Issue 89 Spring 2017 by Melbourn Magazine

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...editorial Now that Spring is here we are looking forward to longer days and spending time out of doors; there is a lot going on in the village over the next few months. We have to congratulate the Village College for once again being rated in the top 10% of schools in the country, page 32. The Primary School, together with the College, is now also learning Mandarin. There can’t be many schools in the country who offer a Chinese language in the curriculum. We must also congratulate Rob Mungovan on being nominated Wild Trout Hero of 2016! And also thank the River Mel Conservation Group for making our section of the Mel fit for trout again, page 23. Don’t forget to look at the Sports section, there is a lot available. Enter the Swimathon, learn to play croquet or tennis, or join the BMX club! James Lovelace who featured in last years Spring issue (85) is running his second London Marathon in aid of Charity. For his last race he ran in support of Macmillan Cancer Support, and collected an amazing £10,000. This year James is supporting Cancer Research and aims to raise £4,000. We wish James good luck and hopefully good weather. See page 9 to read his story. Have a very happy Easter.

Contents Village news feature

5 9

London Marathon – James Lovelace

The Colour of Spring feature

12 13

Easter

Community matters Profile

15 20

Jane & John Stevens

Nature

Rob Mungovan – Wild Trout Hero

feature

Causing a Stink!

Education Village information Diary Nature

31 33 34 37

Melwood – Your Local Nature Reserve

Nature

Caring for Orchids

Sports & Clubs Churches Together What’s On

43 53 59

New Melbourn Singers Tenth Safari Supper Royston & District Choral Society’s Bloomsday Festival – Melbourn Big Shout Out! Murder at the Manor

Melbourn Magazine is Independent of the Parish Council NO public money is used.

We would like to thank TTP for their continued sponsorship of the magazine. Cover image: View from All Saint’s Church Tower by David L Hone LRPS www.dhimages.co.uk

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Melbourn Magazine is printed quarterly and delivered free to every household and business in the village. All work on the Melbourn Magazine, including layout and design is produced by volunteers. The

cost of printing comes entirely from advertising and sponsorship.

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Village news Village news David Childerley

Melbourn Mobile Warden Scheme

Ron Peer

Women’s Group

Library 11 Short Story Reading Group

Melbourn Women’s Institute

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David Childerley David was born in Cambridge in 1938 and grew up in Coton where he attended the village school, going on to the High School for Boys in 1949. He loved all sport and represented his school at cricket and rugby. After leaving school he did his National Service in the RAF for 2 years hoping to see the world but spent his time deskbound in the UK typing reports. After the RAF he took a temporary post for a year at Coleridge School, Cambridge teaching mainly English, RE and games to ensure the profession was for him. In 1960 he started at St Luke’s College, Exeter studying for a Diploma in Physical Education. David & Rosemary married and she joined him in Exeter and taught in a girls’ secondary school. A few years later they moved to Thame in Oxfordshire both teaching at the same school. They stayed in Thame for 3 years during which time their son Steven was born and David became interested in youth work. Later, in 1966 he became a youth leader within a school at Christchurch. David and family moved back to the area firstly as Youth Tutor at Melbourn Village College. Helen was born during this time. A year’s counselling course in

Library – LAP (Local Access Point) Library opening times Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

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London followed and then 2 years as a peripatetic youth and community worker in Fenland gaining valuable experience for when he returned to Melbourn Village College as Community Tutor. Here he came into his own. He felt that the site should cater for people from the cradle to the grave. To make full use of all the college facilities he started a playgroup in the Youth Centre. In 1984 when the college was oversubscribed he persuaded some tutors to take adults into their classes so that the adults who attended evening classes in the same subjects could enhance their chances to gain necessary qualifications. As more women returned to work he encouraged them to take courses at the college to better their chances of success. Evening classes were in their heyday and the college buzzed with life every evening. In 1980 he began looking for people to help with the more elderly population. Along with Eileen Martin, he set up the Luncheon Club based on the principles of good food and conversation. The club still runs today and is a popular weekly event for the elderly. David continued his association with the club until he could no longer drive. Whilst doing all this he continued to oversee the youth clubs in the catchment area and tried to visit the students in their home villages. He organised weekends away for the students, pony trekking one of the most popular. He also joined in on Out of School Weeks and particularly loved the sailing trips out of Ipswich.

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From Sarah (Laidlaw) Kershaw ex student “I first met Mr Childerley when I was able to go to the Melbourn Youth Club. He was a tolerant, affable adult presence whose quiet humour worked well with a group of very rowdy teenagers. Towards the end of my school life, in 1987, an opportunity came for a group of us to spend a week sailing to Holland, Belgium and then down to France, organised by Mr Childerley. Such larks were to be had on this trip, we had 2 yachts, one for the boys and one for the girls. If my memory serves correctly, Mr Childerley was on our boat, along with his daughter Helen. Encouraged by Mr Childerley, this trip turned into a race ‘Girls vs. Boys’ and although we lost sight of the other boat on the way over to Holland, I believe our boat entered Middelburg harbour first with none of our crew suffering from sea sickness (contrary to the boys’ boat!). We spent the next few days hopping the coast of Holland and Belgium mooring at different places to explore the local towns. The journey back to the UK was an experience. During a storm, we were told to stay below deck and at one point the boat keeled over on its side. We were all perfectly safe under the expertise of Mr Childerley and the skipper, and overseeing so many unruly teenagers must have been a tremendous responsibility. What a brave man he was!” In 1987 David, Val Tookey, Rod Yallop and Sue Cane decided that a swimming pool, a wish voiced for many years, should be added to the facilities on the school site and after much thought, fund raising and planning the first sod was cut in 1989 and officially opened by Val Tookey in 1991. Many innovative and whacky events took place to raise the funds for the project to succeed. The swimming pool thrives and is used throughout the year. In 1993 funding in Cambridgeshire for adult education was on the demise. David took voluntary redundancy and quietly gave up full time work. He continued to support the Luncheon Club and Meldreth Neighbourhood Watch and Speed Watch schemes. However, in 1994 there was an article in the Guardian about the University of the Third Age (U3A). Both David and Carole Alderton read the article and thought the area would benefit from such an organisation. The vice chairman of the National U3A, Norman Richards, was invited to meet David and Carole in Melbourn and advise on setting up a local branch. A steering group was formed and following an address by Norman Richards, at a meeting to give an overview of the U3A, many people expressed an interest and so the first official meeting of the Melbourn & District U3A took place in September 1994. David was appointed Chairman and for 3 years held the post seeking out new tutors for new subjects making sure all was well, after which he was appointed honorary president in recognition of his importance in setting up the local branch. The U3A goes from strength to strength and is surviving today. In 2008 David received the unexpected diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer’s Disease which he dealt with in his own, quiet, stoic way. He donated his brain to Addenbrooke’s brain bank handling the administration of his donation by himself. He died on November 6th 2016. A respected man of education. “To him so many people owed so much. In a modest, unassuming way David supported groups and individuals within our community with no fuss and never seeking prominence or public recognition for his achievements. He was very proud of his job and his role in the community was important to him. To achieve all that he did, he would always go the extra mile to create opportunities which he thought were important to the needs of others.” Rod Yallop Head of PE at MVC who worked with him for many years. “I consider myself to have been so fortunate to have been married to a lovely, gentle, gentleman, who was humorous and usually smiling.” Rosemary Childerley

Melbourn Mobile Warden Scheme Can we help you? Can we help a relative? Can we help a neighbour? Who does the Scheme help? The scheme is open to the mobility impaired in Melbourn and Meldreth including those who live alone or with their families, but need the extra support offered by our services. Couples too are most welcome. It is also open to those in sheltered housing, as the scheme offers different, but complementary services. Note: The scheme also offers its services for short periods to cover the temporary absence of relatives who otherwise provide this support.

We offer help with:

• Friendship and support via twice • • • • • • • • • •

weekly visits and daily phone calls Ordering and collection of prescriptions Basic shopping Collection of pensions Setting up Lifeline service Bereavement support Advice on benefits Going to the Post Office to pay your bills Advice on getting repairs done in your home Arranging transport to the hospital or other appointments Just coming round for a chat

What will it cost? We do have to make a small weekly charge for the warden’s services. The fee is only £6 per week (a little more for couples). Jeannie Seers (Mobile Warden) 07808 735066 email jeanseers1@ntlworld.com Jane Cage (Deputy) 07592 821976 email jane.e.cage@btinternet.com Melbourn Warden Scheme is a registered charity

Ron Peer Warden of Melbourn Village College 1969 – 1989 Ron Peer was born in Ferryhill Co. Durham in 1928. He attended Heaton Grammar School in Newcastle upon Tyne. His military service followed school in the Royal Artillery and Royal Army Educational Corps after which he went to King’s College, Durham University. He began his teaching career in Northumberland gradually moving south to Nottingham in 1959 and then further south in 1965 as Deputy Head at Soham Village College. He arrived as The Warden for Melbourn Village College in 1969 where he stayed until he retired in 1989. His first wife Dee and family Marissa, Trevor and Sian came too and made their home in the Warden’s house at the college. Ron’s second wife Marianne believed in the same approach to the village college system as Ron and became a much-involved member of the village and college community. She was instrumental in setting up Drifts Community Magazine which was a forerunner of the magazine produced today. The news in Drifts covered all 13 villages in the catchment area of MVC and was produced in one of the garages on site at the college. Distribution was mainly achieved by students taking home a copy. On Ron’s retirement, the couple moved north but sadly, shortly afterwards, Marianne died. Ron’s third wife was Mavis, who had been the school secretary at MVC and they moved back down south and settled in Bourn, not far from Melbourn, where Mavis still lives. Ron was buried in December in Meldreth. A man dedicated to MVC and the ethos of a good education for all, and who will always be remembered for the flower, usually a rose, he wore every day in his buttonhole. The following words are from Patricia Baxter (Kennington) former Deputy Head of MVC “I first met Ron Peer when, after moving recently to the area, we needed to find a secondary school for our 11-year-old daughter Louise. Ron had such warmth, buzzing with enthusiasm about education in general and his beloved school in particular. Two years later she was joined by her sister Antonia and they both flourished and went on to high flying career, as have many former students. Ron Peer lived for his school and had a genuine affection for his pupil all of whom he appeared to know by name and who, when he addressed them, replied with both respect and liking. I thought then how pleasant it must be to work with a man like Ron Peer. Six years later I was fortunate to be appointed Deputy Head working alongside Jack Horner, now sadly deceased and Arthur Webster who went on to be an outstanding Head in Surrey. We didn’t always see eye-to-eye but we had many laughs. I persuaded him to allow girls to wear trousers and the day after that was announced a little delegation of senior boys came to see me in my office. It wasn’t fair, they said, that the girls had a choice of skirts or trousers whereas they couldn’t wear skirts. “Why not?” I replied. “There’s no rule against it.” I hurriedly went to report this exchange to Ron in case one or two of our bright sparks turned up in skirts – we decided to say absolutely nothing if they did – but, rather to our disappointment, none of them had the courage to do it. continued on page 11 melbournmagazine@gmail.com

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London

Marathon

for Cancer Research UK James Lovelace

In March 2015, completely out of the blue I was diagnosed with Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, after a routine check up of a mole on my leg. My world as I knew it was turned upside down in an instant, never to be the same again. Thus began 5 months of treatment, 3 operations to remove my lymph nodes in the infected area and countless appointments with the amazing staff at Addenbrookes Hospital, I was given as much of an ‘all clear’ as you get with this disease. I wanted to do something that would enable me to somehow repay the people who had supported me, and challenge myself so being a non-runner historically I applied for a place and ran last years London Marathon for Macmillan Cancer Support, raising £10,000 along the way. This represented what I thought would be a line under the previous 12 months, and to an extent it was. But with this disease you are constantly reminded of the fact you never know what is around the corner, and checkups every 12 weeks contribute to this. I realised before Christmas that there was still more that I could do to try and help the fantastic work that Cancer Research carry out, trying to ultimately find a cure for cancer. So for this reason I contacted Cancer Research and am now running this years Virgin London Marathon in support of their work.

I aim to raise £4,000, which will help support their work and research. One of the things that really stuck out for me last time was the unbelievable amount of support and goodwill I received from people within the village and surrounding areas. People who I had never met, but who had read my story and got in touch or donated, parents of children at the Melbourn school gates (we have 3 boys aged 5, 2 and 1 week at the time of writing). This was incredible to me, and something I will never forget and always be hugely grateful for. If you are able to support me in any way at all, I would again be most grateful, my fund-raising page with more details is below Many thanks for reading James

To sponsor James in the London Marathon in aid of Cancer Research UK, go to the link below. Remember to include Gift Aid if you’re eligible, every £10 donated with Gift Aid £12.15 goes to the charity.

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continued on page 10 melbournmagazine@gmail.com

Every day, around 90 people are diagnosed with cancer in the East of England – each year it’s 33,600 people. As the number of people being diagnosed with cancer continues to rise, Cancer Research UK is funding research in the East to find better treatments and ways to diagnose the disease early when treatment is more likely to be successful. For example, in Cambridge, Cancer Research UK scientists are studying whether DNA from ovarian cancer cells captured in a blood test can indicate how well treatment is working. This research could mean that women are given tailored treatments that are more effective based on the faulty genes driving their disease. The CRUK Cambridge Institute recently turned 10 – you can read about its research highlights over the past decade here: http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2017/02/02/adecade-of-research-at-our-cambridge-institute/ And read about how and why our researchers are making brain cells in Cambridge glow pink: www.standuptocancer.org.uk/colin-watts Danielle Glavin, Cancer Research UK’s spokesperson for the East, said: “It’s thanks to our supporters that we are able to go on making progress in the fight against cancer. “Every day, around 90 people in the East are diagnosed with cancer. Everyone who pulls on their trainers for Cancer Research UK will know every step they take brings us a step closer to winning the race against the disease. “Survival has doubled since the early 1970s and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of that progress –

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but every step our doctors, nurses and scientists take relies on donations from the public and the tireless fundraising of our supporters and our amazing marathon runners.” About Cancer Research UK

• • • • •

Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research. Cancer Research UK’s pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives. Cancer Research UK receives no government funding for its life-saving research. Every step it makes towards beating cancer relies on vital donations from the public. Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival in the UK double in the last forty years. Today, 2 in 4 people survive their cancer for at least 10 years. Cancer Research UK’s ambition is to accelerate progress so that by 2034, 3 in 4 people will survive their cancer for at least 10 years.

•

Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses. Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK’s vision is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured. For further information about Cancer Research UK’s work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 0300 123 1022 or visit www.cancerresearchuk.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

I regard myself as lucky to have worked with Ron Peer, a remarkable man in many ways, whose generosity of spirit and compassion knew no bounds and was by no means confined to his own immediate circle or even country. One of his favourite sayings that many of his former students will remember, was: I was unhappy because I had no shoes until I met a boy who had no feet. Unfortunately, there is little room now for the kind of paternalistic, hands-on head teacher like Ron Peer in today’s fevered educational climate of endless change, initiatives, league tables, superheads and the tons of paper that descends on schools from government offices. Even more reason, then, whether colleague or former pupil, to be grateful for the years of devoted and selfless service that he gave us.”

Library

Melbourn and Meldreth Women’s Group

The Melbourn Short Story Reading Group starts up again on Tuesday 7th of March at 10am. We meet every Tuesday in the Library Area of Melbourn Hub 10–11am. Each session is free with a donation to WaterAid welcomed. Everybody is welcome. Materials will be provided. For further information send a mail to GroupCoordinator Britta Heinemeyer: britta.heinemeyer@gmx.de

The Group is for all women of any age. Meetings are held at 7.45 p.m. on the 4th Tuesday of each month, except in December, and we vary our venues between Melbourn and Meldreth. We charge £1 on the night to cover expenses and there is an opportunity to donate to the chosen charity of the year. We usually have a guest speaker or some in house entertainment followed by a chance to have a chat over tea/ coffee and biscuits. Our March meeting is on the 28th when we will meet at All Saints Community Hall to hear Alan Hay lead us on a Lent reflection. 25th April sees us meeting in Holy Trinity Church Meldeth Meeting Room to hear Terry Morris of Herts. Police talk to us about security scams. Our Summer Supper takes place on the 23rd May at All Saints Community Hall when the committee members organise a Ploughmans Supper and puddings! We are a small but friendly group and if you would like to know more please contact one of the committee members: Pat Smith (262575) Sue Toule (260955) Anne Harrison (261775) Angela Leach (262793)

Many of you who visit the Hub in the morning may not be aware that the library is housed at the far end of the café. The library opens every afternoon, Monday to Friday at 2.30 pm and closes at 4.30pm apart from Thursday when it closes at 6.30 pm. On Saturday, it is open from 10 am until 12 noon. The books are on shelves which we roll out giving three bays of books with ample space for browsing. We have a good selection of fiction and biographies but no non-fiction because of constraints of space. We are constantly renewing our stock and there is a shelf above the children’s section for new books which is always worth keeping an eye on. Although we do not carry non-fiction this is always available through the Cambridgeshire Libraries Service. You can either order on line at home or ask the librarians to order a book or books for you. We receive a delivery of ordered books once a week on a Thursday and you will be contacted by email or phone when your ordered book(s) arrives. We look forward to seeing more of you all in the library, it is a wonderful resource and free! Jane Stevens

Short Story Reading Group

Or simply turn up and join the group.

