Issue 58 Summer 2009

...editorial Summer at last, and rumoured to be a good one this year!

As usual there is plenty happening in Melbourn, and happily, most of it good. The Stockbridge Riverside Park will be officially opened this summer and the Library has a little more time in which to find a new home (see page 7).

Of course examinations are taking place now, and we wish students all the very best, with a fun time to follow afterwards.

Congratulations to Derrick Thurley who has recently celebrated 50 years as organist at the United Reformed Church, and has no plans to retire yet. (See page 43) Sadly, volunteers at the Infant Welfare Clinic have been obliged to retire, for health and safety reasons. This brings to a close almost 70 years of volunteer work at the clinic. (See page 8) The Magazine has something to celebrate!. At the annual Village and Community Magazine Awards, run

by Cambridge Building Society, at the conference centre at Marshall Airport in Cambridge, in March, we won the large village category for the second year running; to our great surprise!

We are very grateful for the support and encouragement given to village publications by the Cambridge Building Society. The shield will be on display in the Parish Office, and the £500 prize money will be put towards further improvements in the magazine.

We would like to offer our congratulations to the Orwell Bulletin, which won the small village category; and to Meldreth Matters which was awarded a highly commended certificate.

Congratulations also to Moorlands Court for receiving a top five star rating from South Cambridgeshire District Council’s environmental health team which made an unannounced inspection during April.

Please note, that we need more volunteers to help with distribution of the magazine, see p.

Enjoy the summer!

Apart from printing, all work on the Melbourn Magazine, including layout and design is produced by volunteers. The cost of production comes entirely from advertising and sponsorship.

No public money is used.

Very Important Date!

Saturday 4th July Official Opening of Stockbridge Riverside Park Look out for detailed information nearer the date.

Village News

5

Parish Council

13

Safer Melbourn

17

Education

21

What’s on

29

Village information

31

Important Numbers

32

Diary

33

Nature

37

Profile: Janice Guest

39

Church News

43

Sports & Clubs

47

Feature The Legacy of a WW 2 Officer

53

Feature Looking Back By a Country Copper

55

Feature Advertisements competition July 1933

Letter to the Editor

59 59

melbournmagazine

ABOUT MELBOURN

THE MAGAZINE

PARISH COUNCIL

FREE WEBSITE OFFER

PICTURE GALLERY

GUESTBOOK

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FREE website offer for local clubs and organisations!

The Melbourn village website has undergone a number of changes since it began in 2000. Now sleeker in design and more efficient it offers more for the village community and a chance for local clubs and organisations to operate their own website! The site uses software that makes it easy for anyone familiar with Microsoft Word or any word processing programme to maintain their site.

The website will be designed and prepared for you, to meet your clubs style using pictures and logos. All you have to do is keep your site updated with meetings, latest club news and photographs.

To help you understand how to use your site, a simple ‘Crib sheet’ containing all the instruction needed will be supplied. Additional help is available, we can come along and give you a few pointers or talk you through any problems on the telephone.

For more information email: mag@melbourn.org.uk or telephone Peter Simmonett on 01763 220363

www.melbourncambridge.co.uk

Magazine Distribution Help Requested River Mel Restoration Group Village Fete Vicarage Close Library Infant Welfare Centre Volunteers National Trust Allotment Association History Group Melbourn and Meldreth Self Help Group Meldreth Over-60s Royston & District Local History Society British Legion Update Continuing Changes at Meldreth Station Lifeboats RNLI Royston & District Family History Society Melbourn and Meldreth Women’s Group Disabled Children And Social Care Were You There?

Sam Howell pollarding a willow.

Photo by Steve Hawkins

Magazine Distribution Help Requested Three Group Leaders are wanted to collect magazines from me quarterly and distribute the specified numbers to people who will in turn deliver them to residents.

The first Group leader would collect about 500 magazines and divide them up, and either take them to, or arrange for them to be collected by, eight deliverers.

The second Group Leader would similarly distribute about 500 magazines to seven deliverers and the third Group Leader would distribute about 280 magazines to five deliverers.

Additional reserve Group Leaders and deliverers would also be welcome.

Eric Johnston 220197

River Mel Restoration Group News from the Riverbank If you walk alongside the River Mel you will have seen the new in-river structures, which have been installed by the River Mel Restoration Group (RMRG) volunteers.

These structures, called revetments, have been placed on some of the bends of the river where it flows behind Melbourn Village College. The revetments are designed to speed the flow of the river so as to scour its bottom and expose its natural chalky bed. This improves the habitat for invertebrates, fish and other wildlife. These ‘soft structures trap silt and as marginal plants establish themselves they consolidate the structure. In other places, where the bank has been eroded, we are reinforcing it with logs so as to prevent further erosion. In the same area, where the banks are bare of vegetation they have been reseeded with a specialised meadow grass and wildflower mixture.

Willow Pollarding

Dates of future work parties in Melbourn: Saturday 6th June Saturday 18th July Saturday 5th September

On the advice of the Ecology Officer for South Cambridgeshire District Council we have pollarded a group of four willows. Pollarding prolongs the life of a willow so it lives long beyond is normal lifespan, as well as helping to create many unusual niches for wildlife. Re-growth is usually rapid and the trees should soon regain their characteristic volume. Willow pollarding is not a job for the amateur, so the RMRG were fortunate in obtaining grant aid for this work from the Cambridge and Peterborough Biodiversity Partnership to enable the work to be carried out by local tree surgeon Sam Howell.

As well as benefiting the trees, none of the cut wood will be wasted. The logs will be used to construct an otter holt and the remainder used in the reinforcement of the riverbank. The smaller branches (brashings) will be used to backfill the revetments and act as silt traps.

The RMRG is an open community group and we always extend a warm welcome to new members. Why don’t you come along and see what we are doing at one of our working parties? We meet at the Pavilion on Melbourn Recreation Ground at 9.15am for a 9.30am start. We also hope to have an information stall at Melbourn Fête on the 27th June - see you there!

For further information telephone Maureen Brierley on 01763 262752 or email: info@rivermel.com www.rivermel.com melbournmagazine

Melbourn Village Fete Saturday 27th June 2009 from 1pm to 6pm and Music on the Moor from 6pm until late

DID YOU KNOW We now have a: Butcher, Baker, Greengrocer, Fishmonger ... and Grocery Stall every Wednesday and Saturday.

Other products available include: Linen Swimming Pool Supplies Jewellery Hardware Kitchenware Plastics Books Ladies and Gents Clothing Bric A Brac and Wooden Wildlife Supplies.

Come and visit the home of the: Royston Sausage – try before you buy.

NEWS UPDATES Pet Supplies, Giftware and Traditional Wooden Toys coming soon!

The final preparation for this year’s fete is well under way.

During the afternoon we have already attracted all the usual clubs and societies from the village plus a few newcomers, all with a varied selection of stalls hoping to raise much needed funds. We have also booked a wide range of fairground attractions for all ages to enjoy, from a 60 foot inflatable assault course for the more adventurous to the normal bouncy castle, slide and roundabouts for the little ones. For the less energetic of us we have the crazy golf course back and new for this year an archery range, so hopefully we will have something for all the family to enjoy.

Also throughout the afternoon we have booked some central arena attractions for all those in the family that would just like to watch others get hot and bothered in the mid-day sun from an amazing Birds of Prey display to the very energetic Gail Henry Dancers and if that has not worn you out we will have the ever popular tug of war. We also have back after its debut last year the Lawnmower racing (there is still time to book your place and take part, contact details for an application below). You will all see and hear new for this year Barber Shop Quartet that will be performing during the fete. The River Mel Restoration Project team will also be getting their feet very wet with a demonstration most of the afternoon showing us all what we are missing by our river and would very much welcome you all to come have a look.

The music event for the evening now has a full cast list, from the well known Lipstick Torpedo to Old Gregg (a local youth band) to ‘BOB’, which includes some of the teachers from Melbourn Village College and the MVC Big Band. They all will I am sure keep us entertained for the evening with a good mix of music for all our tastes. As this is a first for the village and the Fête we hope you all will stay for the evening and support all the bands and us. Also, you will still be able to take advantage of refreshments from the bar and barbeque well into the evening.

The fete committee is always looking to build on the success of the previous year and bring all the community together for one very special family fun day out for all ages that will be remembered and talked about all year. As you can imagine this takes a lot of organising and taking into consideration the size of this years’ event, if you can spare some time for a worthy and rewarding cause, whether it be a few hours or more please contact us as below.

We would also like to thank all of our sponsors so far this year for their generosity. A full list is available on our web-site, with links.

Melbourn Village Fete Committee Contact Details: Jayne White (Fundraiser) 220250 or Jaynewhite1@ntlworld.com Brian Collingbourne (Chair) 263115 or Melbournfete@aol.com www.melbournfete.co.uk

www.melbourncambridge.co.uk

Melbourn Library These are exciting times for the Melbourn Library. Since the beginning of the year we have had the help of three new members on the Committee. Jocelyn Robson has taken over the vacant position of Chairperson, Donald Mowatt has joined us as the liaison person linking us with the Parish Council and Susan Van de Ven has joined us with connections to Meldreth and the South Cambs District Council. These new members have rejuvenated the committee and caused us to set ambitious new targets.

We have obtained agreement from the County Council that we can continue to use the existing building provided we undertake responsibility for its maintenance and general upkeep for two more years. The Parish Council has agreed to underwrite us if the cost of the works is in excess of funds available to the Library. We have surveyed the building and decided that it needs some strengthening of its wall panels at low level and repairs to the ramp leading to the entrance. Fortunately the repairs to the wall panels and the ramp are relatively simple to do and should be complete by the time you read this. It will be necessary to paint the new exterior woodwork and we have decided that we should repaint the whole outside of the building and the handrails beside the ramp. We will also take the opportunity to repaint the entrance doors. Work should be completed soon.

We have a limited time in which to find a way to continue the operation of the Library after the end of 2010. We have several options, which need to be explored.

Ideally we would like to move to a site nearer to the centre of the village. There are two possible sites the first is on part of the main car park while the second is on a part of the Police Station Site. The Police have indicated to the Parish that they will be selling the site to the 100 Houses Housing Association. The Library will be dependant on being offered accommodation in a building provided by the Parish Council, which would also accommodate a Police Office, the Parish Council Office and the Parish Room. If these options fail then there might be an opportunity to rebuild on the existing site.

In the meantime we are aiming to improve the operation and appearance of the existing building. We have plans to hold a Story Time reading for young children. We are currently researching what might be provided and are asking our readers and the various providers of childcare in the village for their input. We have already had a visit from the Melbourn Play Group, which was very successful, about fifteen children and five leaders attended. One of the leaders read to the children and they loved it. We would like to hear from parents and carers with their suggestions for a story time group. We have a questionnaire available at the counter. Please fill one in if you would like us to develop this sort of facility. We think there might be two groups with the younger group concentrating on rhymes and song and the older children having perhaps half an hour of story time.

We remind everyone that even though we are doing well and our turnover is increasing that it is vitally important to increase usage still further in order to be able to maintain support from the County Library Service in these hard times. The Library Service is changing the way books are supplied so that a proportion of the books issued to us will be current best sellers. Previously we had to wait a significant time before these new books could be issued to us. There has been a considerable increase in reading groups and we now have the system working well. We would be pleased to supply other reading groups. The Library Service is very keen to see us continue in operation as the LAPs have generally proved a success.

We are engaging with the various county schemes this summer starting with Book a Day in May and continuing with the Children’s Summer Reading Scheme. The Book a Day in May is run in conjunction with the media who advertise the book for each day. We will have lists of the books and hope to be able to obtain them quickly but we need you to book them early to make it possible. We have a delivery of books every Monday so if you need a book it is best to order it by the preceding Monday.

COFFEE STOP Every Saturday 10.30am to 12noon Rombouts coffee & biscuits for 70p at All Saints’ Community Hall Our opening times are unchanged and are as follows: Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays from 2.30 till 4.30pm Thursdays from 5.00 till 7.00pm Saturdays from 10.00 till 12.00am We urgently need some new Volunteers to help run the Library as three of our team have moved away. We find it an enjoyable task, which provides a useful service to the Village. Please contact Mike Stapleton for details.

Mike Stapleton (261241) www.melbourncambridge.co.uk/library/

Melbourn Infant Welfare Centre Volunteers After almost 70 years of volunteer help at the Infant Clinic, it has now been decided for reasons of Health and Safety that it is no longer acceptable for nonprofessionals to be involved in this work.

Subsequent to a luncheon party at Ely Maltings at which those who had served 20 years or more were thanked for their contribution, there was a final Tea Party held at the Clinic on Wednesday 29th April. The ladies were once more thanked for their invaluable work and were presented with bouquets.

Over the years the volunteers had been responsible for weighing and recording the weights of the babies, providing tea and coffee for mothers and toys to keep siblings occupied while mothers had the opportunity to discuss

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problems with the nurses. Modern day concerns about the risk of injury, health problems etc. however meant that volunteers could no longer handle the babies, provide refreshments or toys and in 2008 they were required to have police vetting to ensure they were suitable to carry out the job they had done for 20 years!

The Ministry of Health originally gave approval for the Centre in 1939 with a grant of £10 and £4 towards expenses.

It was housed in the A.R.P. Centre and prams were accommodated in the garage of the Rose Inn that also provided water when required. In its first session it served 29 local children and 12 evacuees. Over subsequent years it continued to function in a variety of venues including the Congregational Church schoolroom, the Baptist Church schoolroom, the Village College and finally in Orchard Road.

In 1942, there were 59 toddlers and 20 babies on the Centre’s books and in 1948 the villages of Heydon, Chishill and North Hall were included with attendees brought in by taxi! The shop that the

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Centre had operated since 1939 for the convenience of mothers brought in £1000 in 1981 but doctors at the time asked for certain products to be removed from sale as they contained too much sugar and salt and in1998 the sale of powdered milk was stopped.

The Minutes of the Baby Clinic will be kept in the village archives in the Parish Council Office.

The volunteers: Beryl Pinney (Health Visitor until 1998), Lilian Tan, Anne Perry, Margaret Burbridge, Doreen Johnston, Judith Ward, Peggy Wright, Helen John, Ann Hardiman and Janet Wise

Vicarage Close The first few months have gone very quickly at Vicarage Close, starting in January when we had a very enjoyable coffee morning with Christopher South and his wife causing many laughs with their ‘travel tales’. We also had a clothes sale which was very successful plus we held our regular coffee mornings and lunches. We were also pleased to be asked by Melbourn Village College along with other local organisations, to design a glass tile, as part of their 50th anniversary celebrations. We will be receiving our own designed glass tile which we can display in the community centre.

We held an Easter morning, and apart from the delicious cakes, and a raffle, the Easter Bunny left Easter Eggs for the residents. Our morning was highlighted by Ray Ellis who came along to talk to us about ‘Old Melbourn’ and to show slides of the village, it was fascinating to see how Melbourn has changed over the years, although many parts were still recognisable. Some residents remember ‘Old Melbourn’ as they have always lived here and indeed recognised some of the characters who were in the pictures shown. The morning was much enjoyed by all.

We are planning a trip to Scotsdale Garden Centre in May and will be having a lunch there to round off the morning, and we hope to have more ‘special’ coffee mornings in the future.

Continued thanks to all who support our recycling at Vicarage Close, any money raised helps funds at the Children’s Hospice or helps local causes, which is much needed in the current climate.

We welcomed Amy Burdett, who is the new Sheltered Housing Officer at Meldreth. Amy has met Vicarage Close residents and will be one of the team who cover in my absence.

Thanks to all who support Vicarage Close in any way.

