Meldreth Matters, November 2017

November 2017

In this issue ...

Meldreth Manor’s 50th Anniversary Speeding in the village Events include ‌ Annual Service at War Memorial Bowls Club Quiz Night Festive Shopping Evening

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Meldreth Matters, November 2017 Contents include …

Meldreth Events Speedwatch WI Meldreth Manor Baby & Toddler Group Preschool What’s On for Families MADS Pantomime Primary School Guides Local History Messy Church Friends of Holy Trinity Remembrance Service Women’s Group Gardening Letter to the Editor Photographic Group Maycroft Care Home Sports News Volunteering Parish Council Local Councillors’ Reports News from Heidi Allen Good Companions Christmas Tree Festival Lunch Club Neighbourhood Watch Local Events Planning Charities and Advice Pages Village Directory Index to Advertisers

Page 3 4-5 5 6-7 8 9 10 11 12-13 15 16-17 19 20 21 23 24-25 25 27 28 29-31 32 37-43 45-49 50 52 53 54 56 58-59 60 62-65 66-67 68

Welcome to the November issue.

I was interested to learn that Meldreth Manor School recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, having opened on 25th October 1967.

Renovations are now underway to ensure that it can continue to serve those with special educational needs well into the future. See pages 6-7 for further information.

If you are concerned about speeding in the village please read the interesting article from our Speedwatch team on pages 4-5. They need more volunteers to join them.

Meldreth-based charity Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire is also looking for volunteers. See page 32 for details. On pages 62 and 63 you will find other ways of helping the charity.

Finally, 12th November is Remembrance Sunday and as usual, there will be a service at Meldreth war memorial.

Please see page 21 for details.

Kathryn

Cover: Meldreth War Memorial. Photograph supplied by Meldreth Local History Group 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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November Events in Meldreth Friday 3rd November, 8.30 - 11.00pm Live rock music with Paul Whitton’s Electric Band Eternit Sports and Social Club, Whaddon Road All welcome, free entry, licensed bar with real ale, etc.

Saturday 4th November, 10.30am - 12 noon Coffee Break Sheltered Housing Community Room, Elin Way Tea, coffee and biscuits are served at very reasonable prices so please support this community ‘get together’.

Saturday 11th November, 7.00pm Preschool Shopping Evening Meldreth Village Hall With more than 30 stalls, this is the perfect opportunity to get a head start on your Christmas shopping. Mince pies and mulled wine will be served. See page 9 for further details.

Sunday 12th November, 9.30am Remembrance Service at the War Memorial See page 21.

Saturday 18th November, 7.00pm for 7.30pm Quiz Night with Fish and Chip Supper Meldreth Bowls Club Tickets £10 per person to include fish and chips See back page for further details Friday 24th November, 7.30pm FOHT talk: Flanders and Swann Revisited Holy Trinity Church Tickets include wine and nibbles cost £7.50 (Friends £7.00) See page 20 for further details.

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Speeding in Meldreth's 30mph Limit Speedwatch in Meldreth has been running since the scheme's start in 2005, an initiative between the county police and the various parish councils that registered their support. Speedwatch is an educational tool. It relies on local volunteers, some of whom have been supporters since the beginning. I nearly wrote - 'of time' as indeed it feels like it sometimes!

This year, the team of about ten volunteers mounted seventeen watches in Meldreth, from June to September. This translates to 25 hours’ monitoring and just short of 2700 vehicles, of which 12% were exceeding the control limit of 36mph in a 30mph limited zone. They will be receiving police attention in the form of warning letters and repeat offenders could end up with a personal police visit at home.

Meldreth Speedwatch covers all our approach roads within the 30 mph area. Average speed for offenders is around 39 mph with some top speeds recorded between 45 and 60 mph. Depending on area, speeding motorists represent from 3% to 30% of the monitored total.

All speeding vehicles reported to the police database are checked by Speedwatch teams using official DVLA websites. Of concern are the number of speeding vehicles with no MOT or tax - around 10%. This could indicate that at least some may not have valid insurance. Such vehicles are illegal on the road, may be mechanically defective and pose a danger to occupants and innocent road users alike. About 2% of vehicles speeding through the check cannot be traced and so cannot be logged to the police. There are a variety of reasons for this but recording errors, bad light or obscured e.g. dirty, unreadable registration plates, are the main reasons.

Our Speedwatch operates within a group containing Litlington, Steeple Morden and Whaddon. We use police approved monitoring kit purchased by respective parish councils for these villages. Many other South Cambridgeshire villages have Speedwatch teams operating either with their own kit or that supplied by the police.

Speedwatch volunteers are trained and registered by the police and of course more are needed if villages wish to continue the education process. We underutilise the equipment simply because we have limited numbers of volunteers. There is evidence that Speedwatch does make a difference to speeding on 30mph limited village roads but this trend can 4

only continue if communities start to think about progression to ensure enough volunteers come forward to keep Speedwatch teams alive.

If you would like to join Meldreth’s Speedwatch team or would just like to know more details, please contact gvborgo@borgognon.net.

Meldreth Speedwatch Team

Meldreth WI It was like a box of 'Quality Street' at our meeting last night, with a nice selection of Meldreth, Melbourn and Bassingbourn ladies. Future meetings and outings were discussed and preparations are underway for the Christmas tree festival and our Christmas party. Where has the year gone?

Angela Collins, with asides from her husband David, gave us an insight into her life as a puppeteer. She was born the middle of seven children and whilst her siblings went on to higher education, Angela decided she wanted to become a hairdresser and while waiting for a place at college worked as a sewing machinist.

After passing her hairdressing exams she thought everything was going well until she went into work one morning and was presented, along with the rest of the staff, with a P45. Although not a regular church goer, she started to take the Sunday school at her local church and wanted something to make the religious stories she told more interesting. She started with 'Blue Peter' puppets and gradually started to make hand puppets; her previous machine skills proving useful. She then went on to do her version of Punch and Judy offering her skills as a hairdresser in return for help with the puppets, especially the crocodile's jaws. She then went on to do 'Old MacDonalds Farm' and her shows began to be noticed further afield. Now she and David are booked to do shows for both English Heritage and the Wildlife Trust. She and David now enjoy a happy and busy life after the many hardships they had early on.

Next month Glynis Pilbeam will talk about 'Fun with Science'. Prepare to dabble! We promise not to blow up the Village Hall on Thursday 9th November.

Kathleen Thompson 5

Meldreth Manor School: 50th Anniversary Meldreth Manor School, our local special school for children and young people with special educational needs, marked its 50th anniversary this October by celebrating half a century of supporting and educating children with severe and complex learning difficulties as well as additional physical disabilities, sensory impairment or health needs. Dan Alipaz, Aurora Director of Operations, said the school had helped many hundreds of young people over the years.

He said: “It’s testament to the original vision of the school that we are still here 50 years later, supporting children who often lead incredibly challenging lives. It’s so inspiring to think of all the young people who have come through Meldreth over the years and the benefit they have got from this wonderful school and from Orchard Manor, our transitional service for young adults. It seems fitting that as we mark this important milestone, we are well under way with the multi-millionpound renovation that will make the school a centre of excellence for many years to come. Aurora wants to say a huge thank you to everyone who has worked with Meldreth Manor School over the last half century and for all the support so many people have given, including families, the local community and Friends of Meldreth Manor. Together you’ve created something very special that has changed the lives of so many people and we are committed to continuing this.

Meldreth Manor opened its doors to students on 25th October 1967 and was officially opened by HRH Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent. At the time, it was the first specialist school of its kind in the UK, and possibly the world. Under the leadership of the first headteacher, George Meldreth Manor School in the early days Crabbe, the school provided education for 120 children aged five to 16 who were mainly diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Under the ownership of the then Spastics Society, which later became SCOPE, the school consisted of four self-contained houses. Over the years the site was continually upgraded as the complexity of the student body changed.

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Meldreth Manor is still evolving to support an increasingly complex range of needs including the increase in the number of young people diagnosed with complex communications difficulties and additional health needs. Today, under the ownership of The Aurora Group, the school and the neighbouring Orchard Manor care home are undergoing a massive renovation to accommodate Director of these changing needs.

When this renovation is Operations, complete, Meldreth Manor School will support 40 Dan Alipaz children and Orchard Manor will be home to 30 young adults as they prepare for more independent living.

These changes will bring new jobs and anyone interested in making a difference can talk to us about career opportunities.

Go to recruitment@the-aurora-group.com or contact the school on (01763) 268000 for more information.

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Meldreth Baby and Toddler Group

Meldreth Baby and Toddler group is back in the Village Hall for the new school term. It is an ideal group for children aged 0-4 years and their parents and carers.

It is a fun and nurturing environment where parents can have a chat and make friends and children can enjoy socialising and trying different crafts and activities.

We are open on Wednesdays during term time from 9.15am until 11.15am. The cost is ÂŁ2 per family and includes a snack for the children and a hot drink and biscuits for the grown ups.

We hope to see many of you there with your little ones.

For further information, please contact Claire Thunder on 07908 902017.

Meldreth Baby and Toddler Group

Meldreth Christmas Cards Meldreth Local History Group has limited numbers of village Christmas cards available for sale. They are priced at just 30p per card or ÂŁ2.00 for a pack of eight cards.

Seven different images are available including Topcliffe Mill, the Church, the almshouses and Fenny Lane. For further details please visit http://www.meldrethhistory.org.uk/images/uploaded/originals/ Xmas20170012.jpg, email info@meldrethhistory.org.uk or telephone Joan and Tim Gane on (01763) 260129.

