Alconbury oct 14

VILLAGER The

Issue 31 - October 2014

and Town

Life

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

Inside this issue

The Great Airship Disaster

Win Tickets to the Festive Gift Fair

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 The Great Airship Disaster

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VILLAGER The

Issue 31 - October 2014

and Town

Life

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

Inside this issue

The Great Airship Disaster

Win Tickets to the Festive Gift Fair

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

What Is The Cambridgeshire Care Card...................21 Fun Quiz.................................................................21 Kimbolton School Swimming Pool Timetable........22 Puzzle Page............................................................24 What’s On...............................................................26 Prize Crossword......................................................28

The Great Airship Disaster........................................4 Should You Bother With Loyalty Cards......................8 The Festive Gift Fair Competition............................10 How To Keep Costs Down When Separating............13 G.R.O.W..................................................................15 Conifers..................................................................19

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The Festive Gift Fair Competition

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, Tamara Glanvill, Tony Larkins and Pippa Greenwood Advertising Sales - Nigel Frost - 01767 261122 nigel@villagermag.com Photography - Bernard Ormrod, Emma Porter, Dominik Hladík and Catherine Rose 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

The Great Airship Disaster

By Catherine Rose

Autumn 1930 saw news headlines filled with tragic disaster and loss of life when the flagship R101 – one of two giant airships stationed in Bedfordshire - crashed and burned on its maiden voyage killing 46 of those on board. Today, the hangars at Cardington, Bedfordshire stand as a historic landmark and reminder of the brief life of two mammoth airships – the R101 and its sister the R100.

The R101 left Cardington at 7pm on Saturday, 4th October 1930 for India with 54 passengers. It had only got to France when it crashed into a hill near Beauvais, near Paris, at approximately 2am.

Sleeping passengers were engulfed in flames including the airship’s designer Col. V C Richmond, Assistant Director of Airship Development, Lord Thomson, and Minister for Air and Air ViceMarshall Sir Sefton Brancker. There had been no warning and the last contact from the airship was sent 15 minutes before the crash which said: “At the moment, the passengers, after an excellent meal and after enjoying a number of cigars, are getting ready to go to bed” followed by a “thank you” when the French Air Ministry informed them they were 1km from Beauvais.

Low lying clouds had prevented the airship flying to its designated height. When a storm hit, it resulted in masses of rainwater settling on the top of the ship which subsequently forced her down further until she struck a hill near the village

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of Allonne. Her droning engines woke French eye witnesses who stated that as she left the town “she appeared to be completely out of control…. lurching and travelling crab-wise in the air.”

A passing motorist watched the giant ship “fighting for feet” and “her belly” only touched the top of the hill. The lights in the cabin went out, the propellers dug into the earth and the 585 hp Tornado engines were pushed up into the airship itself. The hydrogen gas inside was ignited immediately and the explosion could be seen within a radius of seven miles. It was later described as being like “Dante’s Inferno” and “a sight so awful and terrible that one could not take it in at first”.

Photographs of the scene the following morning show the ship’s colossal charred skeleton and bodies (described as burnt beyond recognition) littered across the French countryside and shrouded in sheets that had been donated by local villagers.

Miraculously, there were eight survivors, five of whom were severely burned. They are said to have owed their lives to the fact that the water tanks burst and washed them through the flames to safety. Ship’s captain, Flight Lieutenant Irwin remained at his post giving orders until flames

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enveloped him.

Twelve men were on duty when disaster struck.

Engineer H J Leech was in a cabin with two colleagues and said: “We shook hands and swore we would not be burned to death but that somehow we would make our way out.”

Another survivor, Mr Bell, described his experience: “I had just got to my bunk when the explosion occurred. I saw a sheet of flame and then the rush of water from the water tanks swept me out of my bunk and kept off the flames. I managed to scramble to safety but without the aid of the water I should have been killed”.

Mr Church, told the press: “When the explosion occurred it rent in two my compartment and I fell to earth. One of my comrades was trapped. I tried to climb to him but the flames beat me back”.

Wireless operator Mr A Disley described biting and tearing his way through the fabric, saying: “I used my teeth and nails. I became exhausted then suddenly fell through a raging tornado of fire and found myself safe on wet grass.”

At 777 feet long and 132 wide at its maximum point, the airship’s construction began in 1924.

