hair accessories available.

01763 260431

45 Whitecroft Road , Meldreth Tuesday & Thursday 9am - Late Monday &Wednesday closed Friday 9am - 6pm Sat 9am - 3pm

36

Spotted Flycatchers Have you got this increasingly rare bird breeding in your garden?

Please let us know!

In recent years many Cambridgeshire community and parish newsletters, magazines and websites have helped with a Countywide survey of Spotted Flycatchers.

These are attractive little migrant birds which are summer visitors to village gardens and churchyards. Although they breed with us, they spend up to nine months of the year travelling as much as 16,000 miles a year between here and their wintering grounds in Southern Africa – Angola Spotted Flycatcher by Tom Reynolds and Namibia. This is an increasingly dangerous journey for them, and sadly they are in deep decline. Widespread losses amounted to a 50% decline during 19952010, continuing an 90% decline since 1970.

Only a few hundred pairs remain breeding in Cambridgeshire, but most villages still have a pair or two; they rarely breed out in the wider countryside. We are continuing our work to find and monitor nesting pairs. It’s almost certain that there are many additional pairs out there of which we are not aware.

Do you have flycatchers in your garden? Will you see one this year, or have you in recent years? The few that remain are here from mid-May to September. And there’s lots more to read about our project and Spotted Flycatchers in general at bit.ly/SpotFly. Please email spofl@cambridgebirdclub.org.uk with any sightings.

Michael Holdworth Cambridgeshire Bird Club/BTO 37

Notes From a Small Garden As I write this, it seems as if we are in May already. The birds, to attract a mate, are singing their hearts out, much of the blossom is flowering, the pear in the next door garden looks quite ravishing and were I allowed to walk down Chiswick End, I could see Tim Elbourn’s Heritage Apple field appearing as a haze of white flowers.

The tulips in pots near the house are looking stunning. I bought some of the striped parrot tulips from Blooms, the bulb nurseries. It is worth spending a little more on them as the bulbs are a year or two older before dispatch, and are less likely to get fire blight, caused by the fungus Botrytis tulipae. This results in weakened plants with whitish leaves, which fail to flower in subsequent years.

A nice surprise in the main border are three single red tulips which really brighten up the border. They’ve come up in just the right places, as if I had planted them, which I don’t remember doing!

My poly tunnel is full of seedlings coming up. I don’t usually plant even broad bean seeds straight into the ground as I lose too many to mice and muntjacs. What a duo of destruction they can be! So what with planting the dahlia tubers in compost before I finally put them out, there isn’t much room left. The sweet peas and early potatoes are in.

I’m waiting till Easter Day to plant Pink Fir Apple, the main crop potato.

I bought some prepared wild flower seedlings bound in soft paper. You have to cover the area you want to plant with compost, water it and then cover with compost and water in again. The trouble in our garden is that there aren’t many free areas of brown soil! I’d like to wild up the front garden and have raked it, so will sprinkle the area with wild flower seeds and then compost over them, watering them in, in this glorious fine weather. I’ve tried planting Yellow Rattle seeds indoors but they haven’t come up after nearly three weeks. This plant is supposed to get rid of the strong grasses, making it easier for wild flowers to grow.

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Here is the last verse of the poem ‘The Garden’ by Andrew Marvell 1681 which seems to be just so for our difficult times, as Kipling’s daughter used to say.

How well the skilful Gardner drew Of flow'rs and herbs this Dial new; Where from above the milder Sun Does through a fragrant Zodiack run; And, as it works, th'industrious Bee Computes its time as well as we.

How could such sweet and wholsome Hours Be reckon'd but with herbs and flow'rs!

Andrew Marvell’s father was born in Meldreth Court and you can read the full text of the above poem on Meldreth Local History Group’s website: http://www.meldrethhistory.org.uk/page_id__202.aspx.

Jobs for May in the garden:  Hoe borders and veg patches to keep down the weeds  Be water wise  Stake plants in the border that are inclined to flop in time  Prune most winter and spring flowering shrubs  Keep a successional planting of salad plants going.

