Grafham Gossip Se… · A very big thank you to all those who helped with strimming and scything the long grass in the churchyard recently. The area to be seeded with wildflowers

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

September 2019 1 Issue 173

Grafham Gossip Issue 174 Deadline: by 15th September

Contents Church Services/View from Pew/Churchland Charity………...

Parish News/Parish + County Cllrs details……………..……...

Neighbourhood Plan/Grafham Community Safety Campaign...

Notices/Village Hall Activities/Babysitters……..…..…..…….…..

Letters to Editors/Talking Shop………….………….…....….….

Notices /Bins/Useful Phone Nos………….………………....…...

Constructive Paranoia, David Cudby/Hear here, Healthwatch..

Adverts/Notices/Pub + Shop Opening Hours………......…...…

Churchyard Rewilding/Help Prevent Arson, Police..…………..

Notices/ Board Games/The Lost Raptor, Wildlife Trust Talk.…

Meet the Pollinators……………….……………………………..

Notices/Local Events…………….……. …………………..…....

Let’s disagree kindly, Mike/Grafham Water Lions 10th B/day...

Adverts…………...…..…………………………..……………..

Bring back the meadows, Val Littlewood/Make a Will Month....

Village/Local Activities…………………………………………...

2

3

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Editors’ note… In September, for those with gardens,

your harvest of vegetables should be

well under way. Have a look at Hazel’s

recipe below, to find out what to do with all your courgettes!

With the children back at school, parents can breathe a sigh

of relief, sort out the house and get back to the usual work/

life balance. But perhaps the most important event for the

village this September, is to make a start on the development

of our joint Neighbourhood Plan. See the notice below on this

page and also the notice on page 3.

We are going to trial keeping the deadline the same date

every month, so please send in your news, views, photos,

recipes and gossip by 15th September for the October issue.

Have fun! Editors, [email protected]

New Feature!

Recipe of the month

If you have a glut of courgettes and don't know what to do with them, try this soup. It is mild and delicious.

Courgette Soup

500g potatoes peeled and chopped

2 vegetable or chicken stock cubes in 1 pint water

1 Kg courgettes chopped

Bunch spring onions chopped

2 mini tubs Philadelphia soft cheese

If you have a soup maker, add all the ingredients at once on the blend button for the required time - about 20-25 minutes on mine.

If not, simply simmer all the ingredients in a pan until tender, then whizz in your blender.

Eat hot or chilled with a blob of crême fraiche and a sprig of mint. It freezes well too.

Thank you to Hazel for providing this month’s recipe.

Please send in your favourite recipes to:

[email protected]

Come and help ensure that we evolve life in our lovely villages

the way we would like to see it.

Find out more about our joint Neighbourhood Plan at

A Public Meeting

Grafham Village Hall

Friday 6th September at 7:30pm

More details are on page 3.

You can read even more details on

page 5 in August’s issue of the Grafham Gossip by visiting the Home page of our village website

www.grafham.org.uk Click on Grafham Gossip then choose Aug-19 from the list

of previous issues.

Macmillan Coffee ‘Afternoon’Macmillan Coffee ‘Afternoon’

Sunday 29th September

Grafham Village Hall

3pm to 6pm

for tea, coffee and cake!

Come along to raise money and help Macmillan be there with support for people facing cancer

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

September 2019 2 Issue 173

Contacting the Clergy Revd Jason Taylor (Rector) Rectory, 15 Church Rd, Brampton PE28 4PF [email protected] 07807 118070

Mike Bigg (Curate) [email protected] 07380 809377

Grafham All Saints Services Every Wednesday morning 09.00 - 09.30 Morning Prayer – a short service open to all. Download the Daily Prayer app from the Church of England website available for iOS and Android to

join us in spirit from home if you wish, but preferably please come along to the service.

Mid week Communion services are on Thursdays at 10.00 roughly once a month. (An informal midweek

service of Holy Communion with time for prayer and sharing from the Bible.)

25th August (4th Sunday) 10.30 ‘All Together’ with Holy Communion at Ellington

25th August (4th Sunday) 19.00 Taizé service with music and candles --------------------------------------------------------------

1st September (1st Sunday) 10.30 Family Service - Lay led

19th September (Thursday) 10.00 Mid week Communion

22nd September (4th Sunday) 10.30 ‘All Together’ with Holy Communion at Grafham

22nd September (4th Sunday) 19.00 Taizé service with music and candles -------------------------------------------------------------

6th October (1st Sunday) 10.30 Harvest Festival followed by lunch

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

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

View from the Pew A very big thank you to all those who

helped with strimming and scything the

long grass in the churchyard recently.

The area to be seeded with wildflowers

will now be kept mown until September when

seeding will begin. We are delighted to be joined

in this venture by members of the "Make the

Change Happen" group and together we have

great plans for re-wilding the village.

At our first Sunday of August service we were

reminded about how much "stuff" we all have

these days but that we can dispose of some of it

at charity shops and also help to supply food

banks. At that service Frankie played her guitar

and led our singing as the other musicians were

on holiday. Thank you Frankie, you did a great

job.