Melbourn Women’s Institute On a bitterly cold night thirty or forty well wrapped up ladies turned up in the Community Hall for the January meeting. We were introduced to a burlesque dancer ‘Coeur de Plume’ who was going to teach us a simple dance sequence. Oh! yes, I thought, looking around me. But by the time the diminutive siren had given us all a feather boa and got us in formation we found ourselves doing a routine to Dolly Parton’s ‘Nine ‘til Five What a Way to Make a Living’. Amazingly everyone joined in – it certainly warmed us up and we were rewarded with tea, coffee and cake! A very friendly group of ladies, you can find us on Facebook Melbourn WI and do join us on the 4th Wednesday of every month at 7.45p.m.

Home Start – Do you shop online? If you do then you can help us by collecting FREE donations every time you shop online. Follow these three easy steps… Join – head to easyfundraising.org.uk, search for HOME START to start raising Shop – there are nearly 3,000 retailers on board, so pick the one you want and start shopping Raise – after you’ve made your purchase, the retailer will make a donation to HOME START at no extra cost whatsoever! Please sign up to easyfundraising, then every time you shop you will be supporting HOME START, and please tell your family and friends.

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The Colour Of Spring What is the colour of Spring? Is it white? The snowdrop dresses in virginal purity, Yet flirts with her skirts frilled with green, And snow falls in March, Spring’s first month. What is the colour of Spring? Could it be blue? That peeking patch between lumbering grey clouds; ‘Enough to make a sailor a pair of trousers’; The old-fashioned phrase comes to mind. Bells swing blue on the dance floor of the wood And a carpet of colour caresses the eye. What is the colour of Spring? Can it be green? Yes, surely green must be the colour, Tips and shoots pressing up green from the earth: Buds straining bulbous from the bark of the branch, Still hiding inside their overcoats of green. Yet there is a Science Park in our village, Where dwell strange smelling chemicals, Experiments and counting machines. But outside the wall, beside the path, Melbourn shows us her natural colour of Spring; It is yellow, a nodding and smiling yellow, As daffodils wave and dance in the Wordsworth way. A yellow melody their trumpet brings. I see them. I hear them. My heart sings. Yvonne Chamberlain

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feature Easter Easter is the only Christian Festival which does not fall on a definite date – it varies according to the full moon and takes place on a Sunday between late March and late April. In the Bible, Christ’s resurrection, took place three days after his crucifixion by the Romans, at the time it was the Jewish Passover, which is celebrated on the first full moon after the vernal equinox, around 21st March. In 325, the Council of Nicaea decreed that Easter would be held on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox. This year, 2017, it falls on Sunday 16th April. Christianity absorbed many pagan traditions in the early days and Easter is most likely named after Eostre, a pagan goddess whose symbol was a hare or rabbit. Among the German Lutherans the Easter hare judged the behaviour of children. The custom was first mentioned in a book called ‘About Easter Eggs’ (De ovis paschalibus), in which the hare brought coloured eggs to good children. A symbol of fertility and rebirth, one tradition was to stain eggs red in Ostara and her Hare by Johannes Gehrts, 1884 memory of the blood of Christ. This custom can be traced back to early Christians of Mesopotamia, and spread from there through the Churches. This use of eggs may have been influenced by ancient practices in Egypt. Of course, now we prefer chocolate eggs.

Hot cross buns! Hot cross buns! One a penny, two a penny, Hot cross buns! If you have no daughters, Give them to your sons, One a penny two a penny, Hot cross buns!

Above: A well known Nursery Rhyme, first published in 1798, but there was an earlier version:

Good Friday comes this month, the old woman runs With one or two a penny Hot cross buns. In the old Testament, the Israelites baked sweet buns to present to an idol. This tradition continued throughout many countries. During Lent, no dairy products were eaten, but plain unspiced buns were baked. On Good Friday spiced buns with a cross on top were baked and eaten. Legend in this country has it that these buns at Easter would keep until the following year; and that a bun hung in the kitchen would protect from evil spirits. In 1592 Elizabeth I ruled that these buns could only be sold on Good Friday, Christmas, and at funerals. This meant that people baked them at home, illegally. If they were caught the buns were confiscated and given to the poor. In 1664 Samuel Pepys wrote in his diary of eating wiggs for supper. Wiggs were spiced fruit buns, similar to the Hot Cross Bun. “So home to dinner, and had an excellent Good Friday dinner of peas porridge and apple pye … then to walk in the garden with my wife, and so to my office a while, and then home to the only Lenten supper have had of wiggs and ale, and so to bed.” Ed. AD melbournmagazine@gmail.com

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Community matters Bin Changes for Melbourn From the 28th February Melbourn’s bin collection day will be Tuesday. Bins will continue to be collected on alternative weeks, black bin emptied one week, blue and green the following week. Bins must be put out for collection by 6 am to avoid missing the collection. See page 38 for details on collections Why the changes? In order to save £700,000 over three years, waste collection services for South Cambridgeshire and Cambridge City are to be shared. New bin collection rounds will work across the City and South Cambs boundary, travelling approximately 20,000 fewer miles per year, saving money and reducing traffic and emissions. The savings will help meet some of the Council’s overall targets as the funding received from Government has been cut considerably. The new rounds mean that changes to collection days will affect most properties. See South Cambs website for more details www.scambs.gov.uk/bin-changes Telephone 03450 450 063

Melbourn Parish Council The Parish Council has been planning very carefully what it wants to achieve over the coming year until elections are due in May 2018. Councillors want to make Melbourn Parish Council into a body respected and trusted by residents of Melbourn and also by local communities. How are we going to achieve that? We are focussing on five areas: making sure that the Council is run according to the best principles of governance; financial management; keeping everyone informed about what the Council is doing and why; welcoming public participation and debate in shaping Melbourn’s future; and being a good employer to Council staff.

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One of the lessons from the turmoil within the Council last year was that the Council was not conducting its business properly. It had not been following the correct procedures in many areas of responsibility. We are looking in depth at how we do things and comparing what we do currently with what is recommended and what is done by other Councils. At the end of this, the way the Council does business should be transformed and Councillors intend to apply for the National Association of Local Councils Quality Award so that we have independent proof that the Council has changed. Very tight financial management will be needed over several years to ensure that the Council builds up money held in reserve. This is an obligation so that the Council can continue to pay staff and provide services if, for example, there is a delay in receiving its income from South Cambridgeshire District Council. Councillors will be looking at all aspects of the Council’s spending to see where savings can be made, looking at ways of increasing the Council’s income and making sure everything spend provides good value for money. It is lovely to see so many people still attending Council meetings and taking part in the debates. Being open to scrutiny in this way is such an important means of ensuring that a Council is accountable. Telling people what the Council is doing, showing what we do as Councillors and encouraging participation are the only ways we are going to achieve our aim of having a contested election in May 2018. The Annual Parish Meeting will be held in May and this year Councillors want it to be an event that you will want to come to. We will be presenting the Melbourn Awards for people who have contributed to the community over the last year. So, keep an eye out for a poster asking for nominations. Having this 2-way conversation with Melbourn provides the Council with a very good idea of what is important to the community, and how you think the Parish Council should be spending money or campaigning on the community’s behalf. At the time of writing, the outcome of the boundary review for Parliamentary constituencies has not been published. However, the Council decided to encourage everyone to make their views known because people came to a meeting and said how unhappy they were with the proposals. Finally, Councillors and residents depend on our Council employees to keep the Parish running. In return, they deserve to be supported, trained and provided with good working conditions. Tim Stebbing, our litter picker, was featured in the Winter 2016 magazine. But do you know what the other employees do? We will tell you in our Summer 2017 letter. Sarah Adam, Melbourn Parish Clerk Cllr Julie Norman Chair – Melbourn Parish Council melbournmagazine@gmail.com

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Something need doing in Melbourn? Is there something not working in Melbourn? A faulty streetlight? Grass too long in your local play park? What can you do about it? Report it to the right authority. Don’t worry whether someone else might already have done it – the more times a defect is registered, the more likely something will be done about it! Who should you report it to? For services provided by either the District or County Councils, go straight to the reporting facilities they provide: Road markings and road signs; Pot holes; Street lights For all three, there is one on-line reporting site: www4.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/info/20081/roads_and_pathways/10/ roadworks_and_faults Or contact Cambridgeshire County Council: 0345 045 5212 Bin emptying, breach of planning control; broken street name plate; abandoned vehicle, dog fouling; graffiti; littering Use the following link and chose the correct form: www.scambs.gov.uk/form-type/report-it Or phone the South Cambridgeshire District Council Contact Centre: 03450 450 500 Crime and Antisocial Behaviour To report less urgent crime or disorder, to contact the police with a general enquiry or to speak to a local officer, dial 101. 101 is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The system is smart and will identify where you are calling from and connect you with the local police for that area.

Parish matters If the service is provided by the Parish Council or you are not sure who to contact, notify the Parish Clerks (Sarah Adam or Claire Littlewood) either by phone (01763 263303 #3) or e-mail (notifications@melbournpc.co.uk). Do not wait until a Parish Council meeting to report a problem. From January 2016, supporting documents are published at the same time as the meeting agendas, on the Wednesday before the meeting. If you are not able to attend the meeting, please e-mail the Clerks with any comments or questions you would like raised at the meeting.

From County Councillor Susan van de Ven 26 bus – can we have an hourly service back? The reduction of the 26-bus service to two-hourly has concentrated minds on the vital importance of local bus services. Compared with surrounding villages, Melbourn has been lucky in having an hourly service to Cambridge and Royston. This is a big plus for anyone thinking about making their home in Melbourn, and is especially important for anyone with health constraints that make driving impossible, or who depends on using their free bus pass. Train services are great, but mobility difficulties of any sort can be a barrier to getting over the steps at Meldreth Station, and bus passes can’t be used on the train. The 26 is a commercial service run by a private company – Stagecoach – and the County Council’s only involvement is authorizing bus stops along the public highway. It has always had to compete with the rail line, but still it’s a popular and well-used service. Downgrading it to two-hourly is bad news – this is how bus services dwindle down and disappear. So, we must persuade Stagecoach to reintroduce an hourly service. I went to visit Stagecoach Manager Andy Campbell, together with representatives

Melbourn Parish Council Allotments We currently have several vacant allotments at The Moor. Please contact the Parish Office if you would like to find out more or have a look around. assistantclerk@melbournpc.co.uk 01763 263303 option 3

of other villages on the route. We asked if Stagecoach would reconsider bringing back an hourly service. The answer was ‘no’ because the service isn’t paying for itself. Andy explained that for passengers travelling with a bus pass, the bus company is reimbursed only 50% of the fare – previously this was set at 75%. We asked what level of ridership increase would be necessary to make an hourly service commercially viable. The answer: about 300 more passengers per day. It costs Stagecoach £150K per year to run one bus; the 26 service on an hourly service needed three buses. A new idea was raised: what if the 26 route were altered to terminate at Trumpington Park and Ride, running on an hourly basis? Passengers could transfer easily to the Guided Bus for Addenbrooke’s and Cambridge Rail Station, or use the Park and Ride shuttle bus into the city centre. Stagecoach is considering this. If the conclusion is ‘maybe’, then a questionnaire will be circulated to gauge support. So – please watch this space! Street lights and winter gritting: Last February’s controversial decision to freeze council tax meant that winter gritting routes were reduced and street lights were switched off in the early morning hours – and significantly dimmed at other times. Considering the chaos of replacing most of our street lights in the first place, to then have them switched off was a comic twist. In December, a group of councillors proposed that these decisions should be reversed – with success. So, the gritting routes have now been reinstated, and melbournmagazine@gmail.com

the street lights are staying on through the night, and are bright enough to allow people to see. Covering the cost has meant taking from reserves, which is not a sustainable way of paying for things. Long-term funding must be sorted out. Melbourn Oil Club donation to Home-Start: Every year the Melbourn Division Oil Club, McDoc, receives a rebate from its supplier Agricole Oil, which is donated to a local community group. This year’s rebate of £115 has been donated to Home-Start Royston and South Cambridgeshire, which provides key support at home to young families experiencing crisis. The idea of the Oil Club is to enable households to access lowest prices on household heating oil, through bulk buying. There is no joining fee, and no obligation for repeat orders. You simply make a call to the supplier when you want to place an order. Our local Home-Start says that the most commonly identified needs are parent isolation and parental mental health problems. Most of its work is

carried out by volunteers, and the overall service is recognised in Cambridgeshire County Council’s care plan – but central government cuts to local authorities mean that the councils are no longer able to give financial support. To place an order via the Melbourn Oil Club, please ring Jeremy Cole on 01954 719 452 / 07860 904 045. Drainage Action Group and public information evening: The County Council does a fair bit of good drainage maintenance work in parts of Melbourn, but more attention is needed. To maximize opportunities, a Drainage Action Group is being set up. This will work with County Highways officers on sharing local knowledge about problem areas, and also, sharing good prevention information with the local community. If you’d like to know more, all welcome to a public information meeting which has been organized for 22 March, 7:30PM, in the meeting room upstairs at the Melbourn Hub. If you’d like to join the Action Group, which will be set up as a Parish Council working party, please contact me. I’ve offered to coordinate this effort in my County Council representative role. New path connecting Melbourn with Frog End A10: If you’ve been following the story, you’ll be familiar with the strange world of local government finance in which we suffer from a lack of funding to pay for regular services, but benefit from one-off grants for unique projects to get off the ground. The government has been giving grants for new walking and cycle paths that help people to make short journeys without a car. The idea is to reduce vehicle traffic problems and improve people’s health through better physical fitness. Public health experts tell us that physical inactivity at any age contributes to significantly poorer health, and that one in five children are now obese at the time they start school. The grants that have been successfully drawn in to create a network of paths along the A10 connecting us northward to Cambridge include the stretch nearing completion between the Frog End junction at Shepreth and the entrance to Melbourn near the Science Park.

