Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk

Grafham Gossip August 2016 1 Issue 139

Tuesday 9th August

Games Evening

(outdoors hopefully!)

with

Nibbles and Drinks

at

Brook Lodge,

Ellington

Anyone interested please contact Sue 896139 or

Ann 891372 for more details

Send your news,

views, photos

and gossip to

editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk

Editors’ note… At last, summer has arrived or at least as we write this, it’s here! Just in time for the end of term and the holi-day season. Now we have to dig out our sun hats, deck chairs, buckets and spades and make the most of the lovely weather.

We have another 16-page issue this month. It includes a long Parish News from the June meeting, when far more residents than usual turned up to speak or listen in the public forum. There’s a letter to the editor about an Austral-ian trying to trace an ancestor from Grafham. We have a two page spread with a summary of work done during the recent church restoration plus photos from the Celebration Weekend, and of course, much, much more. It’s great to receive so many contributions. We hope you find it interest-ing.

Please send us your news, views and gossip in good time for next month’s deadline which is quite early - midnight on Thursday 11th August. This is to make sure that we can get the September issue to our distributors in time for it to be delivered before the Bank Holiday weekend.

Have fun in August!

Editors, editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk

Issue 140 Deadline: Midnight Thursday 11th August

Contents Church Services...…...... View from the Pew…...….. Councillors Details.…...... Oil Syndicate………..…... Parish News………..….... Notices/Events…………….. Letters to Editors……….. Talking Shop ……………… Adverts/Notices……….… What bin when?............... The long View Jason…...... Neighbourhood Watch...… BBQ Conservative……...

Devolution Deal..………….... Beer Festival….……..…….... Cinnamon News……..……. Clothes Sale!........................... Gervase Phinn………………Grafham Cricket Club………. Adverts……..……..……….. Ecops-Cold Callers….…... Pop-up Restaurant……..... Grafoon by Zam…………..… Local Library Info…………. Restoration Summary…. Celebration Weekend…... Village Activities.……......

2 2 2 2 3 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8

8 9 9 10 10 11 12 13 13 13 13 14 15 16

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk

August 2016 2 Issue 139

Grafham All Saints - Services for August 31st July (5th Sunday) 10.16 ‘All together‘ at Grafham ________________

7th August (1st Sunday) No service

14th August (2nd Sunday) No service

21st August (3rd Sunday) 11 .00 Eucharist led by Revd Brian Atling, Rural Dean

28th August (4th Sunday) No service

4th Sept (1st Sunday) Family Service - Lay led

Contacting the Clergy

Revd Jason Taylor (Rector) The Rectory, 15 Church Road, Brampton PE28 4PF

revjasontaylor@gmail.com

01480 453341 or 07807 118070

Grafham Oil Syndicate The syndicate continues to grow, keeping more money in the village. Remember, it's FREE to join

and we must keep a bulk order attractive enough to receive a discount, so simply email Simon grafhamoil@gmail.com

or call 07887 628528

Councillors Peter Downes and Patricia Jordan and/or John Morris are available at the village hall from 11.15 to 11.45 on the first Saturday of the month.

At other times contact:

Peter.Downes@cambridgeshire.gov.uk 07765 833486 patricia.jordan@huntingdonshire.gov.uk tel. 457802 john.morris@huntingdonshire.gov.uk tel. 458818

Twitter: @johnmbrampton

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

Philip Allingham Chairman 01480 811516 philip_allingham@sky.com

Ian Gardener Vice Chair 01480 812821 idg@asc-geomatics.co.uk Andrew Duckworth andrew.duckworth1@tesco.net

David King 01480 812430 davidking@hawkeyesystems.com Alastair Watson Alwatson.parishcouncil@gmail.com

Kevin Sharp kevin.sharp@bedfordshire.pnn.police.uk

View from the Pew Well, we had wonderful weather for our Celebra-tion Weekend. The Flower Festival was a fitting environment to welcome invited guest donors and other visitors to the conducted tours of the finished restoration work. Mr Frearson our church architect was available the whole of Saturday to explain the project and show photographs of various stages of the work. A photographer from Hunts Post came along to record the event.

The afternoon fête went with a swing in the lovely sunny weather. £584.00 was raised plus £181.00 in donations to the Flower Festival, making a grand total of £765.00! Thank you to all those who helped plan and run the event, including some of our friends from Brampton church. Thank you also to the visitors who helped us to raise money for church expenses.

A Eucharist service of celebra-tion on Sunday was followed by a Bring and Share lunch in the village hall. It was a very pleas-ant afternoon with delicious food and a relaxing end to the weekend celebrations.

There are a few notices for August: Firstly there will be no service on the first Sunday of August (7th) as no members of the service planning group will be available. Secondly on 21st August our Eucharist service will be led by Revd Brian Atling our

Rural Dean. Please come and support Revd Atling who has kindly agreed to take the service while Jason is on holiday.