Joy Hyde, Lead Sheltered Housing Officer at Vicarage Close Mon to Fri 9.am to 1.30pm 01763 263389

National Trust Morning tours of Wimpole Hall are now in full swing and most of the groups are full to capacity so it is wise to get to the ticket office early to book a place. The volunteers lead parties round the ground floor and basement of the mansion describing the various rooms and their uses with anecdotes about the people who formerly lived there.

Favourite amongst these is the story of Charles Philip Yorke the 5th Earl of Hardwicke, who managed to lose £300,000 by working on the principle of “fast women and slow horses”. That sum of money is equal to £18 million today! It’s funny how people liked to hear about the rogues and villains of any property.

The lambing season was another success and it is clear that many local people are not venturing too far afield but are content to come to Wimpole to picnic, look at the Hall and the Farm and generally relax in the wide open spaces.

The local Royston & Saffron Walden National Trust Association has now finished its indoor monthly meetings and is concentrating on outings until September when the indoor programme starts again.

Colin Limming

Allotment Association Several allotment plot holders met on Thursday April 23rd at Melbourn College (kindly facilitated by one of the Parish Councilors). The meeting unanimously agreed to the setting up of an Association and officers were appointed to take the matter forward. The Chairman of Royston Allotment Association and Karen Kenny (Regional Rep from the Eastern Region of the National Association of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners) spoke and outlined the advantages and what was involved in the formation of an association.

More information (and photos) in the autumn edition.

Melbourn History Group Having already processed the baptismal rolls for eventual access on the village website, the group is now busy doing the same job for Melbourn marriages. It is a job that requires much concentration and we find that a page at a time or a timed period is enough for one day especially when we have to try and decipher some of the weird and wonderful spellings of names that now probably appear in another form in the local telephone directory. Wedd often appears as Webb, Stanford can be written Standford but we are duty bound to write it as it appears.

It is also significant that even by the mid 19th century many of the registers have the name followed by (x) signifying that the man or woman could not even write their own name and quite often the witnesses have to do the same.

Sometimes a string of weddings have the same name without an (x) acting as a witness and we can only think that a better educated member of the congregation was called in to act as a witness.

It is amusing that a person living in Fowlmere who perhaps married a woman in Melbourn is described as a resident of Foulmire which is perhaps a name that people living in our neighbouring village don’t care to remember!

Momentous years in our history such as 1805 (Battle of Trafalgar) or 1815 (Waterloo) often coincide with marriages when the celebrations might have been interrupted by the arrival of the mail coach with news of a famous victory.

It’s that thought that makes what can be rather a monotonous job worthwhile.

Colin Limming, Chairman www.melbourncambridge.co.uk/history/

Melbourn and Meldreth Self Help Group Since the publication of the last magazine, we have had a very significant change at Lunch Club. Mary our cook has left us to start a new life in New Zealand. melbournmagazine

for up to 32 people. This all came by way of Councillor Janice Guest’s help. With her contacts there and Moorlands new management wanting to get involved with the community, we have come to a mutually agreeable arrangement. All our diners have been very impressed with the food and thank the two cooks, Sabina and Dawn for their work.

We look forward to the summer months and a bit of warmth. Thanks as always to all the kitchen helpers and drivers. Without you lunch club would not be able to operate.

Jayne White

Meldreth Over-60s

Janice on behalf of the council presented Mary with a community award at the Melbourn and Meldreth Self Help Group

Mary cooked her last lunch for us on the 26th February. Many friends gathered in Vicarage Close to say goodbye after lunch had been served. People who had had anything to do with lunch club over the last 13 years and had helped in anyway came to join us to wish Mary on her way. Ray Boot made a fantastic cake wishing her good luck, together with many other offerings from very kind helpers. Thank you all.

Council representatives, Irene Bloomfield, Janice Guest, and Val Barrett joined us, and Janice on behalf of the council presented Mary with a community award, together with a cheque.

Lunch Club had a collection and gave her New Zealand dollars to take with her to buy something of her, and her husband’s choice when settled. The total amount was equivalent to £250. They also took with them the collection of Melbourn books kindly donated by the History Society. It was a very enjoyable lunch for all our diners and most importantly, for Mary.

For two weeks, lunch was provided by Tom Jackson (07788561887). Tom does outside catering and can provide food for up to 250 people. He also does small dinner parties. He did us a great service and we thank him for that.

Now, we are getting our food from Moorlands Court. Lunch Club has bought an extra hot box in which to transport the food, and together with boxes of their own, provides us with a two course meal www.melbourncambridge.co.uk

Would you like to join us? I am Marian Oakey, the chairperson of Meldreth Over 60s Club. We have just started our new programme which includes speakers from Airambulance, Royston Museum,Cambridge Evening News, Mr Ketteringham, a visit to Scotsdales, a garden party, a beetle drive and the ever popular bingo.

This November our club will celebrate 50 years and we shall have a big party to celebrate.

We meet on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month from 2.30 to 4.30 pm, in the community room Elin Way, where comfortable chairs and a nice cup of tea and biscuits await you. Hope that you can come along, we look forward to meeting you.

Marian (01763 261181)

Royston & District Local History Society Our meetings are held in the Heritage Hall, Royston Town Hall starting at 8pm. It costs only £5 for an annual subscription (Sept-August) Visitors are welcome £2. Our evening meetings have now ended and we resume again on 1st October 2009.

Our coach outing to Greenwich, which includes a boat trip on the river Thames is on Saturday 13th June. Non-members are welcome and, should you be interested, please request details from David Allard 01763 242677 as it is possible that there may still be places.

The Royston Cave in Melbourn Street, which has many interesting medieval carvings, is open on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays 2.30pm – 5pm until the end of September and also on Wednesday afternoons in August. Admission is £3 (concessions £2) and accompanied children are free. Tickets must be purchased from the Cave Bookshop adjacent to the Cave.

Our website has been considerably updated and, in particular, shows all the books we have for sale. Many of these result from the considerable work undertaken by our publications sub-committee. The books are available from David Allard 01763 242677 or may be purchased at the Royston & District Museum in Kneesworth Street, Royston. www.roystonlocalhistory.org.uk

British Legion Update One or two changes have come about involving the Melbourn and Meldreth Branch of the Royal British Legion.

The first is that I will not be the Poppy Appeal Organiser for the next appeal. I already do the job of Chairman and Secretary and do not feel inclined to take on any extra work involving a considerable amount of time.However, John Chamberlain will continue dealing with Meldreth and Shepreth.

The powers that be have decided that the Poppy Appeal will continue until the 30th September after which we should get the final total of our collections. Our collection to date is £5,646.59. Our Branch was recently awarded the Silver Rose Bowl for having the highest increase in collections in the County. Well done everyone!

Legion meetings are now to be held every two months, instead of monthly, at the usual time of 7.30 pm at Vicarage Close.

Anyone interested in becoming a Poppy Appeal Organiser please contact me on 01763 262617 and I will be only too pleased to put you in the picture.

Patrick Parkinson Chairman/Secretary Melbourn & Meldreth Branch Royal British Legion.

British Legion Women’s Branch In March members had a cake and tombola stall at the Coffee Stop to raise funds for the Branch, and a further 2 cake sales are booked for June and September.

We plan to make a day trip in July.

Anyone wishing to join the Branch may contact either Mrs A Neaves (01763 260110) or Mrs E Murphy (01763 220841)

Lifeboats RNLI Last time I wrote news of RNLI our local group was preparing our activities for the year ahead. It is quite difficult to be thinking so far ahead to the months of June, July and August (it is April as I write this). Planning ahead certainly eats the year up (or is it a sign of age when time races on?)

We will have had, hopefully, a successful street collection by the time you read this, and be concentrating on souvenir selling, box collecting and attending any shows where RNLI can be represented.

Sadly we received a blow in the shape of a letter from Duxford. We have sold souvenirs every event day for more years than I can remember – our stall being set up next to the Jessie Lumb retired Lifeboat, (which we gave to Duxford) in one of the hangars. Now, it seems that due to other traders attempting to sell their goods in hangars without permission, we are all to be put together in a ‘traders area’ outside, ‘to be fair to everyone’.

Perhaps if we were a business and had a regular stall to erect things would be different, but we are now faced with finding a shelter of some sort to cover our souvenirs (and ourselves) in case of inclement weather. Remonstrating with those in authority has proved fruitless, no matter that we have manned the Jessie Lumb for about 20 years. How sad that everyone has to suffer for the irresponsible behaviour of a few.

One could say, however, that RNLI can overcome ‘Force 10’ gales, so no doubt we will overcome this setback and you will see us peddling our wares as usual on Flying Days. We will have a bucket there for donations to our tent, so we do hope that you will feel generous.

Here’s to a hot and dry summer Jean Eames Secretary Royston Branch (01763 245958)

Continuing Changes at Meldreth Station There has been a productive meeting on site with First Capital Connect to look at improvements for disabled access. Steps are being taken toward a possible ramp connecting the footpath on the Melbourn side of the station to the southbound platform. Disabled access from the car park, after much delay, looks set to go ahead with perhaps a proper ramp rather than just the long-anticipated dropped kerb.

Ticket machine vandalism has been a problem everywhere, though this is perhaps not as important as the long-term issue of unreadable screens and general unreliability of machines. Passenger Focus, the watchdog group, has told us directly that they are taking a serious look at the problem.

I’ve been contacted by the chairman of the East Anglia branch of Rail future – the rail users group – and we will be meeting on May 5th at Meldreth Station to discuss working together.

At the time of writing this article, we still don’t know when the new hours at the booking office are to take effect. We are not pressing for information on this, as it seems best to leave things alone – let’s hope the delay continues!

I met First Capital Connect’s cycle wheeling channel man at the station, with his bike and mine. He had no trouble getting his bike – a simple mountain bike with no baskets – over the pedestrian bridge bicycle wheeling channel. In contrast, I’ve never been able to get my bike, which is heavy and laden with baskets – over the bridge.

We decided to leave the channel in place because there are clear signs of wear and tear, indicating that it is being used.

If you or your child would like to practice taking their bike over the wheeling channel – which means avoiding the Station Road vehicle bridge – to get to Meldreth or to take bikes on the train, please let me know, as I am arranging a day during the summer holidays to meet at the station for this purpose.

Children’s size bicycles are usually easier to manage.

Tackling the problem of student annual rail passes, for travel to Cambridge, is also on the list – if this is an issue that affects you and you would like more information, please get in touch.

Passenger Focus, the rail watchdog, is now evaluating feedback on severe ticket machine troubles at Foxton, Shepreth and Meldreth Stations, and indeed across the whole of FCC’s patch.

First Capital Connect has visited Meldreth Station to look at disabled access issues. FCC expressed embarrassment that the dropped kerb from the car park has still not been installed and pledged to get it done immediately. As FCC insist that the costs of a ramp or lifts on the pedestrian bridge are prohibitive, Orchard Transition Service made a clever suggestion of a small ramp from the southbound platform onto the footpath connecting the station to Melbourn and the long pedestrian route round from Meldreth. FCC were very interested in the idea and a repeat visit to investigate further has been planned.

Susan van de Ven, District Councillor, Meldreth susanvandeven@yahoo.co.uk Telephone 261833

Child and Family Nursing Team Well Baby Clinics Drop in clinics for parents and babies are held as follows: Melbourn clinic every Wednesday between 9.30 and 12 noon at: 35 Orchard Road, Melbourn Telephone 01763 262861 Cambourne clinic every Monday between 9.30 and 12 noon at: Room 12 (upstairs), Sackville House, Cambourne Telephone 01954 282830 melbournmagazine

Royston & District Family History Society We have successfully made the move to the All Saint’s Community Hall from our old home at St John’s Ambulance Hall in Royston. Just one or two of our members seem to have decided not to join us ‘over the hill’ but that has been more than compensated by the new faces from Melbourn who have come along. We continue to have a varied programme of speakers and member’s evenings. At the latter we endeavour to help each other to solve the brick walls which one finds from time to time on every family tree and at the former we enjoy a wide range of ‘experts’ in matters which would be of interest and/or assistance to family historians. For the next few months our programme is as follows: June 15th AGM with cheese & Wine July & August Summer Recess Sept 21st Eve McGlaughlin Married woman’s property and what happened when her husband died Oct 19th Member’s Evening Nov 16th My time as an evacuee Frank Holland Dec date TBA Christmas Social 2010 Jan 18th Tom Doig - Hertfordshire Railway Disasters Feb 15th Member’s Evening Mar 15th Roy Tricker - In Praise of Old Churches We open the doors at 7.30pm so people have a chance for a chat and a look at the bookstall and library table before the official business starts at 8 pm. There is a charge of £2.00 for non-members, which includes coffee or tea and biscuits.

Needless to say we would be delighted to welcome anybody who feels they may be interested. We are a very friendly group so please come and give us a look.

Avril Emery, Chair/Editor peter.emery1065@btinternet.com

Melbourn and Meldreth Women’s Group The Women’s Group is now back into the routine of alternating the monthly meetings between Melbourn and Meldreth. We have enjoyed a most interesting talk by Aubrey Butler on Pot Lids. He introduced us to the fascinating history of Prattware and showed us many lovely examples. Dorothy Pepper’s talk the following month was entitled What have I done with my life in 87 years? Needless to say the answer was ‘A lot!’ She gave us a vivid insight into a long life well lived.

At the time of writing we have yet to hold our annual Garden Party in late May. I am hoping that we have a fine evening for this at last. In recent years the normal weather has been cold and damp outside though this has not stopped it from being warm and cheerful inside.

Our summer programme is a mix, as usual. On 23rd June by popular demand we are having a second walk round historic Melbourn led by the History Group starting at 6.30pm from All Saints Church. Friends and partners are welcome to join us. On 28th July we are back to our normal start time of 7.45pm and

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we will be at Meldreth. Joy Childs’ talk is entitled Rwanda Land of 1000 Hills. On 25th August we will be back at Melbourn when one of our members, Mavis Howard, is the speaker. Her talk is entitled My love affair with cloth.

Jane Stevens

Disabled Children And Social Care Parents of children with all types of disability often face intense frustration in getting appropriate care provision from the local authority – in Melbourn’s case, Cambridgeshire County Council. A local voluntary group to help parents lobby for their children’s needs has been set up and would be happy to hear from anyone who feels that no one else is listening – and to help point them in the right direction.

Telephone or email “Pinpoint”: Tel 0751 741 9761 or mail@ pinpoint-cambs.org.uk.

Were You There?

A host of events is planned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Melbourn Village College. One project is an audio CD of reminiscences spanning the five decades. Did you or your children attend the school? Perhaps you worked at MVC, attended an evening class that changed your career, learned a language or learned to swim there? Joined in with a musical or drama? MVC would like to hear about your experiences, to help chart some of the massive social change that the college has been part of over the last half-century. Do get in touch and come to one of the Willow Walks around the college planned for June.

Contact Vanessa Mann on 01223 871628.

