Alcon mar 15

VILLAGER The

Issue 36 - March 2015

and Town

Life

LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS

Inside this issue

Nature

returns to quarries

East Anglian

Model Railway Exhibition

Win £25 in our Prize Crossword

Bringing Local Business to Local People in Alconbury, Grafham, Kimbolton, Riseley, The Stukeleys and all surrounding areas every month

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Contents

VILLAGER The

Issue 36 - March 2015

and Town

Life

LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS

Inside this issue

Nature

returns to quarries

East Anglian

Model Railway Exhibition

Win £25 in our Prize Crossword

Bringing Local Business to Local People in Alconbury, Grafham, Kimbolton, Riseley, The Stukeleys and all surrounding areas every month

r

u E Ey FRcop

Yo

Kimbolton School Swimming Pool Timetable........20 East Anglian Model Railway Exhibition..................23 Puzzle Page............................................................24 What’s On...............................................................26 Prize Crossword......................................................28 Last Month’s Puzzle Solutions................................30

More Service, Less Price

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Sir Issac Newton.......................................................4 You Get What You Pay For.......................................10 Keeping Your Divorce Stress Free and Simple.........12 Utilise Your Strengths.............................................15 Templeton Property Management.........................16 Nature Returns to Local Quarries............................19

Model Railway Exhibition

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7,000 copies delivered free of charge in the following areas: Abbots Ripton, Alconbury, Brington, Buckworth, Bythorn, Catworth, Covington, Dillington, Grafham, Great Staughton, Hail Weston, Keyston, Kimbolton, Kings Ripton, Leighton Bromswold, Little Staughton, Lower Dean, Molesworth, Old Weston, Perry, Pertenhall, Riseley, Shelton, Stonley, Stow Longa, Swineshead, The Stukeleys, Tillbrook, Upper Dean (We also have over 150 distribution points, including pubs, garages, most shops, post offices, Supermarket Chains in all of the above as well as in Huntingdon, Lt Staughton, Grafham Water Visitor Centre’s and Kimbolton)

Editor - Catherine Rose Editorial - Jonathan Vernon-Smith, Catherine Rose, Abby Smith and Tony Larkins Advertising Sales - Nigel Frost - 01767 261122 nigel@villagermag.com Photography - Dmitriy Shironosov, National Trust Catherine Rose and Helen Drake Design and Artwork - Design 9 Tel 07762 969460

Publishers Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Bedfordshire SG19 2NP Tel: 01767 261122 nigel@villagermag.com www.villagermag.com Disclaimer - All adverts and editorial are printed in good faith, however, Villager Publications Ltd can not take any responsibility for the content of the adverts, the services provided by the advertisers or any statements given in the editorial. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored without the express permission of the publisher.

History

Sir Isaac Newton

A Boy on the Seashore

By Catherine Rose “I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, and diverting myself now and then in finding a smoother pebble or prettier shell than ordinary, while the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.”

Sir Isaac Newton Amongst other things, the famous physicist, philosopher, scientist and mathematician Sir Isaac Newton was also a Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Trinity College, Cambridge University. And the farmhouse he was born in, Woolsthorpe Manor near Grantham, is now a

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National Trust property which is open to the general public.

Sir Isaac Newton was born prematurely at Woolsthorpe Manor in 1642, the son of Isaac Newton senior and Hannah Ayscough. His father was a successful farmer who tragically died three months before Isaac was born. His mother remarried a minister, Barnabas Smith, and left little Isaac to be raised by his grandparents.

However, when her second husband died, she returned with her three children by Barnabas.

Isaac was 12 by this time and attending the King’s School in Grantham where he was lodging with a local apothecary who had introduced him to the world of chemistry. Isaac’s mother removed him from the school as she wanted him to follow in the footsteps of his father and become a farmer, but he hated farm work, failed dismally at it and was soon returned to school.

Despite this, it was at Woolsthorpe Manor that Newton made many of his scientific discoveries.

The famous apple tree under which he was sitting when he experienced his epiphany about gravity after an apple fell on his head can still be seen in the manor garden, and there is a science discovery centre in the museum there.

