Alcon apr 18

VILLAGER The

Issue 73 - April 2018

and Town

Life

LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS

In this issue Win tickets to

Classic Ibiza Liberate your

Wardrobe

Win £25

in our Prize Crossword

Bringing Local Business to Local People in Alconbury, Grafham, Kimbolton, The Stukeleys and all surrounding areas every month

ur Yo EE FRcopy

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Inside this issue...

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Win Tickets to Harpenden Blues A Memorial to Post...........................................................4 Greensand Country Announces Summer Festival.............8 Win Tickets to Classic Ibiza with Ministry of Sound.........10 Win Tickets to Harpenden Blues Festival........................12 Casanova: World’s First Museum and Experience............14 Liberate your Wardrobe..................................................17 Speakability Huntingdonshire becomes H.A.S...............19 Common Family Law Myths...........................................20 Structure is Good............................................................21 Schoolreaders Launches Book Club Quiz Challenge........22 Managing your Stress.....................................................24

Overhaul your Lawn.......................................................27 Friends of Paxton Pits Nature Reserve Events.................29 Animal Queries...............................................................30 BMW X3: Truly Capable..................................................33 Nick Coffer’s Weekend Recipe.........................................34 Puzzle Page....................................................................36 What’s On.......................................................................38 Fun Quiz.........................................................................41 Prize Crossword..............................................................42 2018 A Centenary Celebration - The WI..........................44

Managing your Stress

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Get your business off to a flying start this year

Advertise with the Villager Magazine... prices start from just £30.00 +VAT per month

Editorial - Catherine Rose, Trevor Langley, Suzanne Roynon, Hannah Byatt, Tony Larkins, Alison Runham, Pippa Greenwood, RSPCA, James Baggott and Nick Coffer Advertising Sales/Local Editorial Nigel Frost • Tel 01767 261122 • nigel@villagermag.com Photography MakingFaces Design and Artwork Design 9 • Tel 07762 969460 • www.design9marketing.co.uk

Publishers Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Bedfordshire SG19 2NP Tel: 01767 261122 Email: nigel@villagermag.com www.villagermag.com

Disclaimer - All adverts and editorial are printed in good faith, however, Villager Publications Ltd can not take any responsibility for the content of the adverts, the services provided by the advertisers or any statements given in the editorial. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored without the express permission of the publisher.

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History

A Memorial

By Catherine Rose

to Post

In the era of email and smartphones, many believe the art of letter writing is declining. So, what of the history of our postal system, once the only way people could communicate across long distances?

During medieval times, letters were usually handwritten on velum and sealed with wax (there were no envelopes in those days), after which they were sent via messenger on horseback, or even by trained hawk or carrier pigeon.

In 1507, Cardinal Wolsey decided to make post more official and appointed a Master of the Posts (later to become the Postmaster General). His job was to manage a postmaster in each major town who would keep a team of horses and post boys – often a hazardous task for these riders thanks to highway robbers.

In 1635, the Royal Mail was founded and the first official post or ‘letter’ offices were set up. By 1660 letters were being inked to show the date they were mailed using a hand-held stamp, also known as a ‘Bishop stamp’ after its inventor, Henry Bishop.

The cost of postage wasn’t rationalised, however.

There was corruption and widely varying charges applied to different areas and routes, for example over bridges with tolls. As it was the recipient who had to pay, post was often refused on the grounds of cost, resulting in losses and an inefficient system.

In 1837, polymath Sir Rowland Hill wrote a pamphlet – Post Office Reform, its Importance and Practicability – which outlined suggestions to revolutionise the postal system.

At that time there was a postal charge for distance and an additional one for each sheet of paper sent which resulted in many people writing ‘between the lines’, i.e. turning the paper around 180 degrees and writing the second page in the spaces between the lines of the first. (There is a wonderful example of this in a letter on display at Jane Austen’s House Museum in Alton, Hampshire.)

Hill made a case for abolishing the existing complicated and expensive postal tariffs. He

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suggested introducing a penny post across the board for standard letters of an ounce or less, paid for by the sender, with higher rates of postage for packets and parcels dependent on weight.

This idea proved popular with the public and together with the Postmaster General Lord Lichfield, they came up with the idea of using a small label “covered at the back with a glutinous wash” that could be stuck to an envelope to show that the sender had paid the required postage.

Named after the original hand stamp method used for postmarking, the postage stamp was born. However, it was perhaps not as novel as it is claimed for similar pieces of paper, attached to documents using lead staples, had already been in use to denote paid taxes for several hundred years.

It was decided to place the postage stamp in the top right-hand corner of the envelope to speed up postmarking (also known as cancellation), because postal workers would be using their right hand.

In 1839, Hill ran a competition to design the first postage stamp with a prize of £200. There were nearly 3,000 entries. In the end, it was R. A. William Wyon’s depiction of a young Queen Victoria’s profile that was chosen, based on a bust he had modelled of her when she was just fifteen and which was subsequently used for a commemorative medal on her first visit to London as Queen. Another artist, Henry Corbould, drew the head and embellished the background. The whole design was then line engraved for printing.

The Penny Black was officially launched in May 1840, followed two days later by the Tuppeny Blue.

More than 70 million letters were sent annually over the next two years, a figure that had more

than quadrupled by 1850. Along with the demand for post came the production of folded envelopes.

The initial stamps were printed onto sheets of paper and then manually cut using scissors.

Perforated sheets to facilitate tearing were introduced in 1854 after Henry Archer invented a perforating machine. The Penny Red was the first to appear with the characteristic edge we now associate with stamps.

Other countries soon followed suit with their own postage, but the UK remained the only country that did not geographically identify itself on its stamps, the reigning monarch’s head being deemed sufficient.

The explosion in letter sending necessitated another invention – the post box. Surprisingly, it was the Victorian novelist Anthony Trollope who introduced the iconic pillar box in 1853.

Initially, it was designed in green to blend with the surroundings, but it soon became clear that people needed to be able to spot it and green was replaced with the now familiar and famous ‘pillar box red’.

Postcodes were phased in between 1959 and 1974 to help with the sorting and delivery of letters. It is interesting to note that when looking back prior to Hill’s founding of our modern postal system, rural addresses often only consisted of a number and the name of the village – fine for a messenger on horseback searching through a handful of houses.

Today, we can sit at our laptops and send a message in the blink of an eye. And with companies increasingly going ‘paperless’, who knows what the future will be for our postal system?

By Catherine Rose

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Local News

Greensand Country

Announces Summer Festival This summer, from 26 May to 3 June, Greensand Country, an island of beautiful countryside, which includes the Greensand Ridge stretching from Leighton Buzzard to Gamlingay, will host the first ever Greensand Country Festival.

Taking place across the landscape, the festival will include a number of exciting events, activities, talks, exhibitions and competitions, including guided walks, have-a-go wilderness crafts, family wildlife activities, open air theatre performances and 4x4 adventure challenges.

