ISSUE NUMBER 102 ISSUE NUMBER 102

There are inevitable developments that will affect our traffi c situation. Northstowe will go ahead and will eventually be a town/city twice the size of Ely. The traffi c fl ows to and from this major development will inevitably affect us here. In addition, there are proposals in the pipeline such as the proposed Mereham development which will build another town the size of Ely between Wilburton and Stretham. Many objections have been raised from here, mainly based on the damage that the additional traffi c would cause to life in Cottenham.

As you will see from the enclosed fl yer from the Parish Council, they are very concerned about increasing traffi c and how that will affect our lives in Cottenham. They have been thinking about the issue for some time and feel that it is time to widen the debate so that we all have a chance to make our views known.

Now is our turn to put forward our views. The Parish Council has put forward ideas for discussion and welcomes your views on these ideas and any other ideas which you can contribute to the debate. This is the time to get involved. The Parish Council needs new ideas and/or support for their proposals. The fl yer enclosed gives information on some of the things you can do to participate in the debate.

***

As well as worrying about future traffi c, we need to be considerate in our own use of the roads within the Village.

GROWING TRAFFIC DECEMBER 2007/JANUARY 2008 DECEMBER 2007/JANUARY 2008

I have heard reports recently about some extremely dangerous driving and inconsiderate parking in the vicinity of the Primary School in Lamb’s Lane. Traffi c is very dense around the school and there are a lot of pedestrians and cyclists around – the last place anyone should consider driving that is aggressive or too fast.

Please also bear in mind that people living in the vicinity of the school need to be able to get out of their own drives at that time of morning too. Blocking drives is becoming increasingly common and people living near the school are becoming increasingly frustrated with being blocked in when they are trying to get to school or work themselves.

***

Finally, the Feast Parade raised £1500 this year and this money has been distributed to local organisations which applied for funding. The benefi ciaries included: Cottenham Brass, 2nd Cottenham Rainbows, Cottenham Churches Youth Group, Kidzone, Cottenham Roller Hockey Club, Cottenham Toy Library, 1st Cottenham Rainbows, CVC Swimming Pool Association.

So next year get your applications for grants in early and support the Feast Parade generously – it does a lot of good.

Eddie Murphy

December 1st Salvation Army, Jumble Sale, Salvation Army Barn 10:00am to 11:30am 2nd Salvation Army, Toy Service with Milton Keynes, Salvation Army Barn 3:00pm 4th Parish Council, Council Meeting, Village College Library, 7:30pm 6th Salvation Army, Coffee Morning, Salvation Army Barn 10:00am to 11:30am 6th Toy Library Session, Salvation Army Barn, 2:00pm to 4:00pm 12th Women’s Institute, Musical Medley, Village College, 7:30pm 13th Parish Council, Planning Committee, Council Offi ce Ebenezer House, 7:15pm 18th Carol Concert on the Green, 6:30pm 20th Salvation Army, Coffee Morning, Salvation Army Barn 10:00am to 11:30am 27th Parish Council, Planning Committee, Council Offi ce Ebenezer House, 7:15pm

January 3rd Salvation Army, Coffee Morning, Salvation Army Barn 10:00am to 11:30am 3rd Parish Council, Planning Committee, Council Offi ce Ebenezer House, 7:15pm 8th Parish Council, Finance Meeting, Village College, 7:30pm 9th Women’s Institute, Aloe Vera, Village College, 7:30pm 11th Village Society, Josh Tidy – Letchworth Garden City and the £150 house, Primary School, 7.45 pm 12th Salvation Army, Jumble Sale, Salvation Army Barn 10:00am to 11:30am 15th Parish Council, Council Meeting, Village College Library, 7:30pm 17th Salvation Army, Coffee Morning, Salvation Army Barn 10:00am to 11:30am 17th Toy Library Session, Salvation Army Barn, 2:00pm to 4:00pm 17th Parish Council, Planning Committee, Council Offi ce Ebenezer House, 7:15pm 31st Salvation Army, Coffee Morning, Salvation Army Barn 10:00am to 11:30am 31st Parish Council, Planning Committee, Council Offi ce Ebenezer House, 7:15pm

Dates:

M&M HEATING & PLUMBING SERVICES: Corgi & Oftec Registered. Local, reliable and friendly. All aspects of heating & plumbing carried out. Free quotations given. Give us a call on 01223 691599 or 07832 261791/07766 281962.

.........MILLIONHAIRS mobile hairdressing. For an appointment in your own home call Michelle on 01954 201136 or 07788480239. 10% discount will be given to senior citizens on Monday and Tuesday. 10% discount will be given to all children eight years old and under. No travelling, no parking, no waiting. All in the comfort of your own home.

.........LUMB GUTTERING & DRAINAGE Guttering repaired, replaced, cleaned, drains unblocked. Free estimates & advice. Call Wayne on 01223 510623 / 07720 146815, 2 Woodhouse Way, Cambridge, CB4 2NH.

.........PAINTING AND DECORATING CONTRACTOR All internal and external work carried out to a high standard. Please call for a free, no obligation quote for any decorating requirements you might have. Trade references can be supplied and a prompt and polite service is guaranteed. Tel: 01954 230810, Mobile 07717 493723.

.........CARPENTRY SERVICES All types of carpentry undertaken. No job too big or small. Tel: 01954 200373 or 07974 062789.

P&R LAUNDRY SERVICE. Don’t throw that old duvet away. Save on landfi ll and let us wash it today. Large items such as duvets, throws etc are no problem for us. Fast, friendly and local service. Collection and delivery available. Ironing service also available. Tel: 01954 250658.

.........DRAMA CLASSES IN MILTON Helen O’Grady drama classes for children aged 5 to 11. Weekly sessions are dynamic, affordable and fun. For more information Tel: 01223 208731.

.........FURNITURE POLISHING AND REPAIR Polishing and restoration of antique (and not so antique) furniture by a local restorer in Cottenham. Call Rob Ellis on 01954 250153.

.........RESOURCES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY A wide diversity of subjects: A-Z of Health, Bedtime Stories, Bibles, Encyclopaedia of Foods & Medicinal Plants, Family Medical Guide, Guide to Successful Marriage & Parenting, Keys to Happiness, Managing Stress, The Art of Communication, Vegetarian Cookery, Young Man/Young Woman – Books, CDs, DVDs, Magazines, and Videos. Contact Annette Bailey-Sargeant, Home Health Education Service, Tel: 01954 251318.

.........WILLS, PROBATE ASSISTANCE AND POWERS OF ATTORNEY – Michaela Overton Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives/Commissioner for Oaths. Home Visits. Tel: 01223 863719. e.mail michaela.overton@virgin.net

Small ads:

continued on next page

BABYSITTER Reliable and experienced 16-year old male living in Cottenham. References available. Contact Sam on: 01954 251985.

.........K.B.BOUNCERS Bouncy castle hire, Swavesey. For enquiries or to hire please call Karen on 01954 230018.

.........FLOWERS FOR ALL OCCASIONS Bouquets for birthdays, thankyous, gifts. Weddings and fl oral tributes. Free personal quotations and home visits to discuss your needs. Amy Jones 01954 250818.

.........CHRISTMAS PARTY HAIR STYLING Going to a Christmas party and want to look gorgeous? Phone Danielle to have your hair put up or styled. 01954 252460, Mobile 07906 419656.