Our next "All together" service will be at Ellington

on 25th August at 10.30am. That evening at 7pm,

don't forget our Taizé service here, with music

and candles.

Unfortunately our mid-week communion on 29th

August is cancelled as Mike is away on a course.

We hope everyone has enjoyed the summer

weather and we are thankful that we have not

been beset by floods or serious drought!

Help! We are very

short of volunteer tea/coffee

makers for our Little Fishes

Stay + Play Tots Group, which

meets on Wednesday mornings

in the village hall.

If you can spare an hour, now

and then, we would be most

grateful for your help!

Please contact

Hazel 810326

or email:

[email protected]

BRAMPTON CHURCH LAND CHARITY This charity meets twice each year to consider grant applications, and typically supports applications for grants from £250 to £750 although larger sums may be considered.

The next Trustees Meeting will be held in October, so if you have a project which needs financial support and relates to the Church of England or another charitable cause in the parish of East Leighton-stone (Brampton, Grafham & Ellington) or the adjacent parishes, please contact the Clerk to the Trustees at 31 Cranfield Way, Brampton or email: [email protected] for an application form to be completed and submitted prior to the meeting.

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

September 2019 3 Issue 173

Grafham’s County Councillor Grafham’s District Councillor

Peter Downes

07765 833486

peter.downes@ cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Darren Tysoe 01480 388310 [email protected]

Grove Cottage, Malting Lane, Ellington, PE28 0AA

Follow me on Twitter @darrentysoe

Receive my updates on Facebook www.facebook.com/cllrdmtysoe

PARISH NEWS

There was no Parish Council

meeting in August.

The next Council meeting is sched-uled for 10

th September 2019, in the village hall

at 7.30pm. It would be nice to see you there.

Margaret Life, Parish Clerk

07780 119311 [email protected]

Parish Councillors You may contact your parish councillors through the parish clerk or directly.

Philip Allingham Chairman 01480 811516 [email protected]

Ian Gardener Vice Chair 01480 812821

[email protected] Alastair Watson

[email protected]

Roy Harold [email protected]

David Russell [email protected]

Jo Dunn [email protected]

Come and help ensure that we evolve life in our

lovely villages the way

we would like to see it.

A Public Meeting

Grafham Village Hall

Friday 6th September at 7:30pm

Find out more about the joint Neighbourhood Plan which Grafham and Ellington Parish

Councils will produce with the support of a small team of residents assisted by Huntingdon District Council.

A Neighbourhood Plan has the legal power to prevent a developer from imposing unwanted housing or

industrial development within our parishes.

For more information, email David Russell:

[email protected]

Some great news came in late in July -- too late for last month’s Grafham Gossip -- which we're delighted to be able to share with those of you haven't already heard.

Our bid for funds from the A14 team for traffic calming and safety measures has been agreed.

And whilst the necessary works won't be completed for a little while (indications are that this could stretch until the end of the year), this is a real boost for the community.

Just to remind you, we had asked for the following measures to be approved:

a 40mph buffer zone, dragon’s teeth road-markings, roundels in the road surface and MVAS (Moveable Vehicle Activated Sign.)

We hope that all of this will make a big difference to driver behaviour through the village and reduce the number of vehicles speeding through Grafham.

Our thanks go to:

- Carole Thomas who was responsible for starting the road safety campaign and who worked tirelessly to bring the rest of village on board, setting up the liaison with the local Police and ensuring that the speed watch sessions ran regularly, which gave us so much

important information to support our bids.

- to our fantastic volunteers who spent many roadside hours monitoring and reporting on the volume and speed of traffic through Grafham.

- to David Russell and Ian Gardener of the Parish Council who wrote, championed and helped push through this successful bid.

- and of course, all of you who've supported and en-couraged the work of the road safety campaign.

Without you all, this would not have happened. You can congratulate yourselves on a job well done.

And finally: there is still a need for volunteers to keep running the speed watch sessions as the driver edu-cation aspect of our work will continue to be needed. So if any of you want to help, especially after the main summer holiday season comes to an end, please don't hesitate to get in touch. We realise that there are competing demands on everyone's time and in-volvement in the many new initiatives that the village is working on, including the Environment Plan and the Neighbourhood Plan. We'd encourage you to join up for these two new campaigns and you can get further details here: https://grafhamvillage.co.uk

Chris Bulow

Grafham Community Safety Campaign

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

September 2019 4 Issue 173

Send your news, views, photos and gossip to

[email protected]

Babysitters Bryony 22 yrs 812354 experienced with newborn to 14yrs

Mya 15 yrs 819326 Nicci 17 yrs 811279

Deadline By 15th of September

for the October issue.

From now on, the deadline will be the same date

every month, so please send us all your adverts,

notices, news, views, recipes and gossip

by 15th of the previous month.

