feature – Melbourn Science Park

feature

Melbourn Science Park

… a tranquil home to cutting-edge technology

Melbourn Science Park is an extremely successful and growing hub for innovation and technology development. Owned by TTP Group since 2000, the Science Park has nine buildings, totalling over 200,000 square feet, within its 17 acres of landscaped grounds. It is home to a broad range of companies engaged in pharmaceuticals, biochemistry, communications, printing, electronics, mechanical engineering, testing and technology consulting. The companies based on Melbourn Science Park form part of the world renowned Cambridge Cluster and vary in size from one-man businesses to companies with 300+ staff.

The site was originally a private house (Sir Winston Churchill is said to have slept here) with parkland and has retained the grandness of a great park. The landscape gardening team carries out a rolling programme of reinstatement and improvements, sympathetically integrating modern buildings with established parkland. A high proportion of the park stands as wild meadow, which is encouraged to flourish. Mindful of the environment, the gardening team practices a code of biodiversive park management using a process of mulching to put everything back into the soil.

People working at Melbourn Science Park are encouraged to use the space for creative thinking time as well as for relaxation. TTP Group commissioned two world-class bespoke furniture designers, Fowler & Company of Sussex and itre Furniture of Dorset to create pieces of sculpture that work not only as seating areas but also provide impressive visual impact around the park.

The Park’s head landscape gardener, Charles Tarrington, tells us: ‘the park has a quiet energy. You feel the space and tranquillity and at the same time touch the buzz of something special happening from behind the walls of the various companies around.’

If you would like to read more about one of the largest and most successful companies in Melbourn, or if you would like to rent premises on this beautiful park, please go to TTP Group’s website: www.ttpgroup.com

Melbourn and Meldreth Self Help Group Luncheon Club

A traditional turkey Christmas dinner was served, together with pudding and mince pies, to all lunch club members and our drivers before Christmas. We had the great pleasure of seeing Cissy Duhy again, who moved out of the village during the summer. She was kindly transported by a family member and it was great to see her looking so well. Thank you to all the kitchen helpers for again preparing and serving. As we started our New Year, we heard the sad news that Mary Nelson, who reached the grand age of 104 last December, had died. We send our sympathies to her daughter Liz and all the family. Mary was an incredible lady, and will be missed greatly. She was a delight to have at lunch club. As you read this, we will be approaching Easter, when hopefully, another fantastic meal will be in the planning ready for our Easter celebrations. My lunch club waiting list has got shorter, so if anyone in Melbourn would like to join us, please call me, and you will be added to my list. As always, new drivers would be most welcome to join us!! Jayne White 220250

Melbourn Mobile Warden scheme

The rousing sounds of ‘Hallelujah’ filled All Saints Church on the evening of 10th December and signalled the finale to a wonderful Christmas concert performed by the ‘Orlando Singers’ in aid of the Melbourn Mobile Warden scheme Friends fund.

Melbourn Mobile Warden Scheme

Can we help you? Can we help a relative? Can we help a neighbour? Who does the Scheme help?

The scheme is open to anyone who requests our help including those who live alone or with their families but need the extra support offered by our services. Couples too are most welcome. It is also open to those in sheltered housing, as the scheme offers different, but complementary services. Note: The scheme also offers its services for short periods to cover the temporary absence of relatives who otherwise provide this support.

We offer help with:

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

We do have to make a small weekly charge for the warden’s services. The fee is only £5 per week (a little more for couples). Margo Wherrell (Mobile Warden) 01763 260966 Mobile: 07935 315497 Email: tigress270549@aol.com Jeannie Seers (Deputy Warden) 01763 262651 Mobile: 07808 735066 Email: jeanseers1@ntlworld.com Joy Hyde (Assistant Warden) 01763 220139 Mobile: 07952 090089. Melbourn Warden Scheme is a registered charity.