.........MY LOVE FOR DOGS OFFERS HOME BOARDING for your canine friend. I am fully insured, police checked. Call Amanda Bishop on 07903806750

.........DRAMATHERAPY FOR CHILDREN Eating disorders, self-harm, bullying, depression, anxiety? Through story work, puppetry, role play, and many other creative forms, your child will explore issues in a safe and non-threatening way. Contact Deborah Evans, an experienced, registered and qualifi ed Dramatherapist, on 01223 277276.

.........BABYSITTER – Mature 15 year old CVC student. Very good with small children. Has attended babysitting and First Aid courses. Please call Olivia on 01954 251085.

.........RISE AND RECLINE ELECTRIC ARMCHAIR. Dual Motors, Excellent Condition. Cost £960. Accept £200. Tel: 01954 251837.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEARN THE VIOLIN OR PIANO? Fun and relaxed lessons offered by experienced teacher. All standards and ages welcome. Contact Emma Leggate on 01954 204946

.........VIOLIN LESSONS. Friendly and supportive teaching. Over 20 years experience. All ages and abilities welcome. Julie Taylor BA (Hons), Grad. Dip. Mus. PGCE. Contact on 07748 118768 or jgtaylor1@lycos.com

.........

Why not advertise in the Newsletter? Items for sale, announcement of family events... 5p per word, with all proceeds going to charity. Send advertisements and payment to the editor.

Cheques should be made payable to ‘Cottenham Newsletter’.

GRANTS AVAILABLE

Local organisations are invited to apply to the Parish Council for the next fi nancial year 2008/09. All applications to be made in writing to the Clerk, with information about the project and how the money will be used. These must be with Mrs Julie Groves, Clerk to the Council by 18th December 2007. Applications should be sent to Mrs Julie Groves, 44 Victory Way, Cottenham, or be email to:julie.groves@ntlworld.com

COFFEE & JUMBLE

Every other Thursday morning, the Salvation Army Barn is transformed into a busy venue for our Coffee Mornings. We have a lovely ‘Nearly New’ Clothes/Shoe stall, Household items & Bric-a-Brac. We sell scrummy home-made cakes/produce and the all important teas and coffee. The friendly welcome/natter are free.

Then, once a month, on a Saturday morning, we have a huge Jumble Sale. Again we have cakes, teas and coffee for sale. Business is usually very brisk and there are some great bargains to be had. (Dates and times for these events are in the Newsletter Diary).

By now you are probably asking yourselves “Where do all these goods come from?”. Well, quite simply – YOU!! Year after year, the consistent generosity of the residents of Cottenham and surrounding areas have made it possible for us to run our extremely successful Thursday/Saturday morning events. For this, we say a sincere “thank you”.

The Coffee mornings & Jumble Sales have to be the ultimate in recycling. Not only is this great in today’s ‘throw away’ culture, but all money raised goes towards the good work of the Salvation Army.

For those of you who do not know where to leave your donations, the large Green Bin next to the Salvation Army Hall is for clothing/bedding. Bric-a-brac etc can be left under the shelter.

So why not drop in when you are passing, have a coffee and even pick up a few bargains?!!

TOY LIBRARYOver the last few months the Toy Library has been busy buying lots of fantastic new toys. If you’ve not been along to the Toy Library for a while, why not pop in and take a look at what we have. There are new toys for babies and toddlers, new games and puzzles as well as some exciting imagination toys. We plan to add to our stock over the coming months, so watch this space!

Planning a birthday party? Come along to the Toy Library and take a look at our range of outdoor toys available for hire at a fl at fee of £5 for as many toys as you like. Toys include a slide, cars and trikes, a whirly rocket, trampoline and digger.

The November Toy Sale held jointly with Cottenham Primary School PTA was a great success once again – many thanks to everyone who helped organise the event and to all those who bought and sold toys.

An important date for your diary – the Toy Library will be holding its Christmas Party on 6 December. Come and join in the fun from 2:00pm to 4:00pm and meet Father Christmas too.

The Toy Library holds sessions on the fi rst and third Thursday of each month, from 2:00–4:00pm behind 184 High Street, Cottenham, in the Salvation Army Barn. Why not come along for refreshments and an opportunity to borrow some great new toys for your children. We’re also looking for new helpers, so if you can spare an hour or so on a Thursday afternoon, once every couple of months, please get in touch.

Email us on: info@cottenhamtoylibrary.co.uk

Ring Caroline Dethridge on 01954 251155 or Yvonne Walsh on 01954 201748.

QUIZ NIGHTFollowing a very successful quiz night in September the Fen Edge Twinning Association have booked another one for Friday, 29th February 2008 at Cottenham Village College. This will again be hosted by our excellent quiz master – Andrew Snelson. This is open to anyone and everyone who enjoys quiz nights, so get a team together and come and join us. Teams of up to 6 people are required and the cost is £6.00 per person, which includes supper. A paying bar will also be available, so please do not bring your own drink. If you would like a fun night out then please book a table by contacting either Anna or Julia.

If you are interested in joining the Twinning Association or would like any information about it, then again please contact either Julia or Anna.

We look forward to seeing you at the quiz night!

Anna Vining on 01954 252432 / panda@vining.co.uk or Julia Gwilt on 01223 570045 / julia.gwilt@ntlworld.com

PRIMARY PLAYTIME!If you go to the primary school and are aged fi ve-plus then why not come along to Cottenham youth group on a Tuesday evening. We meet at the British Legion Hall on the High Street, 6:00pm to 8:00pm in term time. There’s lots to do including crafts, cooking, games etc. It only costs 50p a week. For further information contact Julie on 01954 200854 or Julie@cottenham.info

CHRISTMAS FUN EVENING

Our regular Christmas fun evening this year will be held on Friday 14th December. We will again be having tractor rides between the event and The Chequers. Also, Santa will be there on his sleigh to have his photo taken with you. Lots of lights to see, cake stall, tombolla and much more to amuse. This year monies raised will be going to Motor Neurone Disease charity.

So either come along to 183 Coolidge Gardens or hop on the tractor at The Chequers and come and join in the Christmas fun between 5:00pm and 8:00pm.

For any more information please contact Julie on 01954 200854.

COMMUNITY ARCHIVECottenham is setting up a community archive. This is a collection of photographs, written word reminiscences, sound recordings and video clips (past and present) about our village that will go on the Community Archives website. The data is created and maintained by a local community group. We need a few more people who are interested to join the group.

If you have any stories and pictures please contact us: Glynis Pilbeam 01954 251544 or Ralph Carpenter 01353 778705 of Cottenham Community Archive Group or Gilly Vose 07785 523187, Community Archive Offi cer.

ADVENT CONCERT

On Friday 7 and Saturday 8 December at 8:00pm, Histon Baptist Church will host a performance of Christmas Music, including a Midnight Mass by the 17th century composer Marc-Antoine Charpentier, based on French Christmas carols. This will be under the direction of Peter Britton, their new Musical Director.The choir will be accompanied by the organist Tim Williams and members of the Cambridge Graduate Orchestra.

The choir will also perform carols from several European countries and the popular singing group Ten Sing will perform their own brand of Christmas music. The audience will again be invited to participate in Carols for All.

