Grantchester nov 13

Villager

Issue 9 November 2013

the

FREE

& Town Life

Cambridgeshire Natural Burials Page 12 A Day in the Life of a Vet Page 19 Win ÂŁ25 in our Prize Crossword Page 28

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Contents Royal Air Force Wyton

10

Villager

Issue 9 November 2013

the

FREE

& Town Life

Cambridgeshire Natural Burials Page 12 A Day in the Life of a Vet Page 19 Win £25 in our Prize Crossword Page 28

Bringing local business to local people in Bourn, Comberton, Grantchester, Trumpington, Toft, Hardwick and all surrounding villages every month

A Day in the Life of a Vet........................................19 Winter Tyres ..........................................................21 The Magic of Fireworks..........................................22 Puzzle Page ...........................................................24 What’s On..............................................................26 Prize Crossword .....................................................28 How to Make an Extra £100 ..................................31

The Poppy’s Appeal .................................................4 Wildlife Wanderings ................................................6 Give it Some Welly ..................................................8 Royal Air Force Wyton............................................10 Cambridgeshire Natural Burials.............................12 The Myth of the Common Law Wife ......................15 Meet the Ancestors ...............................................16

Meet the Ancestors

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7,000 copies delivered free of charge to all homes in the following areas: Barrington, Barton, Bourn, Caldecote, Caxton, Comberton, Grantchester, Hardwick, Harston, Haslingfield, Papworth and Toft.

(We also have over 100 distribution points, including pubs, garages, most shops, post offices and Bar Hill Tesco)

Editorial - Alex Brown, Christine Donnelly, Fiona McLeman, Guy Bolton, Aidin O’Sullivan, Sarah Davey, Susan Brookes-Morris and Louise Addison Advertising Sales - Justine Miller- 07905 063211 justine@villagermag.com Photography - Monkey Business 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.

Time of Year

ThE POPPY’S APPEAL

By Alex Brown

How the poppy came to symbolise remembrance and raise millions to help war veterans.

2014 marks the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War. More than nine million soldiers were killed during the four-year conflict.

Much of the worst fighting took place in Flanders, the western part of Belgium. The whole area was completely devastated, with homes, farms, roads and trees all completely destroyed. The land became a bleak, muddy graveyard for the thousands of soldiers who fell there.

One plant, however, thrived in the disturbed soil and that, of course, was the poppy. Year after year, as the warm weather arrived, the poppies bloomed and turned the bare ground into a sea of red. Nowadays, we are all familiar with the poppy as a symbol of remembrance and a way to raise funds to support veterans. But how did the iconic flower make the journey from the fields to our lapels?

It all began with Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, a Canadian physician who fought in Flanders. In May 1915, his friend, a fellow soldier, was killed in action. Looking at the poppies growing alongside his grave moved McCrae to write the poem ‘In Flanders Fields’, which was later published in Punch magazine.

The idea to use the poppy as a symbol of remembrance came from an American professor

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and YWCA worker, Moina Michael, in 1918. She wrote a poem in reply to McCrae’s called ‘We Shall Keep the Faith’ and started to sell silk poppies. The idea was adopted by the American Legion in 1920 and she became known as ‘The Poppy Lady’.

In 1921, Anna E Guerin started making artificial poppies in France and gained the support of Field Marshal Douglas Haig, founder of the Royal British Legion.

The first poppy appeal was held on Armistice Day 1921. It was hugely popular and, despite a recommended selling price of threepence per poppy, single petals sold for £5. In all, the appeal raised £106,000 – that’s nearly £30 million in today’s terms!

Some people choose to wear a white poppy, either instead of or alongside a traditional red one. This symbolises pacifism and remembers the civilians killed in war, as well as the soldiers. The idea was initially put forward in 1926 by the No More War Movement, and the first white poppies were sold by the Cooperative Women’s Guild in 1933. They are now distributed by the Peace Pledge Union, a British pacifist non-governmental organisation that works for a world without war.

And finally, did you know that there is also a purple poppy? It commemorates the animals that have been victims of war and raises money for Animal Aid.

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Travel

WILDLIFE WANDERINGS

By Christine Donnelly

Late autumn is a time when you can see our local wildlife preparing to survive the cold weather ahead. Thrushes and blackbirds feed up on autumn fruits whilst finches feed on seed heads leftover from summer such as teasel and thistles.

Many species of birds gather into large flocks, with the swirling flight of starlings being one of the spectacles to look out for in the late afternoon sky. Those moving to warmer areas for the winter (what a good idea!), are still on the move and many fly along England’s coast towards the continent and then south and east. Sit on the beach in the autumn sun near Brighton and, one after another, eager travellers will fly past, overhead and out to sea, on their way to the Mediterranean or Africa.

Some of these birds stopover in the Mediterranean on ‘passage’ such as turtle dove, willow warbler and spotted flycatcher whilst others remain there for the winter. In contrast, some birds come to the UK for winter due to the abundance of their particular food. Look out for Mediterranean gulls that are similar to the very common black-headed gulls but don’t have black wing tips. They live around our southern coasts in winter but also come inland, and have also started to breed here in summer.

For opportunities to see and learn about local wildlife check the events organised by The Wildlife Trust www.wildlifebcn.org or phone 01954 713500.