Accommodation was contained within a doubledecked structure slung inside the hull. On the upper deck was a large lounge with promenades and there was a separate dining room that could seat 50 people and a number of two-berth sleeping cabins. Downstairs were the kitchen, the captain’s control room, the wireless room, the smoking room and the crew’s quarters. The ship was designed to reach 75 mph.

After the crash, it came to light that the airship had had problems three months earlier on her first official public unveiling at Hendon - a fact that had allegedly been concealed. Her departure was delayed by 35 minutes when the starting engine failed. When she finally got going, a roar and a shower of sparks shot from the exhaust pipe, scaring the 3,000-strong crowd and witnesses

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were later to describe how her “slow, struggling ascent” from Cardington meant that the “wives and sweethearts who were clustered around the base of the mooring mast” were left to wonder if all was well with the ship as their men on board flashed torches through the windows of the gondola cabin in farewell.

When news of the tragedy hit Shortstown – the small hamlet on the edge of Cardington built to house airship workers and their families – the blinds of almost every cottage remained drawn.

Virtually every family suffered some sort of loss, whether it was a father, brother or friend.

After the crash, the R101’s sister ship, the R100 was broken up and all further development on the project abandoned.

The survivors were all crew, mostly from the Cardington area: Mr H J Leech of Shortstown, foreman engineer; Mr A V Bell of Shortstown, engineer; Mr J H Binks, engineer; Mr S Church of Cardington, rigger; Mr A Disley of Shortstown, wireless operator; Mr W G Radcliffe of Bedford, rigger; and Mr V Savory of Shortstown, engineer.

Following a state funeral procession from London, today there is a mass grave at Cardington cemetery containing those who died.

Drawings by Keith Lawrence whose father Geoffrey worked on the R101.

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Three Counties Radio

Should You Bother With Loyalty Cards? By Jonathan Vernon-Smith From the Tesco Clubcard to the Boots Advantage Card. The Morrison’s miles card to the Sainsbury’s Nectar card. All the big companies are doing it – encouraging us to be LOYAL to them and not to stray elsewhere.

But which of these schemes should we bother with, and which should we completely ignore?

The first thing you need to understand about loyalty schemes is that they’re NOT giving you anything for free. The shops that offer rewards for your loyalty, build the cost into their schemes. Ultimately their customers pay for it, but indirectly. Therefore it’s up to you to be a savvy consumer to maximise the benefit.

They’ll be furious at me for telling you this, but DO NOT LET THE LOYALTY CARDS MAKE LOYAL! Just because you get points for shopping at a certain supermarket doesn’t mean you’re getting the best deal on your groceries. Keep your eyes open and be prepared to shop around, and maybe even do your shopping at a company that doesn’t reward you in any way. When you empty the bags in your kitchen, you may still end up better off than you would have done with all your so called ‘loyalty’ points. Remember you can use cash in more shops than you can points! If you’ve saved cash, it means more.

That said, it’s still worth having them. You’ll notice I said ‘them’. I did so deliberately. My advice is to get THEM ALL! Either online or in-store, you should apply for ALL the (free) loyalty schemes in the shops you frequent. That way you can benefit both in price and in points. If you’ve researched and found the best price for a product you want to buy AND you benefit from getting loyalty points (that can eventually be redeemed for something meaningful), then you really have earned the right to consider yourself a ‘SAVVY’ consumer.

Some energy providers now provide points for certain loyalty cards. For example if you have your gas or electricity with E-On, you can link your account with your Tesco Clubcard and earn points every time you switch a light on. If you’re already with E-On and feel they offer you the best price, then this is an added benefit, but as I mentioned earlier, these loyalty incentives are rarely enough to switch supplier based on loyalty points alone.

Most petrol stations now provide a loyalty scheme for fuel. For example you can earn Nectar points by filling up at a BP garage. That’s fine if you were going to fill up at a BP station anyway, but please remember that it’s still more important to shop around for the best price on fuel, rather than choosing a garage based on the loyalty points you can earn. In the end you’re saving may be worth much more than the points are worth.

It’s also worth noting that many credit cards offer a ‘points’ system to keep customers loyal to them. This can be very beneficial. I recently had a statement telling me that I have used my credit card so much in the last year that I’m entitled to 24 bottles of Pinot Grigio!