Keep well and safe and those that are lucky enough to have a garden, enjoy May outside, now that we have so much time for this wonderfully relaxing and healing hobby. From Julie and Jim. Julie Draper juliedraper@dumbflea.co.uk

Did You Know?

You can download a free South Cambridgeshire District Council app onto your mobile phone that will remind you when a bin collection is due.

The App is called SCAMBS Bin Collections and is available for both Android and iOS devices.

39

Friends of Holy Trinity www.foht.org.uk Like most organisations our activities have been curtailed by the COVID-19 outbreak.

As far as future events are concerned, the following applies, subject to changes to the current restrictions.

AGM - 15 May 2020: postponed until further notice; it is planned to circulate the Vice Chairman’s and Treasure’s reports to the Friends. At the rearranged AGM, the appointment of three new committee members will be considered while one will be standing down.

Open Gardens and the Car Show: this will be run if restrictions are reduced at a suitable time of year.

Jane Eyre by ‘This is My Theatre’ group" in the nave of the church, will be considered once restrictions within the church building are lifted.

John Price

Meldreth Church Fete Unfortunately we will not be able to hold the fete in June as planned.

The PCC is currently looking at rescheduling it for later in the year and at other fundraising options.

Duncan Hopper

Melbourn & Meldreth Women’s Group Like so many things to which we belong our current meetings have been suspended. We look forward to a time when we can safely meet again and in the meantime we are trying to keep in touch with one another.

If you need to contact us please feel free to telephone one of the committee members - all our telephone numbers are on the back of our current programme.

Our love and prayers go to you all.

Pat Smith 40

ROYSTON FENCING TEL 01763 261150 FENCING, GATES INCLUDING ELECTRIC MADE TO ORDER ALL TYPES OF FENCING AND GATES SHEDS AND GARDEN FURNITURE DECKING, PATIOS & PERGOLAS SLEEPERS, PAVING & NATURAL STONE WWW.ROYSTONFENCING.CO.UK KNEESWORTH RD. MELDRETH ROYSTON

41

Whaddon Road, Meldreth, SG8 5RL

Club Facili es

Entertainments

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

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

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

that Slimming World feeling!

MELDRETH WEDNESDAY 5.30pm & 7.30pm Meldreth Village Hall High Street, Tel: Alison 07812 825 389

slimmingworld.co.uk

42

0344 897 8000

Things to Do While Staying at Home Exercise Look at www.nhs.uk and choose a programme to suit your needs.

Examples are Pilates and Yoga, Strength and Resistance, Aerobic Exercise. All videos made by fitness experts.

Choose a Joe Wicks programme on YouTube, from Absolute Beginners to the 15minute fat burner.

Learn ballet at www.dancedispatches.com (free). Older beginners could try the ‘Silver Swans’ ballet exercise class.

See www.royalacademyofdance.org. Also on YouTube and Facebook.

Exercise for the Brain Learn one or more of 35 languages on www.duolingo.com. Free.

Look at the BBC languages pages. There are videos, courses, access to TV and radio from other countries and help for children starting a language or working towards exams. www.bbc.co.uk.

Do a free course with the Open University - Climate Change, The Science of Evolution and lots more. www.open.edu/openlearn.

FutureLearn. Hundreds of courses in a variety of subjects are available online free of charge. Or view their list of “50 Free Things You Can Do During Lockdown”: www.futurelearn.com The Cambridge Institute of Astronomy has made its lectures available on Zoom. Details at: http://www.caa-cya.org/events.php?who=caa. Zoom is free to download and can be used to keep in touch with friends and family. Learn to crochet on www.prima.co.uk or YouTube (How to Crochet for Absolute Beginners).

Learn to paint in watercolour - follow free tutorials on www.todaysarts.net.

Gather together your photos and make a photobook. Try www.photobox.co.uk, www.bobbooks.co.uk, www.vistaprint.co.uk or www.snapfish.co.uk. Make an early birthday/Christmas present for someone! You could start with a book of family photos or a special holiday. Beware - it’s addictive!