The 9-day festival will be a celebration of everything that people love about Greensand Country, and will showcase our distinctive, beautiful and loved countryside.

Claire Poulton, Programme Manager at the Greensand Country Landscape Partnership says: “The Greensand Country Festival is an exciting step forward in promoting the unique history, wildlife and culture of our highly attractive landscape, and will encourage people to visit, enjoy and have a better understanding of Greensand Country.

“Working in partnership with businesses and attractions across the landscape, the festival will engage local visitors, people from neighbouring towns and villages, and families who are new to the area, inspiring them to get out into the countryside and explore the many events and activities on offer.”

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Clophill Heritage Trust, the local voluntary community charity which runs the Clophill Eco Lodges and St Mary’s Old Church, is running a number of events and activities as part of the Greensand Country Festival. Founder Ali Bradbury explains: “We are delighted to be involved in the first festival, and look forward to welcoming new visitors to Clophill, who are keen to discover more of Greensand Country and its impressive landscape.”

For further information about Greensand Country visit greensandcountry.com, Tweet us @greensandsocial or find us on Facebook and Instagram.

The Greensand Country Landscape Partnership is led by the Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity and the Greensand Trust and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. It is made possible

by National Lottery players. Without them we couldn’t fund the project.

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In association with

Win 2 tickets to Classic Ibiza

with Ministry of Sound at Hatfield House Classic Ibiza with Ministry of Sound is returning to Hertfordshire on 1 September. The concert sees the Urban Soul Orchestra (USO), DJ Goldierocks and a host of live vocalists perform some of dance music’s most iconic tracks in the delightful grounds of Hatfield House. Here’s what to expect: 1. Dance music A-listers: USO have performed with a veritable who’s-who of dance music, including Nightmares On Wax, Groove Armada and Robert Miles.

2. Superstar DJ: Goldierocks has performed exclusively for Kate Moss, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Giorgio Armani and the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge.

3. Get set to select: The set-list includes some of the biggest dance-tracks dating back to the 90s. At Easter you can vote for your favourite track to be added to the set on Classic Ibiza’s Facebook page (@ClassicIbiza).

4. Family friendly: Classic Ibiza is a concert for all

the family, so whether you’re six or 60 you are assured of having a fantastic evening.

5. Food for thought: You can bring your own picnic and refreshments or take advantage of the local street-food vendors and bars on site.

6. A night of two halves: Classic Ibiza starts with a chill-out set, where you can relax over a glass of bubbly, or dance along as the sun fades.

The music gets ramped up in the second half and you’ll be transported to a magical, alfresco celebration, with accompanying lasers.

Visit: www.classicibiza.co.uk or call 01630 674342.

Tickets: Adults: £39.50, Children (5 –16): £17.50, Under 5’s: free, Car-parking: free.

Simply send or email your entry by 16th April 2018 to: Classic Ibiza Competition, Villager Publications Ltd, 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP. Email: nigel@villagermag.com The winner will be drawn randomly.



CLASSIC IBIZA TICKET COMPETITION ENTRY

To win 2 free tickets to Classic Ibiza answer the question below and email or post your response by 16th April 2018.

Classic Ibiza sees the Urban Soul Orchestra, DJ Goldierocks and a host of live vocalists perform which kind of music?

A: France music  B: Prance music  C: Dance music  Name: Address: Tel: Email: 10

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h Fo r

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Win 2 tickets to

Harpenden Blues, Rhythm & Rock Festival “Bringing great sounds to Hertfordshire” Showcasing the quality of live music in the UK; with The Pretty Things headlining and five other very different but striking bands in the line-up, this will undoubtedly be another a great festival and an occasion not to miss!

No need to worry about searching for food and drinks on the day either, there will be a range of alcoholic/nonalcoholic beverages, real ales available and a varied menu that should meet everyone’s taste!

Through their entire career, The Pretty Things have written, performed, and created informed, intelligent, groundbreaking, and original music, enabled by powerful, melodic writing that has kept this incredible band alive for nearly half a century. Sadly, this iconic British band is calling it a day this year and after an incredible career spanning 55 years, they intend to go out with a bang exactly the same way they came in!

So don’t miss this opportunity to experience The Pretty Things live one last time and get your tickets now at only £25, by calling 01472 349 222 or online at www.solidentertainments.com/blues/harpenden/ tickets.html.

Harpenden Public Halls, Southdown Road, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 1PD

HARPENDEN BLUES FESTIVAL COMPETITION ENTRY To win 2 free tickets to The Harpenden Blues Festival simply answer the question below and send your entry by 16th April 2018 to the address above. Name The Pretty Things first three singles that appeared in the UK Singles Chart in 1964 and 1965?



Simply send or email your entry by 16th April 2018 to: Harpenden Blues Competition, Villager Publications Ltd, 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP. The winner will be drawn randomly from the correct entries.

Name: Tel: Address: 12

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Food and Drink

Casanova: World’s First Museum & Experience Italy is known for producing numerous products of high-quality. Italian designer fashions and cars are very much recognised and sought-after, globally. Many visitors return regularly to Italy, for the enjoyment of beautiful landscapes and coastal areas, plus explorations of Italy’s history and cultural heritage. There are many more attractions and qualities the country has to offer, including very impressive glassware, porcelain, lace and furniture, plus wonderful cuisine and wines, for example.

Giacomo Casanova lived during the 18th century. Born 2nd April 1725, in Venice, he lived for 73 years.

During his life, the legendary Giacomo Casanova was an adventurer, poet, musician, writer and spy, amongst his many attributes, as well as being renowned for his encounters with females. Entering the University of Padua, at twelve years of age, Casanova graduated at age seventeen with a degree in law and constantly searched to satisfy his desires for love and lust.

During the early part of the 21st century Carlo Parodi envisaged the creation of a Museum & Experience, to offer everyone the opportunity to learn and discover about the life of Giacomo Casanova. Carlo Parodi, founder of Giacomo Casanova Limited and the Giacomo Casanova Foundation works tirelessly, along with professionals, that include university professors, plus many other knowledgeable and skilled personnel and has created the Museum & Experience, for all to enjoy. The first Giacomo Casanova Museum is located in Venice. As well as the very interesting memorabilia, which includes paintings and artefacts from Casanova’s life and times, modern technology and multimedia inclusions allow visitors, of all ages, to engage in - and discover – the world of this charismatic man. The romances of Giacomo Casanova, plus the styles and ways of life, of that era, hold much interest and fascination, evoking and satisfying curiosity and intrigue.

From Mr Carlo Parodi: “I’ve decided to offer a tribute to Casanova, a man of love, poetry, music and adventure, giving evidence of the educated, cultivated, learned and refined gentleman - Giacomo Casanova.”