Considering I practically bathe in the stuff, this made me do a little dance in my kitchen. I would have purchased the items anyway, but by ensuring I paid for them on my credit card (whilst paying off the balance in full), I have earned myself a little treat!!

Always do your research before you get a credit card. Make sure you look at the loyalty scheme they operate and ensure they reward buying things in shops you use the most.

Finally don’t forget to use them and ensure you have a big purse or wallet. If you follow the advice above, you’ll need one!

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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Long & short term stays Day care available Dignity & privacy respected Spacious lounges Large, well maintained gardens Professional 24 hour care Nutritious meals Regular activities provided

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You are welcome to come and see for yourselves by contacting our Home Manager or just pop in.

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COMPETITION

Christmas

is around the corner!

More to see, try, touch, taste, enjoy… and buy at The Festive Gift Fair Join in the fun at the fabulous FESTIVE GIFT FAIR, the biggest and best Christmas Shopping Fair, returns to the NEC for four days from 20 - 23 November.

Christmas means gifts for your loved ones, hanging decorations on the tree, excitement on children’s faces, party clothes, stockings hanging over the hearth, a table fit for a festive feast!

The run up to Christmas Day involves lots of planning! The hardest and often most time consuming part is buying the presents. There’s no need to be stuck for ideas, Festive Gift Fair makes it so easy.

From the moment you arrive, you’ll get into the Christmas spirit, and be caught up in the excitement of browsing round over 325 stalls hunting for your perfect gifts. And when your bags are full, you can drop them off at the Present Crèche and continue to shop, stop for a bite to eat and enjoy some great Christmas music by bands and choirs. It’s no wonder this is one of the most popular events at the NEC! We love the challenge of finding unusual gift ideas – with so many to see at the Fair, selecting the best is a challenge indeed!

EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY! Raise a glass! That’s the spirit!

FOR THE WOMEN IN YOUR LIFE. Mum, Wife, Sister, Aunt, Girlfriend There’s nothing more satisfying than finding a special thoughtful surprise they will love. ….

FOR THE MEN IN YOUR LIFE. Chaps can be notoriously difficult to buy for – you’ll find Whisky, woollies, watches, clever gadgets and silly stocking fillers at Festive Gift Fair……….

KIDS STUFF. You’ve managed to keep the presents out of sight from little prying eyes for weeks, and NOW the big day is here. All smiles on Christmas Day! SET THE SCENE FOR A MAGICAL CHRISTMAS. Dressing the tree is just the start! Dressing your table, your hall, your mantle-piece can all help make Christmas Day really special. Light lots of twinkling candles, use elegant glasses, colour coordinated linen… you’ll find lots of inspiration at Festive Gift Fair.

We have 10 pairs of tickets to give away Simply send your name and address by Fri 7th Nov 2014 to: Villager Publications Ltd, 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP The Winner will be drawn at random.

If you are not a lucky winner, adult tickets are priced from just £8.50.

Book now by calling NEC Ticket Hotline on 0844 581 0808/0809 or online at www.theticketfactory.com (£2.50 per booking transaction).

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Family Law

How to Keep the Costs Down

When Separating

By Tamara Glanvill Solicitor at Woolley & Co - Bedford www.family-lawfirm.co.uk

Separating is hard, and it can also be expensive.

However, too often people make quick decisions just to get out of having to make hard decisions, and go on to regret this later on. It is often false economy not to get some early guidance about what outcomes might be possible and the various ways you can reach agreement – there is a route to suit everyone – ranging from an agreement made round the table, to Court Proceedings.

It is important that you have an understanding of which way you think it will be best to try and resolve your case. Don’t forget you have a much better knowledge of your own and your ex partner’s personality than your lawyer does.

Keeping the costs down starts with being prepared and being realistic.

If your case is to resolve finances: • You will be expected to provide documents to prove your circumstances (called disclosure).

This will usually include P60, last 3 wage slips, or tax returns for last 2 years, company accounts for 2 years (where appropriate), an idea of the value of any properties, mortgage statements, bank/ building society statements for all accounts for the last 12 months, a list of your regular monthly outgoings, details of the Cash Equivalent values of any pension you may have and any other evidence of assets (eg policies, shares etc) and of liabilities (loans, credit cards etc).

