Grafham Gossip - files.grafham.org.uk.s3.amazonaws.comfiles.grafham.org.uk.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/gossip/2018/18-04 April... · Revd Mike Bigg (Curate ... Patricia Jordan and/or Peter

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]

April 2018 1 Issue 157

Grafham Gossip Issue 158 Deadline: Midnight Thursday 12th April

Pop Up Pub with a full bar and a quiz

Friday 6th April Grafham Village Hall

7pm-11pm

The Parish of East Leightonstone Brampton, Ellington and Grafham

Annual Parochial Church Meeting

in St Mary Magdalene, Brampton

Sunday 22nd April

at 6.30 pm

For lots more details click here or

visit www.eastleightonstone.com/page/28/apcm

Wildlife Trust - Spring Walks

Thursday 19th April Portholme Meadow

Sunday 29th April Bluebells of Brampton Wood

Read all about it on page 8

On Saturday 24th March the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon scheme will welcome hundreds of visitors to site for tours of the project as part of

‘Open Doors - Get into Construction week’

Find out how to book your place on page 9.

Contents Church Services…..……..

He is risen indeed-Mike...

Parish News……………..

District/County Cllrs …....

Oil Syndicate………..…...

Village Hall Times/Notices..

Parish Council Elections...

Talking Shop…...………..

Notices………………….…...

Has the bin man bin?...........

Bee-Keeping - David C…...…

Lawn Care Tips…………..…

Adverts/Notices….……..…….

A14 Open Doors……….…...

Royal Wedding Celebrations.....

Adverts…………………..…..

Tina’s Trips……..…..…....

Local Activities/Babysitters...

2

2

3

3

4

4

5

5

6

6

7

7

8

9

9

10

11

12

Easter Opening Times for Grafham Shop are listed on pages 5 and 6

Editors’ note… Well, the March editors’ note eulo-gising the arrival of Spring was writ-ten before the “Beast from the East” arrived putting everything into the freezer. Let’s hope this month it stops raining and Spring finally arrives. Mind you, a bit like the first cuckoo used to signal the arrival of Spring, I have heard the first lawn mower!

Reads this month include: He is risen indeed by Mike on page 2; Parish Council Elections page 5 with more details in Parish News page 4; Talking Shop on page 5; Beekeeping part 2 from David C page 7; and of course much more.

Please send your news, views photos and gossip in time for the next deadline, midnight on Thursday 12th April.

Have a happy Easter! Editors, [email protected]

Grafham Church EASTER SERVICES

Good Friday, 30th March at 10.30

A service of meditation and reflection (with music, readings and lighting of candles)

___________________

Easter Day, 1st April at 10.30

A celebration of the risen Christ (Songs of Praise with readings and prayers) Followed by refreshments and Easter eggs

All welcome to both services

A Piano Recital by Maria Luc Friday 27th April at 7.30pm

Hinchingbrooke Performing Arts Centre

More details on page 6

Read the notice about Parish Council Election on page 5 ASAP

The deadline for receipt of nominations is 4.00pm on Friday 6th April

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]

April 2018 2 Issue 157

He is risen indeed The story is told of a rally that took place at the height

of Communist Russia. A Communist Party official ad-

dressed the crowd and step by step, argument by ar-

gument, demolished any justification for Christian faith.

At the end of this lengthy tirade the speaker chal-

lenged the crowd to provide a response. Could anyone

rebut what had been said?

A silence fell among the gathering. No-one said a

word until an elderly Orthodox priest began shuffling

towards the podium. The Communist official smirked

as this tired old man heaved himself up to the micro-

phone. After what seemed like an endless silence the

priest uttered into the microphone: “Alleluia, Christ is

risen!” At once the crowd erupted with the response:

“He is risen indeed, alleluia!” (The traditional Easter

greeting). There was no arguing with that reply. The

meeting ended.

Was this group of people simply saying that they be-

lieve Jesus rose from the dead all those years ago?

No. This response bursts forth because the people in

that crowd had experienced the living Christ in their

own lives.

This story highlights one of the key features of the

Easter message that is commonly misunderstood.

Each year on Easter Sunday people in Church do

NOT say “Alleluia, Christ was risen”, they say “Christ

is risen.” We believe he is as risen today as he was

2,000 years ago. We experience part of the power of

the risen life of Jesus today in our own lives.