Meldreth Local History Group 8

Meldreth Preschool www.meldrethpreschool.com Preschool is thrilled to welcome our new manager Lianne to the team! She has already settled in well and is a big hit with the children. It's always nice to have someone to bring fresh ideas and new energy to our setting so we are really excited about what she has planned for the coming months.

Preschool is, as always, finding fun ways to enjoy the autumn weather.

Our older children have been exploring the woods, ably assisted by some generous parent helpers whose help has been very welcome. They have also been fending off the colder weather with the occasional hot chocolate, which has been understandably popular with children and adults alike.

This is also the time of year that we plan our AGM. As a charitably run preschool, we rely on the support of the local community to keep going, and we welcome any input from the families who use our setting.

The date for the AGM has yet to be confirmed, but we will announce it on our website and on social media as soon as we can. We would love to see as many people there as possible, especially given our recent change of management and the potential upcoming change of location.

Festive Shopping Evening: Saturday 11th November Another seasonal event that we hope to see you at is our festive shopping evening on Saturday 11th November, organised by our fundraising expert, Lucy. We have already got more than 30 stalls booked, and we will be serving mince pies and mulled wine. This is the perfect opportunity to get a head start on your Christmas shopping, so come along and join us on the night from 7.00pm!

We still have some spaces available for this term, although sessions are getting booked up quickly. We are happy to arrange visits and settling in sessions, so do get in touch using the contact details on our website www.meldrethpreschool.com, if you are interested in a place for your child.

Meldreth Preschool 9

What’s On for Children and Families in November These events are taking place in the local area. For Meldreth events, please see pages 3.

Saturday 4th November, 11.00am – 3.00pm Leaf Lanterns, Cambridge Botanic Gardens, Brookside CB2 1JE Make a mini lantern decorated with autumn leaves. Free for children, drop-in event. Accompanying adults pay garden admission charge.

Sunday 12th November, Family Jam – Dance 11.00am for children 7+ Youth Dance Workshop 2.00pm for ages 11 - 16 Saffron Hall, Audley End Road, Saffron Walden CB11 4UH Fun and high energy dance workshop based around themes from solar physics. £10. To book: www.saffronhall.com or call 0845 548 7650.

Wednesday 15th November, 10.30am – 11.30am Outdoor Craft and Storytelling Wandlebury Country Park, Babraham CB22 3AE Adventures and stories in the park and stable room for accompanied children up to 6 years. £8 per family (up to 3 children). New monthly event. To book email: katherine@vitalsparktheatre.org.

Friday 17th and Saturday 18th November Ely Cathedral Gift and Food Fair, Ely CB7 4DL Stalls, refreshments, demonstrations. Carousel, reindeer and elves on Saturday. £4 adults, children under 16 free. Book in advance at www.tickets.elycathedral.org or ring (01353) 660349.

Saturday 18th November, 2.00pm – 4.00pm MAKE! - Secret Agents Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1RB Make a secret code and hide it in your art work, guided by an artist.

For 11 to 13 year olds. £5. To book ring (01223) 332904.

Saturday 25th November – Sunday 24th December Santa Specials, Nene Valley Railway PE8 6LR Visit Santa’s grotto then ride on a steam train to Peterborough with Santa. Drinks and nibbles. Tickets from £15. Book: www. nvr.org.uk.

Compiled by Hilary Crawforth 10

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Meldreth Primary School www.meldreth.cambs.sch.uk Harvest Time Regular readers and past followers of Meldreth school life and events, may be pleased to know that in these demanding days of targets, pace and progress, we still manage to make time for some of the traditional seasonal festivals that have always been such important milestones in the year and which signal the annual passage of time. Such is our harvest festival, possibly the most eagerly attended event in the calendar, when we all gather to give thanks to farmers and to the forces that conjure the sun and the rain to ensure that we are all well fed, yet equally to pause and reflect on the needs of those less fortunate than ourselves.

After a bright full moon on the night of 6th October, children arrived for school in the morning with armfuls of produce comprising packets, tins and boxes. These were suitably arranged in the hall before being made into hampers which were donated to the Meldreth-based charity, Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire, to help support needy families in the local area.

Each class made a short presentation (see examples below), interspersed with harvest hymns and songs, old and new and Reverend Lizzie Shipp (pictured left) led a blessing and prayer to round off proceedings delightfully! This is school life at its most uplifting!

Andrew Jones Deputy Headteacher In Chaffinch Class we did a rap all about fruit and vegetables and everybody had to sing a bit. We wore veggie medallions and sunglasses so we looked like real rappers!

Levi – Chaffinch class We made a play called Oliver’s Vegetables and it was all about a boy who didn’t like veg but he loved chips, so when he stayed at his 12

grandpa’s, he had to find the potatoes to make the chips. He found different vegetables every day, but he learned that all the other vegetables were just as nice. (He did find the potatoes in the end, so he did get his chips.)

Eddie – Woodpecker class.

We said ‘Hello’ in all the different languages and showed what they grow there. I was ‘Hola!’

Bailey – Kingfisher class We did an acrostic poem all about the Ancient Egyptian harvest along the Nile. It was good fun and we spelled out the word, HARVEST! Chris – Swallow class [Adults reading this may wish to know that an acrostic poem is a poem where certain letters in each line, typically the first letters of each line, spell out a word or message. Ed] Swallow Class Prayer for Harvest We mustn’t forget to say thank you to God for all the lovely food he gives us.

We need to say thank you to God for giving us the sunshine and rain which helps the crops grow.

We should all help to give food to the people who don’t have much.

We have to be very grateful that we are not in an unlucky country that doesn’t have much food.

And we have to be very grateful to the farmers who give up their time to provide us with lots of lovely food.

If we are greedy, there is less food, so there won’t be enough for everyone to eat.

Harvest festival is a very important time because we all get lots of fruit and vegetables, and celebrate together.

Amen.

By Tom Willers and Chris Ladds 13

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1st Melbourn Guides How do you get to try over twenty different adventurous activities in one week? Go Guide camping at Tolmers Scout Activity Centre! For our summer camp this year we joined over 1000 Scouts and Guides at ‘Come to Tolmers’ (CTT) where the girls could choose their activities every day. From abseiling to zorbing, backwoods cooking to yachting, there was something to suit everybody.

There was evening entertainment too, with films and a disco, or you could just hang out with your new friends or chat in your tent.

Our older girls are working on their Baden Powell Challenge now, which requires them to experience lots of new activities, both at home and at Guide meetings. For their first aid badge, Emily, Grace, Jess and Izzy taught CPR and the recovery position to the rest of the unit, using training mannequins and lots of practical exercises.

The Guide programme is being revised, with new themes including personal safety, survival and Guiding traditions.

One taster activity chosen by the girls this term was fire lighting, which we made more exciting by cooking popcorn over the fire in a pan without the lid on. The idea was to catch the popping corn in a cup before it landed on the grass. Nearly impossible to do, but great fun anyway!

The most memorable times in Guiding are the excursions, and the Big Gig Guides-only pop concert at Wembley Arena is not to be missed.

This October we saw Pixie Lott, X Factor finalists Louisa Johnson and 5AM, and YouTube star Jasmine Thomson, along with several other upcoming acts.

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

Hilary Marsh 15

On the Search for Cesspit Lore!

Subsequent to my research on stink pipes in Meldreth published in the October issue of Meldreth Matters and on the History Group’s website, www.meldrethhistory.org.uk, I have become intrigued by what was in existence in the village before the arrival of the sewage system. There are some references on our website to toilets (sometimes chemical) prior to the arrival of the sewage system but no accounts of how sewage was dealt with. I wonder if anyone in the village has any memories of how cess pits or the outdoor toilets were cleared out, if they ever were!

Cesspits could either be sealed at the bottom or drained direct onto the soil. More sophisticated were septic tanks which used anaerobic bacteria to break down some of the material. However these also needed to be cleared out regularly. Cesspits, originally introduced in the 16th century, were initially cleaned out by tradesmen using shovels and horse-drawn wagons. This happened at night, to reduce the smell and annoyance to the public. The typical cesspit was cleaned out once every eight to ten years. After reforms in the 19th century to contain liquid waste to prevent contamination of water sources, they were cleaned more frequently - about two or three times per year. Later, septic tanks were cleared by vacuum trucks.

In 1846 it was estimated that 100 cesspits were cleaned in Paris every night, by roughly 200 cesspit cleaners in the city, and out of a total of 30,000 cesspits. The material removed was a valuable source of fertiliser for a rural population. In fact, Paris delayed introducing a sewage system due to concerns about the loss of the valuable manure.

If you have any stories about toilets or cesspits or the use of human waste as manure in and around Meldreth please send them to me at brucehuett@compuserve.com or post to 20 Rose Lane, Melbourn, Royston, Herts SG8 6AD or phone (01763) 232855 (takes messages).

Bruce Huett Meldreth Local History Group

New to the village?

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

www.meldrethhistory.org.uk 16

Meldreth Local History Group www.meldrethhistory.org.uk Coffee Morning, Monday 9th October Fifty three people gathered at the Sheltered Housing Community Room on Elin Way to hear John Crawforth give a fascinating talk about ‘Crime and Disorder in 19th Century Meldreth.’ John, who spent a forty year career in the Probation Service and was Chief Probation Officer for Lancashire and then Greater Manchester, came to the village four years ago. With the help of Linda Clarke, another member of the Meldreth Local History Group, he has been researching court cases from the 19th century and spoke about some of those they have uncovered.

