feature

WaterAid

“Now we have enough water, the community’s lives have improved. People have gardens and they can water their animals. We are living happily.” Josephine

In Basbedo village, Burkina Faso, West Africa, 40-year-old Josephine has gone into business for the very first time.

“We had crops before, but it wasn’t enough … Then one night I thought of what I could do to make things different. That’s when I started to make beer.”

A brand new business Josephine who lives with her husband, Andre, and their four children, set up her beer-brewing business in 2013, after WaterAid began a pilot project in Basbedo. Like other communities in sub-Sahelian Burkina Faso, the people face a dry season that can last for up to eight months of the year, with soaring temperatures making rivers evaporate and groundwater levels drop.

Every year these brutal conditions force families into a desperate search for water, or face unimaginable decisions that are all too frequently a matter of life or death.

“We only had one borehole before. There were queues and even serious fights there, … People used to suffer a lot.”

“Making beer means I can take care of my children”

Like many parents in Burkina Faso – where almost three million people lack access to safe water and around 12,000 children under five die from dirty water and poor sanitation every year – Josephine’s motivation to supplement her family’s income is rooted in personal tragedy.

“I have seven children but three died, … The ones who died sometimes had pains in their stomach and pain in their body.

“At that time, I didn’t have the money to take them to the clinic. But since I started making beer, I can get my own money to spend myself. I can buy medicine and take my children to the doctor.” A pioneering approach The results of the work carried out by WaterAid in Basbedo, and two other villages where the pilot project took place, were so extraordinary that in spring 2015, WaterAid launched Project Sahel: Water 365 appeal, with the goal of implementing this pioneering approach in a total of 14 drought-prone communities in Burkina Faso.

This means not only investing in infrastructure and improving access to water, but also training local people to become fully-fledged water experts, so they can monitor rainfall and water levels and help their communities make the decisions that will ensure they have access to water every day of the year.

Combined with working with the government to guarantee long-term investment in infrastructure and training, this approach could transform lives across the subSahelian region.

For Josephine, it’s the new well that’s made the biggest difference to her family’s life, providing a reliable source of the water she needs to complete the brewing process, which involves mixing red millet with water and yeast to create beer.

“I take water from the well to brew my beer, to wash our clothes and for all our other cleaning activities,”

“It’s not far from here – we just cross the road and it’s on the other side. It helps us a lot. If we didn’t have the well I wouldn’t be able to do what I am doing.” For more information on the Project Sahel: Water 365 appeal visit: www.wateraid.org/uk/donate/project-sahel-365/water365-org

Support our pioneering new Project Sahel 365 appeal today and we’ll transform life in drought-prone communities in Burkina Faso by: • building boreholes for drinking water, and hand-dug wells for animals, gardening and washing • helping local people to become water experts, who can monitor and manage their supply, so they have enough clean water every day of the year • constructing sand dams, which collect water and raise groundwater levels.

Heinemeyer (Melbourn), and Kate Swindlehurst (Cambridge) – all of whom spoke about their differing motivations and read some of their published and unpublished work. The fascinating insights into the creative process provided by these speakers also provoked some interesting discussion. Finally, in the evening the audience was treated to a concert by the Cambridge-based Orlando Singers conducted for the penultimate time by Peter Horley, who was stepping down as conductor a few days later. Peter Horley, who recently retired as Melbourn Parish Clerk, has been conducting for almost forty years! Who knew? Bloomsday: 16th June The final day of the Festival comprised the famous Bloomsday 16 June Celebration which takes place in many literary and cultural centres across the world. James Joyce’s famous novel Ulysses was celebrated with readings by MVC students and Melbourn residents, re-enactments, a public lecture and general dressing up in fun party outfits appropriate to the novel’s 1904 setting. Indeed, the celebration on a specific date arises because the novel takes place over the course on one day: 16 June 1904! Bloomsday in Melbourn comprised thirteen free events spread across the village, indoor and outdoor, including several with live music and song of the period, starting at 8.15 am and finishing around midnight. They included: a Bloomsday breakfast of sausages and kidney; a mid-morning ‘T for Tolerance’ tea break; a pre-lunch saxophone concert; the famous Bloomsday lunch of Gorgonzola cheese with burgundy; an afternoon of Edwardian crafts; a major public lecture hosted by Melbourn Village College; and finishing with traditional folk music from Green Shoots in a local pub. See You Next Year? Overall, a good time was had by all and approximately £1,240 was raised for WaterAid. All involved in planning and creating this free community-wide Melbourn Bloomsday Festival hope you found something of interest. The programme was deliberately wide and varied. If you found nothing to interest you and entertain – perhaps another time. As last year, a Bloomsday: Report Back to the Melbourn Community is scheduled to take place in late September. The slide show presentation is certain to bring back happy memories for all who witnessed, experienced or participated. Come along to the ’Report Back’ - it may even help you to decide to make an appearance next year at our very own Melbourn Bloomsday Festival: A Celebration of Literature, Drama, Music & All Creative Arts. Our sponsors, volunteers and participants will surely be pleased to see you there. Hugh Pollock, Co-ordinator, Melbourn Bloomsday Celebration Group