The Easter story is not simply a historical event,

(although we do believe it happened in history.) What

happened on the original Easter weekend was central

turning point of history. Strictly speaking, Jesus didn’t

come back from the dead, he passed through death

into a glorious new form of life which his followers

hope for in the world to come and get a glimpse of

today. At Easter, Christians celebrate that in his death

Jesus tore down the walls between us and God for all

time and in his resurrection gave us a foretaste of the

life to come.

Perhaps that sounds like total nonsense to you. You

wouldn’t be alone in that. Even St Paul calls the cross

the “Foolishness of God”. But he also recognises it as

wisdom for those with eyes to see.

The Church has a lot to answer for. We recognise that.

In fact, the reason we go to church is because we

know we have a lot to answer for. And in the Easter

story we find that God has opened up for us, a way to

start dealing with those things and a way to give us

some hope. If you find yourself in need of some hope

this Easter then why not join us? You never know: you

might even meet the risen Jesus too!

Mike

(Contact details for Mike can be found above. Ed)

If you have been filling a jar of coins during Lent,

to donate towards Christian Aid,

remember to return it by 1st April to

‘London House Signs’ which is behind the gift

shop in Brampton High Street.

Lent began on Ash Wednesday, 14th February .

All Together Palm Sunday Service

All Saints Ellington 25th March at 10.30

All Welcome Read more details on

www.eastleightonstone.com/event/3596870

All Sunday morning services in the three churches of Grafham, Ellington and Brampton begin at 10.30. Grafham First Sunday, Lay - led, Family Services continue at the new time

On Fourth Sundays, an ‘All Together’ Holy Communion Service will rotate between the three churches

throughout the year

For more information on church services visit www.eastleightonstone.com and click on Calendar

Contacting the Clergy Revd Jason Taylor (Rector) Rectory, 15 Church Road, Brampton PE28 4PF [email protected] 01480 453341 or 07807 118070 Revd Mike Bigg (Curate) [email protected] 07380 809377

Grafham All Saints Services

Every Wednesday morning 08.45 - 09.15 Morning Prayer– a short service open to all ------------------------------------------------------------

25th March (Palm Sunday) 10.30 ‘All Together’ Palm Sunday Service at Ellington

30th March (Good Friday) 10.30 Service of Meditation and Reflection ------------------------------------------------------------ 1st April (Easter Day) 10.30 Family Service with Songs of Praise - Lay led

22nd April (4th Sunday) 10.30 ‘All Together’ Service at Brampton

------------------------------------------------------------ 5th May (1st Sunday) 10.30 Family Service - Lay led

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]

April 2018 3 Issue 157

Councillors John Morris, Patricia Jordan and/or Peter Downes are available at the village hall from

11.15 to 11.45 on the first Saturday of alternate months. The next session is Saturday 5th May.

At other times please contact them directly:

Peter Downes

07765 833486

peter.downes@ cambridgeshire.gov.uk

John Morris

07788 977092 john.morris@ huntingdonshire.gov.uk Twitter: @johnmbrampton

Patricia Jordan

01480 383632 patricia.jordan @

huntingdonshire.gov.uk

District Councillors County Councillor

Keep up to date To read the Parish News soon after the Parish Council meeting, join the Grafham Gossip mail-ing list on the website www.grafham.org.uk. Just before the end of each month, from January to November, we’ll send you an email, contain-ing two links. The first link will take you to the next issue of the Grafham Gossip. The second link will take you to the Latest Parish News.

The agenda for each Parish Council meeting is available to view on the village website, a few days before the meeting. To read the agenda visit www.grafham.org.uk click on Grafham Parish Council then Agenda and Minutes. (The full minutes of each PC meeting can be read on the website a few weeks later.)

Past copies of the Grafham Gossip can be found on the village web site, as well as the agendas and full minutes of parish council meetings. Ed.

PARISH NEWS February 2018

The February meeting was the first of the

year. At the Public Forum, the discussions

were around the issue of potential subsid-

ence in Haywards Close properties, possibly

caused by trees edging the playing field. There was

broad agreement that there is no immediate problem,

but it is possible that there has been poor management

of the trees in the past. The Parish Council received a

report from a tree surgeon and it was agreed that it

might be advantageous to get a second opinion and

also to approach the District Council for opinions on the

possible removal of certain trees and to put into place a

professional management programme.