Admission is by programme @ £10.00 (conc. £8.00), including seasonal refreshments. Under 16s are admitted free of charge. Programmes are available from Jane’s Frames of Histon and OEC Beauty Studio, Histon, from members of Choir 2000 or on the night. Programmes can be reserved by Tel: 01223 561635 or e-mail:info@choir2000.org.

SANTA FLASH!For three years now Santa has taken some time out to come and ride round Cottenham on Christmas Eve. We are delighted to report that the news just in from Santa’s secret HQ is that he enjoyed meeting so many of you children last year he has decided to come back yet again. This is great news!

Once again Robert Smith is lending Santa his vintage tractor to take him and his sleigh round the village at walking speed so he can be seen by the children. He can only be with us for a couple of hours as he explains that there is still a lot of packing to be done and he needs to be back to the North Pole on time. We are glad that like last year, his bell and merry ‘Ho Ho Ho’ will be heard ringing out during the evening through the streets of Cottenham.

It was wonderful to see so many people (children of all ages!) coming out to see Santa and his helpers. He sends his apologies to any of you who missed him, he is keen to make it up to you this year.

To avoid any disappointment, we have put together a route round the village. It is our best attempt to see everybody so apologies if we can’t get closer to your house. If you are in doubt as to where he is, open your window you’ll hear him! Keep this month’s Cottenham Newsletter somewhere handy!

We will be collecting loose change once again, and every penny raised will be donated to the Cottenham Roller Hockey club to support them with their equipment needs. Over the last three years hundreds of pounds has been raised for local charities and groups. Thank you for this.

Some children like to give letters to Santa and he is happy to have them passed to him when you see him, but be quick to be sure of catching him!

Santa will be giving out sweets so make sure your children keep an eye out for him.

Santa’s Sleigh Team,01954 200854, Nik.

WOMENS’ REGISTERHave you heard of NWR (National Women’s Register)? Would you be interested in an evening where you can meet new people and discuss new topics? NWR may be just what you are looking for.

NWR is an international organisation of women’s discussion groups. Each group aims to provide its members with lively discussions, debates and quizzes, as well as the occasional themed evening with a meal. We also have more relaxed social events and outings. There are no minutes or agendas and we meet in members’ homes, where you will fi nd a warm welcome whatever your age or personal circumstances. Meetings are lively, always fun and never boring!

I have been a member for around eighteen years and moved to Cottenham about a year ago and would be delighted to hear of like-minded people interested in forming a group in the village. If this is for you or you would like further information please telephone Pat, 01954 250349.

CHRISTMAS GIFT VOUCHER

Two Cottenham Charities, namely Cottenham United Charity and the Fitzwilliam Charity, have agreed to combine their funds this year and can now consider widening the Christmas gift scheme to include those families in the Parish in receipt of Income Support, Incapacity Benefi t and Pension Credit. We are not, however, able to consider those on Job Seekers Allowance.

Voucher application forms will be available from the Post Offi ce from 26th November 2007 and must be returned by 4:30pm on Monday 10th December. Applicants should be on low income and should be in receipt of basic state benefi t or pension credit. Letters from the Benefi t or Pension Offi ce may be asked for as proof of their low income (see below). Only one application will be accepted per household.

Please note that all pensioners are entitled to receive a minimum weekly income in 2007 of £181.70 for couples and £119.05 for single pensioners. Those aged over 65, with savings and other pensions, could have their weekly income enhanced to £245 or £167 respectively under the Pension Credit rules, more if either are severely disabled. For more information please contact the local Citizens Advice Bureau in Cambridge (phone 0844 848 7979) or phone Pension Credit help line (0800 991234).

LADYBIRDS

Almost a year ago we were awaiting the outcome of the Lottery application; and the decision to build the extension was resting on that result. However as one door closed (the lottery didn’t come through) another opened up and the local authority stepped in with the funds. And here we are in January 2008 ready to welcome the fi rst batch of children into the new classroom.

Next on the agenda is a new garden and outdoor area. If you would like to help or are able to donate funds, garden knowledge or equipment then please get in touch. We will be coordinating a garden team to start work in the Spring.

This month we are also very pleased to welcome the health visitor team who are relocating from the village college. They will be holding regular baby clinics at Ladybirds, fi rst and third Wednesday afternoons of the month from 1:30–3:30pm. Older siblings are welcome too. Please come along to have a cup of tea and meet other parents and carers.

We always need friends and parent helpers for fundraising activities. Our AGM takes place this month and if you would like to help with shaping the future of Ladybirds then please come along and join the committee. More details on posters at reception.

Finally many thanks again to the staff and countless volunteers who have helped Ladybirds over the past term. We have a new building and a new start for many children and staff, something which just seemed a dream a year ago.

Joann Leeding,Chairperson, Ladybird Committee

In the last edition of the Newsletter we carried a description of the fi rst half of a walk by a group of walkers along the Fen Rivers Way. We continue the description with the account of the second half of the journey...

Day three was always going to be diffi cult. Tired and sore feet were taking their toll and the end was not yet in sight. We also had some diffi culty deciding which river bank to take. The usual route is on the east bank but it is close to the noisy A10 and the path was very rough. In the end we opted for the west bank and this proved to be the right decision.

High on the river bank, we had wide views all around. We were close to the Ten Mile Bank, and after Black Horse Drove and Brandon Creek, we moved into Norfolk. Hilgay Bridge was about half-way and it was here we had our lunch. No pub here, but after a couple of hours alternating between the river bank and the minor road, we reached Denver Sluice with an excellent, welcoming pub. Crossing the river, Roger explained, in simple terms, the function of the sluice, something which had been a mystery to some of us for many years.

From this point on the river is tidal, which provided a new interest as we watched the changing levels. There were lots of gulls and cormorants here.

And so on to Downham Market, which was our destination for the day. We had some time to wait for the train, but the station provided a wonderful surprise. Downham Market Station is worth a visit in itself. It contains a post offi ce, a small café and a unique shop. The shop sells postcards, games, souvenirs and a large number of second-hand books of all kinds. It has comfortable armchairs and two large friendly dogs. There is no better place to wait for a train!

Day four saw us with a spring in our steps. As we regained the river bank near Downham Market station there was already a smell of the sea in the air. Almost immediately, the large cement and sugar factories of King’s Lynn were visible on the horizon. This is one of my favourite parts of the whole walk, with a feeling of remoteness as you pass near to villages such as Wiggenhall St Mary Magdelen and Wiggenhall St Germans.

We visited the pub and the church at the fi rst of the Wiggenhalls and had lunch at the ruined church of Wiggenhall St Peter.

For most of the day we walked between the Great Ouse and the Relief Channel, but shortly before Kings Lynn, the relief channel joins the river at a large complex of sluices and power stations.

We were now nearing the end of our journey. We passed under the busy A47, along a footpath and cycle track, through a park with interesting wooden sculptures, and into King’s Lynn itself. There doesn’t seem to be an offi cial fi nishing post, but when we arrived at the 17th Century Greenland Fishery House we reckoned we were there and there was a general cheer and a lot of congratulations.

There was a short route to the station but did we take it? Of course not! We all went down to the quayside, found a cup of tea, admired the old buildings, visited the information centre and wondered why we didn’t come to King’s Lynn more often.