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The A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign has been working with Melbourn Science Park tenant AstraZeneca, which has kindly agreed to provide a sponsored maintenance plan for the whole of the A10 path network. This is about to kick off. And Melbourn Science Park itself will create a dedicated cyclist entrance to the site, saying that it will be able to increase jobs due to less pressure on car parking spaces. To mark the opening of the new path there will be a walk and ride in March, followed by refreshments at Wyevale Garden Centre – exact date and details to be announced. All welcome. Additionally, the annual A10 Awareness Ride will take place on May 7, starting at Trumpington Park and Ride and finishing at Phillimore Garden Centre for refreshments. All details will be publicized at a10corridorcycle.com. Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Rail User Group: This group has been going since 2010 and is set up to lobby for improvements to rail services. We have good regular communication with the train operating company, Govia Thameslink Railway, and there is a constant stream of issues that need addressing. The group meets next on March 14, 7 for 7:30-9:00PM at Shepreth Village Hall. If you value the rail service on our doorstep and would like to learn more, please come along – everyone’s help needed! Meldreth Station Booking Office: Thanks to all who’ve been in touch about frequent random closures at Meldreth Station Booking Office. This is a big worry and Govia Thameslink Railway has not been forthcoming with helpful ideas. While our booking office was spared in the most recent round of cuts, other stations including Royston have had opening hours reduced. This has resulted in various staff reconfigurations, and mixing of part-time roles. So while temporary staff are

Melbourn to A10 foot and cycleway update Work on the new foot and cycleway linking Melbourn to the A10 is progressing well and the new path is scheduled to be completed and opened in March. This new route will provide links to key employment sites, such as Melbourn Science Park and Sagentia, local businesses on Cambridge Road, railway stations and further into Cambridge. The new and improved path will be mostly separate from motor traffic, and therefore be safe and enjoyable for all. The Greater Cambridge City Deal is investing in transport infrastructure that makes it easier for people to travel between home and places of work or study using sustainable modes of transport to reduce congestion and strengthen the local economy.

on duty at Meldreth, the cover clearly isn’t sufficient to keep the office open as normal. I’ve asked why if they would consider recruiting locally for what would be an attractive part-time job – but clearly they want to keep the role in house. Meanwhile, please do let me know if you find the office closed when it should be open – we must keep the pressure on. Get involved in station gardening: The Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Community Rail Partnership has teams of local people who look after the platform gardens at each station. Twice per year the tubs are replanted for the new season, and if we’re lucky, Scouts or Duke of Edinburgh Scheme volunteers help us out with keeping the tubs watered and looking good. At the December Rail User Group meeting, British Transport police attended to update us on their work and said that crime and anti-social behaviour rates at our stations are about a quarter of what they would expect at comparable stations. They believe that well-tended environments, established firstly by the presence of flower tubs, are part of the reason why. Platform lengthening work is about to begin at all three stations, and some of the flower tubs have been suffering from the elements and need replacing. We’ve recently received a grant from the Association of Community Rail Partnerships to replace the tubs with a weather-proof synthetic variety (that look nice). The plan is to relaunch the gardens with the new tubs, when platform lengthening work is completed. continued on page 22 melbournmagazine@gmail.com

Profile Jane & John Stevens I have known Jane and John Stevens ever since they moved to Melbourn in 1997 but I was unprepared for the number of career changes and moves they have made and came away wondering how I was going to set it all down! Many of you will know them from Jane’s work in the Hub Library and John’s involvement in the U3A. John was born (appropriately, since his father’s name was Guy) on 5th November, 1938 in St Mary’s Hospital Paddington. His father was Priest in Charge at St John’s, Wilton Road and he had two sisters. When the war started, they were advised to get out of London and moved to Bradford – just as well, because St John’s was bombed. At the age of 7 he was sent away to Hampton House prep school near Chester then at 13 he went to board at St John’s School Leatherhead. He travelled to and from Bradford by train and it was just accepted that he would be schooled away from home. Eventually his parents moved down to Stroud. On leaving school he had to do his National Service between 1958 and 1960 and was commissioned into The Glorious Gloucesters and served in Munster. Sadly, two weeks before he was demobbed his father died and he did not know which career path to follow. He joined Lloyds Bank in Tetbury and stuck it for a year before changing to work as assistant personnel officer with the Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company. They made rolling stock for Commonwealth markets and for the London Underground. Dr Beeching’s cuts made him redundant and as he had always fancied being a teacher he got a job at Tockington Manor Prep School (near Bristol) for a year before moving on as a mature independent student to St. Luke’s College, Exeter where he qualified as a teacher, specialising in History. He was 26 years old. He then got a post at Bedford Prep School and he and some of the young bachelor teachers would frequent The

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Greyhound at Haynes on a Friday night. This is where Jane enters the story. Jane was born in Bedford where her mother taught part time at Hawnes School and her father was an agricultural engineer. One of four sisters, she went to St Godric’s Secretarial College in Hampstead and then worked as a secretary in London, living in Kensington and enjoying life in the capital. Eventually she went back to Bedford and got a job working for a solicitor and one day her mother urged her to go along to The Greyhound to meet some young people. So it was on 17th November 1967 that they first met. John made the decision to leave Bedford in 1968 and join the Royal Navy to teach at HMS Ganges near in Ipswich. John proposed to Jane in December 1968 and they were married at Easter 1969. John took a 5-year short service commission and earned his two gold rings as Instructor Lieutenant, teaching Maths and English. There were up to 2000 boy school leavers at HMS Ganges, some from very deprived backgrounds but all determined to do well. In Ipswich Jane again worked for a solicitor and they bought a house in Capel St. Mary. Their eldest son James was born in December 1970 and Jane was confined in a military hospital over Christmas, not an enjoyable experience. Their next move was to the Royal Marine Band HQ in Kent where John taught History, English and Maths to junior bandsmen and senior ranks – officers in the RM Band Service had to have four ‘O’ levels. Interestingly, the Senior Service was the only service to insist on a degree of literacy amongst their recruits. Their second son Peter was born in Dover in 1973. When John’s commission finished, he got a job teaching Maths at St Faith’s in Cambridge. They bought a house in Trumpington and John was Deputy Head for two years. He realised, however, that he must have a degree if he wished for a headmastership. To that end he took an external History degree at London University – an exceptional achievement as he was teaching full time and had a wife and two young children to distract him! With this degree, he moved back to Kent as Head of Friars School, Ashford. Both boys attended the school but seemed to be able to disassociate ‘Sir’ in school from ‘Daddy’ at home. At 13 they both went to Tonbridge School. John was at Friars for 16 years during which time Jane seems to have been all things to all people, overseeing matrons, looking after staff and boarders and even, for one term, stepping in as cook! This has made her (and I can testify to this) a most accomplished and unflappable hostess! For 10 of those years she also was officially secretary to the headmaster, John! In 1990 tragedy struck the family when Jane’s widowed sister Celia died very suddenly leaving two children aged 7 and 9. John and Jane immediately absorbed them into their family where, possibly because of a ten-year gap between the cousins, they swiftly became one unit. All the children are now married with seven children between them, and Jane and John are grandparents to all of them. John’s time at Friars had been so intense that he decided to

take early retirement – his hips were beginning to bother him and he had heart problems. As they still owned the house in Trumpington it made sense to move back here and Jane quickly got a job as Secretary to the Chief Executive of the Evelyn Hospital (now the Nuffield) where she remained for five years. They wanted a larger house with a garden and when they came to view Hop Mallions in Water Lane they knew at once that it was the house for them. (Incidentally, as a point of interest, many Melbournians will remember that Jack Anderson, who had a fruit and vegetable stall and was a barber, a haircut cost 6d, lived at Hop Mallions and Morag Gillings remembered attending kindergarten in the kitchen!) John found that he needed some occupation and for 18 months he became Conservative Party Agent for the City of Cambridge and then he took on the role of Primary School Ofsted Inspector travelling anywhere from Durham to Bristol and all over East Anglia. He did this until 2005. Jane had always been keen on needlework and dressmaking (she made her niece Vicky’s wedding dress) and when she heard that The Crafty Needle in Whaddon was for sale she decided to take the plunge, left the Evelyn and had two very happy years running workshops in the barn and selling haberdashery to local needlewomen. Unfortunately, the internet was just beginning to take over the job of supplying threads and needles and as we know to our cost, haberdashers are now like hen’s teeth. After two years, the shop was forced to close and although Jane tried to carry on selling on line she could not compete with the big boys. She became secretary

to the Master of St Catharine’s College and was there for ten years – possibly her favourite post. She continues to sew, knit and embroider, she paints in watercolours and is a keen member of the New Melbourn Singers. John’s passion has always been rugby and cricket, he played both until he was 30 and has been a rugby coach, qualified referee, MCC cricket coach and umpire and is a keen supporter of Shelford Rugby Club. He was on the Board of Governors of St Francis’ College Letchworth for 7 years and has held several posts in the U3A including a stint as chairman. Jane, as I have said, is librarian at The Hub and organises a monthly lunch which is open to all pensioners. Jane also works as a NADFAS Heritage Volunteer once a week dusting books in Pembroke College Rare Books Collection. She finds great pleasure in handling books which have probably not been touched for 100 years and has made some very interesting discoveries including a book of seventeenth century sermons – a section of which was written in a form of shorthand with a helpful code at the back! She has also been associated with the Children’s Society for 40 years or more. Both are regular churchgoers and both keen gardeners, John had an allotment for nearly 20 years. They are very fond of entertaining and of course, spend a lot of time with their extended family. Well they do say that when you retire you never have a moment to yourself and this pair are a prime example of living life to the full. I enjoyed finding out more about their background and I was particularly touched when John quoted the exact day on which they met! Mavis Howard

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If you’d like to get involved in any way in station gardening, please contact me – details below – as we’ll be getting going again for spring very soon. Any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate get in touch. County Councillor Susan van de Ven susanvandeven5@gmail.com Tel: 07905325574

Platform extensions at Meldreth station As part of the government sponsored Thameslink Programme, Network Rail and Volker Fitzpatrick will be working in conjunction with each other to extend one platform at Meldreth station. The work will be to extend the ‘London end’ of platform two (for trains towards Cambridge) by around 20 metres. Work will start in February 2017 and is likely to last for around six months. There will be parking suspensions in operation in the car at the station for the duration of the work. The work is required to facilitate the roll-out of brand new, more accessible Class 700 trains, with the platform extension at Meldreth being required to allow passengers with reduced mobility easier access to the most accessible carriages on the new locomotives. These brand new, eight car trains will provide an immediate capacity increase for passengers from Meldreth travelling either to London or Cambridge. The new trains are both longer and more spacious than the existing rolling stock used on the Great Northern route. The Thameslink Programme is also facilitating better connections from Meldreth in the future. From 2018 onwards it will be possible to reach St Pancras, Farringdon (for interchange with Crossrail/Heathrow and Gatwick Airports) and London Bridge (for stations south of London and Gatwick Airport) directly. For any queries or further information about the Thameslink Programme please visit our website at www.thameslinkprogramme. co.uk, send your questions to contact@thameslinkprogramme. co.uk or follow us on Twitter: @TLProgramme.

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Healthwatch Cambridgeshire volunteers Community Listener volunteers needed

Lizzie (picture top page 25), is one of our local Healthwatch Cambridgeshire volunteers and is helping us with a new project to look at how health and care services communicate with people who have a sensory loss. Lizzie’s told us “I am a service user myself and have disabilities so I rely on good healthcare and support, such as having a good relationship with the GP.” Our volunteers are people like you who live or work in Cambridgeshire. You know the place you live and the people in your community. We need your help to talk to more people about Healthwatch and find out what care is like for them. You will listen to people within your local community who have used health or social care services. This may be your family, neighbours and friends, or people you meet within your local networks. You may visit local groups, chat with people and record what they have to say. You might talk to people about Healthwatch Cambridgeshire. continued on page 25

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Little Hands is a Private Nursery School specialising in quality education for the under fives and offers Flexible hourly booking - open 08.30 to 16.30 Term time bookings with optional holiday club Bumble Bee room for children 12 – 24 months Ladybird room for 2 year olds Butterfly room for children 3-5 years With optional “ready for school sessions” Holiday club for children aged 12 months to 8 years All sessions have a high staff to child ratio and are available for funded 2 year olds and funded 3/4 year olds with no extra charges Categorised as “Outstanding” by Ofsted For further information please contact Anne McCrossen - Nursery Manager : 01763 260964 e-mail lh-melbourn@btconnect.com Little Hands is also at Bourn, Linton and Newton visit the website at www.littlehands.co.uk

Nature Rob Mungovan

Wild Trout Hero

At the Wild Trout Trust’s Conservation Awards ceremony in London, Rob Mungovan, the Ecology Officer for South Cambs District Council, was crowned the Wild Trout Hero 2016. Here’s why… When Rob first became a supporter of the Wild Trout Society (the forerunner of the Wild Trout Trust) in the late 1990s, Cambridgeshire wasn’t a county where you would think to look for wild trout. However, Rob, a keen fisherman and passionate conservationist, knew where they could be found. Much of Rob’s early work was campaigning to raise awareness of the potential of the small Cambridgeshire chalk streams. And since those early days, he has been lucky enough to mix his passion for small stream conservation with his day job as Ecology Officer for the District Council. From our perspective, Rob’s main skill is enthusing others to realise the potential of their chalk streams. He was instrumental in the formation of both the Friends of the River Shep and the River Mel Restoration Group. Additionally, he takes villagers out on river walks, especially in Shepreth on Boxing Day to see the trout spawning; has guided youngsters through tasks for their Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards; and has been able to steer three friends

on their career paths into ecology (which often starts from initially “playing” around in streams). By combining his private passion with his day job, Rob can be proud to have delivered numerous projects on the Shep, the Mel, the Granta, the Hoffer Brook and the River Cam. It was also Rob who had the idea to deliver the first fish pass in the Cambridge area, on the river Cam, upstream of Byron’s Pool. At his last estimate, he has overseen the placement of 2140 tonnes of gravel, 5430m of improved bankside habitat, and numerous flow deflectors. Summertime sees him busier cutting riverweed than cutting his lawn! We are delighted that Rob’s passion and commitment have been recognised at a national level. Congratulations Rob! River Mel Restoration Group

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Rapidly Growing We are proud to recognise that Clarke Philips is continuing to enjoy steady growth in the Royston and surrounding areas. We believe it is the result of carefully nurturing our customers’ needs which include: • Offering competitive fees

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This may involve giving a short presentation, or working with us on a display stand. We will give you training and support, as well as paying agreed out of pocket expenses. As a Community Listener, you could also train to take part in our ‘Enter and View” visits to local health or care services. This is our legal right to visit places that provide publicly funded health or care services, to see and hear how people experience care. In the last year, we have visited Addenbrooke’s and Hinchingbrooke Hospitals. Contact Heather or Elizabeth for an informal chat. Call 01480 420628, email enuquiries@healthwatchcambridgeshire.co.uk or visit www.healthwatchcambridgeshire.co.uk

Heidi Allen MP The cold winter days have been considerably brightened this month by visits to some of my fantastic primary schools. I’d like to thank Barton C of E Primary School in particular, for inviting me to sample some mud delicacies made in their own playground mud kitchens! Barton are looking for a local sponsor to help them achieve their goal of 20 laptops for the children to use. If you know of anyone, perhaps a local business, or would yourself be interested in helping this fabulous little school get connected, please contact the Head teacher, Clare Coulson on 01223 262474. I was pleased to go back to Guilden Morden Primary School with the East of England Regional Schools Commissioner, Dr Tim Coulson to see progress since they academised on 1st November. The school looks and feels absolutely fantastic and I would like to offer my thanks to the parents, governors and staff who have worked so hard. I was also fortunate to view their brand new Pre-School’s facility, which offers care to under 5’s in a modern, well-equipped setting. They still have a few spaces available, though I expect them to fill fast. Contact office@guildenmorden.cambs.sch. uk for further information. Our schools are our future and we need to invest in them. I continue to raise the issue of fairer funding in the House of Commons and directly with the Education Secretary, Justine Greening. Cambridgeshire has been historically under-funded and is now experiencing unprecedented growth, which makes for something of a perfect storm in the funding environment. The Government are now consulting on new national funding formula proposals and your contribution is really important. I have concerns, shared by all our schools, that the proposed formula is still not quite right, so please do join me in feeding this in. For information on the changes we need, please contact my office and to submit to the consultation before the closing date of 22nd March 2017, please go to https://consult.education.gov.uk/fundingpolicy-unit/schools-national-funding-formula2/.

I’m committed to supporting initiatives that improve mental health within our communities, particularly in our youngsters. Over the past year, I’ve been following the progress of an innovative partnership developed with the Melbourn schools cluster and an organisation called Allyance. This scheme works on early intervention strategies to support young people with mental health issues in their own school environment. The project has been so successful that Cambridgeshire County Council have approved an extension to their funding for the next year. Furthermore, I hope Allyance will be asked to roll out their initiative all across the county. I was delighted to celebrate Addenbrooke’s great achievement of gaining an overall rating of ‘Good’ in their recent CQC report. This is a phenomenal turnaround for the hospital and is testament to the dedication and commitment of their outstanding staff. I visited with the Minister, the Rt Hon Phillip Dunne and witnessed just how far the team have come in under two years. We never stopped being proud of you for one moment, and were never in doubt that the quality of care and service was anything other than world class. I’m glad the CQC can now see this too! Turning to roads, Highways England will shortly be publishing their plans for the A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet

continued on page 26 melbournmagazine@gmail.com

upgrade. The Consultation opens in March. Work on this stretch of road is vital in supporting our growth and making our roads safer and more efficient. When it’s launched, I’ll include a link to it on my infrastructure page which can be found here – https://www.heidisouthcambs.co.uk/a428-blackcat-caxton-gibbet. Please contribute if this issue affects you. Thanks to those of you who took the time to contribute to my public transport feedback request. I received almost 100 responses. I’ll now be taking your opinions and evidence to key stakeholders, including the bus and train operators. There is no quick fix to our rural transportation issues but I intend to push for innovation and joined up thinking that can benefit South Cambridgeshire as part of the City Deal and Devolution package. Please keep an eye on my website for details. As always, if you have anything you’d like to share with me, you can find details of my upcoming surgeries here – www.heidisouthcambs.co.uk/residents-drop-surgeries I’ll be in Swavesey in March and Cambourne in April. Or call 01954 212707 or email me at heidi.allen.mp@parliament.uk

East of England Ambulance Service Region’s ambulance service praised in latest patient survey “Wonderful”, “excellent”, and “extremely professional” were just a few of the compliments made about the region’s ambulance service when winter started to hit the region.