Other Giacomo Casanova Museum & Experience venues, permanent and temporary, are planned to be located in several cities, including Prague, Saint Petersburg, London, Paris, New York, Tokyo and Beijing. Standard and VIP tickets are available, plus many very memorable additional features, including Romantic Days (and Nights) Packages – Perhaps surprise someone special? For all information and more details, https://igg.me/at/casanovaexperience/x Facebook, Instagram and YouTube: @giacomocasanovafoundation

As always, Enjoy!

ey Trevor Langl

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By Suzanne Roynond

Life Coaching

Liberate your wardrobe Wardrobes can be scary places!

They hide clothes you never wear, sale bargains which were unflattering when you got them home and clothes you kept in case you lost weight but in the meantime went out of fashion.

These clothes clutter your space and energy. If your wardrobe is crammed then often the clothes you wear regularly end up thrown over a door or stacked on a chair.

They get crumpled and spoiled.

When you learn to manage clutter, taking care of your clothes and getting dressed in the morning will be significantly easier.

So grab a coffee or glass of wine and head for the bedroom. Put all your clothes on the bed and survey them with a critical eye.

Anything you adore and wear regularly goes straight back into your wardrobe provided it doesn’t need repairing. (Put it to one side and fix it!) ‘Occasion outfits’, evening dresses or tuxedos get to go back for another year provided you love them and they still fit.

If you work on the principle that

you wear 20% of your clothes 80% of the time you now have a significant pile of clothes you don’t wear – perhaps they are the wrong size, remind you of sad times, missing buttons or are tatty.

There will also be items you had forgotten you own.

Anything you are never going to wear again goes straight into a recycling bag.

For clothes you aren’t sure about, try each item on – how does it feel? If it’s unflattering, too large, too small, triggers unhappy thoughts or is damaged, ditch it straightaway.

Note: It’s never a good idea to hang onto something in case you drop a dress size. If you lose weight you deserve to celebrate with new clothes. Don’t give these unworthy outfits a second more of your time – they have no place in your life.

On the other hand, if you try on the item and it feels amazing, put it in the wardrobe and make a point of showing it off at the first opportunity.

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Follow the same principles with t-shirts, gym gear, underwear, socks, out of season clothes, handbags, make up, jewellery, scarves and coats. Anything baggy, saggy, discoloured, missing a mate, broken or moth-eaten won’t do your appearance or your self esteem any favours – say goodbye to it now. Oh, and that swimsuit – you know the one with the dodgy elastic? Out! Making space in your wardrobe is incredibly liberating. You make better use of the clothes you love to wear and save valuable time and effort every day.

Most people choose to bag their clothes and take them straight to the charity shop. The sooner clutter of any kind is out of your house, the better you will feel. If however you have the time and inclination to Ebay your stuff or it’s suitable for a dress exchange then go for it and enjoy the new space you have created in your life.

Suzanne Roynon is a personal performance life coach www.yoursuccess.coach

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We are looking for more delivery people in this area to deliver our magazine.

Please contact Nigel for more details

Tel: 01767 261122

Email: nigel@villagermag.com

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05/12/2016 11:03 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts

Local News

Speakability Huntingdonshire becomes Huntingdonshire Aphasia Support (H.A.S.) Speakability Huntingdonshire has enjoyed more than 13 happy and successful years since its founding by the then national charity Speakability (Support for Dysphasic Adults).

Three years ago Speakability merged with The Stroke Association with which it was already sharing London headquarters. However the local group has found that the requirements of belonging to such a large national charity do not suit how the small local group operates.

An EGM in January decided that the group would leave at the end of March to become an independent support group. Sadly this means the name of Speakability must be given up as must charitable status. However the group, now called Huntingdonshire Aphasia Support (H.A.S. for convenience!), will continue to offer anyone in Huntingdonshire suffering aphasia, from whatever cause, relaxed and informal social occasions and meals out every quarter.

‘Home’ will continue to be The Medway Centre in Huntingdon for 8 months of the year, when second Tuesdays 1.30pm-4pm offer a range of activities from games and quizzes to talks or demonstrations. For instance in April we will enjoy an afternoon with a local ventriloquist, and in July a performance by a local ukulele group.

In March, June, September and December we go to a variety of local venues for lunch at 12.30pm or a Tea, as in June at Frosts Garden Centre, at 2.30pm. Every meeting offers light refreshments - our motto could be ‘Any excuse for a party!’, but once a year in October we do invite local dignitaries, colleagues, friends and supporters to a grand buffet Tea Party at the Medway Centre.

This gives us the opportunity to thank everyone for the interest and financial contributions they have given us through the year.

Speech difficulties following a stroke, brain injury or neurological illnesses such as MS, MD and Parkinson’s, affects over 350,000 people in the UK. When you take into consideration wider families, friends and neighbours, millions of us are affected by aphasia and its attendant difficulties and social disability. Groups such as H.A.S. aim to offer a non-judgmental friendly atmosphere to enable socialising to be enjoyable and fun.

Family members or professional carers usually accompany members and are as important part of the group as the sufferers from aphasia.

The only requirement is to pay a subscription of £2 per person per meeting attended or £5 per person deposit to secure places at meals out. We have a dedicated group of volunteers who are not asked to pay subscriptions but do pay deposits. We cannot help with transport, members must make their own way to all venues.

We do not offer therapy, but activities promote communication.

H.A.S. is confident that the people of Huntingdonshire will continue to encourage and support the group as they have all these years.

Referrals may be made by medical staff, speech therapists, carers’ organisations, social services or individuals.

Please call or email: Anna Bratby, Secretary Huntingdonshire Aphasia Support 01480 891977 cambsanna@hotmail.com

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Local News Schoolreaders Launches Book Club Quiz Challenge on World Book Day – 1st March 2018 Schoolreaders, the charity aiming to improve literacy amongst primary school children in the UK, is launching the Schoolreaders Book Club Quiz Challenge on the 1st March 2018 to coincide with World Book Day. The Challenge runs until May 24th. Book Clubs across the UK are invited to sign up to the challenge and enjoy a quiz at one of their meetings plus raise important funds for Schoolreaders, which matches and provides volunteers to listen to children read in primary schools.

Upon registering for the challenge, Book Club members are sent a pack of materials to host a fun literary-based quiz evening at one of their Book Club meetings. Completed quiz forms can be returned to Schoolreaders and the correct entrants will be entered into a draw to win either a case of Prosecco or book tokens for each member.

Jane Whitbread, Founder of Schoolreaders, comments: “One in four children are leaving

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primary school not being able to read to the required standard and this can put limitations on their life chances. On average, it costs Schoolreaders just £15 to provide a child with a weekly one-to-one reading session with a volunteer for a whole academic year, a small sum for a major benefit for each child. We hope that we can encourage lots of Book Clubs to sign up to this fun challenge and join us in reaching more children, helping improve their literacy and increasing their life opportunities.”

To register your club for the Schoolreaders Book Club Challenge, please visit www.schoolreaders. org, and you will then be sent the quiz pack along with advice on how to make the most of the challenge.