Another matter of great importance: Now that the current phase of the restoration is fin-ished there should be no workmen, ladders or builders' vans coming to the church. For security reasons therefore we would ask villagers to take note of any such activity and report it im-mediately to 07711 769911. Your cooperation in

this matter would be much ap-preciated.

As the weather has now turned to more seasonal temperatures we wish all our readers a happy and healthy summer in this hol-iday month.

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk

August 2016 3 Issue 139

PARISH NEWS Tuesday 21st June 2016

16/024 The Public Forum

A representative from Barford and Co attended the Parish Council meeting to discuss with the council the planning application for the construction of a dwelling on land at 36 Breach Road.

Further to the previous application which had been reject-ed, a revised plan is drawn up with a reduced footprint, with no garage and facing north for minimal impact. Nearby neighbours also attended the meeting to suggest that the issues on which the recommendation to refuse was taken, had not changed, that there was dangerous precedent in allowing garden development of this type. It was also con-sidered to still be outside the village boundary and contrary to planning policy.

Three residents attended to voice their concern and dissat-isfaction with marshalling and safety provision during re-cent Nice-Tri events. There were incidents of abuse to-wards motorists, foul language and extremely dangerous overtaking incidents by cyclists determined to own the roads. Also, a serious concern for the safety of cyclists who were acting so aggressively, was expressed.

Mrs Hazel Powell attended to discuss the forthcoming cele-bration of the re-opening of All Saints Church after a pro-longed period of renovation and repair. The celebration will take place over the weekend of 16 -17 July and will com-prise of a celebration buffet for 60 invited guests, the flower festival and fête for the whole village, complete with guided tours of the building. Mrs Powell said the church wanted to thank everyone in the village who gave so generously of time and money to raise the funds which allowed the major grant allocations for the work to be done, and asked for a donation towards the costs of the celebration, to come from the S137 allocation of the budget of the Parish Council.

Several people attended who wanted to discuss the plans for the Grafham micro-pub which are still in planning, per-mission having been applied for but not yet decided. Many questions and issues were raised, for example:

Who is the pub for?

The local need appears to have been exaggerated

The peace and quiet of the village is threatened

Whose capital is being used?

When will a business plan be made public?

Traffic and parking could become severe problems

Are there to be limits to the opening hours?

When will details of lease offered be made public?

What is going to happen to the storage facility currently used by the cricket club?

Sight screens may be needed to shield the bowler

Why has so little information been given to the village?

Several people attended to give their support to the venture as a much needed social facility for the village.

In 2004 and again in 2011, the residents of the village were canvassed for their opinions on life in Grafham. Such ques-tions as, what they liked, what they didn’t like, what facili-ties were missing, how long they had lived here and how long they wanted to stay, were answered and the data was compiled and provided to the Parish Council in order that they could set out their plans to help as much as possible to provide residents with the facilities they wanted.

To this end, the all-weather sports facility was built. In re-sponse to the most sought after facilities such as a shop and a pub, a year or so later, the Parish Council gave its support and a resting place for the Community Shop. Now, the Council has the opportunity to facilitate the provision of a pub.

This, like the shop, will be on land owned, free of covenant, by the Parish Council. A lease will be drawn up if and when planning consent is given. In fact, until that consent is granted, there is no point in going to any expense such as legal costs in the drawing up of a lease.

The pub will be financed privately by the owners of the business. No public money will be invested in it. It is unlike-ly that any business plans will be made public. This is a private venture and, as such, business plans are private to the business. Similarly, any lease offered will be offered on commercial terms and under Freedom of Information Law, a person will be able to request sight.

The pub will be open to anyone who wants to go in, be they visitors, walkers, cyclists, campers or residents of Grafham

Any threat to the peace and quiet of the area through noise and traffic, should it arise, will be dealt with accordingly. There is no intention to play loud music and it is expected that the vast majority of customers will walk to the pub.

It is planned to limit opening hours to Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. More comprehensive hours are in-cluded in the planning application to allow some flexibility on bank holidays or for other village events.

The storage facility for equipment owned by the cricket club will be re-sited further to the west and the other side of the low fence. It is entirely possible that the Parish Council would consider a request for funds from the cricket club towards the purchase of sight screens. The general feeling is that the club will benefit from an audience on match days and could even sign up new members.

Until planning permission is granted, there is no business. There would be little point is expending resources, financial or otherwise, on a project which is uncertain. If and when, planning consent is received, arrangements will begin to take shape and the village will be kept informed via the Grafham Gossip and by the Parish Council minutes. Every-one is welcome to attend Parish Council meetings to hear the discussions first hand.