Encouraged by his uncle who had seen his academic prowess, Newton went to Cambridge University in 1661 to study physics, astronomy, mathematics and optics. He was later to write classic books such as ‘The Opticks’ on the behaviour of light and colour and ‘Methode of Fluxions’(the word ‘fluxions’ meaning ‘flow’) on mathematical calculus.

However, the years of the Great Plague (from 1664

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to 1667) forced the university to close and Newton had to return to Woolsthorpe. It was during this time that he made his discovery about gravity and described himself as being “at the prime of my age for invention”.

He returned to the university in 1667 and became a fellow of Trinity College and in 1669 was appointed second Lucasian Professor of Mathematics, following in the footsteps of his friend and mentor John Barrow who had described him as “very young…but of an extraordinary genius”.

A year earlier he had built a ground-breaking reflective telescope after experiments in light using a prism and mathematical calculations where he had discovered that white light is made up of the colour spectrum. He concluded that light was composed of a stream of minute particles that interacted with the surfaces upon which they reflected to produce the perception of colour. As is often the case with innovation, his findings were initially criticised by the scientific establishment, particularly on the Continent.

Possibly in connection with his genius, he was often described as a ‘difficult’ personality, prone to bouts of depression. He was harsh with his critics but said to be very generous to his friends and had strong opinions.

His greatest and most famous work ‘Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica’ (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy) - better known as ‘Principia’ - was published in 1668 with help from his friend Edmund Halley (of Halley’s Comet fame). It was this work which finally explained the universal force of gravity and

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has been described as the “single most influential book in physics”.

Newton’s incredible discoveries included the three laws of motion (the first of which gives its name to Newton’s Cradle) and explained the gravitational behaviour of the moon, planets and the elliptical orbit of comets. He also calculated the speed of sound by studying the density of air. He was fascinated with the substance of everything, trying to unravel the properties of matter through mathematics and chemistry. It is said his experiments and theories led to the birth of Quantum Physics.

In 1669 he was elected MP for Cambridge University following his opposition to King James II’s plans to make universities Catholic institutions.

Newton also became a Fellow and eventually President of the Royal Society in the wake of the death of his arch rival Robert Hooke.

In 1696 he was made Warden and later Master of the Royal Mint, moving to London. He retained both these positions until his death. While at the Royal Mint, he became a fervent campaigner against counterfeiting and his image later came to be featured on the old one pound note.

He was knighted in Cambridge in 1705 and by 1714, Newtonian Science was held in high regard throughout Europe.

Today, Woolsthorpe Manor is furnished as it would have been during the 17th century when Newton lived there. In the 20th century, Einstein overturned Newton’s theory that space, distance and motion was absolute, proving it instead to be relative. However, Newton is still regarded as the founder of modern science.

Sir Isaac Newton never married, having spent the majority of his life living with his niece, and died in 1727. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.

National Trust Woolsthorpe Manor Sir Isaac Newton’s Home

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• Animal bedding Straw hay Shavings small packs and large bales

• Selection of local honey and Very yummy jams & pickles very yummy I have tried most of them.

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Three Counties Radio

You Get

By Jonathan Vernon-Smith

What You Pay For

In these cash strapped times, when the pennies don’t seem to stretch as far, it’s always important to make sure you’re getting the things you need at the best possible prices.

We all know there are ways of ensuring you bag a bargain. Shopping around is of course the most effective way. The internet has allowed many of us to become experts in this.

It should always be remembered though that sometimes, paying the least amount for something is not always the best policy. So when SHOULD you pay as much as you can afford?

Life is sadly, all too short. The years seem to whiz by at ever increasing speed. When you face up to this, you realise that sometimes it’s worth paying a little bit more for a product or service. Is it really worth buying a TV from an online company you’ve never heard of when you can spend £30 more to buy it from a wellrespected high street retailer with a good record of customer service? I would suggest not! When that TV breaks several months down the line, do you really want to spend weeks of your short life, arguing with and struggling to communicate with the lesser known internet company? Was the £30 saving really worth it? No! Remember this, next time you go out of your way to save a little bit of money – it’s often simply not worth it.