Eventually we made our way to the station and caught the train back to Waterbeach where our cars were waiting. We gathered in the garden of Martin and Suzy Kay, drank countless cups of tea and ate any number of slices of cake.

We all agreed that we had a great time. Very nearly everybody completed the full fi fty miles and for many it was a venture into a new fi eld of walking. We ranged in age from 75 to... well she wouldn’t tell us how old she was. It proved to us that there is no limit in what we can do in response to a reasonable challenge.

Of course, we were richly blessed with perfect weather, buses and trains which were always on time, two selfl ess minibus drivers, a faithful back-marker in Ray and wonderful cheerful company throughout.

Well done everyone!

Jasper Kay

THE FEN RIVERS WAY

PARISH COUNCILRecent meetings of the Parish Council have included discussions on the following matters :

• Security at the Recreation Ground – CCTV monitoring has been considered, but it is felt that, due to the likely cost, and there being no guarantee that the images produced would be satisfactory, this method of protection is probably not suitable for the area concerned. We have considered as an alternative to fi t a new gate at the entrance, repair the fencing at the side of the Recreation ground adjacent to the school, and maybe employ a security fi rm to patrol the area. You will appreciate that these discussions, and actions are necessary due to the mindless vandalism of a few. Rest assured that we will prosecute any individuals involved in such acts where we have the required evidence, so your help is vital if you see anything that we and the Police should know about. Report it please.

• Water Supply at the Recreation Ground – Councillors have met with Cambridge Water to discuss the future needs, such as the proposed new pavilion, the Bowls Club, and irrigation generally. A new supply pipe will be needed, and the preferred route will be from Rampton Road. We are awaiting a costing from Cambridge Water, and are approaching suitable contractors for quotations for the necessary work on the Recreation Ground.

• Cam Sight – We have received a letter from The Cambridgeshire Society for the Blind and Partially Sighted asking us if we would work with them in supporting local visually impaired people. We have asked the Chief Executive of Cam Sight to speak to the Council, and will report in a future Newsletter.

• JIGSAW – Community Archaeology Project - A letter has been received from Cambridgeshire County Council under the Project Group known as CAMARC asking us if we would be keen to support this project. JIGSAW will appoint Community Archaeologists who will set up, train and support a network of Parish Archaeology Wardens. These people will work within a Parish to promote community archaeology projects, aid in reporting of fi nds and work with both voluntary and professionals interested in heritage/archaeology. There will be no fi nancial burden on us, rather CAMARC would hope to work with us as the logical place where a Parish Archaeology Warden would reside. We have responded positively, and if anyone wishes to know more please contact the Clerk who will put you in touch with the Project Manager.

• East of England Regional Assembly – Planning for Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation in the East of England – EERA are pleased to have received over 2000 responses from both the settled and travelling communities to the consultation which ran for 12 weeks earlier in the year. Your Council contributed to all consultations including Temporary Stop Notice, and a new Code on the Design of Sites. After analysis the Regional Planning Panel will meet in December to consider a preferred option, and a document will be submitted to the Secretary of State, and issued for another period of public consultation early in 2008. The Government will make its fi nal decisions on planning for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation in the East of England probably in the Autumn of 2009.

• Traveller Appeals – Under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) and the Town and Country Planning (Inquiries Procedure) Rules 2000 appeals have been made by a number of travellers against the refusal of South Cambridgeshire District Council to grant planning permission for use of land as gypsy caravan site (5 pitches) on land at Plots 5, 5A, 6, 10 and 11, Orchard Drive, Smithy Fen. The hearing is likely to be in January 2008, and may be held in the Parish Church Hall.

• New Parish Council Offi ces – Due to redevelopment/sale of Watson’s Yard where the Parish Offi ces are situated it has been necessary to fi nd alternative premises. We have taken a lease on a suite in Ebenezer House in Rooks Street. Further details will be provided in the Newsletter.

• Tenison Manor Area – We are in discussion with Persimmon Homes concerning a number of issues we need to come to an agreement on, including taking over the Balancing Pond in Broad Lane, the culvert running along Broad Lane from Tenison Manor towards the Balancing Pond, and the ransom strip around part of the Tenison Manor Estate. We are negotiating commuted sums for the Balancing Pond, and the culvert so that we have monies available to maintain these areas in the future.

• Northstowe – As reported in previous Newsletters as a Council we have attended many meetings regarding the development of the new town Northstowe, and made appropriate comments about many issues, not least the Environmental and Scoping Reports, and particularly those matters which could affect us here in Cottenham You will remember there was an exhibition at the Village College in the Summer, which was an opportunity for discussion over the many complex issues which surround a project of this magnitude. We have taken up an offer of a meeting with

Continued on next page

Gallagher Estates, and WSP, who are advising on such matters as traffi c and drainage. Our concerns centre around an increase in traffi c, potential problems due to construction traffi c, drainage and fl ooding, the possible effects on High Street amenities, and sports and education amenities.

• Joint Parishes Action Group – As so much is proposed in the area, particularly in relation to a signifi cant increase in the housing stock, a group has been set up which comprises the parishes local to us, and ourselves, with the Secretary of the group being one of our Councillors. The aim of the group is to discuss, and take action where appropriate on issues which affect us all.

• Cottenham Library – Reading Challenge – It is good to know that our local library is keen to encourage our children to read regularly, especially as some libraries in the county have had to close, thereby hopefully keeping the valuable facility open. Over the summer holiday a reading challenge took place in the library, and a presentation was held in September when medals and certifi cates were presented to 77 children by a member of the Parish Council together with senior members of the library organisation. The Parish Council were pleased to be able to help with the fi nance of this event, and are pleased that our local library is being well used.

• Mereham – In the last edition of the Newsletter there was a fl yer concerning Mereham, the proposed new town between Wilburton and Stretham. At the time of writing these notes the enquiry is being held. Our Chairman will be speaking at the enquiry supporting the “No to Mereham” stance, and will stress how a new town of the size of Ely will affect us here in Cottenham.

BYE BYE As most of the parents and children who use Kidzone will know, I am leaving Cottenham. My family and I are moving away in the New Year. I just wanted to share a few memories with you all and to say thank you.

I joined Kidzone in 2004 thinking it would be fun to “play” with the children for a couple of hours a day and meet some new people. Silly me, it was a whole lot more than that!

The fun things I will remember: the water fi ghts in the summer holidays – dressing up at Halloween – party time – the games we played – the childrens’ sense of humour!

The emotional times: saying goodbye to my year 6s – seeing the faces of the new reception children on their fi rst day – how proud I felt when we received our four ‘goods’ and one ‘outstanding’ from OFSTED – talking with and helping the children.

The other times: the feast parades (a total of 7 trophies in the last three years!!) – the Christmas parties – the children making all the red tape worth it.

My thank yous: I would be here all day naming everyone that has helped, but I would like to thank all my staff who have supported and encouraged me during my time at Kidzone, and the committee without whom Kidzone could not run and whose members past and present have always done a fantastic job.

Special thanks go to the parents and carers of the children who gave me their trust to look after their children – thank you.

Finally my family – my mum, my dad, my sister Sarah, my brother Graham but mostly to my husband Gary and son Josh who have had to listen to me talk about Kidzone for the last 31/2 years, helping me with events, shopping and without their support, love and patience I would not have been able to do the job that I did.