Bloomsday pre-lunch concert

If excellence can be said to be measured by appreciation, then this concert was indeed great. At only three quarters of an hour long, we were treated to a wonderfully varied performance of dances from many places and periods, which ranged from classical to jazz , folk and contemporary pieces. The variety of sound issuing from the saxophones was indeed staggering. It would be good to hear this group any time, anywhere, and we are fortunate to be able to call on such talent. WH

New Melbourn Singers

The New Melbourn Singers are starting to rehearse Elijah by Mendelssohn for the concert when they sing as part of the Cambridgeshire Choral Society. It is a magnificent work and will be exciting to perform. The New Melbourn Singers will also be taking part in the Community Concert for Home Start.

We are actively looking for new choir members of any age – soprano, alto, tenor or bass. An ability to read music is useful but not obligatory. There is no audition. If you are interested either give me a ring for more information or just come along to a practice session.

We meet on Tuesdays at 7.30pm in Meldreth Primary School. Jane Stevens, 01763 261858

Every Saturday 10.30–12 noon After 10 years of running the highly successful Coffee Stop, Sue Toule and Mike Scriven's are hanging up the keys and we thank them for all the work they have done. However, Coffee Stop carries on under new management All welcome

Melbourn Library

We had a very successful visit by some 20 children from the Melbourn Playgroup when we showed them how the Library works and the sort of books we have for them. They loved it especially when we let them date stamp some of the books. We finished up with a story from Mandy which the children thoroughly enjoyed.

During the summer holidays children of primary school age took part in the Big Friendly Read. This was the annual reading challenge which this year was specifically aimed at books written by Roald Dahl. In readiness for this the library had stocked up with additional copies of his books. As usual many children took part in the challenge and medals and certificates were awarded to those who completed the challenge.

We have a huge range of books for children of all ages which is added to regularly. Children can reserve books with their Cambridge library card without charge either on line or through our team of volunteer librarians.

Finally, we buy a number of best seller books for adults every month which we place on our new books shelf. Jane Stevens

Melbourn & Meldreth Women’s Group

The Group is for all women of any age. Meetings are held at 7.45 p.m. on the 4th Tuesday of each month, except in December and we vary our venues between Melbourn and Meldreth. We

charge £1 on the night to cover expenses and there is an opportunity to make a donation to the chosen charity of the year, this year we are supporting The Laughter Specialists. We usually have a guest speaker or some in house entertainment followed by a chance to have a chat over tea/coffee and biscuits.

Our September meeting will be on the 27th at Holy Trinity Church Meeting Room in Meldreth and we are looking forward to hearing Marjorie Parsons talking to us about The Queen’s Clothes, Marjorie used to work for Norman Hartnell so it promises to be an interesting evening.

October 25th will see us busy in All Saints Community Hall making our Christmas decorations for The Christmas Tree Festival in Meldreth Church at Advent. This is an opportunity to come together to have a chat and is often punctuated by shrieks of laughter or dismay as things are completed.

We will meet again at Meldreth on 22 November when Pat Smith will lead us on a reflection connected with Advent.

We are a small friendly group and if you would like to join us feel free to come along. If you would like to know more or need a lift on the evening please contact one of the committee members:

Pat Smith 262575 Sue Toule 260955 Anne Harrison 261775 or Angela Leach 262793.

Volunteering at The Hub

There are 15 people in the team of volunteers who work at The Hub. We choose our work hours; length of hours worked, and which day suits us. For some, two hours is what they can spare; others do upward of four hour or more, sometimes working over lunchtime. The length of time depends on the volunteer. Each of us is given a short training in Health and Safety .We are all issued with an apron and asked to wear sturdy shoes.

The work varies too. Some of us do mainly clearing tables, stacking and emptying the steam washing facility. Some do the till as well and in addition a few can make beverages if the cafe is very busy. We are never involved in the food preparation.

The regular staff are a great team to work with and the atmosphere is very congenial. The staff are strict about health and safety protocols especially the washing of knives and glasses and the separation between implements used for meat from those used for other food. The customer experience is always a priority.

The volunteers really enjoy meeting the public. Many of our customers are regulars and it really pleases us to renew acquaintance. Many visitors just drop in casually. We love to see the young families and those coming to use the library who often stop for refreshment. Local business meetings which take place in the meeting rooms add another customer dimension. Tel 01763 263303 e-mail reception@melbournhub.com

The hall for all

Mamma Mia and Frozen

An update on the All Saints Community Hall – the new chairs have arrived! Very smart they look too, in a petrol blue fabric with hammered metal finish legs they are lighter than the

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