There are also times when you should actively spend as MUCH money as you can. The most obvious example of this is when buying a bed. My motto is, spend as much money as you can possibly afford on your bed. But why would I say such a crazy thing when there are so many companies selling beds at craaaaazy low prices? Simple! You normally get what you pay for where beds are concerned. If you buy a king size bed with a mattress for £100, you’ll almost certainly get a rubbish bed with springs that will stick in your back for years to come. Well I say years, it will probably only last a couple of years before it completely falls apart. You spend a third of your short life in bed, so always stretch yourself and spend as much as you can. When you’re still sinking under the duvet in supreme comfort 8 years down the line, you’ll be grateful you did.

10 years ago, when I worked in Northampton (home of the World’s best shoe makers), I bought a pair of £300 shoes. What? I hear you shout! You’re mad! Well, 10 years later, I still wear them several times a week. They polish up like new and are the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever owned. I think they’ll last me so long, I’ll end up wearing them in my coffin. For me, that was £300 well spent and actually when you look at the cost over many years, they weren’t really that expensive.

A false economy would have been a pair of £40 shoes that fell apart after 6 months.

In a nutshell, when you need quality and longevity, you should always look to spend as much as you can afford to. It’s also worth noting that in legal terms, the more you spend on a product, the more you can expect from it. As a consumer, you can legally expect a £3000 bed to last far longer than a £300 bed. If something goes wrong and the retailer refuses to help, the fact you spent a considerable amount will add weight to your case in front of the judge.

So next time you decide that bargain hunting is the best policy of the savvy consumer, just remember, it isn’t ALWAYS so!

Jonathan Vernon-Smith not only offers you his consumer advice here but you can listen to The JVS Show tackling your consumer problems every weekday morning from 9am.

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Family Law

Keeping your divorce

stress free and simple By family lawyer Abby Smith of Woolley & Co, Solicitors www.family-lawfirm.co.uk If you have decided your marriage is over you will most probably want to make the whole process of divorce as painless as possible.

Contrary to public perception not all divorces have to involve outright war leaving a trail of destruction and despair. With the right divorce lawyer you should be able to resolve a divorce sensibly, enabling you and your children to move on with your lives in the most amicable and constructive way. So what is the secret?

Divorce lawyers’ tips for a less painful divorce 1. Firstly, as tempting as it is to take advice from your best friend or the “know it all guy� in the pub, seek proper professional advice. Talk to a family lawyer who is ideally a member of Resolution committed to resolving disputes in a non-confrontational way.

2. Listen to the professional advice given to you and try to act upon it. Always negotiate before you litigate. Compromise is the essence of any agreement.

3. Inevitably there will be disagreements with your spouse but try to keep emotions under control and avoid verbal abuse and threats.

This will simply lead to them becoming difficult and inflexible. You do not want a war.

4. Try to avoid involving the children or using them as a pawn. They are innocent in this situation and they will need the love and support of both parents. Agree a parenting plan.

5. Think about timing. You may have been thinking about a divorce for years whereas your partner may only have received the news a matter of weeks ago. Expecting your spouse to discuss future living arrangements at a time when they are still reeling from the news that you want to end the marriage, may be unrealistic. You might have to slow down

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for a while, be patient, and wait until they are ready to move things forward.

6. Consider all the options available to resolve matters, such as solicitor negotiation, mediation, collaborative law and only consider court proceedings as a last resort.

A Resolution committed lawyer will explore the best option with you, suited to your individual case.

Whilst getting a divorce is clearly not an ideal situation it does not have to be a time consuming, stressful, unpleasant money pit. Sensible advice coupled with sensible people can help to ensure the experience is as painless and cost effective as possible but more importantly that you and your children can move forward with your lives in the best possible way.

Abby Smith of Woolley & Co is an experienced family lawyer and will work hard to assist clients to find an amicable solution wherever possible.

For advice on divorce or any family law issue contact Abby Smith for a FREE initial telephone consultation. Call 01480 270499 or email abby.smith@familylawfirm.co.uk.