MELBOURN PARISH COUNCIL 28 Station Road Melbourn Cambs SG8 6DX Telephone 262494 e-mail: parishclerk@melbournpc.co.uk Chairman Donald Mowatt 23, High Street SG8 6AL

268388

Vice-Chairman Maureen Townsend 32 New Road SG8 6ER

260959

Clerk & Office Avril Mellor, 28 Station Road, SG8 6DX

262494

www.melbourncambridge.co.uk/council/

E-mail parishclerk@melbournpc.co.uk Website www.melbourncambridge.co.uk Councillors Val Barratt 2 Station Road SG8 6DX 261227 Irene Bloomfield 78 Russet Way SG8 6HF 222558 Colin Charter 58 Bramley Avenue SG8 6HG 262278 Janice Guest 1 Mortlock Street SG8 6DB 260894 Rosemary Gatward 94 High Street SG8 6AL 261225 Dean Hardingham 1 Portway SG8 6EU 232757 Michael Linette 11, Chapel Lane 262534 Donald Mowatt 23 High Street SG8 6AL 268388 Clive Purbrook Glebe House High Street SG8 6DZ 260899 Andy Kulina 77 Orchard Road SG8 6BB Jocelyn Robson 91 High Street 261633 Mike Sherwen 3 Hale Close SG8 6ET 260070 Christopher Stead 70 Russet Way 260743 pm Maureen Townsend 32 New Road SG8 6BY 260959 Richard Wakerley 32 Chalkhill Barrow SG8 6EQ 262247 Employees Handyman and Caretaker Peter Andrews Emergency mobile. 07778-682245 Village Ranger Keith Rudge, 4 Dolphin La, SG8 6AF Internal Auditor Peter Chilvers, 68A High Street, SG8 6AJ

243312

221212 260742

County Councillor David Charles McCraith 104 North End, Bassingbourn D-Rmccraith@supanet.com (send agenda by e-mail) County Hall 01223-833555 District Councillors Janice Guest, 1 Mortlock Street, SG8 6DB Val Barrett, 2 Station Road

260894 261227

South Cambs M.P. Andrew Lansley

01954 212707

South Cambs M.E.P. Robert Sturdy

01954 211790

The Parish Office at 28 Station Road, is entered by the door at the front of the building directly opposite Sheene Mill.

The Parish Office is now open on Mondays from 9 am to 1 pm, on Tuesdays from 2 pm from 4 pm, and on Thursday from 9 am to 1 pm. The office is not normally open on Wednesdays or Fridays. As the Clerk is sometimes out on Parish business it is better to ring 262494 to ensure that she is in the office.

Meetings of the Planning Committee are normally held on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of every month commencing at 7.15 pm. Council Meetings are normally held on the fourth Monday of each month at 7.15 pm at Vicarage Close Community Centre.

The Press Royston & Buntingford Mercury Tom Ship, Media Centre 40 Ware Road, Hertford, SG13 7HU 01992 526639 Royston Crow Heath House, Princes Mews, Royston, SG8 6RT 245241 Fax 242231 Cambridge News David Williams, 3 Melbourn Street, Royston, SG8 7BP 249144 Fax 244502 BBC Radio Cambridge Reception Newsroom

01223 259696 01223 358510

From the Parish Clerk – Avril Mellor I hope that by the time you read this letter we will be at the start of a long hot summer.

New Road cemetery is beginning to take shape and looked lovely with the blossom and daffodils. Tenders have gone out for the construction of a soil store and as designs for a lychgate proved disappointing, attention has now been turned to iron gates with brick pillars, and four companies have been asked to provide ideas and costs.

A new gate should have been installed during May at The Moor Play Area as the old one did not meet with current regulations.

The One-on-One Basketball Court is to be erected on the new Recreation Ground in the vicinity of the skateboard ramp. The Council are waiting for a lead time from the installation company, so hopefully if all goes well this court will be in use in the very near future.

Stockbridge Meadows Riverside Park is being well used and enjoyed by people of all ages. There has been a problem with dog-walkers who have allowed dogs off leads and not cleaned up after their dogs. The Council have placed signs on the gate and in the park informing dog-owners that there will be a total ban from 1st May on dogs in the park if these practices do not cease. At the moment it seems that dogowners are taking more responsibility for their dogs in the park.

Gates have just been ordered for the front and north east corner of The Moor Allotment. It is hoped that these will not only make the area look tidier but will also help to make it more secure. One of the allotment holders who is interested in forming an allotment association organised a meeting at the Community Centre of the Village College in April. It is felt an association would be able to benefit from the support of The National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners such as receiving advice on a variety of problems and obtaining help with applying for funding for allotment projects as well as being able to purchase reduced-price seeds.

Two annual meetings were held in May. An Annual Meeting of the Parish to which all are invited and at which anyone can speak at any time and the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council. At the latter the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Parish Council were elected. Councillors agreed which committees they wished to serve on and Parish Council representatives on village trusts, school board and charities were nominated. It is at this meeting that the numbering of agenda items changes from /08 to /09 so the first item on the agenda, the Election of Chairman to the Parish Council, is numbered 1/09.

The Council are looking into the possibility of allocating a portion of land known as the Grinnel Hill Conservation Site off London Way for BMX Trails. Work on this is in the very early stages and planning permission will have to be sought and granted before the matter is taken any further. continued on page 14

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The Freedom of Information Act deals with access to official information and gives individuals or organisations the right to request information from any public authority unless there are good reasons to keep it confidential.

The Government has issued a Model Publication Scheme, which is a commitment by a public authority to make certain information available, and a guide on how that information can be obtained. The Act and the Model Publication scheme on the Parish Council’s page of the village website (www.melbourncambridge.co.uk/council). To conform to this, I now post the minutes of the full Parish Council meetings and Planning meetings on the village website. This is a new role and one I am still getting to grips with, so please bear with me on this matter. I will try and keep this as up to date as possible.

Melbourns District Councillors’ Cllr. Janice Guest and Cllr. Val Barrett Following the Election of Val Barrett in May 2008, we have worked together on many local issues and on the occasions we both need to be at Cambourne, we travel together which saves on the expenses we claim. When Officers at South Cambs Hall see us coming, they are heard to say “Here come the Melbourn twins”, this is often to our advantage!

Always high on the list is the question of housing. We are often asked to help find housing for families who may need a larger property or want to move closer to work, schools and family. More recently, we have met families who do not

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feel they are getting the support from SCDC they need. You will no doubt be aware that SCDC will be balloting all council house tenants on the prospect of transferring the Council’s housing stock to South Cambridgeshire Housing Association.

The Council has engaged with all tenants, and they in turn, have been invited to meetings to discuss the matter. In all the information given out to the tenants, both sides of the scenario have been explained and at the end of the day, it is the tenants who will decide if the transfer is to go ahead. The advantage of transfer is that all rent monies will be available for investing locally rather than passing substantial amounts to the Government.

Planning is a regular matter brought to our attention. We both have involvement with the Planning Committee and have been able to refer some applications to the full Planning Committee having a mixture of good and not so good results.

We are always willing to speak with residents or any applicants.

Hanley Grange was a dominant issue during the summer months and SCDC added its voice to the campaign rejecting this development. There were many reasons why this project should not go ahead. Apart from the site itself, there is no infrastructure to support such a project and we are very much aware of the transport system and schooling.

We were included in a tour of the travellers’ and gypsyies’ sites in the SCDC area, which has helped us become more aware of the Council’s responsibilities and also the needs of these people. The Government has told SCDC that we have to find new sites. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find land, which could be used by them, especially as there is so much pressure on local councils to build more and more affordable housing.

As promised, and on time, the kerbside collection of plastic bottles began in October and is a resounding success, with land fill waste going down by 6% and recycling increased by 14%. This level of recycling makes us one of the best areas in the UK. This is all thanks to the residents.

We were both very concerned regarding the proposed increase in Council Tax to 4.9% and were pleased that the Council agreed on 4.5%, details of which we are sure you are all very much aware, from the South Cambs Magazine and local press. It was gratifying to see that SCDC didn’t have any funds deposited with the Icelandic Banks.

Melbourn Community Sports is one of three swimming pools in South Cambs to offer free swimming to the under 16s and over 60s. This should help our residents to participate in sporting activities and, at the same time, become healthier.

We have given our full support to the plans to have BMX Trails at the Grinnel Hill Pocket Park and, we are pleased to say that the planning application has been lodged with planning registration for change of use from a pocket park to a recreational area. We are personally looking forward to seeing this project progress, as it will be an asset to Melbourn and allow the young people somewhere permanent to ride their BMX bikes.

At its February Meeting, the Council passed a motion

opposing the congestion charge in Cambridge. The view of the Council is that such a charge will impinge unfairly on South Cambs residents, a number of whom will still not have access to a viable public transport alternative to the car even after the improvements proposed by the County Council have been introduced. The Leader and New Communities Portfolio Holders have, since then, reinforced this position in evidence given to the Independent Transport Commission set by the County Council.

You will have noticed that we have been successful in getting barriers on the entrance to Black Peak, New Road. This is part of an overall plan to make a circular walk for Melbourn.

These barriers will allow walkers to use and will prevent travellers setting up unauthorized camps. We hope, therefore, that walkers will take advantage of this area.

In March, we had the privilege of being invited to a Reception and Briefing given by 16 Air Assault Brigade on their return from Operations in Afghanistan at Homerton College.

This was most enlightening, learning about the massive amount of work going on to build hospitals and schools etc. in incredible conditions.

For your information, we are members of the following Committees: Planning, Sub-Planning, Scrutiny & Overview; Scrutiny & Overview Committee Monitor for Housing Portfolio Holder; Scrutiny & Overview Committee Monitor for Planning Portfolio Holder; Licensing, Planning & New Committees, Corporate Governance

Melbourn Mobile Warden Scheme I must apologise to those of you who have missed my usual report in the Magazine, but doubtless, knowing how information gets round this village, you may know that I have suffered several strokes.

These have affected my balance and I now find it difficult to walk without falling over. Margo however keeps me informed of how you are all getting on, or not as the case may be.

Due to the death and/or entry into various homes, I am now looking for people to join the committee. We meet about three times a year, if anyone is interested they contact me on 220402. Also, for the reasons I have stated we have vacancies which now enable us to take on more clients.

There is no restriction, the subscription is £3.00 per week.

With your interests in mind I have been very much against the sale of Council Houses to a Housing Association who are neither philanthropic societies or charities, but big businesses.

I suggested to the Council some two years ago that we should turn our housing department into a housing association and be able to keep 100% of the rent instead of 50%. I understand that this is now what they are suggesting. And so I would withdraw my objection to the scheme.

V.M. Trueman, Chairman M.M.W.S.

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M&M BOOKS CASH PAID for Old and Modern Books Also Purchased Coins, Medals, Postcards, China, Cigarette Cards, Jewellery, Furniture, Old Toys & Cars, Stamps, Programmes, Glass, Comics, Collectables

Phone 01763 849789 Mobile 07761 911730

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Melbourn’s new Pc Pc Rachael Mallender I am Pc Rachael Mallender and I will be the replacement beat officer for Pc Andy Bates. I joined the Melbourn/Bassingbourn policing team on 14th April 2009 and have been shadowing Andy since then in order to get a feel for the role and to familiarise myself with the area and local issues.

I have been a police officer since January 2004 and my policing role since then has been as a reactive police officer, attending incidents over South Cambridgeshire as and when they are reported. During my time as a reactive officer between March 2005 and Oct 2007 I was based at Sawston Police Station to cover the area from Newmarket to Odsey up to Gamlingay and back to The Shelfords and the encompassed villages (including Melbourn).

I am looking forward to taking over from Andy after his impending departure and endeavour to continue his high standard of village policing. I can be contacted at Sawston Police Station by calling the non-emergency tel 0845 4564564 or by e-mail at Rachael.Mallender@cambs.pnn.police.uk Rachael

Melbourn Police Station Melbourn Police Station opening hours have changed as follows: Mon. 10.00 – 12.00 19.00 – 21.00 Tues. 10.00 – 12.00 Thurs. 10.00 – 12.00 The office is staffed by volunteers at the above times, but this is always subject to change.

Your team is made up of the following officers: PCSO John Coppard, PCSO Carly Freed, Sgt Mark Kathro, PCSO Shaun White and PC Andy Bates. Not in the picture Pc Rachael Mallender and PCSO Paul Lancaster. Photo supplied by Cambridgeshire Constabulary

Solving the problem Cambridgeshire has one of the lowest rates of crime and disorder in the country but if you’re the victim of crime or have to suffer the effects of anti social behaviour (ASB) then this fact probably offers little comfort.

As you might expect Melbourn gets its share of crime and ASB, it is a large and busy village after all. But it may surprise you to know, that based on the number of incidents reported to the police, one area stands out as having more of a problem than any other in the village, or even this part of the county, making it one of South Cambs ASB hot spot areas.

The problem area is the section of the High Street which includes the car park and, ironically, the police station.

Reasons for this go back many years, in fact they go back so long that some in the village just see the problem as simply a fact of village life.

Five years ago some High Street residents came together to support the police in their efforts to tackle the ASB problem; we also wanted to lobby the Parish Council to design out and implement improvements that would ensure a lasting

NON EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER

0845 4564564 or 01480 456111

www.cambs-police.co.uk/myneighbourhood/ecops/index.asp melbournmagazine

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benefit for residents in the area and, therefore, the village as a whole. In those five years we have seen positive changes in attitudes and actions towards ASB from both the Parish Council and the Police.

The police introduced Police Community Support Officers to Melbourn in 2004 and under the leadership of our Chief Constable, Julie Spence, Neighbourhood Community Policing Teams have been set up and are now established. Melbourn’s team has put time and effort into tackling the anti social and criminal damage problems in the High Street and their actions have resulted in reducing the number of reported incidents each quarter by more than half. With the Parish Council now looking into measures to improve the area things have moved on a great deal from where we were five years ago.

To help find a long lasting solution to these problems, Cambridgeshire’s Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership have set up a Problem Solving Group. The idea is to get everyone working together, “joined up thinking”. This group includes; the ASB case worker (chair), Police, Parish Council, District Councillors, District Council Officers and Youth Workers.

These meetings are designed to be positive and pro active, they look at the problem as a whole to ensure that all actions taken are focused on tackling the root cause. Working together in this way, resources can be pooled and the problem is not left with one organisation in isolation to solve.

The fact that Melbourn has a Problem Solving Group should be seen by everyone in the village as a positive development as it shows that there is a will by those in positions of authority to get to grips with a problem that has blighted the heart of our village for many years. I have certainly got my fingers crossed for a positive outcome.

Stephen Cambery Melbourn Neighbourhood Watch coordinator.

Call Handling Statistics The Police Service Centre (PSC) deals with all crime and incident related calls to our non-emergency number 0845 456 456 4. The Centre is open from 0600 to 0100 Sunday to Thursday and 0700-0200 Friday and Saturday.

The unit currently has an employee establishment of 81 staff including Supervisors and Managers. Handling, on average, over 18,500 calls each month from which approximately 13,000 crimes and incidents are recorded along with a number of intelligence reports which are used by Police Officers. The PSC also provides a general information service for those members of the public who call us needing advice and support.

There are currently no vacancies within the PSC. Between 0800 and 1900, there are a maximum of 25 Operators within the Centre (these numbers are reduced outside of these hours) dealing with your enquiries.

If you would like more information about our performance in this or any other area, please contact Tracy Blackwood via http://www.cambs-police.co.uk/contacthelp/contact/ and select the General Request Link.

Visits from Schools, Community Groups, local Councillors

or any person who would like to see what they do are welcomed as well as your suggestions as to how they can improve the service they provide to you. Please use the link above, or contact your local PCSO or Police Officer to arrange a visit.

Policing pledge Cambridgeshire Constabulary is committed to delivering a service deserved and expected by residents of Cambridgeshire.

We will support law abiding citizens and pursue criminals relentlessly to keep you and your neighbours safe from harm.

We will: 1 Always treat you fairly with dignity and respect ensuring you have fair access to our services at a time that is reasonable and suitable for you.

2 Provide you with information so you know who your dedicated Neighbourhood Policing Team is, where they are based, how to contact them and how to work with them.

