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) Tracy Aggett 243376

1st Melbourn Brownies

This year we have had a very exciting summer term with a wide range of activities. Early on in the term, we had a trip to the Fun Barn at Bury Lane. Every Brownie thoroughly enjoyed themselves and some made their Brownie promise there too. It was a wonderful evening. Just before the half term holiday, the Young Leaders ran a camping themed evening, inspired by their experiences from Girl Guiding. For most of the Brownies, this was the first time that they had put up a tent so they learnt lots from the evening. Hopefully lots of them will put their new knowledge to good use if they go on to become Guides. Towards the end of the term we had a trip to Wimpole, in order to enjoy the outdoors. While we were there we practiced an odd technique for measuring the height of trees. For our last evening of the term, we had a party at Brown Owl’s house.

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

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

1st Melbourn Guides

Cats, dogs, hamsters and garden snails visited Guides on the first week of the summer term; they were the subject of the girls’ Animal Active badge. This included a pet diary and care instructions for their chosen animal. Those without pets studied the behaviour of the wild creatures in their garden, or in the snails’ case, domesticated them for the 10-day project.

On a warm dry evening in May we hiked along the river to Meldreth where we petted the pigs and played tag, then returned via the Melbourn Millennium Wood where we played blindfold ‘meet a tree’, though some girls also met an unexpected nettle patch too.

Guides love cooking cakes & sweets, but on one evening it was time for them to try making something savoury. Two patrols had gas cookers, and made Spanish omelette, and bacon risotto. Another group cooked vegetable kebabs on a barbecue, and the Dolphins made cheese puffs which they baked in the oven. It was all delicious, and everybody tried a bit of everything.

The issues discussed prior to the EU referendum were mirrored by a hypothetical debate by the Guides: should our unit break away from Girl guiding UK and become an independent club? The Remainers argued that girls and leaders can access a lot of opportunities and resources from GGUK; the Leavers said we could save our subs to pay for what we want, not paying a census fee, and we could choose our own uniform. I’m pleased to say that in our vote, we chose to remain!

We ended the term in traditional style, with fire lighting to cook popcorn and toast marshmallows, and tent pitching practice for the summer campers.

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

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 meet at 7.30p.m on the second Tuesday most months at the Community Hall, behind All Saints’ Church (near traffic lights, lane by red telephone box)

For further details contact Helen Powell 01763 245887

Autumn programme 2016 » Tuesday 13th September – Gardens of Devon, Rosemoor, Hestercombe,

Knighsthayers Court, and Marwood

Hill – Speaker Peter Walker » Tuesday 11th October – Extending the season in the herbaceous border – Speaker Richard Arnott, Garden

Designer » Tuesday 8th November – Gadgets and Gizmos. This is a look at ways we can make gardening easier and enjoyable, not outdoor housework –

Speaker Anne Luder, lecturer at Capel

Manor College (retired) and Garden

Designer

Meldreth Local History Group

MLHG continue to be very active and recent group outings have included visits to Southill Park in Bedfordshire, the home of the Whitbread Family, and a very enjoyable day at the Museum of London Docklands in Canary Wharf.

We still meet every Monday morning at The Sheltered Accommodation Building in Elin Way between 9.30 – 11.30am.

Our current projects include Law and Order under the direction of John Crawforth. John has added numerous pages to the website www.meldrethhistory.org.uk including one of special interest to Melbourn residents when John interviewed Ron Brooksbank, who was one of the last Police Sergeants in Melbourn. There is an audio snippet of Ron speaking about his last day in the police force.

The audio pages of the Website have proved to be very popular especially the late Joan Gipson speaking about her involvement with the Good Companions day out at Hunstanton. This would have made a classic comedy sketch the late Victoria Wood would have picked up on.

The history of Meldreth Football Club is work in progress. We have discovered several interesting items including team photographs but we would welcome any memorabilia readers can supply especially relating to the 1980’s and 1990’s.

Our website has nearly 600 pages and we are adding pages all the time. We have also launched a new Facebook page which is proving popular. Please take a look and post a comment.