At a previous meeting, two residents attended to discuss the nuisance from revving vehicles late in the evening and in the early hours. At this meeting they were pleased to say that this has abated. However, subsequently, it ap-pears to have resurfaced.

The Parish Council voted unanimously to recommend re-fusal of permission to erect a dwelling in the garden of 36 Breach Road.

The also voted unanimously to recommend approval for the erection of a log cabin to serve as an A4 community pub.

Mrs Powell’s request for funds was approved unanimously and £400 has been granted.

Cllr Al Watson has been in contact with Nice-tri Events for several years now and noted that they were surprised at the success of their events. They take the issues of safety and efficient marshalling seriously and they take advice from police and a safety advisory group. Events are notified on Facebook and in the Gossip. Posters in the shop are another possibility to give notice. Cllr Watson will maintain his contact with Nice-tri and will be relaying the issues ex-pressed at this meeting.

The date of the next meeting is Tuesday 18th July 2016. All are welcome. You don’t have to speak!

Margaret Life, Parish Clerk 07780 119311 malife434@gmail.com

(Full minutes can be read on the village web site www.grafham.org.uk The July Parish News will be included in the next issue of the Grafham Gossip. Ed)

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk

August 2016 4 Issue 139

Your advert could be here! . To advertise, email:

editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk

Community notices are free.

Business adverts are priced according to size,

payable in advance.

They start at £3.50 for a small box.

The money pays for the printing of the newsletter

and any profit is donated to All Saints, Grafham

and its Restoration Fund.

GRAFHAM WATER EVENTS

28/08/2016 Peter Pan in the Park Chapterhouse Theatre Company Marlow car park 14:00 - 16:00 hours 17/09/2016 Wiggle Steeple Chase Epic (96 miles) / Standard (61 miles) / Short (48 miles) Starts at Huntingdon Race Course Staggered start time 07:30 - 09:00 hours The course runs into/out of the village via Buckden Road and runs along Brampton Road to Brampton village. This lasts most of the morning and has a large number of participants. Historically this causes congestion on Brampton Road and the advice is to use alternative routes.

FOR YOU Do you live in Grafham

or one of the surrounding villages?

Then come along and enjoy a tea or coffee and cake and a chat with like minded people

We are starting a free coffee morning each month for people to get out and meet new friends

11.00 – 12.30 pm

on the 4th Friday of every month

Don’t be shy, just turn up! You will be made very welcome

Hope to see you there!

Friday 29th

July

Friday 26th August

Friday 30th

September

Grafham Village Hall

For more info contact: Catherine Gist 01480 423085

Care Network Community Development Officer – Hunts

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.

The book stall is a fantastic fund-raiser for our vil-lage 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.

Thank you for your continued support!

Yes x No

Paperback books in good condition

Hardbacks x

Manuals x

Magazines x

Encyclopaedias x

Other items x

All Saints Church Grafham

Little Fishes Stay + Play Tots Session

Grafham Village Hall Wednesdays 10.00 to 11.20

During term time

Next session is Wed 7th September

Just turn up on the day Sessions include free-play and craft activities

also a bible story and sing-along Babies welcome too

Please get in touch if you can help make tea/coffee/squash on an occasional basis

Contact Jean Clark 01480 890033

robnjeanclark@tiscali.co.uk

Spaldwick’s Youth Group

Friday evenings in Spaldwick

For more details visit

www.grafham.org.uk/Escape Youth Group

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk Opinions expressed in the Grafham Gossip, including past issues, are those of the writer and not the editors.

August 2016 5 Issue 139

Letters to the Editors Dear Editors …

Aussie looking for baptism of great, great, great grandfather , John Murfin , from Grafham

Does anyone know of the existence of Baptism records for Grafham for the period 1775 to 1800?

It is believed that John Murfin (Muffin) was born about 1787 - 1791 in the Grafham area of Huntingdon to un-known parents. He married Mary Hite in 1808 at Raveley, Huntingdon. They had a number of children including James, Sophia, William, John, Elizabeth, Naomi and Ruth. The children were born in Kimbolton and Little Raveley which is where the family appear to have lived most of their life. John is thought to have died in 1852 in Brough-ton, Huntingdon.

His son William departed for Australia in 1853 with his wife Mary and 3 children on the "Parsee."

There are many descendants now living in Australia who are interested in finding the Baptism record and parents of John Murfin from Grafham.

On behalf of Michael Carter

Please send replies to editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk

What are your news, views and comments? E-mail: editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk if you’d like your letter published in ‘Letters to the Editors.’ Thanks , Ed

With Summer well and truly under-way, the shop has been very busy with our friends at the caravan park along with walkers and cy-clists visiting our lovely village.

We are well stocked for those sum-mer picnics. Come in and try our freshly made baguettes or if you would like to make your own, we have a selection of fresh bread and rolls along with cheese, cold meats and salad. Add to that some of our tasty snacks and cold drinks and you’re done. You are welcome to sit at our outside ta-ble and enjoy a freshly brewed cup of tea or coffee. And, of course, you can use our free wi-fi.

