Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]
September 2019 1 Issue 173
Grafham Gossip Issue 174 Deadline: by 15th September
Contents Church Services/View from Pew/Churchland Charity………...
Parish News/Parish + County Cllrs details……………..……...
Neighbourhood Plan/Grafham Community Safety Campaign...
Notices/Village Hall Activities/Babysitters……..…..…..…….…..
Letters to Editors/Talking Shop………….………….…....….….
Notices /Bins/Useful Phone Nos………….………………....…...
Constructive Paranoia, David Cudby/Hear here, Healthwatch..
Adverts/Notices/Pub + Shop Opening Hours………......…...…
Churchyard Rewilding/Help Prevent Arson, Police..…………..
Notices/ Board Games/The Lost Raptor, Wildlife Trust Talk.…
Meet the Pollinators……………….……………………………..
Notices/Local Events…………….……. …………………..…....
Let’s disagree kindly, Mike/Grafham Water Lions 10th B/day...
Adverts…………...…..…………………………..……………..
Bring back the meadows, Val Littlewood/Make a Will Month....
Village/Local Activities…………………………………………...
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Editors’ note… In September, for those with gardens,
your harvest of vegetables should be
well under way. Have a look at Hazel’s
recipe below, to find out what to do with all your courgettes!
With the children back at school, parents can breathe a sigh
of relief, sort out the house and get back to the usual work/
life balance. But perhaps the most important event for the
village this September, is to make a start on the development
of our joint Neighbourhood Plan. See the notice below on this
page and also the notice on page 3.
We are going to trial keeping the deadline the same date
every month, so please send in your news, views, photos,
recipes and gossip by 15th September for the October issue.
Have fun! Editors, [email protected]
New Feature!
Recipe of the month
If you have a glut of courgettes and don't know what to do with them, try this soup. It is mild and delicious.
Courgette Soup
500g potatoes peeled and chopped
2 vegetable or chicken stock cubes in 1 pint water
1 Kg courgettes chopped
Bunch spring onions chopped
2 mini tubs Philadelphia soft cheese
If you have a soup maker, add all the ingredients at once on the blend button for the required time - about 20-25 minutes on mine.
If not, simply simmer all the ingredients in a pan until tender, then whizz in your blender.
Eat hot or chilled with a blob of crême fraiche and a sprig of mint. It freezes well too.
Thank you to Hazel for providing this month’s recipe.
Please send in your favourite recipes to:
Come and help ensure that we evolve life in our lovely villages
the way we would like to see it.
Find out more about our joint Neighbourhood Plan at
A Public Meeting
Grafham Village Hall
Friday 6th September at 7:30pm
More details are on page 3.
You can read even more details on
page 5 in August’s issue of the Grafham Gossip by visiting the Home page of our village website
www.grafham.org.uk Click on Grafham Gossip then choose Aug-19 from the list
of previous issues.
Macmillan Coffee ‘Afternoon’Macmillan Coffee ‘Afternoon’
Sunday 29th September
Grafham Village Hall
3pm to 6pm
for tea, coffee and cake!
Come along to raise money and help Macmillan be there with support for people facing cancer
Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]
September 2019 2 Issue 173
Contacting the Clergy Revd Jason Taylor (Rector) Rectory, 15 Church Rd, Brampton PE28 4PF [email protected] 07807 118070
Mike Bigg (Curate) [email protected] 07380 809377
Grafham All Saints Services Every Wednesday morning 09.00 - 09.30 Morning Prayer – a short service open to all. Download the Daily Prayer app from the Church of England website available for iOS and Android to
join us in spirit from home if you wish, but preferably please come along to the service.
Mid week Communion services are on Thursdays at 10.00 roughly once a month. (An informal midweek
service of Holy Communion with time for prayer and sharing from the Bible.)
25th August (4th Sunday) 10.30 ‘All Together’ with Holy Communion at Ellington
25th August (4th Sunday) 19.00 Taizé service with music and candles --------------------------------------------------------------
1st September (1st Sunday) 10.30 Family Service - Lay led
19th September (Thursday) 10.00 Mid week Communion
22nd September (4th Sunday) 10.30 ‘All Together’ with Holy Communion at Grafham
22nd September (4th Sunday) 19.00 Taizé service with music and candles -------------------------------------------------------------
6th October (1st Sunday) 10.30 Harvest Festival followed by lunch
On Fourth Sundays, an ‘All Together’ Holy Communion Service rotates between the three churches
For more information on church services and other events, visit www.eastleightonstone.com and click on Calendar
View from the Pew A very big thank you to all those who
helped with strimming and scything the
long grass in the churchyard recently.