• Gathering this information together comprehensively, and early on, will help move the case forward more quickly, and cost effectively.

• Be clear what is important to you – whether this is wanting to stay in the same house, or ensuring you have a pension in retirement for example. This will help your lawyer guide you as to whether what you want to achieve is realistic.

• Do some simple budgeting exercises such as investigating tax credits, working out what child support is payable, looking at what accommodation you could get elsewhere, finding out how much mortgage you can borrow – and working out what your outgoings will be if you achieve the outcome you want, to

see if it is feasible. This will help narrow down the possible solutions considerably.

• Be prepared to make decisions – your lawyer’s job is to give advice, your job is to give instructions.

If your case is about children: • Be careful how much you involve the children in the “adult” issues. It is important to listen to what they say, but not to draw them into matters which they should not have to deal with.

• Ask your lawyer about the Separated Parents Information Programme – a short course designed to help parents understand the best way to resolve issues for their children when they separate.

• Be realistic – there is no point asking for the children to be with you 50% of the time if you are at work full time and not able to care for them. The more practical your proposals are, the more likely they are to be accepted.

• Be specific – how should weekends work? What about other holidays, Christmas, Easter, the summer? What about birthdays, or mother’s/ father’s day? Find out when the children’s school holidays are and set out with dates how you would like it to work. If your plans are vague they are unlikely to be understood and accepted.

There is a commonly held misconception that family law cases are always acrimonious and lawyers often make this worse. Whilst it’s true that a breakdown in a relationship creates difficulties for all concerned the way you choose to approach the problems will have the biggest influence on how much time, money and heartache is involved.

At Woolley & Co our experienced family lawyers work hard to find amicable solutions for clients, providing services at all stages of the process whether for initial advice, support through the mediation process, help to negotiate a fair settlement or guidance, advice and support through court proceedings.

To discuss your circumstances with an experienced family lawyer call Tamara Glanvill on 0800 321 3832, or email Tamara.glanvil@family-lawfirm. co.uk to arrange a free half hour discussion.

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EBAY COLLECTIONS

14

Local & Reliable

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Beacon Wealth

G.R.O.W.

This is not an article about gardening or farming, but an acronym for part of how we encourage our clients, to think about their lives.

Goal – Many clients have reached a stage in their life when they feel it is now time to speak with an Independent Financial Planner. This could be, for example, due to a life changing event such as a recent bereavement or divorce. It could be because retirement is approaching, an inheritance has been received or because interest rates are low and returns are falling behind inflation.

We help clients decide what it is they wish to achieve and why. It is not ‘airy-fairy’, it is a simple discussion, which often results in the true goal being somewhat different.

Reality – These are the issues that exist and which can be used or need to be overcome to reach the goal, or to help focus on a realistic goal. Whilst almost anything is possible, it is always good to use a bit of common sense.

Options – There is, as they say, ‘more than one way to skin a cat’. There are, for example, lots of ways of travelling from here to Scotland; some cheap, some quick, some slow, and some not. Finance is the same; simple, cheap low risk, tax advantageous and others not. But the old adage usually rings true - if it looks

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

too good to be true, it probably is.

It is really interesting how for some clients we have helped them achieve a goal they set over 20 years ago, whilst for others, who become focussed, the goal changes.

Will – This really is the key because we have clients telling us they want to achieve X, Y, Z when in reality they are not committed to the goal and fall far short.

We do not have a problem with this because it is their life, but it is sometimes disappointing when they have expressed previously why the goal was so important to them.

I believe people should be happy in their life and not make themselves unhappy by striving for the ultimate. But, equally, I believe with continued guidance most goals can be achieved if realistic and desired. Why not spend a minute or two wherever you are on lifes path, just thinking – starting from here what would I like to be different and why? It does not have to be financial, but if it is why not call us or your trusted financial planner.

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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Mano Bird seed & Established for over 50 years Family run business Arguably the best selection of wild bird products in 3 counties Committed to Quality Products and Service Easy to find – Brington is just 1 mile away from Junction 16 on A14 Large car parking space One UK’s best known bird food suppliers Manor Farm Granaries Brand Bird Food manufactured on site.

• Chicken food pellets mash scratching mix mixed corn and large selection requisites

• Dog foods • Cat foods • Small pets Food

• Insect and wildlife habitats

• Pond food

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• Pigeon Food and requisites

• Great selection of countryside greeting cards.