In total, 89 people responded to the November experience survey, with more than 98% either satisfied or very satisfied with the overall service they received when they had to get help from the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST). The latest figures also revealed that 100% of respondents felt they could trust staff and that they were treated with privacy, dignity, and respect. One patient from west Suffolk said: “My treatment was first class in every way and I’m most grateful to the staff concerned.” Whilst another patient from south west Essex said: “We were deeply impressed and would not change anything. We highly commend everyone involved.” It was also revealed that more than 95% rated the handling of their calls as either acceptable or very acceptable. However, 5.7% felt the length of time waiting for an ambulance to arrive was unacceptable. Kevin Brown, Director of Service Delivery, said: “Whilst this is a small number of patients who we have responded to, it pays tribute to all of our dedicated staff and volunteers who continue to deliver such a high standard of care across the region. “The feedback our patient services team gets and that we receive on social media also give us a really good idea of what it is people are happy with, what they think should change, or suggestions to improve the service further – it all helps build our service more and more for the greater good of everyone involved and everyone we need to help.” continued on page 29

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feature Causing a Stink!

I was asked recently if I knew what the unusual piece of street furniture was in Orchard Road – a strange tall monolith near the junction of Water Lane. As it happened I did know! Many years ago, this nondescript pillar that could easily be mistaken for a lamp post they forgot to attach a light to, used to give of an unpleasant smell of rotten eggs particularly on a hot summer’s day. The pole is in fact a sewage ventilation pipe. Although they go by a variety of names (Stench Pipe is one), if you’re looking online for information, you are more likely to find them under the name of Stink Pipe. There are at least ten stink pipes dotted around the village and all in working order. Most stand alone and are clearly in view. Some have trees growing alongside and one looks exceptional in the summer with its growing tendrils of ivy spiralling up the pole. These unassuming looking columns (particularly in Melbourn) have several functions. Firstly, they are pressure release valves used to prevent a build-up of gas pressure in the sewers in the event of a blockage or any other build-up of gas, and secondly, they ensure that any of this gas (corrosive Hydrogen sulphide which gives the rotten egg smell) is vented off. The gas usually occurs when sewage is being pumped long distances or on a higher plain than the sewage plant. The sewage can become septic if it does not travel fast enough. Orchard Road. The cause of the stink!

Water Lane, looks exceptional in the summer with its growing tendrils of ivy spiralling up the pole.

Although the underground sewage pipes run throughout the village there are a few areas where the pipes require venting. A pipe runs from the highest point in the village – the top of Water Lane – down to Orchard Road, along Orchard Road to Norgett’s Lane and then along The Moor. Another section runs through Dolphin Lane and along Cross Lane and into Station Road. Fortunately, the rotten egg smell has diminished, or at least you don’t hear complaints about it these days! This is partly due to the improvements in the underground sewage system. However, not all is rosy in the sewage garden. As new developments are built, it is the developers who decide how they vent their sewage network and some of these systems are not to the liking of the water authorities. Authorities prefer the tried and tested stink pipes, as some of the new systems have proven incapable of coping with the build-up of pressure in the sewers resulting in some devastating consequences. Looking on the internet, it would appear stench pipe watching is a little like trainspotting – people go around seeking out and keeping records of these strange poles. There are several websites dedicated to the ubiquitous ventilation pipe and numerous photographs that show off some amazing designs. Strangely enough once you have gone out of your way to look for one of these unusual edifices you do tend to notice others as you travel around. Melbourn has quite a few pipes; one can be found in Water Lane opposite Back Lane. This is the ivy-covered pole mentioned previously above. Along Orchard Road, starting at Water Lane, you will find one almost at the junction of these two roads. Further along there is one just continued on page 28 melbournmagazine@gmail.com

before Norgett’s Lane and another just after Orchard Way. In New Road, there is one just past Carlton Rise and in Station Road there is one next to the Fire Engine shed. Dolphin Lane has two, one outside 13 Dolphin Lane and the other near 22 Dolphin Lane. There is also one near 4 Cross Lane and finally, one in The Moor just past Thatcher Stanford’s Close. For the record, I have not walked the streets of Melbourn searching out these strange poles. Although some were known as mentioned earlier, the rest of Melbourn’s stink pipes can be found in the comfort of your home – using Google Street View. Outside of the village, there is one along Whitecroft Road in Meldreth near ‘the stables’. Although difficult to see as it is surrounded by tall bushes, this pole is of the same design as those installed in Melbourn. There is also a slightly more ornate iron version on Meldreth Road at the boundary of Meldreth and Whaddon. Close to the boundary of Pampisford and Sawston there is a similar stink pipe to those in Melbourn, ironically this pipe sits outside the old tanning factory, a place that used to cause it’s own stink. Heading into Cambridge, you can see one as you pass through Harston and if you’re travelling into central Cambridge, you can see one outside Brown’s restaurant in Trumpington Road. No doubt there are many more in the area. I must confess, the five mentioned above were seen whilst out driving.

Melbourn’s pipes are cast iron, but coated in a concrete covering. Concrete on its own would not last long as the hydrogen sulphide gas literally eats the concrete. The picture on the right shows the cast iron below the worn concrete coating. An elaborate Victorian cast iron design seen in St Julian’s Farm Road, London.

There are many examples of these Victorian structures throughout the country and for something so unremarkable as a stench pipe, in typical Victorian style they are some of the most elaborate designs to be seen on the street. Made of cast iron, many are Grade II listed. Richmond Road, Stockton-on-Tees. Many of these structures are Grade II listed.

The Great Stink It’s not clear when stench pipes were first introduced. Most household waste found its way to an outflow, usually the stream, river or the local pond. Any build-up of gas in the sewage pipes worked its way back up through the household toilets. The invention and installation of the ‘S-bend’ toilet, solved the problem with the backflow of gas – for the householder, in turn, it exacerbated the gas build up in the sewage system. continued on page 30

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To view the reports in full visit: www.eastamb.nhs.uk/ performance/patient-surveys/Patient-experience-reportemergency-services-november-2016.pdf If you were treated by EEAST and want to tell us your thoughts, you can follow on Twitter and tweet us @ EastEnglandAmb, email: eoeasnt.Feedback@nhs.net, or visit our website: www.eastamb.nhs.uk/contact-us. For further information, please contact jake.asby@ eastamb.nhs.uk, 01763 268772. Out of hours mobile: 07500 121368. Please visit the Media Centre at www.eastamb.nhs.uk, follow us on Twitter @EastEnglandAmb or find us on facebook.

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service are committed to supporting the safety and wellbeing of residents in all the communities that we serve. The Safe and Well visit will provide us with sufficient information to support you and, with your permission, refer you to selected partner agencies who will be able to support you further. We will not share your data with marketing companies or for other purposes. Our visit will last no longer than 60 minutes and is completely FREE of charge.

Fresh Fruit and

Our visit will assess five key elements: 1 Fire safety in the home – including cooking, general safety and escape plans. 2 Falls prevention – including simple remedial action such as replacing lightbulbs or taping down loose carpet. 3 Alcohol use – Alcohol related illness in the over 65s is on the increase. We can provide you with helpful information. 4 Stay well and warm – Can you afford to heat your home? Do you have access to a hot meal? Do you have access to all the services available to you? 5 Crime reduction – We can provide advice on making your home more secure in addition to advice to make you less vulnerable to scams or fraud. You are under no obligation to answer any questions that you do not want to, but the more information you provide us with, the better we will be able to support you. We can also provide advice in relation to promoting the health and safety of individuals with hoarding concerns, as well as providing valuable information to care providers. During March, we will also be raising awareness of the fire risks associated with smoking, with national No Smoking Day on the 8th. We often find smoking is one of many factors making someone more at risk of fire, for example, when combined with poor mobility, health problems or being elderly, it increases someone’s chance of having a fire. Here are some tips to take on board or give to friends and family that smoke:

• Never leave a lit cigarette or pipe unattended. • Always use a proper ashtray and make sure the contents are cold

Vegetables Delicatessen

before you tip it in the bin.

Café

• Never smoke in bed and avoid smoking in a chair if you are likely to fall asleep.

Butchery

Most importantly, fit a working smoke alarm and test it regularly. Don’t forget to also test the smoke alarms of those you love. If you have an elderly or vulnerable relative, friend or neighbour, pop by and make sure they have a working smoke alarm. If they don’t, that is something we can provide as part of a Safe and Well visit.

Fresh Flowers Gift Shop Garden Shop Plant Centre Free-range Eggs Christmas Shop P–Y–O

Eligibility To find out if you are eligible for a Safe and Well visit, Enquire online. Alternatively, if you are unable to apply online or have a query about an enquiry form that has already been submitted, please telephone 0800 917 9994. Opening days / times – All Year Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm Further enquiries, visit our website and search for Safe and Well

Open 7 days a week all year round A10 Melbourn By-Pass, Melbourn, Royston, Herts SG8 6DF Tel: 01763 260418

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For more information on firework and bonfire safety log on to www.cambsfire.gov.uk, follow us on social media or call 01480 444500. If you wish to get in contact, please email pressoffice@cambsfire.gov.uk

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In London, it all came to a ‘head’ (pun intended!) when in the mid 1800s, the sewage in the river Thames and the surrounding estuaries that fed into it, became foul. The smell from the river became so intense Parliament threatened to leave the City if something wasn’t done. It became known as the ‘Great Stink of London’. Miles of close wells and pits of houses, where the inhabitants gasped for air, stretched far away towards every point of the compass. Through the heart of the town a deadly sewer ebbed and flowed, in the place of a fine fresh river. Little Dorrit, Charles Dickens 1855

Just before the ‘Great Stink’ Sir Goldsworthy Gurney, a scientist and inventor, known for his ventilation systems installed in mines, was commissioned to improve the ventilation for the new Houses of Parliament. Apparently, he also experimented by placing a pipe in the sewers below Big Bens Clock Tower at Westminster and strapped it up the side of the building! Although he had some success in moving air around the palace buildings, eradicating the foul smell was beyond his skill. However, the beginnings of the first sewer ventilation pipe had been developed. The final solution was a complete overhaul of the sewage system throughout the City and the inclusion of stink pipes. After the revamp of the sewage system in London, stink pipes were placed throughout the city and many still exist. Some were designed to vent the main sewage junctions as this one in Bromley-by-Bow, Violet Road, London

A Cartoon from Punch, published during the height of the “Great Stink”.

We pour it [the filth] out into the rivers flowing through our towns, and pollute them as never before have rivers been polluted since the world was made. The soot-coloured river at Manchester; the Tarne at Birmingham, a small stream which, even before reaching Birmingham, receives much of the animal refuse of two hundred and seventy thousand persons; may be said to contain in dry seasons, as much sewerage as water. The Thames which, before reaching London, is polluted by the drainage from seven hundred thousand people, and in London deposits the filth of hundreds of thousands upon mud-banks exposed daily at low water, and in these hot days, festering at the heart of the metropolis. These rivers represent the difficulty that has to be met before the new order of things can be regarded as established with a proper harmony in all its parts. Tame water at Birmingham is drunk by fifty thousand people. Londoners now look for their Thame’s drinking-water in the cleanest places they can find; but what are they that we should call them clean? Disease is begotten – fish are destroyed. The Illustrated London News, Charles Dickens 1858

Several Cholera epidemics spread throughout the country during the early 1800s, killing almost 55,000 people. The Cholera bacteria was transmitted by water contaminated by raw sewage which was pumped into the rivers and seeped into wells. For many, this was the only source of drinking and washing water. The illness caused violent cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea. Dehydration soon followed and was so severe that the blood thickened and the skin became deathlike and blue. Cholera victims died within a matter of hours. But that calls for another story…! Ed. PS

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Little Hands Karen

Melbourn Playgroup Jane Crawford

MVC EDUCATION

U3A

PLAY SCHOOL NOTRE ECOLE PLAYGROUP

Education SCHOOL LITTLE HANDS PRIMARY

VILLAGE COLLEGE

Melbourn Primary School 01763 260964

07842 151512

Notre Ecole Janet Whitton Pippins Children’s Centre Alison Wood

261231 223460

Primary School Headteacher Stephanie Wilcox 223457 U3A (Univ. of Third Age) Chairman Tony Garrick 01223 510201 Village College Principal Simon Holmes 223400

It is a new year and I have lots of exiting things about which to tell you, but I must begin by telling you about our wonderful trip to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in London on December 14th, 2016. The whole school set off in seven coaches and I was mighty relieved when the seven coaches arrived back with everyone aboard! It was quite a feat of organisation, as you can imagine. Thanks, must go to all our parents who kept the secret for nearly six months: The children had no idea until our ‘big reveal’ the day before. It was just magical to see first the disbelief and then the wonder as they each got their very own ‘Golden Ticket’ to see the show. To take over three hundred children to see a London show and enjoy the sights and sounds of our capital city ranks as one of my most memorable days at Melbourn so far. We saw Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the Shard and even the Tower of London, to name but a few! The show was fantastic but the best part by far was watching the children’s faces. I sat behind a little girl in Foundation Stage who literally beamed throughout the performance and next to a year 5 child who told me at the end, “that was the best trip ever!” The children behaved impeccably and yet again I was reminded how lucky I am to be head at such an amazing school. It was the most marvellous production!

Science Mark

Calling all Local artists Melbourn Bloomsday committee invite submissions for an art exhibition to mark our annual Bloomsday celebrations 15th – 17th June, 2017 Melbourn Community Hub, 30 High Street, Melbourn SG8 6DZ Contact Peter Horley: 07743609953: p.horley@ntlworld.com for further information.

Another exciting milestone for the school was the recent award of the Primary Science Quality Mark in recognition of the work we do teaching our children science. Well done to Miss Rimmer and Miss Thorne who lead Science. The focus of external assessments is on the increased expectations of the English and Maths curriculum, so it is marvellous to have our work in the wider curriculum acknowledged in this way. It is tempting to focus all efforts just on the basics, but this would not be fair to our children – it is our responsibility to teach all areas of the curriculum and ensure children leave us interested in the world around them.

Hola! The new year has seen the children learning a new language- Spanish. We are lucky to have the wonderful Veronique Sanders and Janet Whitton who, with their extensive knowledge of the language, teaching Spanish to the children in years 3, 4, 5 and 6 in a fun and interactive way.

More awards! The school has been awarded the School Games Bronze award. This reflects the effort we have taken to improve the teaching of PE within school and the wider provision of extra-curricular sport at our school. Helen Cottle, who leads sport, is already planning her campaign for the road to Silver! continued on page 32 melbournmagazine@gmail.com

Yurt news and a plea You may remember that we won £10,000 through the Tesco carrier bag scheme towards the purchase of a yurt for our Forest School provision. It is now in situ and thanks must go our wonderful team of parent volunteers who helped us prepare the ground work: it saved us a lot of extra fundraising! We are still in the process of kitting out the yurt, so any donations of cushions or bean bags would be most appreciated.

An Inspiring way to make learning irresistible As always we start the term with inspiration days. Children in Foundation Stage saw their teachers in a new light on their inspiration when they became cabin service attendants and were whisked off to China. Children in years 1 /2 were enchanted and intrigued by the exotic animals brought into school by Mini Monsters to start their Home and Away topic comparing Melbourne in Australia with their home village. The children in 3/4 dressed as Romans- most of them fully armed- and made an oil lamp, painted a watercolour of a Roman God and designed and built a bridge. They also went on a marvellously educational trip to the Roman ruins at Verulamium. Our neighbouring school at Foxton kindly agreed to be the venue for the billeting office for 90 or so year 5/6 evacuees who trudged through the snow with their gas masks and suitcases to catch the train from Meldreth. I am sure you’ll agree with me that Melbourn is a truly exceptional community. Mrs Stephanie Wilcox – Headteacher

Melbourn Village College Publication of the Department For Education Performance tables in January saw more recognition of the excellent job that Melbourn Village College is doing in educating the next generation. The headline Progress 8 figure of 0.44 means that students at the college do almost half a grade better per subject than their counterparts elsewhere across the country. This means that the college is, once again, in the top 10% nationally for student progress.