The area to be seeded with wildflowers
will now be kept mown until September when
seeding will begin. We are delighted to be joined
in this venture by members of the "Make the
Change Happen" group and together we have
great plans for re-wilding the village.
At our first Sunday of August service we were
reminded about how much "stuff" we all have
these days but that we can dispose of some of it
at charity shops and also help to supply food
banks. At that service Frankie played her guitar
and led our singing as the other musicians were
on holiday. Thank you Frankie, you did a great
job.
Our next "All together" service will be at Ellington
on 25th August at 10.30am. That evening at 7pm,
don't forget our Taizé service here, with music
and candles.
Unfortunately our mid-week communion on 29th
August is cancelled as Mike is away on a course.
We hope everyone has enjoyed the summer
weather and we are thankful that we have not
been beset by floods or serious drought!
Help! We are very
short of volunteer tea/coffee
makers for our Little Fishes
Stay + Play Tots Group, which
meets on Wednesday mornings
in the village hall.
If you can spare an hour, now
and then, we would be most
grateful for your help!
Please contact
Hazel 810326
or email:
BRAMPTON CHURCH LAND CHARITY This charity meets twice each year to consider grant applications, and typically supports applications for grants from £250 to £750 although larger sums may be considered.
The next Trustees Meeting will be held in October, so if you have a project which needs financial support and relates to the Church of England or another charitable cause in the parish of East Leighton-stone (Brampton, Grafham & Ellington) or the adjacent parishes, please contact the Clerk to the Trustees at 31 Cranfield Way, Brampton or email: [email protected] for an application form to be completed and submitted prior to the meeting.
Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]
September 2019 3 Issue 173
Grafham’s County Councillor Grafham’s District Councillor
Peter Downes
07765 833486
peter.downes@ cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Darren Tysoe 01480 388310 [email protected]
Grove Cottage, Malting Lane, Ellington, PE28 0AA
Follow me on Twitter @darrentysoe
Receive my updates on Facebook www.facebook.com/cllrdmtysoe
PARISH NEWS
There was no Parish Council
meeting in August.
The next Council meeting is sched-uled for 10
th September 2019, in the village hall
at 7.30pm. It would be nice to see you there.
Margaret Life, Parish Clerk
07780 119311 [email protected]
Parish Councillors You may contact your parish councillors through the parish clerk or directly.
Philip Allingham Chairman 01480 811516 [email protected]
Ian Gardener Vice Chair 01480 812821
[email protected] Alastair Watson
Roy Harold [email protected]
David Russell [email protected]
Jo Dunn [email protected]
Come and help ensure that we evolve life in our
lovely villages the way
we would like to see it.
A Public Meeting
Grafham Village Hall
Friday 6th September at 7:30pm
Find out more about the joint Neighbourhood Plan which Grafham and Ellington Parish
Councils will produce with the support of a small team of residents assisted by Huntingdon District Council.
A Neighbourhood Plan has the legal power to prevent a developer from imposing unwanted housing or
industrial development within our parishes.
For more information, email David Russell:
Some great news came in late in July -- too late for last month’s Grafham Gossip -- which we're delighted to be able to share with those of you haven't already heard.
Our bid for funds from the A14 team for traffic calming and safety measures has been agreed.
And whilst the necessary works won't be completed for a little while (indications are that this could stretch until the end of the year), this is a real boost for the community.
Just to remind you, we had asked for the following measures to be approved:
a 40mph buffer zone, dragon’s teeth road-markings, roundels in the road surface and MVAS (Moveable Vehicle Activated Sign.)
We hope that all of this will make a big difference to driver behaviour through the village and reduce the number of vehicles speeding through Grafham.
Our thanks go to:
- Carole Thomas who was responsible for starting the road safety campaign and who worked tirelessly to bring the rest of village on board, setting up the liaison with the local Police and ensuring that the speed watch sessions ran regularly, which gave us so much
important information to support our bids.
- to our fantastic volunteers who spent many roadside hours monitoring and reporting on the volume and speed of traffic through Grafham.
- to David Russell and Ian Gardener of the Parish Council who wrote, championed and helped push through this successful bid.
- and of course, all of you who've supported and en-couraged the work of the road safety campaign.
Without you all, this would not have happened. You can congratulate yourselves on a job well done.
And finally: there is still a need for volunteers to keep running the speed watch sessions as the driver edu-cation aspect of our work will continue to be needed. So if any of you want to help, especially after the main summer holiday season comes to an end, please don't hesitate to get in touch. We realise that there are competing demands on everyone's time and in-volvement in the many new initiatives that the village is working on, including the Environment Plan and the Neighbourhood Plan. We'd encourage you to join up for these two new campaigns and you can get further details here: https://grafhamvillage.co.uk
Chris Bulow
Grafham Community Safety Campaign
Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]
September 2019 4 Issue 173
Send your news, views, photos and gossip to
Babysitters Bryony 22 yrs 812354 experienced with newborn to 14yrs
Mya 15 yrs 819326 Nicci 17 yrs 811279
Deadline By 15th of September
for the October issue.