Greater flamingo, Sardinia If you escape for an autumn break in the Mediterranean sun, try to visit one of the coastal wetlands where two characteristic ‘wading’ species can be seen, the elegant and colourful greater flamingo and the smaller, but equally fascinating, black-winged stilt, both a delight to watch as they

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wander through the salt pans and lagoons looking for food.

Some areas, such as the mountains of southern Turkey, are famous for their autumn flowers, particularly ‘bulbs’ familiar to the gardener, such as crocus, colchicum, snow drop and cyclamen.

The great flower collectors of the Victorian age brought back many of these ‘exotic’ species, now commonplace in our gardens, but seeing them yourself in their natural habitat, with a background of stunning autumn tree colour, is always something special.

Colchicums, Turkey In the far south, both the highlands and lowlands of Chile are at their best in their spring, providing stunning scenery from Mediterranean type ‘chaparral’, to hot desert, temperate rainforests and, of course, the high Andes. With a multitude of bird species, iconic mammals and wonderful flowers and trees, including fuchsias, buddleias and monkey puzzle trees, the country is one of the best destinations for a wildlife holiday, and also for culture.

Alpacas, Chile Wildlife Travel has been running wildlife holidays worldwide for 25 years. Contact 01954 713575 or check www.wildlife-travel.co.uk for details of trips.

Any profits from Wildlife Travel are donated to nature conservation through The Wildlife Trusts.

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Time of Year

GIVE IT SOME WELLY!

By Louise Addison

Wintry wet weather has us reaching for our wellies, but how much thought do we give them really? Hard-working wellies deserve a bit of TLC now and then.

First things first. A lot of wellies split at the heel seam, and this is because we insist on removing them using a step or our other foot to prise them off. Invest in a proper boot-remover. It will preserve the life of your wellies and make them much easier to take-off.

CLEAN THEM. Yes - really. How often do you put your boots away still clogged with mud? Take the time to rinse them with clean water then spray them with a boot protector. If your wellies are the sort with a zip, make sure the zip is clean and free-running before storing the boots. Spray the zip with a silicone spray and they’ll last for years.

Store them properly in a cool dry place. Don’t dry kid’s wellies on a radiator as they will become brittle and perish. Don’t leave them in a freezing

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greenhouse or shed either. A boot rack is great, because it lets you store them upside down (less chance of spiders or mice taking up residence!) and allows the air to circulate – meaning they won’t smell.

Finally, there are some terrific, colourful and fashionable wellies on the market today, so there’s no excuse not to take the kids puddlejumping. Go on, give it some welly!

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Local

ROYAL AIR FORCE WYTON

Take Part in the Royal British Legion’s Festival of Remembrance Servicemen and women from Royal Air Force Wyton have been invited to take part in Cambridgeshire’s annual Festival of Remembrance in tribute to fallen and serving comrades.

On Sunday, 3rd November 2013, hundreds of military personnel and supporters are expected to turn out and pay their respects to military heroes, with a concert and service which will make up Cambridgeshire Royal British Legion’s Festival of Remembrance at the Guildhall in Cambridge.

This will be the first time personnel from Royal Air Force Wyton have taken part in the Festival, the Wyton Area Voluntary Band also participating.

Geoff Diplock, Chairman of the Festival Committee, said: “We are extremely grateful to RAF Wyton’s Commanding Officer for allowing the band and Station personnel to participate in our Festival this year.”

Geoff, who has been involved in the Royal British Legion for a great many years, during which time he has taken part in the Festival’s Remembrance Service over 20 times, added: “Although I have been involved in the organisation of the Festival for some eight years now, I am sorry to say that I will be standing down at the end of this year. I have thoroughly enjoyed having had the opportunity to organise the Festival and would like to thank all my friends and colleagues for their support over the years.”

Tickets for this year’s Cambridgeshire Royal British Legion’s Festival of Remembrance can be purchased by contacting Geoff Diplock 01954 210662, or Brian Benstead 01954 719798.

Cambridgeshire Royal British Legion’s Festival of Remembrance Venue: Guildhall, Market Square, Cambridge, CB2 3QJ Compere: Sue Marchant, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire Presenter Music: RAF Wyton Voluntary Band, led by Bandmaster Graham Sheldon Programme start: 3 pm (doors open 2 pm) Programme end: 6 pm Tickets: £8.00 - Available from Geoff Diplock 01954 210662

or Brian Benstead 01954 719798

Programme of Events

Parade of RBL Standards Led by The Union Flag (carried by Mrs May Fowler) Muster Tri-Service contingent from Royal Air Force Wyton Honour Guard from Royal Air Force Mildenhall (representation from United States Air Force personnel) Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force Ex Service representation Sea, Army and Air Cadets Auxiliary Services: Cambridgeshire Constabulary, Red Cross, Salvation Army, St.John Ambulance Poppy Sellers.

Concert Wyton Area Voluntary Band, Barton Voices (Barton C of E Primary School) and Community Singing led by Joy Mc Combie.

Interval (20 minutes) - Refreshments available (provided by the Army Cadets Service of Remembrance Led by the County Padre, Major Martin Whybrow of The Salvation Army

Wyton Area Voluntary Band who will be performing at this year’s Cambridgeshire RBL Festival of Remembrance.