Students from Harston & Newton making Chinese Lanterns with Mr Fan.

This progress is spearheaded by excellent results in English, Maths and Humanities, all of whom are in the top 15% of such departments for progress. Importantly, the benefits of this excellent progress were spread across the whole student body, regardless of ability or background. For a school whose motto is ‘Everybody is Somebody’ this was particularly reaffirming. Looking forwards, this means that the college is in a very strong position to deal with the ongoing funding cuts and national teacher shortages. By working with the other members of the Cam Academy Trust, which now numbers four local secondary and four local primary schools, the college continues to offer the local community an excellent standard of education.

Primary Mandarin Primary pupils received a taste of Mandarin thanks to the only school in Cambridgeshire offering the language as part of their curriculum. Specialist Mandarin teacher Frank Fan from Melbourn Village College, where the Chinese language is taught to all Year 7 students, has been working with youngsters from two of the college’s partner primaries, Harston & Newton and Foxton. Harston sent 23 Year 5 students to Melbourn for two separate lessons. In the first they experienced Peking opera and learned colours in Mandarin with some even memorising a selection of characters including 红, 黄, 绿, 蓝. In the second, which coincided with Chinese New Year – the year of the Rooster has just started – they learned the Chinese Zodiac and made Chinese lanterns and bookmarks. Mr Fan said: “They really enjoyed it. Writing Chinese characters was a challenge for them but they did well. The teachers and I were very impressed by their learning with some even able to write characters from memory. Even native speakers find it hard to write such difficult characters at the first attempt.” The 23 Year 1 and 2 pupils from Foxton also learned the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac and enjoyed repeating the names in Mandarin. Some of them could recognise four Chinese animal characters after an hour’s lesson. continued on page 39

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MELBOURN PARISH COUNCIL 30 High Street Melbourn SG8 6DZ Telephone: 01763 263303 ext. 3 e-mail: parishclerk@melbournpc.co.uk Parish Office opening hours: Monday: 10.00am-1.00pm | Wednesday: 1.00pm-3.00pm Friday: 10.00am-1.00pm (Alternatively, please call to arrange an appointment) www.melbournpc.co.uk

Parish Clerk Sarah Adam Telephone 263303

Assistant Parish Clerk Claire Littlewood Telephone 263303

Chairman Julie Norman 31 Station Road, SG8 6DX Telephone 263462

Vice Chairman Sashi Siva 33 Chalkhill Barrow, SG8 6EQ Telephone 07919 028795

Nikki Cross 16 Dickasons, SG8 6EL Telephone 261788

Rosemary Gatward 94 High Street, SG8 6AL Telephone 261225

Jose Hales 23 Elm Way, SG8 6UH Telephone 221058

Kerry Harrington 63 Orchard Road, SG8 6BP Telephone 262136

Village information IMPORTANT NUMBERS

Melbourn History Group Ann Dekkers 261144 Melbourn Mushroom Club John Holden Orchard Surgery email: frog.end@virgin.net Appointments & Dispensary 260220 Melbourn Pottery Club Maggie 01223 207307 For repeat prescriptions send Meldreth Local History Kathryn Betts 268428 email: prescriptions.orchardsurgery@nhs.net Mothers’ Union Pauline Hay 260649 National Trust Marian Bunting 246122 Hospitals bunting@uwclub.net Addenbrooke’s 01223 245151 Royston 01763 242134 New Melbourn Singers Adrian Jacobs 243224 Photographic Club Bruce Huett 232855 NHS111 – Urgent Care 111 Ramblers Dave Allard 242677 24hr helpline Royal British Legion Women Elizabeth Murphy 220841 Medical help when not a 999 emergency Royal National Lifeboat Institution Jean Emes 245958 Police Non Emergency number 101 Royston and District Local History Society Help when not a 999 emergency David Allard 242677 Royston Family History Society Pam Wright Fire & Rescue Service 01223 376201 frierley@ntlworld.com Crimestoppers 0800 555111 Royston Lions Chris Cawdell 448236 Neighbourhood Watch 260959 RSPB Fowlmere Doug Radford 208978 Maureen Townsend maureentownsend1@aol.com SOAS (Supporters of All Saints’) Colin Limming 266072 St George’s Allotments Assoc. Bruce Huett Telephone Preference Service brucehuett@compuserve.com www.tsponline.org.uk 0345 070 0707 Thursday Luncheon Club at Vicarage Close Jeannie Seers 07599 292327 EDUCATION Women’s Group Pat Smith 260103 Melbourn Playgroup Jane Crawford 07842 151512 Library LAP Jane Stevens johnjane.stevens@tiscali.co.uk Little Hands Nursery School 260964 Out of school times 01223 503972 Notre Ecole Janet Whitton 261231 Primary School Headteacher Stephanie Wilcox 223457 U3A (Univ. of Third Age) Chairman Tony Garrick 01223 510201 Hon Sec Hilary Docwra 222486 Mem Sec Chris Davison 264189 Village College Principal Simon Holmes 223400

HEALTH Sally Ann Hart 62 High Street, SG8 6AJ Telephone 222256

Clive Porter 25 John Impey Way SG8 6HZ

Steve Kilmurray Bramley Lodge, Back Lane, SG8 6DD Telephone 268674

John Regan 10 Little Lane, SG8 6BU Telephone 264154

Jane Shepherd 21 Ash Grove, SG8 6BJ Telephone 260142

Mike Sherwen 3 Hale Close, SG8 6ET Telephone 260070

Christopher Stead 70 Russet Way Telephone 260743 pm only

John Travis 16 Cambridge Road, SG8 6HA Telephone 232692

Age UK Cambridgeshire 01223 221921 Blood Donors 0300 123 23 23 Chiropodist 263260 Dentist 262034 District Nurses (Primary Care Trust) 01223 846122 Home-Start 262262 S. Cambs PCT 35 Orchard Road Child & Family Nurses 262861 Car Scheme 245228 Osteopath Kath Harry 261716

LOCAL CLUBS Air Cadets 2484 (Bassingbourn) Squadron 249156 Tony Kelly Mon & Wed evenings 7 – 9.30 p.m. Bellringers Barbara Mitchell 261518 Bridge Club Howard Waller 261693 1st Melbourn Rainbows Abigail Roberts 261505 Brownies 1st Melbourn Stephanie Clifford 220272 Brownies 2nd Melbourn 261400 Samantha Pascoe (Brown Owl) Gardening Helen Powell 245887 Guides 1st Melbourn Hilary Marsh 261443 Guides 2nd Melbourn Stef Cooper 01763 220093/ 07922053801 Steph Clifford 01763 220272 / 07888831140 Secondmelbournguides@hotmail.com MADS (Melbourn Amateur Dramatics Society) Donna Sleight 232622

PLACES OF WORSHIP All Saints’ Church Revd. Elizabeth Shipp 220626 vicar.melbournmeldreth@gmail.com Churchwardens Roger Mellor 220463 Mike Galley 260127 Community Hall booking Sandie Springall 223320 hallbookings@live.co.uk Baptist Church Rev. Stuart Clarke 261650 Secretary Guy Manners 01223 872298 United Reformed Church Minister Rev. Duncan Goldie 260747 Secretary Rosaline Van de Weyer 01223 870869 Hall booking Beryl and Barry Monk 246458

SPORT Badminton Steve Jackson 248774 Bowls Author Andrews 261990 Croquet Janet Pope 248342 Jazzercise Maxine Rustem 07963 161246 Judo Derek Coult 225004 Melbourn Dynamos FC Gordon Atalker 07770533249 Blake Carrington 07730488743 Melbourn Football Club Simon Gascoyne 261703 Melbourn Sports Centre Graham Johnson-Mack 263313 Meldreth Tennis Club Tracy Aggett 243376 Swimming Club Jenny Brackley 244593 Squash Club Nick Sugden 261064

COMMUNITY SERVICES Dial-A-Ride 01223 506335 Home Start Tracy Aggett 262262 Mobile Warden Scheme Jeannie Seers 262651 Moorlands Denise Taylor 260564 Vicarage Close Warden Eileen Allan 263389 Lead Sheltered Housing Officer – Monday to Friday 9–1.30 Vicarage Close, John Impey Way & Elin Way Eileen Allan Mobile 07876 791419 / 245402 Every other week. 9–5 Monday to Friday

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DIARY MARCH

Wednesday 1

Craft Club 9.30 -11.30am(TT) Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am Thursday 2

Thursday 16

Sunday 2

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC 2-4pm weekly

Holy Communion All Saints 8am Morning Service Baptist Church 10.30am URC Service 11.00am Baptist Communion 6pm

Friday 17

Coffee URC 10.30am

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC 2-4pm weekly Royston & District Local History Soc. Town Hall Royston 8pm (see article)

Saturday 18

Friday 3

Saturday 4

Holy Communion 8.00am Family Service 11.00am All Saints URC Service 11.00am Baptist Communion Service 10.30am

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am The Bookshelf

Tuesday 21

Sunday 5

Toddler Plus Baptist Church 9.30-11.30 (TT)

Holy Communion All Saints 8am Morning Service Baptist Church 10.30am Holy Communion URC 11am Communion Service Baptist Church 6pm

Wednesday 22

Coffee URC 10.30am Women’s Group Women’s World Day of Prayer

Monday 6

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am Parish Vision Day Little St Mary’s Cambridge 10.15am Sunday 19

Craft Club 9.30-11.30am (TT) Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am Public Meeting & Information on Drainage The Hub 7.30pm

Drop-in Surgery with Councillors at The Hub 2.30-3.30pm Melbourn Bridge Club URC Hall weekly 7pm contact Howard Waller 261693

Thursday 23

Tuesday 7

Friday 24

Toddlers Plus Baptist Church 9.30-11.30am (TT) Melbourn Bridge Club URC Hall weekly 2pm contact Howard Waller 261693 Melbourn & District Photographic Club Foxton Village Hall 7.30pm (runs weekly September to April) Melbourn Short Story Reading Group every Tuesday 10-11am at the Hub

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC 2-4pm weekly Coffee at URC 10.30am Saturday 25

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am Jubilate Choir All Saints 7.40pm Sunday 26

Monday 3

Drop-in with Councillors at the Hub 2.30 – 3.30pm Melbourn Bridge Club every Monday URC Hall 7pm contact Howard Waller 261693 Tuesday 4

Melbourn Bridge Club 2pm contact as above Melbourn Short Story Reading Group every Tuesday 10-11am the Hub Wednesday 5

Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am Thursday 6

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Royston & District Local History Society Royston Town Hall 8pm Friday 7

Coffee URC 10.30am Craft & Chat URC 2-4pm Saturday 8

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am Royal British Legion stall Sunday 9

Family Communion 9.30am All Saints Palm Sunday Service Baptist Church 10.30am URC Service 11am Tuesday 11

Mothering Sunday Family Communion All Saints 9.45am URC Service 11.00am Morning Service Baptist Church 10.30am

Mothers’ Union contact Diane Blundell 221415 Melbourn & District Gardening Club ASCH 7.30pm Morning Prayer 8.30am All Saints Evening Prayer 5.15pm All Saints Compline with address 7.15pm All Saints

Tuesday 28

Wednesday 12

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC 2-4pm weekly

Toddler Plus Baptist Church 9.30-11.30 (TT) Women’s Group ASCH Lent Reflection contact Pat Smith 262575 7.45pm

Friday 10

Wednesday 29

Coffee at URC 10.30am

Baptist Craft Club 9.30-11.30am (TT) Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am Royal British Legion Women’s Section Vicarage Close 2pm Melbourn WI ASCH 7.45pm

Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am Hub Club Lunch 12.30pm Morning Prayer 8.30am All Saints Evening Prayer 5.15pm All Saints Compline with address 7.15pm All Saints

Wednesday 8

Craft Club 9.30-11.30am (TT) Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am Hub Club Lunch 12.30pm Thursday 9

Saturday 11

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am Sunday 12

Family Communion All Saints 9.45am URC Service 11.00am Morning Service Baptist Church 10.30am Tuesday 14

Toddler Plus Baptist Church 9.30-11.30 (TT) Mother’s Union contact Diane Blundell 221415 Melbourn & District Gardening Club Rail User Group meeting Shepreth Village Hall 7.30pm

Thursday 30

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC 2-4pm weekly Friday 31

End of term Coffee at URC 10.30am

APRIL

Wednesday 15

Craft Club 9.30-11.30am (TT) Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am

Saturday 1

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am The Bookshelf

Thursday 13

Craft & Chat URC 2-4pm Maundy Thursday Service Baptist Church 8pm Evening Prayer 5.15 pm All Saints Eucharist of the Last Supper with feet washing and meditation 7.30pm All Saints Friday 14

Good Friday Morning Prayer 8.30am All Saints Guided Meditation 12-1.30pm All Saints 1.30-4pm Liturgy of the Day All Saints URC Good Friday Service 10am followed by Hot Cross buns and coffee Good Friday family activity afternoon Baptist Church 1-4pm

Saturday 15

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am Easter Vigil & First Eucharist of Easter with renewal of baptism vows 7.30pm All Saints Sunday 16

Easter Sunday Holy Communion All Saints 8.00am Sung Eucharist All Saints 11.15am URC Communion Service 11.00am Baptist Family Service 10.30am Monday 17

Toddlers Plus Baptist Church 9.30-11.30am (TT) Melbourn Short Story Reading Group every Tuesday 10-11am the Hub

Saturday 20

Wednesday 3

Sunday 21

Craft Club 9.30-11.30am (TT) Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am Thursday 4

Holy Communion 8am Family Service 11am All Saints Baptist Communion Service 10.30am URC 11am

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC weekly 2-4pm Royston District Local History Soc. Town Hall Royston 8pm

Toddlers Plus 9.30-11.30am (TT) Women’s Group ASCH Summer Supper contact Pat Smith 262575

Friday 5

Easter Monday

Coffee at URC 10.30am

Tuesday 18

Saturday 6

Summer term begins Wednesday 19

Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am The Bookshelf Sunday 7

Coffee URC 10.30am

Holy Communion 8am All Saints Morning Service Baptist Church 10.30am Holy Communion URC 11am Communion Service Baptist Church 6pm A10 Awareness Ride starting at Trumpington P&R and ending at Phillimore Garden Centre

Saturday 22

Monday 8

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am SOAS talk ASCH 7.30pm

Melbourn Bridge Club every Monday evening URC Hall 7pm contact Howard Waller 261693

Sunday 23

Tuesday 9

Family Communion 9.45am URC Service 11.00am Communion Service Baptist Church 10.30am

Toddlers Plus Baptist Church 9.30-11.30am (TT) Mothers Union contact Diane Blundell 221415

Tuesday 25

Craft Club 9.30-11.30am (TT) Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am Hub Club Lunch 12.30pm

Thursday 20

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC 2-4pm Friday 21

Toddlers Plus 9.30-11.30am (TT) Women’s Group Meldreth 7.45pm Security & Scams contact Pat Smith 262575 Wednesday 26

Craft Club 9.30-11.30am (TT) Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am British Legion Women’s Section Vicarage Close 2pm Melbourn WI ASCH 7.45pm Thursday 27

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC 2-4pm Friday 28

Wednesday 10

Thursday 11

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC weekly 2-4pm Royston & District Local History Soc AGM 7.30pm Town Hall Royston Friday 12

Coffee at URC 10.30am Saturday 13

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am Christian Aid stall MADS Murder at the Manor URC Hall 7.30pm

Tuesday 23

Wednesday 24

Craft Club 9.30-11.30am (TT) Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am British Legion Women’s Section Vicarage Close 2pm Melbourn WI ASCH 7.45pm Thursday 25

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC weekly 2-4pm Friday 26

Coffee at URC 10.30am Saturday 27

Coffee Stop All Saints 10.30am Sunday 28

Family Communion All Saints 9.45am Baptist Service 10.30am URC Service 11am Monday 29

Spring Bank Holiday Half term Wednesday 31

Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am

ate for the d g in s lo c The is Friday next issue be which will 14th April g June, listin in d e h s li b pu ne, July events in Ju st. and Augu

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am Sunday 14

Coffee URC 10.30am Saturday 29

Coffee Stop ASCH 10.30am Sunday 30

Family Communion All Saints 9.45am URC Service 11.00am Morning Service Baptist Church 10.30am

MAY

Family Communion All Saints 9.45am Baptist Service 10.30am URC Service 11am Tuesday 16

Toddlers Plus Baptist Church 9.30-11.30am (TT) Wednesday 17

Coffee Break Baptist Church 10.30am Thursday 18

Bank Holiday

Holy Communion All Saints 10am Craft & Chat URC weekly 2-4pm

Tuesday 2

Friday 19

Melbourn Bridge Club every Tuesday URC Hall 2pm contact Howard Waller 261693

Coffee at URC 10.30am MADS Murder at the Manor Meldreth Village Hall 7.30pm

Monday 1

We shall be pleased to receive contributions in any form, articles, poems, drawings, photographs, letters etc., pertaining to Melbourn. Please send any contributions to the Editor, at 110 High Street, Melbourn, marking them ‘MELBOURN MAGAZINE’ or you can email them to melbournmagazine@gmail.com

We’re Searching for

Volunteers

Melbourn Magazine is delivered free to every household in the village by volunteers. If you would like to help please contact Ann Dekkers on 261144

Village information Orchard Surgery & Dispensary Melbourn Health Visiting Team Monday to Friday 8:30–1pm and 3pm–6pm Phone 01763 260220 www.orchardsurgerymelbourn.co.uk Repeat prescriptions by email will no longer be available from the 3rd March 2017 Alternatives methods of ordering your repeats are, by post, in person or by registering to use the online NHS service. Register for online NHS services at main reception, you will need to provide an identity document and proof of address. Perscripstion can still be collected from: Surgery

Co-op

Tesco in Royston

Prescription Home Delivery The surgery now offer a home delivery service for prescriptions, it will operate on a Tuesday & Thursday. For more information please look under website or contact the surgery.