• Cage and Aviary Bird Food and requisites

• Country side calendars

• Wild bird Food Food and requisites • 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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nor Farm Country Store

Open

Saturday Monday through pm 00 5. to am 9.00 y 4.00pm on Sunda and 10.00am to

• Rolls of Wire for aviaries chickens etc • Great prices on a good selection of Coal, logs kindling. Best prices for miles.

• Bird tables • Bird houses • Confectionary/sweets & soft Drinks • Potatoes various bag sizes and onions

Brington, Huntingdon, Cambs, PE28 5AF Tel : 01832 710235 Email:sales@manorfarmbirdseed.co.uk

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Garden

Conifers

By Pippa Greenwood www.pippagreenwood.com

Conifers are a great way to add colour, texture and living sculpture to your garden 365 days of the year.

With several hundred different cultivars of conifer to choose from in the UK, there really is one to suit every situation.

Dwarf Conifers - There are many conifers which reach a maximum height of 1m (3ft). These are obviously particularly useful for small gardens and will often add a great extra dimension to a rock garden or a small-scale border. They may need an occasional trimming, but generally hold their shape well.

Recommended: Picea abies ‘Little Gem’, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Gnome’ , Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Minima Aurea’, Cryptomeria japonica ‘Vilmoriniana’, Picea abies ‘Nidiformis’ Tall and Narrow - Very stylish, many of the columnar or tall, slim conifers look especially stunning when used to create a screen, or to add height to a mixed border or a shrub border. Being rather like a living sculpture they are also good grown as a single specimen tree in a lawn.

Recommended: Taxus baccata ‘Fastigiata Aurea’, Juniperus scopulorum ‘Skyrocket’, Thuja plicata ‘Fastigiata’.

Pyramid-shaped Conifers - With their relatively wide bases and narrow tops, pyramidal conifers can bring welcome shape, texture and evergreen colour to your garden and if carefully position are often useful to hide an eyesore.

Recommended: Picea albertiana ‘Conica’, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Yvonne’ or Thymus occidentalis ‘Yellow Ribbon’ Spherical Conifers - With their prominently rounded shape these conifers naturally produce a sculptured look and are perfect for growing either side of a gateway or house entrance. They also look great in a mixed border, adding colour, texture and Visit our new community www.beds-local.co.uk

interest when many of the other border ingredients are below ground.

Recommended: Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Sunset’, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Minima Glauca’, Thuja occidentalis ‘Danice’ Ground-Cover Conifers - Great for hiding low-lying eyesores such as manhole covers, an evergreen groundcover hides them all year long.

Low growing conifers also work well for covering steep slopes and edging paths and beds. They will help to keep weeds at bay and are very low maintenance.

Recommended: Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Coat’, Juniperus conferata, Juniperus communis ‘Compressa’.

Conifers for Containers - Conifers can look great on their own or in a mixed planting where they help to bring structure, texture and colour.

Recommended: Juniperus compressa ‘Compressa’, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Ellwood’s Gold’, Cryptomeria japonica ‘Sekkan-Sugi’ , Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Springtime’, Pinus leucodermis ‘Schmidtii’ Conifer Planting and Growing Tips - Make the planting hole a minimum of 1m wide by 30cm deep and incorporate plenty of bulky organic matter such as garden compost, proprietary planting mix or well-rotted manure.

Tease or spread out the roots well and backfill the hole with garden soil mixed with planting compost.

Make sure that only the roots are below the soil surface, water in well.

Keep the soil moist at all times, especially during late spring and summer.Feed in April using a proprietary fertiliser to keep the growth good and ensure it is a good colour. Trim conifers regularly but remember if you cut back into old or brown growth you’ll end up expose all the old growth as they don’t produce dormant buds.

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Local News What is the

Cambridgeshire Care Card?

A new project run by volunteers in Cambridgeshire is holding a trial that aims to harness some of the 12.5 million bus pass holders to make these cards into life savers.

As there is room on the pass to include more electronic data than is currently held there, the brainwave is to include medical information such as diabetes, allergies, whether the holder is a blood or organ donor, their blood group and ICE details.

It is then hoped to install card readers at places like Hinchingbrooke A&E. This would mean that should an older person collapse and need taking to hospital in an emergency, there would be instant access to their medical and personal details via their bus pass.