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Local

CAMBRIDGEShIRE NATURAL BURIALS

Do You Know About Them?

Tracy O’Leary, Independent Green Funeral Director from Woodland Wishes explains more.

Apart from the ever increasing cost of funerals, have you ever considered a burial in a beautiful woodland setting - simple, natural and affordable?

In the UK there are now over 300 natural burial grounds. One of the three local grounds lies on the outskirts of Cambridge, a peaceful woodland and a serene final resting place. There are no neglected graves and no burden on family members charged with the responsibility of grave visiting and maintenance. Instead of headstones, wild flowers, meadows and trees mark the grave, providing a symbolic celebration of life. Few are aware of this or indeed of the concept of natural burials in the area.

I only made this discovery whilst promoting willow coffins for a local charity in Cambridge. Visiting natural burial grounds in England and listening to bereaved families who wanted something simple but special gave me a surprising insight into alternative funerals. The personalisation and simplicity of ‘greener’ funerals without all the fuss, environmental damage and expense of mainstream funerals often appeal to those that hear about it.

I’d like to raise awareness of alternatives to the traditional coffin; alternatives such as cardboard, woollen and willow coffins that are woven locally.

Families can get involved in weaving part of a coffin if they so wish here in Cambridge. A simple cardboard coffin can be personalised with drawings, adding photos and messages as well as decorating with favourite flowers from their own gardens. Things that can all help with the grieving process.

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For those wanting something less formal than a traditional black hearse or pall bearers dressed in black, a more subtle and practical vehicle is available and guidance can be given to families wishing to carry a coffin themselves if they so wish.

Through helping families and individuals plan their farewell I now find myself being called a ‘green funeral arranger’ rather than a traditional funeral director and I am privileged for a family or an individual to let me be part of something so personal to them.

I am passionate about helping and giving as much or as little practical guidance and a totally personal service to get exactly what you want from a funeral and am happy to offer any advice and information on natural burials, home funerals and simple cremation services at any time.

Woodland Wishes is independent, honest and ethical, founded to carry out simple and meaningful funerals in tranquil landscapes using locally made ‘earth friendly’ coffins and is also a Natural Death Centre recommended Funeral Director and is part of the Association of Green Funeral Directors.

Tracy can be reached on: 01223 651653 www.woodlandwishes.co.uk tracy@woodlandwishes.co.uk

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3 for 2 offer on selected blinds!

Offer ends 30th November QUOTE CVTL13 Call to arrange your free home visit on 01223 460192 or 01954 211037

www.cambridge-sunblinds.co.uk

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Cambridgeshire Foot Clinic Podiatry/Chiropody Yvonne Siudak

BSc (Hons.) MChs, HPC Registered

Podiatrist / Chiropodist Private Podiatry / Chiropody Care in Cambridge, UK A comprehensive service for all your foot care needs

Hard Skin • Corns • Nail Cutting Ingrown Toe Nails • Fungal Nail Infections General Foot Care • Verrucae Treatment • Laser Treatment • Diabetic Assessments • Biomechanical Assessments Full details of our specialist treatments are available, call Yvonne for an appointment:

Cambridgeshire Foot Clinic

20 Chesterton Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB4 3AX. Tel: 01233 358 431 Mob: 07562 748 352 E: yvonne@yourfootclinic.co.uk

www.yourfootclinic.co.uk Also Bedfordshire Foot Clinic Tel: 01767 681 704

Dedicated support for clients in relationship breakdown:

• • • • •

Separation Financial Settlements Change of Name Prenuptial Agreements Mediation

• • • • •

Divorce Living together agreements Adoption Children issues Collaborative family law

Fiona McLeman Family Law is accredited by Resolution and the Solicitors Regulation Authority as a Specialist in Family Law. For a free initial consultation contact Fiona:

fiona@fmfamilylaw.co.uk, 07894095775, www.fmfamilylaw.co.uk Regus House, 1010 Cambourne Business AftPark, er Cambourne CB23 6DP

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Family Law

The Myth of the Common law wife

By Fiona McLeman

“We have lived together for 2 years so I have matrimonial rights against him/her don’t I?” Well, no. Not exactly. Many couples live together for years, sharing their finances, under the mistaken assumption that they ‘own half the house’ or have rights if they separate. But in short, an unmarried couple who live together do not have the same rights as they might do if they were married.

If they own a property together, then they will each have rights in respect of that property. There may be an argument as to whether the house should be divided equally or in other shares. If the property is in one of the couple’s sole name, the other may have no rights at all even if they have been paying towards the household. To make matters more complicated it might be possible to claim that the non owning party has acquired some rights over the property if they can prove that they have contributed and that the property was intended to be held jointly either by things that were said or done or promised or inferred. It’s a complicated legal minefield.

It gets more complicated if the couple have children as it is possible to bring a claim on behalf of the children. The claim might be for child maintenance, but also possibly for money to help

meet children’s costs. At worse, a home can be provided to the parent with care of the children, which will probably be returned to the other parent when the children are grown up.

Spouses have the right to ask for pension sharing orders as well as other arrangements with pensions. An unmarried couple have no rights to ask for a share of pension.