Please contact the History Group by calling 01763 268428 or through our website www.meldrethhistory.org.uk

Royston Family Society wound-up

Once flourishing Royston and District Family Society was wound-up on 20 June 2016 after almost thirty successful years. The Society was forced to take this step due to falling membership at its Annual General Meeting at All Saints Church Hall, Melbourn. During its very active period the Society produced and published a number of booklets. These included an index to the birth, marriage and death announcement s in the Royston Crow newspaper between 1876 and 1920. The Society also published a number of Monumental Inscriptions on graves within the Royston area.

“It will be succeeded by the Royston Herts Family History Group,” says the retiring Chairman Neville Chuck.

“We hope to meet quarterly in private homes. Our co-ordinator is the former secretary Helen Durant of Melbourn.”

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 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 opens from Easter to the end of September on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays 2.30pm to 5 pm (last admission 4.30pm) www.roystoncave.co.uk .

Our evening meetings are held in the Heritage Hall (the main hall downstairs) Royston Town Hall on the first Thursday of the month starting at 8pm. They will recommence on 6th October 2016 and will continue thereafter monthly. Details will be found on our website.

Annual membership £5 (Sept-Aug) (Under 18s half price) Visitors £2.

Cambridgeshire Family History Society

In the Summer issue our annual Family and Local History Fair was given a brief mention. Now that it is getting nearer to the time you may be interested in some detail.

The Fair will take place on Saturday 22nd October at the Glebe Primary School, Girton, Cambridge, CB3 0PN between 10am and 4pm. Admission and car parking are free.

Other family history societies will have tables so if you bring along any queries that are outside of this county they will be able to assist. Our own researchers will be there and they have access to many national records. Also present will be a number of traders with genealogical supplies.

Talks will be held throughout the day in a separate room and will be given by well-known speakers. Details of times, subjects and speakers can be seen on our website www.cfhs.org.uk

These talks are priced at £2 each per person with under 16’s free. On the website you can also see which societies and traders have booked so far, the page being updated as more book.

You don’t have to be a member to attend – all are welcome.

Melbourn Bridge Club

Duplicate bridge has continued to attract considerable interest in Melbourn during the summer months. Monday evenings averages eight tables and even attracted ten on the evening of one of England’s games in Euro 16! It should, perhaps, be pointed out that the Club is still happy to have individuals turn up and they will be guaranteed a game. Naturally, it is in everyone’s interest to form fixed pairings to advance in the game. The venue is still the Community Centre in Vicarage Close and play starts at 7.30pm so those wishing to participate should be there by 7.15pm.

Results are emailed to all members the following morning.

Our Tuesday afternoon session is at the same venue and starts at 2.00pm so players wishing to participate should arrive by 1.45pm to arrange pairings and table movements.

This session differs from Monday evenings in that it is specifically aimed at beginners and improvers. Absolute beginners are welcomed twice a year and our next intake is in August.

We hope to move these beginners into improvers in about six months if they so wish.

The improvers sessions, which are played alongside the beginners, are of a duplicate format but players can request advice or assistance from the organisers during play. Results are emailed the next day.

This year we have just introduced some short tutorials, on different elements of the game, which take place at the beginning of a Tuesday session. These will be no more than one per month.

Melbourn Bridge Club has a web site offering general information and listing the year’s results.

Any other enquiries can be made to Howard Waller on 01763 261693. Melbourn Shotokan Karate Club was involved and in a tournament at Wodson Park Sports Centre Ware. Competitors representing clubs across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire put on a superb display of Karate in Kumite (sparring) and Kata (formal sequence). This was the 11th Annual tournament organised by the Kamaete Schools of Traditional Shotokan Karate (KSTSK). Families and friends packed out the sidelines, cheering their respective clubs on throughout the day. Events covered all ages, from age five years Kata, through to teenager and adult categories to Black Belt Kata and Kumite.

The popular family team (synchronised) Kata event of three people proved a success again with 20 teams coming forward to compete. Sensei Peter Khera said “Every competition was very close as all the individuals and teams involved put on excellent performances. He was very impressed with club members Gavin Elliott-Turner, Mark Knights and Jenny Mitchell who took Silver in Team Kata. Club members Nathaniel Jaques, David, George and Henry Whybrow also competed and just missed out on the top three placings. Sensei Peter Khera, instructor at Melbourn Club club was presented with his Black Belt 6th Dan Certificate awarded by NAKMAS National Governing Body. Sensei Khera has been training in Shotokan Karate for over 30 years and teaches weekly at Melbourn Village College Sports Centre.