These included the transportation to Tasmania in 1822 of a seventeen year old boy for ‘stealing a pony out of the parish of Meldreth’; an 1842 brawl between quarrelling ex-neighbours in the Old Bell public house which led to one of them stabbing the other with a reaping hook; and a dramatic case of attempted horse stealing from Mr Waller’s farm on North End in 1878. Other cases were more humdrum – the theft of a small quantity of oats and peas by a farm labourer from his master in 1877; the landlord of the Railway Tavern selling ale in short measure in 1868 and the theft of coal from the railway yard by two young girls in the winter of 1887 – their sooty footprints in the snow leading the police to their homes in Chiswick End! In recounting the stories of their crimes, John explained how Meldreth people were dealt with when they broke the law; what detention in prison hulks, transportation to the colonies and prison with hard labour meant; how modern day police forces came into being and how the local courts carried out their work. During the course of his talk we glimpsed the poverty in which many offenders lived, heard of the harsh punishments often meted out to young children but also learnt how members of the professions and some of Meldreth’s wealthiest families were not immune to brushes with the law.

More information about these and many other cases can be found by visiting the Meldreth Local History Group’s website and searching for ‘law and order’ under the list of topics; or simply go direct to: www.meldrethhistory.org.uk/category/law_and_order.

Meldreth Local History Group 17

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Meldreth Messy Church On Sunday 8th October, 31 children with parents and grandparents were welcomed to Messy Church in the Meeting Room at Meldreth Church. Our theme was ‘Sowing and Growing’.

The children were soon busily printing with vegetables, decorating biscuits, planting cress, having competitions to see who could transfer the most seeds from plate to plate with a straw or racing around the church hunting for hidden vegetables. Some chose to make music with our guitarist and drummer and some had a quiet moment listening to stories or playing with the baby and toddler toys. After all that activity, appetites were keen and vast quantities of baked potatoes and fillings were consumed, followed by sponge and custard.

Look out for the Messy Church Christmas tree at the Christmas Tree Festival on 2nd and 3rd December. There will be activities for children - help us decorate the tree.

The next Messy Church will be on 28th January and will tell the story of Noah’s Ark. Come along and enjoy all the activities and a delicious meal - it’s fun and free!

Hilary Crawforth on behalf of the Messy Church Team

Can you Bake a Cake?

We love to sell cakes and sweet treats at the very popular cake stall at the Christmas Tree Festival and a piece of cake always goes down well with a cup of tea or coffee when you need a break.

If you think you might like to bake a cake for refreshments or a tasty treat to sell on the cake stall, do let me know on (01763) 260456, email bagginsbarn@icloud.com or bring something along on either day.

Many thanks.

Carol Osborne 19

Friends of Holy Trinity www.foht.org.uk This Month’s Event: 24th November, 7.30pm - Flanders and Swann Revisited A reminder of their comic songs by Peter Chapman and Mike O’Neill The programme will be run without an interval, with wine and nibbles available in a social afterwards Tickets £7.50 (Friends £7.00) from: Robert Long - (01763) 261365 Mary Gregory - (01763) 260120 John Price - (01763) 260048 Peter Chilvers - (01763) 260742

Forthcoming Events: January 2018 - Annual Supper Date to be confirmed March 2018 - The Story of Saffron in East Anglia and Beyond

by Dr Sally Francis. Date to be confirmed.

John Price

Joint Parish Prayer Group The Prayer Group will be meeting on Tuesday 21st November at 8.00pm at 85 North End, Meldreth. Please join us if you feel the need for quiet meditation and prayer. Prayer requests are welcomed and treated in strict confidence.

Marion Long (01763) 261365 20

Remembrance Service at Meldreth War Memorial Sunday 12th November, 9.30am A Remembrance Service at the War Memorial will be conducted by the Priest in Charge to honour those who died in the two world wars. It will include the laying of commemorative wreaths.

In Flanders Fields, by John McCrae, May 1915 In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

Left: the remembrance day service in Meldreth in 1923.

To find out more information about the men commemorated on the Meldreth war memorial, please see www.meldrethhistory.org.uk/ category/wartime_in_meldreth 21

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THE WALKERS PARTNERSHIP SOLICITORS DO YOU NEED TO MAKE A WILL OR REVISE YOUR EXISTING WILL? If so, please take advantage of our reduced rate wills offer.

Please note that reduced rate wills will be available every week day from 8.00am until 6.00pm and on Tuesdays evenings until 8.00pm, by appointment only.

Also on the Saturday mornings of 11th and 25th NOVEMBER , again by appointment only: Reduced rates are:Double Wills - £250.00 plus VAT Single Will - £130.00 plus VAT HOME VISITS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AT NO EXTRA CHARGE WITHIN A 20 MILE RADIUS OF ROYSTON. For more information please contact:Fish Hill Chambers, 2-3 Fish Hill, Royston, Herts SG8 9JY Tel: 01763 241121 t.donnellan@walkerspartnership.co.uk 22

Melbourn and Meldreth Women’s Group Our September meeting was held in Holy Trinity Church Meeting Room in Meldreth when we heard Reverend Lizzie Shipp tell us about her recent visit to the Moscow Patriarchate. Lizzie was part of a group of eleven young theologians who had been invited; eight were men, one was a female lay theologian, one a female ordinand and Lizzie was the only female vicar. This would have been usual for the Russians as they do not ordain women. The aim of the visit was to identify common areas of theological dialogue and have some initial conversations.

These talks will continue and there will be a return visit to the UK by members of the Russian Orthodox Church.

During the Bolshevik era, many churches, cathedrals and monasteries were damaged or totally destroyed so a lot of the buildings now are either new or have been rebuilt. Forty-one percent of the population are Russian Orthodox and their communion services last for over two hours with most people standing; the women on the left and the men on the right. Unlike our churches, there are no organs; just singing, which was lovely and rather similar to what we would hear in monasteries.

Monasteries are important in the Russian Orthodox faith as all Bishops must be monks and unmarried. Priests, however, can be married but are not allowed to remarry after the death of, or divorce from, their spouse.

The group saw some lovely images of highly ornate local churches with marble floors and the congregation standing, with women wearing headscarves. Their church believes in God, the Spirit and Jesus but they hold the Father and the Spirit as higher than the Son. There was much to hear and not enough space to cover it all in the meeting.

Anne Harrison gave a vote of thanks and a small gift to Lizzie as a token of our appreciation.

Our next meeting is on Tuesday 28th November at our usual time of 7.45pm and will be held in the Holy Trinity Church Meeting Room in Meldreth. The Reverend Mary Price will lead us on a reflection for Advent. If you need a lift to a meeting or would like to know more about the group, please contact one of the committee members: Pat Smith (01763) 262575, Sue Toule (01763) 260955, Anne Harrison (01763) 261775 or Angela Leach (01763) 262793.

Pat Smith 23

Notes from a Small Garden As I am writing this in the second week of October, I have been thinking what a summer it has been so far for gardens here in the village. There was that scorching dry week in June, much fair weather in July but a disappointing August and a September with more rain than usual. Our lawn has remained green throughout, and there has been little respite for the mower. Many people have had a splendid fruit season with trees laden with pears in particular.

I started to lift leeks in September, something I have never achieved before, but now I find that some are “going to seed” with the stalk (eventually to flower) beginning to form. The roses still flower, the salvias – well nothing but profuse can describe them. Swiss chard is huge and I have seen enormous clumps of the red variety in friends’ gardens. But then my favorite ipomea “Morning Glory” is late again, whereas its more robust sister, ipomea “Grandpa Otts” has climbed all over our thatch and has been flowering for weeks, and pretty well on time. It all feels so odd! What is happening and what should we be doing about this change in weather patterns in the eastern region of England?

There is a good article in October’s RHS journal The Garden entitled “Gardening in climate change”. It mentions a number of important changes to our weather patterns. We need to expect much more variability, wetter winters, many winters that are frost free, extended growing seasons, and intense downpours, followed by long dry periods.

But gardens are a must for the future, even in the smallest spaces as they actively remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. More on this next month!

In the meantime, some jobs for November: ⇒

Clear up fallen leaves; you can make good leaf mould ready for potting in a years time

⇒

Plant bulbs, including tulips and daffodils

⇒

Prune roses to prevent wind rock

⇒

Divide perennials, e.g. phlox

⇒

Cover brassicas with netting if you have a problem with pigeons

And here’s to hoping that we won’t be mowing all winter!

24

The next meeting of Veg Club Plus will be at 10.00am on Saturday 11th November when we will meet at Sherida & John Richard’s house, 39 Whitecroft Road, Meldreth.

Good gardening from Jim and me.

Jim and Julie juliedraper@dumbflea.co.uk

Letter to the Editor Hedgehogs Can I appeal to all residents of The Grange, Oakrits, Elin Way near the Community room, and High Street houses backing onto Oakrits to be particularly aware of the likely presence of hedgehogs in their gardens?

During this summer and autumn I have been releasing healthy hedgehogs which have been treated by Shepreth Hedgehog hospital, and many will still be living in this area. They spend the day sleeping in undergrowth, dense bushes, and under decking and sheds, and they will also use these nests for hibernation. Please can you therefore be especially careful when tidying your gardens and having bonfires, and just check for hedgehogs before wading in with sharp tools or garden machinery. If you do disturb or have to move one, just put it into an open box or pet carrier filled with scrunched up newspaper or dead leaves in a quiet corner of your garden where it can sleep until night time, then check the next day that is has gone. You can feed visiting hedgehogs with cat or hedgehog biscuits, and they also love dried mealworms. A dish of fresh water is really important too.

Many thanks, Hilary Marsh, Oakrits

Attention Dog Owners Can dog owners please use the designated dog bins to place dog faeces in and not the litter bins, especially within the children's play area where dogs are NOT allowed. Our litter picker recycles waste from the litter bins so please DO NOT use these for disposing dog waste.