Thanks, Ed [email protected]

Grafham Village Hall

Activities & Classes 2019

Mondays Line Dancing 7.30pm

Tuesdays Pilates 9.45am

Art Club 1.30pm

Wednesdays Little Fishes (pre-school children)

10.00am

Yoga 6.15pm

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 16

Playtimes Pre-school Ferriman Road, Spaldwick PE28 0TQ

Tel: 01480 890077 www.playtimesplaygroup.co.uk

We offer: Breakfast club 8am - 9am

Preschool 9am- 3pm

Out of school club 3.30pm - 6pm

Parish of

East Leightonstone To join the mailing list and receive

the regular newsletter visit

http://www.eastleightonstone.com and click News

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 difficult to lift, carry and dispose of other items.

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

Thank you for your continued support!

No x

Hardbacks x

Manuals x

Magazines x

Encyclopaedias x

Other items x

Yes

Next date for Churchyard Makeover

The next tidying session is planned

for 10am Saturday 31st August

Do come along to help out, enjoy

the chat and the

delicious refreshments.

To find out more, email Jean Baty:

[email protected]

Hunts Community Cancer Network (HCCN) hold a weekly support group

Ellington Holistic Drop In at Ellington Village Hall

Every Tuesday 10am until 2 pm

To find out more contact Annie by phone 01234 709836 or email [email protected]

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.

September 2019 5 Issue 173

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]

Letters to the Editors Dear Editor…

Thank you, Grafham We moved to the village earlier this year and would

just like to say how great we are finding the village

and thank you to all for the warm welcome!

Fellow neighbours have been great and we have real-

ly enjoyed getting involved in events such as the flow-

er festival, beer festival and art exhibition.

The pub is marvellous; we have always received a

friendly welcome and the same goes for The Cinna-

mon – excellent service every time!

Having Grafham Water on the doorstep is also such a

treat!

So thanks very much Grafham. We look forward to our

future here!

Mel & Joe, The Wyvern

What are your news, views and comments? E-mail: [email protected] if you’d like your letter published in ‘Letters to the Edi-tors.’ Please supply your name and address/email address but tell us if you’d prefer us not to print it in the Grafham Gossip. Thanks , Ed

Talking Shop Well, where did that summer go? The kids are about

to go back to school and it will be back to work as

usual. Why not get started with those essential school

and work supplies? In the shop we have a wide range

of stationery including pens, pencils, books and note-

pads. Pop in and have a look for those last minute

essentials.

In July, on a sunny Sunday afternoon, our dedicated

volunteers enjoyed a summer BBQ. It was a lovely

day and everyone had a wonderful time. It was our

small way of saying ‘thank you’ to our great team. We

really appreciate all the support they give to us as

managers and we would struggle to do everything we

need to without their commitment.

If you are interested in volunteering in the shop just

pop in and speak to either of us or chat to a volunteer

to find out what it’s really like. Volunteering is a great

way to meet new people, learn new skills and be part

of a friendly team. You can volunteer as much or as

little as you like and for however many hours you are

able. You don’t need to have retail experience, just a

willingness to get involved.

NEW IN THE SHOP

We now have a new supply of our ever-popular cakes

and cookies from Bramble Foods. These are perfect

for afternoon tea or to snack on after dinner. Come in

and find your favourites.

We also have Mellow Yellow oils in stock! These oils

are great for cooking and are also really nice with sal-

ads for your lunches.

Don’t forget we are now taking orders for Grafham

Grown Southdown Lamb. Order by 30th August

for September, 27th September for October, 25th October for November and the final date to place

your order for delivery in December is the 6th

December. Patrick Goldsworthy will donate £5.50

to the shop for every half lamb sold.

Thank you Patrick.

Do you work at home and feel the need to get out and

stretch your legs at lunchtime? We stock a range of

filled baguettes, pork pies, sausage rolls, samosas

and scotch eggs along with crisps, biscuits, cakes and

cold drinks. In fact, we can provide you with every-

thing you need for lunch!

We look forward to seeing you in the shop soon.

Lynn and Chloe

Opening Times

Mon-Fri 8.00 - 6.30

Sat 8.00 - 5.00

Sun 9.00 - 2.00

Bank Holidays 9.00 - 2.00

01480 810119 [email protected] www.grafhamvillageshop.co.uk

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

September 2019 6 Issue 173

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 e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]

To stop unwanted phone calls 08450 700707

To stop unwanted mail 08457 034599

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

RecyclingRecyclingRecycling For an update on

recycling and a reminder of the right

recycling to put in the right bin, go to

www.recap.co.uk

The Highwayman Car Scheme Do you know what it is?

It’s a scheme to help provide transport for people who

are not able to make essential journeys by public

transport or any other means.

A team of volunteer drivers take you to appointments

e.g. the Doctors, Hospital, Dentist alongside

social activities such as

visiting relatives or friends and even shopping.

The scheme is aimed at helping people

to get out and about.

Passengers pay the driver on the day of travel to

contribute towards fuel expenses. This is at a rate of

30p per mile with a minimum charge of £3.00.