To Lift the Spirits For comedy, try www.cosmicshambles.com. continued ...

43

Enjoy the Arts Watch free, full length plays from the National Theatre every Thursday. www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/nt-at-home.

Shakespeare’s Globe. Watch one play every two weeks: https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/watch/

Watch an Andrew Lloyd Webber Musical every week: The Shows Must Go On channel on YouTube Royal Albert Home streaming programme, www.royalalberthall.com Cambridge’s ADC Theatre has launched a season of digital student theatre. See www.adctheatre.com for details.

For even more online events see whatsonstage.com.

Watch short videos about paintings and artists such as Gauguin, Manet, Renoir, Picasso at www.royalacademy.org.uk.. .

Browse 103,000 objects in the Ashmolean, www.ashmolean.org. #Fitzvirtual is coming soon from the Fitzwilliam. View some of the collection and share stories and films. www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk.

Music Stream 50 free (for 30 days) festival concerts from the Montreal Jazz Festival. www.stingray.com/FREEMJF1M. Listen to free broadcasts from Royal Opera House at www.roh.org.uk.

Try www.digitalconcerthall.com for free concerts and films from the Berliner Philharmoniker.

Free digital concert music from www.nyphil.org.

Nature The Wildlife Trusts: live webcams : www.wildlifetrusts.org/looking-after-yourself-and-nature

Virtual tours Enjoy a virtual tour of a national park e.g. Kenai Fjords, Alaska at www.travelandleisure.com Tour Buckingham Palace (www.royal.uk/virtual-tours-buckinghampalace) or the White House(minus occupants!)on www.youvisit.com/ tour/aid.depoy.

Compiled by John and Hilary Crawforth with help from Julie Draper 44

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45

From Meldreth Parish Council to all Meldreth Residents Due to the current emergency measures being implemented to help slow down and combat COVID-19 Meldreth Parish Council has taken the decision to cancel all its meetings including the Annual Village Meeting and conduct only urgent business until further notice. The Parish Office will be closed to all walk in visitors although, during existing working hours, the Parish Office can be contacted via email or telephone. Any further relevant information or guidance will be posted on the website www.meldreth-pc.org.uk the Parish Council noticeboards and through Meldreth Matters.

The Parish Council, in line with current Government advice, has closed, with immediate effect, the playground, the tennis court and the pavilion on the village recreation ground. The recreation ground itself remains open and we encourage villagers who wish to exercise according the current guidelines to make full use of this facility. We also encourage residents to make use of the public footpaths that are located around the village [see page 9]. Please respect any notices on permissive footpaths. We do ask that all dog walkers clear up behind your dogs and deposit waste in your black bins during the pandemic [see page 51].

The Parish Council remains in contact with both South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridgeshire County Council and other bodies to make sure that we keep the residents of our parish as safe as possible.

If anyone has any concerns about how they or a neighbour or relative is coping with the restrictions to our day to day lives that the Government ask us to make, whether this is financially, socially or practically with things like food deliveries or practical help, there is a new village community support group set up by local residents to help. They will provide free assistance to those who are self isolating or the more vulnerable members of our community. By now everyone should have received a flyer from the Meldreth Coronavirus Community Support detailing the name and number of your first point of contact. Anyone wishing to help with this group can contact Philippa Hart on 07811 323571 or Susan Van de Ven on 07905 325574. [See pages 27-34 of this issue for further information.]

As COVID-19 spreads rapidly across the country, a number of reports have emerged about fraudsters seizing the opportunity to defraud.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Against Scams Partnership have put 46

together advice on how to stay safe from criminals taking advantage of these challenging times. Their website is detailed below. [See also the Neighbourhood Watch advice on scams on page 33.]

