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Community Transport Scheme hits 25th Anniversary
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Above: RDCT minibuses took a group to a function at Wembley Stadium
Royston & District Community Transport are proud to have reached their 25th Anniversary of supporting the local community, taking people where they need to go.
Over the years, RDCT has grown to meet the ever-increasing demand for their service. From modest beginnings back in 1994, with less than thirty volunteer drivers using their own cars and one wheelchair-accessible minibus, they now have eighty-five volunteer car drivers, plus three part-time paid drivers, covering a large area of North Hertfordshire and South Cambridgeshire. Their vehicle fleet now comprises three minibuses and two MPVs, all wheelchair-accessible.
The demand from passengers increases steadily year on year, with over 12,700 journeys made last year. Drivers carry out approximately fifty journeys every weekday, plus an increasing number on Saturdays, and in 2018 they covered over 223,000 miles.
All aboard! Passengers on the roomy 16-seat low-floor minibus. The wheelchair-accessible MPV
Manager David Wherrell said: “Our volunteer car drivers are fantastic and we don’t just take people to hospital – we make journeys for health-related appointments, shopping and social visits or club outings. Our specialist vehicles enable wheelchair users to travel in their wheelchair, with drivers trained to MiDAS standards for passenger care.”
The scheme’s success demands sophisticated systems to handle bookings, driver allocations and invoicing and they are developing a computerised system to help cope with the workload. RDCT is always looking to recruit new volunteer car and minibus drivers, who would receive 50p per mile towards their vehicle running costs. If you can’t use public transport and don’t have a car, they can help. If you need transport, (please give at least three working days’ notice) or would like to be a volunteer, please call RDCT on (01763) 245228 – there is a 24-hour answering machine on this line – or see www.roytrans.co.uk
Relate deliver relationship talks to students in Cambridgeshire Relate Cambridge has introduced talks in Cambridgeshire schools to teach students about the importance of relationships. Relate hope that by helping young people to understand what a healthy relationship is, this will enable them to sustain good relationships in later life, and will have a positive effect on their wellbeing.
Relate delivers an array of services including couples counselling, family counselling, children and young people’s counselling and sex therapy. Relationship talks in schools are Relate Cambridge’s latest offering and have already been delivered in a local secondary school where it was extremely well received.
With few examples of healthy relationships in the media and with the influence of social media, Relate Cambridge want to promote healthy relationships to students to show them what is normal and achievable.
Relate Counsellor Olga Fuentes has been delivering the talks, and has been asking the students to think about their own relationships and how they might be improved. The students learn about the things that make a healthy relationship, such as respect and communication. They are also taught about how to manage conflict and communicate well in relationships.
Volunteer Van Assistant needed At Cambridge Re-Use
Physically fit and energetic people wanted to fill voluntary van assistant positions.
As a valued member you will be assisting the driver and other crew members delivering/collecting furniture to and from customer’s homes.
We offer travel and lunch expenses, a warm friendly atmosphere and a chance to help those struggling financially make their house into a home. “It is brilliant for people on a low income; it has helped me a great deal on improving mine and my children’s life.” “Working as a volunteer I get to meet more people and it’s good seeing people get the help they need”.
“It is a great way to serve the community. It is nice to know that there is someone out there that can give you the help you need to set up a new home.”
If you are interested in helping half a day or a whole day each week, we are recruiting for crews Monday- Saturday. For further information please phone 01223 414554 or email cara@cambridgereuse.org.uk.
Olga says: “If children and young people are more aware of their relationships at school, they could deal with friendship issues or tackle bullying in a better way. Equally, if they transfer some of their knowledge about relationships into the home environment, they will understand their family relationships better.”
She continues: “Children and young people are not used to stopping and thinking about what is going on in their relationships. At a time when social media has a huge impact on how they relate to each other, it is crucial that young people become aware of the importance of communication and understanding in face-to-face daily interactions.”
Positive effects on well-being, happiness and life satisfaction can be attributed to good and supportive relationships. Relate Cambridge believe that it’s vital to teach people about relationships from a young age, and hope to bring the relationship talks to more schools in Cambridgeshire. They believe the sessions will have a positive impact on relationships within school, among family and friends, and will provide young people with a strong foundation to sustain good relationships in all stages of life. For more information visit: www.relatecambridge.org.uk.
Grant Funding for Small and Medium Businesses
Small and medium businesses in Cambridgeshire can access Grant Funding and Free Energy Efficiency reviews, thanks to ERDF funding.