Well that’s it from me except for one last message to the most important people at Kidzone.

CHILDREN, THANK YOU. I AM GOING TO MISS YOU ALL. XX

Wendy ReynoldsClub Playleader

BIRD REPORTMany people fi nd autumn a sad time, but this year we have had some wonderful days in October with warm sunshine and clear skies. For us birders each season has its own particular attraction and the autumn weeks are a period of change in the world of birds. The summer birds have all fl own to warmer places where they can be sure of fi nding plenty to eat, but a few swallows and house martins were still around at the beginning of the month.

Now that the breeding season is over many birds can be seen in large fl ocks. Lapwings and rooks form large fl ocks on the fi elds on Long Drove and down Broad Lane and Smithy Fen. Where crops have been harvested there are fl ocks of wood-pigeons and large gatherings of smaller birds, including sparrows, greenfi nches, chaffi nches, yellow hammers and occasionally less common birds such as corn buntings. You need patience and a good pair of binoculars to sort these out.

With the coming of the colder weather and the lack of berries, some birds are beginning to come nearer to the house, so it is a good time to be sure they have plenty to eat. I already have large numbers of sparrows and starlings by the back door, along with a few dunnocks and collared doves. The pheasant (is it always the same one?) comes up the garden almost every day, but he is very nervous and is easily frightened away. It is interesting to remember that this familiar bird is not a native British bird, but was introduced to the country centuries ago.

I also have a resident green woodpecker and a few days ago there was an unexpected visit from a pair of great spotted woodpeckers.

Some northern birds use this area as a resting place on their journey south. This explains the recent sighting of a wheatear and large fl ocks of golden plovers. Regular bird watchers will also spot other birds which are not common in this area. As I write, towards the end of October, a few winter birds have already arrived. Fieldfares and redwings have appeared in very small numbers and I am looking forward to hearing the familiar noise of fl eldfares on Long Drove and to seeing redwings feeding on the Green and on the Village College grounds.

Today there is a robin singing in the garden (they are one of the few birds which sing throughout the year) and a noisy mistle thrush is calling from the top of a larch tree. In winter time we don’t have to leave the house in order to enjoy birds, as long as we provide them with a bit of food and some water. If autumn and winter are diffi cult times for you, take pleasure in the birds in your garden, it will give you a lift!

Jasper Kay

All the team at the All the team at the Cottenham NewsletterCottenham Newsletter

Wish you all aWish you all aMerry ChristmasMerry Christmas

and aand aHappy New YearHappy New Year

LIBRARY CHANGESI would like to introduce myself. My name is Doreen Martin and I have recently taken over from Helen Richardson as Supervisor at Cottenham Library. I am married with two children and have for the past seven years worked as Assistant Service Supervisor at Ely Library. I would also like to welcome at this time Lynne Goode as Library Assistant. Lynne, myself and the rest of the team are looking forward to welcoming old and new customers and hope to continue to develop Cottenham Library as a focal point of the village.

After a very successful Reading Game this summer with 86 children taking part, a great time was had by all at the award ceremony. The children who fi nished received a certifi cate and medal for all their hard work.

We have also recently held a session of computer courses for the over 50s. This is part of the ‘Engage’ project aimed at this age group. If you would like to know more please call in for a leafl et.

The Library is situated in Margett Street (just off the High Street) and is open:

Monday 2:00pm – 7:30pmTuesday 2:00pm – 7:30pmThursday 10:00am – noon & 2:00pm – 7:30pmSaturday 10:00 – 12.30pm

We have a good selection of books and also offer free internet access. All you need to do is join the library and that’s free too! Come in and see for yourself what your local library has to offer you!

Doreen Martin

CHRISTMAS SERVICESBaptist Church! Carol Service – December 16th, 5:30pm! Christmas Service – December 23rd, 10:30am! Christmas Day Service – December 25th, 10:00am

Salvation Army! Carol Service – December 16th, 3:00pm! Sunday Service – December 23rd, 10:30am! Christmas Day Service – December 25th, 9:30am

All Saints’ Church! Christingle Service – December 23rd, 3:00pm (service of light for children and families)! Carol Service – December 24th, 5:00pm (lessons and carols by candlelight)! Midnight Mass – December 24th, 11:30pm! Holy Communion – December 25th, 8:30am (quiet service using the Book of Common Prayer)! Family Communion – December 25th, 10:30am (celebration for people of all ages)

Methodist Church! Carol Service (at Coolidge Gardens Community Room) – December 23rd, 10:45am

The Methodist Church will be closing on Sunday November 25th with a service of thanksgiving at 4:00pm followed by tea. Services will be held monthly at Coolidge Gardens Community Room. The fi rst two of these services will be held at 10:45am on January 13th (Rev H Cheng) and on February 10th (Rev Dr M Wilson).

Over the past four months the council have been considering the future of the 5,900 or so council houses in the district. This is because, as a responsible landlord, we want to be sure we can continue to maintain, and in some cases upgrade, the housing to the very high standard our tenants have been used to.

Currently we collect around £20 million per annum in rent from these properties, but £10 million of this goes straight to the government under their negative subsidy scheme. In addition to this, when we sell a council house under the “Right to Buy” rules the council only get to keep 25% of the capital receipt. So if a house is sold for, say, £100,000 the council keeps £25,000 and £75,000 has to be paid over to the government.

We have now completed a full stock condition survey, which has been used to inform the latest fi nancial modelling. This modelling shows that by 2009/10 our capital reserves will have run out and, because of the punitive government rules, we will no longer be able to afford to maintain the housing stock to our previous high standards. In fact we will be faced with making around £4 – £6 million of cuts per annum in capital spending. Given that we only spend a total of £10 million per annum on housing, this is an enormous reduction in our capital programme.

There is an alternative however. The council could, with the agreement of its tenants, transfer the ownership and management of the houses to a Registered Social Landlord (RSL), or Housing Association. The real advantage here is that RSLs are not subject to the negative subsidy rules as councils and therefore they would keep the whole £20 million rental income, and all capital receipts from the sale of houses. RSLs are “not for profi t” organisations (some also have charitable status), and so all of this money would be re-invested in the housing service.

Recent government publications have confi rmed there is to be no let up in the current negative subsidy schemes in the short term, and so we are faced with a stark choice. We either continue to manage the council homes in our district, by making cuts of between £4 and £6 million per annum, or we transfer the ownership and management of the housing stock to a Registered Social Landlord who would then at least maintain current levels of spending and in all probability would be able to increase spending on the service.

The Housing Green Paper not only gave a clear indication as to the future of Local Authority owned housing, but it also set out the government’s proposals for the overall housing strategy for the coming years. It is important to recognise that these are just proposals at the moment, but the consultation period ends at the end of October, when some of the proposals will no doubt start to be converted into statute. This will potentially have wide ranging implications for our area, and a few of the highlights are listed below:

• Northstowe has now been “downgraded” from being one of Gordon Brown’s Eco-Towns to being a “prototype scheme”, along with Cranbrook in Devon, used to inform the development of 5 new Eco Towns.

• Local Authorities must have an up-to-date 5 year supply of deliverable sites for housing. In the absence of this, planning applications for development on other sites would be considered favourably.

• The Local Planning Authority will have the lead responsibility for co-ordinating and driving forward infrastructure delivery associated with new developments.