In short, if you are thinking of living with someone, why not take advice to find out what rights you do or don’t have. If you are already living with someone it’s not too late to find out where you stand and whether there are things you might want to do to protect your position. And if you are already separated, it may be a legal minefield but sensible legal advice can help you get out of the mess amicably with your ex.

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History

MEET ThE ANCESTORS

By Guy Bolton

Have you ever wondered where you came from?

No, I’m not doing the birds and bees talk on behalf of your parents here. I mean have you ever wondered about your ancestors? You might know who your parents and grandparents are, but have you ever delved further back? Did your people arrive with the Vikings? Or the Normans? Always been here? Here’s a rough guide to how you can begin to find out…

It’s an increasingly popular pastime to try and find your roots so we decided to give it a go.

There are many websites out there to help you, but two that I looked into were findmypast.com and ancestry.co.uk, and it was the latter that I opted to try. They offer a 14-day free trial, and although you do have to register with your credit card, as long as you close the account before the 2 weeks are up, there is no charge at all.

First of all, speak to your family. Find out as much as possible from them, and start to draft out a family tree. If you can ask your grandparents about their grandparents you have a good start.

The past hundred years are actually the hardest

to find on the website. The more details you can get on names, dates and places the better and it is often surprising how far you can get back, just over a few cups of tea and a bit of cake with the family elders. Now you can start to scour the Internet.

Once you log on, you enter what you know about an individual like their name, when they were born, married, died, etc. The search engine will trawl through the database (in seconds) and offer you a list of matches from census records, births, marriages and deaths, parish records and many others. Census records are one of the best sources of information but are the reason why the first hundred years can be tricky. This information is protected for 100 years so you need to trace your family back until they feature on the 1911 Census.

This has loads of detail about where people lived, who lived there, their ages, occupations and birthplaces. The next century, back through the 1800’s, is where you really learn a lot.

Once you have found the old gang in 1911, you have the details of parents, then you can find

A horse and driver scene taken at Blists Hill Museum

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them on the 1901 Census. You know it’s the same bunch, as everyone who was over ten in 1911 will still be here but a decade younger. They may have moved in between, but you know it’s them as you often find Christian names passed down the generations. Daughters named after mothers and so on. A pattern emerges and you can happily skip back down several branches of your tree to the first Census in 1841. This will give you people born before 1840 and before you know where, or indeed who, the next 200 years is in the bag!

From this information alone, we managed to assemble a multitude of over two-hundred souls into our tree, including grocers, fishmongers, bag makers, carriers, labourers, and cab drivers, all striving to keep the bloodline going.

Now, alas, it gets a little bit sticky again. The earliest Census was 1841. In 1837 the national records of births, marriages and deaths were first kept in a single archive. Before this, local Parish Records were kept, and these are on the database too.

At this stage, the easiest lines are often people you have traced back to rural communities where two unrelated people with the same name were rare. Parish records only give basic details like names, christening dates and parents but, this is enough to keep going in an unbroken line.

Some people annoyingly disappear, but you can sometimes find them in nearby villages. People moved around less in those days so they must be somewhere near otherwise you wouldn’t be here now to moan about it. We managed to get one line back to 1576 by this method and this is where we stopped. For now…

You can arrange to visit the Public Records Office in London to view some records, and we also visited a few local churchyards, finding gravestones of distant ancestors and it certainly sets the mind churning - imagining their lives, and it strikes you when you see recent graves

A Victorian scene taken at Blists Hill Museum

that there are probably distant relatives still living there.

The further you venture into the gloomy mists of time, the wider the top of the tree becomes (everyone has parents, so it doubles with each generation) until most of us have probably shared an ancestor somewhere back. We may all have a bit of Shakespeare in us, or a splash of royal blood. We may have invaded, crusaded, and farmed. William the Conqueror may have left Norman blood in your veins. Your folks may have piled ashore with a heavily armed boatload of Saxons, six hundred years earlier. Many of us are possibly distant limbs of the same immense tree so, my long lost brethren, I raise my cup of tea to you all and wish you the best of luck with your search. I wouldn’t be surprised if you don’t find yourself extending your trial into at least one month of extra time, just to get back a bit further…

My Grandfather in his Army Boxing Team from 1931 To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122

My Grandmothers parents and Grandparents

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Pets

A DAY IN ThE LIFE OF A VET

By Aidin O’Sullivan BVM MRCVS, Cambridge Veterinary Group From dealing with bouncy boxers to chirping canaries and everything in between, daily life for a vet is never dull. They may not be able to talk but our amazing pets communicate with us in many ways and as a vet I spend my days trying to translate those signals while trying not to get too covered in slobber and hair!

8.30am – The morning starts with rounds to check each of the in-patients making sure they are content and have had a comfortable night.

The poorly kitten on a drip is much happier today and no longer has a temperature, while the anorexic tortoise decided overnight that actually dandelions and cucumbers are pretty tasty!

9am – The first consult brings a waggy-tailed pup in for vaccinations and a microchip. Next up is a nervous cat that is urinating more frequently than normal. His owners have helpfully brought in a urine sample which I examine in the lab and find that he has cystitis, probably caused by stress.

