Sports & Clubs

games to earn points. The ever popular ‘bin bag fashion’ had a theme of West End Musicals, resulting in girls dressed in outfits from Joseph, animals from Lion King and nuns from Sister Act. A disability awareness evening saw the girls learning ‘Taps’ in sign language, lip reading, and identifying people and objects blindfolded. In February we staged our own Winter Olympics with homemade plastic skis, stone-filled socks for curling, polythene sheets for bobsleighs, and rolled up newspaper for ice hockey sticks. For Thinking Day we had an Italian themed evening which included home-made mini pizzas and Venetian mask making. The leaders had an easy evening while the girls enjoyed an evening of swimming at the Leisure Centre, and the mothers had a treat with home made Mothers Day cards and sweets.

As part of our community involvement we helped at a Coffee Stop, at which our cake stall raised £25 for WWF, and we gave our opinions to the Melbourn Village Plan project.

In March we did a 5 mile hike near Cottered, then stayed overnight in a converted primary school. Some girls learned new skills to earn their Traditions of Guiding badge, whilst others helped to cook the supper. As expected, the girls talked late into the night, but were still up and awake for their cooked breakfast at 8am on Sunday morning.

The Spring term finished with an evening of challenges based on the activities we’d done throughout the term. I was impressed at how much they’d actually learnt!

The ‘Wednesday group’ has now become ‘2nd Melbourn Guides’ and will continue meet on Wednesday evenings. If you would like to know more about becoming a Guide or a leader with either group, or if you have any skills or hobbies which you would like to share with us, please contact me on: 01763 261443 or email: melbournguides@gmail.com Hilary Marsh

Melbourn Dynamos Football Club

WANTED!!

Under 11s & 12s Girls (School Years 6/7) We are establishing a new girls squad for the 2009/10 season, coached by fully qualified FA coaches. If you know of any girls in Years 6 or 7 who might be interested in playing football, please contact us on the number above.

Dynamites Ages 4 to 5

We now have a Saturday morning fun football session for boys and girls aged 4 to 5 yrs. All welcome.

http://melbourndynamos.co.uk MDFC is now nearly 7 years old and is going from strength to strength. Starting out with a handful of local children and parents in 2003 we now have approximately 150 children aged 4 to 13 years signed up to our club. The current U10 squad are pictured at the end of season Presentation Event of 2009.

We are based at Shepreth, and offer boys and girls the opportunity to play regular football regardless of experience or ability. 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 the people and practices in place to operate within the new government requirements from the 09/10 season and onwards.

If you are interested in finding out more about MDFC, please contact Nicky Patel on 07951 590139 or email us on: melbourndynamos@aol.com

Melbourn And District Photographic Club

The 2009/2010 year ended on a high note with a stimulating Melbourn Trophy final (the 36th) on Saturday 13th March at Foxton Village Hall including the annual display of members’ prints. Cambridge retained the trophy, beating Biggleswade. The final is the result of a knock out competition, starting in October, between 14 local photographic clubs. Jim Hartje provided informed and entertaining judging of a varied range of excellent images. Homemade cakes were enjoyed by all. Ware won the Print Competition with an evocative display.

Winners of the annual competitions. Left to Right: Standing: Allan Hale:Print of the Year, Ken Clifford: Projected Image Competitions and Chairman’s Trophy. Seated: Lynne Cole: Projected Image of the Year, Liz Hale: Print Competitions

The 2009/2010 season was extremely successful with membership rising to 41 (almost the highest ever) with several enthusiastic new members. As a result the standard of competition entries improved in quality and range. As well as the competitions members enjoyed a programme of informative and imaginative talks by local photographic experts and the workshop sessions, conducted by experienced club members, provided a valuable opportunity to exchange practical tips and learn new techniques.

Due to members now coming from a broader area the club has changed its name to Melbourn and District Photographic Club.

The 2010/11 season will start on Tuesday 14th September 2010 at 7.30 at Foxton Village Hall. New members, of any skill level, will be warmly welcomed. For further information please ring Bruce Huett (Secretary) 01763 232 855.