Meldreth Parish Council 25

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Melbourn and District Photographic Club http://melbournphotoclub.com With the year drawing to a close, we have a full and varied programme for the winter months including one lecture, five competitions and one club evening.

November’s meetings are as follows: 7th: Melbourn Trophy 1st Round vs Ware. Judge: John Wilcox 14th: 2nd Open Projected Image Competition. Judge: Sarah Kelman 21st: Inter-Club Print Battle. Judge: Naomi Saul 28th: Village Challenge and Self-Judged Competition Meetings are held weekly from 7.30 - 9.30pm on Tuesdays at Foxton Village Hall from September to April.

The Club has a diverse membership, a friendly and supportive atmosphere and welcomes new members, whatever their ability. Anyone wishing to Fenland Dawn by Keith Truman know more details or see some of our work should visit our website at melbournphotoclub.com or email the Secretary at melbournphotoclub@hotmail.com.

Peter North Secretary

MELDRETH PLANT HIRE TEL: 01763 262738 DIGGERS, DUMPERS, BREAKERS, WHACKERS, ROTAVATORS. AVAILABLE FOR DAILY OR WEEKLY HIRE. WWW.MELDRETHPLANT.CO.UK 27

Maycroft Care Home All the usual activities have continued this month with the introduction of a new musician, Liz Monroe, a saxophonist par excellence, who also has a lovely voice. She is a great entertainer and was received with loud applause by the residents. There were even calls for an encore! Liz will be returning soon, a welcome addition to the entertainment scene provided for us.

Ray and Carol October, a cheque for ÂŁ1601.90 was presented to Dr. Steve Andrews, Head of Chemistry at Alzheimer's Research UK. He is in charge of developing new drugs for the treatment of dementia.

The cheque was given to him by two of the residents who took part along with staff, families, friends and several villagers in the walk through part of the village and along the River Mel. Dr Andrews thanked everyone who donated in any way, with their time or cash.

Lynn Ward the manager of Maycroft spoke of the interest everyone showed in this new venture and how she and the friends were looking forward to 2018 and building on this success with an even more ambitious target.

We are all now aware of the new building, as we see it taking shape out of the windows with the lorries, machinery and workmen so busy outside. We are so looking forward to our short move early next year.

Thank you all for your interest in the Home, the residents and the activities we do here. Very soon we will be making special cards: I wonder for what?

Rosemary and Ray, Friends of Maycroft 28

New Youth and Community Fund Police and Crime Commissioner, Jason Ablewhite has announced a new fund to help kick start grass root community projects. The Police and Crime Commissioner’s Youth and Community Fund is aimed at projects that help bring community groups together, improving their skills and confidence and empowering local people to have a stronger say about what matters to them. This Fund has been created from money raised from the sale of recovered and unclaimed property under the Police Property Act. The Commissioner is particularly interested in projects which help improve engagement between communities and the police, as well as those which help divert young people away from offending. Funding is also available for projects promoting the involvement of young people in policing through active participation.

Grants of up to ÂŁ1,000 are available to voluntary and community organisations. The terms and conditions of the fund are available online at http://www.cambridgeshire-pcc.gov.uk/get-involved/policecrime-commissioners-youth-community-fund/.

Cambridgeshire Constabulary

Meldreth Football Club Fixtures Saturday team home fixtures (subject to change) Saturday 11th November, 2.00pm Saturday 18th November, 2.00pm Saturday 9th December, 2.00pm Saturday 16th December, 2.00pm Sunday team home fixtures (subject to change) Sunday 12th November, 10.30am Sunday 26th November, 10.30am Sunday 10th December, 10.30am Joan Fallon 29

Meldreth Croquet Club Golf Croquet League This year, for the first time, Meldreth Croquet Club entered a team in the East Anglia Croquet Federation Golf Croquet Handicap League Central Division. This comprised Meldreth and two teams from each of Letchworth, Enfield and Newport. Seven teams in the Division meant that we had to play six matches - three at home over ten games (as we have only one lawn) and three away over eighteen games, where two or three lawns are available. We used a pool of six players and all enjoyed the experience and made important contributions.

After four matches we were doing very nicely, having drawn two matches at home against Letchworth Red and Newport Oaks, and won our two away matches against Enfield South and Letchworth Blue, unexpectedly finding ourselves at the top of the table. Unfortunately, we could not maintain that form and lost our last two matches against Newport Elms and Enfield West and eventually finished fourth, two points behind the winner Enfield South. The League was keenly contested, with a generally high standard of play and, overall, we actually won more games than we lost - 44 to 40.

Although it was a disappointing end to the season, especially as we had beaten the eventual winner, we are proud of what we have achieved in our first venture into competitive match-play and are looking forward to next season.

Association Croquet League Each year we play in the Beds and Herts league. This is our local Association Croquet league and consists of seven teams. The others are St Albans, Wrest Park, Enfield, Watford, Northampton and Letchworth. Because we are a small club with comparatively few Association players we team up with Bygrave, another small club, and play under the name of ‘Melgrave’.

It was very encouraging that we ended the league season with a 4:0 win over Wrest Park. This means that we finished second in the league, only two points behind the winners, Watford. The full results can be seen on the East Anglian Croquet Federation website. Our results for the season were two draws, three wins and only one loss, against the eventual winners. Overall, a pretty good result for a small club.

Janet Pope 30

Meldreth Tennis Club The Michael Batchelor Tournament: Saturday 30th September 2017 On a glorious sunny day sixteen members of Meldreth Tennis Club took to the courts in the first club tournament to be held on the newly refurbished courts. The play was very competitive with only three points separating the top three pairs. Tied in third place were new Club members David Crookes and John Richards and Malcolm Pullen who played with Club Chairman Richard Evans. Runners up were new member Sarah Shoard who played with Anwen Smith. They received Toblerones as prizes. Pipping the runners up by just one point were Yvonne Blows and last year’s winner Ralph Betts. They were awarded the trophies and a bottle of wine each by Richard Evans. The players thanked Christine Knight for running this very enjoyable tournament.

Since opening the new courts on 12th August this year, the Club has seen a massive increase in membership. Only a year before, the membership had dropped to under 40. After the grand village opening event, the membership has now shot up to over 100 and new members are still signing up. Unfortunately, because the Club does not have floodlights the evening club sessions are now severely curtailed. For all details of club times, membership prices and events please go to the Club website at www.clubspark.lta.org.uk/meldrethtennisclub.

Jo Kitteridge 31

Volunteering Opportunities Home-Start Royston and South Cambridgeshire Are you looking for a new challenge? Are your children settled in school or gone to university, are you newly retired, would you like to make new friends, learn new skills or do you simply have a bit of spare time on your hands?

Would you like to join Home-Start as a volunteer?

Our volunteers are all parents or grandparents who can give a few hours a week to help families who are finding it difficult to cope.

All parents need emotional and practical help to get through the first few years, but not everyone has friends or family nearby.

This is when Home-Start volunteers can help!

Our next training course starts in January, 2018. If you are interested, please contact us at the office (01763) 262262.

Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire

Melbourn Mobile Warden Scheme

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

What are our Services?

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

What will it cost?

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

How can I join?

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

Melbourn Warden Scheme is a registered charity 32

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33

Meldreth Village Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thur

2.00-4.00pm Companions 6.00 - 6.45pm 6.00-7.00 Brownies Pilates 7.45-9.00pm Bell Ringing 7.00 - 9.00pm Tennis 7.30pm Paris 9.15-11.15am Baby & Toddler Group

9.30-11.30am Meldreth Local History Group

10.00am-12.00 Handbells

7.30-10.00pm Old Time Dancing

5.00-6.00pm Martial Arts

9.15-11.15am Baby & Toddler Group

6.00 - 6.45pm Pilates

7.00 - 8.00pm Aerobics

6.00-7.00 Brownies

7.30pm WI

8.00-9.00pm Strutology

7.45-9.00pm Bell Ringing

7.00-10.00pm Crafters 7.30-10.00pm Old Time Dancing

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

7.30-10.00pm Old Time Dancing

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

9.15-11.15am Baby & Toddler Group

6.00 - 6.45pm Pilates

6.00-7.00 Brownies 7.45-9.00pm Bell Ringing

7.00 - 9.00pm Tennis

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

9.15-11.15am Baby & Toddler Group

6.00 - 6.45pm Pilates

6.00-7.00 Brownies 7.45-9.00pm Bell Ringing

7.00 - 9.00pm Tennis

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

9.15-11.15am Baby & Toddler Group

6.00 - 6.45pm Pilates

6.00-7.00 Brownies

7.00 - 9.00pm Tennis

7.45-9.00pm Bell Ringing

Church Services and Bell Ringing are held at Holy Trinity Church. The Prayer Group meets at 85 ‘Coffee Break’ mornings are held in the Sheltered Housing Community Centre, Elin Way. Brownie room. The Mobile Library Service visits Bell Close. The Cycling Group meets in the lay-by oppos 34

Diary - November

sday Good

m Fitness

Friday 8.30-11.00pm Live Rock Music, Eternit Sports & Social Club (see page 3)

Saturday 10.30am - 12 noon Community Coffee Break

Sunday 8.00am Holy Communion 5.30pm Meat Raffle, BQ

m Table

h Council 10.00am Veg club plus meeting, 39 Whitecroft Road

m Fitness

7.00pm Preschool Shopping Evening (see page 9) 7.00pm for 7.30pm Bowls Club Quiz Night (see back page)

m Fitness

m Table

m Fitness

m Table

8.00am Holy Communion 9.30am Service at War Memorial (see page 21) 5.30pm Meat Raffle, BQ

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

7.30pm FOHT Talk, Holy Trinity Church (see page 20)

8.00am Holy Communion 10.00am-4.00pm Rabbit Show 5.30pm Meat Raffle, BQ

m Fitness

m Table

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

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

35

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36

Meldreth Parish Council www.meldreth-pc.org.uk Extract of the unapproved minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Thursday 5th October 2017 in Meldreth Village Hall.