After grabbing a quick cuppa, I call in my next, this time, feathered visitor. It is an African Grey parrot that has a bit of a cough while the owners have noticed that she isn’t talking as much recently. When I listen

to her air sacs there is a lot of unusual noise.

An x-ray of her chest shows evidence of a fungal infection and one of the nurses starts nebulising her with a special solution. Within minutes we can see her breathing ease.

12pm - It’s time to start operating and we have just heard that there’s an emergency c-section on its way. The nurses prepare the theatre and set up a nice warm area for the puppies.

A very tired mumto-be arrives and is whisked off to surgery immediately. Shortly we have 7 beautiful, healthy puppies crying impatiently for mum to wake up so they can be fed!

Next up is a rabbit dental whose molars have become overgrown and have caused sores in his mouth. We burr them to the correct levels and he obviously feels much better when he starts trying to nibble one of the nurse’s hands while she is feeding him!

3pm - Back to the consulting room and my patient is an 8 year old bunny that has stopped grooming properly and seems to be getting stiffer. On clinical examination I find that he is very sore around his pelvis and hips. I suspect arthritis and he is given a session of acupuncture which allows his muscles to relax and makes him feel much better.

5pm - Through the door comes a vomiting cat who is feeling very sorry for herself. She is dehydrated and has a sore abdomen. She is admitted for blood sampling and to start on fluids. The nurses run the bloods in-house and we diagnose her with pancreatitis. Pain relief and medication on board, she should be feeling much better soon.

7pm- Time to return some calls, fill in insurance forms and tuck the in-patients in for the night again while wondering what tomorrow has in store for us!

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TABLE TOP SALE

HIDATO Starting at 1 and finishing at 34, track your way from one hexagon to another (touching) hexagon, placing consecutive numbers into the empty shapes as you go. Some numbers are already given.

Every Sunday at Papworth Village Hall Set Up from 7.00 am Public from 8.00 am Close 1.00 pm ©Puzzlepress.co.uk ©Puzzlepress.co.uk

ABOVE ALL Autocentre Unit 1, Sand Road Ind. Est., Great Gransden SG19 3AH

MOT £39.95 with this advert

Tel: 01767 679000

MOT TESTING For class 4 or 7 vehicles Class IV Cars and vans up to 3000kg Class VII Vans over 3000kg up to 3500kg

SERVICING Good Garage Scheme Industry Standard Service Or to manufacturer specification

AIR CONDITIONING – Recharging of system.

DIAGNOSTICS - SNAP ON Diagnostic fault finding centre.

EXHAUSTS - Supplied and fitted to all makes of cars and vans.

BATTERIES - Supplied and fitted two and three year guarantee.

BRAKES - Discs Pads Shoes. Cylinders etc supplied and fitted.

CODE READING - Trace & rectify those alarming red dashboard warning lights.

TYRES - All makes inc. Budget Avon, Dunlop, Firestone, Goodyear, Michelin, Pirelli.

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Motoring

WINTER TYRES

By Sarah Davey

I drive a lot and dread icy winter roads, but somehow the thought of parting with hardearned cash for something as dull as tyres was a bit of a turn-off.

Then last November I had to hire a car in Switzerland, and I was amazed at the handling of the little vehicle and the confidence I felt behind the wheel, in what can only be described as lessthan-ideal weather conditions - for that read snow, snow and more snow. I mentioned it to the Swiss friend I was visiting. She looked astonished, ‘It’s the winter tyres,’ she said matter-of-factly. ‘We always wonder why British people don’t use them.’

I was sold. On my return I called in at my local tyre salesman and asked for his advice.

He suggested buying a set of cheap steel rims for my car and putting the winter tyres on those, storing the originals in my garage.

The tyres improve handling on greasy roads, but will really come into their own in snowy and icy conditions, or wet conditions where the temperature is below 7 degrees. Braking and traction are improved immeasurably on winter tyres.

If your car is rear wheel drive I’d say winter tyres are essential. If your car is front-wheel drive I’d still say they’re essential. Although the improvement in performance isn’t as great, it is still very noticeable.

My friendly tyre-fitter suggests changing them over in November and running with them until February/March depending on the weather.

This year try some winter tyres. You will never regret it. They may even save your life!

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THE MAGIC OF FIREWORKS

By Susan Brookes-Morris

Fireworks date back to the 7th century and are thought to have been invented in China. The first fireworks in England were displayed at the wedding of King Henry VII in 1486. Now, as well as being an integral part of Bonfire Night celebrations, fireworks can often be seen at New Year, Birthday and Wedding celebrations and frequently form the finale for major events.

Fireworks come in many shapes and sizes and new types are being created all the time. Some of the many varieties are: sparklers, cakes, firecrackers, cherry bombs, rockets, jumping jacks and Catherine wheels.

A rocket can reach speeds of 150mph and its shell can reach as high as 200 metres. A sparkler burns at a temperature over 15 times the boiling point of water.

The different effects created by fireworks have names such as ring, spider, peony, palm and horsetail. The variety of colours and noises also thrill many of us. There are now a rainbow of colours and sounds that include bangs, crackles, humming and whistles.

So what happens within a firework to cause us such excitement?

Each firework is a precisely formed assembly of chemicals and fuel, carefully calibrated to produce a particular effect.