Ramblers’ Association Royston and District

Our walks programme continues right through the year. For details visit: www. ramblers-herts-northmiddlesex.org.uk or contact David Allard 242677. Email: david.allard@ntlworld.com or Lesley Abbiss 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 (sometimes on both days). Our evening walks are held during the summer months until 25th August 2010. To mark the 75th anniversary of the Association a series of ‘baton’ walks are being held throughout the country. To join Royston group’s ‘baton’ walk meet at Royston Town Hall car park on 5th September at 9.30am or at the Countryman PH at Chipping at 9.45am for a morning walk of 6 miles or an afternoon walk of 4 miles (or both). Details from David Allard on 01763 242677. Prospective new members are always very welcome and may come on a few walks before deciding whether to join.

Melbourn Sports Centre

There’s been a lot going on this term at the sports centre, to keep the community fit and ready for the warmer weather.

Jenny Sherwood ITEC Est 18 years

Holistic Practitioner and Beauty Therapist • Reduce stress and muscular tension – calm your mind and sleep better by having: Aromatherapy Reflexology Reiki GNLD Distributor Whole food, organic supplements, weight loss program, non toxic home care and skin and body www.rapidhealth.org An extensive range of Beauty Treatments also available For more information or to make an appointment please contact Jenny on T. 01763 261218

E. JENNIFER.SHERWOOD1@NTLWORLD.COM

Gift Vouchers available –Ideal For Christmas Gifts !

Aside from our normal classes, courses, swimming and fitness suite activities, we also had the first anniversary of our successful Free Swim Initiative in April. If you haven’t already joined up to the scheme, we’re ready to welcome you! (Eligibility – ages 60 and over, or 16 and under).

The 2010 Swimathon (raising funds for the Cancer Care Trust) attracted interest from many of our regular swimmers. Congratulations to all those who participated and thank you for raising so much money for a great cause. Let’s hope that next year we can beat both participant level and money we’ve raised!

We also welcomed back the outdoor sports and tennis season, and introduced a season ticket for the use of tennis courts (members only).

SUMMER FITNESS

To celebrate the countdown to the 2012 London Olympics, we’ll be opening our doors at the end of July for free taster sessions in tennis, swimming and badminton. Everybody’s welcome to give them a go (further details available nearer the time).

Plus why not start planning your summer sports early, with our holiday courses like the Children’s Pentathlon and Swimming Crash Course? Always popular and a fun way to spend some or all of the summer holidays, these sport camps offer children the opportunity to try out both mainstream and specialist activities. Bookings now being taken.

Other activities on offer include: • Family Fitness Frenzy on Sundays, where families can participate in • badminton, tennis, table tennis and swimming. Priced at £4 for family of four • Friendly Fridays, where members of the public can come down with an • existing fitness suite member and try out the gym for free! • Our usual popular swimming lessons, both group and private • A range of exercise classes including

Yoga, Pilates, Adult Trampolining and • dry-side exercise classes • Indoor and Outdoor Court Hire

We look forward to welcoming you to your local community sports centre. Graham Johnson-Mack / Manager Water makes up about two-thirds of our body weight. And it’s important for this to be maintained because most of the chemical reactions that happen in our cells need water. We also need water for our blood to be able to carry nutrients around the body.

To stay healthy, you need to replace the fluids you lose, approximately 1.2 litres (6 to 8 glasses) of fluid every day, to stop us getting dehydrated. And don’t forget, if the weather is hot or you are exercising, you will be losing even more water.

Aqua-fit

Using the resistance and buoyancy of the water makes this fun and energetic class suitable for all. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays 09.15 – 10.15 Fridays: 09.30 – 10.30 Wednesdays: 18.15 – 19.15 / 19.15 – 20.15 Prices range from £3.25 - £5.00

McSplash swimming club – Survival Skills

Despite some very chilly evenings swimmers of The McSplash swimming club turned out on most Fridays to swim lengths and learn new skills. The latest skill, which was added into the spring programme, was Survival Skills.