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C

COPLEYS Solicitors

Excellence through Experience www.copleys.net

BUYING & SELLING A BUSINESS BUYING & SELLING YOUR HOME COMMERCIAL PROPERTY DIVORCE AND FAMILY EMPLOYMENT LANDLORD AND TENANT WILLS, TRUST & ESTATES PLANNING Call our approachable team to discuss your issue. Our offices are located in the centre of Huntingdon and St. Ives to make your visit as easy as possible.

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Health

Alison Runham ww.alison.runham.co.uk

World

Managing Your Stress Most of us experience stress at some point, but persistent stress can affect our health and even cause serious illness. So, we need to know how to reduce stress and its effects on our minds and bodies.

As the charity MIND points out, confusingly, we use the word stress to refer to two different but related things: • Situations or events that put pressure on us.

• Your reaction to being under pressure.

Stress can: • Affect your mental health. Stress can cause problems such as anxiety and depression, and exacerbate existing mental health issues, causing increased stress and a vicious circle that can be hard to break.

• Affect your physical health. When you feel stressed, you may not sleep or eat properly, and your body releases excess cortisol and adrenaline. This can make you feel unwell and may eventually lead to serious conditions such as heart disease, asthma, stroke, diabetes and some cancers.

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What Causes Stress?

• Major changes or events e.g. bereavement, moving home, relocation, a financial crisis, exams, redundancy, retirement, job change, moving away from home, marriage, relationship break-up, illness or injury, pregnancy or parenthood. Supposedly ‘happy’ events, such as the birth of a baby, can put extra pressure on us not to appear stressed.

• Continual pressure, e.g. health worries about yourself or others, a stressful job or large workload, relationship difficulties, overwhelming responsibilities.

• Feeling out of control and unable to change a situation.

• Uncertainty about the future, e.g. the risk of redundancy or awaiting results of medical tests.

• Living too quiet a life. This seems counterintuitive, but if your life lacks change, purpose or activity, this can be stressful too.

• Clutter and disorganisation. Research shows that the sight of clutter can cause stress, as can

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disorganisation and always running late.

Your stress threshold and the amount of stress you feel may depend on: • Your perception of the situation, which can be affected by your positivity (or lack of it) and your past experiences.

• Your experience of dealing with this specific type of pressure.

• Your mental health and emotional resilience.

• The support we receive.

The Symptoms of Stress Emotional and behavioural symptoms: • Avoiding the source of your stress.

• Irritability/impatience.

• Aggression.

• Agitation/restlessness.

• Racing thoughts.

• Depression or anxiety.

• An inability to enjoy yourself, laugh, or take an interest in life.

• A sense of dread.

• Worries about your health.

• Feeling neglected, lonely or tearful.

• Difficulty making decisions and concentrating.

• Poor lifestyle choices: biting your nails, smoking or drinking, eating too much or too little.

Physical symptoms: • Shallow breathing or hyperventilating.

• Panic attacks.

• Insomnia, disturbed sleep or nightmares.

• Muscle tension.

• Blurred eyesight or sore eyes.

• Loss of libido and enjoyment in sex.

• Grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw.

• Headaches.

• Chest pains.

• High blood pressure.

• Indigestion or heartburn.

• Constipation or diarrhoea.

• Nausea or dizziness.

• Persistent tiredness.

Reducing and Coping with Your Stress Changing your routine, reducing your responsibilities and using time-management techniques or organisational techniques can all help to reduce the stress in your lives. Time management tips can be found at www.nhs. uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/timemanagement-tips/ and www.mind.org.uk/ information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/ stress/dealing-with-pressure/, which also has useful strategies for dealing with specific pressures, such as being a student or carer.

Trying to reduce or remove the causes of your

stress is important. But sometimes we can’t change the situations causing us stress. However, we can learn to react to them in a healthier way, and there are treatments and lifestyle changes that can help you cope with stress.

Self-help strategies include:  Complementary and alternative therapies Therapies such as yoga, meditation, aromatherapy, massage and acupuncture may help you relax. Ecotherapy, which involves spending time in nature, may also help. This can include physical exercise or work in green spaces.  Lifestyle Changes A healthy diet, regular exercise and ensuring you get enough sleep will help. Spend time with family and friends and talk through your problems with them. Make time for hobbies and relaxation too. Downtime is essential to keep your mind and body healthy; it’s not a luxury.  Changing Your Mind You can try to develop a more positive outlook.

Try to note down three things every day that make you happy, grateful or relaxed. There is a useful NHS video on replacing negative thinking with positive.  Breathing exercises You can find instructions at www.nhs.uk/ conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/waysrelieve-stress/.  Stress-busting apps and courses Try Chill Panda apps.beta.nhs.uk/chill-panda/, Silver Cloud apps.beta.nhs.uk/silvercloud/ and the Stress & Anxiety Companion apps.beta. nhs.uk/stress-anxiety-companion/, all from the NHS. If these aren’t working for you, visit your GP, who can talk through your problems and recommend further treatments, including:  Talking treatments • Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) helps you understand what your stress triggers are and how you react to them, showing you how to act and react more positively.

• Mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) combines mindfulness, meditation and yoga to reduce stress.  Medication Medication to help you manage or reduce symptoms, e.g. antidepressants, sleeping pills, irritable bowel syndrome treatments and high blood pressure medication.

So, don’t ignore stress... Tackle it now.

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Garden

By Pippa Greenwood www.pippagreenwood.com

Overhaul

Your Lawn It has rained so much in recent months that my lawn has taken a battering, though the flower and vegetable beds are starting to pick up. Over-wet conditions can cause roots to die off and will reduce the oxygen in the soil. Worse still, any areas of the lawn you’ve walked on or moved a wheelbarrow over will have become compacted or squashed.

Thus, the air spaces in the soil are dramatically reduced, and the heavier your soil is, the worse the problem is likely to be. So for green grass that’s ready for summer, it’s time to get to work.

Check over your lawn mower and see to anything that needs sorting. If necessary, take it to a reputable outlet for a service as soon as possible.

If your grass needs cutting, make sure you don’t set the blades too low for the first few cuts, as this weakens growth and makes weed invasion more likely.

After mowing, you can relieve some of the soil compaction to allow air down to the roots, making for better growth and healthier grass. If only small areas are compacted, drive a garden fork into the lawn every 4-6 inches or so, getting the fork tines to a depth of 4-6 inches, then gently ease the handle of the fork back and forth to enlarge each drainage hole.

Next, mix some sieved garden soil or loam with horticultural sand (about one part soil/loam to nine parts sand) and brush across the lawn and into the holes you’ve made. The result is a drainage system over those compacted areas.

If the soil in the garden is quite heavy or contains a lot of clay, the whole lawn will benefit from aerating.

I recommend you buy, borrow or hire a ‘hollow-time aerator’, either as a hand operated one, a machine or a mower attachment. This cuts cylinders of soil from your lawn and when filled with the ‘top-dressing’ mix above will result in longer-lasting drainage channels.

