Meldreth Matters, October 2023

October 2023

In this issue …

Events include …

Bowls & Croquet Clubs Letters to the Editor MCCS: the Hub & FoodbankSpeed Monitor Data

FOHT Talk History Group Coffee Morning Melbourn Dynamos Quiz Night Village Hall Film

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Contents Gardening and Nature A Meldreth Garden 22-23 Preparing Melwood for Winter 20-21

What’s On in October Events at Melbourn Hub 30 FOHT Talk 5 Melbourn Dynamos Quiz Night cover MLHG Coffee Morning 4 Things to Do in October 14-15 Village Hall Film 4

Cookery In Praise of … 18-19 Children & Education Activities for Families 13 Primary School 12

Village Groups Bowls Club 27 Croquet Club 26 Photographic Club 29 Women’s Group 29

Local/National Government Local Councillors 38-40 Parish Council 34-36 Planning 36

Village News & Issues Auction of Lots & Promises 3 Christmas Tree Festival 6 MCCS Hub & Foodbank Funding 44-45 Meldreth Village Hub 17 Meldreth Village Hall Committee 17 Public Transport 11 Speed Monitor at the Stocks 10

Advice/Information 17 Bus Service 11 Advertisers’ Index 48 Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue 43 Home-Start 43 MCCS 45 Mobile Warden Scheme 2 Neighbourhood Watch 32 Refuse Collections 25 Village Directory 46-47

Miscellaneous Letters to the Editor 8-9 Melbourn Magazine 3

This month’s cover picture: The Grade II listed 18th century granary at Chiswick Farm, Chiswick End. Photograph by Kathryn Betts The opinions expressed in the letters and articles in this magazine are those of the writers, who are responsible for the accuracy of the information contained within them.

The last date for copy is the 12th of each month Copy should be submitted by email where possible, to meldrethmatters@hotmail.com.

Alternatively, it may be delivered to the Editor, Kathryn Betts at 36 North End, Meldreth, SG8 6NT Tel. (01763) 268428 The Editor reserves the right to withhold from publication or to shorten if necessary, any article or letter sent to her.

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Melbourn Mobile Warden Scheme Supporting people in Melbourn, Meldreth & Shepreth Can we help you? Your relative? Your neighbour?

What is the service?

We offer twice weekly visits and daily phone calls to support elderly or mobility impaired residents in their own homes by building a friendship and helping prevent social isolation. We can carry out errands such as local shopping, collecting prescriptions, paying bills or going to the Post Office so people can remain supported and independent at home. We can also help couples or those living with their family.

We are also trained to support people living with dementia.

Who provides the services?

Mobile wardens, who have all been carefully selected for their caring nature and are DBS checked.

What will it cost?

We do make a small charge for the services, which is from as little as £7.50 per week.

How can I join?

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

Melbourn Mobile Warden Scheme is a registered charity

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Editorial Welcome to the October Issue of Meldreth Matters. We have a varied issue for you this month so I hope you enjoy reading the articles.

This month’s events include Meldreth Local History Group’s Coffee Morning on 2nd October (see page 4) which will allow attendees to listen to and share stories of the Atlas/Eternit/Etex site following its closure. Melbourn Dynamos’ Quiz Night is on 7th October (see back cover) and on 17th October TV presenter Tom Heap will be giving what promises to be a very interesting talk (see page 5) on behalf of the Friends of Holy Trinity Church. Don’t forget all of the regular events and activities either - see the centre pages diary for further information.

Kathryn

Meldreth Matters Auction By the time this issue of MM is delivered, our auction will have just a few days to run. If you hurry you can still bid for a week in a cottage in France, an Introduction to Flying experience, tickets to a Meldreth Village Hall film, craft items and more. Visit https://www.jumblebee.co.uk/meldrethmatters.

Despite attracting fewer than sixty bidders, we have to date raised over £3100.

Assuming we can maintain or increase our current level of advertising, this will allow us to keep printing MM for the foreseeable future.

We would like to say a huge thank you to all of the individuals and businesses who so generously donated items to our auction and to the relatively small number of people who took the time to support MM by bidding.

The Meldreth Matters Team

Melbourn Magazine It appears ours is not the only village magazine that has struggled with dwindling revenue, rising costs and increased circulation figures. I was very surprised to learn that after 28 years and 116 issues, Melbourn Magazine is being wound up for good. The magazine has received generous sponsorship from TTP for many years but still had to raise additional money from advertising to meet printing costs. They also cited an inability to attract new volunteers for the magazine.

On behalf of the rest of the MM team, I’d like to thank the team behind the Melbourn Magazine for their hard work and service to the community over many years. We recognise and appreciate how much is involved!

Kathryn Betts Editor 3

Meldreth Local History Group www.meldrethhistory.org.uk Coffee Morning, Monday 2nd October 10.00am We will be holding our next coffee morning in the community room in Elin Way on Monday 2nd October.

Due to the closure of the Atlas/Eternit/Etex site and its historic importance to our village, we will be focusing on stories surrounding the site. We will have a presentation of old photographs and there will also be a chance to share your own stories about working there.

Everyone is welcome. Please arrive from 10.00am onwards. The presentation will begin at 10.30am.

Joan Gane Chairman info@meldrethhistory.org.uk (01763) 260129

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Friends of Holy Trinity www.foht.org.uk Mission Possible A talk by Tom Heap, 8.00pm Tuesday 17th October Our next scheduled event is a talk by the well-known television and radio presenter Tom Heap. We are delighted that he has agreed to present a talk for us and are certain that it will be highly informative as well as entertaining. This will take place on the evening of Tuesday 17th October at 8.00pm at the church.

The title of the talk is Mission Possible. Tom Heap looks at how healing the climate and nature may not be as hard as you think. The talk will be based on 25 years as a journalist in this space who has seen plenty of reasons to be cheerful … but not complacent.

Tom Heap grew up locally in Harston and is now a journalist and author covering science, environment, farming, energy and waste stories. Tom showcases his passion for revealing the hidden depths of rural and environmental stories while presenting Countryfile on BBC. He is the principal voice of Radio 4’s Costing of the Earth programme – which takes a look at the impact of humans on the environment, questioning accepted truths, challenging those in charge and reporting on progress towards improving the world. He is the creator and presenter of BBC Radio 4's flagship climate change podcast 39 Ways to Save the Planet – exploring climate change solutions, and has written a book by the same name based on this series. Tom created and currently presents The Climate Show with Tom Heap on Sky News and is writing a book about the smart use of land.

The talk will be about 90 minutes long with an interval when light refreshments will be available. Tom will be happy to take questions at the end of the talk and copies of his book, 39 Ways to Save the Planet, will be available to purchase.

Tickets In order to judge the level of interest for this evening and to provide sufficient seating and refreshments, please reserve your seats by contacting one of the committee members below. Tickets will cost £10 each and can be paid for by card or cash on arrival at the church. This price includes light refreshments during the interval.

Ian Mitchell John Price Chrissie Prove Peter Chilvers

07726 936635 07770 758373 07890 042134 (01763) 260742

ianmmeldreth@gmail.com john.price@anamec.co.uk chrissieprove@googlemail.com peter.roger.chilvers@gmail.com Ian Mitchell Vice Chair FOHT

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Christmas Tree Festival Saturday 2nd December 11.00am to 5.00pm Sunday 3rd December 11.00am to 4.00pm Please note in your diaries the weekend of the Christmas Tree Festival. We look forward to seeing you all again at this year’s festive event taking place in our special Holy Trinity Church in Meldreth.

Free parking will be available and there is free admittance to the event. Come along and enjoy the wonderfully lit and individually decorated tree displays which are quite inspirational and pick up an unusual Christmas gift or two from the craft and produce stalls. Homemade soups and a delicious variety of homemade cakes will be available.

Our regular exhibitors should have received the usual registration form from the Committee by now. If you have not received this or if you run a club and have not been involved in the event before but would like to take part, then please contact me.

If you are making jams, marmalades, chutneys this autumn we would very much appreciate it if you could make a little extra to donate to the produce stall. These can be delivered to the church on the Thursday or Friday before the event.

Visitors are always complimentary about our homemade soups and cakes sold in the café area. If you are a cake baker it would be lovely if you could bake a cake for everyone to enjoy.

Thank you all in advance.

Margaret Goddin (01763) 260061 on behalf of the Christmas Tree Festival Committee

Richard Burns

To advertise in this space, call Beverley Cottrell on (01763)262176 or email meldrethmatters@hotmail.com

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Moorlands Court

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 Homecare – our fully trained carers visit you in your home.  Si ng service – a visit from our experienced staff gives family carers me for themselves.  Day Centre – based at Moorlands Court, with a friendly and sociable atmosphere and includes a tasty 2 course lunch.  Meals service – nutri ous, hot lunch me meal delivered to you.  Housekeeping – we do those jobs which you can no longer manage, from cleaning and ironing, to bed changing and shopping.