Fireworks consist of stars, small clay or dough-like lumps or cubes 3 to 4 cm in diameter, packed into

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cardboard compartments within the firework shell.

Stars contain a blend of oxidizing agent, reducing agent, metal salt colouring agent and binders.

When ignited, the stars produce both sound and light effects.

The power needed to lift each firework into the air is provided by the highly exothermic combustion of black powder. The key to firework success is to trap the heat and gas in the bottom of the shell, which is positioned in a launch tube or mortar, until the trapped gas pressure builds to such a force that when it escapes, it hurls the firework high into the air.

A firework is ignited by lighting the main fuse. This simultaneously starts both the fast action fuse, and the time delay fuse.

The flight of the firework is powered by a fast burning wick. Where the wick ends, it meets the high explosive components of the firework. In this second stage, there is an instantaneous detonation producing both a loud explosion and a bright flash of colour.

The black powder lift-charge is calculated to exhaust itself precisely when the slow-burning, time-delay fuse reaches the first compartment packed with light-producing stars and black powder.

The tremendous booms heard are the result of the rapid release of energy into the air, causing the air to expand faster than the speed of sound which produces a shock wave - a sonic boom.

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tradesMan & high access lift/scaffold tower for hire unique all-in-one service Repairs, maintenance & cleaning solutions for your high up & hard to reach places! our experienced tradesman can provide any of the following services with supply of all new & replacement building materials at competitive prices!

• roof and ridge tiles repaired, replaced, leaks mended • Chimneys – repointed, dismantled, capped, repaired, new pots & bird guards • flue liners installed • Leadwork – repaired & replaced • soffitt, fascias and bargeboards – repaired, capped, cleaned, painted or new replacements • High windows & dormers – repaired, cleaned, painted or replaced • guttering – cleared, cleaned, repaired or new replacements

• external painting – right up to eaves • Cladding & featheredge boarding – wood and upvc, repaired, maintained, cleaned or new replacements • roof cleaning – specialist pressure jet washing • Conservatory roofs – cleaned • tree & hedge trimming

Call today for a FREE no obligation quotation on 01223 871117 / 07717 576126 e: info@anglianhighaccess.co.uk web: www.anglianhighaccess.co.uk

COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL INDUSTRIAL To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122

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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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New Decorations Interior and Exterior Painting Wallpapering

Mark Newman

Painting & Decorating m.a.newman@virgin.net

01954212342 07969650344 164 Limes Road, Hardwick Cambridge CB23 7XX To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122

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n O s ’ t a h W

2 November Craft Fair 9.30am-4pm St Ives Free Church Local people selling hand-made crafts. Held on first Saturday of each month. For details visit www.saintscrafters.blogspot.com 2 November Hardy Plant Society Talk 2pm The Wetherley Centre, Biggleswade Small charge for visitors Cambs and Beds Hardy Plant Society present a talk by Gail Summerfield on ‘Crew yard to courtyard - How we converted a cattle yard into our private Mediterranean style garden’. All welcome - small charge applies. Tel: Winifred 01234 721720 Web: www.hpscambsandbeds.co.uk

2 November Kimbolton Fireworks Comes to The Offords Gates open 6pm Millennium Green, Offord Darcy Organised by The Offords Millennium Green Trust. Refreshments, burgers, glow sticks, etc. and a guy competition.

3 November Christmas Gift Fair Admission £2 10.30am-4.30pm Comberton Village Hall, Green End, Comberton In aid of East Anglia Air Ambulance. Large selection of gifts.

Food hall. Refreshments available.

3 November Kimbolton Castle Open 1-4 pm Last residence of Katherine of Aragon.

Tel: 01480 860505 for further details 3, 10, 17 & 24 November Kingfisher Church 10.30am Little Paxton Primary School Every Sunday – all welcome. Services include children’s groups and a crèche. Refreshments served. Tel: 01480 394321 Web: www.kingfisherchurch.co.uk 5, 12 & 19 November Line Dancing for the absolute beginner 1.45-2.45pm Buckden Village Hall £4 per session including tea/coffee & biscuit Line dancing taster sessions for the absolute beginner. Bring a cold drink and wear comfortable shoes.

Tel: Lorraine 01480 494367 or Dawn 01487 824143 5, 12, 19 & 26 November Bridge Club 7.30-9.30pm Roxton Village Hall Cost £3 Every Tuesday. Beginners welcome.

Tel: 01767 448526 Web: www.greatbarfordbowlsclub.org.uk

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6 November Little Paxton Gardening Club 8pm Little Paxton Village Hall Annual subscription £6.

Meetings with speakers £1 and £2 for visitors Guest speaker will be Marilyn Bond who will give a talk on the restoration of the gardens at Shortmead House, her Georgian Manor House in Biggleswade. Refreshments included.

8 November She’koyokh All Saints’ Church, Haslingfield Tickets £13, Concessions £11, Children/students £6 Jewish, Gypsy and Balkan music. Tickets from The Village Shop or the Corn Exchange Box Office Tel: 01223 357851.