Representatives from the committee of the Pub at

Grafham approached the Council to ask for a grant of

£700 to help defray the costs of their proposed village

entertainment day on 19th May to celebrate the mar-

riage of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle. The Council

agreed to this grant as part of their budget to benefit

the residents of the village.

There has been some concern about the state of the

hedge cutting along the back road to Brampton. It isn’t

clear who was responsible, but concerns have been

raised by both Brampton and Grafham Parish Councils.

Peter Downes, who was in attendance, has agreed to

ask questions about the complete mess that was made

and left on the road in an effort get the road and hedg-

es cleared properly. Mr Downes has already made con-

tact with Highways England and Cambridgeshire High-

ways about the state of this road and requested the

filling in of pot-holes and the provision of more passing

places.

Also under discussion was the weight and speed of

traffic diverted through the village at times of road clo-

sures. In the past it has been suggested that parking on

Breach road would slow through traffic. However, the

weight and volume of this traffic can make the practice

of parking on the road, quite hazardous. Some answers

may be in having conversations with the A14 project to

discuss weight limits and appropriate diversions.

In May 2018 there will be elections to the District and

Parish Councils. In a separate article (page 5) in this

edition of the Gossip, you can find details of how to

obtain and submit a nominations form should you wish

to stand as a Parish Councillor. At this stage it is un-

clear which of our current Council will stand again.

There are seven seats on the Parish Council. Should

there be seven candidates, then they will be elected

unopposed. A poll will only be conducted if there are

more than seven candidates. Should there be fewer

than three candidates, the Parish Council would be

unable to function and control would pass to the District

Council. If you want to stand as a candidate for the Par-

ish Council, please contact the Clerk as soon as possi-

ble to receive a nominations pack and information on

how to proceed. (The deadline for the receipt of

nominations is 4.00pm on Friday 6 April 2018.)

The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on

March 20th at 7.30pm at the village hall.

Margaret Life Parish Clerk

07780 119311 [email protected]

Contact Details for our Grafham Parish Councillors You may contact your parish councillors through the parish clerk or directly by using the details below.

Philip Allingham Chairman 01480 811516 [email protected]

Ian Gardener Vice Chair 01480 812821 [email protected] Andrew Duckworth [email protected]

David King 01480 812430 [email protected] Alastair Watson [email protected]

Kevin Sharp [email protected] David Anthony 01480 812622 [email protected]

(The March Parish News will be printed in the next Grafham Gossip, but available on the website www.grafham.org.uk before the end of March. Ed.)

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]

April 2018 4 Issue 157

Grafham Oil Syndicate

The syndicate continues to grow, keeping more money in the village.

It’s FREE to join and we must keep a bulk order attractive enough to receive a discount, so simply email Simon:

[email protected]

or call 07887 628528

Your advert could be here! To advertise, email:

[email protected]

Community notices are free. Business adverts are

priced according to size, payable in advance.

They start at £3.50 for a small box.

The money pays for the printing of the newsletter

and any profit is donated to All Saints, Grafham and

its Restoration Fund.

Deadline for the May issue

Please send us all your adverts,

notices, news, views and gossip

ASAP and definitely by midnight

Thursday 12th April

Thanks, Ed [email protected]

For Sale

Elphicks single bed £70

Hardly used - space needed

01480 812494

Grafham Village Hall

Activities & Classes 2018

Mondays Yoga 6.15pm

Line Dancing 7.30pm

Tuesdays Pilates 9.45am

Art Club 1.30pm

Wednesdays Little Fishes (pre-school children)

10.00am

Karate 7.30pm

Thursdays Kick Boxing 7.00pm

Saturdays Chinese Martial Arts 10.30am

For enquiries about classes and about booking the hall, please telephone 07711 769911

Read more about village hall activities on page 12

Good quality paperback books in clean condition

We love to receive your paperback books to stock our church bookstall. Please leave them in the church porch.