3 Ensure your Neighbourhood Policing Team and other police patrols are visible and on your patch at times when they will be most effective and when you tell us you most need them. We will ensure your team are not taken away from neighbourhood business more than is absolutely necessary. They will spend at least 80% of their time visibly working in your neighbourhood, tackling your priorities. Staff turnover will be minimised.

4 Respond to every message directed to your Neighbourhood Policing Team within 24 hours and, where necessary, provide a more detailed response as soon as we can.

5 Aim to answer 999 calls within ten seconds, deploying to emergencies immediately giving an estimated time of arrival, getting to you safely, and as quickly as possible. In urban areas, we will aim to get to you within 15 minutes and in rural areas within 20 minutes.

6 Answer all non-emergency calls promptly. If attendance is needed, send a patrol giving you an estimated time of arrival, and: • If you are vulnerable or upset we aim to be with you within 60 minutes.

• If you are calling about an issue that we have agreed with your community will be a neighbourhood priority (listed below) and attendance is required, we will aim to be with you within 60 minutes.

• Alternatively, if appropriate, we will make an appointment to see you at a time that fits in with your life and within 48 hours.

• If agreed that attendance is not necessary we will give you advice, answer your questions and / or put you in touch with someone who can help.

7 Arrange regular public meetings to agree your priorities, at least once a month, giving you a chance to meet your local team with other members of your community. These will include opportunities such as surgeries, street briefings and mobile police station visits which will be arranged to meet local needs and requirements. Your local arrangements can be found in the dates for your diary section.

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8 Provide monthly updates on progress, and on local crime and policing issues. This will include the provision of crime maps, information on specific crimes and what happened to those brought to justice, details of what action we and our partners are taking to make your neighbourhood safer and information on how your force is performing.

9 Agree with you, if you have been a victim of crime, how often you would like to be kept informed of progress in your case and for how long. You have the right to be kept informed at least every month if you wish and for as long as is reasonable.

10 Acknowledge any dissatisfaction with the service you have received within 24 hours of reporting it to us. To help us fully resolve the matter, discuss with you how it will be handled, give you an opportunity to talk in person to someone about your concerns and agree with you what will be done about them and how quickly.

We want to do our best for you, but if we fail to meet our pledge we will always explain why it has not been possible on that occasion to deliver the high standards to which we aspire and you deserve.

Neighbourhood panel meeting In January, the team were asked to prioritise 2 areas; 1. Non dwelling burglary 2. Road safety issues As a result of an upsurge in burglary offences across Southern Division (Cambridge City, East Cambs and South Cambs) I decided to also include dwelling and distraction burglaries into this priority. Officers from the neighbourhood team have visited all victims of burglary and carried out house to house enquiries, offering crime prevention advice, in an attempt to make buildings more secure and less attractive to burglars. We have also used ECops and neighbourhood watch schemes to inform residents of Melbourn about the current situation and action being taken. If you would like advice on how to make your house, or place of work, less attractive to burglars then please contact 0845 4564564 and ask for the Community Safety unit.

Three high profile road safety initiatives have been conducted across the Melbourn neighbourhood panel area. These have been considered as very succesful. As a result of these initiatives we have seized a number of vehicles for no insurance, issued £60 fixed penalty notices (which also carry 3 penalty points) for a varied number of offences and reported numerous drivers for driving at excessive speed. We have linked up with the Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue service and have started to use education as well as enforcement tactics with some offending drivers, this has on the whole been well received. There will be more of these operations throughout the year, as well as continued patrols by your local officers.

You can contact any member of the team by ringing the non emergency number or through the force website.

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

PTFA CAR BOOT SALE At MELBOURN VILLAGE COLLEGE

Melbourn Primary School News The children in Y6 took part in our local schools Swimming Gala recently at Melbourn Village College. A total of 8 primary schools participated and we won! We are very proud of the children who took part. They managed to come first in every race except two, where they took second place. Many congratulations to the children and thanks to MVC for hosting the event. Our neighbouring schools also put in a sterling effort.

Another piece of good news is that Melbourn Primary School Y5 pupils came second in our local heat of the annual County Maths Challenge against 8 other schools.

This is quite an achievement as the children concerned had to pass an entry test before even being included. We are naturally very proud and wait to hear whether we have made the final.

Our annual Summer Fair was blessed with good weather this year. Lots of members of the school and local community came along and listened to our musicians “busking” and all classes ran their own stalls. Local businesses and organisations were generous with donations for our raffle and the PTFA as always ran a fantastic event.

They raised close to £3000 as a result. Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this great community event.

A group of our pocket trumpeters has been invited to perform with 400 others at The Sage, Gateshead in June. This will be a great opportunity for them to experience performing as well as seeing the sights of the vibrant city of Newcastle. They will be representing both Melbourn and Cambridgeshire as I believe we are the only school in the area fortunate enough to be participating in this initiative.

As part of our outreach work in the community, we are hosting a “Passions Week” in June when we hope to get children, staff and community members to share the activities they enjoy with each other. We are very keen to involve local residents, so if you have anything you would be prepared to share or demonstrate, however small, please contact the school. As mentioned in our last article, our older children are keen to share their computer expertise with local residents who may not be confi-

Sunday 7th June and the first Sunday of the month there after 10am until 1pm Stall holders arrive from 9am Light Refreshments Available Cars: £6 for pre-booked pitch or £8 on the day Vans: £10 For further details contact Glenda Spry Telephone 01223 870375 melbournmagazine

dent using ICT. Please contact us as soon as possible if you or a group you belong to, would be interested in receiving some (free!) tuition from our young people.

Jacqueline Bell-Cook, Headteacher

News from MVC 50th Anniversary Giant Tea Party 12pm – 4pm, 12th September 2009 You are invited to join us for the 50 year reunion and celebrations of MVC@50. Past and present pupils, anyone with a connection to the College and members of the community are invited to a tea party on the Willow Lawn, 12th September, 2pm – 4pm.

There will be refreshments, live music by BoB, the unveiling of the anniversary window and kiln glass tile exhibition, photographs and MVC history display, guided tours of the College and lots of opportunities to record your memories and catch up with what’s happening at Melbourn Village College. We hope to see you there!

MVC’s 50th Anniversary Window At the end of March a public preview for the new front window design by Juicy Glass to celebrate MVC’s 50th Anniversary was held in the College. Cllr. Jim Stewart, Chairman of South Cambridgeshire District Council, was there to see the kiln glass design, which celebrates the College’s place at the heart of the community.

Meldreth Pre-School Reg.Charity no.1034965

Village Hall Meldreth High Street This friendly, non-profit making Pre-School now has spaces for September 2008.

We offer Morning, Lunch Club and Afternoon sessions to children between the ages of 2 and 5 years.

We offer a high staffing ratio, whilst maintaining competitive rates. £8.20 per session, £3.00 for Lunch Club We accept Government Vouchers (which makes sessions for the over 3’s free) For more information please Contact: Pre-School Leader, Jane Cable on 07952 295655 during Pre-School Hours (Mon/Tue 9-3, Wed/Thur/Fri 9-12.30) or telephone The Admissions Secretary, Yasmin Croxford on 01763 220246

www.melbourncambridge.co.uk

Representatives from local groups and organisations were invited to come in and make their own kiln glass tile. The tiles will be exhibited at the window opening on 12th September before being presented to partner organisations or displayed within the College.

Groups which took part included representatives from each primary school, parish councils, Moorlands residents, young people at Orchard Manor and employees at TTP, the College’s business partner. Cllrs Guest, Barrett and McCraith also all took part along with representatives from community groups including local churches, the U3A and New Melbourn Singers.

One representative from each form group has created a

tile along with MVC staff members. These will be mounted for display in the soon to be redecorated Common Room, which is available for groups to hire.

The concept for the window is that the whole is more than the sum of the parts whilst each part is vital to the whole.

This will be seen in the shimmering new window and also in each and every beautiful glass tile created by the workshop participants.

MVC @ 50 – Were you part of it?

Is Melbourn Village College part of your history? Did you go there as a student? Did your children go there? Did you work there, play sports or take a class there? Have you had a connection to MVC? If the answer to any of these is yes then we want to hear from you. To celebrate MVC’s golden anniversary year we want to find memories about what has made MVC special to you. It could be about friends made, teachers you remember or about the best experiences, excursions or events and any funny stories you have.

We are interested in photos, written accounts and anyone who might like to be interviewed about their experiences. To contribute your memories of MVC over the last 50 years for a new archive project please contact Vanessa Mann, phone: 01223 871628 or email Vanessa.mann@which.net

Boys Break Dance Success A group of 6 boys from MVC competed in the UK Schools National Championship in March and won their heat! The boys proved they were the best in the Midlands Counties area and came in 4th overall.

In addition to their dancing success they were also interviewed by Jeremy Sallis on the BBC Radio Cambridgeshire Breakfast Show and showed him their moves in the radio station’s car park!

Arts Update Young people take part in Mini Musical Over the Easter holidays 32 young people age 8 -14 years old from the local area spent 3 days working hard to put on a mini version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicoloured Dreamcoat with The Academy at Melbourn Village College.

The final performance was fantastic and the young people even starred in a video clip on the Cambridge News website.

Feedback from The Academy, South Cambridgeshire’s musical theatre workshop programme, was excellent. The most common response to the question ‘What did you enjoy?’ was everything!

If you know a young person interested in musical theatre then The Academy returns this summer for 5 days of intensive work to produce a performance of High School Musical. Dates are 24th – 28th August, from 9.30am – 5pm. For families with work commitments, early and late collection is available from 8.30am – 5.30pm. Cost is £112 for 5 days, £75 for additional siblings or low income families.

This year there is also an advanced week performing Grease by audition for 11 - 18 year olds at Comberton Village College, 10th - 14th August.

For more details about The Academy programme or to book a place for the summer, contact Kirstin Bicknell, email k.bicknell@mvc.org.uk, phone 07770 643165

Free Arts Tool kit This year has seen the launch of the stART now toolkit.

Produced by stART, South Cambridgeshire’s Arts Development organisation, the toolkit tells you everything you need to know about topics such as employing an artist, press and marketing and fundraising.

For your free copy contact your local arts development manager, Kirstin Bicknell on 07770 643165, email Kirstin@ start-arts.org.uk. You can also contact Kirstin for advice about running an arts event or project or starting a new arts group.

Arts Performing Department Staff in the Performing Arts Department will be as busy as ever this term. Plans are underway for the Summer Concert which melbournmagazine

will be held outside on the Willow Lawn. The concert will be on Tuesday 14th and Wednesday 15th July. Picnics welcome.

Come along and enjoy a cocktail of sunshine, jazz and a celebration of Motown music. Tickets available from College reception.

The Music Department will also be hosting a “Big Sing” event. Junior schools have been enjoying some vocal tuition from Mr Belbin, Head of Music, and will come together in July to perform a mini concert of songs from around the globe. A String Evening is also planned for 18th June.

The Dance and Drama Departments will also be very busy.

A dance show due to be held on Monday 29th and Tuesday 30th June will showcase individual and group dances as well as GCSE exam performance pieces.

The end of this term will see students taking part in “Melbourn’s Got Talent” show. Students can choose their performance genre and I am sure the day will be very entertaining.

I will keep you informed of the winner or winners!!

Learning to Learn This year the College has introduced these lessons for Year 7 students, they have one lesson a week. Apart from learning how to find quality information and use it (the Information Literacy skills we have taught for a few years now), students gain experience in reasoning, problem solving, critical thinking, working in groups, becoming independent and responsible, creative thinking, and self-evaluation.

Activities have included researching historical characters and then presenting their information (often with actions and props!), designing and making labour-saving gadgets, researching extreme forms of weather, finding out about France and sharing their information with others. We are planning a debate on renewable energy and also the opportunity to learn some memory-boosting techniques and other study skills.

Helen Hale, Librarian.

Learn a language and go places …

“I think it’s important to learn another language because you don’t just learn the language. You also learn about the culture!”

“You get the opportunity to speak to your friends – even if it’s in another language!”

“It’s a practical subject with lots of variety in it!”

Melbourn Village College is part of the “Strategic Learning Network” Cambridgeshire – a constantly growing partnership of now seven schools from around Cambridgeshire. At the end of September, a group of students had the opportunity to present their work at the event “Lights, Camera, Action” in Cambridge. Since then, students across the years have been busy working on several projects. Year 10 German have prepared brilliant slideshows advertising the school in German and have included pictures taken in the school. They introduced the college and talked about their favourite subjects and teachers.

The emphasis, however, was again on Year 9, who have already completed several outstanding projects this year – they fell from trees, got hit by tennis balls, were run over by cars … but due to their excellent German they were all able to get help www.melbourncambridge.co.uk

from doctors, so I am glad to say: they have fully recovered and are doing fine! They then went to buy food at the market and complained about cold food or demanded more whipped cream for their dessert in cafés!

Family and friends are a popular topic discussed in Languages and Year 9 French had to say many things about their family and wrote brilliant letters to “Super Nanny” asking for help with annoying parents or brothers and sisters. I hope that “the naughty step” isn’t used too often and all problems have been resolved!

Also in Year 7 and 8, students have been creative and completed several projects. Year 7 French have enjoyed a link with music and Year 8 French have dressed up for a fashion show, presenting their favourite outfits in French! L’amour, l’amour … “who is going out with whom” is a question often heard amongst the students of Melbourn Village College and Year 8 French students have risen to the challenge of asking someone out - writing wonderful letters in French asking people to go to the cinema, the park or the café. Unfortunately, they were all turned down and, quite often, homework or visiting grandmothers was used as an excuse!

All in all, it has been a very successful term in the Language Department and we are all looking forward to the exciting work that is going to be presented in the next term!

Christine Morsche Modern Foreign Languages

Taking French to the Music Department!!

In week 3 of the Spring Term year 7 students took their French lessons to the Music Department. With the languages teachers poised as conductors, students worked in groups to develop ‘sound tags’ for each of the school subjects as well as the opinions they had been introduced to in their French lessons.

During the session they had the opportunity to further their listening skills through performance and composition and were able to incorporate many of the instrument specific techniques they have learnt in their music lessons. The languages staff were really impressed with the level of creativity and how some students even started to effect the mood of their compositions by adding sounds which represented more complex opinions.

New findings by Paul Sulzberger, scholar at Victoria University in Australia, show that foreign languages are best learnt through exposure to its sound patterns!! It really was something different to use sound in the way we did and we look forward to listening back to some of our recordings taken on the day! It’s fun to a learn a language!

B. Hutchinson Head of Languages

MVC Science Department March 2009 The spring term has been an eventful and exciting time in Science! To celebrate National Science and Engineering week KS3 students were invited to take part in Science challenges and quizzes in class and some students were involved in activities at Cambridge University.

Year 7 The Year 7s participated in a class challenge ‘A Birthday cake candle timer’ where they had to use the knowledge that ‘burning candles lose mass’ to design a timer. Many ingenious

melbournmagazine

devices were created and the pyromaniacs amongst us had a good time! They also took part in a science quiz, organized

by Helen Hale, our librarian.

Year 8 Year 8’s had the opportunity to be involved in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) enrichment day funded by the East of England Development Agency and the Smallpeice trust. The day was designed to be fun and interactive whilst promoting awareness of the above subjects.

The year group was split into 2 cohorts, each cohort having half a day on the activities.

Yr 8 STEM Project: Communication Tower Students were challenged to design and make a tower to specific height, load bearing and cost constraints. Students had to first produce the elements to be used to construct the tower.

These were made using A3 paper elements constructed with a dowel rolling system and were connected using nuts and bolts.

Subjects covered include: structures and materials, history and development of skyscrapers, compression, tension, torsion and shear.

