Sports & Clubs

Bowls Malcolm Davey 262704 Bridge Club Howard Waller 261693 1st Melbourn Rainbows Abigail Roberts 261505 Brownies – 1st Melbourn Stephanie Clifford 220272 Brownies – 2nd Melbourn Samantha Pascoe 261400 Croquet Janet Pope 248342 Football Club Andrew Edwards 223109 Dynamos Football Club Les Morley 07739 593771 Gardening Club Helen Powell 245887 Guides – Ist Melbourn Hilary Marsh 261443 Judo Derek Coult 225004 Melbourn Karate Club Peter Khera 07866 374674 Melbourn Sports Centre Graham Johnson-Mack 263313

Melbourn and Meldreth Women’s Group

Pat Smith 262575 Sue Toule 260955 Anne Harrison 261775 Photographic Club Bruce Huett 232855 Ramblers Dave Allard 242677 Royston and District Round Table Michael Seymour 221398 Squash Club Nick Sugden 261064 Swimming Club Jenny Brackley 244593 Tennis (Melbourn) Dave Liddiard 07508 995 781 Tennis (Meldreth) Sue Davies 220174

1st Melbourn Rainbows

At 1st Melbourn Rainbows we have been very busy.

We made our own paper airplanes, trying out different designs and decorating them. We then flew them to see whose went the furthest, did the most stunts or crashed the best!

We played lots of games including having a bingo night.

One Saturday we met in Royston to see a pantomime! It was Cinderella. The girls all sat nicely (except when they were dancing) and during the interval, we all had a snack and a drink. It was a great day out enjoyed by all the girls and us leaders.

During the term we worked on our Thinking Day badges. Thinking Day is a day when they think about the their ‘sisters’ (and ‘brothers’) in all the countries of the world, the meaning of Guiding, and its global impact. The day, 22nd February, was chosen as it was the birthday of Scouting and Guiding founder Robert Baden-Powell and of Olave Baden-Powell, his wife and World Chief Guide.

We talked about other guiding units around the world and learnt about their uniforms, promises and games. We also found out the names of rainbow units in other countries and completed a word search.

We made Thinking Day cards and sent them to other rainbow units and guiders across the country, and also received some back! It was lovely to read what other rainbows said and how they decorated their cards.

For Mother’s day they made their own cards and decorated a heart shape with sequins. They were extremely fiddly to do as they had tiny plastic pins to attach the sequins with but the girls all made beautiful hearts.

At the end of last term we practiced and performed a barn dance for our mums and dads and also made Easter bonnets. We decorated them with coloured paper and glittery mini eggs. We then did a fashion parade for our parents. We ended the term with our ‘Pot of gold’ ceremony, which saw 2 of our rainbows saying goodbye for the last time as they are off to Brownies in the summer term for new adventures.

We have started back now after the Easter holidays and are preparing for our annual sleepover. It has a ‘Frozen’ theme and will prove to be as exciting as the girls are! On behalf of 1st Melbourn Rainbows. Bluebell, Buttercup, Sunflower, Lavender, Blossom and Jasmine

1st Brownies

This term has been very busy. We have welcomed many new faces to the unit. At the start of the term, we worked on our wildlife badges. One week, we made bird feeders out of plastic cups, string, seeds and lard. All of the Brownies hung them up in their gardens in order to attract more birds for the British bird watch. A lot of us took part in the bird watch and we shared our findings the next week.

As we approached half term, we neared Shrove Tuesday and World Thinking Day. To celebrate Pancake Day, each Brownie had the opportunity to make their own pancake, while others thought about what their promise meant and how they could follow it. After half term, we made friendship bracelets, using fishtail plaiting. Fluffy Owl (Amelia) taught the Brownies how to do this. Once all of them were finished, each Brownie was given a piece of paper with someone else’s name on and that was who their bracelets was for.