Working with the county council who are part funding the project, the scheme is being technically masterminded by Christopher Curry of General

Information Systems Ltd and the team is hoping to create incentives whereby older people would be able to go to the library to be helped to learn to use the Internet and put data on their pass.

As a member of the free scheme, an elderly person will also have their own private portal on a website where they could provide medical feedback, learn about the latest in health and wellbeing and take part in socially rewarding volunteer activities.

You can join the Bus Pass Army at www.camcarecard.com or if you have no Internet access, you can ring 07949 927912.

Fun Quiz - Creepy Crawlies 1. What type of insects would you keep in a formicarium?

2. The Colorado Beetle is particularly known for attacking which crop?

3. Which insect has a two word name with the first word being named according to the stance it typically adopts, and the second word being the Greek work for “fortune teller”?

4. The name of which insect comes from an old wives’ tale that it would burrow into the brains of humans and lay eggs?

5. Insects have bodies that are split into three parts. The head and the abdomen are two of these, but what name is given to the third part that lies in between these?

6. How many eyes do most spiders have?

7. By what three word name is the crane fly commonly known in the UK? 8. With a name derived from a Greek term meaning “stomach footed”, what is the name given to the class of animals to which snails and slugs belong?

9. What name is given to the fear of spiders?

10. Which traditonal Spanish song has a title that literally translates as “The Cockroach”?

Before

After

1. Ants 2. Potatoes 3. The praying mantis 4. Earwig 5. The thorax 6. Eight 7. Daddy long legs 8. Gastropods 9. Arachnophobia 10. La Cucaracha

To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122

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Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts

Visit our new community www.beds-local.co.uk

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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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FLOORED

By Ian

Your local supplier of fitted floors in carpet, vinyl, laminate or Karndean Free visits to estimate or advise.

Best prices and quality with a friendly service.

Enquiries to 01480 475486 or (Mobile) 07876 238308

To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122

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n O s ’ t Wha 1 October The Battle of Assiago 18th June 1918 7pm for 7.30pm Comrades Club, Godmanchester The Cambridgeshire branch of the Western Front Association is pleased to present a talk by Dale Hjort examining this successful defensive action against Austro-Hungarian forces. Non-members welcome.

Web: www.westernfrontassociation.com 1 October Little Paxton Gardening Club 8pm Little Paxton Village Hall Trevor Gunton from Paxton Pits will be talking to us about Our Garden Birds. Everyone welcome.

Refreshments will be provided.

2 October Flu Clinic 8am-3.30pm Great Staughton Village Hall Come along and support the East Anglian Air Ambulance, Hearing Helps team, RNIB services together with a ‘World Famous’ cake stand provided by the Surgery Patient Group.

Tel: Appointments 01480 860770 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 October St Neots Country 8-11.30am Church Rooms, Church Walk, St Neots St Neots Country meets every Thursday. We sell homemade preserves, home cooking, home grown fruit, vegetables and plants plus knitwear and crafts.

We also serve refreshments including Tea, Coffee, soft drinks, homemade cakes and scones.

2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 October Great Staughton Youth Club 7-8.30pm Great Staughton Village Hall Newly formed Youth Club running every Thursday for 11-16 year olds from Great Staughton and Perry.

Email: gsyc2014@gmail.com 3 October Inaugural Meeting of the WWCP in Lusaka Quaker Meeting House, Godmanchester (opposite Mill Yard Car Park) Free admission World Wide Connection Project (WWCP) in Cambridgeshire. “First we sent soup - then quilts and sewing machines and then our ambassadors met our Zambian friends face to face.” Illustrated Talk by Matt Hall of his experiences. Light Refreshments.

Donations invited.

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Deadline for What’s On entries is the 12th of the previous month.

4 October Return of the Reptiles 2pm Wyboston, Chawston & Colesden Village Hall Children £2, Adults free Sally Shapter owns a reptile rescue sanctuary which now totals 150+ reptiles, insects and amphibians which she cares for within her home. She will bring some of the animals for visitors to handle.

4 October Cambs and Beds Hardy Plant Society 2pm Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade Speaker will be Dr Keith Ferguson ‘Trilliums and the woodland plants of North America’. Keith is a trained botanist and was Deputy Keeper at Kew Gardens.