Creativity and team work was in evidence and I think the students had a very enjoyable day. It certainly brought out the competive nature in our students.

In class the students were given the challenge ‘to cook an egg using the least energy’. Some very interesting ideas were devised but we restrained ourselves from eating the final products, especially the ones that were still raw!!

They also had a go at the science quiz.

We also sent a year 8 team to the Salter’s Festival of Chemistry held at the University of Cambridge, Chemistry labs.

This event is a competition designed to demonstrate the problem solving, scientific and organizational skills of the students.

Each team was given tasks to solve based on chemical concepts appropriate to KS3. They also had an opportunity to hear a lecture titled ‘It’s a gas’ which was also included in the day.

Year 9 The year 9s were given a more difficult and rather messy challenge this year. They had to design and make a chemically powered boat using bicarbonate of soda and citric acid, and ‘junk’ material. The winner was the boat which travelled the furthest distance. They spent 1 lesson planning and building and the second lesson competing against each other.

Year 10 Some of our Yr 10 students attended a Science festival Roadshow talk on ‘Keeping up with the Universe’ given by Dr Lisa Jardine-Wright from the Department of Physics. The students were given a brief history of cosmology and then looked at the advances in the understanding of the universe that have been made due to technology.

Assembly Ex-pupil Rob Mungovan (South Cambs. Ecology officer) also attended the school to give assemblies about the local environment and Meldreth’s River Mel restoration project. The idea of this project is to improve the flow of the river and to enhance the river banks with the planting of reeds and the clearing of

Child and Family Nursing Team 35 ORCHARD ROAD, MELBOURN

“Little Hands” is a Private Nursery School specialising in quality Pre-School Education for 2 – 5 year Olds

• • • • • • •

The Nursery School offers : High (1 : 4) staffing ratio Variety of session lengths Term time only booking Optional holiday clubs No minimum booking requirement No booking fee Categorised “OUTSTANDING” by Ofsted

Also FREE (NEF funded) afternoon (1.30-4.00) sessions for 3 & 4 year olds (NEF can also be used towards half or full day sessions) 01763 260964 (school hours) 01223503972 (office hours) e-mail : janemarshall@littlehands.co.uk w w w.littlehands.co.uk Little Hands Nursery Schools are also at Bourn, Linton and Newton

www.melbourncambridge.co.uk

We are a team of 5 nurses, all with differing backgrounds, including paediatric/children’s nurses, practice nurses, health visitors and school nurses

Sandie Springall Sue Clarke

Lisa Hindle Becci Huchisson

Tricia Ward

We offer support and advice to children, young people and their families within this area.

For further information telephone

01763 262861

scrubland in order to return it to an original chalk stream. This project has involved local people and some students from the college.

Elaine McHugh (Second in the Science department) Mathematics During the first week of February 60 of our most able mathematicians in years 9, 10 and 11 took part in the UK Mathematics Trust Intermediate Mathematical Challenge. This national competition, which seeks to inspire, challenge and strengthen the logical thinking of those taking part, has been taken by MVC students for many years with a number going on to compete internationally. By the time you receive this we will have recently received our results and will hopefully have some of our students busily preparing for the next round.

In January we also received the results from our Year 11 student’s GCSE Mathematics modules taken in November.

There were some excellent results from students of all abilities and we were delighted to see that the A*-C rate represented an 8% improvement on our final results last year; we thank the students concerned for all their hard work. With the addition of the results from the March modules the department can expect a further improvement and is hopeful that this success will be carried forward to the summer.

J Holder Miss Smith’s Lesson In Castle Building Melbourn Village College is the second school I have visited as I train to become a secondary school history and citizenship teacher. From the very start of my training here at Melbourn I was made feel welcome by not only the staff but also the students at the college. I have enjoyed lots of interesting and challenging experiences, all which I have loved. I thought that I would share one example of my experience before I go....

A new term brought some new topics for the Year 7s to study including creating their own castles. Before they set about this challenge they spent a lesson studying the negative and positives of castles throughout history. Through this came a very intense debate on which was better, the motte and bailey castle or stone castle, which were both built by the Normans.

The end of the lesson did finish though in full agreement that Edward I’s castle, built some time later than the Normans, was definitely the ‘daddy’ of all castles.

Now came the very important job of building the castles.

The aim for students was that they would create the ‘perfect’ castle, at the same time, maybe using some ideas from the Normans and Edward I. Mr Tobutt and I felt that this sort of assignment was one of the best parts of a history teacher’s job as it meant students could really show off their enthusiasm for the subject, as well as some excellent knowledge. We left a completely open field, models, diagrams, paintings, pottery and pictures were all extremely welcome, we could then sit back and brace ourselves for some terrific responses.

One week later and the classroom began to fill with fantastic models and pictures. The fridge also began to fill with the delights of castle cakes which Mr Tobutt and I felt obliged to try.

The class spent the lesson explaining their castles to each other

and why they added their certain features, other students were then asked to comment on what they liked about the other castles that had been created.

At the end of the lesson it was time to start eating some of the castles. Special thanks have to go to Arianna Broadbent and Lauren Morley who kept me and 7C well fed over break.

This was in fact certainly needed as the lesson itself resulted in a lot of clearing up (especially of the blue food dye which had managed to get everywhere!) So many of the castles which were created by the pupils received positive referrals and the standard of those were excellent as you can see in the pictures.

A fun and exciting lesson enjoyed by all!

Physical Education This has been a short but productive term within the PE department. Many different sporting activities have taken place including table tennis, trampolining, karting, basketball, girls football and the annual ski trip to Austria.

Now that we have created the opportunity for pupils to play table tennis at Melbourn we are seeing a huge number of pupils take up the sport. Some of these have taken part in the local table tennis competitions and produced great results.

Likewise in trampolining we have now managed to acquire an additional trampoline and therefore allow more pupils a greater level of opportunity. We have also managed as a department to gain the teachers award for trampoline and gymnastics therefore allowing every member of the department the opportunity to teach trampolining. Again some pupils have been lucky enough to take part in trampolining competitions with a great deal of success.

We are also lucky enough to have access to a heated indoor swimming pool at the College. This has benefited the pupils at the school greatly and we now see a large number taking part in competitions at various levels. Some of the pupils that have reached a high level of performance in swimming include, Georgia Hickman, Ellie Hickman, Leanne Keen, Harriet Johnson, Laura Wick, Emma Reeves, Chris Way to name but a few. We also have a very advanced diver in Daniel Goodfellow who I’m sure will continue to make further progress in his chosen sport.

For the first time at Melbourn we decided to enter a team for the British Karting Championships as a number of pupils take part in the sport outside of school and were obviously at a relatively high level of ability. We took 20 pupils for trials to Caxton Karting track and produced a team to take part in the Championships.

The first session was for local schools within the area of Melbourn and with some ease the team cruised into the next round. The second round was for the whole of the Cambridge region and down to some superb driving from Matt Wesley, Dan Gilbert and Jamie Perry they managed to become the County champions. Unfortunately due to the date of this article being published I cannot tell you what happened in the next (regional) round however I will let Mrs Stephenson know so she can put it into the next Wardens newsletter. Well done lads!

John Barnes (Head of PE) continued on page 30

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www.melbourncambridge.co.uk

what’s on Melbourn Open Gardens Melbourn Open Gardens, organised by SOAS, (Supporters of All Saints’) will be on Sunday 7th June from 11am-5pm.

‘Passports’ to cover all the gardens on offer will cost £3 per person from committee members shown below or £4 on the day available at The Cross from 10:45am. Snack lunches and teas will be available in the All Saints’ Community Hall.

George Howard 260686, Doreen Johnston 220197 and Shaun Coles 260327

Cambridge Open Studios Many of you will already know about the Cambridge Open Studios, when during the month of July nearly three hundred artists working in Cambridgeshire will open their doors at the weekends to share their knowledge and enthusiasm for their craft. It is a unique opportunity to see where and how artists work and to talk to them and learn something of his or her way of working, of thinking and of creating a work of art. The brochure, which is widely available in shops, libraries etc, covers artists working in ceramics and pottery, drawing and painting, jewellery, glass and enamelling, metalwork, photography, printmaking , textiles and weaving, woodcarving and mixed media work – so pretty much something for everyone. The

brochure comes with two maps, one showing the studios in Cambridge itself and one showing the out of town studios, which stretch from Godmanchester in the west to Newmarket in the east and from Littleport in the north to Melbourn in the south. It can be a very pleasant way of seeing the countryside on a summer day!

In the past, Melbourn has been put on the map by Sylvia and Anthony Hopkinson working from The Bury, but now that they have moved into Cambridge the gap is being filled by Mavis Howard and George Meliniotis. Mavis works as a textile artist and for the past 10 years has exhibited at the Thaxted Festival as part of the Small CHAT group whilst George is an artist working mainly in oils and acrylics painting landscapes, seascapes, animals and scenes of Cambridge – he has exhibited in the past in the Hertfordshire Open Studios.

Because George lives in Rose Lane which has limited access for cars (and NO parking) both studios will be accessed via Mavis Howard’s house in Station Road (there is a convenient door between the gardens !) They will be open on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th weekends in July from 11 am to 6 p.m. and both will have an ample supply of brochures so please don’t hesitate to contact either of them for a brochure or more information.

George Meliniotis 01763 261154 www.artmelini.com Mavis Howard 01763 260686 www.mavishoward.co.uk. www.cambridgeopenstudios.co.uk

smallCHAT Contemporary Art Textiles

For the ninth consecutive year the group smallCHAT is exhibiting at the medieval Guildhall in Thaxted, during the prestigious annual Music Festival. continued on page 35

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continued from page 27

KS3 Girls Football Since that start of term Rebecca Morley from the South Cambs School Partnership has been leading football sessions for the KS 3 girls. On a Friday lunch time she has led a girl’s football club where she has been working on skills, tactics and game play. We are hoping to build a successful KS3 girls football team to join the older girls in the football grand prixs that are held three times a year in Cambridge. The next grand prix is on the 12th March.

Rebecca has also been teaching football to some of the year 7 girls on a Friday. The class have looked at numerous skills and have been able to introduce these into their indoor and outdoor football games. It is hoped that the girls have enjoyed the sessions and will want to continue playing football in and out of school.

Melbourn & District U3A University Of The Third Age There are several new groups now running in the U3A including Garden Enthusiasts, Painting and Sketching, Local History, and Discussions. With over 440 members and so many active groups the U3A is well worth joining to gain a little knowledge, listen to a monthly speaker and to meet people who want to lead more active lives in retirement. A modest subscription of £10 a year plus any costs charged by a group is certainly value for money in these straitened times.

The AGM will be held at Foxton Village Hall on Wednesday 19th August when the groups will have stalls showing what they have to offer so why not come along in the early afternoon and see for yourself? Or contact Arthur Alderton on 01763 260399 if you want to find out now.

Colin Limming

and accessories in France. We have practised numbers and at the beginning of April we learnt about the “poisson d’avril” – April Fools tradition in France.The more advanced group have discussed their outings and holidays, practised grammar and played games to improve their vocabulary. If you or your child would like to join us, please call Marine on 01763 222876 or Janet on 01763 261231 for further details. We are a French native speaker and a graduate of European Studies with French and we would love to see you at one of our groups.

Learn French in a friendly atmosphere *French for Children “Games, role-play, songs etc.”

Every Wednesday from 3.45pm to 4.30pm Every Thursday from 4:15pm to 5:00pm Individual lessons also available.

*French for Adults All levels, Conversation” Every Wednesday from 8.00pm to 9.00pm GCSE lessons available by arrangement.

Tel. Marine - 01763 222876 or Janet - 01763 261231 (We have both been CRB checked)

Workers’ Educational Association The next courses run by Royston WEA will start in September 2009. Details nearer the date from Doreen Wood 01763 242230 or David Allard 01763 242677.

Notre Ecole We have been busy as always throughout the spring term at Notre Ecole. The children at our Wednesday afterschool group have been learning the French for farm animals and pets. We have played a number of games around this theme, including animal dominoes, guessing games and heads down, thumbs up. We made a picture of a farm and labelled the animals and we were even able to play outside one sunny afternoon, which was a pleasant change after such a snowy winter. Children at the Thursday afterschool group have been revising the French for places in town. We have been giving directions, practising naming the rooms in a house and describing people. Both groups sampled French pancakes at the beginning of February to celebrate “Chandleur” and then at the end of term and to celebrate Easter we made Easter bookmarks. Adults in the Wednesday beginners group have been looking at “re” verbs in the present tense and also learning how to buy clothes, shoes www.melbourncambridge.co.uk

Little Foxes Baby & Toddler Group Little Foxes is a friendly, fun, good value, baby & toddler group. The baby & toddler group provides a great opportunity to meet other mums and for the children to play together. It is run by mums & child carers for babies and children up to 5 years old.

There are a baby area, dressing up clothes, trikes, trampolines, duplo, cars, dolls, etc. There are creative activities, song & story time and refreshments for the adults & children.

Foxton Village Hall Hardman Road Foxton Tuesday (term time only) 09.30 – 11.00

£1.50 per session

Village information Household Waste and Recycling Centres

Milton

Thriplow

Butt Lane, Milton Tel: 01223 860674

Gravel Pit Hill, Thriplow Tel: 01223 839001

Items that are accepted & Sunday

& Sunday (Summer) (1 October–31 March) (1 October–31 March)

Melbourn Bus Timetables Note: These times have been taken from the companies website, but are subject to change, please telephone the company for updates, or check the village website, Parking & Transport.

Please Note: The sites will only accept waste from household sources.

Bin collection

reminder for Melbourn

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MONDAYS TO SATURDAYS (Except Public Holidays)

Cambridge to Melbourn (Royston) DAYS (EXCEPT PUBLIC HOLIDAYS)

Cambridge Drummer Street bay 7 The Leys School Trumpington Maris Lane Harston village hall Foxton Memorial Shepreth garden centre Melbourn car park Royston bus station Royston Tesco Royston Burns Road

0840 0845 0851 0859 0905 0907 0911 0920 0926 0928

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un til

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then

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** Day late collection – Saturday 0708 0712 0714 0720 0728 0734 0740

0738 0742 0744 0750 0758 0804 0820

0918 0922 0924 0930 0938 0944 0950

0948 0952 0954 1000 1008 1014 1020

then

Melbourn car park Shepreth garden centre Foxton Memorial Harston village hall Trumpington Maris Lane The Leys School Cambridge Drummer Street

hourly at

Melbourn to Cambridge 48 52 54 00 08 14 20

A on Saturdays and during school holidays may arrive at Drummer Street up to 10 minutes earlier

Local Bus companies Stagecoach in Cambridge 01223 423578 – Huntingdon & District 01480 453159 – Alans Bus & Coach 01763 245073

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Police Crimestoppers Melbourn Police Station opening Hours Mon to Thu 10am-12 noon/7pm-9pm* This station is open to the public at times shown above, with trained Community Volunteers. Opening hours may vary, please see notices displayed at the station and around the village.