Call Abby on 01480 270499 or email abby.smith@family-lawfirm.co.uk

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Your local divorce & family law specialists Caring, confidential legal advice 3 Divorce and separation 3 Getting a fair financial settlement 3 Seeing your children after you split 3 Legal arrangements before you marry or live together

FREE telephone appointment Call locally based divorce & family lawyer Abby Smith on 01480 270499 or email abby.smith@family-lawfirm.co.uk

6 FREE downloadable guides available on our website

Local meetings arranged at a time and place to suit you www.family-lawfirm.co.uk

Woolley & Co is a member of the Law Society and authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Head office: Warwick Enterprise Park, Wellesbourne, Warwick, CV35 9EF

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Utilise

Beacon Wealth

Your Strengths

Business Trainers have a skill of helping others to perform better. They do this by analysing their subject and working out how to improve their weaknesses so that they offer all round improvement.

At Beacon, we see a problem with the above scenario. Some people are just not good at something no matter how hard they try. For example, I am no good at learning languages; it would be far more productive for me to stick to what I am good at and employ an interpreter who would bring that specific skill set.

Investments are similar. We regularly compare our portfolios to see why we are outperforming major investment houses. One reason is their reluctance to change their investment approach.

A company of our size is nimble and quickly able to change investment direction. We also know our researchers are great at researching, whilst our investment team are good at investing, and our advisers are good at advising. These are three distinctive jobs by three groups of people, all excellent at what they do. They do not do all three and keep training on their weakest area.

Our portfolios include individual funds that have had good double digit returns, but it is the fusion of the different funds that creates stability of average risk return.

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Tony Larkins CFP APFS Managing Director IFA Chartered and Certified Financial Planner

General interest rates and inflation remain low which makes our returns of 10.9%, 20.3%, 35.7%* (as of 31/01/2015) for our fund on one, three and five years, look particularly attractive. Our average risk ethical portfolio yielded attractive returns as well, of 9.1%, 21.6% and 41.3%* (as of 31/01/2015). *Past performance is no guarantee of future returns.

Discretionary powers have enabled funds to be replaced at will, and usually without cost. If you are disappointed by returns, ask your adviser whether they do everything themselves, use a pre-chosen portfolio of funds, or have full fund choice.

At Beacon, we take on new team members if a skill is required. This means the team continually works on their strengths, so that when combined with other skilled individuals the result is greater than the sum of the parts as an example. We currently have two new vacancies; for an employed Financial Adviser and a member of the Investment team, not one combined role. You should utilise your strengths with the power of choice.

You should always seek qualified advice from an IFA, preferably a Certified (CFP) or Chartered Financial PlannerCM (APFS). If you have a financial question, e-mail: tlarkins@beaconwealth.co.uk

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Property Management

‘More service, less price’ Michael Picard, managing director of Templeton Property Management, relocated from the US to the Cambridgeshire area 12 years ago. He set up his own lettings agency three years ago, specialising in executive properties with the aim of providing the high level of service he was used to in America. He is now expanding the business by moving into property sales offering a complete estate agency and property management service.

Catherine Rose met a committed individual.

Michael has been dealing with UK property for over a decade. He initially worked as a transportation manager for the US Government helping Americans find suitable homes in the UK. He has since worked for NATO, responsible for building organisational facilities that has also provided lots of practical skills in house maintenance, ideal to equip him as a ‘hands on’ housing manager.

Having had first-hand experience with estate and letting agents in the UK, he began to think he could do better. “I noticed that in this country,

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estate agents don’t have a very good image” he says. “I wanted to break the stereotype. “ He never believed he would start his own business here, but after completing an MBA where his business plan was a letting agency, his wife suggested he set up his own. Today he manages 30 properties and is so sought after as a housing manager he has had to turn people away. Moving into sales has been a natural progression.

From the outset, Michael decided to consciously avoid the elevated commission rates charged by many high street property agents. He also did not feel it was good service to offer reduced office hours. Consequently he is available 24/7 to his clients and has a wealth of contacts in the trades, such as plumbing and electrical, to deal with any problems tenants may have as swiftly as possible. “If I get a call at 2am to say a boiler has broken down, then I will be there” he says.

“Being American, I use the service model that is practiced in the States. I work weekends and nights where necessary. I believe that if you are paying someone to manage your property, they should be available at all times.” He will also come

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out personally to fix everything from a broken light to a faulty door knob. ”I treat your house as if it was my own” he says simply, and it is clear that his clients trust him.