Plant may be on sale. Visitors welcome - small charge which includes refreshments.

4 October Chas & Dave and The Ouse Valley Singles Club 7.30pm The Castle Theatre, Wellingborough, NN8 1AX Tickets: £25 Chas ‘n’ Dave are great musicians and know how to give an audience a good time. They have gained a cult audience of both young and old and due to public demand they are about to be seen together on stage once more. Guest support will come from The Ouse Valley Singles Club. Tickets: The Castle Theatre 01933 229022 or www.thecastle.org.uk Web: www.thepadpresents.com for more information 5, 12, 19 & 26 October Kingfisher Church 10.30am Little Paxton Primary School Every Sunday - all welcome. Services include children’s groups and a crèche. Come and meet Richard Fairbairn the new Pastor. Refreshments.

Tel: 01480 214894 Web: www.kingfisherchurch.co.uk 6, 13, 20 & 27 October Comrades Chess Club 7.30pm Comrades Club, Godmanchester Keep your mind active and play chess. Over 18s only as it’s a licensed premises.

Every Monday except Bank Holidays.

9 October Clairvoyant Evening Doors open 6.45pm, 7.30pm start Wyboston, Chawston & Colesden Village Hall Admission £5 Warren Marriott is back by popular demand.

11 October Craft and Gift Fair 9am-2pm United Reformed Church, St. Neots Free admission Held in aid of The Coffee Pot Memory Café; a local charity in St. Neots for those with memory loss and their carers, run by volunteers and support from local Rotarians. Tel: Mary 07717 158549 for details and stall hire. Email: maryjdcruz@gmail.com 11 October Car Boot and Table Top Sale 10am-1pm Stuart Memorial Hall, Tempsford Pitch or table top £5, Buyers free admission Tel: M Besant 01767 640873 11 October Clubs and Societies Fair Huntingdon Commemoration Hall 10am - 3.30pm Want to try something new? Visit the Clubs and Societies Fair. Free entry. Watch some groups perofrm during the day. Sponsored by Luminus Grou[ 15 October Huntingdonshire Family History Society 7.20-9.30pm WI Headquarters, 6a Walden Rd, Huntingdon, PE29 3AZ Non-members £1 donation Talk on “Researching Great War Soldiers at the National Archives” by Jonathan Farmer. Bookstall or help desk.

17 October The Love Punch (12) 7pm for 7.30pm Mandeville Hall, Kimbolton Adults £4, Concessions £3 With Pierce Brosnan and Emma Thompson. Tickets available from Watson’s, Dixi’s Deli, Bytes Café or on the door if available.

Tel: 01480 860297 for more information Web: http://e-voice.org.uk/ themandevillehallkimbolton 17 October Corona Brass Concert 7.30pm St. James Church, Little Paxton Tickets £6 including refreshments Corona Brass is a brass quintet and has an extensive repertoire of music from baroque to jazz.

Tickets: Alison Rogers 01480 215607 18 October “The Birds and the Butterflies” 7pm St Mary’s Church, Buckden Tickets £8 (including a complimentary glass of wine) A very special wildlife evening. Renowned artist Peter Partington (recently seen on BBC TV’s ‘Springwatch Unsprung’) will demonstrate how to draw birds and expert Nick Greatorex-Davies will give an illustrated talk on British Butterflies. Profits will go to St Mary’s Church, Paxton Pits Nature Reserve in Cambridgeshire and The Bob Scott Memorial Appeal for Trans-Saharan Migrant Birds. Tickets: Box Office 01480 431037

Visit our new community www.beds-local.co.uk

18-19 October ‘Wildlife ArtWatch’ Weekend Sat 10.30am-5pm, Sun 1-5pm St Mary’s Church, Buckden St Mary’s Buckden presents ‘Wildlife ArtWatch’ Weekend. An exhibition of paintings and sculpture by Five East Anglian members of The Society of Wildlife Artists, all of which will be available to purchase.

Refreshments available.

19 October Autumn Craft Fair 12pm-4pm St Peter’s Church, High Street, Offord Darcy Free admission Traditional Autumn Fair within the beautiful setting of St Peter’s Church supporting the talent of local craft makers and charities. Local handmade crafts. Homemade refreshments and mulled wine.