From now on, the deadline will be the same date
every month, so please send us all your adverts,
notices, news, views, recipes and gossip
by 15th of the previous month.
Thanks, Ed [email protected]
Grafham Village Hall
Activities & Classes 2019
Mondays Line Dancing 7.30pm
Tuesdays Pilates 9.45am
Art Club 1.30pm
Wednesdays Little Fishes (pre-school children)
10.00am
Yoga 6.15pm
Karate 7.30pm
Thursdays Kick Boxing 7.00pm
Saturdays Chinese Martial Arts
10.30am
For enquiries about classes and about booking the hall, please telephone 07711 769911
Read more about village hall activities on page 16
Playtimes Pre-school Ferriman Road, Spaldwick PE28 0TQ
Tel: 01480 890077 www.playtimesplaygroup.co.uk
We offer: Breakfast club 8am - 9am
Preschool 9am- 3pm
Out of school club 3.30pm - 6pm
Parish of
East Leightonstone To join the mailing list and receive
the regular newsletter visit
http://www.eastleightonstone.com and click News
The book stall is a fantastic fund-raiser for our village church, but we‘ve found that we can sell only good quality, clean paperbacks and find it difficult to lift, carry and dispose of other items.
Good quality paperback books in clean condition
We love to receive your paperback books to stock our church bookstall. Please leave them in the
church porch.
Paperback books in
good condition
Thank you for your continued support!
No x
Hardbacks x
Manuals x
Magazines x
Encyclopaedias x
Other items x
Yes
Next date for Churchyard Makeover
The next tidying session is planned
for 10am Saturday 31st August
Do come along to help out, enjoy
the chat and the
delicious refreshments.
To find out more, email Jean Baty:
Hunts Community Cancer Network (HCCN) hold a weekly support group
Ellington Holistic Drop In at Ellington Village Hall
Every Tuesday 10am until 2 pm
To find out more contact Annie by phone 01234 709836 or email [email protected]
Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected] Opinions expressed in the Grafham Gossip, including past issues, are those of the writer and not the editors.
September 2019 5 Issue 173
If you’d like to write a ‘one-off’ article
or a regular feature for the Grafham Gossip,
send it by email to [email protected]
Letters to the Editors Dear Editor…
Thank you, Grafham We moved to the village earlier this year and would
just like to say how great we are finding the village
and thank you to all for the warm welcome!
Fellow neighbours have been great and we have real-
ly enjoyed getting involved in events such as the flow-
er festival, beer festival and art exhibition.
The pub is marvellous; we have always received a
friendly welcome and the same goes for The Cinna-
mon – excellent service every time!
Having Grafham Water on the doorstep is also such a
treat!
So thanks very much Grafham. We look forward to our
future here!
Mel & Joe, The Wyvern
What are your news, views and comments? E-mail: [email protected] if you’d like your letter published in ‘Letters to the Edi-tors.’ Please supply your name and address/email address but tell us if you’d prefer us not to print it in the Grafham Gossip. Thanks , Ed
Talking Shop Well, where did that summer go? The kids are about
to go back to school and it will be back to work as
usual. Why not get started with those essential school
and work supplies? In the shop we have a wide range
of stationery including pens, pencils, books and note-
pads. Pop in and have a look for those last minute
essentials.
In July, on a sunny Sunday afternoon, our dedicated
volunteers enjoyed a summer BBQ. It was a lovely
day and everyone had a wonderful time. It was our
small way of saying ‘thank you’ to our great team. We
really appreciate all the support they give to us as
managers and we would struggle to do everything we
need to without their commitment.
If you are interested in volunteering in the shop just
pop in and speak to either of us or chat to a volunteer
to find out what it’s really like. Volunteering is a great
way to meet new people, learn new skills and be part
of a friendly team. You can volunteer as much or as
little as you like and for however many hours you are
able. You don’t need to have retail experience, just a
willingness to get involved.
NEW IN THE SHOP
We now have a new supply of our ever-popular cakes
and cookies from Bramble Foods. These are perfect
for afternoon tea or to snack on after dinner. Come in
and find your favourites.
We also have Mellow Yellow oils in stock! These oils
are great for cooking and are also really nice with sal-
ads for your lunches.
Don’t forget we are now taking orders for Grafham
Grown Southdown Lamb. Order by 30th August
for September, 27th September for October, 25th October for November and the final date to place
your order for delivery in December is the 6th
December. Patrick Goldsworthy will donate £5.50
to the shop for every half lamb sold.