• A renewed commitment to provide at least 50% affordable homes on surplus public sector sites.

• Addressing skills shortages by improving training opportunities in construction, including more Apprenticeship schemes and Diplomas for young people.

• More involvement for local people in the debate about housing growth, and that their concerns about supporting infrastructure are addressed.

A summary of responses to the consultationwill be published on the government website:www.communities.gov.uk by 29th February 2008.

Simon Edwards

COUNCIL HOUSING – THE FUTURE

We’re always afraid that the cricket season will be a distant memory by the time this piece gets an airing but here goes with a summary of last summer – or what passed for summer! Amazingly, despite the appalling weather at times, we actually lost fewer games to the elements than in 2006 – so, for the record, this is ‘summer 2007’.

The 1st XI had an excellent season, fi nishing third in Senior League 2 and within just 2 bonus points of fi nishing second and gaining promotion to Senior 1. Considering that we lost two important players mid-season to injury (one fi nished up in A & E after breaking a bone in his hand and splitting the webbing between two fi ngers, and another aggravated a long-standing knee problem, which looks like it will need surgery in the New Year), it really was a great effort to fi nish up in such a lofty position. No one player starred and you could genuinely say that throughout the summer our success was down to a really good, all-round team effort. For the record, Matt Talaga was the top run-scorer with 363 but skipper Nigel Partridge, Colin Evans and Nigel Wynn all notched over 200 runs each. The leading wicket taker was vice-captain Jay Howes with 19 but Paul Laston, John White, Darren Ford and Ben Lawrence all took between 14 and 18 wickets each so you can see what we mean about an all-round effort.

The 2nd XI had a really tough time of it and, unfortunately, they fi nished bottom of their League and will now be relegated to, we think, Junior 3 North. There were all sorts of problems which skipper Alex Richards could have done without. One of the team suffered a minor heart attack and missed the whole season. We hope to see him back in 2008. The leading run-scorer from 2006, Nigel Wynn, was drafted into the 1st XI as stand-in wicket keeper at the start of the season and did so well that he retained his place as a batsman throughout the summer. There were, inevitably, other players needed for 1st XI duty and another player left the club to play nearer his home etc, etc. Add to that the fact that we lost several games by just a few runs (we just couldn’t put a consistent batting effort together) and you can get the gist. The team hardly ever lost heavily but could only manage one win all summer which simply was not enough. Glen Griffi ths was top scorer for the season with 243 including two fi fties and Lance Key notched a fi fty as well. Glen also led the way with the ball taking 23 wickets with good support from Lance and Russell Garner. We

CRICKET CLUB REPORTwere, however, able to blood some good young players (one of whom, Nick Davies, played a game for the 1sts) who will be a year older and wiser in 2008 and whom we hope will give us a platform to stage a come-back and push for promotion. Alex is certainly not down-hearted and is up for the challenge next time around!

The 3rds, who were, as ever, a mixture of our youngsters and some more experienced players, had a really good season overall, fi nishing fourth in Div. 4 North. They were in with a shout of promotion right up to the end of the season but, unfortunately, lost their last three matches which scuppered those hopes. Nevertheless, they did exceptionally well. Inevitably, they suffered at times from 2nd XI calls but coped pretty well with that. The whole season was a great credit to the duo of Alan Raven, who captained the side, and Mick Dean who, between them, organized the team so well. The leading run scorers were Graham Eke and Terry Brown and Terry, Alan Raven, and Mick Dean all took between 13 and 16 wickets. Several of our youngsters also made an impact and one of them, Jack Upton, scored a fi fty. We really need these youngsters to step up to the mark now and make a real impact on the 2nd XI and, hopefully, also the 1sts. Let’s hope this happens in 2008!

As well as the adult teams, the club ran three Junior teams this year in the under-11, 12 and 13 age groups.

The season was badly affected by the weather and as a consequence, along with all the other clubs, we were not able to play all our fi xtures. The under-11 team managed to fi nish 4th in their League, whilst both the under-12 and under-13 teams fi nish 3rd. In October, six of our lads went for District trials and by the time you read this we will know if any have successfully made the squads for next season. As you can see, all of our Juniors acquitted themselves well and we are hopeful that they will continue to develop as players within the club and, most importantly of all, keep on enjoying their cricket. We are really indebted to Mick Dean, Dan Parrott, Russ Garner and Matt Talaga who gave so generously of their time to coach and organize these youngsters and, of course, to all the parents who helped.

continued on next page

As ever, we can’t fi nish without thanking some very important people. Our sponsors The Curry Palace, Nigel Bolitho and Gerry Bate for their continued support. We try to keep the players’ cricket fees as low as possible to ensure no one is put off playing by the cost and the generosity of our sponsors helps us to do this. Thanks also to Neville Rice for his work on the two squares – at the height of the school term there was a fair bit of pitch preparation going on! As ever, our scorers, Colin Smith and David Clark did a fantastic job for the club and we must never forget the stirling efforts of Barbara Partridge, Vicki Richards, Sarah Dean and all others who helped with the teas – they never failed to produce a real feast for us. And fi nally thanks, too, to all our club offi cers, helpers and supporters; Cottenham Sports and Social Club and Cottenham Parish Council.

One slight cloud on the horizon is the fact that one or two of our 1st XI players will, for various reasons, not be around next summer so we just want to remind you that we are always on the lookout for new players. If there are any cricketers out there in the village who are not currently playing for us, please do get in touch. Wishing you all a great Christmas and New Year.

Nigel Lawrence (Chairman) 01954 251054; Dave Partridge (Vice-Chairman) 01954 203210; Jay Howes (Secretary) 01354 693708; Mick Dean (Youth Team Coordinator) 01954 250037

continued from previous page FEAST PARADE We would like to thank everyone who took part in the Feast parade this year and for all the hard work which went into the fl oats. In the end 16 organisations took part both on fl oats and walking. It was good to see some new groups among them. Photos of the parade can be found on www.cottenham.info The judges chose the following winners: Under 16s – Kidzone, 1st – W.I., 2nd – Kidzone 3rd – Beavers/Cubs and Scouts.Next year’s parade will be Sunday 12th October so start putting on your thinking caps!!! We have. If anyone has any suggestions they would like to forwards for the committee to consider, please put them in writing to Julie Percival, 183 Coolidge Gardens, Cottenham CB24 8RH.Thanks again for supporting this event. This year we raised over £1500 which will be divided among the local charities who have submitted applications for a share of the cash.The Feast committee

My brother Jack ‘Tit’ Taylor was 18 in 1939, which meant that he was eligible for Military call up. I was 7. At that time Jack was working for the ‘Unicam Instrument Company’ which was based in Arbury Road Chesterton and that scientifi c fi rm found themselves immediately involved in vital government ‘war effort’ work.

Therefore, Jack was excused military call up as his work was classifi ed as a ‘Reserved Occupation’, so he immediately joined the LDVs (Local Defence Volunteers) and thus I became interested in the LDVs.

At fi rst they were all issued with armbands marked LDV to wear on their civilian clothes. Later, they were issued with khaki uniforms with the familiar sleeve badge HG, (Home Guard) and forage caps with the badge of the Three Turreted Castle of the Cambridgeshire Regiment.