Every month we appeal for new volunteers who make such a big contribution to the running of the shop. This month is no different and we thought it would be good to hear from a couple of our current treasured members of staff.

Barbara Holt has been volunteering in the shop since we opened. Here are her views on why she does it.

“I volunteer in the shop three times a week. I like to commit myself to regular shifts which suits my lifestyle knowing that it is flexible and I can change at short no-tice. I enjoy meeting people and I have got to know many more people in the village than I previously did. I had not worked in retail before but with the support of the lovely managers I soon felt comfortable and confi-dent. We have lots of interesting conversation and I feel it is more than just a shop but a good way of interacting with my local community. During the summer months we have lots of visitors and I enjoy learning where they are from and what has brought them here. Visitors al-ways comment on what a lovely shop it is and I feel proud to be a part of it”.

Debs Chester is one of our newest volunteers and our second from Ellington. She says, “I really enjoy working in the shop. Unlike Barbara I don’t do a fixed shift and prefer to come in when I can fit it in with my other com-mitments. Everybody has been so welcoming to me and they don’t even mind when I make a few mistakes which is getting less often! All the volunteers and man-agers are so friendly and it’s great fun. I recommend anybody giving it a go.”

So if anyone has any spare time, please consider work-ing in your community shop. We look forward to seeing

you.

Talking Shop

OPENING TIMES

Mon-Fri 8.00 - 6.30

Sat 8.00 - 5.00

Sun 9.00 - 2.00

Tel: 01480 810119 www.grafhamvillageshop.co.uk

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk

August 2016 6 Issue 139

Grafham Plumbing and Heating Services Clint Thomas-Morgan

Oftec trained and registered technician

New high efficiency condensing boilers fitted

New bunded oil tanks fitted, including concrete bases

Disposal of old tanks

Boiler service (standard or condensing)

Improve your heating system now - save money in the future!

All work guaranteed - 24hr call-out Professional, friendly and reliable

01480 812590 - 07799 640476 info@grafhamplumbingandheating.co.uk

Dealing with life’s challenges

Want to get your life back, look forward and be happy without reliving the past?

Try Solution Focused Hypnotherapy.

To discuss how hypnotherapy can help you, book a free initial consultation

Contact Jane Clark 07958 757076 jane.clark@virgin.net www.huntshypnotherapy.co.uk

Issues which can be treated: Stress, depression, OCD

Anxiety, panic attacks, PTSD

Low self-esteem, confidence

issues, sleep difficulties

Phobias, exam nerves, fear of flying, needles, spiders etc.

Chronic Pain, IBS, eating issues

Deadline for Next Issue Please send all your adverts,

notices, news, views and gossip to us

by midnight on

Thursday

11th August Thanks, Ed

editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk

If you can spare

an hour once

every two months

to help dust and

vacuum church

please contact:

editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk

OPENING TIMES

Mon-Fri 8.00 - 6.30

Sat 8.00 - 5.00

Sun 9.00 - 2.00

Tel: 01480 810119

www.grafhamvillageshop.co.uk

“Has the bin man bin Mam?”

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk

August 2016 7 Issue 139

Jason

The Long View This month many of us will be taking our summer holi-day and using at least some of that time to think and reflect, so I thought I’d share one of my favourite Chris-tian poems by Oscar Romero: The Long View. It helps, now and then, to step back and take the long view. The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is beyond our vision. We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work. Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us. No statement says all that could be said. No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession brings perfection. No pastoral visit brings wholeness. No program accomplishes the church’s mission. No set of goals and objectives includes everything. That is what we are about: We plant seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they

hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need fur-ther development. We provide yeast that produces ef-fects beyond our capabilities. We cannot do everything and there is a sense of liberation in realiz-ing that. This enables us to do something, and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for God’s grace to enter and do the rest. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders, ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own. Amen. Whatever you are doing this month I hope that you find some time for rest and re-creation, and that God re-veals to you your ‘next step’.

(Contact details for Jason can be found on page 2. Ed)

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)

Anti-social behaviour 01480 388379

To stop unwanted mail 08457 034599

To stop unwanted phone calls 08450 700707

To report anti-social behaviour in Grafham 01480

388379 or 387097 or

e-mail:Barbara.gowling@huntsdc.gov.uk or

tracey.guinea@huntsdc.gov.uk

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH There is an ongoing issues with youths racing at speed around the village and causing a disturbance by the village hall late at night This has now been ex-tended to Brampton and Buckden.

There has been an increase of motor cyclists gath-ering around Grafham Water and speeding along Buckden Road. The police are aware of these mat-ters and ask that if anyone has taken any registra-tion numbers or know who are the youths con-cerned, to call them as a matter of urgency.