The Business Energy Efficiency programme can potentially provide grant funding up to a maximum of £20,000, or 25% of project costs, to eligible businesses for energy efficiency improvement measures such as LED lighting, heating, insulation and solar PV.
The pot of grant funding is limited and businesses are urged to register their interest by 30th June 2019 at www. beecp.org/sign-up or call 01733 882549 or email info@ beecp.co.uk Peterborough Environment City Trust. T 01733 882549
Adopt a Station Tub?
Looking for Duke of Edinburgh Volunteering? The Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Community Rail Partnership has been coordinating the care of the flower tubs at our stations for many years now.
Would you, your family, or your local business like to adopt a station platform tub? That simply means planting it to look lovely, once for summer and once for winter, and helping out a bit to keep it watered as part of our team effort.
And, if you or someone you know is looking for a Duke of Edinburgh volunteering slot, every year our station platform flower tubs benefit from a helping hand from Duke of Edinburgh and other volunteers.
Please feel free to contact us about either or both – or if you’d just like to help out occasionally with station gardening. Susan van de Ven and Sarah Grove Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Community Rail Partnership Susanvandeven5@Gmail.com, Tel 07905325574
From Parish Clerk
Councillor Vacancies
There are seven vacancies for Parish Councillors. If you are a community-spirited person who is passionate about the village you live in, wants to see tax-payers money spent responsibly, cares about future development and facilities, and wants to try and make a real difference to the community that your Council represents, then why not apply?
For further information, please contact the Parish Clerk.
Parish Office opening hours.
The opening hours of the Parish Office have changed.
Mon & Tues: 09:00 – 13:00.
Weds, Thurs & Fri: 09:00 – 16:00. Please note, the office is a busy venue and may occasionally be closed for meetings. Look for the sign on the door.
Volunteer Tree Officer
The Parish Council is seeking to recruit a volunteer Tree Officer from within the community. The Tree Officer will assist the Parish Council in determining and implementing an inspection regime, carrying out an annual inspection of trees for which the Council has a maintenance responsibility, and liaise with experts and council officers as needed.
If you feel you have the relevant skills and knowledge and would like to get involved in the community, please contact me on parishclerk@melbournpc.co.uk tel: (01763) 263303 (option 3).
Reporting Highways Issues
Residents are invited to report Highways issues directly to Cambridgeshire County Council. Please note, the pavement is also part of the Highway. If you come across damage to either the road or pavement surface, please help by reporting it. https://highwaysreporting.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/
Melbourn Pavilion – Cleaner Wanted
The Parish Council has a vacancy for an ad hoc cleaner at Melbourn Pavilion. If you are interested, please Contact the Assistant Clerk. assistantclerk@melbournpc.co.uk or tel 01763 263303.
Community Grant Fund
Do you need money for a good cause or project to benefit the community?
By the time you read this, the April round of funding will have been and gone, but the Parish Council considers grant funding applications twice a year, in April and October.
The fund is not just for existing groups and organisations. If you wanted to start a brand new organisation then there is money available. Why not apply?
Applications must be made on the grant application form available at www.melbournparishcouncil.co.uk or from the parish office. The next call for applications will go out in October.
For more information on applying for a community grant, please contact
The Parish Office, Community Hub, 30 High Street, Melbourn, SG8 6DZ. Email parishclerk@melbournpc.co.uk or phone 01763 263303. Simon Crocker Parish Clerk to the Parish Council
Melbourn Parish Council Timebank
Melbourn Parish Council has a new and exciting venture, the Melbourn Timebank. The principal goal is to bring the village community together by sharing time and skills. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions and some additional information.
What is Timebanking?
Timebanking connects people within a community, sharing their knowledge, skills and interests. Everyone is welcome regardless of age or abilities, including local businesses and organisations. Time is the currency (1 hour = 1 credit into your Timebank account) and everyone’s time is equal so an hour of mowing a lawn is equal to an hour of learning how to knit! By connecting people who may not otherwise meet we can create mutual social and practical support networks, this in turn can help tackle loneliness and isolation with the result that members can experience an improvement in health and wellbeing by increasing their self-esteem and confidence. This can ultimately reduce the strain on public services and doctors. It is not a professional service and does not replace the need for engagement of qualified tradespeople or other professionals, it is best viewed as a friend or neighbour’s assistance with ad-hoc tasks.