To arrange a journey or for more information please

call 07786 520540

If the phone is not manned at the time of your call

leave a message on the answerphone and the

coordinator of the drivers will get back to you.

We are also always looking out for volunteer drivers

so if you want to help your community, give us a call.

We would love to hear from you.

The scheme is supported and advised by

Cambridgeshire County Council

and Care Network Cambridgeshire

Grafham Oil Syndicate The syndicate is FREE to join.

We must continue to grow and keep a bulk order attractive enough to receive a discount, so simply email Simon: [email protected] or call 07887 628528

and help keep more money in the village!

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 between 8.45am and 5.00pm Monday to Thursday and 8.45am and 4.30pm on Fridays or visit www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/bins

Has the bin man bin Mam?”

To advertise, email:

[email protected] Community notices are free.

Business adverts are priced according to size, payable in

advance.

They start at £4.00 for a small box.

The money pays for the printing of the newsletter.

Any profit is donated to All Saints, Grafham

and its Restoration Fund.

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

September 2019 7 Issue 173

David Cudby

A recent castaway on Desert Island Discs was Jared Diamond. Among his achievements are:

Professor of physiology at UCLA Medical School

In his twenties he developed a second, parallel, career in ornithology and ecology, specialising in New Guinea and nearby islands

In his fifties, Diamond developed a third career in environmental history and became a professor of geography at UCLA, his current position.

Published six books and hundreds of articles

Because of this academic diversity, Diamond has been described as a polymath.

Presenter Lauren Laverne asked Jared Diamond if at age 81, he was nervous about his annual ornithology and ecology trips to the jungles of New Guinea. His biggest fear is falling. I can relate to that as my eye-sight becomes weaker. He applies what he calls Con-structive Paranoia. Rather than giving up activities be-cause of a fear of falling he uses his energy to plan to avoid falling, applying his attention and energy to avoiding the dangers but not giving up the things that he loves doing.

It set me thinking about my beekeeping activities. My home apiary presents hazards such as:

Bee stings

Tripping on uneven ground due to tree roots

Lifting heavy boxes

Being vigilant about people going about their busi-ness close by

Missing important signs in the hives – increasingly due to limited sight

This is what is new for me as a result of Jared Dia-mond’s Constructive Paranoia.

Workload

I have a small apiary, typically 3 or 4 colonies. It has been my practice to inspect and carry out procedures

on all colonies in a single session. This creates its own risks, tiredness, rushing things, loss of concentration. I always felt it was the most efficient way to mange things. Not so sure now. I now work on a couple of colonies at each session. It may still be possible to inspect all colonies on the same day but take a break.

Planning and organising the work

Following Jared Diamond’s approach I have resolved to do something which I believe athletes and others do to improve their performance (not drugs!) It is visuali-sation. I try to perform a thorough mental rehearsal before going near the hives.

I ask myself questions and visualise an appropriate action or actions e.g.

What do I want to achieve e.g. full colony inspec-tion?

How much time should I set aside for the activity?

Will I need assistance?

What are the steps involved?

What equipment will I need?

Is there good access around the hives and suffi-cient space to set things down and allow me to move about without tripping over things?

Are neighbours or family likely to make an appear-ance?

Check the weather – look at the sky.

Then I pause, take a deep breath and stand looking at my apiary and visualise the sequence of actions I am about to undertake. What will a successful outcome look like? After visualisation, I should have set the ob-jective and standards clearly in my mind and picture a safe and efficient work flow.

Constructive paranoia and visualisation as an ap-proach for an ageing beekeeper with failing eyesight is a work in progress but I feel good about it rather than letting fear and anxiety drive me to give up my bees prematurely.

Constructive Paranoia

Hear here: patients want to be listened to Patients in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough want to be listened to by health professionals – especially those with long-term conditions, who are often experts in their own health.

A new report from Healthwatch into people’s views on improving local NHS services shows that patients want health professionals to acknowledge what they know about their own condition and what they experi-ence with it and also to listen to what they say.

You too can share your views on local NHS services. Healthwatch, the independent champion for people using health and social care services, wants to hear from you.

Do you need information about health/ care services? Healthwatch can help you find: - health or care services near to you;

- what to do if you have a concern or complaint; - organisations that can give you help or advice.

Get in touch - Via our websites: https://www.healthwatchpeterborough.co.uk/feedback-

on-care/ http://www.healthwatchcambridgeshire.co.uk/content/

have-your-say - Call us on 0330 355 1285 (local call number) - Email us: [email protected]

Read more about the What would you do? Report

on the Healthwatch Peterborough website or the

Healthwatch Cambridgeshire website

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

September 2019 8 Issue 173

The Labour Party in Huntingdon Our next monthly meeting is

Monday 16th September 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!