16th July at 13.30 A Silver Scenic Car (Registration

number known) with a Newmarket Energy Asses-

sor sticker was parked in Cedar Close. The resi-

dent was in the kitchen and saw a man heading

towards the back gate. She was suspicious and

from her front door, questioned a second man

dressed in a suit standing on her drive. She asked

what was going on but he walked away mumbling

that he didn't know. She called and questioned the

first man who’d gone through the gate and was

standing next to the garage wall. He mumbled

something and then walked past her. Apparently, he

had urinated against the garage wall.

July 2016

James Snell 07951 069 565 email: Jamie2701@aol.com

If you’d like to write a ‘one-off’ article or a regular feature for the

Grafham Gossip, send it by email to editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk

Send your news, views,

photos and gossip to

editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk

August 2016 8 Issue 139

HUNTINGDON CONSERVATIVE ASSOCIATION (GRAFHAM BRANCH)

SUMMER BBQ

You are invited to a Summer BBQ

on Sunday 21st August 2016

from 12.30 to 4pm

at Village Farm, Church Road, Grafham

(by kind invitation of Sue and Brian Homewood)

Tickets £13.50 to include BBQ, desserts and

a glass of wine (children under 10 half price)

RSVP to Paul Knight at 18 Church Road, Grafham, PE28 0BB or tel 01480 811727

I/We would like ..................... tIckets for the

Grafham Summer BBQ on Sunday 21st August

I enclose a remittance of £..................@ £13.50

per ticket (please make cheques payable to HCCA

Grafham Branch)

Name.................................................

Tel ......................

Address..............................................................

Post Code ............................

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Devolution Deal

What will it mean for Huntingdonshire Residents and Businesses?

Devolution is the transfer of resources, powers and accountability from central Government to local authorities, in this case the seven Councils in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough – Cambridge City, Cambridgeshire County, East Cambridgeshire, Fenland, Huntingdonshire, Peterborough and South Cambridgeshire as well as the Great-er Cambridge Greater Peterborough Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

If the devolution deal is agreed a Combined Authority will be established and in May 2017 a Mayor would be elected as its Chair. he Combined Authority would consist of nine members at the outset: the Mayor, the seven council leaders/representatives and a LEP representative.

The Combined Authority will take responsibility from central government for numerous functions, enabling ser-vices to be delivered by those closer to their communities who better understand the needs of the area.

The Combined Authority will be responsible for:

A new additional £20million a year funding allocation over 30 years (totalling £600million) to

be invested in order to boost growth – such as road and rail infrastructure projects

Strategic planning controlling a £100million housing and infrastructure fund, with a commit-

ment to delivering 72,000 new homes across the area over the next 15 years

Supporting infrastructure development to unlock the housing potential at Wyton and the de-

velopment of a new Master Plan for St Neots

Other functions that currently sit with central government relating to public transport, appren-

ticeships and helping people back into work

Huntingdonshire residents will also benefit from the supported delivery of the Greater Cambridgeshire City deal, as well as the regeneration of Peterborough City Centre.

The Combined Authority will also focus on tackling socio-economic issues in areas of deprivation, such as Hun-tingdon, to improve the quality of life for local residents.

There will also be a commitment to successfully deliver the Alconbury Weald Enterprise Zone.

The Mayor may be given the power to place a supplement on business rates to fund infrastructure, with the agreement of the local business community through business members of the LEP up to a cap.

The new Combined Authority would not replace any existing councils, or any existing town or parish councils. They will be open and transparent, making the majority of decisions in public and subject to external scrutiny.

The decision on whether Huntingdonshire will sign up to this devolution deal will be based on the feedback we get from our residents. Councillors will then vote on whether to agree to the deal at a special meeting of the Council in October.

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk

August 2016 9 Issue 139

A BIG THANK YOU

The Beer Festival team wish to thank every-body who attended this year’s 5th Grafham Beer Festival and for help making it another successful event.

We wish to thank all of the very kind people for supplying prizes for the raffle which went on to raise almost £450 towards our chosen charity – Hunts Community Cancer Network (HCCN).

A special thanks also for the Grafham Parish Council for funding the inflatable assault course for the children.

See you next year!

Cinnamon News:

Shamim has told the Grafham Gossip that although the building insurers have

agreed terms, the contents insurers still have some final details to agree but he

thinks things will be sorted fairly soon. At that point he thinks there will be about eight weeks of work

required to re-build and re-fit the upstairs premises, the kitchen, restaurant and bar. Shamim said this

week, “I am grateful to Heather at Grafham Gossip and Sue with the village facebook pages for keeping

customers informed. When we are eight weeks from re-opening, we will increase communications with

frequent progress bulletins. Meanwhile, we thank you for being patient and can’t wait to see you all

again!”