Michael intends to bring this ethos to his expansion into sales. He is giving up his job in NATO to devote himself to Templeton Property Management full time and has just recruited a partner, Tim Bell, who has a background in property law and brings enthusiasm and experience to the company.

Templeton Property Management put its first house on Rightmove last month and viewings were booked within two days. Part of this success is down to Michael’s willingness to conduct viewings in the evenings and at weekends, when many high street estate agents are not available.

Michael works out of a home office as he doesn’t want to have to pass on the overheads of having a high street sales room to his customers. “I am not looking to become just another high street vendor” says Michael. “Times have changed. Ten years ago you needed a town centre presence but now everything has gone virtual.”

As a result, Templeton Property Management is able to cut its commission rates to a minimum.

They already charge just 8% on property lettings which for simplicity is all inclusive, and where most agents will charge a fee of 1% or more on sales, Michael has just reduced his fee to 0.75% with the promise that discounted rates will not rise as the company grows, and there are no hidden extras. “Some agents give you very little

in return for the high commission they charge, charging more for floorplans and photos” says Michael. “I don’t believe in hidden fees. My commission includes everything within the marketing package including the EPC, with no extra charges.”

As a licensed agent, all Templeton Property Management’s marketing is primarily done through the popular online property website Rightmove as they have an 85% share of the market in house sales, so guaranteeing maximum exposure. And one of the benefits of using them is that there is no limit to the number of photographs you can put up to show the property.

Michael is very selective with the properties on his books. As a letting agent, he specialises in supplying executive homes to Visiting Forces.

“They tend to want larger houses in the £500,000 plus range. In the same way, I am specialising in the sale of high-standard and prestigious homes.

I would like Templeton to become a brand synonymous for marketing executive homes for sale (as we are for Lettings).”

And Michael has a special standard when it comes to taking a property onto his books: “I won’t let out or sell a property that I wouldn’t live in myself” he says. “I want to have pride in the homes we sell. I am not going to use clichéd statements or pull the wool over people’s eyes when they buy a property from me. Buyers are smart and they respect honesty. I think it’s time the industry started treating them that way.”

Templeton Property Management is currently looking for more homes for its books. For a second-to-none service, please get in touch with

Michael Picard or Tim Bell on 07788 298351 or email info@templetonpropertymanagement.co.uk

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RSPB

Nature returns to local quarries A European-wide quarry restoration project is highlighting the community benefits of international co-operation and stakeholder partnerships in restoring biodiversity.

In January of this year, international partners in the RESTORE Project - a European quarryrestoration initiative led by the RSPB – visited quarries that are being restored in Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire, and they highlighted the vital role international co-operation and industry partnerships can play in conserving wildlife.

Representatives of seven organisations visited Hanson-RSPB Ouse Fen Nature Reserve in Cambridgeshire and Sandy Heath quarry in Bedfordshire, where mineral companies are working with the RSPB to successfully restore the sites for wildlife.

RESTORE project co-ordinator, Bea Ayling, said: “Bringing organisations together to share knowledge and expertise across national borders is essential if we are to make the most of the opportunities for biodiversity restoration presented by the mineral extraction industry.”

Quarries cover an area of more than 250,000 hectares in north-west Europe and after they have reached the end of their working lives, their restoration can contribute significantly to the environment and flood risk alleviation. They also provide recreational centres for local communities where people can connect with and enjoy nature on their doorsteps.

At Ouse Fen in Cambridgeshire, the RSPB and mineral extraction company Hanson are 10 years into a 30-year project to progressively restore 700 hectares of working sand and gravel quarry to wetland and grassland habitats following extraction. When complete, the site will contain

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the largest reed bed in the UK, and it has already been colonised by the elusive bittern, with six females nesting there in 2014.

Meanwhile, a partnership between the RSPB and LaFarge Tarmac has seen the restoration of 15 hectares of heathland at Sandy Heath on Bedfordshire’s Greensand Ridge following the extraction of sand at the site. It is projected that there will be approximately 30 hectares of heathland habitat created at the site in the next ten to twenty years.

The resulting area of heathland - a national priority habitat - houses all sorts of rare wildlife including a wide range of endangered invertebrates such as the spider-eating wasp, recorded for the first time ever in England in 2012. In time, it is hoped the creation of wildlife habitat at the quarry may attract the likes of the nightjar - another heathland-loving species.