Opening Times Mon to Wed - Closed

Thurs - 18:00 - 22:00

Fri - 18:00 - 23:00

Sat - 13:00 - 23:00

Sun - 13:00 - 19:00

Open longer for special occasions

Dogs welcome

Mon-Fri 8.00 - 6.30

Sat 8.00 - 5.00

Sun 9.00 - 2.00

Bank Holidays 9.00 - 2.00

Grafham Community Shop

Tel: 01480 810119

Opening Times

E: [email protected]

www.grafhamvillageshop.co.uk

See page 5 for shop news in ‘Talking Shop’

‘Meet your Emergency Services’ Day

Saturday 7th September 10.30am – 2.30pm Market Square, Huntingdon

Here’s a great day out! Huntingdon welcomes repre-sentatives* from all our remark-able Emergency Services. The Police, Ambulance and Fire Services will be showcasing their facilities and demonstrat-ing skills and sharing stories that see them save lives every year.

Also attending is the local Magpas Emergency Medical Charity that works hand in hand with the emergency ser-vices to provide pre-hospital care by land and air. FREE Face painter and Dave the Balloon man.

Shakespearean Dinner and Show

18th,19th, 20th September

Shakespeare at The George Hotel

Come and enjoy a two or three course

meal followed by the brand new one-act

play from award-winning theatre compa-

ny Shakespeare at The George (SaTG).

Shakespearean was commissioned by

SaTG as part of its 60th anniversary

celebrations this year and was created

by writer/director Lynne Livingstone.

Call 01480 432444

FREE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

Saturday 31st August 9:30am until 10:45am

i-d Image Development St Neots

Book your free place now as places are limited. (Registration required,

Age 15+)

To book or for more information

Tel: 01480 367033 or

email [email protected]

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

September 2019 9 Issue 173

Churchyard Rewilding Motivated by the very helpful advice and suggestions

from ecologist Dr Pat Doody, an enthusiastic group of

volunteers met on the first two Saturdays in August to

start preparing a flower

meadow in the church-

yard. We were delighted

to be joined by members

of the “Making the

Change Happen” group,

and hope to join them on

future projects for the village.

As a result we are making good progress on

the early stage of strimming or scything the

long grass and then removing the cuttings.

This will be followed by mowing and then

scarifying the soil surface, so that flower

seeds can be sown in the autumn.

Once again we enjoyed the coffee and deli-

cious cakes baked by Diana Thomas.

The next meeting will be on Saturday August 31st

at 10am. Do come along and join us!

All help would be greatly appreciated. To find out

more contact Jean Baty [email protected]

Police and fire officers urge public to help prevent arson

POLICE and fire officers are urging the public to be vigilant and report suspicious behaviour in a bid to prevent arsons in the county.

Over the past few years, the fire service has dealt with more than 80 arsons during the month of August.

Sergeant Craig Flavell, from the force’s Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT), said,

‘The summer months see an increase in rural arsons, with the harvest resulting in an increase in stack fires, when hay bales are deliberately set on fire. I would urge anyone who sees suspicious behaviour, particu-

larly around vulnerable locations, such as hay stacks, to call police and if a crime is taking place call 999.’

RCAT deal with stack fires in a joint operation with the fire service called Op Armitage. This involves:

a dedicated response plan when called into either emergency services,

covert and overt tactics,

crime prevention from both emergency services,

regular meetings between police and fire to share information/intelligence.

To help prevent stack fires, farm workers are urged to store hay away from the road and keep fuel, fertilisers and pesticides under lock and key.

Continued at the bottom of page 11

September 2019 10 Issue 173

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

Join Our Short Walks

Ideal for people of any age, who would

like to get a little fitter

Walks are free, leisurely, lasting

around 30 minutes

Starting from The Surgery,

Buckden

Every Thursday at 10.00am

Come and make new friends, build

up energy and fitness

Walks are led by

Hunts District Council trained

walk leaders

Buckden Gardeners Association Buckden Gardeners Association meets on the third Tuesday of the month from October to April in Buckden Village Hall. Topics focus on gardening but also include related subjects such as wild flowers, bees and birds. In the summer months we organise outings to gardens and related areas. All are welcome.

For more information please visit our website www.buckdengardeners.info or just come along.

Rosemary Surridge, Secretary

I’ve got about 30 different games but I’m always interested in playing new ones! Robert

Looking for the Goshawk -

The Lost Raptor

7.30pm Wed 11th Sept

Brampton Memorial Hall

The Huntingdonshire Local Group of the Wildlife Trust invites you

to their first indoor meeting of the autumn. This illustrated talk

about Goshawks will be given by Conor Jameson, who has

worked for the RSPB and BirdLife for over 25 years. Conor has

written for The Guardian and BBC Wildlife and is a columnist for

the RSPB magazine ‘Natures Home.’

The talk will tell the story behind Conor’s well known book ‘Looking

for the Goshawk’, which took him to some unexpected places at

home and abroad in search of this mystery-shrouded bird of prey.

Originally found in the UK, the goshawk was persecuted to extinc-tion in the late 19

th century but re-introduced in the late 1960s.

Conor will expand upon the turbulent history of the Goshawk, in-

cluding how it lives, where it lives and why it might be missing from

our lives.