Present: Councillor R Goddin - Chairman, Councillor N Pellatt – Vice Chairman, Councillor R James, Councillor C A Land, Councillor D Lee, Councillor R A Searles and Councillor A Young In attendance: J Damant (Clerk); Councillor S van de Ven (CCC) Apologies for absence: Councillor Keena, Councillor Fallon and District Councillor P. Hart (SCDC) Public Participation There were five members of the public in attendance.

Items discussed: Station Parking: there are two parking bays outside Allerton Terrace which should be for residents’ use. However, it would appear that vehicles are being parked there which could belong to commuters who have chosen not to use the railway station car park. It has also been noted that at times cars are parked there for long periods. The installation of the two bays with a single yellow line was working well until charges were introduced for using the station car park. Is there anything that can be done to help alleviate this problem? Would restricted parking in the morning and afternoon help? Councillor Goddin responded that the Parish Council are aware of the problem and will investigate further with CCC. Chiswick End: the recent plans for the development in Chiswick End were discussed and residents have concerns about the lay-by.

Councillor Goddin stated that as far as he was aware the lay-by will be in place for passing vehicles and that there is a turning area on the plans for the development. It was also stated that this application is only an outline application at the moment.

District Councillor Report The report was circulated. There were no questions from Parish Councillors. Please see pages 45-47 for the report.

37

County Councillor Report: The County Councillor’s report is on pages 47-49.

Working Group Updates/Reports Meldreth Futures Working Group: Councillor Young stated that the group has not met to discuss applications. The website is now ready and it was agreed that it could go live. Discussions are still ongoing regarding overseeing the site content and updates.

Village Traffic Working Group: A report of the meeting held on 26th September was circulated. Councillor Goddin further updated the meeting and put forward a request that Meldreth Primary School and Meldreth Manor school be asked if they would like to be included in the working group as it was felt their feedback would be beneficial to the group. It was reported that the three main areas considered so far have been: traffic calming; Fenny Lane crossroads and the footways.

Mettle Hill Working Group: Councillor Goddin explained to the Council that the refusal of the proposed development on the Marley Eternit site may have an effect on what the Parish Council may be able to do with the land at Mettle Hill. The working group have been looking at the possibility of affordable housing which now would appear to be unlikely. Developers have looked into the reasons that Marley was refused and now think that it may not be possible to put housing on Mettle Hill. Councillor Goddin reported that the group were still investigating other avenues as well as looking into the Land Trust. Park homes are also being looked into further but it must be remembered that there are long term responsibilities and it needs to be considered very carefully as to what is eventually decided.

Consideration of the government’s proposal for more council housing may have an affect along with the LDF's five year housing plan and the possibility of an appeal from Marley. The other option would be to just clear the site and leave it.

Tennis Club Working Group: There has been a request to have a table and chairs stored in the pavilion. The Parish Council support the idea but the procurement would be for the Tennis Club to arrange or alternatively they could be borrowed from the Village Hall. The public booking system for the courts has still not been finalised and it would appear that the LTA booking system relies on an electric connection which the courts do not have. It was also suggested that an online booking system may work. Councillor Pellatt stated that this needs to be initiated by the Tennis Club and not the Parish Council. The 38

working group will arrange a meeting with the Tennis Club to find out what is happening with the booking system for the courts.

Housing Needs Survey Cambridgeshire Acre are presently conducting a housing survey for Meldreth and all households have been or will be sent a survey questionnaire to complete. It is hoped that as many households as possible will complete this as it will give a better understanding of the housing needs in Meldreth.

Major Projects Pavilion decorating: awaiting quotes.

Security for pavilion: CCTV documentation to be reviewed.

Church Wall: awaiting the specification and once received it will be sent to SCDC Planning for their approval.

Mettle Hill: agreement of specification for demolitions and other ground works so that tenders can be sought. All councillors have seen the specification and it was proposed that this could now be sent to contractors for quotation.

Local Highway Improvement Scheme (LHI): Clerk will submit the application which is a repeat from last year's submission to have curbing along parts of North End in order to protect the verges.

Ongoing Projects Playground: Councillor Fallon submitted her report and stated that all equipment appears to be in good working order. However, there is some rotting visible on one of the stepping blocks. Clerk to investigate.

Recreation Ground Ditch clearance will be carried out on 23rd and 24th November. Once the area has been cleared of vegetation, tenders for building up the ditch will be sought. Maintenance will be completed on 30th November and 1st December.

Horse Chestnut Tree (Stocks) Application to SCDC is required as the tree is both protected and in a conservation area.

Work to be carried out by the contractor.

Anticipate this will take place mid November and is provisionally booked for Tuesday 21st November.

Streetlight Survey Survey into replacing the lights along North End (SC1-SC9) and Chiswick End (SC10-SC13).

39

The cost of this survey was ÂŁ399.85, as already agreed. Clerk has now received a response from Balfour Beatty, however the Council has further questions regarding their response. Clerk will get confirmation and a date for the survey.

Proposed Closure of the Railway Crossing on Footpath 10 Councillor James circulated a report and stated that there is now a website. He will now put together a response detailing the serious concerns regarding the proposed closure. This needs to be completed by the end of October and he will contact some residents who may have further information on this as well as the District and County Councillors.

Defibrillators The defibrillator for the Village Hall has been ordered along with magnets. Community Heartbeat Trust (CHT) will forward details to the ambulance service so it can be logged with them. Volunteers will be needed to check on a weekly basis to ensure the machine is in place and working. The telephone box in North End will house the second defibrillator. Once the paperwork has been received from BT and the telephone has been removed, CHT will install the defibrillator. The box needs painting and maintenance prior to installation. The security number for the magnets will be the same for both defibrillators and will be allocated to the Parish Council. CHT tag all defibrillators so if it gets taken to the hospital or is with the ambulance service it can be traced.

Correspondence and Clerk's Report Hedge along North End near College Farm bend: the question of reducing the hedge along North End has been raised. The Clerk contacted Mr P J Taylor (CCC) to enquire who is ultimately responsible for the hedge along this stretch of road and found that 'it is the landowner’s responsibility to cut the hedge back to keep the footway clear but they do not have to reduce the height of the hedge if they do not want to'. In Mr Taylor's opinion the height of the hedge helps to slow traffic down in this area and it is not an 'accident black spot'.

Another item raised was that straw bales were hitting tree branches which was adding to the problem of straw on the roads and ultimately getting into the ditches and blocking them up. Mr Taylor stated that a tree canopy naturally grows above the height of the tallest vehicle and stated that netting farm vehicles would help alleviate the problem.

40

Safety fencing at the Village Hall car park: Clerk still getting quotes for the required work needed.

Community Access Point (CAP) It should be noted that Meldreth CAP, an initiative supported by the Parish Council, will close on 31st December 2017 having helped over 100 locals with computer tuition through freely-given expertise and time by local volunteers, most of whom have served with the scheme since opening in 2005.

Dog Bin (near war memorial) Clerk still trying to arrange a site meeting with SCDC to see if there is a suitable place for a dog bin. Because there is no designated dog bin/ footpath in this area, SCDC are happy for people to use the litter bin.

Councillor Pellatt enquired about putting a dog bin further along Whitecroft Road, near to the crossroads. Clerk will enquire.

Finance Defibrillators: it was agreed that the funds for this would be taken from the precept. However, there was further discussion to see if this should be a Community Benefit funding project along with the fridge magnets which will be given to each household. It was proposed by Councillor Young that funding for the defibrillators is a good project for the community benefit fund, seconded by Councillor Land all agreed.

The Mary Course Fund – the Cambridge Building Society three-year tracker bond has matured into the Maturity Account. Councillor Searles will investigate an alternative bond.

Other Items: Permissive Path: Possibility of creating a circular path within the village (Footpath 2). Councillor Searles reported that this has not yet been discussed with the Parish Paths group and proposed that this request be forwarded to them in the first instance.

Community Gritting Scheme 2017/18: Under this scheme the Parish Council agrees specific routes in their area which are important to the local community and agrees them with the County Council. Volunteers can then sign up to grit these routes using equipment provided by the County Council. Councillor Searles reported that all the major routes are gritted by CCC.

41

Rural Travel Hubs Councillor Goddin reported that the Parish Council were not happy being mentioned in a CCC report as to being in favour of this scheme when they had not been informed about it. The scheme needs to be seen in respect of Meldreth residents which at the moment it does not appear to be. Meldreth is already experiencing problems with parking, especially around the station area and placing a travel hub in the village may increase this problem. At the moment there are no proposals as to where this hub can go.

Councillors' Reports: Councillor Land: there have been reports of vehicles entering the burial ground. This has now been rectified and notices displayed on the gates stating that only vehicles with permission from the Parish Council are allowed to enter the site. It was also suggested that the Clerk make enquiries into getting one of the gates locked,. This would still make it possible for pedestrians to gain access but not vehicles, unless agreed with the Clerk.

Councillor Goddin updated the council on the SCDC Planning Forum whereby the Parish Council had submitted a question regarding the publishing of names of those objecting to a planning application. The response received did state that SCDC had edited the question and that maybe the response was not in accordance to the original question raised, however they maintain that this practice of publishing objections on their website with names and addresses is now common practice in most local authorities and is in accordance with their transparency policies. The information is clearly laid out on the website and certain information is not published, e.g. email addresses. The point that many objections will not get submitted due to information being published is not a consideration of SCDC. The next meeting is on Thursday 2nd November 2017 in the Green Room of the Village Hall.