The large audience of well over one hundred people, enjoyed a feast of classic and festive songs, hymns and readings performed by the prestigious Cambridge choir. The ‘Orlando singers’, led by musical director Peter Horley (our new Parish clerk), are renowned for their performances in and around Cambridge particularly at the City’s colleges and the people who attended the evening’s event in Melbourn were not disappointed!

The choir offered their performance without charge with the sole purpose of raising money to help pay for outings for the mobility impaired in Melbourn who are members of the Melbourn Mobile Warden Scheme, which is a registered charity funded by Melbourn Parish Council, County and District Councils. The charity cares for mobility impaired people helping them to remain independent in their own homes.

To add to the festive spirit, a Christmas hamper was raffled and the audience were treated to mince pies and warm mulled wine which was very generously donated by the Co-op Melbourn especially given the numbers of people attending. The Co-op has been and continues to be extremely supportive of the Melbourn Mobile Warden Scheme and a big thank you is extended to Chas Dean the store’s manager and his staff.

We were also very grateful to other sponsors including the Reverend Andrew O’Brien who opened his church to us for the evening, SOAS for use of the facilities, Fieldgate nursery for supplying the floral thank you for the choir and to Peter Simmonett who produced all of the publicity posters and tickets.

The evening was a huge success with great feedback from the audience and we raised over £1,100 for the Friends fund thanks to the generosity of the people who sponsored the event and of course the villagers of Melbourn who turned out in force.

Our mobility impaired people will be looking forward to a number of outings, one of which was held on 12th December at Vicarage Close. Members of the Melbourn Mobile Warden Scheme were treated to a Christmas party where they enjoyed a delightful performance by some of the children from Melbourn Primary School choir, followed by a fun talk on music through the ages by David Wherrell. The members were also treated to warm savoury and sweet Christmas nibbles and refreshments provided by the Holiday Inn Whittlesford and served by the staff from the hotel on the day. This added a special touch and we are grateful to Holiday Inn General Manager Ross Ferguson and his staff. To finish the day, raffle prizes were drawn and a lovely Christmas cake made by one of the scheme members was shared out amongst all to take home.

We will be delighted to update you in future issues on the further outings that the Melbourn Mobile Warden scheme members enjoy through the coming year and any future fundraising events that we intend to hold. Sponsors

The Orlando Singers, The Co-op store, All Saints’ Church, Soas, Fieldgate Nursery and the Holiday Inn.

Royal British Legion

Don Littlechild has been a collector for the Poppy Appeal Fund for 43 years and in recognition of his long years of service he was presented with a medal by Mr Diplock, President of the Royal British Legion for Cambridgeshire. Patrick Parkinson.

The Melbourn Village Plan

Making it Happen – and getting started!

On 3rd December 2011 a Village Plan public meeting was held at the All Saints’ Community Hall. There was an excellent level of interest with more than 50 people attending. The purpose of the event was to make the village aware of the next steps leading to implementation of the Village Plan proposals. Many people have volunteered during 2011 for projects identified in the Village Plan and some projects have already started. These include: • A Stockbridge Meadows Support Group • A Litter Picking Group • Melbourn Business Association • Improvement of our Children’s Play Parks • Sustainability and Conservation But this is only the beginning! The Village Plan describes exactly 50 possible initiatives that could improve village life. At the December meeting it was proposed that an Implementation Team be formed. Volunteers were invited to put their names forward to be part of this exciting project. The good news is that sufficient people have now been found to form an Implementation Team and the group will have an initial meeting in February.

The intention will be to use the Implementation Team to co-ordinate all volunteer working groups, both new ones and those already in existence. It will provide advice, support in the form of new volunteers, seek financial resources where needed and apply for grant monies. Another duty will be to liaise with official bodies, such as the Parish Council, whose help will be needed to achieve the more complex goals.

There will be more about the Implementation Team in the next issue of the Melbourn Magazine.