Please meet at Brampton Memorial Hall, Thrapston Road,

Brampton, PE28 4T. No booking is necessary. For more infor-

mation please contact Alistair Grant [email protected] or

07775 365 507. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part of the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire

Registered Charity No: 1000412

Bedfordshire Cambridgeshire Northamptonshire

Huntingdonshire Local Group

Have you tried the parkrun

yet?

It’s a free 5km run,

jog or walk that takes

place at

Hinchingbrooke

Country Park, every

Saturday at 9.00am.

Parkrun happens in

various other places

all over the country.

You should register

with

www.parkrun.org.uk/

huntingdon before

your first run and you

will get a barcode, so

that you obtain a

registered time on

completing the run.

You can run round

the course or walk or

jog or just watch if

you prefer, then you

can join everyone for

coffee afterwards if

you wish. Huntingdon

Parkrun is organised

by volunteers. If

you’d like to volunteer

to help email:

huntingdonhelp-

[email protected]

You’ll find everything

you need to know at

www.parkrun.org.uk/

huntingdon

September 2019 11 Issue 173

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

Come and find out about the fascinating lives of our bees and pollinators with the Grafham bee-keepers, Sue, Nick, Barbara, Andy, Jo and wild bee champion Val Littlewood.

The beekeepers are bringing a small demonstration hive and there will be a display of bee keeping equip-ment, honey tastings and beeswax products for sale.

There will be lots of useful information about how the beekeepers work with our honeybees and about the life cycles of our important bumble and solitary bees, with a solitary bee house on display complete with bee nests.

You will find some great gardening tips about the best plants and shrubs both, native and non-native,

to grow, as well as simple things you can do in even the smallest garden to help wildlife and pollinators.

There will be bee-friendly plants to take away and plant in your garden.

*If you have any plants to spare or are dividing clumps of perennials please bring some along to share or swap.

The Grafham Trout will be open for refreshments. Everyone is welcome.

For more information contact Sue Fancourt: [email protected] or Val Littlewood: [email protected]

Come and Meet the Pollinators,

Grafham Village Hall

Sunday 6th October 1pm - 4pm

Station Commander Pete Jones, Arson Liaison Officer for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, said:

‘Fires started deliberately like this pose significant is-sues for us. Not only do they present a risk to our crews, like any fire, but the crews committed here are not available to respond to other emergencies. This is very frustrating as fires like this are avoidable and could delay our response to another emergency. Arson is a serious crime and can have severe consequences for

those who start a fire, no matter how big or how small it is. Not only this, but any fire presents significant risks for anyone around the area if it gets out of hand.’

If you have information about a deliberate fire or have seen suspicious activity please submit an online report at www.cambs.police.uk call the police on 101 in a non-emergency or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111. If it is an emergency call 999.

For fire safety advice, visit: https://www.cambs.police.uk/A-Z/Arson

Police and fire officers... continued from page 9

September 2019 12 Issue 173

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

Monday 25th November Thursford Christmas Spectacular

Departing from Huntingdon Bus Station 10.50am

Coach leaves Thursford after the end of the show, usually about 5.00pm

Price per person is £60.00 which includes the return coach travel and ticket entry to this spectacular show.

We will be joining a trip already organised by Dews Coaches. Please contact me, ASAP.

This is a direct coach from Huntingdon straight to the venue, so you will have to make your own ar-rangements 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.

For more information or to book please contact me on 07711 012957 or email:

[email protected]

Details of the planned road closures, diversions and latest news can be found on the Highways England website by

clicking here or type

www.highwaysengland.co.uk/A14C2H

into your search engine,

or stay updated by following: https://twitter.com/a14c2h

and https://en-gb.facebook.com/A14C2H

There is also a dedicated A14 Public Helpline

0800 270 0114

Details of the planned road closures and diversions are also available on the Grafham village web site

www.grafham.org.uk Ed

A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme

Sunday 22nd September

England vs Tonga KO 11.15am

Saturday 5th October

England vs Argentina KO 9am

Saturday 12th October

England vs France KO 9.15am

Saturday 2nd November

Final KO 9am

Bacon rolls will be available

We will be open for all knock out rounds that England make it to – keep an eye on Facebook for updates!

Huntingdon Library and Archives

Huntingdon Library and Archives is celebrating its 10th an-

niversary this year. The building was opened in November

2009 by Dame Evelyn Glennie, and provides a welcoming

space for all members of the community.

To celebrate, a series of special events and activities have

been organized. In June we enjoyed our first ever Murder

Mystery Evening with many thanks going to The Wellworth

Players for a fun and an entertaining evening, and in July

we held a very special 10th birthday party attended by over

100 children.

Quiz Night at Huntingdon Library Help us carry on the celebrations with a Quiz Night on Sat-

urday 7th September, at Huntingdon Library, 7.30pm. Join

quizmaster Keith Parker for a fun and friendly general

knowledge quiz night. Bring a team of up to 6 people or

meet others to make up a team on the night. Everyone is

very welcome. Please bring your own nibbles and drinks.