Any moss should be removed, so apply moss killer and then rake it all out after the time specified on the pack. The lawn will look worse initially, but it allows more air to the roots of the grass plants and gives them more space to grow and spread too.

Lawns that have suffered from waterlogging benefit from a suitable feeding regime. Whether you choose a granular or liquid feed, make sure that it is a spring lawn food formulated to give the balance of nutrients lawns need now. Granular feeds must be watered in unless it rains shortly after application.

Walking on a very wet lawn soon wears it out and kills off grasses. To repair bald or thin patches, roughen up the areas using a rake and then sprinkle a suitable seed mix on to match the existing grasses.

If you’ve not got many patches to sow, you can buy small patch repair packs.

Once all the work is done, keep off your lawn for a few weeks to allow it to take advantage of all that TLC and grow away really well.

Visit Pippa’s website www.pippagreenwood. com and you’ll find some great gardening things: ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ (where you receive your chosen garden-ready vegetable plants in May accompanied by weekly advice and tips from Pippa) plus Nemaslug, bio-controls, gardening tools, raised bed kits, Grower Frames, signed books and more!

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Local News

The Friends of Paxton Pits Nature Reserve would like to invite you to come and meet some very special visitors at the reserve who are due to arrive in April The Willow Warbler is one of an amazing group of birds that travel back and forth between Africa and Europe each year.

This small 10 gram bird will have successfully negotiated - without any GPS devices - a journey of some 2500 miles from West Africa surviving challenging conditions including the Sahara Desert to reach Europe to breed.

Volunteers at the reserve will be pleased to introduce you to the Willow Warbler along with other long distance travellers such as the Blackcap and Chiffchaff.

At the Kingfisher Hide we will see Common Terns arriving from West Africa to start their breeding season on the four tern rafts.

We have two special events during April • Sunday 8th April 10am - meet at the Visitor Centre for a guided walk with senior ranger Jim Stevenson 11am - meet at the Visitor Centre for a guided walk with one of our local guides. • Sunday 29th April 5.30 am - meet at the Visitor Centre for a guided walk with our local guides to hear the dawn chorus

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Pets

Animal Queries Dear RSPCA vet, I have two gorgeous 6-month-old kittens – Stanley and Mabel. My husband says I should get them micro-chipped, but is it really necessary and will it hurt them?

Cath, Kempston Dear Cath, Your husband has given you excellent advice.

You’ll have discovered by now how adventurous cats can be! Even if your kittens wear a good quality safety collar and tag (which we suggest at all times, ideally with a bell to warn your local birdlife) these can get lost or removed.

Microchipping your kittens will give them the best chance of being identified and returned to you if they become lost or stolen. Heartbreakingly, thousands of pets are lost every year, and many are never reunited with their owners. Microchipping can change that.

A microchip will give both Stanley and Mabel their own unique code. They can then be scanned and matched to your contact details, which are kept on a database. Make sure you update these details every time you move.

Please don’t worry that this will hurt them. If you saw them being carried around by their mother, you’ll have noticed that each kitten has a loose fold of skin on the back of their neck. This is where your vet will inject a tiny microchip. Most animals

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don’t even notice – it’s certainly no worse than an injection that we all expect human babies to have!

You obviously love your kittens. For the cost of a few take-away coffees, microchipping is a great investment and the best way of protecting them.

It’s also recommended for all other animals and birds.

The RSPCA run regular microchipping events – so keep an eye out for one in your area.

ANIMAL QUERIES is one of a series of articles brought to you by the RSPCA Bedfordshire North Branch www.rspca-bedfordshirenorth.org.uk

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EBAY COLLECTIONS

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Local & Reliable

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Motoring

BMW X3: Truly Capable The wheels are spinning, but the BMW isn’t going anywhere. Every revolution of the alloys sinks the new X3 deeper into the huge blood-orange dunes of the Saharan desert.

We’ve been tackling one of the toughest off-road routes I’ve ever experienced – from deep, rolling dunes to sharp, rocky trails – and the fact that only now, close to our final destination, one of my colleagues has managed to half bury a BMW is a testament to the X3’s abilities.

Nestled in a lunar landscape, beneath a carpet of stars so bright they look superimposed on the sky, is our camp – a long way from the madness of Marrakesh, where our day began.

We set off on our epic drive towards the Atlas Mountains, the roads from the city quickly opening up into out-of-this-world landscapes.

Soon we’re crossing the Tizi n Tichka mountain pass, one mighty hairpin after another. Our X30d – with a new 260bhp, 620Nm engine – is the pick of the range, and on these roads it’s swift and enjoyable.

At midday we arrive in Ouarzazate, and the famous Atlas Film Studios, where we drive our BMWs through the gates of the Game of Thrones city set.

By dusk we’ve covered nearly 300 miles and have taken in the stunning Anti Atlas Mountains. We pass through M’Hamid, the last conurbation before the desert, in a dusty convoy of 15 brand new BMWs. Our camp is an hour of off-roading away and our X3 drifts and slips its way like a rally car across the challenging terrain, with just the lights of the cars in front illuminating the impenetrable darkness.

It’s the blackness that catches out a colleague when approaching the camp, resulting in the BMW being beached in a position that takes seven men and shovels to retrieve it from.

The next morning, we’re told today will be tougher than yesterday. Five hours of harsh off-roading will be followed by a dash back across the mountains to the airport.

We’re quickly back in the groove, drifting the off-roader around sandy corners and clattering over sharp rocks. As the desert eases, we experience the barren, flat, dry river beds of the Ouef Draa, Iriki Lane and Erg Chigaga, all stages of the famous Dakar Rally.

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On the edge of the desert, a rear tyre loses pressure but BMW chaperones soon change the wheel and we continue. We’re enjoying the X3’s comfy new interior and smart multimedia system when another tyre bursts. It takes an hour for the BMW support car to arrive, and it looks like we’ll miss the flight from Marrakesh.

And so begins a rush to the airport, but from screeching hairpin bends to blink-and-you’ll-miss-them overtakes, the BMW takes it all in its stride and we arrive with minutes to spare.

Sat, perspiring, exhausted but elated on the plane, we smile – we made it. The BMW X3 may have two new tyres, but it’s been returned unscathed and we’re taking off just 25 minutes after arriving at the airport.

All credit to BMW. There aren’t many firms who’d put their cars, or a bunch of journalists, through what we experienced. It’s proven it’s a truly capable car, able to transport you and your family on any adventure – and I for one am certainly looking forward to the next one.