Following that, we prepared for Mothering Sunday by making hand jewellery holders. On the first week, we all drew round our hands to create a template. Then, we rolled out air dry clay to about a centimetre thick and placed our templates on top. We used butter knifes to cut out the clay hands and we placed them around plastic balls, so that they were 3D. By the next week, the hands were dry and ready to paint. We

used metallic paints so that they were shiny. Afterwards, we made cards to go with the Mother’s Day gifts.

Towards the end of the term, we had an enrolment ceremony, so that the new Brownies could become official members of the unit. All of the new Brownies’ parents were invited to watch the special occasion. As part of their hostess badges, each of the brownies (who hadn’t already achieved that badge) wrote invitations informing their parents of the details of the evening. All of the Brownies made their promise flawlessly, which is quite impressive due to the new, more complicated promise.

On the last week of term, we hosted an Easter party, which we invited the local Rainbow unit to join. First, we played some traditional Brownie games, like hanky-panky. Then, we did some Easter crafts. For example, decorating polystyrene Easter eggs and making cardboard rabbits. Next, we enjoyed some Easter themed cakes made by some of the Brownies . These included delicious raspberry and white chocolate brownies, Easter shaped cheese biscuits, rice crispy cakes and cinnamon cupcakes. Finally, we had an Easter egg hunt. One of the Rainbows said that they loved the evening so much they want to join Brownies as soon as they are old enough.

By Amy Selby (Little Owl) on behalf of all the leaders at 1st Melbourn Brownies (Brown Owl, Eagle Owl, Nightingale, Squirrel, Fluffy Owl and Lucy).

If you (or your daughter) wants come and join in the fun, please contact Brown Owl (Stephanie Clifford) on 07888831140.

1st Melbourn Guides

Being a Guide is all about learning new things whilst having fun. In November our wartime Guide skills evening included knitting, making model cars and aircraft, cooking eggless pancakes, and learning the phonetic alphabet. As a rare treat the girls had the opportunity to do the Chocolate badge; we enjoyed creating plays about the history of chocolate, did a Fair Trade role play exercise, some chocolate tasting, and of course made chocolate sweets. For Christmas we made fresh flowers and candle arrangements, with materials kindly donated by Bury Lane.

We started the spring term with disability awareness activities. These comprised trying to eat sweetcorn whilst blindfolded, communicating words silently, and painting with a brush held in the mouth. For our winter outing we travelled by train to see the pantomime Aladdin at Stevenage, filling an already crowded commuter train with over 50 excited local girls. All Guides should have some first aid knowledge, and the skills of CPR (kiss of life) and the recovery position were learnt in a fun practical evening run by a qualified local teacher. Guides are also kind to animals: later in the term a lady from Wood Green brought along some guinea pigs and taught the girls to make toys to stimulate and amuse their pets. As a thank you we raised £32 at our Coffee Stop cake stall for their charity.

International issues can be made fun too; for the World Issues badge we

Water filters using sand, tissue paper and cotton wool

Hanging mobile using peace symbols

played mosquito net tag, then made water filters using sand, tissue paper and cotton wool, competing to see which patrol’s filter was the best. The following week the girls made a hanging mobile using peace symbols, then played a co-operative game. We currently have a full unit and a waiting list, and would welcome another adult leader. If you would like to know more about becoming a Guide or a leader, 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 Ramblers’ Association

Royston and District Group Our walks programme continues right through the year. Visit our website at 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 Royston library and Melbourn Hub.

We have walks on Sundays, which are normally 5-7 miles in the morning and a similar or shorter walk in the afternoon. Occasionally 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 and Thursday mornings. Our evening walks (3–5 miles) are held on a different day each week and will continue until 26th August. Prospective new members are welcome and may come on three walks before deciding whether to join. www. ramblers.org.uk to join.

Melbourn and District Gardening Club

Are you interested in gardening? Why not join the Melbourn and District Gardening Club on a regular or occasional basis.

We have talks with slides and two outing a year, one local and the other further afield by coach.