9 November Christmas Fayre 10am-2pm Free admission St Mary’s Church on the Green, Eaton Socon Crafts, cakes, cards, gifts and more for sale. Refreshments available. Tel: Church Office 01480 352154 for more information 9 November World War II Memorabilia Exhibition 1.30-4pm St Peter’s Church, High Street, Offord Darcy Display of family wartime possessions, medals, items of uniform, photos, log books, letters, demob papers, citations. There will be an interesting display by the Pathfinder Force Museum based at RAF Wyton. Refreshments available. Free parking.

Tel: Jenny Griffiths 01480 811126 Email: griffaljen@aol.com Web: www.stpetersofforddarcy.co.uk 9 November A Choral and Orchestral Concert 7.30pm Performing Arts Centre, Hinchingbrooke School, Huntingdon Tickets £12, Students £6 Musical Director - Adrian Brown. Beethoven - Symphony No. 5, Mozart - Mass in C minor with Soloists Natalie Montakhab, Esther Brazil, Panos Ntourntoufis and John Woods.

Tickets available by telephone, email or on the door.

Tel: Anabel Capon 01832 274834 Email: huntsphiltickets@btinternet.com 12 November Coffee Morning 10am-12 noon Berkeley Street Methodist Church, Eynesbury, St Neots St Neots Inner Wheel Coffee Morning with book and jigsaw sale.

In aid of The Tilinanu Children’s Orphanage, Malawi.

13 November Wildlife Camera Traps 7.30pm Brampton Memorial Hall, Thrapston Road, Brampton Suggested donation Members £2.00, Non-members £2.50 Arnold Cooke has studied local deer populations since the 1970s, recording colonization, ecology, impact and management. His talk tonight will illustrate wildlife activity that is revealing and sometimes surprising and amusing. Tel: Phil 01487 822835 Web: www.wildlifetrust-huntsareagroup.org.uk

14 November Toy Sale 9am-1pm Huntingdon Nursery School, Ambury Road, Huntingdon Buy and sell good quality second hand toys and books.

Tel: 01480 375216 for more details 16 November Charity Fair 11am-2.30pm Haslingfield Methodist Church, High Street, Haslingfield A wide selection of national and local charities will be taking part in this annual event, selling a range of items, including Christmas cards. Refreshments, including light lunches available.

16 November Hardwick Christmas Bazaar 11am-3 pm Hardwick School Handmade crafts made by local people, lots of ideas for Christmas. Visit Santa’s grotto and hear the school choir perform. Tea, coffee and cake available. Proceeds to support the Hardwick Scout and Guide Community building. hardwickscoutandguidebuilding@gmail.com or telephone 01954 210570 or 01954 210072 16 & 17 November Art Exhibition 10.30am-4pm Hemingford Abbots Village Hall Cards featuring original work and also hand painted cards will be on sale. Refreshments on sale. Web: www.cambridgeshire.net 19 November Kimbolton Flower Club 7.30pm Mandeville Hall, Kimbolton Admission £8 including refreshments Christmas demonstration by Janine Hall. Wine and mince pies and a raffle of the arrangements. Visitors most welcome.

19 November Buckden Gardeners Association 8pm Buckden Village Hall Members free, guests £2 Talk entitled “An English Country Garden” by Ann Scott. Tea and biscuits served afterwards. Tel: Pam 01480 811680 or Lesley 01480 351547 Web: http://www.buckdengardeners.info/ 23 November Little Paxton Village Fayre 11am-2pm Little Paxton Village Hall Admission 30p, children free Father Christmas, stalls, sideshows, Christmas goodies, BBQ and Tea room with delicious cakes. Stalls still available please contact Peter Hagger 01480 477978.

23 November Christmas Bazaar 11am-3pm St Neots Parish Church, The Church Rooms, Church walk Stalls include The Bunting and Candle Lady, Create 68, knitted toys, handmade cards for charity, Christmas cakes, Christmas table decorations and much more. Refreshments available.

23 & 24 November Lomax Antiques Fairs 10am-4pm Admission £3 Hinchingbrooke House, Huntingdon 50 quality dealers in fine furniture, paintings, ceramics, glass, clocks, silver, jewellery and much more. Ample free car parking.

Refreshments available. Tel: 01379 586134 or 07906 716158 Web: www.lomaxfairs.com 24 November Autumn Craft Bazaar 11am-4pm Free admission Hemingford Abbots Village Hall Supporting Help for Heroes. Refreshments available.

Tel: Ruth Moore 01480 464266 Email: johnruth@talktalk.net 24 November Festive Shopping and Fun Day 11am-4pm RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy. Santa visit £3 Come along to get your gifts in the RSPB shop and enjoy festive face painting, make a super natural Christmas card, sample some delicious chocolate and fudge and try your luck on the tombola.

Tasty mince pies mulled wine and hot soup for sale to warm you up. Small charges for activities. Tel: 01767 680541 28 November St Neots & District Gardening Club Social Evening 8pm St. Mary’s Church Hall, Brook Street, St. Neots Non-Members £2.50 includes refreshments and a raffle ticket 29 November Hinchingbrooke Bösendorfer Piano Concert 7.30pm Adults £10, Pupils and students under 21 £5 Performing Arts Centre, Hinchingbrooke School, Huntingdon Roy Howat, piano; Helen Habershon, clarinet; Jillian Skerry, piano.