By James Baggott

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Three Counties Radio

TRADITIONAL HOME-MADE JERK CHICKEN One of my greatest pleasures on the Weekend Kitchen is how the food we feature directly reflects the wonderful diversity of the three counties we broadcast to. We can have British classics, great curries, Turkish and Middle Eastern treats, traditional pastas, fiery stir fries and much much more. Recently I welcomed Sacha Ojo on to the programme. She launched her catering company, Sacha’s Kitchen, in Bedford when it became clear that her friends’ love of her Jamaican cooking suggested she deserved a much wider audience. Jamaican food is all about warmth, generosity and family –three words which describe Sacha perfectly. Obviously she had to give us her Jerk Chicken recipe. Apparently there are more Jerk Chicken recipes than there are days in a lifetime – Sacha’s family recipe is absolutely wonderful.

Jerk sauce ingredients: 2 bunches spring onion, chopped 2 tbsp thyme 1 tsp fresh ginger, chopped 4-6 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tsp cinnamon powder 1 tbsp Pimento (Allspice) 1 tbsp coarse black pepper ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg 2 tbsp dark brown sugar 2 tbsp soy sauce 2-4 Scotch Bonnet chillis, chopped (adjust to taste) 6 tbsp water Chopped parsley to serve You can use whatever cuts of chicken you want – leg, thigh or even breast. Allow a couple of pieces per person.

This is plenty of marinade to serve four people.

It goes without saying that you can also cook this chicken on the barbecue!

1. Place all the sauce ingredients into a food processor and blend until you get a smooth consistency.

2. Adjust for taste and heat, by using more or less chilli.

3. Wash the chicken pieces (skin on), in water mixed with a really good squirt of lemon.

4. Slash small slits onto the chicken. Massage all the marinade into the chicken and leave in the fridge overnight.

5. Place in a tray and cover with foil. Bake at 160C/ Gas Mark 3 for 30 minutes then remove the foil, turn the oven up to 200C/ Gas Mark 5 and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through and a lovely deep colour.

6. Scatter with the chopped parsley and serve with chips, mash or rice.

Hear wonderful recipes on Nick Coffer’s Weekend Kitchen every Sunday morning on BBC Three Counties radio at 11am. You can also join Nick every weekday afternoon at midday for brilliant local guests with great stories to tell and all the music you want for your early afternoon.

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ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Easy Suduko

Hard Suduko

Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box, contains the digits 1 through to 9 with no repetition. Use your logic to solve the puzzles.

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Call today 07877742420 or 01480 437511 Email: g.bbuilders@yahoo.co.uk

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n O s ’ t Wha In April

Deadline for What’s On entries is the 12th of the previous month.

What’s on entries to whatson@villagermag.com

1-2 April St Ives Antiques Fair – Special One-Day Only Fair 10am-4pm Burgess Hall (One Leisure Centre), Westwood Road, St Ives Adults £2, Concessions £1.50. This friendly Antiques Fair has around 50 dealers each time offering affordable quality antiques and vintage pieces, all shown in the comfortable air-conditioned Burgess Hall. Ample free parking, wheelchair access from street level, on-site catering and licensed bar.

Tel: 01480 896866 Email: parkhousepr@aol.com Web: www.stivesantiquesfair.co.uk Facebook: www/facebook.com/stivesantiquesfair Twitter: www.twitter.com/StIvesAntiques

4 April Black Cat WI 7.30pm Wyboston Village Hall The group meets on the first Wednesday of each month. Tel: Susie Woodman 01234 376098

4 April Little Paxton Gardening Club 8pm Little Paxton Village Hall Members £1, Guests £2 Speaker will be Paula Dyason from Strictly Daylilies at Histon. Plants will be on sale. Refreshments.

4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25 & 30 April St Neots Badminton Club 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 April 8-10pm One Leisure, St Neots Kingfisher Church Play badminton to a good standard and interested in 10.30am Little Paxton Primary School joining a club? St Neots badminton club play at One Every Sunday - all welcome! Services include Leisure Mondays and Wednesdays. children’s groups and a crèche. Refreshments served. Email: Committee@stneotsbadminton.org Tel: 01480 476811 Web: www.kingfisherchurch.co.uk Web: www.stneotsbadminton.org 3 April, 5 April & 11 April Free Children’s Activity Sessions 10am-12 noon Gatekeeper Walk, Little Paxton Free event. Come along to the green space opposite the Community Hub, Little Paxton. Lots of fun activities such as football, short tennis and crazy golf. The games are organised by Huntingdonshire District Council’s Roadshow team. Please note there is no toilet provision. Little Paxton Parish Council event and is aimed at children 7-11 years.

3, 10, 17 & 24 April Roxton Bridge Circle 7.15-10pm Roxton Parish Hall Small friendly group playing Bridge every Tuesday evening. Tel: Phyllis 01480 374327 Email: mary@jackpike.co.uk 4 April Godmanchester Senior Citizens Club Coffee Morning & Raffle 10am-12 noon Godmanchester Town Hall Monthly coffee morning and raffle. Annual membership fee is £10.

Tel: Geoff 01480 434697 or 07515 881209 4 April St Mary’s Afternoon WI St Neots 2pm St Mary’s Church Room, St Neots First Wednesday of the month. Flowers talk/ demonstration. Tel: May Parker 07724 043941 Email: mayp.at.home@gmail.com 4 April Brampton Flower Club 7.30pm Community Centre, High Street, Brampton Visitors welcome £6 inc. refreshments Flower arranging demo by qualified demonstrator, raffle, sales table and tea or coffee.

Tel: Jan Dobie 01480531822 Web: www.bramptonflowerclub.com

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4 & 11 April Wild Wednesday 10am-2pm Ferry Meadows Country Park, Peterborough £1 per person Children and adults are welcome to come and join in some seasonal and wild crafts. Meet at Discovery Den. This event takes place indoors and is suitable for all abilities. Booking not required.

4, 11, 18 & 25 April St Neots Choral Society 7.30-9.30pm Eynesbury C of E Primary School, Montagu Street, Eynesbury New members are very welcome to join and there are no auditions to frighten you but an ability to read a little music is helpful! There is an annual subscription once you decide to join the Society.

Tel: 01480 212298 for membership Web: www.stneotschoral.org.uk 5 April Wildlife Trust Trumpington Meadows Eggstravaganza 10.30am-3pm Grantchester Road, Cambridge £3 per person. Special wildlife Easter Egg hunt with a twist. Drop-in event. Tel: 01223 665742 Email: TrumpingtonMeadows@wildlifebcn.org 5 & 6 April Random Rag Rug 11am-3pm St Neots Museum, The Old Court, 8 New Street, St Neots £3.50 per child. Discover the ancient craft of rag rug making and create your own work of art.

6 April St Neots Local History Society 7.30pm Eynesbury Junior School The Panacea Society of Bedford.

6 April Bushcraft skills - Whittling Hazel 10.30am-12 noon & 1.30-3pm Ferry Meadows Country Park, Peterborough £5 per child. Come join us and whittle a gazoo from Hazel using a knife safely. Learning whittling techniques and skills in this hour and a half long session. Meet at Lakeside Toilet Block. This event includes walking on uneven ground and/or crossing stiles and therefore may not be suitable for all abilities. Booking essential. Tel: 01733 234193 7 April Art & Craft Fair 9.30am-4pm Free Church Hall, St Ives Free admission Quality handmade art and craft stalls and tombola.