To give you an idea of the success of Timebanking in the UK, there are 44,000 people involved, 5,900 organisations and 3.4 million hours have been exchanged since Timebanking began (around 20 years ago).
I don’t really need any help, what would I do with all the time credits?
That is entirely up to you, save them ‘just in case’ or donate them to the Community Pot, the Coordinator can then donate them to someone else in need.
I can’t really offer anything, but I need help; can I still join?
Absolutely, yes! It is very unlikely that you don’t have anything at all to offer! Sometimes it can be the small things that can help others the most, just sitting and talking to someone who would otherwise be alone, or helping them tidy a cupboard, that seems daunting to just one person on their own, can make a big difference.
Dancemixx & Strength 45
1st week free for new students.
T&Cs apply
Come & Join US!
Greneway School, Royston Tues,Thurs Sat, Sawston, Ickneild Primary Mon & Wed at 7pm Visit www.jazzercise.net/uk/royston email maxine@jazzercise.net Text or call 0796 316 1246 T&C’s apply
Timebanking fits around your lifestyle – you can do what you can, when you can. Have a look at http://tol2.timebanking.org/ melbourn/ and http://timebank.melbournparishcouncil.co.uk/ for some more information or contact Cath by one of the following methods:
Catherine Sharman, Timebank Coordinator, Melbourn Parish Council, Melbourn Community Hub, 30 High Street, Melbourn, Cambridgeshire, SG8 6DZ Tel: 01763 263303 option 3 or email timebank@melbournparishcouncil.co.uk. You can also find us on Facebook by searching for Melbourn Timebank.
If you are able to attend our Timebank coffee mornings, they are held on a Thursday from 10 am –12 (1st, 3rd and 4th weeks each month) in the Community Hub in Melbourn for people to come along and find out more about Timebanking. On the 2nd Thursday of each month, the coffee morning is held in the Media Room, Moorlands Court at Moorlands Close, Melbourn SG8 6HF.
Additionally, an evening drop-in is being arranged, time and venue to be advertised locally and online once confirmed.
Who is the Timebank Coordinator?
I’m Cath, we moved to Melbourn last year, and I have recently been appointed by Melbourn Parish Council as Timebank Coordinator. I am passionate about keeping the sense of community alive in villages and enabling people to connect with one another. I am part of your community, living here in the village, and coordinating a successful Timebank is in all our interests, so I am always keen to hear your thoughts and ideas.
What future Timebank events are planned?
There will be an official launch in the near future, this will be advertised locally and online once confirmed. We are also working on some new groups for members, such as an arts and crafts group and a board game group.
One of our Timebank members, who contributes to a number of village events throughout the year, has set up a new village website called What’s On In Melbourn to help us all find out about all the great events that are happening in our village throughout the year and to make sure that we don’t miss out. https://whatsonmelbourn. wordpress.com builds on the great work of Melbourn Magazine that provides a platform for local voluntary groups and organisations to reach out to the community with news of events and encourage new members to join them.
At the heart of the new website is a calendar of events that will also help organisations choose the best date for their
events and avoid clashes with other events that may need support or equipment from Melbourn Fete Committee. It also provides a one-stop-shop for residents who want to get more involved in village life and are looking for options, opportunities and how to access more information. To this end, all voluntary groups and clubs are provided with their own web page and the opportunity to link to other information and contact points. If you would like your group to be part of this village website, then please make contact through https://whatsonmelbourn.wordpress.com or telephone David Atkins on 01763 263462
From your County and District Councillors
We write to you from the District and County Councils, – but first things we’re involved with in Melbourn.
Getting to Melbourn Primary School: It’s not surprising that so many parents are trying as much as possible to take their children to school without a car – it’s free, and the twice daily walk/scooter/cycle ride does plenty to help get much needed regular exercise. But a plea has come through from parents and children alike about road safety: • Extra driver care would be appreciated, especially at junctions near the school like Orchard Road and Mortlock
Street/New Road. • Zig-zag lines in front of school gates mean ‘no parking’ – please don’t park on zig-zags! • School gates open at 8.45 am – but there’s a breakfast club for families that might wish to drop their children off earlier. Meanwhile, a long list of ideas for better road safety to run past County Highways – tallying with comments and concerns from around the village, not just school-run related.
Hub Mental Health support: At the well-attended Mental Health Support awareness evening back in March, most people in the audience were not aware of the NHS helpline for people in mental health crisis: ‘Dial 111, choose Option 2’ (just Google these words to learn more). This has proven very successful in mitigating against mental health crisis admissions to A&E.