The club is running FREE Taster beginners classes on Tuesdays. Please call 07866 374674 or visit www.kstsk.co.uk for details.

Ramblers’ Association

Royston and District Group Our walks programme continues right through the year. For details visit our website: www.ramblers.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, Royston Museum & Art Gallery 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) will resume at the end of April next year. Prospective new members are welcome and may come on three walks before deciding whether to join. www.ramblers.org.uk to join.

Melbourn Sports Centre

For those of you who don’t already know, we have: • A state of the art fitness suite offering a variety of membership schemes • A 20 metre swimming pool (kept ever so slightly warmer than most!) • A comprehensive swimming lesson programme, catering for all ages and abilities • Upgraded multisports courts for hire including tennis, football and squash courts • Water sports courses and activities • Traditional and modern exercise classes • Access to Melbourn Village College sports hall and gymnasium for activities such as trampolining, badminton and basketball • Supervised sports and pool parties

September / October / November / December We have loads on offer this season, with something for the whole community to get involved with…. So why not come along and find out more about your local sports centre!

Come in out of the cold! With Autumn fully upon us and the nights closing in, why not come in out of the cold and have a go at such activities as table tennis, squash or badminton? Court hire from only £5.00 per hour. We have lots of classes to keep you fit and healthy, including Boxercise, Aerobics, Boot camp, Aquafit and Body Sculpture. Or why not take advantage

of one of our great membership schemes to our fitness suite, which houses the latest in gymnasium equipment, including C.V machines fitted with audio visual technology. Half term activities Children’s Half Term is fast approaching, an ideal time to book your young ones onto one of our great activity courses. These include swimming crash course, soccer camps, trampoline taster sessions and our popular Ofsted PlayScheme. Party time! Looking for the perfect venue to hold your children’s birthday or Halloween party? Then your search is over! We have all the facilities here for a fun-packed event with a variety of activities for your guests to enjoy, including trampolining (always a popular choice), football and traditional pool parties. Swimming lessons We still have plenty of spaces on our pre-school lessons, so for more details or to book a place then please contact Toby or Graham on 01763 263313 Waterplay These pre-school swimming lessons are an ideal first step for your child learning to swim, with the aims to build confidence in water, learning basic skills like floatation and movement using buoyancy aids. » Tuesdays & Thursdays: 13.30 – 15.00 (30 min lessons)

Fridays: 10.30 – 11.30 (30 min lessons)

Prices: £3.75 per lesson (paid per term) For further details on these or any other activities, please drop in, call 01763 263313 or go online at www.mc-sport.co.uk We look forward to seeing you soon.

Activities for teenagers and young adults Teen Training An hour fitness session using our fitness suite machines » Monday – Fridays / 15.30–16.30 &

Weekends /14.00–15.00

Price: £2.50 per session / 10 sessions for £20.00 Trampoline Course This course is a great way to introduce your child into this fun and energetic sport. Start to learn all the basics including twists, shapes and drops! » Mondays 16.00 – 17.00 (4 ½ – 7 years); 17.00 – 18.00 (7-10 years); 18.00 – 19.00 (10 – 16 years);

Price: £4.50 - £5.50 per session (booked on a term basis) Melbourn Sports Centre, The Village College, The Moor, Melbourn, Royston, Cambridgeshire, SG8 6EF 01763 263313 / www.mc-sport.co.uk / info@mc-sport.co.uk

Grinnel Hill BMX Club

After a major re-development of the beginner, intermediate, and advanced lines over the winter at the lower end of the site, completion of which was late Spring, we’ve seen many new and existing members returning through our gates, from Melbourn itself to surrounding towns, villages, counties and countries as far flung as America and Poland throughout the summer The club is open annually April to September Strictly for BMX use only, for ages 12 and older, members have the option of either becoming a seasonal member for £50 (April to September), or a day member (per session) for £10.

Our aim for the club is to promote an activity for the young community of Melbourn and surrounding areas to participate in, with the guidance of our committee and experts, in a safe and friendly environment. Members will have access to BMX coaching and expertise on site during club open days.

For more details and to download your membership form today please visit; www.grinnelhillbmx.co.uk Acknowledgements: Melbourn Parish Council. Frog End Pet Supplies. Wrights Mower Centre Melbourn.