Paperback books in good condition

The book stall is a fantastic fund-raiser for our village church, but we‘ve found that we can sell only good quality, clean paperbacks and find it

Thank you for your continued support!

x No

Hardbacks x

Manuals x

Magazines x

Encyclopaedias x

Other items x

Yes

Useful Phone Numbers All emergencies 999 Non-emergencies 101 Cambridge Constabulary HQ 01480 456111

Minicom for hard of hearing 01480 422493 Action Fraud 0300 123 2040

Crimestoppers 0800 555111 (anonymous)

To report anti-social behaviour in Grafham 01480 388379 or 387097 or email: [email protected] or [email protected]

To stop unwanted phone calls 08450 700707

To stop unwanted mail 08457 034599

Power cut 105 or 0800 31 63 105 or text POWER and your postcode to 80876

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]

April 2018 5 Issue 157

Pop Up Pub The next pop up pub will be on Friday 6th April with a full bar and a quiz, 7pm-11pm This will be a monthly event, every 1st Friday of the month. The next one will be 4th May.

Thank you for your support.

The Directors of The Pub at Grafham Limited:

Adrian Love, Kevin Sharp, Chris Brown, Lucy Maurice, Margaret Life

Members of the management team:

Chris Woodhall, Tina Theodorou, Paul Bate

Talking Shop Do we dare to believe that Spring is actually here? The days are definitely getting longer, flowers are appear-ing in our gardens and the caravan park has reopened. We look forward to welcoming everyone who is visiting our village over the coming months whether for a stay or just a day trip. Our freezer is once again filling up with Magnums in anticipation of the warmer weather to come!

We are always on the look out for new things to stock in your friendly village shop and have recently taken delivery of some handmade bird boxes which have been made locally from natural beech and are priced at £8.00. Currently we only have two left so be quick if you would like one.

We also have a new range of jams, marmalades, jel-lies, chutneys and mustards produced from a small business based in Spalding called Saints & Sinners Preserves. These are home produced and very attrac-tively packaged and would make excellent gifts. The gooseberry jam is particularly good!

Another very popular range which we have recently expanded is our eco friendly selection. Faith in Nature shampoo, shower gel and handwash are free from artificial fragrances and colours and the bottles are made from recycled material. Cotton wool and cotton buds are made from 100% organic cotton. Our scour-ers are made from recycled materials and our waste

bags are 100% degradable. We now have quite an extensive range of Astonish cleaning products for the home. These are vegan friendly and cruelty free. Our range includes oven cleaner, shower cleaner, carpet and upholstery cleaner.

By the time you read this Easter will be upon us. Don’t forget those last minute Easter eggs and chocolate treats.

Our Easter opening hours are –

Good Friday 30th

March 9.00am – 2.00pm

Easter Saturday 31st

March 8.00am – 5.00pm

Easter Sunday 1st

April 9.00am – 2.00pm

Easter Monday 2nd

April 9.00am – 2.00pm

We wish all our customers a very Happy Easter!

Lynn and Paul

Phone 01480 810119

Email [email protected]

Facebook www.facebook.com/grafhamcommunityshop

USUAL OPENING TIMES

Mon-Fri 8.00 - 6.30

Sat 8.00 - 5.00

Sun 9.00 - 2.00

Tel: 01480 810119

www.grafhamvillageshop.co.uk

PARISH COUNCIL ELECTIONS On May 3rd 2018 there will be elections to local Town

and Parish Councils. The Parish currently has a full

council of seven councillors, but it is unclear which of

these will be standing for election this time round.

Most of the councillors have served this community for

ten years or more. Should they all stand and as long as

there are no other candidates, they will be automatically

elected to the Council without the need for a poll. A poll

will only be conducted if there are more candidates than

seats.

However, if any or all of them decide not to stand, we

will either have unfilled seats on the Council or, at the

very worst case, no Council at all. In the event of there

being no Parish Council, all matters relative to Grafham

will be dealt with by the District Council and the village

will have very limited input to any local issues.

There will need to be a minimum of three councillors to

make any meetings quorate and valid. Any fewer and

there can be no meetings.

If you want to consider standing for the Parish

Council, please make contact with the Clerk who will

provide you with information and nomination pa-

pers.

Email to [email protected] or call 07780 119311

A Notice of the Election will be published by 19th March

and the deadline for the receipt of nominations is

4.00pm on Friday 6th April 2018.

Margaret Life Clerk to the Parish Council

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]

April 2018 6 Issue 157

Has the bin man bin Mam?” Wednesdays Blue bin (recycling) and Black bin (refuse) - alternate weeks

Every other Thursday - Green bin (garden waste)

If you require any further advice or information about

waste and recycling services, call 01480 388640 be-

tween 8.45am and 5.00pm Monday to Thursday and

8.45am and 4.30pm on Fridays or

visit www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/bins

Playtimes Pre-school Ferriman Road, Spaldwick PE28 0TQ

Tel: 01480 890077

www.playtimesplaygroup.co.uk

We have spaces available for 15 and 30 hours free government funding!