BIN COLLECTION MELBOURN

Drop in clinics for parents and babies are held as follows: Melbourn clinic every Wednesday between 9.30am and 11.00am at: 35 Orchard Road, Melbourn. Telephone 01763 262861

8a Romsey Terrace, Cambridge. CB1 3NH Office Mon-Fri 9.00am-12.30pm. Telephone 01223 416 141 answerphone out of these hours enquiries@cambridgeshirehearinghelp.org.uk

A drop in advisory session is held at Vicarage Close Community Room, the 4th Thursday every month from 2pm to 4pm

See the website for more information www.cambridgeshirehearinghelp.org.uk Battery exchange and retubing. We do not do hearing tests

NEW Bin collection day – TUESDAY Bins must be out by 6 am at the latest on collection day

28 February

Blue bins

Black

7 March

14 March

Blue & Green

21 March

Black

28 March

Blue & Green

4 April

Black

11 April

Blue & Green

20 April

Black

THURSDAY

26 April

Blue & Green

WEDNESDAY

3 May

Black

WEDNESDAY

Blue & Green

9 May

16 May

Black

23 May

Blue & Green

30 May

Black

Blue & Green

6 June

13 June

Black

For an update on collections visit: www.scambs.gov.uk/binsearch For more information and collections of large household items Telephone 03450 450 063

www.melbourncambridge.co.uk

Cam Sight’s Rural Support Group meet in Melbourn to provide help, friendship and ongoing support to local people with sight loss. The group enjoys speakers, music, information, advice and a chance to try out low vision equipment. They meet on the 1st Wednesday of each month, 2 – 4pm at Vicarage Close. For further information please call 01223 420033 or info@camsight.org.uk

Nature Melwood

Your Local Nature Reserve

We hope that when you read this the wood will already be providing an early spring display with snowdrops and aconites and hopefully any snow will have finished. Bluebells and a variety of primulas will be appearing soon in April together with the blossoms of the old fruit trees when the wood was an orchard. These early flowering plants make the most of the maximum sunlight reaching the woodland floor before the full woodland canopy casts its shade. We have been trying to introduce more of these spring flowers into the wood, but they can be quite temperamental. Wood anemones are surprisingly slow to spread (six feet in a hundred years), relying on its root structure rather than its seed. We have been spreading seed and planting out small plants grown from seed so we hope to have an extensive carpet in a few hundred years! We have also been planting two-year-old native bluebells grown from seed, but these will not come into flower for another couple of years. We have found that the ground was very dry when we were planting some bird cherry saplings in late summer to the depth of a couple of feet. Although there was more moisture in the upper layers when planting in November, generally the ground has been much drier this year. Although the trees provide leaf mould to keep the immediate surface moist, dry soil lower down can have a significant effect on the germination and health of the plants we want to encourage in the wood. Monthly updates can be found at www.gov.uk/government/statistics/watersituation-report-anglian-region. Snowy wood in 2008 by Tim Gane

Blossom by Tim Gane

The low water table has also been noticed in the Mel. Rain falling onto local chalk hills percolates into the ground, where the chalk acts as an acquifer (like a giant sponge). The water filters through the chalk, re-emerging lower down the slope in springs as at the source of the Mel at Melbourn Bury. The chalk acts as a temporary reservoir regulating the amount of water supplied to the springs. Chalk streams in the UK are known for their stable flows that vary only slightly over time. In normal years, the upper chalk stays saturated and there is a regular flow through Sheen Mill. However, in drought years it can dry up. On occasions the whole stretch of the Mel behind Dolphin Lane in Melbourn has been so dry people could walk along it. From Sheene Mill downstream there is a layer of more impermeable chalk forming the river bed which the water cannot penetrate so easily. Springs bubble up in the river at this point as the flow hits the harder chalk layer. Another factor that affects the water table is the drainage systems in Melbourn and Meldreth. These are still not well understood and attempts to solve flooding problems may have unanticipated consequences on the river and the water table in general. The Mel levels, and hence the general water table, are also affected by discharges from the Melbourn sewerage works. This should be strictly controlled, but sometimes irregular releases do happen. Birds and animals in the wood are also dependent on a good supply of moisture. We will be welcoming our nesting birds to our nest boxes which have been cleaned out during the winter to accommodate the new inhabitants. Our records indicate that collared doves, woodpeckers, wren, dunnock, robin, blackbird, blue tit, great tit and magpie probably breed in the wood. Anyone interested in helping with our conservation initiatives should contact Graham Borgonon on 01763 260 358 or Jim Reid on 260 231. Further information is available on our website: www.melwood.btck.co.uk. melbournmagazine@gmail.com

Craft Art and

Outdoor F un

Play Messy

Home cook ed Fo od

Bumpkins Day Nursery caring with a difference

Quality Daycare for Children aged 3 months - 5 years old Monday - Friday, 7.30am - 6.30pm Bumpkinson Daya Nursery Based working farm in Whaddon, nr Royston caring with a difference

Come and see for yourself the difference that Bumpkins can offer you and your child Limited spaces available in our popular Pre-School

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M I L L .S I D E CA B I N E T M A K E R S

Millside’s bespoke joinery, caters for our customers individual requirements, from Kitchens, Bedrooms and Studies Millside Cabinet Makers Ltd The Moor, Melbourn, Royston Hertfordshire, SG8 6ED Telephone 01763 261870 email: millsidecabinetmakers@yahoo.com www.millsidecabinetmakers.co.uk

www.melbourncambridge.co.uk

“Practitioner s consistently o good quality te ffer achin that supports g children’s lea rning through play... Children’s inte res are at the he ts ar of teaching.... t T activities indo he or outside intere s and st a engage childr nd en..” OFSTED, 2016

Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) – Royston

Out of School Club Come and Join us at Melbourn Out of School Club for the School Holidays in 2017! High Staff Ratios Competitive prices Fun activities Free play Easter Holidays 3rd–14th April May Half Term 29th May–2nd June Summer Holidays 24th July–4th August October Half Term 23rd–27th October OPEN 8am–6pm To find out more information or to book a place please email moos@melbournplaygroup.org.uk or Telephone 01763 223459 Website Melbournplaygroup.org.uk Based at Melbourn Primary School Registered with OFSTED

Taster Workshop St Mary’s Junior and Senior School, Cambridge Spring & Summer Terms 10 June 2017 An opportunity for your daughter to sample life at St Mary’s School, Cambridge. www.stmaryscambridge.co.uk/admissions/arrange-a-visit/ senior-school-taster-workshop-june.htm

The Spring courses at Royston Town Hall are presently on-going with a choice of two courses – Music of Scandinavia & the Baltic and Boudicea’s Revolt & Resistance to Roman Rule. Further courses will be held in the autumn with details nearer the date from the Secretary 01763 660234 or www.roystonwea.org.uk

Bumpkins Nursery Introducing My Road to School – preparing children for School. Bumpkins Pre-School in Whaddon is making good use of Montessori equipment from a local Montessori school in Shepreth which closed last year. The children now use the equipment as part of a getting ready for school initiative, which helps prepare them for the move up to school in September next year. My Road to School, follows a series of steps: For example, sharing and taking turns, counting and listening, along with the more fundamental skills of getting themselves dressed and using cutlery. Nursery Director Jaena Nabi explained, “we firmly believe in learning through play. The children have fun without even realising they’re learning because the Montessori equipment is so fun and colourful.” All three and four-year-old children are entitled to Government-funded places. The Nursery can accommodate these hours on a fully flexible basis. This means that parents can choose hours and sessions to suit their own family’s needs. For more information or to arrange a visit, please call 01223 208777 or visit www.bumpkinsnursery.co.uk Right: exploring shapes and colour. Below: Seth, Reggie and Harriet exploring the Montessori equipment.

Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire are looking for Home Visiting Volunteers Can you give a family the most precious gift - your time? Our volunteers are all parents or grandparents who can give a few hours a week to help families who are finding it difficult to cope. All parents need emotional and practical help to get through the first few years, but not everyone has friends or family nearby.

This is when Home-Start volunteers can help! For more details contact Sarah or Jackie at: Home-Start Royston & South Cambridgeshire, Unit 6, Valley Farm, Station Road, Meldreth, Royston, Herts, SG8 6JP

Tel: 01763 262262 or e-mail admin@hsrsc.org.uk / www.hsrsc.org.uk Registered Charity No 1105385

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Printers for the University of Cambridge, Cambridge Science Park, London Charities and Galleries, Publishers and the Royal British Legion Women’s Section.

Cloudy2Clear Windows – Service With A Smile! It’s been a crazy few months for Cloudy2Clear Windows. The company which specialises in repairing windows which are steamed up, broken or damaged by replacing the panes – not the frames has grown rapidly as homeowners take advantage of their services. Managing Director Tim Law feels that it’s all about service. ‘Our product is simple. If your double glazing is misted

up we can replace the glass at a fraction of the cost of a new window, in any type of frame, and with a new 5 year guarantee. But it’s not just about saving people money, although that obviously helps. Many tradespeople have struggled since last year and I honestly feel that during the good times a minority perhaps didn’t focus on customer care as much as they should have done. We make sure we turn up when we say

we will, do the job the customer requires and leave their house as clean as a whistle. I often get comments back from customers on how they really didn’t expect that sort of service which, in a way, is very sad for the service industry as a whole.’ Cloudy2Clear service the Cambridge, Ely, Saffron Walden, Haverhill, Royston & Newmarket areas and Tim is finding that his approach is a major factor in his success.

‘The truth is that it’s not just the personal satisfaction that I get from doing a good job but also it makes good business sense. I get a huge amount of business from friends and family of people I’ve done work for, which just goes to show how much a little bit of effort is appreciated.’ So, if your windows are steamed up, broken or damaged give Tim a call for a free quotation on 0800 61 21 118 and he’ll be happy to help!

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Nature Caring for Orchids

It’s that time of the year again, the heady days of summer seem so far gone and Spring is still a couple of months away. The garden is short on flowers, but for a couple of winter staples. This is when house plants step into the fold to provide some much-needed winter colour. Amongst these is the moth orchid (Phalaenopsis) which has saturated the market with its exotic blooms and affordable price. It does, however, remain an enigma to many when it comes to watering regime and re-flowering. This is one of the most common questions I get asked, so here is a quick guide to orchid care. Phalaenopsis is a mainly tropical genus, so these orchids are best grown at temperatures above 18°C. In their natural habitat, they grow on trunks and limbs of rainforest trees, in medium to low light and so when kept as houseplants, they are best kept on an east facing window sill, which receives the gentle rays of the morning sun. They should be potted in a course bark and watered with a wet-dry cycle allowing the roots to dry, but not desiccate, before re-watering. The key to keeping orchids healthy is to avoid overwatering

them. Between Halloween and Valentine’s Day watering should be reduced considerably, with moisture being added a couple of times during this period. And finally, re-flowering: you can initiate this by a drop-in temperature of 2–3°C for a couple of weeks. Do this during the winter period when you reduce the watering, or move the orchid to a cooler location in your house. It should then be a matter of weeks before you see a new flower stalk emerge. Watering should remain as per above and this is also governed by light and temperature. If this has whetted your appetite for a bit of winter colour, then why not visit the Garden, where our Orchid Festival will run from 12 February to 12 March in the warmth of our Glasshouse Range. This year’s theme is India and will showcase an array of South Asian orchids, many drawn from the Garden’s reserve collections, to provide a colourful taste of the Subcontinent – enough to brighten up any dreary winter day. The Cambridge University Botanic Garden is open from 10am – 4pm in January, 10am – 5pm February & March, 7 days a week. Please check the website at www.botanic. cam.ac.uk for details about opening times, admission charges, tours, courses and special events.

Left: Phalaenopsis Hybrid Below: Phalaenopsis ‘Fadeus Fireworks’

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Welcome to

Established 23 years, The Letting Centre is a local, dedicated letting agency based in Melbourn. With long-standing clients some of whom have been with us for 20 years or more, we aim to provide a personal, tailored service covering Cambridge, Royston, Buntingford, Saffron Walden and surrounding villages. We offer discounted fees for multiple properties, as well as those located in any of the villages around Melbourn. Call us for a free market appraisal and comprehensive landlord pack.

Melbourn Hub offers a cafĂŠ with free Wi-Fi, a library access point and meeting rooms which can be used for leisure or business. We also offer a range of key community support services and aim to be a focus point for assistance and advice.

Opening Hours Monday-Friday 9am to 5pm Saturday 9am to 3pm 30 High Street Melbourn SG8 6DZ Telephone 01763 263303 reception@melbournhub.com

The Hub is run by the community, for the community, it is a centre with a difference.

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Melbourn Community Hall is in the centre of the village behind All Saints Church If you would like to hire the hall contact Sandie Springall Telephone: 01763 223320 or email: hallbookings@live.co.uk

www.melbourncambridge.co.uk

Sports & Clubs

Bowls Malcolm Davey 262704

Bridge Club Howard Waller 261693 1st Melbourn Rainbows Abigail Roberts 261505 Brownies – 1st Melbourn Stephanie Clifford 220272 Brownies – 2nd Melbourn Samantha Pascoe 261400

Croquet Janet Pope 248342

Football Club Andrew Edwards 223109

Dynamos Football Club Les Morley 07739 593771

Gardening Club Helen Powell 245887

Guides – Ist Melbourn Hilary Marsh 261443

Judo Derek Coult 225004

1st Melbourn Brownies We have done a lot in the last term, but the most memorable activity was definitely Pack Holiday. Between the 1st and 3rd of December, almost all of the unit were at the Jarman Centre, Girlguiding Cambridgeshire-East’s residential centre. We had an amazing Christmas themed weekend. On Friday evening, we arrived at the Jarman Centre and unpacked. This was followed by jacket potatoes for dinner. After that, we watched a Christmas film. The next morning was the start of our pretend Christmas Day. We started the day with breakfast, then did a wide variety of Christmas crafts and some baking during the morning. For lunch, we had Christmas dinner, including turkey, pork, roast potatoes, parsnips, carrots, pigs in blankets, Yorkshire puddings, peas and more. Later that day, we opened our secret Santa presents which involved a hilarious game to decide who got each present. We also played Christmas card bingo. On Sunday morning, we continued the crafts that we had started the day before and started some more. At lunch, we had leftovers from our Christmas dinner.