To find out more, just call us at Moorlands Court on 01763 260564, or email : denise.taylor@chsgroup.org.uk 7

Letters to the Editor Ukrainians Seek Accommodation Can anyone help us? Two delightful Ukrainians came to live with us a year ago a mother and her six year old daughter. We have enjoyed their company but they will soon be ready to move to independent accommodation. Do you have an annexe or flat which they might be able to rent at an affordable rate? The mother works part time and is on an intensive English course and the little girl is very happy at Meldreth Primary School. Both speak good English. They have settled well here and made good friends.

If you can help, please contact us by email at hilaryjcrawforth@btopenworld.com or by telephoning (01763) 262848.

Hilary Crawforth

Offensive Development It was astonishing to see a permanent structure being built on the south side of the River Mel, on the right of the footpath walking towards Topcliffe Mill meadow.

The visual effect, a scarring of the most beautiful river walk in South Cambridgeshire, a wildlife corridor being ruined. A requirement for planning permission you would think? After all it is in a conservation area, though this is news to me.

In the words of the SCDC Planning Officer, “Although this is in a conservation area, the impact is considered minimal and no action is considered necessary.”

Minimal to whom? No process of appeal. The criteria breached are defined in https://www.greatercambridgeplanning.org/design-heritage-and-environment/ historic-environment/conservation-areas.

Iain McPhee

Rubbish Bin at One Stop What a shame that Meldreth One Stop (owned by the mighty Tesco) has decided to remove the bin outside the shop. It is very usual for convenience stores to have a bin outside, as they inevitably attract litter. Since the removal of the bin people have continued to drop their litter in the place where the bin used to be, which is a bit antisocial and not to be condoned.

I asked the staff in the shop about why the bin had gone and was told it was because people were not using it responsibly and were putting dog poo bags there - also not to be condoned. I believe it falls the staff to empty the bin and this caused safety concerns.

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However, taking the bin away is not a satisfactory solution, as my photograph illustrates. A local person has put a bin bag there, to try and help but the result is still a mess.

Please can One Stop and South Cambridgeshire District Council put their heads together to find a solution to this difficulty? More dog poo bins perhaps?

Signage asking people not to put dog poo bags in the bin? Maybe they can find out what other stores do?

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Speed Monitor at The Stocks The fastest vehicle was travelling at 64mph in a 30mph zone! 15% of vehicles were travelling faster than 30mph. More vehicles were speeding out of the village than speeding into the village.

Location: The Stocks, vehicles arriving from High Street departing to North End Evalua on me Speed limit 30mph Speed viola ons 16.3% Average Daily Total: 363 vehicles

27 July 2023 to 09 September 2023 Vehicles Average Maximum 15799 25 [mph] 64 [mph]

Location: The Stocks, vehicles arriving from North End departing to High Street Evalua on me Speed limit 30mph Speed viola ons 12.7% Average Daily Total: 336 vehicles

27 July 2023 to 09 September 2023 Vehicles Average Maximum 14661 25 [mph] 56 [mph]

Meldreth Traffic Working Group 10

Public Transport Cam Vale Bus User Group Meeting All welcome on 6th October from 1.00-2.00pm at the Elin Way Community Room. Please come along if you have a concern about access and transport.

Rail User Group Meeting All welcome on 17th October from 7.30-8.30pm via Teams. railusergroup@gmail.com for the link or to join the mailing list.

Please contact

17 Bus Service This bus runs Mondays to Saturdays from Guilden Morden via Steeple Morden, Litlington, Bassingbourn, Whaddon, Meldreth, Melbourn and Kneesworth to Royston and return.

The bus stops in Meldreth High Street (near the Stocks) at 10.20am and then makes several stops in Royston including Tesco at 10.35am before the last stop at Royston Bus Station at 10.49am. The return bus leaves Royston Bus Station at 1.10pm and Tesco at 1.21pm, arriving in Meldreth at 1.31pm.

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Meldreth Primary School www.meldreth.cambs.sch.uk How wonderful it was to fling open the gates again for the start to another amazing year at school. It is always remarkable to see how our pupils have grown and blossomed over the summer break and the smiles on their faces as they came pouring through was more than enough to dispel any lingering post-holiday blues!

Our amazing little school is continuing to grow and develop as we opened up our new school house for our pre-school, wraparound care and music tuition.

The feedback thus far has been amazing with our pupils and staff commenting on the space available (both inside and out), brilliant resources and “the lovely smell of fresh paint!” Our new facilities have allowed us to split our pre -school into different age groups and increase numbers, widening our school community and ensuring our children are given the best possible support and opportunities to learn and flourish!

The beginning of our new school year has also seen a welcome return to our broader curriculum offer.

Already our Year 5 and 6 students have enjoyed a trip to the Anglo Saxon Village of West Stow, where they learnt about how Saxons lived, worked and played. All of our sports and creative clubs are up and running and our pupil leadership roles in the School Council, Eco Council, Anti-Bullying Council and Junior Travel Ambassadors have been filled. To help ease us back into our familiar routines, we have also been treated to a delicious cake sale by our highly skilled Year 1 bakers and our annual back to school BBQ organised by our PTA! Sasha Howard Headteacher 12

Things for Children and Families To Do in October Sunday 1st October, 10.00am - 4.00pm Geology Rocks! Royston Museum, Lower King Street, SG8 5AL Arts, crafts and experiments based on the geology of Royston. Mine for flint, learn about minerals and dig your way through the earth’s layers. £3 per child.

Drop-in event. www.roystonmuseum.org.uk.

Sunday 1st October, 12.00pm - 3.00pm Cave Storytime, Royston Cave, Melbourn Street, Royston SG8 7BZ Interactive stories of the figures on the walls of Royston Cave. Watch as the carvings come to life! £5 per child. Book online www.roystoncave.co.uk.

Thursday 5th October to Monday 9th October, various times Circus CORTEX, Cottenham Village Green, High Street CB24 8UW Prices from £7.99 to £25. Family entertainment with acts of daring and artistry.

Many performers come from Ukraine. www.circuscortex.com.

Friday 6th October, 4.15pm - 5.15pm Page One, Royston Library, Market Hill, Royston SG8 9JN A reading group for 7 to 11 year olds. £10 per child for 4 sessions (this is the second). Design comic strips based on books like Dog Man. Call in to the library to book a place.

Saturday 7th October, 3.00pm A Midsummer Night’s Dream Stapleford Granary, Bury Road, Stapleford CB22 5BP Norwich Puppet Theatre interpret this Shakespeare play for children with beautifully carved puppets, original music and shadow puppets.

Monday 23rd to Friday 27th October, 9.45am - 12.00pm Adventure Cruise Holiday Club Royston Methodist Church, Queens Road, Royston SG8 7AU For children aged 4 - 11. A Christian-based programme of fun. Contact Gill on (01763) 242682.

Tuesday 24th to Friday 27th October Big Tree Climbing, Wimpole, various times from 9.00am to 5.00pm Guided by instructors, climb using knots, ropes, karabiners. The brave can try branch walking. From age 6. £25 a person (this includes admission for two). Book on www.nationaltrust.org.uk or call 0344 249 1895.

Friday 27th to Sunday 29th October, 5.30pm, 6.30pm, 7.30pm Spooky Woodland Walk, Audley End, Saffron Walden CB11 4JF

For ages 5 to 12. Join the ghost-hunting storytellers in the shadows. £8.50 children, £14 adults.

Compiled by Hilary Crawforth 13

Things to Do in October Here are some things happening in October in the local area. To let us know about future events or activities please email meldrethmatters@hotmail.com.

Wednesday 4th October, 9.00am to 10.30am and 2.00pm to 3.30pm Cambridge Photography Week - Nature Photography Walks Trumpington Meadows, Grantchester Road, Cambridge CB2 9LH Join nature enthusiast and experienced wildlife photographer Paul Wyer on one of two guided walks around Trumpington Meadows Nature Reserve. He’ll show you how to go about finding, approaching and photographing nature, the kind of equipment to use and more. Tickets £12.50, £10 concession for Wildlife BCN members. Booking essential on www.wildlifebcn.org.

Saturday 7th October, 10.30am to 3.00pm Volunteer Recruitment Event National Trust - Wimpole Hall, Arrington, Royston SG8 0BW Want to put your skills and experience to good use or try something new? There’ll be something to suit you if you join the Wimpole team - inspiring people from all walks of life who love working and learning together. Come along on the day, meet some of the existing volunteers and find out more. For more details email wimpolehall@nationaltrust.org.uk.