The very broad research that took place prior to publishing the Village Plan report included an assessment of the services on offer to groups that are quite often difficult to reach; sectors include the elderly, particularly those living alone, those who are less mobile or suffer from some kind of disability and young people. There are no less than five centres in the village catering for the elderly or those with disability. The Village Plan research showed the proportion of elderly people to be steadily rising. Young people make up an astounding 20% of the population, and many others also come to the village for education or leisure reasons. These factors have future planning implications for both age groups.

Great effort was made to understand the needs of these important elements in our village, using large numbers of one-to-one interviews and meetings. In the case of young people, the questions in the village-wide questionnaire were set based on their advice and input. Extensive assistance was offered and given to more elderly residents, where required, to help them respond to the questionnaire.

Current facilities

This background research into the Village Plan revealed the excellent work already carried out by existing organisations and individuals based in Melbourn. Older people

The Mobile Warden Scheme probably makes the most important single contribution to elderly care. The scheme, founded over 18 years ago, is a registered charity and addresses the needs of older people in a truly admirable fashion. Membership of the scheme costs only £5 per week for individuals. The Scheme is led by Warden Margo Wherrell, ably assisted by Jeannie Sears as Deputy Warden and also Assistant Warden Joy Hyde. The Melbourn Village Plan would like to congratulate those who are involved with the Mobile Warden Scheme for the work they do.

Another important facility is the Lunch Club managed by Jayne White. This meets weekly at the Vicarage Close site. There is also a thriving U3A group offering a host of leisure opportunities for older people, providing a social forum for all, but particularly welcome to persons who may live alone. Contact details for all these groups can be found on page 32 of this magazine. Children and youth

The number of young people in Melbourn has more than doubled in the last 25 years. The Primary School and Village College also add to the number of younger people who are present in Melbourn every day.

One of the initiatives within the Village Plan is a project to improve the children’s Play Park at Clear Crescent. An active team of young parents has researched the needs by consultation with children up to 12 years of age. The number of children in this age range has probably increased by a factor of three since the present parks were built. Fund raising is in progress both externally and through village events. The team continues to seek funding in conjunction with the Parish Council.

Through the efforts of the Parish Council Practical Solutions Group (PSG), chaired by Cllr. Susan van de Ven, for an older age range a Youth Club has been re-established at the Melbourn Village College. This is funded through the co-operation of Melbourn with the other near-by villages of Meldreth, Shepreth, Foxton and Fowlmere. The PSG is working towards many other similar goals that will benefit young persons.

Some significant omissions for young people were noted during the Village Plan research. An example is the complete absence of certain organisations, such as Scouts. There is much valuable community work being carried out in Melbourn. However, it was clear from the Village Plan investigations that there are more people who could and should benefit from the kind of services already being offered, but for some reason do not. There was also an underlying perception that younger people did not always understand the needs and fears of those much older than them. Further, it was clear that many young people felt a distinct lack of facilities and opportunities and that this sometimes led to friction with the wider community.

It is therefore a recommendation from the Village Plan to address the gaps that seem to exist; a working name for this project is CATalyst, standing for Community Action Together.

CATalyst will be a community-based initiative focusing on issues relating to older residents, the less mobile and young people within the village. In the case of older persons its aims are to identify gaps in services and clarify access to those already existing. Improving co-ordination with support organisations already within the village with those outside of Melbourn is part of the scope. Similarly, for young people, it will work with existing groups to identify and maximise opportunities. An important objective will be to seek ways of nurturing community integration between young people and the older generation. The project hopes to stimulate new volunteers while working with existing charities and voluntary groups that already do such wonderful work. It will also liaise with local and national organisations that support these same community groups, such as the local volunteer bureaux, Age UK and StART, as well as District and County Councils.

In a time of financial cutbacks it is so important to make the very best use of the resources we have, whether statutory or from the voluntary sector. The vision is to avoid duplication, ensuring all available services are used to the maximum effect. If you are interested in learning more about CATalyst please contact Sharon Camilletti at community@villageplan. melbourn.org.uk or on 0774 953 0112. Melbourn Village Plan – Implementation Team