Cinnamon Bar and Indian Restaurant

If you’d like to read the Parish News as soon as possi-

ble after the Parish Council meeting, join the Grafham

Gossip subscription list on the village website,

www.grafham.org.uk Just before the end of each

month, we’ll send you an email, containing two links.

The first link will take you to the next issue of

the Grafham Gossip, which is posted on the

village website. The second link will take you

to the Parish News which is also posted on the village

web site. Ed

The Parish Council Agenda is available to view a few days in advance of the Parish Council meetings.

Visit www.grafham.org.uk Click on Grafham Parish Council then Agenda and Minutes.

. Keep up to date with the Parish News

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk

August 2016 10 Issue 139

Clothes Sale! Hi ladies,

Thank you to all of who came down to see us, and to those of you who donated some very

much loved items! We managed the raise just over £70.00 for the shop and £8.00 to the church funds. We would love to hold another

sale, maybe a wine and nibbles night! So if you have clothes that are nearly new, or never been worn please search your cupboards and wardrobes we'd

love to help you de-clutter, half of all sales go to the shop. It would be great to source different suppliers for new pro-duce for you to buy! Watch this space! A special thank you to Tracie, Talula and Lynn who gave up so much of their time in helping to organise and run everything, and to Peter who helped with the flyers. Great fun! looking forward to the next one. Louise x

Gervase Phinn - comedian, author, poet, broadcaster, lecturer, educa-tional guru, after-dinner speaker and 'born raconteur' (The Guardian) is perhaps best known for his best- selling series of five Dales books for Penguin.

Gervase was a school in-spector in Yorkshire and has been affectionately dubbed the ‘James Herriot of Schools.' He has written a wide range of academic books, children's poetry and fiction.

Gervase Phinn is one of the most accomplished public speakers of any kind. A nat-ural storyteller, he combines the timing of the professional comedian with palpable warmth and the ability to deliver a message that is more than just a series of jokes. (The Times)

This event is organised by the Rotary Club of Hunting-don. The proceeds will con-tribute to the Rotary Club’s plan to support a large primary school in Kenya where they have 2,000 pupils but very poor facilities and just one drinking-water tap. We are aiming to finance their project to pro-vide an adequate supply of essential drinking water for the pupils, and other im-provements to the buildings and learning materials.

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk

August 2016 11 Issue 139

The last week in June 2016 saw Grafham CC de-camp to Lockton Yorkshire for the annual friendly. As you can see from the picture Grafham was taking its match

preparations seriously at the Appleton Moorside Inn.

The match started next day on the Sunday with Grafham as the visitors being invited to bat first. Grafham lost two quick wickets, but steady batting by the middle order built a respectable total of 128 runs from 32 overs. A par score on the wicket, but a defend-able total.

Lockton started carefully against the Grafham’s open-ing bowlers, with Adam Dighton being extremely eco-nomical with 5 runs taken from his 5 overs. After this the Lockton’s scoring accelerated against the following Grafham bowlers, but who also took wickets with Fra-ser Hutton; a genuine “does not really bowl”, putting in a sparkling performance, much to the team’s delight and his own amazement. Adam took the last over with Lockton requiring 4 runs to win, which they scored off Adam’s first ball of the over, leaving Adam with 5.1 overs 1 wicket for 9 runs. A close enjoyable game, Grafham narrowly beaten, rounded off with a sumptu-ous Yorkshire cricket tea.

The match on the day of the Grafham Beer Festival

was against Clifton CC. As usual the opposition took fright at Grafham’s green pitch, with the con-sequence that Grafham opened the batting. The

opening bats of Gareth Knowles and Adam Dighton soon showed there was no fear in the wicket with Gareth bowled for 13 runs, Adam caught and bowled for 45, backed by Josh Owen wicket keeper and cap-

tain who scored 42; Will Lan-caster 54 not out, Fraser Hutton 55, who played an exquisite shot off his toes for 4 behind square to build an innings of 236 for 4.

Clifton started batting but was soon swept away by the bowling of Will Lancaster who took 5 wickets for 12 runs off his 8 overs, with James Gould taking 2 wick-ets in the final two balls of his overs, finishing Clifton’s batting on 72 all out. Grafham won by 164 runs; the largest margin of victory in living memory of the club, in front of the largest audi-ence of the season so far.

The match against Sandy CC the following week, again at home, was a real sus-penseful match in the sense that first one side seemed on top, then the other. Grafham scored 140 for 9, with Adam Dighton top scoring on 63, with Harry Chinn; the Sandy Express finishing on 5 wickets for 20 runs from 8 overs.