There are three important activities which need to be learnt: • Treading water (out of the swimmer’s depth) • H.E.L.P (Heat Escape Lessening

Position) • HUDDLE (Staying together in a group to stay safe and keep warm) TREADING WATER The aim of treading water is to enable the swimmer(s) to stay in a stationary position, out of their depth, with head above water, the head being the main heat loss point of the body. The body should be in a vertical position and whilst the hands are ‘sculling’ the legs are used in either a scissor kick, breaststroke kick, cycling action or egg beater (an alternating breaststroke kick). HELP, Position To achieve this position a flotation aid is used, ideally a lifejacket. Whilst training in the pool we use swimming floats, but other articles that may be used are plastic containers, buckets, inner tubes, wood, ball, etc. The swimmer keeps the legs tightly pressed together and allows them to float in a comfortable position keeping the arms pressed closely to the sides (the inner thighs and sides of the trunk of the body being the farther two heat loss points)’.

Cycling action

Scissor kick

Breaststroke leg action

Eggbeater kick

HUDDLE Position As the words suggests, the Huddle involves participants huddling together around a flotation aid in order to conserve body heat. The aim should be to pack tightly in groups of three or more. The HUDDLE is also most effective when a lifejacket is being worn, but other flotation aids may be used in an emergency.

HUDDLE with life jacket

H.E.L.P with life jacket

H E.L.P with flotation aid Improvised HUDDLE

You can survive in cold water if you ‘hang’ onto your body heat and by using the HELP or HUDDLE. You should know how to give the International Distress Signal - this is achieved by stretching one arm above your head and waving the arm from side to side in an 180° arc whilst shouting for help.

It should also be stressed that if you are going to be swimming in open water, that you follow the four points of the RLSS (Royal Life Saving Society) Water Safety Code: • Spot the Dangers • Take Safety Advice • Go with a Parent/Carer/Friend • Learn how to help

Being aware of How to Survive in Cold Water, once learnt, it is a life-long skill for all swimmers. Survival Skills will also be practiced during our summer Programme with holidays in mind.

If you would like further details, or are interested in joining the swimming club, please contact Jenny Brackley on 01763 244593 or the Melbourn Swimming Pool for the Rookie Lifesaving Programme on 01763 263313.

Melbourn Village Fete 1887

Useful advice from the Melbourn Programme celebrating Queen Victoria’s Jubilee in 1887 to the organisers of Melbourn Village Fete 2010.

While reorganising the History Archive in the Parish Office we naturally could not resist rereading some of the material; the Jubilee Programme was particularly interesting!

To celebrate the Jubilee of Queen Victoria on June 21st and 22nd 1887 in Melbourn, committees were formed, money raised, and a splendid celebration took place in Mr Spencer‘s Tithe and other barns in the centre of the village, around 800 people were able to be accommodated at a sitting. The feast consisted of: 910 lbs (414 kg) of beef, 1,200 lbs (546 kg) of bread, 580 lbs (264 kg), of cake, 76 lbs (35 kg) of butter, 24 lbs (11 kg) of tea, 150 lbs (68 kg) of sugar, 2.5 lbs (1.2)kg of mustard and 27 gals (101 l) of milk!

There was a successful exhibition of carthorse teams in their working gear, which paraded the village. Eleven shepherds of Melbourn competed in a sheep shearing competition, each shearing two sheep and tying their fleeces.

Tea was then taken in two sittings and immediately afterwards(!) a programme of sports commenced, including flat and hurdle races, egg and spoon races, tug of war and mounted combat(?)

A special attraction was the Old Men’s Jubilee Race, in which several competitors over the age of 50 afforded considerable sport!

This was followed by a two hour fireworks display, in which rockets, shells and bombs, Catharine wheels, Roman candles etc were discharged to the delight of the numerous spectators.

The following evening the jollifications were continued and a supper and dance were held, about 900 persons participating. The Queen and the committee members were cheered, the National Anthem was sung , and the committee chaired and carried around, and good humouredly tossed into the air!

And the cost for all of this was £82–8s–2p!

However, when you realise that the average wage for an agricultural labourer was only thirteen shillings and tuppence ha’penny (two pence and one half penny) per week, and the highest paid domestic servant, such as a housekeeper or a butler received less than a pound a week, £82 becomes a very large amount of money.