“Creating habitats like those at Ouse Fen and Sandy Heath is one of the surest ways to enhance biodiversity on a truly landscape scale, helping to extend and link existing wildlife sites and reconnect people with nature,” said Nigel Symes, Head of the RSPB’s Business Advice Unit and RESTORE Project Manager.

RESTORE, which is funded through the EU’s INTERREG IVB project, aims to promote organisations across north-west Europe that can continue this work, and the local success of Ouse Fen and Sandy Heath is already being hailed as a prime example of what can be achieved for other sites in the UK and on the continent.

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The East Anglian

Exhibition

Model Railway Exhibition Sat 14th & Sun 15th March 2015 After only two years, the East Anglian Model Railway Exhibition has outgrown Huntingdon Racecourse and so this year the event is moving to the Wood Green Animal Charity Centre in Godmanchester.

The new 2015 venue, The Britten Arena at the Wood Green Animal Charity Centre near Godmanchester is just 2 minutes from the A14, junction 24, providing easy access from all of the major roads. This international size indoor arena provides 1625sq metres (17,491sq feet) of usable space all on one level and ducted warm air heating. There is gallery seating, easy disabled access, good refreshment facilities and ample, free parking areas.

This is not a Toy and Train Fair with people just selling items. This is a great chance to see 37 excellent model railway layouts from across the country in different gauges and purchase the much needed ready to run items or build your own items from some of our 24 traders. You can also learn how to do various modelling techniques from our 8 demonstrators. With outdoor attractions and the many other facilities to see at Wood Green it

This wonderfully restored double deck bus will be running a free service between Wood Green and Huntingdon railway station.

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The Worlds End model railway layout has never before been seen in a public show.

Be among the first to see this beautiful layout at the East Anglian Model Railway Exhibition.

will be a great day out. There is an opportunity for children to operate Thomas trains on one of the layouts and as Sunday 15th March is Mothering Sunday why not bring the whole family, save Mum cooking and enjoy the Sunday Carvery in the Wood Green Restaurant.

There will be a free vintage double-deck bus service running between Wood Green and Huntingdon Railway Station.

This stunning event will be open from 10am to 5pm on Saturday 14th, and from 10am to 4pm on Sunday15th. Admission prices are: Adults £7; Children £4; and Family (2+2) £20.

You can avoid the queues by purchasing advance tickets form the website, www.stneotsmrc.com

Huntingdon Mayor, Bill Hensley with a traction engine.

Photo from our 2014 show by Helen Drake courtesy of Hunts Post.

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ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Easy Suduko

Hard Suduko

Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box, contains the digits 1 through to 9 with no repetition. Use your logic to solve the puzzles.

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n O s ’ t a Wh

In March

2, 9, 16 & 23 March Scottish Country Dancing 8-10pm Queen Elizabeth School, Godmanchester Huntingdon & District Caledonian Society weekly Scottish Country Dancing for fun, friendship and fitness. You don’t have to be Scottish and you don’t need a partner as we take turns to dance with each other. May to September the dancing is at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Godmanchester and September to May it is at Little Stukeley Village Hall.

Tel: Mrs Pat Crowe 01480 453774 email: pat@patcrowe.plus.com 4 March The Fifth Army retreat in March 1918 7pm for 7.30pm The Comrades Club, Godmanchester The Cambridgeshire branch of the Western Front Association is pleased to present a talk

by Jerry Murland. Non WFA members most welcome.

Web: www.westernfrontassociation.com 4 March Little Paxton Gardening Club 8pm Little Paxton Village Hall Guest speaker will be Sheila Das, telling us all about the renovation programme at Wrest Park. Refreshments provided. Annual club subscription is £6 then £1 for each meeting.

Guests £2 payable at the door.

5, 12, 19 & 26 March Bingo Doors open 7.30pm, Eyes down 8pm Little Paxton Village Hall Every Thursday night. Raffle and refreshments at interval. Sorry only 18+ can play. Tel: Eddie 01480 475265 6, 13, 20 & 27 March Tai Chi 4-5pm Wimpole Hall £6 per session Every Friday from 6 March.