Organised by the Friends of St Peter’s Church. Free parking all afternoon on adjacent archery field.

Web: www.stpetersofforddarcy.co.uk 21 October Kimbolton Flower Club 7.30pm Mandeville Hall, Kimbolton Visitors £6, including light refreshments Julie Woods will be demonstrating ‘Buds, Blooms and Beyond’. Arrangements will be raffled. Plant sales table and sales of flower arranging accessories.

23 October Social Evening 7pm for 7.30pm Barrington Village Hall Tickets £10 including refreshments, Under 12s free Green Hedges Group Riding for the Disabled are hosting a social evening with a talk by William Reddaway “One man, one horse, 2,500 miles”. A seven month journey around England with Strider to raise money for charity. Tickets: brontie@onetel.net 23 October St Neots & District Gardening Club 8pm St Mary’s Church Hall, Brook Street, St Neots Members £2, Non-members £2.50 ‘Growing Penstemons for pleasure’ by Roger Skipper.

Competition - A photo of your garden etc. taken in 2014, size 6x4ins.

25 October Quiz Night 7.30pm Wyboston, Chawston & Colesden Village Hall Adults £2, Under 14s £1 31 October The Hinchingbrooke Bösendorfer Piano Concerts 7.30pm Performing Arts Centre, Hinchingbrooke School, Huntingdon Once again we are delighted to welcome some of the world’s finest performers to the Mary Stuart Hall.

Masayuki Tayama - piano. His richly coloured, virtuosic and communicative playing continues to delight audiences around the world. Programme includes music by George Gershwin (Rhapsody in Blue) and Chopin (12 études op.10).

Tel: Box Office 01480 375678

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The Villager Prize Crossword

Prize

ÂŁ25

Across 1 Cars, vans and buses etc (7) 5 Type of sailing boat (5) 8 Enhance (7) 9 Perfect (5) 10 Severe (5) 11 Playhouse (7) 12 Reliable (6) 14 Shovels (6) 17 Extremely old (7) 19 Endangered species (5) 22 Tracks (5) 23 Sportsman (7) 24 Father (5) 25 Female relations (7)

17th October 2014 Prize Crossword, Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP

Name: Tel: Address:

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

Complete the crossword, fill in your details below, cut out this page and send to the address below before

Down 1 Works hard (5) 2 Type of fruit (5) 3 Grimaced (7) 4 Crates (6) 5 Dagger (5) 6 Given medical care (7) 7 Assistants (7) 12 Exchanged (7) 13 Elated (7) 15 Throws (7) 16 Used for drinking (6) 18 Assignment (5) 20 Waterfowl (5) 21 Scottish dances (5)

Pet Services

Removals, Delivery & Storage For All Your Storage, Delivery and Removal Requirements Use your local removal company

Based in Alconbury Weston Freephone - 0800 689 0894 Tony Webb - 07850 293540 Lee Eastlake - 07906 072096 www.move-plus-safe.co.uk

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FROM ON PRICES START

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ry of your The conservato designed ally choice individu ur home! yo

by GSN to suit

to the world of GSN Conservatories... home of probably the largest outdoor display area you will ever see!

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With over 20 styles of conservatories on display at our head office and 10 models on show at Wilstead we think you will be spoilt for choice!

All our conservatories are made-to-measure from modern, low maintenance materials so you can be sure that which ever conservatory you choose, it will continue to look as good as new in years to come.

Your home deserves the best...You deserve the best that money can buy!

GSN CONSERVATORIES

Pertenhall Road (1 mile from Gt Staughton) Gt Staughton, Nr St Neots Cambs PE19 5BE Telephone 01480 860000 Open Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm Sat & Sun 10am - 4pm Established since 1984

Visit our new community www.beds-local.co.uk

The family firm with NO commission paid reps and NO sub-contractors

Also at: Season’s Garden Centre Wilstead (main Road - A6) Bedford Beds MK45 3HU Telephone 01234 740011 Open Mon - Sat 10am to 4pm Sun 11am to 4pm

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Crossword Solution for The Villager September Edition Last Month’s Crossword Winner - Mrs P Bowles from St Neots

September’s Codeword and Suduko Solutions

Easy

Hard

Advertising in The Villager is easy.

To find out more call Nigel on 01767 261122 or email nigel@villagermag.com 30

Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts

To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122

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