Education

Community Education Val Tookey 260566 Little Hands Karen on 01763 260964 Melbourn Playgroup Jane Crawford 07842 151512 Notre Ecole Janet Whitton 261231 Primary School Headmaster Maynard Dunlop 223457 Toy Library Yasmin Croxford 220246 U3A (Univ. of Third Age) Chairman John Stevens 261858 Village College Warden Elaine Stephenson 223400

Melbourn Village College Adult and Community Learning Programme For 2008/2009

Art (Watercolours, Drawing and Painting, Pastels and Life Drawing); Ballroom Dancing; Driver Theory Test Training; Computing (including ITQ.); Book Keeping; Card making; Computerised Accounts; Word Processing; e-type (Touch Typing); Childcare Diploma; AAT Accounting; Personal Finance; First Aid; CIEH Food Hygiene; Embroidery; Digital Photography; Flower Arranging; Ceramics; Photography; Garden Design; Badminton (day); Yoga Languages offered are French; Italian; Spanish; Russian and Chinese; Also Maths, English, Sociology and Psychology; G.C.S.E.’s; & N.V.Q.’s in Administration, Customer Service, I.T., Management. Further details from the Adult Learning Team on 01763 260566 Fax 01763 223408 Email: comed@mvc.org.uk Further details on our Website: www.mvc.org.uk

Melbourn Village Collage

The College celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2009. To celebrate the occasion, a number of events will be taking place to mark the occasion. These include:

Saturday 11th. October 2008- ‘Auction of Promises’

Saturday 5th. September 2009-A giant ‘Tea Party’ and exhibition on the Willow Lawn

In addition, we hope to produce a number of commemorative items:- a book of memories and photographs, and a CD-ROM. We are also asking our current students to help to design a new stained glass window for the front of the Main Hall. If you are able to supply any old photographs, memorabilia or anecdotes about the College, or if you are able to offer a prize for the ‘Auction of Promises’, please contact Mrs. Janine Savage, Warden’s PA, on office@mvc.org.uk . If you would like to record your memories of MVC for a commemorative CD, please contact Vanessa Mann on vanessa.mann@which.net. We are also asking former members of the College to contribute £10 (or more) towards the ‘£50K for 50 Years’ campaign. If you would like to make a contribution, please send a cheque to Mrs Denise Norman-Dent, the College Bursar.

Holocaust Survivor

On the 6th. June, we were privileged to receive a visit from Eva Clark who came to speak to all of our Year 9 students. Eva was born in Mauthausen Concentration Camp in Austria, in April 1945. Eva and her mother were the only survivors from their family, 15 members of whom were killed in Auschwitz: 3 of Eva’s grandparents, her father, uncles, aunts and her 7-year old cousin, Peter. Though still a baby, Eva Clark gleaned much from her mother’s memories and from her subsequent research into her family’s tragic history. It was an unforgettable and moving experience to hear her speaking; she held the Year 9s spellbound for well over an hour.

Another busy term in the visual and performing arts. We were delighted that the Arts Council decided to award MVC its prestigious Gold Artsmark once again, the third occasion on which we have received recognition for the range and quality of arts education at the college.

College staff and students recently toured Europe as part of a highly successful musical expedition; performances of ‘Sparkle Shark’ and ‘Romeo and Juliet’ entertained an audience of parents and fellow students; ‘Dance Mania’ was a huge success, whilst a group of Key Stage 3 and 4 boys made it through to the finals of the National Breakdance Championships.

MVC students in the Village

We have been concerned to receive reports of a small minority of MVC students going in to the village at lunchtimes. The only students who have permission to be in the village are those who have a lunchtime pass- and there are only about 15 of those! Indeed, the lunchtime pass gives permission to students to go straight home for lunch, not to go to the chip shop. We take our responsibilities seriously and have a duty of care to exercise. To this end, we have asked local shopkeepers not to serve College students at lunchtimes. Nor do we want our students to cause nuisance to local residents, particularly the elderly residents in Vicarage Close. If any readers see College students in the village at lunchtimes, please contact us- we’ll come to fetch them! Andrew Allsworth Deputy Warden

A Magical Evening!

The 2008 Year 11 MVC prom was a seriously glamorous affair! The theme was ‘Princes and Princesses’ and the huge crowd that awaited the arrival of the ‘ball goers’ could have rivalled any crowd waiting to see royalty. They were not disappointed. The variety of ‘carriages’ used for transport was incredible! There were limousines, sports cars, horse and carriages, a tractor, a tank, motor bikes, scooters and space hoppers. Each arrival was greeted with the red carpet treatment – enthusiastic cheers from the crowd and a beautifully presented white rose – a button hole for the boys and a full bloom for the girls.

The outfits were spectacular. The boys looked very handsome in their suits. Most went for the traditional ‘James Bond’ tuxedo, however there were a few who chose to be a little more individual. There were two dashing kilt wearers and one young man successfully chose to mix the formal suit look with a pristine white baseball cap and trainers. Of course the girls all looked absolutely beautiful. There was a full range of styles – some opted for the full-length sequinned ‘princessstyle’ gown, some went for a more ‘Hollywood film star’ look and some chose to add a modern twist to the traditional knee length prom dress with up-to-the-minute accessories such as huge bows and fabulous shoes. The local hairdressers and beauticians must have made a fortune that day – and it was worth every penny!

The venue was the school hall which had been transformed into a ballroom decked out in purple and gold. The students were then served by the teachers with a formal dinner which had been organised and prepared by the wonderful Mrs Gregory. Then it was time for Head boy Tom Preston and Head girl Katie Dean to raise a toast to Mrs Gregory, Mr Pullin and the prom committee before beginning the prestigious awards ceremony. Awards had been voted for by the students earlier in the year and among the winners were Aiden Thompson for being ‘Most likely to be a millionaire’, Annie Lee and Ollie Flint for ‘Best hair’ and Josh Dinnewell and Laura Morris for being the ‘funniest’.

After the awards, the disco and casino officially began and the night flew by. Notable moments include Tom Preston’s entertaining ‘turn on the mike’, Mike Everett’s amazing dance display and the mysterious case of the missing kilt! Carriages arrived at around 11.30 and each student left with a luxury gift bag containing sweets, glow bracelets and a bottle of champagne (well the miniature kind that blows bubbles!). It was a fantastic evening that was a real credit to the organisers and a fitting celebration of a memorable, talented and extremely pleasant year group that will be missed by the school. Nina Bailey

Workers’ Educational Association (WEA)

Courses resumed in September 2008 at Royston Town Hall so it will probably be too late to enrol by the time this magazine comes out. However there will be further courses starting early in January so contact Doreen Wood on 01763 242230 or David Allard on 01763 242677 for details of the courses. 10 mornings of 11/2 hours each. Fee £43.

U3A

Melbourn & District University of the Third Age

Our monthly programme of meetings at the Village College is well documented in the calendar pages of the magazine and is well attended. The activities of U3As up and down the country have been well publicised in recent weeks and only today I was reading in a national newspaper that there are over 635 branches and over 205,000 members who join for friendship and the chance to learn a language or a skill at much cheaper rates than many other organizations..

At the Village Fete I was talking to a man who said that he had been looking for a German conversation class and that the local U3A seemed just the answer! Our own U3A has more than 400 members and some 25 learning and recreational groups so if you are looking for a little more learning or some exercise or just company why not ring 260399 or 222486 and find out more. Colin Limming