Meldreth Parish Council

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

42

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

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

(01763) 262822

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

Mr R Goddin (Chairman) (01763) 260061

goddin@btinternet.com

Dr R James

(01763) 261085

roger@rogerjames.net

Mr A Keena

(01763) 260267

alankeena@aol.com

Mr C A Land

(01763) 261004

c.land963@btinternet.com

Mr D Lee

(01763) 261571

david@oakrits.plus.com

Mr Nigel Pellatt (Vice Ch) (01763) 262444

nppellatt@btconnect.com

Mr R A Searles

(01763) 260435

robert.searles@btinternet.com

Mr A Young

(01763) 263484

andrewmpc@gmail.com

Local Councillors’ Drop-in Surgeries

Personal care for your feet in the comfort of your own home • Nail Trimming • Hard Skin & Cracked Heels • Corns & Verrucas • Fungal Nails

Susan van de Ven and Philippa Hart These take place on the first Monday of every month, from 3.00-4.00pm at the Melbourn Hub. Alternatively, contact us any time with your queries or concerns.

Telephone

on 01763 261250 or 0791 3913955

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

Nancy Foster MCFHP MAFHP Registered Member of the British Association of Foot Health Professionals

43

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District Councillor’s Report Recycling Bin Collection I mentioned this is my previous report and reproduce below the majority of the District Council’s press release: Council waste bosses have confirmed there will be no need for South Cambridgeshire residents to use paper caddies from mid-December, in a move to simplify the recycling process. From 11th December 2017, residents should place used paper directly into their blue wheelie bins for recycling. The withdrawal of caddies also means fewer waste collection vehicles will be needed in future, helping save taxpayers around £670,000 during the next seven years compared to the existing system. This is because trucks which collect dry recycling that is mixed together, rather than separated, don’t have split bodies, so can carry more materials and means collection rounds will be completed without the need for vehicles to return to base and be emptied as often. Council tucks will cover around 26,000 fewer miles per year on South Cambridgeshire’s roads than the current arrangement and the change will therefore also lead to lower fuel costs and reduced CO2 emissions.

Computer modelling suggests current recycling rates, that see more than half of South Cambridgeshire’s waste recycled, will be at least maintained, if not marginally improved, from 11th December onwards.

After 11th December, residents can keep their caddies and use them however they wish. Alternatively, they can be taken to a household waste recycling centre for recycling. They should not be placed into wheelie bins.

Rural Transport Hubs Susan van de Ven and I are meeting Kirsty Human, the SCDC officer with responsibility for this Greater Cambridge Partnership aspiration on 16th October. Meldreth and Shepreth (and other villages with rail connections) have been identified as potentially suitable to become Rural Transport Hubs. We need to find out more about what is envisaged by GCP - how, for example, they propose to link up the rail service with a virtually non-existent bus service - and also need to engage to ensure that any such hubs work for residents as well as commuters.

Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire Home-Start has its premises in the village and I attended their AGM at the beginning of October. This wonderful organisation supports 45

families in our community; input at an early stage into young people and their carers’ lives helps to guarantee better outcomes later. HomeStart needs to raise £140,000 in the coming year to ensure that the projects they have in place can go ahead. They are always looking for volunteers to work with their families [see page 32]. Please get in touch with me if you are interested and would like any further information.

Mayor The Mayor has thus far committed a lot of his available money - for example, £6 million to investigate the viability of a University in Peterborough - without recruiting the staff he needs to drive the projects forward. He has nevertheless announced that he needs a Chief of Staff!

I am pleased to report that the Combined Authority Scrutiny Committee are keeping a close watch on how the Mayor is bringing the devolution deal to this region.

Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) An even less elected public body than the Mayor, GCP has £100m to spend over next fine years, can apply for a further £200m for the period 2020-2015 and a possible further £200m for the period 2025-2030.

This is a considerably larger pot of money to spend over a smaller geographical area than the Mayor has at his disposal. Some of this is projected spend to be obtained by attracting match-funding.

GCP anticipates an 8% rise in traffic into Cambridge in the next five years, representing 200,000 additional journeys per annum. Smart Cambridge is the name of the programme being led by GCP to attempt to improve Cambridge traffic and connectivity. A programme of engagement has started to run until mid November called “Our Big Conversation” hoping to get the views of commuters, residents and businesses.

Early in November there will member and parish briefing. For a full event schedule, please search https:// www.greatercambridge.org.uk/events/ and look up Our Big Conversation.

Neighbourhood/Local/Non-Spatial Plans We are being invited to consider the preparation of a Neighbourhood Plan in our village, or perhaps on a joint-village basis. Several villages have started theirs, with none completed and some yet to complete them three years later! I have to say there is scepticism - and I share it about whether a Neighbourhood Plan can provide the protection a community might seek against development. For one thing, the Neighbourhood Plan cannot seek to reduce the amount of development 46

already allowed for in the District Council’s Local Plan. We are now being told that the Mayor will have his own Non-Spatial Plan (described as non-statutory, but unclear what this means) and last week the government announced in a guidance last week that it will likely to be setting local housing targets!

This is significant for South Cambridgeshire as the Local Plan figure is currently 975 dwellings per annum whereas the government has calculated that 1192 dwellings per annum will need to be built.

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

County Councillor’s Report The following report was presented at the Meldreth Parish Council Meeting on Thursday 5th October.

Council changes I neglected to report on over the summer The council is no longer under no overall control, and administrative changes have come in swiftly under the new ruling group.

County Council allowances The Council is required to commission an Independent Remuneration Panel to make recommendations on councillor allowances. The IRP made recommendations that would have reduced overall public spending on councillor allowances, and reconfigured the way the pot could be dispersed across various roles in the new council and accounting for changes under the new boundaries now in place. The IRP proposals were rejected by the council’s ruling group, which proposed a different scheme, increasing the overall expenditure by nearly £100K and creating new additional remunerated ‘special responsibility’ roles. Two new committees have been formed, which duplicate the work of others.

County Council new special responsibility posts The Council has created new remunerated ‘Area Champions’ whereby one Councillor acts as champion for an entire district, even though they have no electoral mandate to do so. They are paid a special responsibility allowance of £5000 per year. It is not clear 47

how they work for the parishes and I have yet to be contacted by the champion for our area.

Children’s Centre Consultation The responsible committee has decided not to make a decision on children’s centre closures but to send the matter to full Council.

Consultation responses by early years professionals have been highly critical of the loss of service that these closures will mean, and longterm implications for child and family support and development.

Deposits on Third Party Funded Highways Projects As you know, this accounts for any works not covered by the LHI scheme. This has been refined somewhat. There are two categories of projects for which a deposit is required, one requiring design and consultation (£500 deposit) and one that needs no design or consultation (£250). The fine print isn’t quite clear and I’ve asked for more information. Please note that officially the policy refers to ‘Privately Funded’ schemes but I’ve pointed out that parish councils are public bodies levying a precept.

Chestnut Lane and Kneesworth Road Does the Parish Council wish to work with Bassingbourn-cumKneesworth on speed limit reduction on the stretch of road connecting the two parishes? I have had requests from Kneesworth residents to look at this. The 60mph limit could be considered anomalous against the 50mph limits on nearby stretches of the A1198 and A10.

High Street Near the Station Station commuter parking on residential roads is legal but a nuisance for affected households. A request to consider adapting the current yellow line scheme in the High Street near the station has come from one household.

Bus User Group A meeting was held in Meldreth on 27th September. Nearly 30 people attended from the wider area served by our subsidised bus service, all without private transport. The 128 operator, Royston and District Community Transport and the County Council attended. The situation for people dependent on bus services is very sobering, in terms of increasing fares and pressures on viability of services.

Community Rail Partnership Community Rail Partnerships receive support from the Department for Transport and have access to grants for community projects. CRPs 48

should be consulted on transport-related projects, for example the rural travel hubs project. The Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton CRP is an overarching group with a strategic outlook, and the Rail User Group sits under it to deal with day to day train service issues.

While we are often working in frustration on rail related issues, the parish benefits from what the CRP has been able to secure and keep in place: 50% student rail discount for sixth formers (a unique arrangement nationally), greatly reduced parking charges, continuation of the booking office and according to British Transport Police, a significantly lower rate of crime and anti-social behaviour than we would expect at a station of this size. We have good lines of communication with the rail industry and arrangements with local business that reduce the number of cars needing to access the station.

Given that the train service itself will greatly increase from next year, with new problems and opportunities, the CRP seems important to maintain. Therefore, as you will remember, last year funds were raised toward the establishment of a part-time paid post. The CRP decided to establish a community interest company to provide an accountable financial and legal structure. To this end, South Cambridgeshire District Council, which is a member of the CRP, has provided professional advice in the establishment of a CIC, agreed to initially host the CRP paid post to ease the administrative burden, and to contribute £5000 per year for two years toward the post, which will top up the funds committed by Meldreth, Melbourn, Shepreth and Foxton Parish Councils and Govia Thameslink (£700 each). The CIC Articles should be signed shortly, and the part-time paid post will be advertised next month. At the same time, the CRP’s terms of reference will be refreshed to reflect these changes. Working in co-operation with parish councils is fundamentally important and an invitation to join the partnership will be sent out as soon as all these administrative jobs are completed.

Hopefully, these changes will make the Community Rail Partnership a well-supported and sustainable endeavour that brings benefit to the local community.