Saturday 7th October, 12.00pm to 5.00pm Foxton Scarecrow Festival, Foxton Village, Cambridgeshire The bi-annual festival returns with a ‘films’ theme this year. So come along and see if you can identify all the film titles and search for the special scarecrow hidden somewhere in the village. Refreshments at various venues, quizzes, tombola, craft stalls and live music in the village hall. Fund-raiser for St. Laurence Church, Foxton school and pre-school.

Saturday 7th October, 7.00pm Handel’s Messiah Ely Cathedral, The Chapter House, The College, Ely CB7 4DL Leading professional orchestra, Britten Sinfonia, and Ely Cathedral choir join to perform Handel’s timeless masterpiece on the theme of Christ’s birth, life, death and resurrection. Tickets from £10-£40, under 16s £7.50 to £20. Book at www.elycathedral.org or call (01353) 667735. NB Will sell quickly.

Saturday 7th October, 7.30pm (doors open at 7.00pm) Songs from the Shows All Saints’ Church, Vicarage Close, Melbourn SG8 6DY Well-known local singer, Joe Rose, accompanied by Stan Carter on the keyboard, will perform classic songs from the world of West End theatre and the movies.

Licensed bar. Tickets £15 available from Kimmi Crosby on 07976 228377 or by email: k.crosby@btconnect.com.

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Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th October, 10.00am to 4.00pm Cambridge Quilters Exhibition The David Rayner Building, Scotsdales Garden Centre, 120 Cambridge Road, Great Shelford, Cambridge CB22 5JT Exhibition of 100 plus quilts. Quilt raffle and pocket tombola, sales table with handmade items. Tea, coffee and cake available to buy. Admission £3, under 16s free. Free parking & disabled access. Proceeds to David Rayner Centre.

Sunday 8th October, 9.00am to 3.00pm Orwell Antiques Fair, Village Hall, Orwell High Street SG8 5QN Warm and welcoming antiques and vintage fair, running for over 30 years. Over 20 stallholders with unique pieces, collectables, memorabilia, retro clothing, accessories and jewellery. Tea and homemade cakes. Dog friendly. Free car parking. Admission £1, children free.

Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th October, 10.00am to 4.00pm Autumn Colours at Chippenham Chippenham Hall, Chippenham Park, Newmarket CB7 5PT The gardens and borders are full of colour at this time of year, reflected in the lakes and waterways of this beautiful parkland garden. Only open in 2023 on these two remaining days. Excellent licensed tearoom. NB the tearoom and the gate are cash only. Admission £7 adults, £3 for 5-16 years.

Sunday 22nd October, 10.00am to 6.00pm Apple Day 2023 - Cambridge Botanic Garden, 1 Brookside CB2 1JE Region’s biggest Apple Day. Apple tasting and sales (25 heritage varieties); apple identification, expert advice on how to care for your apple tree, apple activities for the young, live entertainment, pop-up food trucks and craft stalls. Tickets £10.80 adults, children 0-16 free. NB Booking essential at www.botanic.cam.uk.

Sunday 29th October, 12.00pm to 4.00pm Hertford Castle Open Day, Castle Street, Hertford SG14 1HR Explore this historic Grade 1 listed building and castle grounds. Free event with tours leaving every 30 minutes from 12.00pm, entry on a first come-first served basis. For information about parking, access and facilities: www.hertford.gov.uk.

Monday 30th October, 12noon.

Dave Rance’s Rockin Chair Jazz Band The Old Bull, 56 High Street, Royston High quality traditional jazz - with some good humour thrown in. No need to book - just come along, be entertained, make new friends and enjoy great music.

Admission £10 per head. Light refreshments served at the bar.

Compiled by John Crawforth 15

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Meldreth Village Hub Your Meldreth Village Hub is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 12.00 – 3.00pm at the Community Room in Elin Way. We serve lunches on Tuesdays and coffee/teas on Thursdays. All our food and drink is free – donations are gratefully received. We are a friendly bunch and would love to meet you, so please drop and see us. We hope to see you soon!

We are planning a Bingo Night in the next few months; closer to the time, information will be available at the Hub and in Meldreth Matters.

Contact Helen at hmeridew@btinternet.com for more information.

The Hub Team Community Room, Elin Way

Meldreth Village Hall Committee The Meldreth Village Hall Committee have succeeded in finding and appointing a new cleaner. A big welcome to Sinead.

We now have ambitious plans to improve the Hall's facilities, following the hall refurbishment last year and the building of the Coronation Garden this year. We are still looking for:  a volunteer to join us as Treasurer (a Trustee role)  a volunteer to join us as Secretary (a Trustee role)  people to help with organising and running fundraising activities, both for the Hall and in collaboration with other local charitable organisations, either as Trustees or just volunteers  someone familiar with checking our compliance with the broad sweep of relevant regulations (Trustee or Honorary Consultant).

Please contact the Chairman of the Trustees, David Coton, for an informal discussion by emailing david@coton.me.uk or telephoning him on 07749 850026.

Meldreth Village Hall Committee

Be Seen, Be Safe!

Cyclists and pedestrians:  Please wear bright, light or reflec ve clothing  Pedestrians, please carry a torch  Cyclists, use front and rear lights 17

In Praise Of … Figs This month it is figs. This striking fruit, with its fresh green or deep purple skin and vibrant deep pink flesh, is a wonderful addition to the autumnal table. Figs have a naturally high sugar content, making them an ideal match for equally intense ingredients, such as salty prosciutto - a classic Italian combination.

Blue Cheese and Fig Tarts Preparation time less than 30 mins, cooking time 10 to 30 mins. Makes 24 tarts.

Ingredients 2 sheets filo pastry (measuring 25x25cm/10x10in square) A little melted butter 3 ripe figs 100g Roquefort cheese 1 tsp lemon juice 3 sage leaves, chopped A sprinkling of ground paprika Method Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

Brush two sheets of filo pastry with butter and place on top of each other. Cut into 24 equal squares. Put the squares together in pairs on top of each other at a 45 degree angle to make a star shape. Press into the holes of a 12 mini-muffin tin.

Repeat with the remaining pastry to make 24 mini tartlets.

Bake in the oven for about 5-10 minutes, or until golden-brown and crisp.

Transfer to a baking tray.

Chop the figs into small pieces, and divide between the filo cases. Put the cheese, lemon juice and sage into a bowl. Mash down with a fork, season with pepper, then spoon blobs of cheese mixture on top of the fig. Sprinkle lightly with paprika.

Bake in the oven for five minutes, or until the cheese has just melted.

Fig Chutney Ingredients 100g light brown soft sugar 120ml apple cider vinegar 300g chopped fresh figs 1 apple, peeled, cored and diced 1 onion, finely chopped 50g sultanas 1 tsp salt

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Method Put all the ingredients in a pan and bring to a gentle simmer for 1 hour, uncovered, stirring occasionally until it gets sticky and jammy. Spoon into a clean Kilner jar. That’s it. You’re done. Enjoy this sticky, sweet fig chutney alongside pâté or your favourite cheese.

Jane O’Hagan

The Letting Centre is a dedicated letting agency established for 29 years, operating from High Street premises in Melbourn. We offer an expert, tailored service to suit each clients’ individual needs. Covering Cambridge, Royston, Melbourn and surrounding villages.

Friendly, no obligation advice on how to achieve the best possible return on your rental investment with clear and simple guidance on your legal obligations.

The Letting Centre (Cambridge) Ltd, 107 High Street, Melbourn, Cambridgeshire, SG8 6AP. Tel: 01763 263039. Email: enquiries@letting-centre.co.uk. www.letting-centre.co.uk

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Little Hands Nursery School The Moor, Melbourn A Private Nursery School specialising in quality care & preschool education for the under fives

High staff to child ratio, individual child centred planning & learning, Flexible booking system for the 08.00am – 5.30pm nursery day. Optional holiday clubs available, dedicated baby room for children under two We accept nursery funding giving 15 & 30 hours/week of free funded nursery for all 3 and 4 year olds & eligible 2 year olds

For further information contact Sharon Tutty,nursery manager on 01763 260964 lh-melbourn@btconnect.com Little Hands is also at Bourn, Linton and Newton visit the website at www.littlehands.co.uk

19

Preparing Melwood for Winter www.melwood.org.uk At the last working party in August, we made a start in returning the Meadow to a shorter turf. Some areas that were still showing significand bloom were left uncut at that time and these now need to be reduced to the same level as the rest of the field. The whole area will need at least one more cut before winter. The shortened grass will be seeded with Yellow Rattle, a semi-parasitic plant that can reduce the vigour of coarse grasses and help establish a more varied flora. It is recommended that invasive species such as nettle should be sprayed out before the Yellow Rattle is sown and that, for its part, must be seeded in time to allow it to experience a period of cold/freezing temperatures in order to germinate.