£5 per person. Booking essential. Tickets available from

Huntingdon Library.

The Library Presents 'The Library Presents’ is back for a new brilliant season of arts

in Cambridgeshire libraries this autumn and tickets are availa-

ble soon. The Season starts on Saturday 21st September -

taking high quality, affordable arts activities into the heart of

towns and villages across the County - until Saturday 15th

December.

The full programme and tickets are available from

www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/arts and participating libraries or

through @TheLibraryPresents facebook page.

What is the WEA? EngAGE in Afternoon Thursday 5th September Huntingdon Library 1.30pm – 3pm

Discover how the history of the Workers’ Educational Or-

ganisation and what it offers today in Huntingdon and the

surrounding area.

Free (donations welcome) booking required. Please speak

to library staff or call 0345 045 5225 for a ticket.

Writing and Publishing Workshop Saturday 31st August Huntingdon Library 10.30am – 12pm Discover strategies and tips to help you develop as a writer

plus discussion on the practicalities of self-publishing and

approaching mainstream publishers with your work.

Tutors: Jane Menczer, Mark Wells and Miranda Doyle.

£8 per person. Booking and payment in advance.

Tickets from Huntingdon Library or call 0345 045 5225

September 2019 13 Issue 173

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

Send your news, views, photos, recipes and gossip to [email protected]

To advertise, email: [email protected]

During the last 10 years 190 Boys and Girls from the villag-

es around Grafham Water will have attended the fortnightly

activities during term time at Grafham Water Centre as

members of the Lions Adventure Club

The Club was established in November 2009 following

fundraising by the Lions Club at Perry Fétes, and a part-

nership being established between Huntingdon Grafham

Water Lions Club and Grafham Water Centre (GWC). The

Lions Club acts as organisers and GWC provides the facili-

ties, equipment and instructors.

The Club gives local children between the ages of 8 and

13 years, the opportunity to experience a range of activi-

ties that they may otherwise have been unable to access,

with the aim of developing personal and social skills. Effec-

tive learning takes place in an environment of fun and en-

joyment with experienced and skilled instructors.

The Club has had a full membership during this time with

a long waiting list for places, including some children who

have not achieved the qualifying age!

To celebrate our 10th birthday we are inviting all present

and past members to join us for tea and birthday cake at

Grafham Water Centre between 12noon and 2pm on Sat-

urday 16th November. It would help us to know who is

coming along so please contact as below.

We would love to see how our past member’s lives have

panned out and whether they have taken up any of the

activities they participated in during their 3 years member-

ship.

The Lions Club continues to subsidise membership via

fundraising events and our next event is on 28th Septem-

ber when we will hold an ABBA themed night at the

Grafham Water Sailing Club.

For further details about the Club and its activities, or for

members past and present to book a place for

tea and cake, please telephone Lion Bernard

Dable on 0345 8337516 or email:

[email protected]

Huntingdon Grafham Water Lions Adventure Club to Celebrate its 10th Birthday on Saturday 16

th November

Let’s disagree kindly

In the 1990s a new species of crayfish (known as the

"Marmokrebs") was discovered. What makes this

particular species interesting is that all of them are

female and they reproduce asexually, which means

that a child is genetically identical to its parent (and

its siblings). Scientists saw a valuable opportunity to

explore a fundamental question: what shapes who

we are, our genes or our environment? And so, sci-

entists put several genetically identical marmokrebs

in exactly the same environment (same food, same

temperature, same PH) to see what would happen.

To their surprise they found that the

marmokrebs developed to be very

different (as far as crayfish can be

different) - they grew to be different

sizes, with different colouring, with

preferences for different food. All of

this suggests that we're neither con-

trolled by our genes, nor by our environment; other

factors are involved and everything is even more

complicated than we thought.

In a world in which we seem to be increasingly divid-

ed, I wonder whether we all need to start making a

conscious effort to be kinder to one another. It's easy

to pass off those who differ from us as either stupid,

lazy, acting in bad faith, or having "bad blood". But

when we seek to understand and accept our differ-

ences it's often easier to come together. Jesus never

shied away from telling people when they were in the

wrong, but he always took steps towards those who

disagreed with him rather than distancing himself.

There are plenty of things out there to disagree on,

but let's do so kindly. Mike

(To read more from Mike visit: www.eastleightonstone.com/

and click on Blog.

Contact details for Mike can be found on page 2. Ed) © Crown Copyright - Cefas

Marmokrebs or marbled crayfish

September 2019 14 Issue 173

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

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

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

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

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

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 King prawn or duck £1.50 extra

http://cinnamonhuntingdon.co.uk/

September 2019 15 Issue 173

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

Bringing Back The Meadows

Bugs, Bees and Flowers and their Importance to Us Some facts

We have lost a shocking 97% of our grassland mead-

ows over the last 40 years.