In recent years the weapons of the early Home Guard have been subject to sarcasm with accusations of broomsticks, scythes & reaping hooks etc. This was not the case with the Cottenham Home Guard. Very early on in Jack’s LDV career, in the bedroom I shared with him, a Lee Enfi eld 303 rifl e stood in the corner and on the fl oor in its scabbard was a long ‘Pig Sticker’ bayonet which clipped on the end of the rifl e, boxes of 303 rounds were kept in the drawer of our dressing table.

Cottenham was a large village and its Home Guard soon become a considerable force. Jack belonged to the signalling section and became expert at Morse code and the use of the Aldis Lamp. An observation post was established at the top of the Church Tower, which was

SCHOOLBOY MEMORIES OF WWII permanent throughout the war and, if needed, the water tower in Lambs Lane was also used as an observation post. They would liaise with the aerodromes at Waterbeach & Oakington and also with the Royal Artillery who had a searchlight battery in ‘The Glebe’ (that strawberry growers’ paradise) off Histon Road.

Was it a privilege to have been a school boy during the war? I think it was. For a start it made you patriotic and what vivid memories of those wartime aircraft, Bristol Blenheims at Oakington, Vickers Wellingtons at Waterbeach, in the very early war years. They were wonderful old planes that appear in the memory through the mists of time.

To ‘toughen up’ the Cambridgeshire Home Guard they took part in weekend manoeuvres against regular army units. Bren gun carriers and light tanks appeared in the streets of Cottenham. At the corner of Rook Street and Beach Road stood an old ‘L’-shaped brick and thatch house. This was owned by Mr & Mrs Bedford, who had the butcher’s shop in Rooks Street. It was a very large house and several of the rooms were not used, so on the weekend of manoeuvres a section of the Home Guard occupied the vacant rooms.

I can still see the image of Mr ‘Darky’ Beck that Saturday morning appearing around the corner in Rooks Street wheeling his bicycle towards the Bedford’s house carrying a large white sheet which enveloped a large quantity of bread, that he had just obtained from Mr Harry Moore, the baker whose premises in the High Street faced Broad Lane. Mr Bedford’s vacant rooms were to be their Headquarters for the weekend.

During weekend manoeuvres, amusing incidents often occurred. Engagements with the ‘enemy’ gave units the ‘right to roam’ to a certain extent, as villagers’ back gardens were used to conceal and surprise. Jack related this incident: at night, concealed round the back of Jonah Smith’s little house in Rooks Street a section of the Home Guard found themselves under the pantry window which was slightly ajar, apparently Mrs Smith was relating loudly a recipe to her husband. Foodstuffs were rationed of course. Anyhow, it came about, the time she arrived at the amount of sugar to be used, she paused, then exclaimed: “BUGGER that’ll take all the bloody sugar O’m got”; suppressed laughter amid the Home Guard.

Continued on next page

On Sunday mornings the Home Guard took part in weapons training down Broad Lane in the fi eld bordering the Cut (this was the Old Playing Field, the Cottenham Cricket Club & others used before the war). The use of the hand grenade (the Mills bomb) was taught – apparently after the safety pin was removed the grenade was thrown across the Cut and the platoon would take cover behind the Cut’s fl ood bank.

On another occasion a Bren gun carrier advanced into Rooks Street (Meeting Lane) from the High Street towards Mill Field and Corbett Street intersection and an infantry platoon with fi xed bayonets followed. Sgt. Jack Spackman and his platoon of Home Guard were concealed just in Mill Field. When the carrier got close enough, Sgt. Spackman lobbed a sandbag ‘bomb’ into the open carrier. It ‘exploded’, to which the ‘umpire’ declared an end of action (military experts were used at these engagements), declaring the Home Guard ‘successful’. A Cottenham lady watching the proceedings with arms folded exclaimed ‘The Um Guard a Gottem! The Um Guard a Gottem!, Wonderful Memories.

The Rev. L. S. Morris was very popular in the village, he was a senior uniformed Commander in the Home Guard and become involved in many village activities. He had a successful Sunday School both in the Church and the hall and quite early in the war years he formed ‘The Church Club’ (for boys of any denomination). There were two weekly meetings, Tuesdays and Thursdays, during the darkness of the winter months, 7:30 to 9:30. We always fi nished a little early on Thursdays, which I will later explain. What a wonderful atmosphere the Old Church Hall had. It possessed memories of years gone by, memories of earlier ‘Bell Ringers Socials’ upon New Year’s Eve in the

late 1920s and early 1930s, when Messrs Harry Ivatt and Bill Taylor sang a duet to ‘Are you from Dixie’ and Miss Frances Graves sang ‘The London Flower Seller’. In this atmosphere the Church Club evenings went with a buzz.

The hall was ‘L’ shaped and in the inner corner stood a ‘Tortoise’ stove which, when well stocked, would glow red hot, tall iron railings surrounding it acting as protection for inquisitive fi ngers. In the outer corner of the hall was a little stage on which stood a light grained wood piano. Next to the piano was a table which supported a football game, still popular today, which consisted of ‘players’ mounted on rods which spun, the ball was a table tennis ball. Mr Edwin Unwin kept us boys in order during a game and although he was a strict disciplinarian I can never remember him issuing a ‘Red Card’. Other games consisted of table tennis, a small snooker table and board games such as Ludo etc.

Beyond the stage mounted on the wall was a certifi cate, it had hung there for years and was in recognition of a Church organisation called ‘The Kings Messengers’. At precisely 8:15pm a large brown kettle appeared on the top of the stove, ‘drinking chocolate soon boys’ Rev. Maurice would say. At the end of the hall, a table held a large number of tin mugs together with a cardboard box of considerable size, it contained the chocolate powder which was sent by “The Church Club Movement of Canada” Rev Maurice explained. How we all enjoyed that simple pleasure. The reason we left a little early on Thursdays was because of the BBC Light program’s ‘Appointment with Fear’ narrated by the ‘Man in Black’ (Valentine Dyall) ‘another of our little Fireside Tales’ he would conclude.

Michael Taylor

Continued from previous page

Lettersto the Editor:Dear Editor,

An open letter from Cottenham Pool.

The Cottenham Swimming Pool Committee needs to raise funds urgently if it is to stay afl oat for another season. Unfortunately, due to a bad season in terms of weather and total numbers of swimmers this year we need more funds to keep us running.

Takings on the gate this year were about £3500 and fundraising and donations amounted to about £1500. There was also an extra £1000 worth of expenses donated by the committee itself. This may sound like a reasonable amount, but that is not profi t, that’s the top line. The cost of heating, repairs, ongoing maintenance and insurance is almost £4500. Add to that the lifeguard fees, which were about £4000, despite some lifeguarding time being generously donated for free, and you can see that we have a signifi cant shortfall this year. This means our contingency fund for unexpected repairs and to get us started next season is now very low.

One of the reasons the pool is so expensive to run is because of the current law on health and safety. Of course, we want the pool to be safe and secure for swimmers of all ages, but legal obligations mean we cannot run, as we did in the past, with only volunteer supervisors and must employ fully qualifi ed lifeguards, which is expensive. A few

Continued on next page

WIWith the weather remaining unseasonably mild and the feeling that we have missed out on the summer this year it seems strange to me to be thinking about the rapidly approaching festive period, but on visiting the garden centre this week for some spring bulbs, the goods on display acted as a salutary reminder that I need to shake out the party frock and dust off the diamond tiara in readiness for the barrow loads of invitations which will I’m sure be winging my way in the next few weeks. Well there is no harm in wishing is there. In the meantime I shall make do with some enjoyable evenings and events to be shared with my friends at the WI and good fun it will be too.