Tel: Mike Tabrett 01223 503390 to book Email: Mike@gret-heron.com

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7 March Art & Craft Fair 9.30am-4pm Free Church, St Ives. Free admission Handmade art and craft stalls and tombola.

14 March Haslingfield Choir and Orchestra 7.30pm All Saints Church, Haslingfield Adults £10, Students £5, Children free Mozart’s Symphony No.34 in C major.

Mozart’s Great Mass in C minor. Conductor: Graham Walker. Leader: Frances Poole.

Tel: 01223 872088 for information 14 March ‘Show and Sell’ Craft Day 11am-3pm Yelling Church and the Village Hall Admission £1 including hot drink, Children aged 11 and under free Craft stalls including gemstone and leather jewellery; children’s clothes; handmade soaps; gift baskets; prints and cards; paintings; bags; crochet work; homemade marmalade, cakes and jams. Plus an exhibition of handiwork and crafts by Yelling residents. Refreshments and light lunches in the Village Hall. In aid of Yelling Church Restoration Fund.

14 March ‘Gamlingay Has Talent 2015!’

7.30pm Gamlingay Eco Hub Adults £5, Children £2.50, Free entry for children performing Hosted by St Mary’s Church, Gamlingay.

The third ‘Gamlingay Has Talent’ Show. All types of acts welcome! Licensed bar. Entry forms available from the Eco Hub or email andrewbsmith1@btinternet.com. Tickets on sale at the Eco Hub 17 March Kimbolton Flower Club 7.30pm Mandeville Hall, Kimbolton Visitors £6 including light refreshments Flower arranging demonstration ‘Celebrating Spring’ by Sally Gee. Raffle of the arrangements and plant and sales tables.

Visitors very welcome.

18 March Huntingdonshire Family History Society 7.20-9.30pm WI Headquarters, 6a Walden Rd, Huntingdon, PE29 3AZ Non-members £1 donation “Farming with steam” by Tom Doig. Talk on a subject related to family history research and a bookstall or help desk.

20 March Spring Concert 7pm St James’ Church Spring Concert by Little Paxton Primary School. Refreshments available.

21 March Waresley Village Hall Quiz 7.30 for 8pm start Waresley Village Hall £10 per person, Fish and chip supper included. Teams of six or less. Licensed bar.

Tel: Chris 01767 651239 or Gerry 07786 261079 to book 21 March-18 April Easter Museum Trail & Hilarious Hare Gallery. Free Admission St Neots Museum, The Old Court, 8 New Street, St Neots Find the Easter Eggs hidden around the Museum to complete the Easter Treasure Hunt and claim your free mini Easter Egg. Discover how the Hare is linked to our Easter celebrations and add your own hare art work to our gallery. Tel: 01480 214163 Email: curators@stneotsmuseum.org.uk

28 March Huntingdonshire Music School 7.30pm Alconbury C of E Primary School, School Lane, Alconbury A Springtime Concert featuring a selection of groups and instrumentalists from Huntingdonshire Music School and Alconbury School. Refreshments available.

Tel: 07595 279349 Email: rebecca-norman@huntingdon.ac.uk Crafts, singing stories and games. Pre-school children accompanied by an adult.

Email: rev.reed@btinternet.com to book

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The Villager Prize Crossword

Prize

ÂŁ25

Across 1 Unkempt (6) 4 Bogs (6) 9 Get better (7) 10 Command (5) 11 Not dirty (5) 12 Rational (7) 13 Honourable (11) 18 Consistent (7) 20 Hoard (5) 22 Blockade (5) 23 Impartial (7) 24 Tasks (6) 25 Remained (6) Down 2 Type of fruit (5) 3 Adult (5-2) 5 Incorrect (5)

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6 Relating to healing (7)

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7 Saunter (6) 8 Substitute (11) 14 Apparent (7) 15 Reckon (7) 16 Cared for (6) 17 Shouted (6) 19 Overweight (5) 21 Transport (5)

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February’s Crossword, Codeword and Suduko Solutions Last Month’s Crossword Winner Maria Hayes from St Neots

Easy

Hard

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To find out more call Nigel on 01767 261122 or email nigel@villagermag.com 31