Susan van de Ven County Councillor Susanvandeven5@gmail.com 07905 325574 49

News From Heidi Allen www.heidisouthcambs.co.uk The biggest news this month is that her Majesty The Queen has awarded a royal title to Papworth Hospital. I am bursting with pride that the Royal Papworth Hospital will become the first royal hospital in the East of England! The hospital offers first class care whilst also undertaking pioneering work and it is fitting that this honour should come during the hospital’s centenary year and as it makes the move to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.

I was honoured and deeply touched to receive recognition from the disability charity Sense recently, as I was awarded “Parliamentarian of the Year” at their 2017 awards ceremony. Sense is a truly amazing organisation which works tirelessly to improve the opportunities for people with very complex needs and I am glad I was able to meet some of the staff, carers and volunteers who donate so much time, passion and energy to help the most vulnerable of people.

I was recently re-elected to the Work and Pensions select committee. I now also chair the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Young Disabled People and we want to provide a great response to the Minister, Paul Maynard’s recently announced Accessibility Action Plan Consultation.

What more needs to be done to improve transport accessibility for the disabled? If you have any experience of this, especially if it is on a point that might not have been identified in the consultation, please can I encourage you to contribute?

The consultation closes on 15th November and can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/ consultations/draft-transport-accessibility-action-plan.

If you are unable to access the internet or require the consultation document in a different format, please write to: Accessibility Action Plan Consultation, Department for Transport, Zone 2/14, Great Minster House, 33 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 4DR. Details of my upcoming surgeries can be found on my website at www.heidisouthcambs.co.uk/residents-drop-surgeries. You’ll also find further information about my work and news stories there.

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

Heidi Allen, MP 50

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

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

Day Centre: based at Moorlands Court with a friendly and sociable atmosphere and includes a tasty 2 course lunch.

Meals service: nutritious, hot lunchtime meal delivered to you.

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

To find out more, call us at Moorlands Court on 01763 260564 or email: denise.taylor@chsgroup.org.uk 51

Good Companions Last month members enjoyed a trip to St. Neots and had a very enjoyable day. Unfortunately, a few members of the Club were unwell and unable to travel. We wish them all well.

Our October meeting included a service for harvest taken this year by Rev. Lizzie Ship. Many thanks to her for taking time to visit us; we know how busy she is. There was no harvest competition for best basket of produce this year, but everything was raffled off to raise funds for the Club.

The November meeting will be at the British Queen for the Club’s Anniversary meal which I am sure will be superb as usual. It’s also a pleasure to give something back to the village as we are Meldreth Good Companions and benefit from help from people in the village.

Unfortunately, due partly to personal reasons, I have resigned as Transport Secretary and Club Secretary. Having said that I have made sure everything is organised and in place until the AGM next year in April. I have managed the two jobs for five years and now it is time for a rest.

L F Pocknell

Refuse Collections Collections in November will be on the following dates: Black bins: 14th & 28th Blue and Green bins: 7th & 21st Paper caddies will continue to be collected up to Friday 8th December 2017. From Monday 11th December, they will no longer be collected and from that date paper should be placed directly into the blue bin.

See the District Councillor’s report on page 45 for further details.

Kathryn Betts Editor 52

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Elin Way Lunch Club Friday 1st December Christmas dinner turkey Trifle or Christmas pudding £12.50 Lunch will be served at 1.00pm and will finish at around 3.00 to 3.30pm. The Club is open to the over 50s. Lunch must be booked in advance by calling Eileen Allan, Estate Officer on 07712 411976.

If you book to have a meal and then are unable to attend, we would appreciate it if you could still pay for your meal as the food will have been ordered and paid for. Thank you.

For further information, please contact Eileen Allan, Estate Officer on 07712411976 or email eileen.allan@scambs.gov.uk.

Eileen Allan Sheltered Housing Estate Officer

Calling all ‘Chocoholics’ Once again, Holy Trinity Church Meldreth will be represented at the annual Melbourn Bazaar which will be held at All Saints Church on Saturday 18th November from 11.00am onwards.

As with last year, we will be holding our Chocolate Tombola stall at the Bazaar. Donations of anything ‘Chocolatey’ i.e. sweets, bars of chocolate, biscuits, cakes or muffins and chocolate drinks will be most welcome. Please make sure your donations are within the ‘sell-by’ dates. A covered box will be placed in Holy Trinity in early November to collect these items. If you are unable to get to church and would like to give, then please call me and I shall be happy to collect. Thank you.

Marion Long (01763) 261365 55

Meldreth Neighbourhood Watch It's been a couple of months since we've talked about scams in these articles, but that doesn't mean that they have stopped.

Recently, a Meldreth resident was telephoned more than once by someone claiming to be from BT, saying that broadband work was being carried out at Meldreth Post Office and that it might affect their computer. The call was made more convincing by the fact that the scammers appeared to have detailed information about the victim. Unfortunately, the victim allowed the scammers to take control of their computer. Another variation of this scam is when someone telephones and says that you may have a virus on your computer.

If someone telephones and appears to know something about you and mentions local place names, the call can sound very convincing.

ALWAYS be wary of unsolicited calls.

NEVER let someone take control of your computer remotely.

If you're not sure, talk to someone else for advice; there are a number of trusted contacts in Meldreth who you can talk to about a possible scam: Graham Peter Linda Tim

(01763) 260358 (01763) 260323 (01763) 261405 (01763) 262801

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

The Cambridge Police website for reporting a variety of issues is: www.contactcambspolice.uk.

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

Meldreth Neighbourhood Watch

56

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Local Events in November Here is a selection of events happening nearby this month. To have your event listed, please email meldrethmatters@hotmail.com.

Until Sunday 4th February 2018 ‘Codebreakers and Groundbreakers’ Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1RB Pioneering exhibition celebrating the achievement of both Bletchley Park codebreakers (with Enigma machine on display) and those who deciphered Europe’s earliest writing system, Linear B. Gallery 10. Free.

Saturday 11th November, doors open 7.30pm for 8.00pm start ‘Blue Skies for Fowlmere’, St Mary’s Church, Fowlmere SG8 7TS Saffron Walden’s 15 piece Blue Skies Big Band plus vocalists entertain with Swing, Dixie and popular jazz, in aid of church funds. Wine and light refreshments available. Tickets £12 from Foxton and Thriplow village shops. Telephone contact: Robin Tring (01763) 208432.

Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th November, 10.00am to 5.00pm Wimpole Christmas Craft Fair Wimpole Estate, Arrington, Cambridgeshire SG8 0BW Seasonal fair with crafts, foods, interesting presents, mulled wine, mince pies and more. Tickets £4 from stable block ticket office. Children free.

National Trust event; normal admission applies.

Sunday 12th November, 10.00am to 4.00pm Dogs Day Out, Wood Green Animals Charity King’s Bush Farm, London Road, Godmanchester PE29 2NH Popular day out. Fun dog show, trick training, time trial games, trade stands and more. Entry free; individual activities priced from £1. More details: community@woodgreen.org.uk or call 0300 303 9333 ext 1281.

Tuesday 14th until Wednesday 22nd November, various times Cambridge Music Festival 2017 Nine days of high quality music featuring many international artists and emerging talents. Full programme: www.cambridgemusicfestival.co.uk Tickets from box office (01223) 357851 or The Shop at King’s, Trumpington Parade, Cambridge CB2 3QB. 58

Friday 17th and Saturday 18th November, 10.00am to 12.30pm or 1.30pm to 4.00pm; Christmas Decorations Workshop Wicken Fen Nature Reserve, Lode Lane, Wicken CB7 5XP Create your own festive decorations from willow and rush for house, tree or table, guided by expert basket-maker Nadine Anderson. Tickets: Adults £20; suitable for over 13s. Advance booking essential. Call 0344 249 1895 or visit: www.nationaltrust.org.uk.

Saturday 18th November, 8.30am Men’s Breakfast, Foxton Village Hall CB22 6RN This month’s speaker, Alan Ambrose, will talk on the work of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. Contact Tony Garrick (01223) 510201 garrick.tony@gmail.com or Mark Howard (01223) 503377 mark-howard@uwclub.net to reserve your place. All are welcome.

Saturday 18th November, 10.00am to 4.00pm Royston and District Model Railway Club Annual Exhibition Bassingbourn Village College, Bassingbourn SG8 5NJ More than 25 layouts plus traders’ stalls and miniature train rides (weather permitting). Refreshments available. Tickets £5 on the door, accompanied children free. More details: www.roystondmrc.co.uk.

Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th November, 11.00am to 4.00pm Foxton Art Exhibition, Village Hall, Hardman Road CB22 6RN Exhibits from a range of talented local artists in a variety of media, including painting, ceramics, glass, textiles, photography and jewellery.

All are on sale to raise funds for Foxton Primary School. Tickets £2, children free. For further information visit: www.foxtonart.org.

Saturday 18th November, 7.30pm Christmas Oratorio, presented by Royston and District Choral Society at the Parish Church, Melbourn St, Royston SG8 7BP Bach’s beautiful work performed in what promises to be a memorable concert. Tickets £15, concessions £12, school students £1, available from choir members, online at https://bit.lyRCSNov2017 or from Caroline Franks on (01920) 822723 or caroline.franks@rf152.co.uk.

Sunday 19th November, 9.30am to 12 noon Wildlife Gardening at Trumpington Meadows Nature Reserve, Grantchester Road, Trumpington, Cambridgeshire CB2 9LH Learn how to attract wildlife to your garden with expert tips from the nature reserve’s rangers. Booking essential by phone on (01954) 713500. Meet at the rangers’ office. Breakfast provided!