Neighbourhood Watch Steven Cambery s.cambery@ntlworld.com

CAB Royston Childline Samaritans Hospitals Addenbrooke’s Royston

08456 889897 0800 1111 08457 909090 01223 245151 01763 238020

All Saints Church Rev Andrew O’Brien Melbourn Vicarage Curate Mary Price 261569 Churchwardens Christine van Vliet Colin Wilson Baptist Church Rev. Stuart Clarke Secretary Georgie Wilson United Reformed Church Minister Rev. Duncan Goldie Non-stripendary minister Rev. Carol Pearle Secretary Anne Field

260295 223063 261705 261650 261223 260747 220869

Melbourn Playgroup Jane Crawford 07842 151512 Childminding Group Sec. Vacancies Co-ordinator Heidi Hardwidge 221625 Community Education (activities from toddlers to adults) Val Tookey 260566 Library LAP Mike Stapleton 269956 Little Hands Nursery School 260964 Out of school times 01223 503972 Notre Ecole Janet Whitton 261231 Primary School Headmaster Jacqueline Bell-Cook 223457 Toy Library 261261 U3A (Univ. of Third Age) Chairman John Stevens 261858 Hon Sec Hilary Docwra 222486 Mem Sec Arthur Alderton 260399 Village College Warden Elaine Stephenson 223400

OUT OF HOURS EMERGENCIES

Camdoc NHS Direct

01223 464242 0845 4647

(queries 24hrs)

Services Anglian Water 08457 145 145 Gas emergency 0800 111 999 Electricity 08007 838838 South Cambs District Fire & Rescue Service01223 376217 Transport British Rail Enquiries 08457 484950 Stagecoach Cambus 08706 082608 Melbourn Magazine Ann Dekkers Editor 261144 Mavis Howard Parish Profile 260686 Eric Johnston Distribution 220197 Peter Simmonett Design & Village website 220363 Anne Lambert Information Collection 261480 Brenda Meliniotis Village Diary & Proof reading 261154 Roger Mellor Advertising 220463 (For information on advertising please telephone 220363)

email: mag@melbourn.org.uk

Age Concern 01223 506002 Blood Donors Sue Cane 262320 Chiropodist 263260 Citizen’s Advice Bureau 238020 Community Care Val Trueman 260191 Dentist 262034 District N s (Primary Care Trust) 261775 Home-Start Sarah Dixon 262262 S Cambs PCT 35 Orchard Road Child & Family Nurses 262861 Melbourn and Meldreth Self-Help Jayne White 220250 Car Scheme 245228 Orchard Surgery Appointments 260220 Dispensary 261246 For repeat prescriptions send email: prescriptions.orchardsurgery@nhs.net Osteopath Kath Harry 261716 St John Ambulance Robert Jakubiak 220507

Dial-A-Ride Mobile Warden Scheme 24 hr Emergency No. Val Trueman Neighbourhood Watch Scheme Stephen Cambery Safer Melbourn Initiative Val Trueman

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 Office of the Parish Clerk, Council Offices, 28 Station Rd, Melbourn SG8 6DX, marking them ‘MELBOURN MAGAZINE’ or you can email them to mag@melbourn.org.uk Apart from printing, all work on the Melbourn Magazine, including layout and design is produced by volunteers.

The cost of production comes entirely from advertising and sponsorship. No public money is used.

01223 506335 220402 07403 251226 261520 220402

Vicarage Close Warden Joy Hyde Lead Sheltered Housing Officer Monday to Friday 9–1.30 John Impey Way Jeanette Holland Southwell Court Moorlands

263389 269596 262121 260564

Air Cadets 2484 (Bassingbourn) Squadron AJ Kelly Mon & Wed evenings 7 – 9.30 p.m.

Army Cadets Ted Neathey 0775 1334 314 Tuesday evenings at The Moor 7.15 to 9.30pm Bellringers John Gipson 262846 1st Melbourn Rainbows Abigail Roberts 261505 Brownies Samantha Pascoe (Brown Owl) 261400 Brownies 1st Melbourn Stephanie Clifford 220272 Cambells (Handbells) Eira Martin 261221 Dramatic Society Kathy Wholley 223805 email k_wholley@hotmail.com

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Stuart Morris 208634 Gardening Helen Powell 245887 Guides Hilary Marsh 261443 Mothers’ Union Anne Harding 260759 Melbourn & District Mushroom Club Helene Davies 01954 789 947 or m.07903 456 628 Melbourn History Group Colin Limming 260072 Melbourn Pottery Club Maggie 01223 207307 National Trust Colin Limming 260072 New Melbourn Singers Adrian Jacobs 243224 Photographic Club Bruce Huett 232855 Ramblers Dave Allard 242677 Royal British Legion Patrick Parkinson 262617 Royal British Legion Women Elizabeth Murphy 220841 Royal National Lifeboat Institution Jean Emes 245958 Royston and District Local History Society David Allard 242677 Royston and District Round Table 221398 RSPB Doug Radford 208978 SOAS (Supporters of All Saints’) Doreen Johnston 220197 Youth Club Amanda Bernard 223407 Women’s Group Jane Stevens 261858 Badminton Steve Jackson Bowls Elaine Cooke Croquet Janet Pope Football Club Andrew Edwards XMVC Dolphin FC Simon Gascoyne Judo Derek Coult Melbourn Community Sports Meldreth Tennis Club Sue Davies Swimming Club Jenny Brackley Squash Club Nick Sugden

248774 221571 248342 223109 261703 225004 263313 220174 244593 261064

If the code is NOT given before a telephone number it is 01763. This list will be updated in future issues on the basis of information received

Adverts are to be supplied as finished artwork and must be at the sizes below. Please send artwork via post or email to mag@melbourn.org.uk We print 2200 copies of the Melbourn Magazine which is delivered free to every house in the village four times a year. Note: colour advert space is limited, please contact us for further details. The current rates for advertising in the Magazine are as follows: Size per…

Width x Height Issue Annum Colour 1/4 inside page (79 × 128 mm) £21 £76 £113 1/2 inside page (163 × 128 mm) £38 £132 £188 Full inside page (163 × 262 mm) £73 £261 £375

Adverts must be supplied as high resolution jpgs or 300dpi Tif or eps.

For further information on advertising please telephone 220363. Payments for an entire year are at a discount of 10%. Remittance or cheques should be made to Melbourn Parish Council.

mag@melbourn.org.uk

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Fri 26 Sat 27

Mon 29 Tues 30

Toddler Plus Baptist Church Hall 9.30 (term time only - tt) Craft Morning Baptist Church Hall 9.30 (tt) Coffee Break Baptist Church Hall 10.30-12.00 Friday coffee at URC at 10.00 Coffee Stop All Saints Community Hall with Women’s British Legion Cake and Tombola Stall River Mel Restoration Group meet at the Pavilion 9.15 am MVC Car Boot Sale SOAS Melbourn Open Gardens 11am – 5pm Baptist Church Evening Communion 6pm Toddler Plus Baptist Church Hall 9.30 (tt) Mother’s Union 2.30pm ‘Red Balloon’ Foxton Village Hall Melbourn & District Gardening Club 7.30pm outing to Nun’s Manor Shepreth. Contact Angela 262793 for more details Craft Morning Baptist Church Hall 9.30 (tt) Coffee Break 10.30-12.00 Baptist Church Hall Coffee at URC at 10.00 Coffee Stop All Saints Community Hall Melbourn & District Gardening Club outing to Penshurst Place & Gardens, Kent. Contact Angela 262793 for more details AGM Royston & District Family History Society All Saints Community Hall.7.30 pm Cheese & wine refreshments Toddler Plus Baptist Church Hall 9.30 (tt) Craft Morning Baptist Church Hall 9.30 (tt) Coffee Break 10.30-12.00 Baptist Church Hall Melbourn Village College String Evening Coffee at URC at 10.00 Coffee Stop All Saints Community Hall Safari Supper Spring Concert MVC 7.30pm Toddler Plus Baptist Church Hall 9.30 (tt) Women’s Group ‘A Walk Around Historic Melbourn MkII’ led by the History Group 6.30pm Craft Morning Baptist Church Hall 9.30 (tt) Coffee Break 10.30-12.00 Baptist Church Hall Women’s Section Royal British Legion Vicarage Close Coffee at URC at 10.00 Melbourn Village Fete 1pm – 6pm Music on the Moor 6pm till late SCOPE Meldreth Manor Fete MVC Dance show Toddler Plus Baptist Church Hall 9.30 (tt) MVC Dance Show

Weds 1

Craft Morning Baptist Church Hall 9.30 am (tt) Coffee Break Baptist Church Hall 10.30-12.00 Royal British Legion Vicarage Close Fri 3 Friday Coffee at URC at 10.00 Sat 4 Coffee Stop All Saints Community Hall Official Opening of Stockbridge Riverside Park Sun 5 Baptist Church Evening Communion 6pm Tues 7 Toddler Plus 9.30 am (term time only) Weds 8 Craft Morning Baptist Church Hall 9.30 am (tt) Coffee Break 10.30-12.00 Baptist Church Hall Fri 10 Coffee at URC at 10.00 Sat 11 Coffee Stop All Saints Community Hall Tues 14 Toddler Plus 9.30 am (tt) Mothers Union Garden Party 2.30 pm at 35 Dolphin Lane Melbourn & District Gardening Club All Saints Community Hall 7.30pm Fragrance in the Garden Margaret Waddy MVC Summer Concert Weds 15 Craft Morning Baptist Church Hall 9.30 am (tt) Coffee Break 10.30-12.00 MVC Summer Concert Fri 17 Coffee at URC at 10.00 School Term Ends Sat 18 Coffee Stop All Saints Community Hall River Mel Restoration Group meet at the Pavilion 9.15 am Mon 20 MVC Staff Training Day Tues 21 Cambridgeshire Police E-cops Panel Meeting at Bassingbourn Village College Weds 22 Coffee Break 10.30-12.00 Baptist Church Hall Royal British Legion Women’s Section Fri 24 Coffee at URC at 10.00 Organ Recital at All Saints Sat 25 Coffee Stop Melbourn Primary School Spring Fair 1-4pm River Mel Working Party Pavilion 9.15am ‘Camouflage’ at Melbourn Rock Club Tues 28 Women’s Group at Meldreth 7.45 pm Rwanda Land of 1000 Hills Joy Childs Weds 29 Coffee Break 10.30-12.00 Baptist Church Hall Fri 31 Coffee at URC at 10.00 SOAS Beetle Drive All Saints Community Hall

Sat 1 Sun 2 Tues 4

Coffee Stop All Saints Community Hall Evening Communion Baptist Church 6pm Mothers Union Quiet Evening Tadlow Old Vicarage 7.30 pm Led by Rev Mary Price Weds 5 Coffee Break 10.30-12.00 Baptist Church Hall Fri 7 Coffee at URC at 10.00 Sat 8 Coffee Stop All Saints Community Hall Tues 11 Melbourn & District Gardening Club Garden Party (to be confirmed) Weds 12 Coffee Break 10.30-12.00 Baptist Church Hall Fri 14 Coffee at URC at 10.00 Sat 15 Coffee Stop All Saints Community Hall Weds 19 Coffee Break 10.30-12.00 Baptist Church Hall Melbourn & District U3A AGM Foxton Village Hall Fri 21 Coffee at URC at 10.00 Sat 22 Coffee Stop All Saints Community Hall Tues 25 Women’s Group ‘My Love Affair with Cloth’ Mavis Howard 7.30 pm Melbourn Weds 26 Coffee Break 10.30-12.00 Baptist Church Hall Women’s Section Royal British Legion Vicarage Close Fri 28 Coffee at URC at 10.00

Wed 2 Thur 3 Sat 12

MVC Staff Training Day School Term Begins MVC 50th Anniversary Giant Tea Party 2-4 pm

Village information continued Orchard Surgery – Dispensary Monday to Friday 8:30 – 1:30 and 2:00 – 6:00 Phone 01763 261246 Telephone requests are not accepted For repeat prescriptions you can: Fax 01763 262968 or email: prescriptions.orchardsurgery@nhs.net Allow at least 48 hours (two working days – excluding weekends and bank holidays) for repeat prescriptions to be ready.

Do not leave your request to the last minute.

Prescription/medication depending on eligibility can be collected from the Surgery

Co-op

Tesco in Royston

Please let the dispensary know where you wish your prescriptions to be sent. This will remain your choice until we are informed otherwise.

Prescriptions requested before 12pm Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

will be ready after 10am Wednesday Thursday Friday Monday Tuesday

Prescriptions requested before 4pm Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

will be ready after 3pm Wednesday Thursday Friday Monday Tuesday

Prescriptions requested after 4pm Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

will be ready after 10am Thursday Friday Monday Tuesday Wednesday

CAMSIGHT

www.colc.co.uk/cambridge/camtad/sessions.html

. www.melbourncambridge.co.uk

what’s on continued The exhibition begins on Saturday 13th June, with an Open Weekend, when the artists will be present to answer any questions. So do come along on Saturday or Sunday 14th for a drink and a chat. The exhibition continues until Sunday 28th June, and is open from 10.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. daily.

For more information www.smallchat.co.uk Tel 01787 280213 The Thaxted Festival runs from June 19th to July 12th, and the programme contains orchestral, choral, instrumental and jazz items, all performed in the beautiful church, while the Mozart opera ‘Cosi fan Tutti’ will take place in The Barn Theatre in Little Easton. The theme of the 2009 Festival is Love and Death.

For information www.thaxtedfestival.org.uk Tel 01223 863036

Open Garden at Little Chishill Manor Sunday 14th June 2 – 5 p.m.

The Church Warden of St Nicholas Church, Little Chishill is opening his garden in aid of the church and supporting the charity ‘Help for Heroes’ – for members of the armed forces wounded in battle. It is a mature garden in a wooded valley with shrubs, herbaceous borders, rose garden and kitchen garden. Music from Barry Tyler’s Dixieland Jazz Band. Homemade teas, stalls, plants etc.

Off B1039 Royston/Saffron Walden Rd. Admission £3.00, Children Free.

Denny Abbey June 4th – June 30th, Exhibition “Fens through a Lens” Winning and commended photographs from the joint Museum of Zoology, RSPB and Wildlife Trust competition June 6/7, 10am-4pm Adult Art Weekend Workshop The workshops will be led by Ann Biggs, local wildlife artist and experienced tutor.

Please bring your own materials. Tea and coffee will be provided, but please bring a packed lunch. Cost: £15 for any one day, £25 for both days. Prior Booking Required.

Telephone Corrina Bower on 01223 860988 or write to us at The Farmland Museum, Denny Abbey, Ely Road, Waterbeach, Cambridge CB25 9PQ, or email info@farmlandmuseum.org.uk Sunday June 28th, 10.30am-5pm Working Stationary Engines Day

July 30th, 12-4pm Drop-in Children’s Holiday Activity Day Archaeology Discovery Day. Reconstruct pots, make a mosaic, try on costumes and have a go at our mini sand pit digs.

These informal days run by the education department during the holiday are aimed at children who are 4+ and accompanied by an adult. 12-4pm. Normal admission prices apply. No need to book.

Please contact Elly Wright for more details Telephone 01223 863036.

Rougham Airfield West Suffolk’s Open Air Venue.

June 27th & 28th Wings, Wheels and Steam Country Fayre August 15th & 16th Heart Air Display & Classic Car Show plus music, street theatre Punch & Judy etc Information www.roughamairfield.org Tel 01359 271471.

Advanced bookings discounts.

Swaffham Bulbeck Summer Theatre Swaffham Bulbeck Summer Theatre is proud to present Gilbert and Sullivan’s popular operetta “The Mikado” at Downing Farm, Swaffham Bulbeck, from Wednesday 3rd to Saturday 6th June 2009. On-site parking, licensed bar and easy access for wheelchairs. Ticket price is £8 for Wednesday and Thursday nights, £10 for Friday and Saturday nights and £5 for Saturday matinee.

Prices include a programme, and tea or a soft drink and biscuits at the matinee. The box office is Kari Karolia, 17 Buntings Crescent, Burwell; tel. 01638 745490 and e-mail kari.karolia@ gmail.com The tickets will be on sale from the end of April, and from early May also in the Country Stores, Swaffham Bulbeck.