If you have any queries or wish to bring anything to the attention of the Parish Council please contact the Clerk on parishclerk@meldrethpc.org.uk or telephone (01763) 269928 during working hours. Your Parish Councillors are also available. Their contact details are both listed on the website and in Meldreth Matters [page 49]. The Parish Council will do all they can to address any local concerns of residents and businesses operating within the Parish. If there are any matters relating to the Parish Council please either email or telephone the Parish Clerk.

Online resources [see also pages 27-34]: NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ Government guidelines: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus Scams: https://www.cambridgeshire-pcc.gov.uk/scams-partnership-urges -people-to-be-vigilant-against-covid-19-scammers/ We are thinking of you all at this difficult time and are here to support our parishioners wherever we can.

Meldreth Parish Council

And The People Stayed Home And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently.

And the people healed. And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.

And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed.

Kitty O'Meara contributed by Ann Barnes 47

Meldreth Parish Council www.meldreth-pc.org.uk There is usually a summary in Meldreth Matters from the Council of subjects discussed at its monthly meeting, together with decisions taken.

This month there is no report, as the Council took the decision, in the company of many other Councils, to suspend its meetings during the virus crisis. The Council, both as individuals and collectively, has however, been busy on issues directly related to the crisis. We continued to engage, mainly corresponded by email and telephone, whilst waiting for guidance on how we might conduct our future meetings in the current circumstances.

We now have guidance from the recent Coronavirus Act and we will be holding our meetings online from May. The arrangements allow visual and audio communication between councillors, and, in line with standard procedures, members of the public can be present (virtually) at the meetings so that they can observe our proceedings. Any public input to the meeting will be by written comments on agenda items given to the clerk by email or letter in advance of the meeting; these will be read to the meeting, subject to the usual time limits. Agendas will be published on our website and on the notice board in the usual way and will contain the full details.

Please refer to our website at www.meldreth-pc.org.uk for further information.

As many of you will know, we had to close off our children’s play area at the recreation ground; we appreciate how important this is for young families in particular and we ask you to bear with us in implementing this necessary safety measure. We have also had to close our office in Elin Way to walk-in visitors but contact can be made by telephone or email in the usual way.

In times like these there is no better illustration of community spirit than the way in which mutual support has been organised and galvanized into action. As individuals, and as the Council, we are engaged with and support the recently launched Meldreth Coronavirus Community Support Scheme and other local initiatives.

Across Meldreth, many volunteers have come forward to help residents with essentials such as shopping and the procurement of prescriptions; the arrangements are well described elsewhere and all residents should have contact details if they need this kind of support. We are all especially fortunate to have such good local shops; these provide 48

essential support at all times but in these exceptional circumstances we cannot speak highly enough of the contribution they make and we would like to thank all those who manage and work in our local shops and other businesses, fulfilling vital needs at this time of crisis with such good humour.

We are fortunate to live in such a community and whilst we look forward to better times returning, these current events will serve as a memory of which we as a community should be thoroughly proud.

Thank you all for the contributions you are making and please stay safe.

Meldreth Parish Council

Meldreth Parish Council: Online Meeting The May meeting of the Parish Council will be held online from 7.00pm on Thursday 7th May. For further details see the article above.

Any public comments will have to be submitted in advance. Please see the our website, www.meldreth-pc.org.uk, for further information.

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 (01763) 269928 parishclerk@meldreth-pc.org.uk Mr R Goddin (Chairman) (01763) 260061

goddin@btinternet.com

Mr R A Searles (Vice Ch)

(01763) 260435

robert.searles@btinternet.com

Mrs C J Fallon

(01763) 262822

joan.fallonpc@gmail.com

Mr N Garner

(01763) 268328

nickphgarner@gmail.com

Mrs P Gilmore

(01763) 263138

patgilmore.mpc@gmail.com

Dr R James

(01763) 261085

roger+pc@rogerjames.net

Mr C A Land

(01763) 261004

conradland@btinternet.com

Mr Nigel Pellatt

(01763) 262444

nppellatt@btconnect.com

Mr A Young

(01763) 263484

andrewmpc@gmail.com

49

District and County Councillors’ Reports Here’s what we would have reported to Meldreth Parish Council had its April meeting gone ahead.