7 April St Neots Timebank Annual Pamper Day 11am-1.30pm St Mary’s Church Hall Taster sessions of different therapies for £5.

Web: http://stneotstimebank.org.uk 7 April Simply Saturday 12-2pm St James Church, Little Paxton A new venture for adults of all ages at Little Paxton Church, with lunch and various activities available.

Tel: Leisa Hunt 01480 471748 Email: young_paxton@ntlworld.com 7 April Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire Hardy Plant Society 2pm Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade Well-known speaker and Nursery owner, Rosy Hardy, will talk about Early Spring/Summer Plants. Plants for sale. Web: www.hpscambsandbeds.co.uk 7 April Huntingdon Male Voice Choir & Guests 7.30pm St Mary’ Church, Godmanchester Tickets £15, Concessions £12 Huntingdon Male Voice Choir Concert with special guests Radcliffe on Trent Male Voice Choir. In support of Scotty’s Little Soldiers (scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk).

Tel: Kevin 01480 890128 for tickets Web: www.hmvc.org.uk 8 April Cambridge Gliding Centre Open Day 10am-5pm Gransden Lodge Airfield Free admission. Visit Gransden Lodge Airfield to find out about the sport of gliding. All welcome. Trial flights with our qualified instructors available on a first-come, first-fly basis (subject to weather).

Refreshments. To fly in a glider you must be 13+ and weigh no more than 103kg. Airfield entrance on B1046 between Little Gransden and Longstowe, opposite Gransden Lodge Farm (enter SG19 3EB into your satnav). Web: www.camgliding.uk Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/cgc-2018-openday

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n O s ’ t Wha In April

This is a small selection of the What’s On for the full listing please go to our website www.villagermag.com

9-13 April The Wildlife Trust’s Hidden World Beneath Our Feet 10am-2pm daily High Street, Little Paxton £4 per child. Fun with soil and worms! Discover what goes on beneath our feet. Tel: Debbie 01480 473161 Email: debbie.mackenzie@wildlifebcn.org 9 & 23 April Nature Tots 10-11.30am Ferry Meadows Country Park, Peterborough £3 per child. A fun monthly outdoor parent and toddler group. Each session has a nature theme and will include a messy craft activity, time to explore the beautiful outdoors, story and songtime. Meet at Discovery Den. Booking essential. Tel: 01733 234193

10 April St Ives Sugarcraft Guild 7.30-9pm Reading Room, Hemingford Grey Visitors £6. Monthly meetings where you can learn, hands-on, various cake decorating techniques and/or sugarcraft. The group meets on the second Tuesday of the month. Tel: Shirley 01480 454616 15 April Baby & Children’s Market Nearly New Sale 10.30am-12noon One Leisure, St Peters Road, Huntingdon Entry £1, Children free. Lots of stalls bursting with top quality like new and new baby and children’s items. Web: www.babyandchildrensmarket.co.uk 16 April St Neots Royal Naval Association 8pm The RAFA Club, 44 Huntingdon Street, St Neots St Neots & District Branch of the Royal Naval Association meet on the third Monday of every month. Tel: Tony Webley 01480 215218 Email: jj.awebley@btinternet.com 17 April Alconbury Over 60s Club Coach trip to the Black Country Museum.

Tel: Sheila 01480 890396 or Val 01480 890166 17 April Kimbolton Flower Club 7pm for 7.30pm Mandeville Hall, Kimbolton Visitors £7.50, inc. tea/coffee & biscuits The April meeting will be a short Annual General Meeting followed by a talk by David Brown of Flamingo Flowers.

17 April Emily Smith & Jamie McClennan 8pm Cambridge Junction Advance tickets £13.50 Multi award winning Scottish singer Emily Smith and New Zealand born songwriter and multiinstrumentalist Jamie McClennan have been making music together for fifteen years. In April 2018 they are touring throughout England to preview songs from their new album ahead of its release later in 2018. Web: www.junction.co.uk

17 April Wildlife Trust Spring Walk 7pm Portholme Meadow Portholme is an ancient meadow lying in a large flood plain boarded on two sides by the river Ouse.

It is a haven for breeding birds and supports a rich variety of flora. Dr Patrick Doody will lead us for this evening’s walk which will focus mainly on one of Portholme’s specialities, the Snakeshead Fritillary.

Everyone welcome, please note it is likely to be wet underfoot. Meet at 7.00pm at Godmanchester lock (TL 241 704). The closest parking is in Godmanchester near the Chinese Bridge.

Tel: Pat 01480 392706 18 April Carers Coffee Club 2.30-4pm The Royal Oak, Hail Weston Are you caring for a loved one with a memory loss?

Come along and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee whilst chatting with others in a similar situation.

Tel: Neil Silby 07889 319888 for further details Email: kimpigfarmer@tiscali.co.uk

18 April Huntingdonshire Family History Society 7.30pm Women’s Institute Centre, Waldon Road, Huntingdon A talk by Ian Waller on ‘Mending Bodies, Saving Souls’. Non-members most welcome. £1 donation.

Tel: Caroline Kesseler 01480 390476 for more details Email: secretary@huntsfhs.org.uk Website: www.huntsfhs.org.uk 19 April St Ives & District Flower Club 2.15pm Burgess Hall, St Ives Visitors £7. Demonstration by Jane Fox from Bilton, Rugby entitled “Bright & Beautiful”.

20 April Mary Coughlan 8pm Cambridge Junction £20 + booking fee. Mary Coughlan is arguably one of Ireland’s greatest female jazz and blues singers.

Described as “Ireland’s Billie Holiday’ Mary has overcome childhood trauma, alcoholism and drug addiction to become a musical force like no other.

Tel: Box Office 01223-511511 Web: www.marycoughlanmusic.com/ Web: www.junction.co.uk 21 April Basic Blacksmith Course 10am-4pm Wimpole Estate £120 per person inc. tea/coffee The course content includes how to manage the charcoal fire; the correct use of Blacksmith tools especially the hammer and anvil; make a ram’s head hanging hook; make a traditional rose head nail for fixing the hook. Booking essential.

Tel: NT Box office 0344 249 1895 Web: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wimpole

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21 April-7 May Lambing Time 10.30am-5pm Wimpole Home Farm Normal admission applies. Head to Home Farm to meet our rare breed ewes and lambs and if you’re lucky you may see a live birth.

23-28 April Cambridge Drama Festival 7.30pm Mumford Theatre £10/£8 per night or £36/£30 for a season ticket Enjoy two or three plays each evening; have a drink at the bar; enter our quizzes and competitions; share your thoughts about the plays and enjoy hearing a critique from our professional adjudicator.