Mind is a great local resource : look them up at www.cpslmind.org.uk/ or phone 01223 311320.
East West Rail: This came on suddenly between Magazine issues! The East West Rail Company is a private company that will recommend to Transport Secretary Chris Grayling a rail link route to connect Bedford and Cambridge as part of a wider East-West rail project. The devil is in the detail and it’s important to note that Melbourn sits in the path of a possible preferred option. The financing of the route will largely depend on very large-scale development in its midst; we’re concerned because development on such a scale should be a careful process led by the Local Planning Authority, not a private company.
Solar Studs on Cambridge Road path: Some lovely messages have come in about the solar stud lights that seem to have been dropped like jewels onto this path, popular with walkers, cyclists and scooters alike.
Annual A10 Awareness Ride June 9: The annual A10 Awareness Ride which sets off from Trumpington Park and Ride at 10 am, arriving at Philimore Garden Centre’s big lawn for refreshments as usual. You don’t need to go on the whole ride – just come to Philimore’s.
Melbourn-Royston path and bridge getting closer: Step by step this project IS advancing, under the heading ‘Melbourn Greenways’, part of the Greater Cambridge Partnership’s idea of ‘green’ corridors spreading out from Cambridge along key routes. The A10 is one of those corridors, and getting all the way to Royston is the goal. You can help in a big way by coming along to one of the local consultation events – or check www.a10corridorcycle.com for the on-line version, available from June 9. • A10 Awareness Ride, June 9, 11 am–12 at Philimore’s • Melbourn Hub, July 11, 6:30–8:30 pm New Shelter at Meldreth Station: At last – and we wish David Piggott were here to see it. Yes, the new station shelter exists and is being used. We’ll be celebrating with a station garden tidy-up and picnic in the near future. Please check out meldrethsheprethfoxtonrail.org.uk for more information, or posters at the station giving details.
Child and Family Zone baby weighing clinics – staff shortages: There is a national shortage of health visitors,
Station Flower Tubs
Do you love our station flowers? Perhaps you would consider: Sponsoring a tub (planting it with summer/winter plants)
Helping with planting or watering and other green-fingered station projects And if you’re looking for a Duke of Edinburgh/
Scouts/Guides volunteering opportunity, we can help! Please contact:
Hopkins Homes
Changing attitudes by education www.RoADARC.org.uk
Are you a good driver or motorcycle rider? Advanced driver and rider training is for all, young or old, inexperienced or been driving or riding for years.
Advanced driving and riding is all about HAZARD management.
Virtually all road traffic collisions and incidents are caused by driver (or rider) error with the driver (or rider) not being able to deal correctly with the HAZARD.
The five most common causes of fatalities on the roads are using a mobile phone whilst driving, excessive and inappropriate speed, drunk / drug driving, not wearing a seat belt and distraction at the wheel. In the recent past, four people have been jailed in our region for causing a road fatality whilst using a mobile phone. There are fundamentally three types of HAZARD: 1 PHYSICAL FEATURES such as roundabouts, junctions, bends, crests and the condition of the road surface, etc.; 2 OTHER ROAD USERS such as vehicle drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists, pedestrians, horse riders, animals, etc.; 3 WEATHER CONDITIONS such as rain, sun, ice, fog, snow, micro climates on bridges or under trees or shaded areas etc. RoADARC is a club where members are trained to recognise and manage HAZARDS using the System of Car/Bike Control as taught to Police drivers and riders.
For an annual membership fee of £10.00 you can be coached in advanced driving (or riding) and will be encouraged to take the RoSPA Advanced Driving/Riding Test. If you just want to be coached but not take the Test then that is fine also. RoADARC’s mission is to promote safer driving. Contact us by email at info@roadarc.org.uk or visit our website at www.roadarc.org.uk for further details. This issues top tips: • Never drive so fast that you cannot stop safely within the distance you can see to be clear on your own side of the road (Highway Code Rule 126). • Be seen: Be safe – in poor light conditions use dipped headlights as they are better than sidelights or daylight running lights. • Always drive with a 2 second gap between you and the vehicle in front (allow considerably more in adverse road or weather conditions (Highway Code Rule 126). Not sure how long 2 seconds is then recite “Only a fool ignores the 2 second rule”. If you cannot recite that from when the vehicle in front passes a fixed point and you passing that same fixed point, then you are driving too close. and a shortage here in South Cambs. On more than one occasion, the Baby Weighing Clinic at Orchard Rd has been cancelled for this reason.