We offer:

Breakfast club 8 - 9am Preschool 9am - 3pm Out of school club 3.30 - 6pm

Can you spare an hour every few months? We’re very short of helpers to clean the church.

If you could take a turn just two or three times a year, please get in touch. A few more volunteers would make it easier for us to keep the church looking bright and welcoming for all.

Please contact: [email protected]

The Labour Party in Huntingdon

Our next monthly meeting is Monday 16th April at 7.30pm

at The Medway Centre More details on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/HuntingdonLabourParty/

or via the website: http://www.huntingdonlabourparty.org.uk

Come along and get involved in helping your

neighbours and the community!

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]

April 2018 7 Issue 157

I would like to continue my theme about honey bee pests and diseases. Honey bees have been subject to pests and threats forever. These vary depending on the part of the world where the bees are living. There are different races of honey bee evolved for local climate, flora and pests. In the UK for example, the threats in-clude mites even smaller than varroa mites. (Varroa mites were discussed in the ‘Beekeeping’ article in the March 2018 Grafham Gossip.) The varroa live on the bees but there are others that live inside the bee’s air-ways. Other threats include viruses, bacterial and fun-gal diseases, two species of wax moth (their larvae cause the damage,) wasps including hornets, mice, green woodpeckers and even badgers. Some threats are managed by the beekeeper. Others, which have co-evolved with our western honey bees, co-exist and healthy bee colonies manage some of them them-selves.

So what is the problem? Varroa arrived in UK in 1992 and the Integrated Pest Management protocol has been developed. That pest arrived in UK from Asia where it co-evolved with the local race of honey bees that had arrived at a level of tolerance. It spread to the European races which had no experience of varroa.

UK beekeepers and their bees are now faced with the threat of Small Hive Beetle from Sub-Saharan Africa and Asian Hornet. The latter two pests arrived in Eu-rope and are threatening continental bees. Their arrival is the result of international trade with the pests possi-bly being carried on otherwise innocuous items such as plants or hibernating in container loads of ceramic flow-er pots. Small Hive Beetle was found in Italy in 2014 and Asian Hornet is established in a number of Europe-

an countries from Spain to Belgium. Higher tempera-tures due to climate change are increasing the chance that these pests will spread further across Europe and from Europe to the UK.

In fact the Asian Hornet has been found in two loca-tions in UK. With a favourable wind they can cross The Channel. Currently every effort is being made to spot and destroy Asian Hornet nests to prevent fertilised queens from spreading further and establishing more colonies. The European Hornet, just like our local wasps will attack and kill honey bees usually at the hive entrance which honey bees can defend. The Asian Hornet is a hawker, killing individual defenceless honey bees in flight.

Our bees have no experience of these pests and need human intervention to safeguard them. By now you will have understood my theme. International trade and poor bio security leads to invasive species (including pests) moving around the globe.

David Cudby

Beekeeping 2 - Life inside the box

European Hornet from Wikimedia Commons Photograph by Piccolo Namek

Asian Hornet Photographs by Jean Haxaire

In 2018, ProLawnCare

celebrates 19 years in business!

That’s 19 years of improving lawns

Lawn Care actions required in April

Mow lawn at least once per week – does the mower need a service?

Apply organic Spring fertiliser produce vibrant green lawn

Spray weeds in lawn with selective herbicide - you may want a professional licensed sprayer to do this

Spray patio and drive with our long lasting treatment before the weeds get a hold and become an eye sore

Call Deborah or Corrine or Richard on 01480 812393 For a FREE Lawn Care Health Check - “TLC from PLC”

Lawn fact: “58 m2 of lawn gives enough oxygen for one person for a day”

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]

April 2018 8 Issue 157

Send your news, views, photos and gossip

to

[email protected]

Spring Walks Thursday 19th April Portholme Meadow

Portholme is an ancient meadow lying in a large flood plain. It has traditionally been used for grazing sheep and cattle and today it’s a haven for breeding birds such as corn bunting and skylark. Dr. Patrick Doody will lead us. Please note that it is likely to be wet underfoot. We will meet at 7.00pm at Godmanchester lock (TL 241 704). The closest parking is near the Chinese Bridge. Godmanchester. For more information please contact Pat 01480 392706