Web: www.camdramfest.org.uk/festivals/50thcambridge-drama-festival-2018 27 April Free English Lessons 9.30am Chesterton Community College, Cambridge Email: Sarah Adams sadams@chesterton.cambs.sch. uk to book your free place! Web: www.esolcafe.co.uk 28 April Coach trip to Harrogate Spring Show £30 per person inc. coach travel and show admission St Neots & District Gardening Club trip. An opportunity to visit this spectacular show.

Email: david.usher@stneotagardenclub.org.uk 28 April Plant Sale 10am-12 noon Keysoe Village Hall Free admission. Plant sale, bric-a-brac, cakes, books, teas and coffees. Raising funds for the Village Show at Keysoe in September. Tel Penny 01234 378878 28 April Baby & Children’s Market Nearly New Sale 10.30am-12noon Cambridge Regional College Entry £1, Children free. Lots of stalls bursting with top quality like new and new baby and children’s items. Web: www.babyandchildrensmarket.co.uk 28 April St Neots Art Group Spring Exhibition 10am-4.30pm United Reformed Church, High Street, St Neots Free admission. Sale of original art by local artists.

Refreshments. Raffle.

28 April The Great British Spring Clean 2-4pm QEII Playing Field, Little Paxton Little Paxton Community Litter Pick. Litter Heroes assemble for the annual community litter pick.

Volunteers will be supplied with a high viz jackets, litter pickers, gloves and black bags and allocated areas to litter pick. The litter pick starts and finishes at the QEII Playing Field. If you would like to help keep Little Paxton spick and span, please come along and help. This is a Little Paxton Parish Council event.

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March’s Puzzle Solutions and Winners Last Month’s Crossword Winner Mrs Maureen Ratcliffe from Huntingdon Winner of the Blockheads Competition Glen Axford from Biggleswade

Winner of the Twelfth Day Competition Roger Dilley from Henlow

Easy

Hard

Fun Quiz - East and West 1. Which body of water is known by names that translate as “the East Sea” in Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands and by a name that translates as “the West Sea” in Estonia?

2. Which country was known as the Dutch East Indies when it made its first and only appearance at a FIFA World Cup in 1938?

3. What is the most westerly capital city in mainland Europe?

4. Which other English county borders both East Sussex and West Sussex?

5. What are the names of the two rival gangs in West Side Story?

6. In which county would you find the town of Lowestoft, which is the most easterly settlement in the UK? 7. What name did the Western Allies use to refer to the bestknown crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War? 8. The term West Bank is normally used to refer to a region in the Middle East that lies to the west of which river?

9. What is the name of the local London Underground station in EastEnders?... Walford East or Walford West?

10. If you flew due east from Edinburgh airport, what would be the first country you would fly over after leaving Scotland?

1. The Baltic Sea 2. Indonesia 3. Lisbon 4. Surrey 5. The Sharks and the Jets 6. Suffolk 7. Checkpoint Charlie 8. The River Jordan 9. Walford East 10. Denmark

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41

The Villager Prize Crossword

Prize

ÂŁ25

Across 7 Buff up (6) 8 Equality (6) 9 Throw (4) 10 Used by trains (8) 11 Tangled (7) 13 Dizzy (5) 15 Frighten (5) 17 Laughed (7) 20 Fuel (8) 21 Applaud (4) 22 Light wind (6) 23 Hug (6)

Complete the crossword, fill in your details below, cut out this page and send to the address below before



16th April 2018 Prize Crossword, Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP

Down 1 Pillar (6) 2 Cash register (4) 3 Agitated (7) 4 Ruin (5) 5 Fighting (8) 6 Remained (6) 12 Revenue (8) 14 Without sound (7) 16 Seats (6) 18 Authorise (6) 19 Repaired (5) 21 Surrender (4)

Name: Tel: Address:

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43 27/02/2018 10:19

Women’s Institute

May Parker Federation Trustee

2018 A Centenary Celebration

By Catherine Rose

Many early leaders of the WI were active in the women’s suffrage movement and to them an important part of the new organisation was to encourage the fuller participation of women in public life. WI’s were considered the rural counterpart of the banding together of women in the urban areas for the common fight for freedom and independence of both thought and action.

Suffragist groups existed all over the country and under many different names, their aim being to achieve the right for women to vote through constitutional and peaceful means. As early as 1832, a Suffragist named Mary Smith presented the first women’s suffrage petition to Parliament.

As we know, nothing came of that petition or many others which followed, and the blatant lack of consideration to the women’s formal requests for suffrage caused women to believe more pressure was needed to validate their cause, culminating in the Women’s Social & Political Union (WSPU) being formed in 1903 by Emmeline Pankhurst and two of her daughters. However, when WW1 broke out in 1914 she encouraged Suffragettes to help with the war effort so, for a while, their campaigns ceased, but success followed when, in 1918, the Representation of People Act gave (some) women the right to vote.

The WI movement was closely linked with the campaign for suffrage, and many of the early members were some of the most resolute women in the country, realising that women working together could effect change. One of those women, WI member Margaret Winteringham, was elected Member of Parliament for Louth in 1921, and she was both the first English born female MP and only the second woman to take up her seat. She worked with the WI on some of its earliest campaigns in raising the age of consent from 13, and ensuring fathers supported their children born out of marriage. The achievement of the women’s movement has seen maternity leave rights, equal pay, and domestic violence legislation.

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At the end of the First World War, in 1918, there were 700 WIs and by the end of 1919 there were 1,405. Today the National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI) is the largest women’s organisation in the UK with around 212,000 members in more than 6,000 WI’s across England, Wales and the Islands.

2018 also marks the centenary of the first WI opening in what is now the Huntingdon & Peterborough Federation of WIs, the Federation setting an amazing array of very interesting and exciting events for its members throughout this celebratory year.

The Federation consists of a Board of Trustees overseeing all of its WI’s within the Huntingdon & Peterborough area, having WI advisers, health & safety, data protection, finance and property officers, with sub-committees relating to public affairs, creative crafts and cookery, events and leisure and membership. We also have a Denman ambassador - Denman being the WI’s centre for learning for women (and for men), members and non-members, with residential courses including accommodation, set in the picturesque village of Marcham near Oxford.

In this year of celebration let us not forget that many rights and privileges we take for granted were fought for through campaigns and petitions by pioneering women of the past.

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VILLAGER

VILLAGER The

The

and Town

Issue 73 - April 2018

and Town

Life

LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS

In this issue Win tickets to

Classic Ibiza Liberate your

Wardrobe

Win £25

in our Prize Crossword

Life

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USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS  Alcoholics Anonymous........................0845 769 7555 Anglian Water......................................08457 145 145 Addenbrooks Hospital..........................01223 245151 Papworth Hospital................................01480 830541 Benefits for people with Disabilities.....0800 882 200 Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue..........01480 444500 Carers Line............................................0808 808 7777 ChildLine.....................................................0800 1111

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