Melbourn Business Association (MBA

distribution of information. There will be community-led opportunities with energy generation. Saving energy, through the use of loft or wall insulation, will also be part of the project, assisted with the use of energy monitors and devices that help identify heat loss points in buildings. The scheme will also help pass on many cost and energy saving tips to help individuals, the village and planet earth. Other related green initiatives supported by the Parish Council involve bulb planting and the planting of trees in partnership with the Woodland Trust.

If you want to know more about sustainability in Melbourn please contact Ray Pritchard on 01763 260701 or Siobahn Mellon SCDC Sustainability Parish Energy Partnership at siobhan.mellon@scambs.gov.uk

Melbourn Play Parks

The Melbourn PlayParks Project is driven by a team of volunteers from Melbourn trying to improve the two local children’s play parks. The group have been together for just over a year. This year has seen broad-based research achieved by talking to young people and the community at schools and at local events such as the Spring and Summer Fetes. Raising funds through various activities has also been an important aspect. An example was a pirate treasure hunt that took place at the Spring Fete, complete with pieces of eight!

The latest project is a fund-raising children’s disco, taking place during December. Monies raised will go towards improving, in the first instance, the Clear Crescent play park.

The Play Parks Team wish to thank all who have provided both ideas and time enabling the agreement of a proposed layout and project cost for Clear Crescent. Final proposals have been agreed in principle with the Parish Council who are supporting the acquisition of external funding through the preferred equipment supplier. Obtaining grants will be a lengthy business but there is much optimism that the money can be secured for this really worthwhile project.

If you would like to know more about the Play Parks project please contact Sam Wainwright on 07941368450 or swainwright1@yahoo.co.uk

If you would like to volunteer for the Sustainability or Play Parks initiatives or just want to know more about the Melbourn Village Plan please contact - melbourn. planning@googlemail.com or call 01763 232692 and leave a message. Melbourn Village Plan Steering Committee

Successful start

A large number of successful local businesses met on 25th October for the first meeting of the newly formed Melbourn Business Association (mba). The sizes of the businesses ranged from one-person to one of the largest high tech organisations in the village.

The meeting was organised in response to a widely expressed need that emerged from a survey of local businesses, which took place last year as part of the research for the Melbourn Village Plan.

Benefits from belonging to the Association include being listed in an index of local businesses, that will be available to all local residents, and effective communication between businesses and the local community working together on new initiatives.

The first meeting was supported by nearby very successful Newport Business Association, their founder, Jeremy Rose giving an inspiring review of the exciting possibilities that such an organisation can offer.

Said Councillor John Poley, who has helped found the new mba: ‘We were delighted to have the support of Jeremy and Tricia for this inaugural meeting - Newport Business Association is a model for what can be achieved with such a business association. Their contribution to the meeting gave us inspiration for what can be done to build a great community spirit and we hope to form close links with the nba long into the future’.

In praise of David Piggott

Well done David! In a recent copy of the Daily Telegraph the following letter appeared. Sir, On Wednesday, we took our grandchildren on a train trip to Shepreth Wildlife Park. We miscounted the number of stops and mistakenly got off the train at Meldreth, where we had to wait an hour for the next train.

The station supervisor provided us with a kettle of hot water, coffee, milk, and sugar. The station itself had a tidy garden provided by the gardening club of a local primary school.

Is this an example of the Big Society in action? We’d like to thank everyone. Frank Walters Letchworth, Hertfordshire.

No prizes to our Melbourn readers for guessing who the ‘station supervisor’ was even if this mention in the Melbourn Magazine will make him protest that he was only doing his job! Colin Limming.

Melbourn & Meldreth Branch Royal British Legion Women’s Section

We have ended the year on a very good note! We have elected a new President and recruited two new members.

Our fund raising events have netted us some much-needed funds for our account.

Members have enjoyed a variety of speakers during the year, and an outing in July was enjoyed by all who attended.

Anyone wishing to join will be welcome to any of our monthly meetings, which are held at Vicarage Close Community Room on the 4th Wednesday of every month from January to November. Contact Mrs C Linsell and Mrs E Murphy (Secretary) 01763 220841