59

Compiled by John Crawforth

Planning Matters Parish Council Reference and Address

Detail

Parish Council Recommend

18 West Way, S/3109/17/FL

First floor extension over existing single storey kitchen to enlarge existing bedrooms, loft conversion and 4 bedroom dwelling to side garden.

The Planning Committee recommend 'Refusal' with comments. 'The Parish Council's policy is not to support developments which are outside the village development framework as the integrity of the village envelope should be protected.

86A High Street, S/3164/17/PA

Prior approval for a single storey rear extension.

Information Only. The Planning Committee noted the application but made no comment.

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

SCDC Decisions Reference and Address

Decision

Land at rear of 19-21 Permission has been granted for outline planning Whitecroft Road permission with some matters reserved apart from S/2553/17/OL access for the erection of two dwellings and change of use of part field/paddock to ecological amenity land.

Fieldgate Nurseries, 32 Station Road S/2465/17/FL

Permission has been granted for Retrospective Replacement single storey storage shed.

7 Brewery Lane (agricultural barn at rear of Brewery Farm) S/2346/17/FL

Permission has been granted for conversion of existing barn into a single dwelling and includes a single storey extension to the west and proposed carport.

Meldreth Parish Council Editor’s Note: Full details of all planning applications may be viewed at this website: http://plan.scambs.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/wphappcriteria.display 60

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61

Forthcoming Events for Local Charities Sunday 3rd December Rocking the Chapel Performance 6.30pm to 8.30pm Join us for an evening of uplifting performances by the UK’s leading contemporary “rock choir “ in the esteemed Trinity College Chapel, including special guest performances.

Private Gala Reception from 5.00pm - £40 including conducted tour of the historical Trinity Rooms.

General Concert Admission - £18 including drinks and refreshments For more information and to book your tickets please visit www.each.org.uk or contact Alan on (01223) 874689.

South Cambs friends supporting - East Anglia’s Children’s Hospice Committee: Alan Moggridge (chair) Mike Smart (treasurer) Lindsay Button

Tuesday 5th December Christmas Literary Lunch The Old Bull Inn, High Street, Royston SG8 9AW Local entertainer and Home-Start’s “Poet in Residence” Jude Simpson hosts a chat with Emma Bennett and other artists featured in The Cambridge Art Book Buffet lunch from 12.15pm; chat from 1.00-2.15pm with time for questions Tickets £15 from Tracy on (01763) 262262 or email admin@hsrsc.co.uk or buy online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/hsrsc All proceeds in aid of Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire, www.hsrsc.org.uk Charity No. 1105385 62

Home-Start’s Snowflake Appeal Could you help raise funds for Home-Start by hosting a tea party with your family and friends from your office, playgroup, school, book club etc?

We will supply you with a “tea bag” fundraising pack with ideas for all you need to host an event. The pack includes invitations for your use, a snowflake cutter and recipes for any cakes or biscuits you may want to make for your event. This is a great way to get your friends and family together before or after Christmas.

Home-Start is asking people to raise money to support vulnerable children who are unique and fragile as snowflakes. This ties in with Home-Start’s unique, tailor-made support for children, delivered with parents, in the family’s home. The appeal runs from 1st November – 31st January each year.

If you would like to host a tea party, please call our office on (01763) 262262 or email admin@hsrsc.org.uk.

Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire

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

email: benjaminandfredericks@outlook.com www.benandfred.co.uk @benandfred 63

Fire & Rescue Service www.cambsfire.gov.uk Fireworks and bonfire night can be plenty of fun for all of the family to enjoy and going to an organised firework display instead of holding one at home can be a great way of supporting your local community. If you plan on using fireworks or lighting a bonfire at your own home, however, please ensure you consider our safety advice below: Fireworks: Only buy fireworks marked BS 7114 Light fireworks at arm’s length using a taper, stand well back and never go back to a lit firework Never throw fireworks or put them in your pockets or clothing Light sparklers one at a time wearing gloves, and place used sparklers in a bucket of water Never give sparklers to children under five It is illegal to sell fireworks to someone under the age of 18 or to light fireworks in a public place.

Bonfires: Do not light bonfires in unsuitable weather conditions, particularly when windy Do not leave bonfires unattended Keep a bucket of water or a hosepipe handy just in case Build bonfires well clear of buildings, garden sheds, fences and hedges Never use flammable liquids to start bonfires Never burn dangerous rubbish such as aerosols, paint, foam furniture, rubber tyres, batteries, etc Always consider the welfare of animals and wildlife nearby Finally, think carefully about the location of a bonfire or firework display; smoke drifting near or on to surrounding roads can have devastating consequences.

For more information on Firework Safety, visit: www.hse.gov.uk Cambridge Fire & Rescue Service 64

Stay Well This Winter Winter weather can be seriously bad for our health. Being cold can aggravate existing conditions and raise the risk of increased blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes.

However, there are lots of things you can do to stay well this winter. ⇒ If you start to feel unwell, even if it's a cough or a cold, don't wait until it gets more serious. Seek advice on the best treatment from your local pharmacist. ⇒ Flu is a highly contagious and can cause serious complications for at risk groups. Adults over 65; those with long-term health conditions; children aged two to eight; carers and pregnant women may all be eligible for a free flu vaccination – ask your GP practice today. ⇒ A well-stocked medicine cabinet can help you treat common winter ailments such as coughs, colds, sore throats and sickness bugs at home and will save you going out if you feel unwell. Ask your pharmacist about essential medicines to keep at home. ⇒ Keeping warm, both inside and outdoors, over the winter months can help to prevent colds, flu and more serious health problems such as heart attacks, strokes, pneumonia and depression. ⇒ Make sure you're receiving all the help you are entitled to. Learn how to make your home more energy efficient and take advantage of financial schemes to keep up with energy bills.

Visit www.nhs.uk/Livewell/winterhealth/Pages/KeepWarmKeepWell for details. For further information on staying well this winter visit www.nhs.uk/staywell.

Jo Hobson Communications & Engagement Manager NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG

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Mick Taylor—(01763) 261118 Graham Borgonon—(01763) 260358 (01763) 262158, open 7am-10pm, 7 days Sherida Richards—(01763) 262512 Paul Ray—(01763) 260304 Marion Long—(01763) 261365

Cycling Group Good Companions 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

Shirley Lambert (01223) 207888 Janet Pope (01763) 248342 07930 650036 Christine Knight—(01763) 261676 (01763) 243376; http://cspark.at/Meldr2

Church

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

(01763) 220626; www.meldrethchurch.org.uk (01763) 261569 Peter Hinton—(01763) 262045 (01763) 260048; www.foht.org.uk

Baby & Toddler Group Pre-School Primary School

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

Parish Council District Councillor District Council Offices

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

Councils & Govt.

Clubs & Societies

Facilities

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

Childn.

Village Directory

County Councillor County Council Offices MP

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Transport Health Support Services Emergencies NonEmerg.

Misc.

Station Ticket Office

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

Rail User Group

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

Govia/Great Northern

www.thameslinkrailway.com

The Trainline Stagecoach Potholes, Highways problems, etc.

Streetlights (faulty)

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

Melbourn Surgery Addenbrooke’s NHS

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

Childline

Community Transport Home-Start Mind (mental health) Samaritans

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

General Emergency Gas Electricity Anglian Water Cambridge Water

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

Crimestoppers

S Cambs Fire & Rescue

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

Melbourn Hub

(01763) 263303; www.melbournhub.com

Royston Museum

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

Citizens Advice Bureau

Police

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

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

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

6 months £134.00 £74.00 £43.00 £11.00

12 months £216.00 £118.00 £65.00 £16.00

Occasional full page advertising features are also available on request.

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

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

A10 Timber .....................................44 Abode Town and Country ..............51 Affordable Plumbing .......................54 Art of Clean ....................................57 Art of Clean Wood ..........................18 B2B Automotive ..............................54 Benjamin and Fredericks .................63 Black Barn Turkeys .........................22 British Queen Job advert ...................2 British Queen Job advert ..................26 Cam Valley Orchards ......................57 Cambourne Self Storage ..................18 Cambridge Roofers .........................26 Cambridge Roofers (2) .....................2 Cambridge Sunblinds ................Cover CHS Day Centre .............................18 CHS Group .....................................51 Coton Electrical ..............................36 The Country Store ...........................33 Ely Design Group ............................61 Eternit Sports and Social Club ..........14 Four Counties Tree Services ............33 Gilhooly ....................................Cover Handyman ......................................26 Home Foot Care .............................36 iPlaster ............................................2 Lawn Partners .................................54

The Letting Centre .....................Cover Little Hands Nursery School ............61 Mandy Thornton Counselling ..........33 Melbourn Flooring .....................Cover Melbourn Village College ..................44 Meldreth Landscapes .......................36 Meldreth Manor (Aurora) Job ad .......7 Meldreth Plant Hire .........................27 Michael Easton Personal Trainer ......61 Moncraft Computers ........................57 Nancy Foster Footcare .....................43 Newlings of Royston Funeral Service57 Nigel Wigg Home Improvement .......36 Penn Farm Physiotherapy ..................26 Quicksilver Yoga ..............................33 Reed Autos .......................................61 Reflections Hair Studio ....................44 Richard Burns Electrician ....................2 Rod’s PC Support .............................14 Royston Fencing ...............................57 Shelford Energy ................................14 Slimming World ...............................18 Spice Hut Indian Takeaway ..............33 Summit Landscapes ...........................44 Village Garden Services ....................14 Walkers Partnership Solicitors ...........22 68

G I L H O O LY

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

MOTS Cars and vans Service and repairs to all COMMERCIALS HORSE BOXES MINI BUSES

VANS

Flexible working hours to suit you Monday — Saturday

Phone Mick on: 01763 263248

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