Regular District and County Council News The Greater Cambridge Housing Trajectory and Five Year Housing Land Supply (1st April 2020) document has been published: www.scambs.gov.uk/annual-monitoring-report. It demonstrates that, jointly for Greater Cambridge (Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire together), we have 5.4 years of housing land supply for 2020-2025.

Therefore, planning policies in the adopted Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire Local Plans 2018 will be given full weight in decisions on planning applications, unless there are other material considerations to take into account.

Local Highways Improvement bids: it’s very disappointing to note that several LHI applications from our area, including Meldreth, Whaddon and Bassingbourn, were not successful. An enormous amount of work was involved in producing those applications, each one seeking to make important improvements to safety on local roads. The next application window is now open and the closing date of 31st May has been lifted to open-ended. We’ve received a reminder that applications at this stage don’t require a great deal of detail but simply need County Councillor support. So, applications are encouraged to go ahead.

Highways Actions Completed in March  The A10 cycleway has been completely ‘sided out’ (cleared of vegetation creeping onto the path) from Melbourn to Trumpington. Original widths of the path have been restored.  A1198 footway siding out: very significant lengths along the A1198 from Tudor Court to Swinnell Court, and from chicanes at northern end of Kneesworth to the Barracks; plus footways around Knutsford Rd. Original widths of paths restored.  Whitecroft Road, Meldreth: significant lengths of footway have been resurfaced.

Bus Stops – 127 route: Following the January Cam Vale Bus User Group meeting and steps toward amalgamating services with Herts County Council, to connect the Bassingbourn section of the service with Baldock and Letchworth, a comprehensive audit of all bus stops along the 127 route is taking place – this to review the condition of bus stops 50

and consider the possible need for new bus stops and/or repositioning of current stops. Much of this work has been undertaken by Hertfordshire County Council; after lockdown this work will be completed. Tenders for a new combined Cambridgeshire/Hertfordshire route and service have been put back to later in the year, or as soon as possible after lockdown. It’s the first time we’ve ever seen such active cross-border cooperation on bus services, and this is very welcome.

Rail Stations A new covered bicycle park unit has now been installed at Meldreth Station.

The steps at Meldreth Station have had yellow paint applied for visibility; the car park has been completely repainted.

Jose Hales and Philippa Hart, District Councillors Susan van de Ven, County Councillor For COVID-19 related news and information from our councillors see pages 27-34.

Dog Waste It is lovely to see that people are taking advantage of the spring weather and more time at home to get out and walk their dogs. However, there has been a considerable increase in dog waste appearing on pavements and grass around the village over the last few weeks. This is proving a problem as there are also more children and adults taking local walks, as well as dog walkers.

Please be a responsible dog owner and clear up after your dog.

NB: During the current COVID-19 situation, SCDC have asked if owners can put their dog's waste into their household black bin in case the emptying of public bins is suspended.

Please comply with both these requests.

Thank you.

Meldreth Parish Council 51

Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire www.hsrsc.org.uk Home-Start’s Giving Tuesday Campaign for Lockdown Here at Home-Start, we recognise the pressure that the COVID-19 situation puts on everyone: it’s hard sharing limited physical space with people, even the ones you love, and the emotional and psychological effects of the lockdown will be felt for a long time to come.

And so we have launched our Giving Tuesdays Campaign: every Tuesday until Tuesday 1st December we’ll be offering a new activity for you to try. Some will be free to access, our gift to you! Others will be paid-for activities, which will form part of our fundraising effort. We’ll use your donations to keep Home-Start running, so that we can continue to offer support to local families who are finding life a struggle. There are lots of different activities coming up, some aimed at children, some at adults, and some at the whole family. Keep an eye on our website and our Facebook and Twitter pages where you’ll find lots of information about the activities.

So far, our Giving Tuesdays activities have included recipes for all the family and yoga for little ones. Please send us pictures of anything you make as we’d love to know how you get on!