It was disappointing to see a large bivouac had been constructed in a back corner of the wood. The bivvy is not a great problem in its own right, but the damage caused in its construction was another matter. Much of the wood used was stripped from a dead hedge, constructed to mark the edge of the reserve. Small shrubs were trampled down in the process and green foliage used in construction was cut or pulled from nearby trees, including one planted as a commemorative tree. Noise and litter has also occurred at that site and the stripping of bark from two trees looks like simple vandalism. More recently it seems that some of the late night revellers have taken to using a bit of the wood near the bivvy as a toilet and used tissues are building up, creating an unsightly health hazard. Perhaps the arrival of winter will sort the problem but I’m not sure we can wait that long in light of the hazard now posed.

The generally warm late summer weather has had some positive effects, as a beautiful moth once restricted to a limited area of the south coast, now seems to be established in the area. I first encountered the Jersey Tiger Moth in Meldreth about four years ago and had only ever seen two specimens since then, until this year. It flies by day and night and has been in my garden moth trap most nights during August. During the day, it has been seen in many places in Melbourn and Meldreth, including Melwood.

Its caterpillars feed on nettle, Hemp Agrimony and sometimes other small plants. Nettle is common in Melwood and Hemp Agrimony can be found along the River Mel and especially in land adjacent to Melwood. We need to remove nettle in Melwood only from areas where it is a real problem. This adds to 20

Jersey Tiger Moth Photograph by Jim Reid

a growing list of species spreading north with the benefit of global warming. But the news is not all good. Many species that were once common in my garden have been absent for ten years or more. Have they moved further north to cooler climates or is their loss down to the loss of countryside caused by ever-expanding development? It is not easy to tell which but the nationwide recording and mapping being conducted by conservation charities like Butterfly Conservation make such interpretations much more likely to be reliable. Some pests are also doing well and those villagers concerned with the possible damage to their Box hedging may need to be especially vigilant, as numbers of Box-tree Moth have really exploded this summer.

There will be plenty of work to keep the Melwood volunteers busy within coming months, as the floor of the wood will need cutting, nest boxes will need cleaning and possibly repairing and seedling sycamore and ivy brought under control. The Yew hedge along the river edge of the meadow needs reducing in height and width but this will have to wait until the future of the meadow is finally decided.

Anyone interested in joining the Conservation Group can easily do so via the “contact” page of our website, www.melwood.org.uk.

Jim Reid Melwood Conservation Group

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Men’s, women’s, baby & home

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Call us on: 07821680936 Email: info@queenbeemeldreth.com Instagram: @queenbeemeldreth Opening times: Monday - Saturday 10am - 5.30pm

21

A Meldreth Garden Firstly apologies, last month the italics indicating botanical names got lost in translation to the magazine. [Editor’s Note: Sorry, my fault entirely.] The RHS naming convention, common name, Botanical name and ‘Cultivar’, e.g., daylily Hemerocallis 'Stella de Oro' should be used.

A time to look back and learn; firstly no more seed packets of dahlia ‘bishop’s children’ or anything similar. I am left with numerous dahlia plants, only one is garden worthy. The parent far superior to any of its children, with clean intense single red flower and deeply cut foliage.

Many plants will not stand seed being sown too early, anything half hardy and temperamental stands little chance of reaching maturity. When sown early germination was good but plants died soon after potting on. I will be more selective in future.

Overall it has been an excellent year in the garden and on the allotment. I will now start planning for next year as it is time to plant shallots and garlic, etc. A cuttings garden for 2024 is an appealing idea.

Gardens may lose vigour at this time of year but here is a range of plants to maintain good flower colour until the first frosts. Some excellent perennial plants are: Rock knotweed Bistorta affinis 'Donald Lowndes', pink flower fading to red and good autumn leaf colour. Hokkaido chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum yezoense a spreading perennial 1.5m, with white daisy flowers. Another late flowering perennial shrub is Moroccan daisy Rhodanthemum hosmarienseshort only 0.3m high with white daisy like flowers. Agastache ‘Blue Fortune’, spikes of blue flowers, needs sun and good drainage, 1m high. Classic Japanese anemone Anemone × hybrida 'Honorine Jobert', clump-forming perennial about 1.2m tall, good cultivar with pure white flowers. Aster × frikartii ‘Mönch', clump-forming perennial to 0.7m tall, lavender-blue daisies with yellow eye, will stand without staking. Not to my liking, Chrysanthemum 'Mei-kyo' is pretty and for a couple of autumn months it produces small, button-like, pompom flowers in pale purplish pink. Hardy plumbago, Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, 0.5m clusters of sharp blue flowers with spectacular autumn leaf colour. Hardy perennial sedum, Hylotelephium 'Red Cauli', red, 0.7m tall. Salvia 'Amistad' a wonderful autumn flowering plant, blue flower 1.5m, needs winter protection or take cuttings to propagate in the greenhouse. Mine died out last winter. A neat little perennial Saxifraga 'Shiranami' 0.25m, best planted in partial shade, white flowers. Alpine herbaceous perennial Chinese gentian Gentiana sino-ornata needs space, it will rot if too wet, a need for acid soil may be a problem here. As well as blue there are white cultivars Gentiana sino-ornata ‘Purity’ is a good white example.

22

The pruning month: prune faded flowers from buddleja to keep them flowering, when flowering has ended, cut back by a third. Do this with lavatera, tall roses and any other shrubs prey to wind rock that flower on new wood. Prune out any dead, damaged and diseased branches on trees, shrubs and bushes whenever seen.

Cut back to the ground the likes of Alchemilla mollis, looking tatty by this time of year. Fast growing hedges such as Leyland cypress Cupressus × leylandii and Portuguese Laurel can be cut back; better still pull them out and plant something better. Prune climbing roses.

Jobs for the Flower Garden  Plant spring bulbs in pots for a spring show, siberian iris, narcissi, muscari, hyacinths and syernbergia; hold off planting tulips until next month  Cut back faded perennials that look objectionable and have died down, leave the rest for wildlife  Move tender plants, including aquatic ones, into a greenhouse or conservatory  Finish collecting seeds from the garden into paper bags to sow next year  Last chance to mow lawns and trim hedges, renovate old lawns or create new grass areas by laying turf  Gather leaves to make leaf mould  Mulch borders  Plant winter bedding  Could sow next year's sweet peas in a cold frame or greenhouse.

Jobs for the Vegetable Garden        

Plant lettuces undercover, plant out spring cabbages Harvest and store apples, pears, squash and pumpkins Divide established rhubarb crowns to create new plants Cut down the stems of autumn fruiting raspberries after fruiting Take hardwood cuttings from fruit bushes and shrubs Put grease bands around fruit trees to protect from winter moths Clear the last of summer crops and put down green manure Sow hardy broad bean seed that will over winter, cultivars such as Aquadulce.

Iain McPhee mcpheia1@gmail.com

MM is Available in Colour Online To view this or past issues online, follow us on: issuu.com/meldrethmatters 23

Meldreth Village Di Monday

Tuesday

9.00-10.00am Cardio 10.00-11.00 Fitness 10.00am History Group Coffee Morning (p.4) 11.00-12.00 TP Pilates 4.00-6.30pm Street Dance for Children (multi classes) 6.30-8.00pm Guides

9.00am-12.00 Food Bank 9.15am Cycling Group 12.00-3.00pm Village Hub 1.30-2.30pm 50+ Aerobics 5.00-6.15pm Rainbows 7.00-8.00pm Fitness Pilates 7.45pm Women’s Group

9.30-11.30am Baby & Toddler Group 1.30-2.45pm Lift Off Choir 6.00-7.20pm Dance Aerobics 6.00-7.30pm Brownies 7.30-8.20pm TP Pilates

10.00am-1.15p Hartbeeps 12.00-3.00pm

9.00-10.00am Cardio 10.00-11.00 Functional Fitness 11.00-12.00 Trigger Point Pilates 4.00-6.30pm Street Dance for Children (multi classes) 6.30-8.00pm Guides

9.00am-12.00 Food Bank 9.15am Cycling Group 12.00-3.00pm Village Hub 1.30-2.30pm 50+ Aerobics 5.00-6.15pm Rainbows