Sandy’s response was muted at first with Adam taking 3 quick wickets, ably assisted by Tom Chester who took 1 wkt for 8 runs from his 8 overs. Then Sam Nugent played a captain’s innings of 55, assisted by Arran Pickering 28, who brought Sandy to the edge of victory, but then the course of the match turned again, Sam Nugent was smartly run out by Matt Chester; Chris Dighton took 2 quick wickets leaving Sandy on an equal score with Grafham. Arran Pickering then went for a quick run, but was run out by Josh Owen leaving a tied match, with both teams ending on 140 runs each. In the circumstance of the match, a fair result with nei-ther team deserving to lose.

Chris Dighton, Club Treasurer

Grafham Home Matches August 2016

August 13th

Grafham

CC v

Dunstable CC

August 27th

Grafham CC v Great Barford/

Mowsbury CC

Match Preparation (Lockton)

After the Game (Lockton)

Grafham Cricket Club

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August 2016 12 Issue 139

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

Huntingdon, Cambs. PE28 0GB

Tel. 01480 811594 Mobile 07795 296281 Email paul.blanchard439@btinternet.com

Travel in style via Mercedes cars to your destinations

GRAFHAM WATER (NEXT TO THE VISITOR CENTRE)

WIDE RANGE AT LOW PRICES

OPEN WEDNESDAY- SUNDAY 09.00-17.30 TEL:01480 819730

FREE PARKING & FREE DELIVERY

PET & WILD BIRD FOOD

www.petfoodsdirect2u.co.uk

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

Call John Sisseman for details

Tel. 07806 941675

BSM

Triple Glazing

for the price of

Double Glazing! For a free, no obligation quotation

please contact your local representative Jon Goodchild on 07825 238240 or email

jon@gaphomeimprovements.co.uk

WINDOWS DOORS ROOFLINE

CONSERVATORIES

GARDEN ROOMS FLAT ROOFS

www.gaphomeimprovements.co.uk

JEZ ASHCROFT LTD All your decorating needs including:

Coving, Decorating (Internal & External)

Drylining & Plastering

FREE ESTIMATES

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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

Hawkeye Security & Surveillance Systems Ltd

CCTV – IP (1080P) high resolution systems from £945.00 (exc. vat) fitted

Intruder Alarms – Very reliable Wireless Systems from £450. 00 (exc. vat)

Intercom Systems – Incorporating a colour camera from £400.00 (exc. vat)

Security Lighting – Controlled Lighting Systems (control from in the house)

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or email info@hawkeyesystems.com

Huntingdon Business Centre, Blackstone Road Huntingdon, Cambs. PE29 6EF

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August 2016 13 Issue 139

Cambridgeshire Local Assistance Scheme

(CLAS) Survey We would like your views to help us shape the future of the Cambridge-shire Local Assistance Scheme.

The scheme helps vulnerable people and families under excep-tional pressure who have little or no money.

Please complete our online survey: http://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/OWM84/

Find out more about the scheme www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/clas

If you have any questions, please email fis@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Always Say ‘NO’ To Cold Callers

We are warning residents to look out for doorstep callers operating across the district.

Our advice is to always say ‘NO’ to any cold callers and we ask that you look out for elderly or vulnerable family, friends and neighbours.

Consumers should be extremely cautious when approached by any doorstep callers offering to sell goods or conduct work on their property. These types of callers often use persuasive or aggres-sive tactics to get people to agree to have work carried out and then charge far more than was quoted for poor quality work or poor quality goods.

They often fail to provide a legally required cancellation notice which enables the householder to cancel the work within a statuto-ry fourteen day cooling off period. We have also previously investi-gated burglaries whereby in the days before the offence, residents have been warned of noise disturbance by people per purporting to be working for a legitimate company caused by work being car-ried out at neighbouring properties. This is often not true and may be a sign that a burglary has, or is going to, occur.

If you have been called in this way and require further advice, or simply want to report the matter, please contact trading standards via https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/get-more-help/report-to-trading-standards/ If you have specific and immediate concerns about the conduct of a particular caller, please call police on 101.

For more information and advice about protecting yourself online visit www.getsafeonline.org

Grafham Pop-up Restaurant

I would like to thank everyone who support-ed this event on 28th June. Both the cater-ers and I appreciated your extremely kind comments about the 3-course meal that was served.

It seems that everyone had a lovely even-ing and thoroughly enjoyed the Mediterra-nean cuisine.

Due to its success and as it was a sell out, I confirm I will be organising another one for 2017!

Thanks to one and all once again for mak-ing this new dining experience in Grafham a very pleasant evening. Tina

Local Libraries Forthcoming events - Contact your local library Email: your.library@cambridgeshire.gov.uk or tel: 0345 045 5225 or if you’re reading this online (www.grafham.org.uk) click on your local library to discover what events and activities are coming up soon. Buckden Library , Huntingdon Library and Archives, St Neots Library

Looking for inspiration when choosing your next book? Our Hot new books and eAudio books, Author profile of the month and Top 100 popular authors provide a great place to find your next book.