Find out more at: https://www.hsrsc.org.uk/giving-tuesday Our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/hsrsc.org.uk/ Our Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/HomeStartRSC Buy a Coffee and Save Home-Start COVID-19 has really made me take notice of my usual habits, the things I do daily that are simply part of my routine: things like buying myself a posh cup of coffee on the way to work. I’m a massive fan of a coconut milk latte, extra large and extra hot; it’s a small luxury that makes my day better. I’m sure many of you have a similar habit and we’ve had to stop! It turns out that it is the loss of small luxuries that has really made me think about the current situation, and how much I take for granted.

Here at Home-Start, we work with families who are finding every day a struggle with mental, emotional and physical problems that make life 52

hard. During the lockdown, we are asking local people to donate the cost of one of those luxurious coffees to help keep Home-Start’s services running, so that we can be there for the people who need us most.

To donate the cost of a cup of coffee, text HOMESTARTCUPPA to 70085 for a one-off £3 donation. Or you can set up a monthly donation of three pounds by texting SAVEHOMESTART to 70085.

And you can email us: admin@hsrsc.org.uk for more information.

If you do sign up to donate via text message, you will automatically be added to our mailing list for future newsletters. If you would prefer not to receive further information from Home-Start, please use the code HOMESTARTCUPPANOINFO to 70085 or SAVEHOMESTARTNOINFO to 70085. Your contact preferences can be changed at any time – just let us know! Thank you so much Tracy Aggett Office Manager HSRSC Incorporated as Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire

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 53

Arthur Rank Hospice Charity Issues SOS Cambridgeshire’s only adult hospice has issued an urgent Support Our Services (SOS!!) appeal in response to the devastating impact COVID-19 has had on the Charity’s ability to fundraise for its vital services this year.

The Hospice provides care and support services to patients with an advanced serious illness or a life-limiting condition, and provides end-of -life care, typically to people who are in the last two weeks of their life.

In response to the COVID-19 epidemic, the Hospice has had to reduce many of its services to protect the safety of its patients whilst simultaneously refocusing on the core healthcare needs of the county.

In just one month (from February to March 2020), demand for the care that the Charity provides within people’s homes (observing strict infection control procedures) has increased, as seen in the 61% increase in the number of referrals to the Hospice at Home night service.

Telephone calls to the Hospice have also increased. Strict restrictions have had to be introduced for visitors to the Inpatient Unit and care staff across all services are struggling with the harsh reality of not being able to offer a comforting hug, or a hand to hold, to family members and their loved one, at moments of heart-breaking loss.

The Caring Communities scheme, newly launched by the Hospice’s Voluntary Services team, has moved to offering their services over the telephone, and have additionally introduced a new telephone befriender role to support Arthur Rank Hospice patients at risk of loneliness and isolation. Retired staff, GPs and student doctors have volunteered for clinical roles and administrative and fundraising staff have been redeployed to further support clinical teams. Local businesses have rallied around the Hospice, donating essential items such as PPE for clinical colleagues and iPads for patients enabling them to communicate with loved ones.

The clinical team is working closely with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Commissioning Group (CCG), Addenbrooke’s Hospital 54

and social care networks to ensure the Hospice is doing everything it can to support the healthcare needs of the wider Cambridgeshire population.

None of what is happening now would be possible without the dedication, commitment and generosity of the local community, who passionately support the Hospice to fundraise £3.98 million each year which, together with the contracted funding from the CCG, enables it to deliver its full range of services.

Initial financial forecasts have identified that the Hospice will lose at least £700,000 of potential income over the next six months. This is due to scores of fundraising events and personal challenges having to be cancelled, the closure of the Hospice’s charity shops and bistro and the cancellation of training and conference events which were due to take place in its Education and Conference Centre.

To find out more about, or donate to, Arthur Rank Hospice Charity’s SOS!! Support Our Services’ appeal, please visit arhc.org.uk/sos.