Staff shortages generally: From many key public service sectors – like health, social care and teaching – we hear of South Cambs staff shortages, attributed to lack of housing that people can afford, and lack of affordable and workable public transport networks.
The new Local Plan is underway: What is it and why does it matter?
We’ve heard so much in recent years about unplanned speculative development, during a protracted period when the ‘Local Plan’ had been suspended due to a shortage in what’s called the Five-year Housing Land Supply.
The Local Plan is the legal, statutory process whereby growth is carefully planned. Government tells local councils how many houses they must build over a long period of time, and this is divided into smaller chunks of time with more detailed plans to ensure that the process is properly thought-out, as well as accompanying infrastructure plan to support new populations. Thankfully, we’re now back into the proper Local Plan process, which by definition must be accountable and transparent – so, we can see all the proposals, and give our responses to them; these are in turn carefully read and responded to, and do contribute to the final outcome. (In the last Local Plan, Melbourn had the highest consultation rate of any village in South Cambs, and the shape of the plan was clearly influenced.)
The first stage of the Local Plan process is the ‘Call for Sites’ whereby anyone can submit a proposal for a piece of land for development. Then there’s a long sifting through all these proposals to see what’s bonkers and what’s not. And then, a long consultation process. An accompanying Transport Strategy is developed by the Transport Authority (which used to be the County Council but is now the Mayor and Combined Authority). Then the draft Local Plan is put to the vote at South Cambs District Council, and finally it is approved by the Secretary of State. Once adopted, development can begin on those parcels of land that have included in the new Local Plan.
The Call for Sites stage has been completed. There is a Local Plan webpage– please note that you can login to consultation databases by area of interest. Rather than give you the long web address, please just Google ‘South Cambs District Council Call for Sites’ and you’ll land in the right place.
South Cambs District Council’s housing and environmental policy is to meet housing need for that workforce sector that currently cannot afford to live here, and to achieving Zero Carbon by 2050: so shaping the Local Plan will need to ally with these goals.
Advice or a chat? We can meet you any time at the Melbourn Hub to discuss any concerns or advice needed – please contact us to make an appointment.
Jose Hales and Philippa Hart, District Councillors. Susan van de Ven, County Councillor.
Slimming World Vegetable Lasagne
Serves: 4 Ready in: Over 60 Minutes Syns per serving: FREE Suitable for vegetarians
A layered pasta, tomato sauce and roasted vegetables with a white sauce topping. Ingredients 2 large courgettes, roughly chopped 2 large yellow peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped 1 large red pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped 2 large onions, roughly chopped low calorie cooking spray salt and freshly ground black pepper 400g sliced mushrooms 1 tbsp tomato purée 400g can chopped tomatoes 1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled 2 tbsp light soy sauce 10g fresh basil, finely chopped 2 tsp paprika 1 tsp garlic salt 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 75g baby leaf spinach 12-14 dried lasagne sheets, briefly dipped in cold water 1 tomato, finely chopped (optional) For the sauce 200g peeled butternut squash, roughly chopped 200g peeled floury potatoes, roughly chopped 1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled 120g plain quark 1 large egg yolk ½ tsp mustard powder Method Preheat the oven to 220°C/Fan 200°C/gas 7. Put the courgettes, peppers and onions in a large roasting tin, spray with low calorie cooking spray, season to taste and toss well. Roast for 10 minutes, then stir through the mushrooms and cook for a further 15 minutes.
Add the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, stock cube, soy sauce, basil, paprika, garlic salt and balsamic vinegar plus 300ml water and cook for a further 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir through the spinach. Reduce the heat to 200°C/Fan 180°C/gas 6.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Put the squash, potatoes, vegetable stock cube and 450ml water in a medium saucepan over a high heat. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat and, without draining, add the remaining sauce ingredients. Whizz until smooth using a stick blender and season to taste.
Spray a 30cm x 20cm ovenproof dish with a little low calorie cooking spray. Spoon one-third of the roasted vegetables into the bottom of the dish and cover with lasagne sheets. Repeat these layers twice more, finishing with a layer of lasagne sheets that covers the roasted vegetables completely. Pour over the sauce, pushing the sheets into the sauce a little and topping with the tomato if using. Bake for 35–40 minutes or until the lasagne is cooked through. Serve hot with salad and enjoy!
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