All of the Harry Potter book titles are now available in both eAudio and eBook edi-tions, including the Complete Collection edition!

The titles can be accessed either by searching the library catalogue or visiting our eBooks page or the OneClickdigital eAudio service.

Find out how to access eBooks and eAudio book services for the first time.

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk

August 2016 14 Issue 139

Church of All Saints Grafham A Brief Summary of the Works carried out beginning in August 2013

INVESTIGATION WORK (PHASE I)

Nave roof: Investigation of condition of tiling and condition of Tower vice stair back gutter

Tiling Maintenance South Aisle Roof: Investigation of condition of South Aisle roof board- ing/structure; Nave (Interior): Inspection of fractured plaster for loose material; Other: Drain survey (by specialist drain company Inspection of trees by Arboriculturalist

Inspection of walls for historic wall paintings Historical research (by specialist buildings archaeologist); Liaison (re-bats) with Natural England, the Bat Conservation Trust, and an ecologist (in connection with the need for a licence to carry out the work - need avoided.)

ROOFS AND EXTERNAL WALLS (PHASE II)

Nave Roof (North Slope): Re-roofing (and associated repairs) with improved ventilation Nave Roof (South Slope): Re-roofing (and associated repairs) with improved ventilation

Reconfiguring the back gutter to the Tower vice stair

South Aisle Roof (East End): Repairs to roof Tower (East Elevation): Minor repairs to masonry (incl. pointing repairs) North Aisle Roof: Minor repairs and masonry repairs to copings, etc.

Provision of new rainwater downpipe and gully to north elevation

South Porch Roof: Repair to box gutter, etc. Provision of new roof alarm system

INTERIOR ACCOMMODATION (PHASE II)

Nave: Internal redecoration (incl. plaster repairs) North Aisle: Localised plaster repairs (and associated internal redecoration) Chancel: Localised plaster repairs (and associated intemal redecoration) South Aisle: Localised plaster repairs (and associated internal redecoration) Structural repairs at east end of North Aisle (around the Roof Stair)

Nave Roof

Nave North Wall

Nave North Wall - structural movement

Nave Ceiling

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August 2016 15 Issue 139

Nave Ceiling facing South

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS (PHASE III)

Completion of miscellaneous items, left outstanding after the previous main contractor ceased trading. North Aisle - East end - during repairs

Photographs taken over the Celebration Weekend which marked the end of the current phase of restoration

GGAUG2016

Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: editor@grafhamgossip.co.uk Opinions expressed in the Grafham Gossip, including past issues, are those of the writer and not the editors.

August 2016 16 Issue 139

Printed by Easiprint 01954 294894

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.

Ellington and Grafham WI

Join the growing team! We meet on the first Tuesday in the month

9th August - Pimm’s and Nibbles at Ann’s

6th September - Talk by Mr Towsey, Head Gardener of the Woburn Estates

Anyone interested in attending on these dates please contact Sue 896139 or Ann 891372

Grafham Social Committee invites you to Coffee Mornings at 10.30am on the 3rd Wednesday of the month:

17th August - Karen Stewart 2 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 Sewing Bee Wednesdays 2 - 4pm For those who enjoy needlework of any sort, quilting, tapestry, knitting or anything else requiring the use of needles!

Complete beginners also welcome.

Our purpose is threefold, to provide a focus for your needlework, to allow the exchange of ideas and

expertise, and last, but not least, it is an opportunity to get to know like-minded people.

For further details contact Barbara Williams

01480 812905 or barbara_r_w@hotmail.com http://grafhamsewing.weebly.com/

The Mobile Library Route H24 visits Breach Road, Grafham on the 4th Wednesday of every month from 10.40 to 11.00. The next visit is 24th August.

For renewals/ enquiries call 0345 045 5225 or click here

Babysitters Bryony 22yrs 812354 experienced with

newborn to 14yrs

Olivia 23yrs 811831 BA Early Childhood Studies

Nicci 17yrs 811279 Meri - 15 yrs 811192

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.

Contacts: Pat or Alan Watson 01480 811166

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

Beginners and those with more skills are all very welcome.

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

Please ring me for more details.

Jackie Woods 01480 890279

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

Floral arrangements for: pedestal,

altar, font, windowsills, pew ends, pillars.

Please contact Hazel Powell on

01480 810326 for details and quotes.

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

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

Contact Sam Malt 01480 810844 daytime, 01480 811654 evenings.

www.gwcg.btck.co.uk/

The Book Club If you are an avid reader and would you like to make new friends who are residents, then come along and join us. We try to choose a title that suits everyone.

For further information, please contact Tina 07711 012957

Thank you and looking forward to seeing you all.

The September deadline is

midnight Thursday

11th August Thanks, Ed.