Along with those once abundant acres we have also

lost:

- the bees and bugs which pollinate our crops,

- invertebrates, amphibians and small mammals which

are essential members of the food chain,

- the flowers, trees, and shrubs which provided natural

carbon storage and shelter for animals and birds.

The effect has been to impoverish our soils, necessi-

tate pesticide use and strip the countryside of its life

and throw nature out of balance.

What we can do to help

We can all help by planting more native wildflowers

and leaving more wild areas in our gardens and com-

munities. Sometimes it is difficult to persuade people

that a “scruffy” garden patch or an “untidy” unmown

lawn is actually a huge benefit to wildlife and, in turn,

a huge benefit to us. But they really are.

Here are a few ideas:

Plant wildflowers and seeds: check the height and

sun requirement of the plants. Bear in mind some

are perennial and some annual. Consider that in

Grafham we have heavy clay and remember wild

flowers like poor soil!

Make sure whatever you buy is of British origin.

A few good providers of UK wildflowers and seeds:

Wildflowers UK: https://www.wildflowers.uk/clay-soils-

c2x17722169 They have some clay specific plug

plants.

Habitat Aid: https://www.habitataid.co.uk/ All sorts of

UK seeds and plants for various sites and uses

and lots of advice.

Puddle Plants: https://www.puddleplants.co.uk/uk-

native-plants/ water and margin plants.

Bee Happy Plants: https://beehappyplants.co.uk/uk-

wild-plants-for-bees/ Yes! Plants for bees!

Mow the lawn less frequently and see the selfheal,

clover and birds foot trefoil pop up covered with

bees and pollinators.

Leave some areas to grow wild but keep nettles,

long grasses, thistles and brambles at bay as they

may smother the flowers you already have.

Make a pond, however small, and plant with native

waterplants: such as purple loosestrife, watermint.

marsh marigold and yellow flag. You will have drag-

onflies.

In the village

The churchyard: Good wildflower areas may look

effortless, but they need managing. Annual mowing

has to be undertaken when flower seeds have been

shed and clippings removed so as not to enrich the

soil. Barer patches of earth are necessary to allow the

seeds to recolonise and some plants such as bram-

bles, thistles and nettles need to be kept in check. In

the village an initiative to improve the churchyard, a

natural candidate for some wild beauty, has got off to

a great start with clearing and scarifying to be followed

by some September seeding. Watch this space!

One of the aims of our ‘Making the Change in

Grafham’ environmental group is to introduce more

areas of wildflowers, shrubs and trees and possibly a

community garden. I hope we can rely on your sup-

port. Join in on Facebook here https://

www.facebook.com/groups/2163121293796272/

If you would like to know more about bees, wildflow-

ers, garden flowers and pollinator friendly habitats do

please come along to our ‘Meet the Pollinators’ af-

ternoon on Sunday 6th October from 1-4pm in the

village hall. The village beekeepers will be there with

info about honey bees. I will be there championing

wild bees and what they need to survive. There will be

plants and loads of info for gardeners.

I hope you will be able to join us.

Val Littlewood

For more info about “Making the Change In Grafham”

contact Chris or Amanda on:

[email protected]

and sign up for our mailing list here:

http://eepurl.com/gxgeM1

On page 7 there is more information about the ‘Meet

the Pollinators’ afternoon, including contact details.

Make a Will Month - Have you got round to making or updating your Will?

Now’s the time! Local solicitors and Will writers are kindly donating their time to write or update a standard Will in return for a donation to Arthur Rank Hospice.

Make a Will to make sure those you care about most are provided for - it’s easier than you think.

This scheme offers people the chance to make their Will at a vastly reduced rate. We suggest a donation of

£100 for a simple single Will and £160 for a basic mirror Will. Thanks to the generosity of local solicitors and Will writers and help from people like you, this scheme has raised over £15,000 to help fund the care and support we provide to those who need our support.

For more details, visit arhc.org.uk/makeawill or call 01223 675881

email [email protected]

Registered Charity No. 1133354

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.

September 2019 16 Issue 173

Printed by Easiprint 01733 602302

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/

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.

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. Next visits - 25th September

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

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 is varied and interesting with speakers or events every month.

September a glassblowing demonstration with hands-on experience as well, starting at 19.30 in Ellington Village Hall. For more information please contact:

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

Grafham Little Fishes Toddler and Baby stay and play session

All Welcome Beginning 4th September

Wednesdays 10.00 to 11.20 term time only Grafham Village Hall

Free play time followed by a short bible story, action songs and simple craft.

Just turn up on the day

Little Fishes is very short of helpers to make tea/coffee. Please contact Hazel 810326 or email: [email protected] if you can help.

See also the notice on page 2

Coffee Morning Grafham Social Committee invites you to

Coffee Mornings at 10.30am on the third

Wednesday of the month:

18th September - Tina, 5 Home Close

This is an informal social occasion for

residents of the village. Please come along

for a cup of coffee and a chat.

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

Quiz night Last Thursday of every month

Starting at 8pm

Teams of 4, £1 entry per person