Dawn Easby PR & Communications Officer

since 2009 Winner: British Renewable Energy Installer of the Year, 2018

Call us anytime on 01223 863 885.

cambridge-solar.co.uk 55

MELBOURN FLOORING AND INTERIORS LIMITED Phillimore Garden Centre, Cambridge Road, Melbourn, SG8 6EY Tel: 01763 262413 Vast Range of:

 Carpets and Vinyls  Real/Engineered Wood– Woodpecker, Xylo and many more  Balterio & Quickstep Laminates  Karndean, Amtico, Moduleo and Project Floors– Luxury Vinyl Tiles  Safety Flooring  Brand leading manufacturer samples available to take away Free survey and Estimates - Fitting by experienced staff VISIT OUR LARGE SHOWROOMS 9 TO 5 MONDAY TO FRIDAY 9 TO 4 SATURDAY OR CALL ON 01763 262413 AND SPEAK TO ONE OF OUR FRIENDLY STAFF. AMPLE FREE PARKING.

www.melbournflooring.co.uk

@melbournflooring

PC Repairs

Dust Free Wood Floor Sanding & Restoration

Advice & Installation of Home Networks Help with Selecting a computer

Is your Wooden Floor in need of Sanding?

Fault Finding Brian Girling 01223 208529 (Wimpole) E-mail bg@moncraft.co.uk

Call today on 01223 863 632

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

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

Village Garden Services

Little Hands Nursery School The Moor, Melbourn

Little Hands is a Private Nursery School specialising in quality education for the under fives and offers: Flexible hourly booking - open 08.30 to 16.30 Term time bookings with optional holiday club Bumble Bee room for children 12 – 24 months Ladybird room for 2 year olds Butterfly room for children 3-5 years With optional “ready for school sessions”

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

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

For further information contact Anne McCrossen: 01763 260964 lh-melbourn@btconnect.com

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

56

Caring for Carers Emergency Appeal www.caringforcarers.uk At this time we are all being asked to make radical changes to our lives - to stay at home, adjust to the closing of schools and many other places, to socially distance from our family and friends, and follow guidance on self-isolation - but throughout this, the incredible care workers at Caring Together are still at work providing care to the elderly, people with a disability, people with dementia and with mental health problems in your local community.

Caring Together is a local charity which provides care workers to go into people’s homes to help carers. We are working throughout Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and Norfolk.

The social care system, particularly the vital care that is provided to vulnerable people in their own homes, is all the more important at this time.

We urgently need your help as Coronavirus has had a huge effect on our services. We have had to stop all our clubs and groups for the foreseeable future and cancel all our fundraising events which we rely upon to help fund our home care services.

However, our home care workers are under increased pressure. We want to ensure that carers and the people they look after don’t become isolated and are given the support they need in the home. We want to ensure that what is a challenging time for all of us doesn’t become a greater crisis for people who already face huge demands.

This is why we need your urgent help and support; please donate to our Caring for Carers appeal. Your donation will help us fund the vital services our care workers provide all day and every day, and to help and support those caring for loved ones at this time.

Please donate at www.caringforcarers.uk.

Andy Barber Engagement manager, Marketing and Communications

MELDRETH PLANT HIRE TEL: 01763 262738 DIGGERS, DUMPERS, BREAKERS, WHACKERS, ROTAVATORS. AVAILABLE FOR DAILY OR WEEKLY HIRE. WWW.MELDRETHPLANT.CO.UK 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 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.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 Hartbeeps Pre-School Primary School

Thea Peacock—07930 893201 Kelly@hartbeeps.com 07518 173653; www.meldrethPreschool.com (01763) 260432; www.meldreth.cambs.sch.uk

Parish Council District Councillors

Please see details at end of Parish Council report Philippa Hart—07811 323571 Jose Hales—07703 262649 03450 450500; www.scambs.gov.uk/ Susan van de Ven—07905 325574 susanvandeven.mycouncillor.org.uk/ 0345 045 5200; www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/ Anthony Browne; www.anthonybrowne.org/

Councils & Govt.

Clubs & Societies

Facilities

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

Childn.