Melbourn Karate Club Peter Khera 07866 374674

Melbourn Sports Centre Graham Johnson-Mack 263313 Melbourn and Meldreth Women’s Group Pat Smith 262575 Sue Toule 260955 Anne Harrison 261775 Photographic Club Bruce Huett 232855 Ramblers Dave Allard 242677 Royston and District Round Table Michael Seymour 221398 Squash Club Nick Sugden 261064

Swimming Club Jenny Brackley 244593

Tennis (Melbourn) Dave Liddiard 07508 995 781

Tennis (Meldreth) Tracy Aggett 243376

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By the end of the weekend, the Brownies had learned lots of life skills including basic cooking and cleaning as they all took part in doing chores throughout the weekend. More importantly, their friendships grew stronger and they gained lots of independence. We are looking forward to another amazing term, which will include learning more about Scottish culture on Burns night and celebrating World Thinking Day at the end of February. By Amy Selby (Little Owl) on behalf of all the leaders at 1st Melbourn Brownies (Brown Owl, Nightingale, Squirrel and Fluffy Owl). If you (or your daughter) wants come and join in the fun, please contact Brown Owl (Stephanie Clifford) on 07888831140 or at stefclifford@hotmail.com.

1st Melbourn Guides Have you ever tried to start a war? To understand how and why people become refugees, the Guides did just that. Firstly they were split into two tribes and built themselves simple homes from tables and blankets, and listed their most important possessions. The two groups were then separated and encouraged to believe that their tribe was superior to the other. After reuniting to trade insults, sanctions were imposed, then foreign superpowers (the leaders) took sides and destroyed the homes of the opposition until both tribes were homeless. The girls then had to revisit their lists of possessions, and chose just 3 things to take with them. The following week the girls had to carry heavy bags in the cold and dark, quietly trying to evade the border guards who would confiscate their possessions. Back in the warm, the girls met Elisabeth from the charity Hope Not Hate, who discussed the nature of the refugee problem around the world, and encouraged us to support local efforts to help them.

On a more traditional note, the girls enjoyed an indoor campfire evening, firstly making paper lanterns and pumpkins lit by LED tealights before sitting around them to sing our favourite campfire songs. Games are always popular too, and an evening of co-operative games got older girls mixing with the new girls in a series of challenges including play-doh modelling, a memory challenge, miming, and untangling a rope. As always, the term ended with Christmas crafts. This year the girls made a door wreath from fresh conifer on a wire frame, which they decorated with ribbon, cones, and baubles. The Spring term started with First Aid skills which every Guide should have: bandaging, recovery position, and CPR. They also looked at the unitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1st Aid kit, and tried to memorise its contents. If you would like to know more about becoming a Guide or a leader, or if you have any skills or hobbies which you would like to share with us, please contact me on: 01763 261443 or email: melbournguides@gmail.com Hilary Marsh

Cub Scouts Cub Scouts returned to Melbourn after an absence of many years when the 1st Orwell Group relocated after Christmas, now meeting on Friday evenings at Melbourn Primary. With most of our young members, leaders and committee coming from the village this was an appropriate move, and we thank the school for the welcome they have given us. In December, we performed a pantomime, celebrating 100 years of cub scouts with birthday cake and accompanied Santaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sleigh around Melbourn. In January, we have worked towards our scientist badge, hunted glow-sticks in the dark around Shepreth Moor, and learned about scouting and food melbournmagazine@gmail.com

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from India. Our older cubs had an activity weekend where they cooked apple tarts in cardboard ovens and bread on a stick over a fire. With over 20 cubs and only 2 leaders we would welcome any adult helpers wishing to join the adventure, please contact cubs@1storwellscouts.org.uk

Melbourn and District Gardening Club Are you interested in gardening? Why not join the Melbourn and District Gardening Club on a regular or occasional basis? We meet at 7.30 p.m. on the second Tuesday most months at the Community Hall, behind All Saints’ Church (near traffic lights, lane by red telephone box) For further details contact Helen Powell 01763 245887 Spring programme 2017

»» Tuesday 14th March 2017

Wildlife Hunting with a Camera – Richard Revels This is a collection of his latest pictures, starting with the theme Wild about Bedfordshire, my home county. We have some rare flora, and a wide diversity of fauna in this small county. Pictures of wild Otters from Shetland, Seals fighting in the North Sea, as well as many Birds, including a ‘Booming’ Bittern, Orchids, Butterflies and Dragonflies makes this show my favourite to date.

»» Tuesday 11th April 2017

TBC as booked speaker now unavailable

»» Tuesday 9th May 2017

Cottage Cures & Superstitions – Andrew Sankey A look at various plants (wild/cottage), their uses, supposedly medicinal properties, and connected superstitions. Find out why country folk swallowed a live spider or rolled naked in a bed of nettles!

Royston & District Local History Society www.roystonlocalhistory.org.uk Our website shows all the books we have for sale. Many of these result from the considerable work undertaken by our Publications sub-committee. The books may be ordered by post from David Allard 01763 242677. They may also be purchased at the Royston Museum & Arts Gallery in Kneesworth Street and some are available at the Cave Bookshop in Melbourn Street. The society is responsible for the opening of Royston Cave, Melbourn Street, Royston which will re-open on Saturday 15th April 2017 and will be open on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays 2.30 p.m. to 5 p.m.(last admission 4.30 p.m.) For details go to: www.roystoncave.co.uk. Our evening meetings are held in the Heritage Hall (the main hall downstairs) Royston Town Hall on the first Thursday of the month (second Thursday in May) starting at 8pm.

»» 2nd March “On the Beat” – Policing in Herts during WW1 Terry Cox

»» 6th April ‘Fighting for Old Buildings’ – SPAB Explained Douglas Kent

»» 11th May AGM 7.30 p.m. 8 p.m. Storm Warning – Fitzroy Travelling Theatre Production Geoff Hales plus light refreshments.

»» 3rd June Coach outing to Hever Castle

Details of all our meetings will be found on our website. Annual membership £5 (Sept-Aug) (Under 18s half price) Visitors £2.

Cambridgeshire Family History Society Our monthly meetings are held in the Central Library, Lion Yard, Cambridge, between 10.30am and 3.30pm. Everyone is welcome and entry is free. The meetings follow a pattern of research being available all day plus talks at 12.30 and 2pm. The first meeting this quarter will be on the 11th of March and the 12.30 speaker will be Caroline Norton, who is the editor of the Society’s Journal. Titled ‘An Australian Journey’, a chance discovery showed that a family went to Australia in the 1880’s. The talk will offer ideas for your own research by showing how, with no prior knowledge of Australian records, an extensive tree has been discovered. The 2.30pm talk ‘It’s on the cards – tangible tweets from a bygone age’ by Vanessa Mann will be about collecting postcards from the Edwardian period and beyond and how they can be used in connection with family histories. The meeting for the 8th April coincides with the ‘WhoDoYouThinkYouAre?’ show at the NEC Birmingham. Our researchers will be at the Central Library as usual but there are no talks. The 13th May sees Caroline Norton again at 12.30 giving a similar talk to that in March but this time titled ‘An American Journey’. At 2.30pm Helen Green, with ‘Dashing away with the smoothing iron?’ gives an illustrated talk looking at how we kept our clothes clean from the Middle Ages to the present day.

Ramblers’ Association Royston and District Group Our walks programme continues right through the year. For details visit our website: www.ramblers.org.uk or contact David Allard (01763 242677). Email: david.allard@ntlworld.com or Lesley Abbiss (01763 273463). There is also a poster displaying walks for the current month in Royston library, Royston Museum & Art Gallery and Melbourn Hub. We have walks on Sundays, which are normally 5-7 miles in the morning and a similar or shorter walk in the afternoon. Occasionally Sunday walks are Figures of Eight making it possible to do only the morning or only the afternoon. Half-

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day walks are held on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Our evening walks (3–5 miles) resume at the end of April and continue to the end of August. Prospective new members are welcome and may come on three walks before deciding whether to join. www.ramblers.org.uk to join.

Lawn Green Bowls

Try a NEW SPORT 4 sessions free We are a small, friendly club in Barton, Cambs. If you would like to try, or have bowled before, you will be made most welcome. As well as bowls we have a busy social side, a pavilion and the club atmosphere is safe and supportive All coaching & equipment provided (please wear trainers) Open night (free BBQ) is Thursday 6pm May 25th then Thursday 6.15pm throughout the summer. Bring family, a friend or come on your own. Barton Bowls Club, High St, Barton, CB23 7BG To register your place or enquire, email m.seymour@orwellsbureau.co.uk website and Facebook link www.bartonbowls.co.uk

»»March/April

It’s a universally accepted fact - Mums are great! So this Mother’s Day how about treating her to her own gym membership or purchasing a gift voucher for our other activities here at Melbourn Sports? Make this Mother’s Day one she’ll never forget! We’ve got a bumper bag of Easter activities this year, including our OFSTED registered Play Scheme, where children will be treated to trampolining, swimming and creative crafts. Other holiday activities include Swimming Crash Course and Trampolining Crash Course. We are also teamed up with Cambridge United Football Club to offer future football stars a chance to improve their skills with Weekly/Daily Soccer Camps. April 2017 also sees the return of our charitable Swimathon, with all participants raising money for the Marie Curie Cancer Care Trust. We’d love to have as many entrants as possible; teams of up to five are welcome as well as individual swimmers. The Swimathon takes place on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th April. For further information, please see reception or visit our website at www.mc-sport.co.uk.

»»May We welcome back the outdoor sports and tennis season. For all you budding Wimbledon stars, courts can be hired midweek and at weekends. We are also pleased to announce that we have joined up with Melbourn and District Tennis Club based at Melbourn Sports Centre. Membership ranges from £10.00 (minis) – £120.00 (families). For further information please contact Melbourn Sports Centre reception 01763 263313 or Matt Fellingham 07779 273655 or e-mail: matt@ mftennis.com Later this month, we will be running our children’s holiday activities once again, with Play Scheme and a mixture of indoor and outdoor activities available.

Melbourn Sports Centre For those of you who don’t already know, we have:

• A state of the art fitness suite offering a variety of membership schemes

»»June For something a bit different this Father’s Day, how about treating your Dad to his own gym membership or purchasing a gift voucher for our other activities here at Melbourn Sports? It’s a great way to help a loved one get fit! Plus, why not start planning your summer sports early, with our holiday courses like the Children’s Pentathlon and Swimming Crash Course? Bookings taken from June onwards. Other activities on offer this spring and summer include:

• A 20-metre swimming pool (kept ever so slightly warmer • Our usual popular swimming lessons, both group and than most!) private • A comprehensive swimming lesson programme, catering for • A range of exercise classes including Body workouts, Boot all ages and abilities

Camp, Pilates, Swim-Clinic (pool training session)

• Upgraded

• Indoor and Outdoor Court Hire

• Water sports courses and activities • Traditional and modern exercise classes • Access to Melbourn Village College

For further details on these or any other activities, please drop in, call 01763 263313 or go online at www.mc-sport. co.uk. We look forward to seeing you this season!

multisports courts for hire including tennis, football and squash courts

sports hall and gymnasium for activities such as trampolining, badminton and basketball

• Supervised sports and pool parties

Graham Johnson-Mack / Melbourn Sports Centre Manager Melbourn Sports Centre, The Village College, The Moor, Melbourn, Royston, Cambridgeshire SG8 6EF 01763 263313 / www.mc-sport.co.uk / info@mc-sport.co.uk melbournmagazine@gmail.com

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Grinnel Hill BMX Club This winter has once again seen re-design and construction, this time of the lower and upper half of the field, including the beginner and advance lines, with completion scheduled for early Spring 2017.

The club is open annually April to September Strictly for BMX use only, for ages 12 and older, members have the option of either becoming a seasonal member for ÂŁ50 (April to September), or a day member (per session) for ÂŁ10. Our aim for the club is to promote an activity for the young community of Melbourn and surrounding areas to participate in, with the guidance of our committee and experts, in a safe and friendly environment. Members will have access to BMX coaching and expertise on site during club open days. For more details and to download your membership form today please visit; www.grinnelhillbmx.co.uk

Acknowledgements Melbourn Parish Council for their ongoing support at all levels to keep the club sustainable and open. Wrights Mower Centre Melbourn for their help and generosity in supporting us to keep the site to a well maintained and safe standard for the foreseeable future. Frog End Pet Supplies for their help and generosity in supporting us with the ongoing wildlife conservation work carried out on the site remaining sympathetic to its heritage

melbournmagazine@gmail.com

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Churches Together United Reformed Church Family Nativity Service Our Family Nativity Service was held on Sunday 18th December with most of the congregation taking part and dressing up accordingly. There were dramatized bible readings, sketches and carols. We used our new projector for the first time with the Young People’s Presentation which comprised of a series of very powerful, moving pictures.

Carol Singing Churches Together joined customers at the Black Horse on 14th December for the annual Carol singing evening. This popular event was well attended with everyone joining in the singing and our minister provided the music.

On Saturday 17th December Churches Together sang carols opposite the Cross before retiring to the Coffee Stop for further carols and a warming cup of coffee. Donations for both events amounted to £150.51 and was given to Friends of Chernobyl’s Children as in previous years. Duncan’s Open House Our minister held his annual Open House at the Manse on the 12th December when members and friends from each of his congregations enjoyed an evening of good food and conversation.

Pam Rhodes Elaine Hanworth and Janet Wedd spent an enjoyable afternoon at Royston Methodist Church on Sunday 25th September 2016 having “Afternoon Tea with Pam Rhodes”. Pam has been a presenter of Songs of Praise for 30 years and she spoke about the programme and her experiences on it and people she has met. The anecdotes and stories were interspersed with hymns and Pam told us the background behind each hymn. Pam talked about the power of prayer, many hymns are prayers and admitted she is a hymn anorak. We sang How Great Thou Art, Hark The Herald Angels Sing, Be Still For The Presence Of The Lord, In Christ Alone and ended with To God Be The Glory. We were given the opportunity to ask questions and the afternoon ended with a cup of tea and piece of cake during which we could personally meet and chat to Pam. We left feeling uplifted having had a wonderful afternoon which we would not forget.

Anniversary The URC Moderator is leading our service on 7th May which will give us the opportunity to celebrate the 300th year anniversary of our church building.

Easter Our Good Friday Service will be at 10am on 14th April followed by hot cross buns and coffee in the hall. Easter Sunday Service is on 16th April and will include the Sacrament of Holy Communion. melbournmagazine@gmail.com

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All Saints Church

We can make life a little easier

Local Community Services delivered from Moorlands Court Homecare : our fully trained carers visit you in

your home.

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

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

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

Housekeeping : we do those jobs which you can no longer manage, from cleaning and ironing, to bed changing and shopping. To find out more, just call us at Moorlands Court on 01763 260564, or email : denise.taylor@chsgroup.org.uk

Spring is just around the corner, and over the next three months, the community at All Saints’ are looking forward to a packed calendar of events, which this season, focus on exploring our faith, deepening our discipleship, and looking at ways of how we can serve the community around us. During Lent this year, we are following the Church of England’s new ‘Pilgrim’ course, in which four groups are looking at aspects of the Christian faith – Turning to Christ, The Lord’s Prayer, the Bible, and the Eucharist. February also saw our first ‘Messy Church’ at Holy Trinity in Meldreth – with further exciting meetings scheduled throughout the year - we’d love it if you came and joined in! In March, we are holding a Parish ‘Vision Day’, to which everyone is invited, in which we hope to explore ways of how we can celebrate God’s love, and share that love by serving the communities of Melbourn and Meldreth in different, new, and exciting ways – watch this space! This spring, we are also holding a ‘Pet Blessing Service’ in All Saints, where everyone is invited to bring along their four, two, or no-legged friends to ask for God’s blessing on them, and upon us, and to say thank you for the joy our animal friends bring into our lives. As a church, we continue to visit our schools, and are looking forward to building up links between us as we get to know the community afresh. This season, we’re looking at what God is doing in Melbourn and Meldreth, and we want to find out how we can all join in! Keep a look out for our new website (soon to be launched) at www.allsaintsmelbournholytrinitymeldreth.co.uk for further details. The Revd Lizzie Shipp, Priest in Charge of Melbourn and Meldreth

Supporters of All Saints (SOAS) There is in Melbourn a thirteenth century treasure at the heart of the village – it is All Saints Parish Church. It is our oldest building. Floodlit during the hours of darkness it is a glorious sight which never ceases to thrill me as I turn off the bypass on returning home. Having assisted in a small way with the recent work of putting our parish registers into digital format it came home to me how many thousands of Melbourn villagers have been through its doors. The registers start in the mid 1500’s – how many more not recorded during the previous 300 years! Living just across the road, I enjoy when out in the garden hearing the church clock strike the hours and quarters. The tower was added in the mid 15th century and up until the early 20th century, whilst noise pollution hardly existed, the church clock would have been heard throughout the village and beyond. We were then an agricultural society and not many people would have owned a watch; the church chimes would mark the end of a day’s work in the fields and orchards of Melbourn. Because the East Anglian flint dressed churches are so expensive to maintain it was decided in 1994 to form the melbournmagazine@gmail.com

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Coffee Stop – All Saints Community Hall After 10 years of running the highly successful Coffee Stop, Sue Toule and Mike Scriven's handed over the keys. Left: Cindy Davison presenting a bouquet of flowers.