Many of you will have seen some of our ladies, the ‘enthusiastic’ volunteers who manned the fl oat as blackbirds for the Feast Day Parade, who managed to win the fi rst prize against some good opposition, and they tell me that they had a lot of fun doing this.

With our membership now standing at over 70 people, most of whom attend on a regular basis, there is always someone to chat to, and it is an excellent way of getting to know people and for meeting new friends. In November our committee are having a well earned rest and the members will take over the running of that particular meeting, and in December the meeting will have a musical theme. New members can be assured of a warm welcome at our monthly meetings which are held at 7:30 on the 2nd Wednesday evening of the month at the Village College so why not give us a try.

Pauline Goss

FOR NEXT ISSUE25TH DECEMBER

Deadline

ARTICLES, DATES AND ADVERTISEMENTS

E–mail, PC fl oppy disk and paper submissions are all welcome. Please contact the Editor if you have any questions. Dates of events to be advertised in the next issue (No. 103) should span the months of February and March.

Letters for publication may be sent to the Editor, and should include the name and address of the sender, although this may be omitted from publication if requested. Please keep correspondence short and topical. Please note that the Editor may use his discretion regarding publication, and his decision is fi nal. The views expressed by correspondents and other contributors are their own and are not necessarily shared by the Editor.

volunteers do help out with running the pool, of course, and some even collect money at the gate, so that the lifeguard can focus on the swimmers. Lifeguards are not unduly expensive but they are trained people who are paid the standard rate for their qualifi cation.

The pool is run by a volunteer committee. We have a very good record of keeping the pool open each year, despite some signifi cant obstacles, most notably the weather. There is nothing as good as swimming outdoors on a lovely summer’s day and many swimmers don’t mind taking the plunge even when it is cold and grey. The Cottenham Pool is now in its fi fth decade. Many of us who swim regularly feel it would be a tragedy if it were to close because of a lack of fi nancial support when so many other worthy sports causes receive signifi cant external funding. Swimming is for everyone – young and old. If you or your company can help us, please get in touch urgently. Otherwise, next season we will not be waving, we’ll be sinking.

Cottenham Swimming Pool Committee http://www.cottenhampool.org.uk

.........

Dear Editor,

I feel I must write and convey my thanks to Mr Taylor. I really look forward to receiving the Cottenham Newsletter to see what Mr Taylor (M.O.B as he is affectionately known!!) has submitted to the Newsletter. He knows what that means and some of you would be really surprised, mind you he has mellowed with age!

Mr Taylors’ articles prompted me to take some old family photographs for him to peruse, my god did we chat, we really put Cottenham to right!!! My late father Don Afford used to drive for Harveys. This was the local coach fi rm; the bus was called “The Cottenham Belle”. He travelled all over the continent in the 50s and 60s, as far away as Switzerland and Belgium, long before people travelled as we know it today. So to all those who thought Cottenham was a dormant village and people stayed put, think again! Cottenham had its own travel fi rm whose drivers also did haulage work with lorries. They were environmentally friendly even in those days, rather than use several cars to transport the village football team or darts teams to fi xtures they travelled in style on coaches!!!

What Mr Taylor has taught me is that we should make notes as we go through life, because once we have passed on, those memories die with us. It’s good for newcomers to the village to hear and hopefully visualise what Cottenham was really like.

So Michael carry on the good work and I, as I’m sure others do, look forward to your next instalment.

Julia Brand (Nee Afford)

PS. Michael, I know that you write all your articles yourself, and sit with the dictionary beside you. One can only say that you were very well educated, even in those days!! And a real credit to your generation.

.........

Dear Editor,

Sarah Jane’s would like to wish all our clients a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy new year.

May we take this opportunity to thank all of you who have supported our local business over the years and hope to see you all in 2008.

Thank you from Sarah, Christine, Debbie, Margaret and Hayley.

CONTACTS:Police Community Beat Offi ce 01223 358966Community Beat Manager steve.gilbey@cambs.pnn.police.uk 07710 932168Community Support Offi cer diana.neill@cambs.pnn.police.uk 07738 348586DoctorsDr. Julie Gould, 188 High Street 250079Dr. M. Grande, 42 Telegraph Street 251180Community NursesAnswerphone or between 1.00 – 2.00 pm 251071Cottenham CareCarCo–ordinator, 10.00 am – 4.00 pm 251837Cottenham Charities 250387Cottenham Club 01954 251457Cottenham Day Centre 251802Cottenham Toy LibraryCaroline Dethridge/Yvonne Walsh 251155/201748DentistWiese and Associates, 40 Margett Street 251696Chemist222 High Street 250556Chiropractorwww.inspiredchiropractic.com 01223 864444Foot Specialist (Chiropody)J.R. Kain, 13 Pelham Close 251143OsteopathPhysic, reception@physic.co.uk 01223 237459Veterinary SurgeonVillage Vet Cottenham, Hughes–Parry Clinic 252122SchoolsCottenham Village College and Community Offi ce 288944County Primary, Lambs Lane 250227Under Ones GroupLesley Popple 203412 Pre–SchoolLadybirds Pre–School, Recreation Ground 250891Out of School Club 250025Brownies & Rainbows Chris Hurworth 203764Scouts 202990Council Offi cesCounty & District Council Enquiries 08450 450500

Parish Council Clerk julie.groves@ntlworld.com, 202928District CouncillorsNigel Bolitho cllr.bolitho@scambs.gov.uk, 251521Simon Edwards cllr.edwards@scambs.gov.uk, 01223 233682 / 07711 079089 Tim Wotherspoon timwothers@aol.com,252108County CouncillorDavid Jenkins david.jenkins@cambridgeshire.gov.uk 01223 236232 / 07739 758859 Matthew Bradney matthew.bradney@cambridgeshire.gov.uk 204347 / 07739 393137British Red CrossCambridge Offi ce 01223 354434Citizens AdviceCAB, 72/74 Newmarket Road, Cambridge 08701 264010Social Services Histon Team 01223 718011Mobile Warden Scheme 250039 / 251182NSPCC Cottenham Area Team, 01733 558245RSPCA Area Number, 0870 5555999Samaritans Cambridge Centre, 01223 364455Railway Station Cambridge Passenger Enquiries 0845 7484950Driving InstructionTOPS Driving School 252239Taxi1st Stop Private Hire 261026 or 07919 385702Pegasus Taxi 261324Stretham Cars Private Hire 07841 049 789 / 01353 649 656Library Margett Street, 0845 0455225Library Doorstep Service Hilary Firth, 01223 718358Parish Church The Rectory, 6 High Street, 250454Baptist Church Church Offi ce, 252378Catholic Church St Laurences Church, 01223 704640Methodist Church hilary@chengs.org.uk 01223 700778Salvation Army Ian & Barbara Fawcett, 250524Royal British Legion Matthew Baldry matthew.baldry@tesco.net 202797Cottenham Brass Band Colin Watson, 250813Bridge Farm Riding School 252284Allotments Cottenham United Charities 200080