Village news

20 years – The changing face of a magazine 5 The Great War 1914–1918 7 Southwell Court 7 British Legion 7 Neil Morris 9 Library 11 The Hub Club 11 Melbourn & Meldreth Women’s Group 11 Melbourn History Group 11 Ladies Circle 13 Sports Pavilion 13 Melbourn and Meldreth Lunch Club 13 Relate Cambridge 15 Cambridge Citizens Advice 15 Saying goodbye to a soggy 2014 Fete 15 Cambridgeshire ACRE’s 18 Get involved with your local Healthwatch 18

The Great War 1914–1918 available for £3 ALL the proceeds raised from the sale of this book will go to charity. See page 7 for details

An exhibition by Melbourn History Group

to those who died, we remember; to those who survived, we hear you; to future generations, let us never forget.

20 years – The changing face of a magazine

As the front cover of this issue shows, the design of the Melbourn magazine has had a number of makeovers over the past 20 years.

Originally published by Melbourn Parish Council in 1995, the first issue comprised 8 pages produced on the Parish Council copier. Issue 2 – also produced on the copier – increased in size to 22 pages with contributions from a number of clubs and residents and included advertising for the first time. About five hundred copies were printed of these two editions and placed in the library, Post Office and the Co-op, for people to pick up.

The third edition was printed by Hales Printers of Royston, with a print run of 1800 copies, the magazine was delivered to every household and business in the village.

Hales continued to print until the autumn of 2000 when The Burlington Press of Foxton (later known as Langham Press) took over. It was at this time that colour printing was introduced albeit with just two colours – black and blue used on the front and back cover. The year 2000 also saw the launch of the Millennium book, a project undertaken by the magazine.

The magazine became financially independent of the Parish Council in 1998 and has remained so ever since, being totally financed by advertising and sponsorship, though still carrying Parish Council information.

In 2005, to help publicise the launch of the history book ‘A glimpse into Melbourn’s past’, full colour was used on the front cover and a few pages on the inside. The following year the magazine began using colour advertising, which proved very popular. Interestingly, in comparison the first year of publication (1995), the magazine had just 22 advertisers – today it has 80, and of the original advertisers 5 companies have remained with us – Chris Thomas, Melbourn Flooring, PL Cooper, South Cambs Motors and Urban Plastics.

Although the design of the magazine has changed over the years, there are a number of people who have continued as part of the magazine team since those early days. From the original production team of 1995, four members still remain – Ann Dekkers, Mavis Howard, Eric Johnston and Peter Simmonett.

From those who spend a great deal of their time carrying and delivering these (now-a-days not so light!) magazines throughout the village in all weathers, Mabel Houghton, Janet Batchelor and Jayne White have been with us from the beginning. Today, 2150 copies are printed and delivered to every household and business in the Parish by a team of 38 volunteers.

TTP (previously known as The Technology Partnership) also began sponsoring the magazine in 1995 and have remained a generous supporter ever since.

Without this collective team there would be no Melbourn Magazine.