9.30-11.30am B&T Group 10.45-11.30am Mobile Library 1.30-2.45pm Choir 6.00-7.20pm D. Aerobics 6.00-7.30pm Brownies 7.30-8.20pm TP Pilates 7.45-9.00pm Bell Ringing

10.00am-1.15p Hartbeeps 12.00-3.00pm 4.00-5.00pm A 6.00-6.45pm T 7.00-9.00pm T

9.00-10.00am Cardio 10.00-11.00 Functional Fitness 11.00-12.00 Trigger Point Pilates 4.00-6.30pm Street Dance for Children (multi classes) 6.30-8.00pm Guides

9.00am-12.00 Food Bank 9.15am Cycling Group 12.00-3.00pm Village Hub 1.30-2.30pm 50+ Aerobics 5.00-6.15pm Rainbows 7.00-8.00pm Fitness Pilates 8.00pm FOHT Talk by Tom Heap (page 5)

9.30-11.30am Baby & Toddler Group 1.30-2.45pm Lift Off Choir 6.00-7.20pm D. Aerobics 6.00-7.30pm Brownies 7.30-8.20pm TP Pilates 7.45-9.00pm Bell Ringing

10.00am-1.15p Hartbeeps 12.00-3.00pm 4.00-5.00pm A 6.00-6.45pm T Pilates 7.00-9.00pm T

9.00-10.00am Cardio 10.00-11.00 Functional Fitness 11.00-12.00 TP Pilates

9.00am-12.00 Food Bank

6.00-7.20pm Dance Aerobics 7.30-8.20pm Trigger Point Pilates 7.45-9.00pm Bell Ringing

12.00-3.00pm 6.00-6.45pm T Pilates 7.00-9.00pm T

2 9

3

Wednesday

4

Thurs

5

4.00-5.00pm A 6.00-6.45pm T

7.00-9.00pm T 7.30pm Parish

10 11 1

7.00-8.00pm Fitness Pilates

16 17 18 19 9.15am Cycling Group

23 24 25 2 30 31 12.00-3.00pm Village Hub 1.30-2.30pm 50+ Aerobics

7.00-8.00pm Fitness Pilates

9.00-10.00am Cardio 10.00-11.00 Functional Fitness 11.00-12.00 TP Pilates 4.00-6.30pm Street Dance for Children (multi classes) 6.30-8.00pm Guides

9.00am-12.00 Food Bank 9.15am Cycling Group

12.00-3.00pm Village Hub 1.30-2.30pm 50+ Aerobics

Half term is the week beginn 23rd October

5.00-6.15pm Rainbows

7.00-8.00pm Fitness Pilates

Church services, Women’s Group meetings, bell ringing and FOHT events are held in Holy Trinity Ch Holy Trinity Church. MLHG meetings, Parish Council meetings, Food Bank & Village Hub are in the C

24

ary - October 2023

sday

Friday

Saturday

pm

9.30am Slimming World

7.00pm for 7.30pm Melbourn Dynamos Quiz Night (see back cover)

Sunday 9.45am Sung Eucharist

7 8 1 2 13 14 15

1.00-2.00 Cam Vale Bus Village Hub User Group Meeting, Elin Way Community Centre Acro (see page 11) TP Pilates

5

T Tennis h Council

pm

6

9.30am Slimming World

8.00am Said Eucharist

2.00-4.00pm Dementia Memory Café

9.45am Sung Eucharist

Village Hub Acro TP Pilates Table Tennis

pm

9.30am Slimming World

9 20 21 22

Village Hub Acro Trigger Point

Table Tennis

Village Hub 9.30am Slimming World Trigger Point

7.00 for 7.30pm Film Night: Allelujah Pre-booked tickets only (see page 4 or scan the QR code)

6 27 28 29

Table Tennis

ning

The copy deadline for the November issue of Meldreth Matters is Thursday 12th October

Refuse Collections Black bins: 10th, 24th Blue & Green bins: 3rd, 17th

Get reminders on your mobile: download the Bin Collections app

hurch. The Mobile Library Service visits Bell Close. Meldreth Marvels Cycling Group meet opposite Community Room in Elin Way. All other events are held in the Village Hall unless otherwise indicated.

25

Meldreth Croquet Club https://sites.google.com/view/meldrethcroquetclub/home

Now that the summer season is coming to an end, I thought I would write to report that Meldreth Croquet Club have once again had a very successful year.

Having won the East Anglian Croquet Federation Handicap League in 2022, we were eligible to enter the Federation Shield which is a National competition. In the first game which was played at Wrest Park, against Himley from Dudley in the West Midlands, Meldreth won 4-3 and were through to the semi-final. This was played against Phyllis Court, a much bigger club with 250 members who play at Henley-on-Thames. Our team put up a good fight on a day interrupted with a couple of thunderstorms and lost 4-2. It was a great experience for the team members who enjoyed their day despite the loss. The image above shows some of the play at Henley-on-Thames.

This year, Meldreth have again won the Central division of the East Anglian Croquet Federation Handicap League. The team played Stony Stratford Blues, the winners of the Western division, at Watford Croquet Club in the semi-final, winning the match 11-7. The final will be played at Wrest Park in October.

Closer to home, there is the singles golf croquet handicap competition as well as the golf croquet doubles competition both of which were hotly fought over the summer. The doubles competition was won by Keith Holgate & Sue Bishop. The singles final, as I write, is yet to be played. The association croquet Nickisson Cup final was played between last year's winner, Chris van Essen, and Janet Pope.

Janet made a strong start and established an early lead but Chris gradually overtook her and in the end won by 20 hoops to 11. The Cup is the club's oldest trophy and was first played for in 1991 - when it was also won by Chris.

An annual get together and prize giving recently held at the British Queen in Meldreth behind which the croquet lawn is sited was enjoyed by all.

For more information, please see our website at sites.google.com/view/ meldrethcroquetclub/home.

Lin Wallbridge Meldreth Croquet Club 26

Meldreth Bowls Club www.meldrethbowlsclub.co.uk A Great Team Effort!

On 26th August Meldreth Bowls Club entered a team of four (two woods each) in a tournament at Castle Camps.

Playing three games of seven ends, we got through to the semi finals on a shot difference of nine.

We then won the semi-final against Castle Hedingham 8-3.

The final was against a team from Haverhill. After two ends we were 3-0 down, but we pulled back with a score of four after the third end. After that there was no stopping us, with Haverhill getting no more points.

With a great team effort, the final score was a 9-3 win to Meldreth.

We were presented with a trophy and £100 prize money.

The team consisted of: Lead: Tony McMurray Number 2: Elaine Cooke Number 3: Joseph Ng Skip: Linda Clarke Linda Clarke PC Repairs Advice & Installation of Home Networks Help with Selecting a computer Fault Finding Brian Girling 01223 208529 (Wimpole) E-mail bg@moncraft.co.uk We can also provide the following services: Design of brochures, posters, business cards, etc.

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Melbourn and Meldreth Women’s Group We are a small friendly group who meet monthly at either ASCH Melbourn or in Holy Trinity Meeting Room Meldreth. Meetings commence at 7.45pm and last about one and a half hours.

We begin with any notices followed by the Women’s Group prayer. There is either a speaker or some in house entertainment, which is followed by refreshments and the opportunity to chat among ourselves. A charge of £2 is made to cover expenses and there is also the opportunity to donate to the charity pot. This year the charity which we are supporting is Camsight. New members are very welcome.

In August we had our usual meal out which was at The Royal Oak Barrington and this was delicious. In September we had a talk from a member of Camsight which was very interesting. Our meeting in October is on Tuesday 24th at ASCH where we will be making decorations for the Christmas Tree Festival.

If you would like information about the group, to receive a programme, or would like a lift to a meeting, please telephone one of the committee. They are Diane Blundell (01763) 261415, Sue Toule (01763) 260955, Angela Leach (01763) 262793, Mary Bailey (01763)220171 and Mary Purdy (01763) 260864.

Angela Leach

Melbourn and District Photographic Club www.melbournphotoclub.com October’s meetings are as follows: 3rd Club Evening, content pending 10th 1st Club Print Competition – Judge: David Steel 17th Photographing the Night Sky – Lecture by Nik Szymanek 24th Club Evening, content pending 31st 2nd Club Print Competition – Judge: Penny Reeves 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, with a friendly and supportive atmosphere, and always welcomes new members, whatever their ability. For details about the Club, and to see some of our work, visit our website at melbournphotoclub.com. If you are interested in joining, we are happy for you to attend up to two meetings free of charge before deciding.

To do this, just email me at melbournphotoclub@hotmail.com.