Village Directory

District Council Offices County Councillor County Council Offices MP

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

07905 325574; www.meldrethsheprethfoxtonrail.org.uk

Govia/Great Northern

www.thameslinkrailway.com

The Trainline Stagecoach Potholes, Highways problems, etc.

Streetlights (faulty)

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

Melbourn Surgery Addenbrooke’s NHS

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

Childline

Community Transport Home-Start 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

Royston Museum

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

Taxi (Butler Meltax)

(01763) 244444; 212223

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; Proof-reading: Ken McLean 261243; Treasurer, Secretary & Trade Advertising: Beverley Cottrell 262176; Advertising Layout: Richard Burns 263121; Editorial Assistant: Robin Farbridge; Distribution: Bill Peters 260983; Founder: Ann Barnes Meldreth Matters is available online at issuu.com (search for Meldreth)

59

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

6 months £134.00 £74.00 £43.00 £11.00

12 months £216.00 £118.00 £65.00 £16.00

Occasional full page advertising features are also available on request.

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

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

AngliEAR Hearing .........................41 Art of Clean ......................................2 Art of Clean Wood .........................56 Aurora Meldreth Manor (Job) .........45 Cambourne Self Storage .................36 Cambridge Solar ............................55 CHS Day Centre ............................13 CHS Group ......................................4 Coton Electrical .............................10 The Country Store ..........................35 Ely Design Group ..............................2 Eternit Sports and Social Club ........42 Eve Construction ............................10 Gilhooly ....................................Cover Huw Shortle Window Cleaning ......35 iPlaster ..........................................36 Lawn Partners ................................45 The Letting Centre .........................35 Little Hands Nursery School ..........56 Melbourn Flooring ..........................56 Melbourn Village College (1) .............2

Melbourn Village College (2) ......Cover Meldreth Landscapes ........................4 Meldreth Plant Hire ........................57 Moncraft Computers ......................56 Nancy Foster Footcare .....................41 Newlings of Royston Funeral Service35 Nigel Wigg Home Improvement .....36 Office to Let ....................................13 P D Property Services ......................45 Penn Farm Physiotherapy ..................2 Reflections Hair Studio ...................36 Richard Burns Electrician ...................2 Rod’s PC Support ......................Cover Royston Fencing ..............................41 Sage Blinds and Interiors ..................4 Slimming World .............................42 Summit Landscapes .........................36 Trademark Kitchens ........................10 Village Garden Services ..................56 Yoga2 Classes ............................Cover Z Web Hosting ...............................13 60

New Yoga Class for Meldreth Meldreth Village Hall Mondays 9.00 – 10.30 am th

Starts 14 January 2019 and runs weekly during term time Friendly, supportive classes in a non-competitive environment helping you to develop strength, flexibility and well-being. Suitable for all abilities. £10 drop-in or £90 for a 10 class pass.

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

RML

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RML IT Consultants Ltd Newton Hall, Town Street, Newton, Cambridge CB22 7ZE Tel: +44 (0) 1223 873747, Mobile 07946 216268 Email: info@rmlconsultants.co.uk

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All our solutions are individually specified for your company ensuring the best and most cost-effective result:

Implementation of messaging systems Web design and content management Email compliance (archiving and retrieval) Hardware and software expertise and sourcing

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Stay at Home 

Only leave home for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home). Remember:  Shop for food as infrequently as possible  You may take one form of exercise per day, alone or with members of your household



If you go out, stay 2 metres (6 feet) away from other people at all times



Wash your hands as soon as you get home

Do not meet others, even friends or family. You can spread the virus even if you don’t have symptoms.

Meldreth Coronavirus (COVID-19) Community Support The village has set up a network of volunteers to help provide support during this time.

Help is available locally with:  Maintaining social contact  Collecting prescriptions  Essential shopping  Food bank  Emergency supplies fund

Please see pages 27-34 of this issue for further information and advice Meldreth Matters is printed by Plumridge Printers 41 High St Linton 01223 891407