An informal Flower Show is held in June. Members vote for their favourite display, plant or photograph.

The August meeting is held in a member’s garden for afternoon tea and a chat. Refreshments at the end of each meeting, gives plenty of time to talk and make new friends.

We meet at 7.30p.m on the second Tuesday each month, at the Community Hall, behind All Saints Church (near traffic lights, lane by red telephone box). Summer Programme » Tuesday 9 June 2015 Afternoon Flower

Show and Strawberry Tea (members and friends only) » Tuesday 14 July 2015 – A Bulb for

Every Season Hilary Thomas » Tuesday August 2015 – Afternoon Tea in Member’s Garden April’s Talk Peter Walker took us on a journey around the gardens of the Cotswolds. He introduced us to unknown gems and those more familiar. For further information ring Helen 01763 245887

Royston & District Local History Society

www.roystonlocalhistory.org.uk Our website 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 at our meetings or may be ordered by post from David Allard 01763 242677. They may also be purchased at the Royston Museum & Arts Gallery in Kneesworth Street and some are available at the Cave Bookshop in Melbourn Street.

The society is responsible for the opening of Royston Cave, Melbourn Street, Royston which will be open until the end of September. It will open Wednesdays in August, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays 2.30pm to 5pm. (last admission 4.30pm) www. roystoncave.co.uk

Our evening meetings which are held in the Heritage Hall (the main hall downstairs) Royston Town Hall starting at 8pm.will resume on 1st October. We have a coach outing to Cressing Temple Barns and Paycocke’s House and Garden and Grange Barn on 13th June. Contact David Allard 01763 242677 for details and availability of places. Annual membership £5 (Sept-Aug) (Under 18s half price) Visitors £2.

Melbourn Bowls Club

As I am writing this preparations for our Open Day are at an advanced stage and by the time you read this the Summer Season will be well underway.

You will have been victim to our leaflet dropping campaign advertising our Open Day. We hope this will not have annoyed too many and will have prompted a number of you to come and try the game of Bowls.

This year our President, Malcolm Davey, is also President of the Cambridge and District (C & D) Bowls League and as a result we will be holding a number of special events at Melbourn, the first of which will be the Presidents Match on 16th May. In addition we will be holding the C & D v Cambridge VPs match on 13th June. Then later in the season on 12 September the C & D Finals will be held at Melbourn Bowls Club. We would welcome anyone who would like to come and watch.

We will again be holding Coffee Mornings at our Clubhouse on The Moor every Thursday from 10.30 until 12.00 noon under the capable management of Muriel Cooper. All are welcome whether interested in bowls or not. The main purpose is to provide an opportunity to meet and socialise with other village residents and Bowls Club Members.

We hold a Roll Up every Monday afternoon and any newcomer to the village or resident who have lived here for some time and who interested in trying the game of Bowls would be most welcome at these events. Just turn up or if you would like further information please contact either Arthur Andrews tel. 261990 or Malcolm Davey tel. 262704.

Besides entering teams in local leagues we play friendly matches most Sundays in May, June and August. July is an internal Club month where the Ladies v Gents Challenge Match and Club Triples take place and also many members take part in a tour to Suffolk.

During August we will be hosting the Cambridgeshire Vice Presidents Team and Holding our Open Triples Competition with competitors from a wide variety of clubs.

We pride ourselves on being a friendly club that welcomes anyone interested in Bowls and involves all those who wish in social activities, coffee mornings during the Summer and whist drives and quiz nights during the winter.

Finally, if you are walking down The Moor, across the Recreation Ground, or supervising children in the play area and see activity on the green please feel free to watch and if you have the time to come into the club to chat to the other spectators who will be willing to explain the finer points of the game to you if you are not already conversant with it.

Melbourn Bridge Club

For the past 5 years Melbourn Bridge Club has been holding a weekly session of Duplicate Bridge every Monday evening at the Vicarage Close Community Centre. It is now attracting about 30 people each week. Players may