Peter North Club Secretary 29

Melbourn Hub www.melbournhub.co.uk October at Melbourn Hub We’re really excited about October at the Hub. As well as all our regular events, Richard Allen will be our artist in residence. We are delighted to be welcoming back Megson, local folk duo, who will be performing on Friday 13th October. It promises to be a fantastic evening!

Here’s what’s on and don’t forget you can always take a look at our website too www.melbournhub.co.uk.

Weekly Events Every Thursday - Primary Care Network 10.00-11.30am Drop-in session providing advice and support on health and wellbeing Every Friday - Children's Story Time 10.00-10.30am For under 5s. Come and enjoy a story and a singalong. No need to book!

Special for October Friday 13th October - Megson in Concert. Come and enjoy a musical evening with local folk duo, Megson. Doors open at 7.00pm for an 8.00pm start. Bar available. Book online—https://www.megsonmusic.co.uk/product/live-the-hub-13 -10-23.

Linsey Craike on behalf of Melbourn Hub

New Christmas Volunteering Opportunity at Wimpole We are looking for volunteers to help us keep the House open over the Christmas period (25th November 2023 to 1st January 2024) and offer our visitors a wonderful festive experience.

This is a short-term role, with a specifically festive focus. You do not need to be a historian – just let the yuletide spirit shine through! There may be a chance to get involved in other seasonal fun, like Christmas crafts and carol singing - so a genuine love of Christmas is essential and no “bah-humbugs” are allowed!

There will be plenty of support from staff and experienced volunteers. Because this role is about ensuring that the House can stay open over the festive period, a minimum number of hours will be expected, to be agreed on recruitment.

To register your interest please visit the website myvolunteering - National Trust or email wimpolehall@nationaltrust.org.uk.

Anne French Senior Volunteering and Community Officer National Trust Wimpole Estate 30

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Seven Signs of An Investment Scan At a time of high inflation and poor rewards for savers, there's a growing risk of being lured by the promise of high or guaranteed investment returns. It's not always easy to tell the difference between a high-risk (but legitimate) scheme and an outright scam, and sometimes the truth only emerges years later. Ask yourself: 1. Are they authorised? If a firm is dealing in stocks and shares but is not authorised by the FSA, it's likely to be fraudulent. More 'exotic' investments such as cryptocurrency, whiskey, property and art are not regulated by the FCA, meaning there's no recourse if something goes wrong. They are extremely risky even if they are not always fraudulent.

2. Are you being pressured? If your investment 'adviser' is telling you that you need to send money within hours or days or the 'deal' will vanish, it is certainly unethical and may well be a scam.

3. Have you been asked to keep it quiet? A respectable organisation would never mind you pausing the conversation to seek a second opinion and conduct further research.

4. Have they promised huge returns? Investments are by their nature risky, and can go down as well as up. Any promotional brochures that promise returns in double figures, or imply that the scheme cannot fail, should be regarded with suspicion.

5. Were contacted out of the blue? A successful, professional firm won't need to contact you without your permission with a cold call, email or text.

6. Did you follow a lead on social media? Facebook and other platforms are used by investment fraudsters to promote their schemes. This can be through paidfor advertising but also through fake profiles which show a bogus millionaire lifestyle featuring expensive cars, holidays and designer clothing. The fake profiles attempt to engage with victims by promising to share the 'secret' of their wealth.

7. Is there an element of romance involved? Contact is made via a dating platform or via a message from a charming stranger who claims to have got the wrong number. After weeks or months of grooming and 'lovebombing' their victim, the fraudster claims to have had some success with investing - typically in cryptocurrency or property - before offering to invest some of the victim's funds. The victim will lose not only their money but also their new 'partner'.

If you think you have fallen victim to a scam, report the scam to Action Fraud online or on 0300 123 2040. If you're not sure whether something is a scam, you can talk to one of the trusted contacts in Meldreth: Graham on (01763) 260358, Linda on (01763) 261405, Peter on (01763) 260323 or Tim on (01763) 262801.

You can contact Neighbourhood Watch by telephoning Graham on the above number, or by emailing nhw.meldreth@btinternet.com.

Meldreth Neighbourhood Watch 32

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33

Meldreth Parish Council www.meldreth-pc.org.uk Meeting of the Parish Council held on Thursday 7th September 2023 This meeting was held in the Community Room in Elin Way. The main points of the meeting are set out below in the usual summary format. The full formal minutes can be viewed in due course on the website noted above and on the Parish Council notice board; these will be presented for approval at the next Council meeting.

Discussions and Decisions District and County reports: the Council thanks our District and County Councillors for their latest report; this can be seen in Meldreth Matters on pages 38 to 40. Questions and requests for further information on this wide range of subjects can of course be raised directly with our District and County representatives.

MCCS The Meldreth Hub arrangements and the Food Bank continue to work well and are regarded by the users as a valuable social asset. We thank our volunteers for their important work on which these arrangements so heavily rely.

Community Projects Working Group The Marvell Green residents have made a request for assistance with funding the natural area in the centre of the residential scheme. More information is needed on certain aspects and the request will then be considered in the usual way.

Recreation Ground Vandalism: the main concern of the Council at the moment is dealing with a recent increase in vandalism. This has taken the form of fires being lit on the grass, interference with a newly installed rubbish bin behind the pavilion and general behaviour including graffiti on the pavilion and irritations caused to nearby residents including night time disturbances and used “vapes” being thrown over fences. The Council is collaborating with the police and investigating whether our CCTV images hold incriminating evidence. We cannot comment on the status of the current police investigations regarding the identification of those involved and what the next steps might be. We do urge all those concerned to show more respect for the village and its residents and we extend this request to parents and friends.

Equipment: as the holiday period comes to a conclusion the Council hopes and expects better progress to be made on the minor repairs and adjustments needed to our play equipment. Priorities will be accelerated in this respect.

Use of Football Pitches: the Meldreth United Sunday Club has regrettably closed and the Sunday slot is to be offered to a team of Meldreth players currently based at Eternit. The arrangements for Orwell Football Club’s use of the pitch on 34

Saturdays will continue. Both clubs will be asked to make the same annual payment to the Council, at a higher level than last year and the agreements will run on a year-by-year basis. The disbanded Sunday club has generously agreed to donate its goalposts to the Council. After discussion the Council agreed that this was a fair way forward that kept football as a village amenity and will enable us to consider the future as further changes arise.

Pavilion: Councillor Joan Fallon has retired from her voluntary cleaning role at the pavilion after many years of service and new arrangements will be made. The Council thanks Councillor Fallon for the major contribution she has made in this respect.

Section 106 Issues The Council is forming a new working group to consider S106 issues in more detail (S106 are developer donations toward new facilities in the village). This will include reconsideration of the purposes to which S106 money can be applied and the possibility of changing those allocations to uses that have perhaps become more relevant since the original arrangements were made. Discussions about these issues will be held with S106 officers at SCDC. Village Traffic A meeting of the Traffic Working Group recently took place. It was noted that a Highways assessment on the 20mph limit application would now be likely in October. If favourable this will need to be followed by statutory consultations and other discussions.

In the meantime the Group is considering other traffic calming measures to improve safety in the village, as well as the possibility of reprioritising certain junctions.

The Speed Indicator Device “SID” installation is also under review with possibility of a second installation and solar power.

Straw on the road that blocks drains and impedes pedestrians on footways continues to be a major concern and the Council is writing to local residents and farmers about the need to ensure that hedges are cut back and that loads of straw are better secured when being moved through the village.

The Traffic Group is clearly very busy at present [see also their report on page 10] and will work closely with Highways on these various issues.

CCTV Our installations at the pavilion are under review and we may decide to improve the coverage of these in view of recent events at the recreation ground.

Next Parish Council Meeting Thursday 5th October 2023 at 7.30pm at the Elin Way Community Room.

Meldreth Parish Council

35

Meldreth Parish Council - Contact Details http://www.meldreth-pc.org.uk Parish Office, Meldreth Sheltered Scheme, Elin Way, Royston SG8 6LT Office hours: Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 12.30-2.30pm By appointment at other times Parish Clerk: Mrs J Damant Assistant Clerk: Mrs Sally Walmesley (01763) 269928 parishclerk@meldreth-pc.org.uk Cllr R Goddin (Chairman)

goddin@btinternet.com

Mrs Jenni Bone

Contact details had not been provided at the time of going to press

Cllr Adam Bostanci

adam.bostanci.pc@gmail.com

Cllr Joan Fallon

c.jfallon@icloud.com

Cllr Nick Garner

nickphgarner@gmail.com

Cllr Roger James (Vice Ch.) roger+pc@rogerjames.net Cllr Alan Land

conradland@btinternet.com

Cllr James Mossey

j.mossey1211@gmail.com

Cllr Nigel Pellatt

nppellatt56@gmail.com

All correspondence should be directed to the Clerk in the first instance

Planning Matters Meldreth Parish Council The minutes of the Parish Council Planning Meetings of 17th August and 7th September were not available at the time of going to press. Full minutes, when available, may be viewed on the Parish Council’s website, www.meldrethpc.org.uk.