Also see www.sbstgands.co.uk http://www.sbstgands.co.uk for further details or ring Ruth Dennis on 01638 508171.

The Mikado, gently poking fun at Japanese customs, is perhaps the most popular of all the G&S operettas, with many memorable songs. The penalty for flirting in Titipu is decapitation, which gives rise to a topsy-turvy tale that follows the path of unrequited love, coupled with a frivolous look at the many ways people’s lives can be ended, none of it in the least bit serious! It all ends in a perfectly ‘satisfactory’ manner for all concerned.

Save the Date!

Royston Arts Festival 2009 Thursday 24th to Sunday 27th September Fun for All the Family See www.roystonartsfest.org for details of the 2009 programme once published, and read more details in the Autumn issue of the Melbourn Magazine.

Sunday July 26th, 10.30am-5pm Honey I Shrunk the Museum! A Day of Miniatures and Models. melbournmagazine

Beat the recession & join the Black Horse Brumby

club Free meals, discounts on food & drink, monthly specials & prizes, member’s only evenings Upcoming events June 6 wine & cheese night (member’s only) June 13 kids day out!

June 21 father’s day specialty meat bbq with entertainment for the kids. Real Ales from the cask!!

63 Orchard rd Melbourn 01763 226 046

www.melbourncambridge.co.uk

Nature

Above: The bend in the river. Taken at the Moor. Top right: A tropical scene in Melbourn! The River Mel near the underpass.

Photos above and cover Jan & Peter Simmonett

Flowers by Mike Sherwen

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Profile Janice Guest There can be few people in Melbourn who do not know the subject of this issue’s Profile. Janice Guest has had her finger in village pies for many years, Brownies, Fete Commitee, council work … but let me start at the beginning.

Janice was born and brought up in Sidcup in Kent, the younger of two sisters. She met her husband David when the family used to visit relations in Crowborough where the young David Guest was a neighbour. All the youngsters used to congregate in the street and so they met – that was 40 years ago this April. When I visited Janice the house was full of flowers and cards celebrating their Ruby Wedding. Their wedding day was, of course a very special day, but largely remembered by the guests as having been held on Cup Final Day! David began his bridegroom’s speech by announcing the football results.

Janice had done secretarial training and worked at Martins Bank but when they got married David, a chemist, had taken a job up north and so they moved to Romanby, near Northallerton in Yorkshire. (Romanby is the name of their present house.) Janice worked part time for a carpet company and then for an architect. In the late 1970’s David changed his job and came to work at CIBA-Geigy in Duxford and they moved to Beechwood Avenue in Melbourn. They had two daughters, Erica and Helen, who went to the local schools and Janice got caught up in the usual PTA events, but it was not until her daughters were past the ‘Brownie age’ that she became involved with the 1st Melbourn Brownies, becoming Brown Owl – a job which she loved.

Several times they took the Brownies on Pack Camps to Sandringham where they had great fun. Janice was doubtful about me reporting this - as one of the rules was that if you were in charge of Brownies you were not allowed to drink alcohol - but she said that on one occasion as they were going to bed one of the little girls burrowed into her rucksack and brought out a bottle of wine, which she gave to Janice saying ‘my mummy thought you would probably be needing this’. Well, they thought it wouldn’t do much harm to have a little sip, one bottle divided between the adult helpers would not be

too intoxicating, but as it happened they hadn’t got a corkscrew so they couldn’t drink it anyway. It wasn’t until they got back home that she took the foil off the bottle and discovered it was a screw top and they could have drunk it after all!

On another occasion she recalled they were using old fashioned camp beds and the children would insist on putting their pillows right up at the end of the bed so that when they got on and lay down, being so small the beds just folded up. They just could not get the girls to put the pillows halfway down the bed.

In 1975/6 they built the house which they still occupy in Mortlock Street – very convenient for nipping to the grocer or the butcher. In the dining room there is a very attractive table and chairs made by Robert Thompson, the Mouseman of Kilburn.

David’s mother was a Yorkshirewoman and when they were living in Yorkshire it was always their wish that one day they would own some Mouseman furniture. They had to wait about 15 months before the dining suite arrived, complete with a little mouse carved on a leg of the table and on a leg of each chair. They put down no deposit and the furniture was delivered before they received a bill – I don’t think that would happen nowadays!

Janice has always been passionate about sewing, in fact sewing and the Parish Council have been the links in our friendship. As a Convent school pupil she learned to sew whilst one of the girls read aloud to the class, thus honing sewing skills and reading skills. Later on, having two daughters, like me she made all their clothes and then as they grew too old and fussy to wear home made things Janice discovered her real passion – patchwork and quilting. She went to an evening class at the Village College and has made many quilts both for herself and her family and as presents. She particularly enjoys making baby quilts which are always received with great delight. Some years ago she and a group of friends started the Sew Special patchwork and quilting group which met at Vicarage Close on a Saturday. It ran most successfully for 5 or 6 years with a very melbournmagazine

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Profile continued

good attendance – I know, because I was one of their very enthusiastic fans. They had many big names in the P & Q world, I remember classes by Jenny Raiment, Janice Gunner, Norma Hobbs, Angela Madden, Stephanie Pettengell and many others and often Janice herself would be the instructor . Always everything would be worked out to perfection beforehand to make the class ran smoothly. Janice’s piece de la resistance was a Quillow – a quilt which folded up into a pillow, we all just loved that class. I really miss those ‘away days’ - bring ‘em back, Janice!

Janice was on Melbourn Parish Council for a number of years in the 1980s and also, via the Brownies, became deeply involved in the Village Fete Committee. We talked about the good old days when you could pile thirty little girls onto a decorated lorry and drive round the village in a parade – not allowed now – Health and Safety! We had primitive walkie talkie sets with which we tried to keep in touch between the playing field and the start of the parade, mobile phones were not the norm then. Fortunately the weather always seemed to smile on the village fete.

Yet another place where you might have come across Janice is at Moorlands, where she worked in administration for 12 years. In a job such as that you very quickly get involved in everything - she found herself taking people to hospital, collecting prescriptions and running a trolley shop selling sweets and toiletries etc. The residents called her the Trolley Dolly

and she was frequently asked if she sold beers and spirits !!!

She greatly enjoyed going round and meeting and talking with the residents, and I am sure they in turn appreciated her light touch. She retired last year when the new regime swung into place. Daughter Helen has followed her mother in the caring capacity and works for Care in the Community, Erica of course has a beauty salon which she runs from Mortlock Street. Both girls live in Melbourn, so Janice and David have ample opportunity to enjoy their two grandsons Oliver and Benjamin now aged 7 and 10 . Although they are far too young to remember The Good Life, their pet name for their grandmother is ‘Margo’ and a number of friends and family also now call her that.

Three years ago Janice was approached by the local Conservative group to see if she would stand for election for the District Council. She won her seat and (together with Val Barrett) represents three villages, Melbourn, the Chishills and Heydon. Janice sits on the Planning and Licensing Committees and also attends the Housing Portfolio meetings. Things have changed a lot from my days on the District Council and I understand that councillors are not personally involved in the placement of families into council houses – so she is not likely to be attacked in the High Street as I once was! One thing that has not changed is the length of the waiting list, Janice tells me that there are 6,000 names on the list so housing is still a major problem. The Home Link scheme seems to be working quite well.

The S.C.D.C. headquarters is based in Cambourne of course, and the full Council meets about every six weeks. At the same time as joining the District Council she won a place on the Parish Council so the two can work hand in hand. She is finding the work fascinating and fulfilling and says it has really opened her eyes and given her a different perspective – it is important to see the overall effects and benefits of planning legislation.

Cooking and entertaining have always been a source of pleasure and they have spent many happy and convivial evenings with friends round the Mouseman table. She really enjoys cooking and many of us have asked specifically for a ‘Janice Guest make’ at a bazaar cake stall – it will always be good. When her daughters left home, Janice put together a cookery book for them spelling out all the family favourites.

She and David love travelling and have been to many exotic places, they especially enjoy train holidays and have done that twice in America and have just come back from Capetown followed by a holiday in Tenerife. They loved going on Safari but do not do cruises as David does not agree with the sea! They also belong to the Melbourn Theatre Club but due to pressure of Council work she has not yet enjoyed the pleasures of all the U3A has to offer, and for the same reason Janice tends to leave the gardening to David. (N.B – their garden will be one of the S.O.A.S. Open Gardens in June!)

I am glad that they are making the most of their retirement, because Janice works hard at everything she does and without people like her willing to put something back into the community this village would not be the vibrant, bustling place we all enjoy.

Mavis Howard melbournmagazine

The Walkers Partnership Solicitors New Year’s Resolution

Is it your New Year’s Resolution to make a Will or revise your existing Will?

If so, please take advantage of our reduced rate wills offer.

Please note the reduced rate wills will be available every week day in March and April 2009 from 8.00 am until 6.00pm by appointment only.

We will also be open on the following Saturday mornings for reduced rate wills, again by appointment only: 14th March and 25th April Reduced rates are: Double Wills – £150 plus VAT Single Will – £90 plus VAT For more information on forthcoming dates please contact our Lower King Street office: 1–3 Lower King Street,Royston, Herts. SG8 5AJ Tel: 01763 241121 info@walkerspartnership.co.uk

www.melbourncambridge.co.uk

MELBOURN’S CHURCHES TOGETHER

United Reformed Church

Meeting Lane Burial Ground + photo

Services

This small, separate part of our Burial Grounds had for many years been regarded by some as one of the very few wildlife sanctuaries within the village and had been subject to only occasional and minimal maintenance.

The “wild” nature of the area had been a concern for a while but had latterly started to attract unfavourable comment from , amongst others, the Parish Council and at our Church meeting of 18th February it was agreed to have a working party on Saturday 14th March to try to “tidy up” the area.

The consensus view as to what we wished to achieve was to re-establish it as a place of remembrance whilst also retaining it as an “undisturbed” wildlife sanctuary.The weather was kind to us and we had around 20-25 willing pairs of hands arrive to spend their Saturday morning clearing the area, many not connected with the church but willing to lend a hand to improve the area. Many positive comments have been received and a management plan will shortly be in place to maintain the good work that has been done. Many thanks to all who turned out to lend a hand.

Our regular Sunday morning service is at 11am, we meet afterwards for coffee. Anyone is most welcome to join us.

Friday Coffee Weekly Friday Coffee mornings, 10.30am until 12.30pm. Drop in for coffee and a chat, usually one or other of our ministers is present and there is also the opportunity to buy Fairtrade goods from Robert’s stall.

URC Organist celebrates 50 years of service + photo Our organist Derrick Thurley has completed 50 years of service playing the organ. It was with great pleasure that we were able to give thanks and mark this devotion and loyalty during our Mothering Sunday parade service on the 22nd March. We presented Derrick with an engraved glass bowl and certificate together with a plaque, which will be put up in the church.

There was also a celebratory cake with the picture of an organ on it, which we shared with a cup of coffee after the service.

We were also pleased to hear that Derrick intends to carry on playing for a few more years.

URC Orchard Road Burial Ground The Church has also spent considerable time and effort on improving our main burial ground and has made the Ashes Plot a kerbed area. We were also saddened to have a melbournmagazine

FROG END PET SUPPLIES at Phillimore Garden Centre

A pet shop that caters for all your pet needs all types of birds rabbits guinea pigs many other animals wide range of accessories and pet supplies Also stockists for CALOR GAS Ample parking facilities Open 7 days a week Mon to Sat 9.00am – 6.00pm Sunday 9.30am – 4.30pm Cambridge Road, Melbourn, Cambs. SG8 6EY Tel 01763 263342

www.melbourncambridge.co.uk

diseased chestnut tree felled in the early part of the year. On the 17th May a special service will be held to re-dedicate the graves contained in the Ashes plot.

Melbourn and Meldreth Churches Together Scarecrow Harvest Festival Weekend 19th – 20th September 2009 Last year our harvest activities including opening up the church on the Saturday with a display of farming through the ages with proceeds going to help the farming crisis charity. This was very successful, especially the scarecrows made by our young people. This year we have decided to include the scarecrows as part of the weekend and invite all community groups who would like to be involved to contribute their own scarecrow to be displayed, if the weather is fine outside but in case of rain we will display around the church and in the church hall. For further information please contact Anne Field 01763 220869.

Easter Good Friday Walk of Witness A number of each of the local churches met at the Community Hall at 9am on Good Friday and walked around the village, stopping to pray for the groups around the village and Easter activities going on.

All Saints Community Hall Birthday Party You Are Invited ...

In June we shall be celebrating our first successful year of operation. During this year the hall has been used for many varied functions from U3A yoga classes to Christening parties, from supper for an African Bishop to a carpet sale, from an art exhibition to health screening. This is all in addition to the usual run of Brownies, Guides, Rainbows, Womens Group Gardening Club and Royston Family History and so on. In other words, the hall has really been used as a community centre.

We are constantly being complimented on the cleanliness and welcoming aspect of the hall, the first class amenities and equipment, the space and the light etc.

So we are going to celebrate our first year by having a birthday party at Coffee Stop on Saturday 20th June from 10.30 to 12 noon. We hope that everyone who has used and enjoyed the hall will come and have a cup of coffee and a cake with us on our birthday. The Brownies are in charge that day so it should be fun and we look forward to seeing as many people as possible! Do please just turn up and join us, and if by any chance you have not yet been inside our hall it will be an opportunity for you to have a look around.

Mavis Howard

SOAS (Supporters of All Saints’) 100 Club February There were 62 members. First prize of £21 to Barry Fennings (3) 12 Chapmans Close and the second of £10.50 to Rosemary Gatward (57) of 94, High Street.

March There were 63 members. First prize of £21.00 to Mr & Mrs Yallop (61) at 17 The Moor and the second of £10.50 to George Gatward (67) at 94 High Street.

April There were 63 members. First prize of £21 to Doreen Haddrell (4) of 11 Dickersons and the second of £10.50 to Terry Shaw (54) of 4 Spencer Drive.

Melbourn Baptist Church Sunday Services are at 10.30 am (with children having separate activities and a service in the Hall, rejoining the adults later) with Evening Communion at 6.00pm on the first Sunday of the month. Everyone is welcome and most people stay for refreshments afterwards.

‘Toddler Plus’ weekly Tuesday sessions and ‘Craft Morning’ weekly Wednesday sessions , both at 9.30am, will run throughout the school term (but not during half term, or summer holidays after July 17th).

Both sessions are held in the Baptist Church Hall and anyone interested is welcome. In rotation with other churches, MBC also holds a short service at Moorlands every third Sunday at 2.30pm. More details can be found on our website: www.melbourn-baptist.org.uk/ Summer Events: 31st May 10.30 -12noon: Baptismal service 27th June Melbourn Village Fete The Word of God from David Burbridge The preaching of the cross is, to those who perish, foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God. St Paul in Corinthians 1, 18

SOAS

(Supporters of All Saints’ Melbourn)

What is SOAS SOAS is a nondenominational charity and aims to enlist the support of the Melbourn Community to preserve the village character and heritage. Funds raised by SOAS through membership contributions and cultural events are spent on the upkeep of All Saints’ Church building.

Membership subscriptions are discretionary with a minimum of £3 per person or £5 per family per year.

Application and/or Banker’s order forms can be obtained by telephoning Shaun Coles on 260327.