Sunday 29th April Bluebells of Brampton Wood George Cottam, warden of Brampton Wood, will lead us through this woodland where a rich variety of flora can be seen. His aim is to highlight the beautiful scent, colour and freshness of the blue-bells that encapsulate the essence of a traditional English Spring. We should also see wood anemone, primrose, dog’s mercury, early butterflies and hear the singing of the woodland birds. Please meet at Brampton Wood Car Park, Grafham Road, Brampton 10.30 am. GR TL 184698. For more information please contact George on 01480 450809

There is no charge for either walk, but donations are welcome. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part of the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire Registered Charity No: 1000412

OPENING TIMES

Mon-Fri 8.00 - 6.30

Sat 8.00 - 5.00

Sun 9.00 - 2.00

Tel: 01480 810119

www.grafhamvillageshop.co.uk

Easter Opening Times

Good Friday 30th March 9.00am – 2.00pm

Easter Saturday 31st March

8.00am – 5.00pm

Easter Sunday 1st April 9.00am – 2.00pm

Easter Monday 2nd

April 9.00am – 2.00pm

Grafham Community Shop Our special offers this month include:

Pizzas £3.20 each or 2 for £5.00!

Stella Artois 440ml cans £1.60 each or 4 for £5.25

Carling/Strongbow 440ml cans £1.30 each or 4 for £4.00

Guinness Draught 440ml cans £1.50 or 4 for £5.25

Selected chocolate bars 2 for £1

Buy two or more packs of frozen bacon, sausages, mince or chicken - get 10% off

Read more in ‘Talking Shop’ on page 5

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]

April 2018 9 Issue 157

Royal Wedding Celebrations To be held at Grafham Village Hall

Saturday 19th May 2018

To celebrate the WEDDING

of

Prince Harry & Meghan Markle

Events running throughout the day will include:

Free Children’s entertainer

and Inflatable Castle,

Cream Teas, All Day Bar,

Live coverage of the wedding itself,

BBQ and live Band “the lazoons” in the evening

© Kensington Palace

On Saturday 24th March the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon scheme will welcome hundreds of visitors to site for tours of the project as part of ‘Open Doors - Get into Construction week’

Open Doors is a national event offering the public the chance to go ‘behind the scenes’ and discover how roads, structures and buildings in their local communities are made.

Bookings are being taken for sessions at Brampton, Ermine Street and Swavesey, which will include a short presentation of the scheme, a guided tour of works sites and a chance to speak to members of different teams over hot drinks and biscuits back at the compounds. Places are limited and are being booked quickly. Please use the links provided or visit www.opendoors.construction.co.uk to book your place.

Swavesey Ermine Street (A1198 near Godmanchester) Brampton

Unfortunately children under 6 cannot be accommodated.

If you’d like to write a ‘one-off’

article or a

regular feature for the

Grafham Gossip,

send it by email to

[email protected]

Send your news, views,

photos and gossip to

[email protected]

April 2018 10 Issue 157

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]

Paul's Private Hire and Chauffeur Service Van Diemens Way, Grafham,

Huntingdon, Cambs. PE28 0GB

Tel. 01480 811594 Mobile 07795 296281 Email [email protected]

Travel in style via Mercedes cars to your destinations

GRAFHAM WATER (NEXT TO THE VISITOR CENTRE)

WIDE RANGE AT LOW PRICES

OPEN WEDNESDAY- SUNDAY 09.00-17.30 TEL:01480 819730

FREE PARKING & FREE DELIVERY

PET & WILD BIRD FOOD

www.petfoodsdirect2u.co.uk

Free back door, when ordered with 5 or more windows

For a free, no obligation quotation please contact your local representative Jon Goodchild on 07825 238240 or email

[email protected]

WINDOWS DOORS ROOFLINE

CONSERVATORIES

GARDEN ROOMS FLAT ROOFS

www.gaphomeimprovements.co.uk

JEZ ASHCROFT LTD All your decorating needs including:

Coving, Internal Decorating

Drylining & Plastering

FREE ESTIMATES

Please Call

Tel: 01480 812461 Mobile: 07708031493

Kevin Hutchinson • Reliable Local Carpenter and Joiner

• All carpentry work undertaken

• Fitted kitchens, new doors, wood flooring and much more

• No job too small

Tel: 01480 811863/07889 414274

BSM BSM Driving Instructor DSA Approved, Pass Plus Registered Living locally in Grafham

Call John Sisseman for details

Tel. 07806 941675

Grafham Plumbing and Heating Ltd

Oftec registered technician

High efficiency condensing boilers fitted

Oil tanks fitted complete with bases

All boilers serviced

All plumbing undertaken

Vaporising appliances fitted and serviced

Service and maintenance plans available Professional, friendly and reliable

[email protected]

01480 812590

07799 640476

Cinnamon Bar and Indian Restaurant Open 7 days a week 5pm to 10.30pm

Also lunch time if pre-booked for 5 or more people

Call 01480 812211/811316

Thursday Night is 'Banquet Night'

1 starter, 1 main, 1 side.

Any rice or any Nan

£13.50

April 2018 11 Issue 157

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]

Tina Theodorou is offering the following coach day trips:

Wednesday 13 June 2018 Bury St.Edmunds

Pick up point: Grafham Village Hall

Departure Time: 9am leaving Bury St.Edmunds at 4.30pm Price per person £20

Wednesday 1st

August 2018 Great Yarmouth

Pick up point: Grafham Village Hall

Departure Time: 8am leaving Great Yarmouth at 4pm

Price per person £22

Tuesday 9th

October 2018 Windsor

Pick up point : Grafham Village Hall

Departure time: 8.45am leaving Windsor at 4.30pm

Price per person £22

Saturday 17th

November Thursford Christmas Spectacular

Departure pick up points and times: Barley Mow Hart-ford 10.40am and Huntingdon Bus Station 10.50am.

Coach leaves Thursford after show ends normally around 5.00pm

Price per person is £60.00 (this is for the return coach travel and ticket entry to this spectacular show.)

There are no minimum or maximum numbers, as we will be joining a trip already organised by Dews Coaches. They have only about 20 places left, so it is important for all interested parties to tell me num-bers and pay their monies please, as soon as possi-ble, so that I may ask them to reserve both our coach seats and show tickets.

This is a direct coach from Huntingdon straight to the venue, so you will have to make your own arrange-ments for food. I would advise that Thursford does have the Garden Pavilion restaurant serving home cooked food (such as jackets, casseroles and curries.) They also have three snack cafés serving food and drinks and a fully licensed bar.

Tuesday 27th

November Westfields Shopping Cen-tre, Stratford City, London Departure pick up point and times: Grafham Village Hall 9.30am leaving Westfields at 4pm

Price per person £22

SPECIAL NOTE All times shown are approximate at this stage and apart from Thursford Spectacular, all other prices are depend-ent on maximum numbers. The earlier you reserve your place(s) and pay please, the more trips will go ahead!

Please email [email protected]

Payments please by cash or bank transfer. Cheques payable to Ms F Theodorou. For further information and my new bank account details please call me on 07711 012957.

If you wish to put monies through my letter box, please ensure you state your full contact details e.g. full name, address and contact telephone number. My address is:

‘Kalostone’ 5 Home Close, Grafham, Huntingdon, Cambs PE28 0UW

Tina is also organising several other events:

Tuesday 22nd

May 2018 Ladies Night at Huntingdon Racecourse (This is open to men too so please bring a male with you!)

There is a choice of 2 types of tickets:

1. If I can get 10 people it is £17.10 per person and 20 or more £16.20 per person. This gives you access to all the main race areas, bars, paddocks, etc on the site.

2. If I can get 10 plus, £29.00 per person includes your race card, a pint of beer or glass of wine (or any soft drink) with a meal. The meal will be served in Lentons Restaurant with seating and menu which will include jacket potatoes or a chicken dish (dish to be confirmed closer to event date.) You will be able to go to the res-taurant at any time during the evening.

Gates open 3.30pm, the first race is 5.30pm, the last is at 8.30pm. You can arrive any time after 3.30pm

By the way you can GLAM up or DRESS down to suit yourself. It is up to you entirely how you dress there are no rules!!! However, they are offering prizes for the best dressed!!