Planning Authority Decisions 5 Bell Close SG8 6LE, 23/02152/HFUL Permission granted for single storey front and side extensions to the existing garage, garden room, rear conservatory, boundary adjustment and drop kerb widening.

45 Whitecroft Road, 23/02767/FUL Permission granted for change of use from hair salon to residential use Details of all applications and all Planning Authority decisions may be viewed online: https://applications.greatercambridgeplanning.org/online-applications.

The Meldreth Matters Team 36

Amethyst

MELDRETH MATHS TUTOR

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37

District and County Councillors’ Report Village Roads and Safety We are working with Meldreth Parish Council on matters of road safety and seeking assistance from our district and county councils. It has been upsetting to witness vehicle collision accidents over the course of the summer.

Update on Transport Schemes There is lots happening at the moment, so we thought we’d give a more detailed report. The following schemes come from a mix of local government bodies, starting with the Greater Cambridge Partnership (which is due to meet on 28th September). Further down we provide some context for the maze of decisionmaking.

Melbourn Greenway – walking and cycling links between Cambridge and Royston Meldreth Station to Melbourn path improvements: detailed design work is now being undertaken with matters such as lighting being worked out (what’s needed and how will it work?). Construction is due next spring.

Melbourn to Royston A10 off-road path and bridge: the GCP is recommending that this should now be delivered. It is recognised that this would be transformational in providing cheap, clean and healthy transport along this busy stretch. Funding comes from central government and is earmarked for transport infrastructure. Contributions have also come from local business and Hertfordshire local authorities.

Foxton Travel Hub: The recommendation is that this project be paused. A reprioritisation of schemes has been required, following reductions in the value of funds due to inflation.

‘Making Connections’: As we’ve reported previously, this scheme is about increased funding for bus services tied to a new Cambridge city road charging scheme. Proposals have been considerably reshaped following last year’s public consultation, with road charging windows reduced and exemptions/free days increased.

The premise of the scheme is firstly to reduce congestion in Cambridge, thereby allowing buses to run freely and on schedule; and to create a new model of funding for those services. If sufficiently advanced, the scheme could evolve to bring integrated ticketing (so just one ticket for one journey, regardless of changes), a network of bus links to rail stations and other improvements - for example evening and Sunday services.

In addition to opportunities, there are risks associated with not taking the Making Connections scheme forward, including the viability of the Local Plan, in which significant growth is supported by transport systems designed for a growing population. The GCP meeting on 28th September is due to consider these.

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Opinion has been divided largely due to the proposed road charge aspect of the scheme. Support for better bus services is strong. These are not easy choices and there are no magic solutions.

Bus Network Review and Tools for Improving Public Transport The Combined Authority is currently reviewing all the bus services for which it provides basic financial support in the form of public subsidy. These are services where no commercial operator has come forward, but which are deemed essential – indeed national bus policy has since the 1980s been based on private commercial bus services, with local authorities stepping in as and where they can to serve otherwise isolated areas.

The 26 service connecting Royston-Melbourn-Cambridge looks set to continue next financial year, but the frequency of the service is unlikely to improve due to funding constraints. Meanwhile the 17 connecting Meldreth to Melbourn and Royston (Meldreth’s only bus service) has been marked for further review. We have made representations about the lifeline nature of the 17 for those who depend on it. This includes people who are less mobile or who rely on using their bus passes to keep travel affordable.

Who Are These Local Government Organisations?

The Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) comes from one of several ‘city deals’ signed by central government in 2014. It is worth up to £500 M in funding to 2030 for infrastructure improvements to boost economic growth. It’s comprised of South Cambridgeshire District Council, Cambridge City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council elected representatives who hold voting powers; plus representatives of the business and university communities, who are part the legal agreement.

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CA) was formed in 2017, as a national government initiative agreed by a majority vote at the respective councils. The CA became the Local Transport Authority, taking over from the County Council. Meanwhile the County Council remains the Local Highway Authority. The CA is led by the Mayor and its committees are made up of councillors representing Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

Within this mix, the GCP delivers significant transport infrastructure projects for the Greater Cambridge area. Strategic planning and decisions about publicly supported bus services and road charging can only be taken by the Local Transport Authority (CA) and the Local Highway Authority (County Council), respectively.

Free School Meals Take-up of free school meals in Cambridgeshire has increased by 52% in the last three years as living standards in the UK continue to fall. 21% of all children in Cambridgeshire now qualify for the ‘pupil premium’ schools receive for children from low-income households. Details and criteria at can be found on the Cambridgeshire County Council website, or please contact us.

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Biodiversity and Green Spaces The County Council is continuing to work with its partners to develop its Local Nature Recovery Strategy but is still waiting for the Government to carry out its national launch so that we can organise our own local launch. Survey work is ongoing for the council’s Biodiversity Strategy. National Highways is developing a strategy to replant the many trees that died after planting along the A14. 162,000 plants have been ordered, and replanting is on course to start in October.

Council Tax Collection Rates Government figures show South Cambridgeshire District Council collected 99.2% of the Council Tax funds it was due to in the 2022/23 financial year, compared to the England average rate of 96.8%.

As a result, South Cambridgeshire District Council is the joint top performing District Council out of almost 320 tax-collecting authorities in England. South Cambridgeshire District Council collects Council Tax on behalf of the Police Service, the Fire Service, County Council, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and Parish and Town Councils.

District Councils are responsible for council tax collection for all local authorities; their piece of the pie is about 9%. For the average band D house, South Cambridgeshire District Council retains £165 a year from the whole Council Tax bill.

The Government figures also show that South Cambridgeshire District Council collected 98.2% of the Business Rates that it was due to collect from local companies during the 2022/23 financial year – a total of £92,053,000.

Support is available if residents are struggling to meet Council Tax payments.

Please visit the South Cambridgeshire District Council website for details.

This year the Council sent out over 63,000 Council Tax letters by post at a cost of nearly £33,500. Registering for an online account would help the Council spend more on vital services rather than paying for postage. South Cambridgeshire residents can also sign-up to receive their Council Tax bill online.

Zoom Cuppa – Your Questions or Concerns We hold a Zoom Cuppa surgery on Monday afternoons, or can meet or talk with you at a time that’s convenient. Please contact us any time and we’ll do our best to answer your questions or concerns.

District Councillor Sally Ann Hart, sallyannhart@riskingonpurpose.com, 07791 233303 District Councillor Jose Hales, Josehales@gmail.com, 07703 262649 County Councillor Susan van de Ven, susan.vandeven@cambridgeshire.gov.uk, 07905 325574

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For all your domestic electrical needs.

Visit

sparkys.online Mobile

07974 375 377 Email

info@sparkys.online 41

MELDRETH PLANT HIRE TEL: 01763 262738

DIGGERS, DUMPERS, BREAKERS, WACKERS, ROTAVATORS. AVAILABLE FOR DAILY OR WEEKLY HIRE. WWW.MELDRETHPLANT.CO.UK

Moorlands Court Over 60? Feeling a bit lonely?

Why not try our Day Centre?  Meet up for a chat and lunch?  Our Day Centre is comfortable, friendly and easily accessed.  Open Tuesday to Friday every week.  Transport can be arranged.

Why not give us a call?

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

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Take Charge and Be Safe!

Following some recent very serious fires, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is urging residents to Take Charge and Be Safe by keeping in mind some simple steps when using electrical devices, especially those with lithium-ion batteries.

E-scooters and E-bikes Simple tips can help reduce the risk of overheating a battery. Please see our safety advice at www.cambsfire.gov.uk/community-safety/take -charge-and-be-safe/e-bikes-and-e-scooters or scan the QR code.

Bedtime Routine Many fires in the home start at night while people are asleep. A bedtime routine is a great way to help you and your family stay fire safe in your home. By following a few simple tips you can prevent a fire from happening or, if one does break out, stop it from spreading. See our four tips or watch a video on our website: https://www.cambsfire.gov.uk/community-safety/take-charge-and-besafe/bedtime-routine or scan the QR code.

For more on our Take Charge and Be Safe campaign, including advice when purchasing batteries, please visit our website: www.cambsfire.gov.uk/communitysafety/take-charge-and-be-safe.

Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue Service

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MCCS – The Hub and FoodBank – Funding For Year 2 As we approach the first anniversary of the re-launch of the Meldreth FoodBank and the establishment of the Meldreth Hub it is time to review funding. Both initiatives have been welcomed by those who benefit and, most importantly of all, we thank the volunteers who sustain the service and continue to donate their time and energy to make things happen.

The Hub received funding from NHS budgets delivered by Cambridge ACRE. For Year 2 at the Hub we have built up provision from which we will fund our second year of operation.

The FoodBank was launched at a time, last year, when we feared the worst over inflation and fuel bills. The demand quickly emerged and, as we might expect, the FoodBank requires continued funding to replenish stocks for the 50+ people from Meldreth who rely on the service. From launch we ‘spread the net’ for contributions and have seen funds from individual gifts, the Parish Council, local companies at Christmas and Tesco but we have also had to use MCCS reserves.

Our reserves are now exhausted and we have to replace these funds if we are to continue into 2024.

We learn that the churches here and in Melbourn, have kindly agreed to donate the proceeds of the Harvest Festival to the FoodHub and the food collection boxes at the Church and on the High Street remain available for donations.

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We still need more and we are launching a crowdfunding appeal, open until Christmas, at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/MCCS2024.

Please help if you can. Drop-in to the sessions on Tuesday (9.00-3.00pm) or Thursday (12.00-3.00pm) at Elin Way Community Centre. Approach the volunteers, go to the website or contact the MCCS Treasurer on 07808 23873.

Thank you.

Roger James Meldreth Cares Community Support

MCCS – Community Support MCCS is pleased to be coordinating the Meldreth Food Bank and Meldreth Village Hub. Huge thanks to everyone who is supporting these initiatives, whether through volunteering and warm welcomes, or donations of daily basics to the collection box outside 62 High Street, or cash support from individuals and groups (please contact MCCS Treasurer Roger James 07808 235873). Behind the scenes, invaluable support has been received from our Parish and District Councils. Core funding initiative for the Warm Hubs comes from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care System (our local NHS).

Our Neighbourhood Zone Leaders are always on hand for a friendly chat by telephone and to help locate the support you’re looking for. Their telephone numbers are below.

Kneesworth Rd, West Way, Burtons & Fenny Lane: Bev Cottrell, 07773 592838 Elin Way and Howard Road Zone: David Hollamby, 07732 106828 Whitecroft Road, Chiswick End, Oakrits, Melrose, Marys Way, Westacre: John Crawforth, 07595 627684 High Street, Flambards, The Grange, Woolpack Way, Station Yard and Road: Lindsey McCaig, 07884 432345 Bell Close and Gables Close: Cathy Walston, 07757 086380 North End, Brewery Lane, Malton Lane, Cam Farm: Bev Cottrell, 07773 592838 and Ian Mitchell, 07726 936635 If you have any other questions, please let us know.

County and District Councillors Susan van de Ven, Jose Hales, Sally Ann Hart and all at the MCCS team 45

Village Directory Litter Picker

Cycling Group Local History Group Lunch Club Melwood Cons. Group

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

Photographic Group

www.melbourn-photographic-club.co.uk

Revelation U3A

Miriam Skuce—(01763) 262440 Nicole Searle—(01763) 269561

Sport

Bowls Club Croquet Club Table Tennis Tennis Club

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

Vicar Bells Ian Mitchell (Friends)

Rev Andrew Birks (from 1/11/23) Sandra Webb—(01763) 261451 07726 936635; www.foht.org.uk

Baby & Toddler Group Brownies (1st Meldreth) Guides (1st Meldreth) Hartbeeps Meldreth Rainbows Pre– and Primary School

Julia Moore—07403 462198 Email: 1stmeldrethbrownies@gmail.com Email: 1stmeldrethguides@gmail.com Kelly@hartbeeps.com 1stmeldrethrainbows@gmail.com (01763) 260432; www.meldreth.cambs.sch.uk

Parish Council

Please see details at end of Parish Council report

District Councillors

Jose Hales—07703 262649; Sally Ann Hart—07791 233303

District Council Offices

01954 713000; www.scambs.gov.uk/

County Councillor

Susan van de Ven—07905 325574 https://susanvandeven.mycouncillor.org.uk/

County Council Offices

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

Councils & Govt.

Children

Clubs & Societies

Facilities

Village Hall Chairman

(01763) 262158, open 7am-10pm, 7 days Julia Moore—meldrethvillagehall@gmail.com or 07403 462198 David Coton—07749 850026

Church

Neighbourhood Watch One Stop

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

Village Hall Bookings

MP

46

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

Rail User Group

07905 325574; www.meldrethsheprethfoxtonrail.org.uk

Govia/Great Northern

www.thameslinkrailway.com

The Trainline Stagecoach Potholes, Highways problems, etc.

www.thetrainline.com www.stagecoachbus.com/Cambridge

Report on SCDC website. For urgent faults use (01954)

Melbourn Surgery Addenbrooke’s NHS

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

Childline

Community Support for Dementia Community Transport Home-Start Melbourn Time Bank Mind (mental health) Samaritans

0800 1111 (24 hours) Cambridge: 0344 848 7979 Royston: 03444 111 444 www.citizensadvice.org.uk Davina Biswell 07961 574104 or Stephanie Trayhurn 07710 198299 (01763) 245228; www.roytrans.co.uk (01763) 262262; www.hsrsc.org.uk (01763) 263303; https://tol2.timebanking.org/melbourn 0300 123 3393 (9am-6pm M-F); www.mind.org.uk 116 123 (24 hours); www.samaritans.org

General Emergency Gas Electricity Anglian Water Cambridge Water

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

Crimestoppers Police

0800 555 111; crimestoppers-uk.org 101; www.cambs.police.uk

S Cambs Fire & Rescue

(01480) 444500; www.cambsfire.gov.uk

Melbourn Hub

(01763) 263303; www.melbournhub.com

Royston Taxis

(01763) 0250811

Emergencies

Support Services

Health

Streetlights (faulty)

Non-merg.

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

Misc.

Transport

Station Ticket Office

Citizens Advice Bureau

713000 - Mon-Fri, 8am-5.30pm. Out of office hours: (01354) 65432. Give location, fault & SC or CCC no.

For details of village groups & facilities see the Meldreth Today section www.meldrethhistory.org.uk.

Meldreth Matters Team: Chairman: Lesley Farbridge 261578; Editor & Layout: Kathryn Betts 268428; Proof-reading: Ken McLean 261243; Treasurer, Secretary & Trade Advertising: Beverley Cottrell 262176; Advertising Layout: Richard Burns 263121; Editorial Assistant: Robin Farbridge; Distribution: Lesley Pemberton 07798586875 and Maggie Smith 260378; Founder: Ann Barnes Meldreth Matters is available online at https://issuu.com/meldrethmatters

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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 on advertising revenue to cover its production costs.

Please mention Meldreth Matters when contacting our advertisers.

A10 Timber .....................................31 Amethyst ..........................................37 AngliEAR Hearing ..........................28 Art of Clean ....................................11 Art of Clean Wood .............................9 Aurora Meldreth Manor (Job) .........33 Bury Lane Farm Shop ......................41 Cam Valley Orchards ..........................4 CHS Day Centre .............................42 CHS Group ......................................7 The Country Store ...........................19 Davey’s Butchers ........................Cover Eternit Sports and Social Club ...Cover Eve Construction ........................Cover Huw Shortle Window Cleaning .......11 Knibb’s Butchers .............................37 Lawn Partners .................................27 The Letting Centre ...........................19 Little Hands Nursery School ............19 Melbourn Auto Services ...................33

Melbourn Flooring ..........................31 Melbourn Village College ..................7 Meldreth Landscapes .......................28 Meldreth Maths Tutor ....................37 Meldreth Motor Company ..............16 Meldreth Plant Hire ........................42 Moncraft Computers .......................27 N J Chapman, gardening ....................9 Newlings of Royston Funeral Service42 Nigel Wigg Home Improvement ......28 P D Property Services .....................16 Penn Farm Physiotherapy ................41 Queen Bee .......................................21 Reflections ......................................16 Richard Burns Electrician ...................6 Rod’s PC Support .......................Cover Sage Blinds and Interiors .............31 Sparky’s ..........................................41 Specialist Dental Partners ...................2 Trademark Kitchens ...........................9

MM is Available in Colour Online To view this or past issues online, follow us on: issuu.com/meldrethmatters 48

Whaddon Road, Meldreth, SG8 5RL

Club Facili es

Entertainments

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

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

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

Meldreth Matters is printed by Plumridge Printers 41 High St Linton 01223 891407