Roy is renowned worldwide as a talented and exceptionally visionary scholar, broadcaster and solo pianist. Today he makes a very welcome return visit. Helen enjoys an international career with solo, orchestral, radio and TV performances and is known for her fine and sensitive playing. They will be joined by Jillian, an experienced and successful performer on the international stage and co-founder/artistic director of this series. Their programme will include music by Debussy, Chabrier, Joseph Horovitz and more. Tel: Box office 01480 375678 30 November Crackers for Christmas 10.30am-12 noon St James’ Church Little Paxton Free activity workshop for children up to age of 11.

Tel Shelia Flavell 01480 405511 for further information 30 November Race Night with Fish ’n’ Chips Supper Tickets £7.50 7.30pm Buckden Village Hall, Burberry Road, Buckden Join us for a fun evening of horse racing with supper. Licensed Bar. Tickets available from Buckden Village Hall.

Tel: 01480 811101 Email: admin@buckdenvillagehall.co.uk

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Prize

The Villager Prize Crossword

£25

Across 1 Nearest (7) 5 Inexpensive (5) 8 Type of cattle (7) 9 A slight fever (5) 10 Sweet, thick liquid (5) 11 Flat area of high land (7) 12 Form of dance (6) 14 In good condition (6) 17 Family member (7) 19 Trimmed (5) 22 Enclosed within (5) 23 Non-professional (7) 24 Dizzy (5) 25 Painters (7)

cut out this page and send to the address below before

18th November 2013

Prize Crossword, Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP Name:

Tel:

Address:

Last Month’s Crossword Winner - Mrs P Aldwick from Shefford For last month’s solution please visit www.villagermag.com 28



Complete the crossword, fill in your details below,

Down 1 3D squares (5) 2 To give or volunteer (5) 3 Prototype (7) 4 Soldiers (6) 5 Bedtime drink (5) 6 Obvious (7) 7 Contaminate (7) 12 Imploring (7) 13 highly intelligent (7) 15 Graceful (7) 16 Type of fruit (6) 18 Unclean (5) 20 Conjecture (5) 21 Risks (5)

To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122

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AIRPORT CARS

• Airport & Long Distance Specialist • Non Smoking Drivers • Air Conditioned Vehicles • Executive Cars • 5 to 8 Seater MPV • Prompt, Reliable, Local Service

For the Most Competitive Quote Call

01954 782 822 jamesairportcars@gmail.com

www.airportcars.uk.net 30

Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts

Finance

hOW TO MAKE AN EXTRA £100

A Week From Home

Stuck at home and need to make some extra cash?

There are lots of ways you can do it. Here are just a few of them.

Be a Virtual Assistant A Virtual Assistant (VA) is someone who works as a secretary outside the office from their computer at home. It can involve a wide range of tasks, however the more specialised your skills are, the more you’ll be able to charge.

To be a successful VA, you’ll definitely need to be computer-savvy and have experience of admin work already.

Agencies like VA4U.com charge up to £150 per client per day, but typically you would charge between £15 – £25 per hour for routine admin work done by phone or email.

Giving your opinions Make £50-100 a time in cash for giving your opinions in focus groups. Companies like Sarosresearch.com need people of all ages and in various parts of the country to join a focus group every now and then to give opinions on anything from shampoo to high-end cars.

If you have the time and don’t mind answering questions you could do online surveys. The work is fairly sporadic but it requires minimal effort and you have nothing to lose, not to mention the fact that it’s all done from the comfort of your own home.

You can earn up to £50 a month. Websites such as www.opinionoutpost.co.uk, www.uk.mysurvey. co.uk and www.valuedopinions.co.uk offer free paid surveys (N.B. you should never pay to join up or hand over your credit card details).

Then there are online competitions. For example, Freepostcodelottery.com is free to enter and gives away £20 every day at noon to one of the postcodes on their list. There’s no catch, but you will have to check each day to see if your number has come up. Check our competitions page on Moneymagpie.com.

Set up an online buying and selling business Do you collect dolls or electronic gadgets or some other low-priced collectible? If you’re a little knowledgeable about a particular niche area you could make money by buying and selling items online.

Scour car boot sales, charity shops and jumble sales for cheap items that you could sell for a profit. Then set up a seller’s account on eBay or eBid and start selling.

Make sure you keep a squeaky-clean rating as buyers are much more likely to buy from you if you have 100% approval.

Of course you can make money online purely by selling your junk on a regular basis.

In fact, once you are used to that you can sell on behalf of other people. Take a 30% cut of the profit (once you have taken out your advertising, postage and packing costs).

Propagate seedlings If you have green fingers and a decent-sized greenhouse (or somewhere else to place plant pots) you could make around £600 a week between February and October by propagating seedlings.

Grow plants that you then sell at car boot sales and at local garages and shops or to friends and neighbours.

To make a profit you need to choose carefully the type of plants you are going to grow. Some seeds cost £2.99 for six and some cost £2.99 for 1,500.

You do the maths.

Try to do a deal with your local garden centre to buy the pots that you’ll need and they would usually throw away. Also go online and bulk-buy compost.

Fun fact: More than two thirds of people in the UK have sold something second-hand. The average amount raised per person in the last 12 months is £106.15. CDs and DVDs are the most popular second-hand item, followed by books and clothes.

Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts

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