The Coffee Stop is open Saturdays 10.30–12 noon All welcome Head Office: Melbourn, Royston SG8 6DS Tel: 01763 661334 Showroom: Coton Orchard Garden Centre, Cambridge CB23 7PJ Tel: 01954 211662

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Supporters of All Saints (S.O.A.S.) with the object of raising money which would only be spent on the upkeep of the building and its furniture. On the strength of this the Charity Commissioners awarded us charity status. Many of our supporters are not members of the church’s congregation but just concerned that the building should continue to stand at the heart of the village. SOAS raises money through subscriptions and fundraising events and how that money is spent is controlled by the committee. We have an annual individual membership subscription of £5 and a “household” subscription of £7 against which members are offered reductions on the cost of events. Our Membership Secretary is Colin Limming at 4 Chapmans Close, Melbourn SG8 6AH or 01763 260072. If, like me, you would like to think of the historic centrepiece of the village still here for centuries to come, please join us. George Howard (v/chairman SOAS) 01763 260686.

SOAS 100 Club The December draw was made by Anna Taylor on 31st December. The first prize of £27 goes to Jane Stevens at 3 Water Lane and the second of £13.50 to Angela Leach at 32 Hale Close. The January draw was made on 28th January by Anna Taylor. The first prize goes to Bob Tulloch at 25 Hale Close and the second of £14 to Janet Batchelor at 14 Elm Way.

The Word of God from David Burbridge John Newton, converted slave trader of the 17th century, wrote, when Vicar of St. Mary Woolnoth in London City: The religion of true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ is not the effect of imagination. It springs from an enlightened understanding. Christianity is friendly to the best interests of mankind. It is the source of peace, tenderness, kindness and every human spirit. It is of influence to soothe the savage temper, and to shrink the selfish spirit. Christians have compassion upon those who slander their belief. melbournmagazine@gmail.com

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What’s On New Melbourn Singers

The New Melbourn Singers are busy preparing for their next concert when the choir sings as part of the

Cambridgeshire Choral Society. The whole concert will be a performance of

Mendelssohn’s oratorio “Elijah” Saturday 29th April at 7.30 pm

It is a very dramatic piece, almost operatic in its storytelling, and what a story! The music ranges widely from soft and reflective to loud and stentorian but always lyrical. It is wonderful to sing and wonderful to listen to. If you have never heard “Elijah” performed I recommend you come along to the West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge on Saturday 29th April at 7.30 pm. If you already know the piece then doubtless you will seize the opportunity to hear it performed live. Tickets, Adults – £15; children under 16 – £2. Available through the Cambridgeshire Choral Society website or any choir member or on the door. Jane Stevens

Tenth Safari Supper 3rd June I cannot believe it is TEN years since Jane and I tentatively launched the idea of a Safari Supper in Melbourn to raise money for the All Saints Community Hall. Since then it has grown and become a very well supported and popular event and each year we raise (with your help) a substantial amount towards the refurbishment of the hall. Our tenth Safari Supper will take place on Saturday 3rd June this year. I do hope that everyone who has taken part before will join in again – we have taken care to avoid the fetes in Melbourn and Meldreth - and that even more people will join in. For the evening to work well we need people willing to provide a starter, main course or dessert for 4 to 8 people including themselves – and after each course you all move on to different venues hopefully (if we have organised it properly) not meeting the same people again. We all finish up at the Hall to have coffee and exchange notes on the evening! The cost is £15 per person but we do offer something towards the food for those who are cooking – if they wish. Not everyone has to be a host, we do take guests as well and have several regulars from outside the village who enjoy taking part. It is good fun and you get to meet a lot of people. If you would like to know more about our Safari Supper, or indeed to put your name down to take part do please ring either Mavis Howard 260686 or Jane Brett on 260306. Or alternatively, email howards.carlings@btinternet.com for an application form.

Royston & District Choral Society’s Spring Concert Prepare to be moved by Royston & District Choral Society’s Spring Concert Saturday March 25th 7.30 pm St Mary’s Church, Standon Royston & District Choral Society’s Spring Concert features two pieces appropriate to the Christian season of Lent, John Rutter’s ‘Requiem’ and Gerald Finzi’s ‘Lo, the Full, Final Sacrifice’ With Andrew O’Brien conducting, James Perkins supporting on the organ, Haileybury Consort and Soloist, Milly Watmough this promises to be a very moving performance. Classic FM’s website relates that ‘Each morning at 10 o’clock, John Rutter sets off to a secluded cottage some miles away from his home where he tries to spend the entire day writing music. No one has his telephone number there, and there’s no road, so it’s unlikely that anyone will be passing by to disturb him’. Several of our choir member’s live nearby – and are not telling! Of his Requiem the same article comments: ‘In a world where so many composers believe music is no longer primarily about melody, Rutter stands out as someone who defiantly bucks that trend. Nowhere is it more evident than in his glorious Requiem. Composed in 1985, the work is reminiscent of the Requiem of Fauré for its simplicity, brevity and rich choral writing.’ ‘Lo, the Full, Final Sacrifice was Finzi’s first work to be written after the Second World War. Though of Jewish-Italian background, Finzi preferred to identify with all things English – English literature and poetry together with the work of Parry and Vaughan Williams and the music of the Anglican church. This anthem is a tribute to the service of Holy Communion, reflecting the structure of the service. Tickets £12, concessions £9, school students £1, available from: Choir members On line at http://bit.ly/RCSMar2017 Caroline Franks Tel 01920 822723 email caroline.franks@rf152.co.uk Saffron Walden Tourist Information Office Pop-up box office Royston Parish Church 7.15-7.45 p.m. March 7th, 14th, 21st On the door The next Open Rehearsal for aspiring new members is Tuesday April 25thh 7.45, Royston Parish Church. You will not be asked to sing on your own! Come and surprise yourself! For more information about the choir see our website or contact Chairman, Heather Howard Tel. 01763 662109 or Email heather@lemonyellow.org

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Preparations for this year’s Melbourn Bloomsday Festival in June are well underway. The Festival Committee is looking to make it a true celebration of all the Festival’s themes. An Art Exhibition is planned to run throughout. Are you a local artist? Do you want to exhibit? If so, please contact any member of the Festival Committee listed below. Saturday 17th June is intended as a day of family fun with activities for adults and children and a focus on the creative arts. Planned activities include: play reading; a children’s creative writing workshop; and poetry. A major feature of the day will also be demonstrations or workshops by creative people. If you are a local creative designer or craft person - of any kind – and would like to demonstrate your skills to others, please contact any member of the Festival Committee. The ethos of this year’s Melbourn Bloomsday Festival remains as in the past two years: a volunteer led community-wide festival with events (indoor and outdoor) that are free to all to attend but with a donation to the very worthwhile charity WaterAid welcomed. Melbourn History Group is mounting an exhibition showing how many of the problems in third world countries that WaterAid is trying to combat today are similar to those that affected Melbourn in the past. Equally, members of the Melbourn Short Story Reading Group, which meets weekly in the Library area of Melbourn Community Hub, will deliver several inspirational short stories as part of their contribution. Melbourn Village College is also playing its part in the proceedings – same as they have in previous years. Melbourn based traditional group, Greenshoots, with members drawn from nearby villages will close the Festival on Saturday evening. If you are active in any Group or Society which serves the Melbourn community and would wish to have an involvement, please contact any member of the Festival Committee named below. The Melbourn Bloomsday Festival is built around the international phenomenon of celebrating “Bloomsday: 16 June”. The name arises because the action of James Joyce’s famous novel Ulysses is set on 16 June 1904 and the main protagonist is Leopold Bloom. People in large cultural centres across many countries dress up on Bloomsday to re-enact and read famous scenes from the novel. In addition to readings & re-enactments in various locations in the village, Melbourn’s Bloomsday activities will include: a Free Bloomsday Breakfast; a pre-lunch concert; the famous Bloomsday Lunch and an evening concert. So, on Bloomsday: 16 June in Melbourn do join in and, if you can, dress up by wearing at least some items of 1904 style clothing (think early Downton Abbey!). For events on all other days: Come As You Are! Full Festival programme distributed with the June Melbourn Magazine. All welcome. Britta Heinemeyer (britta.heinemeyer@gmx.de); Peter Horley (p.horley@ntlworld.com); Bruce Huett (brucehuett@ compuserve.com); Eirwen Karner (01763 262346); Hugh Pollock (hugh.m.pollock@gmail.com; 01763 260253). melbournmagazine@gmail.com

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The year is 1926 and Lord and Lady Worthington-Jones open their magnificent house and invite friends, prominent acquantances and members aristocracy from across the land to attend their annual weekend retreat. However….the first delightful evening of glitz and glamour is embarrasingly interrupted when a body is found! Was it an accident or murder? What skeletons will be unveiled in the Worthington-Jones household? Come along and join MADS for a fun and fully interactive evening of murder and mystery. Prizes for the winning team who can solve the crime. Friday 19th May at Meldreth Village Hall 7.30pm Saturday 20th May at United Reformed Church hall 7.30pm Raffle and winners prizes. Licensed bar (Meldreth only) Work in teams of 6 per table. Guests are invited to dress in keeping with the times and suitable for this highly sophisticated event. Completely unscripted and improvised show so who knows what may happen? To book tickets please call

Box Office: 07513 457 845 melbournmagazine@gmail.com

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Melbourn magazine is non-profit and all work on the magazine including layout is produced by volunteers. The Magazine is published four times a year in the first week of March, June, September and December. We print 2200 copies which are delivered free to every house in the village. Advertising revenue is used for printing costs only. Adverts should be supplied as finished artwork and must be at the sizes shown below. Please send artwork to melbournmagazine@gmail.com. The current rates for advertising in the Magazine are as follows: Size per…

B/W Colour

Width x Height

1/4 inside page (79 × 128 mm) 1/2 inside page (163 × 128 mm) Full inside page (163 × 262 mm)

£105 £180 N/A

£155 £250 £480

Advertising rates are per year (four issues)

For further information on advertising please telephone 220363. Remittance or cheques should be made to Melbourn Magazine.

Melbourn Magazine Committee Editorial

Ann Dekkers

261144

Production

Peter Simmonett

220363

Distribution

Eric Johnston

220197

Information

Anne Lambert

261480

Parish Profile

Mavis Howard

260686

Proof reading

Brenda Meliniotis

261154

Colin Limming

260072

Village Diary

Brenda Meliniotis

261154

Advertisers

Page number

1st Builders / All building work - 01223 782392 38 Adaptive Services / Sales, Service & Repair - 01763 661334 57 All Eyes / Spectacle Makers - 01954 231545 16 Amber Health - 01462 490141 14 Ashton Renovations - 01763 290335 4 Bannold landscaping materials - 01954 231666 24 B.C.R / Plumbing & Heating - 01763 260007 54 Bed Store - 01763 247490 68 Bracey’s Accountants - 01223 929150 48 Bumpkins Day Nursery - 01223 208777 38 Bury Lane Farm Shop - 01763 260418 29 Bury Lane Fun Barn - 01763 260418 64 Cambourne Self Storage - 01767 676189 66 Cambridge Building Society - 01763 217510 18 Cambridge Roofers - 01223 782382 64 Cambridge Roofers/Roofline Specialists - 01223 782382 40 Carters Shoes / Quality Leather Footwear - 01223 264930 52 Chris Hornby / Mortgage Adviser - 07850 825291 57 Chris Thomas /Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning - 07830 227138 12 CHS / Local Community Services - 01763 260564 55 Clark Philips / Estate Agent - 01763 248682 24 CSL Cheap Storage Ltd - 01763 262344 14 ESSE - 01763 261000 46 Fieldgate Nurseries / Fruit & Vegetables - 01763 260737 60 Frog End pet Supplies - 01763 263342 58 Garden Design Solutions - 01763 263231 8 Greenlow Kennels - 01763 260624 2 GYC Photography family photographer - 07786 707869 26 Home Store - 01763 245888 68 Jazzercise / Body Workout - 07963 161246 16 Jeremy Ashworth / Property Maintenance - 07815 093166 62 Jeremy Rule / Funeral Service - 01763 242560 61 Just Like Wendy's / Interiors & Gifts - www.justlikewendys.co.uk 44 Kathleen Harry Osteopath - 01763 261716 44 Langford Windows - 01462 701828 62 Langham Press - 01223 870266 40 Law Storage Ltd - 01223 874629 54 Leech & Sons / Master Butchers - 01763 260255 50

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Page number

Little Hands Nursery School - 01763 260964

Melbourn Buildings & Fencing Suppliers - 01763 263336

Melbourn Dental Practice - 01763 262034

Melbourn Flooring & Interiors - 01763 262413

Melbourn Garage - 01763 263344

Melbourn Ironing Service - 01763 220996

Millside Cabinet Makers - 01763 261870

M&M Furniture - 01763 256722

Moncraft / PC Repairs & Installation - 01223 208529

Nancy Foster Footcare - 01763 261250

Newlings of Royston / Funeral Services - 01763 242375

Norburys / Building & Landscape Supplies - 01763 261740

Oven Clean / Cleaning Specialist - 07513 439604

Paul Hutley / Carpenter - 07702905915

Phillimore Garden Centre - 01763 260537 PL Cooper / Flooring Specialists - 01763 260918

2 58

Prince Property / Property Improvements - 01763 269565

Projects4 Roofing / Flat Roof - 01223 258049

Projects4Roofing / Roofing Specialist - 01223 258049

Reed Autos / Servicing & MOT - 01223 874400

Rothwell’s Carpet Cleaning - 07545 962026

Royston Complementry Health - 01763 247440

Sage / Blinds & Interiors - 01763 787464

MAGAZINE ADVERTISERS

The Melbourn magazine team would like to thank all our advertisers for their support and sponsorship

Simon Robinson / Bespoke Picture Framers - 01223 873123 66 South Cambs Motors / Servicing & Repairs - 01763 260246

St Georges Nursing Home - 01763 242243

Summit / Landscape Gardeners - 01223 929394

Taylor & Co /Chartered Accountants - 01763 248585

The Letting Centre / Property Management - 01763 263039 42 The Sheene Mill - 01763 261393

The Spice Hut / Indian Takeaway - 01763 262425

Three Counties K9 Hydrotherapy / - 01763 8383536

TTP Group - 01763 262626

Urban Plastics / Plumbing Suppliers - 07815 093166

Wrights Mower Centre / Garden Machinery - 01763 263393 60

melbournmagazine@gmail.com

Kitchens Bathrooms KI T CHENS Tiles Carpets & Flooring • Extensive kitchen, bathroom & flooring showrooms displaying a variety of de signs to suit all budgets from contemporary to traditional. • Wide range of products including the new exclusive addition “EVERHOT” electric (Aga) ovens. • Free on-site visit quotation offering a 3D design making your room come alive. • The in-store and fitting team work closely with you from your first visit through to the design, installation and completion.

01763 245888

Opening Hours Mon - Fri: 7.30am - 5.00pm

To Huntingdon A1198

Unit 5 South Close, Royston, Herts, SG8 5UH

South Close

WE ARE HERE

Road

Orchard Jewsons

Old North

y York Wa

(Ample FREE parking)

www.roystonhomestore.co.uk

Tesco

A505

Sat: 9.00am - 5.00pm Sunday: by appointment only

info@roystonhomestore.co.uk

A505

To Baldock

A10

ROYSTON TOWN CENTRE

“ A fully tailored stress free service from start to finish”

Baldock St

Mattresses Divans Bed Frames Headboards Furniture Childrens

Bedstore is an independent family run business with one aim: to offer a quality product and unique service to the local community in a personal non sales pressure environment.

01763 247490

This is reflected in the high level of Customers that come from recommendation. Why not visit the showroom and see for yourself, Kevin & Abby are on hand to help you get a better nights sleep Children’s bunk & cabin beds

Opening Hours Mon - Fri: 9.00am - 5.00pm Sat: 9.00am - 5.00pm Sunday: Closed

Pillows in stock

First Floor, Unit 5 South Close, Royston, Herts, SG8 5UH (Ample FREE parking) info@roystonbedstore.co.uk

Delivery & Collection Available

www.roystonbedstore.co.uk

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