Friday 17th

August 2018 2 nights 3 days Brussels Flower Carpet (which is a must see) Bruges and Ghent

This trip comprises the following:

*3 days visiting Bruges, Antwerp and Ghent

*2 nights accommodation on a bed and buffet breakfast

basis staying at the 3* Novotel Antwerp Noord

*Return Channel Crossings

Price per person is £195.00

Sunday 9th

& Monday 10th

September 2018 China’s first Emperor & the Terracotta Warriors - Liverpool

This is a 2-day itinerary

Huntingdon coach pick up point then travel to Liverpool and staying in centrally located hotel. Short orientation tour by coach with a Liverpool Guide. The rest of the day is yours to spend at leisure.

Second morning after breakfast: visit the Terracotta Warriors exhibition and also other galleries in Liver-pool’s World Museum followed by a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Albert Dock.

Price per person is £135.00.

For further information about these events or to book please contact me on 07711 012957 or

email: [email protected]

Thank you and I look forward to you booking these good value events! Tina

Trips and Events

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected] Opinions expressed in the Grafham Gossip, including past issues, are those of the writer and not the editors.

April 2018 12 Issue 157

Printed by Easiprint 01733 602302

Across the Churches Bible Study We are a small group meeting twice a month (Tuesdays 7.30pm) for Bible study, prayer and fellowship. We come from different churches and are always happy to welcome new members.

For more information, please contact Rob or Jean Clark 01480 890033.

Babysitters Bryony 22 yrs 812354 experienced with newborn to 14yrs

Mya 14 yrs 819326 Nicci 17 yrs 811279

GRAFHAM VILLAGE HALL has a Public Entertainments Licence for music, dancing, performing arts and can accommodate 92 guests seated in rows or 150 at a dance/disco - an ideal venue for children's and family parties. There is a playing field for sports activities and the hall has small changing rooms with shower facilities.

For details or to book, tel: 07711 769911

Grafham and Ellington Art GroupGrafham and Ellington Art GroupGrafham and Ellington Art Group http://grafhamandellingtonart.weebly.com/ Grafham Village Hall, Every Tuesday 1.30-4pm Calling all who want to meet and paint with like minded people on a regular basis.

Beginners and those with more skills are all very welcome.

Cost: About £2 to cover hall hire/refreshments. Come along with your paints and equipment!

Please ring me for more details.

Jackie Woods 01480 890279

Grafham Church Flower Club We are available to decorate the church for weddings and other church occasions.

Floral arrangements for: pedestal,

altar, font, windowsills, pew ends, pillars.

Please contact Hazel Powell on

01480 810326 for details and quotes.

If anyone in the village has foliage in their garden that they would be willing to donate for church decoration for festivals, please let us know, we would be very grateful.

The Mobile Library Route H24 visits Breach Road, Grafham on the 4th Wednesday of every month from 10.40 to 11.00. The next visit is 25th March.

For renewals/ enquiries call 0345 045 5225 or click here

.Come and join the

GRAFHAM LINE DANCERS Beginners are welcome

Monday evenings in the Village Hall

7.30 – 9.00pm

For more information ring Julia 01480 811613 or Text Penny 07986 509481

East Leightonstone Parish - Brampton, Ellington, Grafham

Little Fishes Stay + Play Tots Session

Grafham Village Hall

Wednesdays 10.00 to 11.20

Term time only

Just turn up on the day

Sessions include free-play, craft activities, a Bible story and sing-along. Babies welcome too

Contact Jean Clark 01480 890033 [email protected]

Coffee Morning Grafham Social Committee invites you to Coffee Mornings at 10.30am on the third Wednesday of the month:

18th April - Pat Watson, 26 Inhams Way

This is an informal social occasion for residents of the village. Please come along for a cup of coffee and a chat.

Ellington and Grafham WI

meets on the first Tuesday of the month in Ellington village hall. Membership is £41 per annum but you are most welcome to come as a visitor. The programme for 2018 is varied and interesting with speakers or

events every month.

3rd April My Dog's Nose Knows - dogs supporting people with long-term illness. 1st May The Duke of Edingburg Award

If you would like any more information please contact:

Sue 01480 896139 [email protected] or Ann 01480 891192 [email protected]

Grafham Wildlife and Conservation Group Regional winners of the BTCV Green Award 2006 & 2007 invite you to carry out woodland conservation.

Call Sam Malt: 01480 811654 / 07849 082870

or email: [email protected]

www.gwcg.btck.co.uk/