Funds Disbursment as at 1/8/2008 Roof Central heating Porch Piano Lady Chapel Repairs Total Cash in Hand Funds Raised

£3000 £11000 £376 £500 7684 £22560 £20000 £42560

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Bowls Jacqui Dodds 243667 Brownies Samantha Pascoe 261400 Brownies 1st Melbourn Stephanie Clifford 220272 Cricket Martin Winter 262733 Croquet Janet Pope 248342 Football Club Andrew Edwards 223109 Judo Derek Coult 225004 McSplash Joanne Greene 263313 Melbourn Sports Centre Graham Johnson-Mack 263313 Ramblers Dave Allard 242677 Royston and District Round Table Michael Seymour 221398 Squash Club Nick Sugden 261064 Swimming Club Jenny Brackley 244593 Tennis (Meldreth) Sue Davies 220174

Melbourn Sports Centre Spring Review It’s been an exciting time here at Melbourn Sports Centre, with lots going on for the whole community to get involved with.

As from the 1st April, in conjunction with South Cambridgeshire District Council, we have been running the government’s Free Swimming Initiative for children aged 16 years and under, and those aged 60 and above. Although it is still in its early stages, the interest and feedback we’ve had from the scheme has been encouraging. Application forms for prospective members can be downloaded from our website or alternatively, collected at reception.

A massive congratulations to all those who took part in this year’s Swimathon event. Distances covered for a good cause ranged from 1500m – 5000m and participants helped to raise valuable funding for the charity Cancer Care.

The 2009 Gym Challenge is going well. Many participants are well on their way to achieving their ‘travel’ goals and

01763-262943

members seem to be enjoying this variation of charting their weekly exercise levels!

Staff joined in the fun at this year’s PTF Fete on 29th March, offering visitors a chance to try out trampolining and life support skills as well as providing information on the centre’s activities, fitness suite and swimming programme. It was good to get out and raise awareness in the community in a more lighthearted manner, and we hope to repeat the performance next year.

Step Into Summer At Msc! The tennis season is now well underway. For all you budding Wimbledon stars, courts can be hired mid-week and at weekends. We are hoping to run junior training courses during the summer months. Just visit the centre reception to book or for further details.

There are plenty of children’s courses on offer this season, including gymnastics for ages 4 and a half to thirteen year olds. These are run on a Wednesday from 4.15pm, from April to July. The Fun4Baby classes, now renamed ‘Tiger Tots’, take place on Thursday mornings at 9.30am and 10.15am (this activity is suitable for babies from 8 weeks to walking). All newcomers are welcome!

We’re also gearing up for our ever-popular summer holiday children’s activities programme; details of the Summer Pentathlon and PlayScheme courses are now available. Book early to avoid disappointment!

Our Aquafit sessions continue to be popular. You can now come along and join in every weekday morning (excluding Wednesday) or on Wednesday

Fax 01763-263038

melbournmagazine

WEST ANGLIA

CROSSROADS

Caring for Carers, sharing the load

Do you care for someone?

We specialise in respite care for people of all ages in their own homes and in the community. Services include 1:1 support, palliative, emergency and group care. The Meldreth Group provides a range of activities for adults with various conditions. It is held fortnightly at the Eternit Sports and Social Club from 10.30–3.30. We have places available and accept referrals from the South Cambs Area.

We require Support Workers within your local area. Ongoing career development with flexible hours. Additional pay for NVQ and unsocial hours. If you would like more information on services or are interested in joining us.

Please contact 0845 241 0954 care@westangliacrossroads.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1091522 Company No. 4379948

Contact Mike today!

for a no obligation free quotation or just some friendly advice (01223) 207772 or (07714) 600323 mgradfordandson@hotmail.co.uk www.radford landscapes.co.uk

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Patios Walling Driveways Terraces & Steps Fencing & Trellis work Decking & Pergolas Turfing Ponds & Water Features Planting Design Ideas Complete Garden Makeovers

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evenings, with two classes being held at 6.15pm and 7.15pm. Relax your mind and body by joining our Hertha Yoga class on a Tuesday morning at 9.15am.

For further details on these or any other activities, please drop in, call 01763 263313 or go online at www. melbournsports.com. We look forward to seeing you this summer!

Graham Johnson-Mack, Melbourn Sports Centre

Melbourn Dynamos Football Club Established in 2003 we offer boys and girls aged 6 years old and upwards the opportunity to play regular football and we encourage children to become part of MDFC regardless of experience or ability. We are based at Shepreth near Royston and as of the 2008/2009 season have around 130 children aged 6 to 14 signed up to our club. We operate as a community based club playing competitive football in the Royston Crow Youth leagues.

All of our coaches are CRB checked and qualified to a minimum of the F.A. Level 1 standard. We have recently progressed to a Charter Status club with all the relevant people and practices in place to operate within the new government requirements from the 09/10 season and onwards.

Melbourn Dynamos Football Club is holding a Football Fun Day on Sunday 7 June 2009 at our home ground, Shepreth Recreation fields behind Shepreth Village Hall, SG8 6PZ. Boys and girls aged 6–13 are welcome to come along for some football fun and games, no previous experience necessary. The event is free.

BBQ & refreshments will be available on the day.

For more information about the Fun Day or the club itself, please contact Les Morley on 07739 593771 or email us on: melbourndynamos@aol.com

Melbourn Photographic Club This long standing club of local photographers from Melbourn and the surrounding area meets weekly from September to April at Foxton Village Hall. 2008/09 was a successful year with an increase in membership and participation. Meetings are from 7.30 to 9.30 on Tuesdays and provide a varied programme of prints and projected image competitions (internal and with local clubs), practical sessions and lec-

tures by specialist photographers on a variety of subjects. However perhaps as useful are the informal conversations over coffee when members share their photographic experiences and tips on techniques and local photographic opportunities. The highlight of the year is the Melbourn trophy final in March which provides an entertaining evening with refreshments, an exhibition of prints by club members and the final of a competition between photographic clubs in Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire. New members, of any skill level, will be warmly welcomed at our first meeting of the new season on Tuesday 15th September 2009.

For further information please ring Bruce Huett 01763 232 855 The photograph below is by Joe Cox entitled “Waiting for a wave” and was the winning entry for the projected image of the year competition 2008/09.

1st Melbourn Guides Having fun and changing the world: all part of a spring programme for the 1st Melbourn Guides. As part of a national girlguiding campaign, the girls chose to support a charity helping runaway children. On one evening we explored the issues involved in running away from home, and on another we had a bring & share raffle, which, with fundraising at a coffee stop too, raised a total of £76 for the ‘Railway Children’ charity.

Four evenings were given to the ‘Go For It’ programme, where patrols choose a themed resource, and organize their time themselves. These sessions included drama, global cultures, teamwork, science experiments, and party planning, which resulted in a James Bond themed end of term party, run entirely by the Starfish patrol. On other evenings we enjoyed games, singing and crafts, and the highlight of the term was a trip to Hemel Hempstead for ice skating and fun swimming.

The summer term promises all the usual outdoor fun and games, and look out for us at the Melbourn fete, where we will be fundraising for Water Aid. If all this sounds like fun, then maybe you’d like to become a leader. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people, enjoy a wide variety of activities, and feel melbournmagazine

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of April and continues until the beginning of October. If you would like to give croquet a go or for more information please contact me or our Chairman, Alec Osborne (01223 833278).

Janet Pope, Publicity Officer, 01763 248342 jacksonpope@tiscali.co.uk

Ramblers’ Association Royston and District

good about yourself. Perhaps you’re new to the area, and want to get involved in village life. If you were a Brownie or a Guide you will remember what fun you had; if not, now’s your chance! We would welcome another adult helper to join our thriving Girl Guide unit. No previous experience necessary – just a sense of fun, a bit of patience, and two hours to spare on a Thursday evening. If you would like to know more please contact Hilary Marsh on: 01763 261443.

Meldreth Croquet Club It a lovely sunny Saturday afternoon, you’ve done the shopping but don’t fancy gardening. How about trying Croquet; it is easy to pick up the basics and very rewarding.

Meldreth Croquet Club has a lawn at the rear of the British Queen pub in Meldreth High Street and welcomes newcomers. The activities of the club are based around two weekly sessions on Tuesday evenings and from this year Saturday afternoons. We also have informal club competitions which run throughout the season. Our members range in playing ability from novice to expert. Key factors in croquet are technique, tactics and temperament and, although at first sight it may look complicated, most people can grasp the basics very quickly. The game is often likened to snooker played on grass. Coaching is provided for those with little or no experience or who wish to improve.

Our 2009 seasons started at the end

Our walks programme continues right through the year. For details visit our website: www.ramblers-herts-northmiddlesex. 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 both Melbourn and Royston libraries.

We have walks on Sundays, which are normally 5-7 miles in the morning and a similar or shorter walk in the afternoon. Some Sunday walks are Figures of Eight making it possible to do only the morning or only the afternoon.

Half-day walks are held on Tuesday or Thursday mornings. Our evening walks are held on a different day each week and will continue until 26th August.

Prospective new members are always very welcome and may come on a few walks before deciding whether to join.

We also have a coach outing to Brighton on Sunday 7th June which is open to non-members. If you are interested, please contact David Allard on 01763 242677 as there may be places available.

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feature The Legacy of a WW 2 Officer We are very fortunate to have a number of volunteers from the U3A, who come in and listen to Year 7 and 8 children read – they can greatly help with their pronunciation, expression and confidence. One of the volunteers heard Jack read from a WW2 book one day, and an interesting conversation developed as he had served in the war himself. Jack was impressed and carried out a more formal interview, which resulted in this piece. This is a wonderful example of someone’s real personal recollections making history more vivid for today’s young people, and we would like to thank our volunteer for his time.

Helen Hale (Library) and Ken Pateman (English)

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“Our volunteer was among those who were willing to lay down their lives for the freedom of their country during the Second World War (1939-45), which was one of the bloodiest conflicts the World has ever seen - over 65 million left dead and many more injured.

He began his voyage to Burma in 1944 on board a troop ship. On his journey in convoy through the recently cleared Mediterranean he was to take the role of Major, therefore taking command of three drafts of officers and men at the age of 23. He says he was probably selected for this in favour of older officers because of his time in the Officers’ Training Corps at school and university. After passing Malta they were shadowed by German Stuka dive bombers and submarines. Luckily no bombs were dropped or torpedoes fired because of the surveillance from the RAF and the Royal Navy. After a four-week journey they arrived in Bombay with the task of ridding Malaysia and China of the Japanese.

He was away from home for over two years, and he obtained two different ranks, Lieutenant and later Captain.

He stayed in Burma after the war, providing supplies, and was awarded the Burma Star for his service.

He also shared with me his greatest memory of the war.

He collected a letter from his loved one saying “don’t you think it’s time we got married when you come back?” and I could tell from looking at his eyes every time he thinks of that moment he can remember hearing the bells and seeing her walk down the aisle.

Our volunteer studied at the University of Cambridge for 2 years. He said he can recall looking out of his window and hearing the engines of German bombers pass overhead and seeing on the horizon an orange glow , he later found out that the glow he saw was in fact the city of Coventry being bombed into submission.”

Jack Staley, Year 8.

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feature Looking Back By a Country Copper Ron Brooksbank During the course of my service I became involved in many aspects of police work. In one incident I had to deal with a domestic situation in one of the villages. As I had attended initially, every time the quarrel erupted I responded. Hoping I had settled the matter. But I was wrong; one afternoon I found myself being interviewed by a Detective Superintendent as a complaint had been made against me, which, I had to admit, surprised me. The outcome was that I had to attend the High Court in London, an awe inspiring experience. After waiting all day to give evidence I was told

by Lord Justice May that I was not required and I heard no more of the matter. As I left the court I thought I won’t be coming back. Some 12 years later as an Inspector I did return once again, this time I did make the witness stand giving evidence in a much more serious matter. More of this later.

I have made mention in a previous issue of the section being equipped with a mini van for patrol work. Experience proved it was not a very satisfactory vehicle for this section.

It was additionally used for night crime patrols. My officers left me in no doubt; it was most uncomfortable and far from perfect for large policemen to spend an 8 hour tour of duty in one. The crew had to spend their break time in designated section station and ours was one, much to the annoyance of myself and my wife. The crews tended to forget it was the middle of the night, which is not the time to wake up the sergeant with peals of laughter.

Like everyone else who saw the picture recently of the telephone kiosk at the Cross wrecked reminded me of how many young policemen had their first point at the kiosk and who sheltered from the weather, particularly when they knew the sergeant was not about. My first point at the spot was a February evening in 1951 while PC ‘Dick’ Barton’ was showing me round the area.

Recently I pulled up outside the old post office and thought of my earlier days as the sergeant. Every day I walked up to the post office to post correspondence to headquarters. I recall the the heavily built postmaster Mr Gordon Child and in later years his son Robert, whose wife Celia was in charge of the confectionery etc. Getting back into the car I glanced at the new houses next door to the post office and recalled Mr Stockbridges shop which had occupied the site. Occasionally I see Mrs Freda Kefford, the manageress, aided in those days by the late Mrs ‘Bet’ Cooper and the other staff member, known as ‘Tops’.

In the autumn of 1968 we received our first ‘Panda’. It was a brand new vehicle painted pale blue/white and had the word POLICE on the side, but most importantly it had a blue light on the roof. At first it was like a new toy and everyone wanted to go out in ‘Bravo 26’. Eventually there were 3 such vehicles based on the section. Only regular officers drove these vehicles and time to time they had to be ferried between the stations . Due to the first class cooperation between us all the vehicles were always where they should be.

Since my arrival on the section there had been at least 10 changes in personnel. The central house at the section station had about five changes and Steeple Morden had about four. Moving was a part of the country officers life and we just got on with it.

On several occasions the section was inspected by HM Inspectors of Constabulary, when all officers were paraded at the police station. Questions were asked by the senior police who wanted to know what each officer did and details of any cases of interest. On one inspection my living quarters were examined in my wife’s presence. On reaching the bedroom of my youngest son he was rather surprised to find a large notice bearing the words ‘Keep Out’. Rather surprisingly he obeyed these instructions.

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feature

Names revealed from a local paper cutting We have received an old newspaper cutting in which a report mentions local people writing in to identify people featured in a photograph. The picture is of ‘W.I. members taking part in an advertisements competition in July 1933. The report goes on to say that Mrs Peggy Wedd identified the person sitting centrally at the table as her grandmother, Mrs Elizabeth (David) Wedd, and that the little girl seated on her left was her niece Joyce Catley, later Mrs Randal.

Mrs Nora Cane, nee Catley, also identified the prize winners of the competition!

First Prize (left of table): Maud Stockbridge ‘Drummer Dyes’, Second Prize: Mrs D Wedd ‘Mazawattee Tea’, Third Prize (right of table): Mrs A. Holland “Ovaltine’.

This solves a mystery for the History Group who used this photograph in ‘A Glimpse into Melbourn’s past’.

Photograph was sent to us by Sue Cane. The picture was taken by W. Worland in the grounds of Dr Gregors, a large house which stood on land that is now Greenbanks. The prize was presented by Lady Harmer.

Letters Dear Editor, When I saw the cartoon included on the front page of the Church News in the Spring issue of the Magazine , and the silly joke on the second page, it seemed that there had been a deliberate attempt to ridicule our Creator and Saviour.

In the Spirit of Jesus I strongly object, whilst feeling pity, as He did for those who crucified Him, when He prayed, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’

Your readers will recall the violent reaction of Muslims upon the publication of a Danish cartoon featuring Muhammad. We should be very thankful that the Christian basis of British culture does not similarly react to some vocal atheists who clearly vent their hatred of Jesus.

Yours sincerely David Burbridge

E.A. Murphy

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Classified Ads (Trades & Professional) Window Cleaning Gary Custerson 01763 246773

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