Thank you Patrick.
Do you work at home and feel the need to get out and
stretch your legs at lunchtime? We stock a range of
filled baguettes, pork pies, sausage rolls, samosas
and scotch eggs along with crisps, biscuits, cakes and
cold drinks. In fact, we can provide you with every-
thing you need for lunch!
We look forward to seeing you in the shop soon.
Lynn and Chloe
Opening Times
Mon-Fri 8.00 - 6.30
Sat 8.00 - 5.00
Sun 9.00 - 2.00
Bank Holidays 9.00 - 2.00
01480 810119 [email protected] www.grafhamvillageshop.co.uk
Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]
September 2019 6 Issue 173
Useful Phone Numbers All emergencies 999
Non-emergencies 101
Cambridge Constabulary HQ 01480 456111
Minicom for hard of hearing 01480 422493
Action Fraud 0300 123 2040
Crimestoppers 0800 555111 (anonymous)
To report anti-social behaviour in Grafham 01480 388379 or 387097 or e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
To stop unwanted phone calls 08450 700707
To stop unwanted mail 08457 034599
Power cut Call 105 or 0800 31 63 105 or text POWER and your postcode to 80876
RecyclingRecyclingRecycling For an update on
recycling and a reminder of the right
recycling to put in the right bin, go to
www.recap.co.uk
The Highwayman Car Scheme Do you know what it is?
It’s a scheme to help provide transport for people who
are not able to make essential journeys by public
transport or any other means.
A team of volunteer drivers take you to appointments
e.g. the Doctors, Hospital, Dentist alongside
social activities such as
visiting relatives or friends and even shopping.
The scheme is aimed at helping people
to get out and about.
Passengers pay the driver on the day of travel to
contribute towards fuel expenses. This is at a rate of
30p per mile with a minimum charge of £3.00.
To arrange a journey or for more information please
call 07786 520540
If the phone is not manned at the time of your call
leave a message on the answerphone and the
coordinator of the drivers will get back to you.
We are also always looking out for volunteer drivers
so if you want to help your community, give us a call.
We would love to hear from you.
The scheme is supported and advised by
Cambridgeshire County Council
and Care Network Cambridgeshire
Grafham Oil Syndicate The syndicate is FREE to join.
We must continue to grow and keep a bulk order attractive enough to receive a discount, so simply email Simon: [email protected] or call 07887 628528
and help keep more money in the village!
Wednesdays Blue bin (recycling) and Black bin (refuse) - alternate weeks
Every other Thursday - Green bin (garden waste)
If you require any further advice or information about waste and recycling services, call 01480 388640 between 8.45am and 5.00pm Monday to Thursday and 8.45am and 4.30pm on Fridays or visit www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/bins
Has the bin man bin Mam?”
To advertise, email:
[email protected] Community notices are free.
Business adverts are priced according to size, payable in
advance.
They start at £4.00 for a small box.
The money pays for the printing of the newsletter.
Any profit is donated to All Saints, Grafham
and its Restoration Fund.
Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]
September 2019 7 Issue 173
David Cudby
A recent castaway on Desert Island Discs was Jared Diamond. Among his achievements are:
Professor of physiology at UCLA Medical School
In his twenties he developed a second, parallel, career in ornithology and ecology, specialising in New Guinea and nearby islands
In his fifties, Diamond developed a third career in environmental history and became a professor of geography at UCLA, his current position.
Published six books and hundreds of articles
Because of this academic diversity, Diamond has been described as a polymath.
Presenter Lauren Laverne asked Jared Diamond if at age 81, he was nervous about his annual ornithology and ecology trips to the jungles of New Guinea. His biggest fear is falling. I can relate to that as my eye-sight becomes weaker. He applies what he calls Con-structive Paranoia. Rather than giving up activities be-cause of a fear of falling he uses his energy to plan to avoid falling, applying his attention and energy to avoiding the dangers but not giving up the things that he loves doing.
It set me thinking about my beekeeping activities. My home apiary presents hazards such as:
Bee stings
Tripping on uneven ground due to tree roots
Lifting heavy boxes
Being vigilant about people going about their busi-ness close by
Missing important signs in the hives – increasingly due to limited sight
This is what is new for me as a result of Jared Dia-mond’s Constructive Paranoia.
Workload
I have a small apiary, typically 3 or 4 colonies. It has been my practice to inspect and carry out procedures
on all colonies in a single session. This creates its own risks, tiredness, rushing things, loss of concentration. I always felt it was the most efficient way to mange things. Not so sure now. I now work on a couple of colonies at each session. It may still be possible to inspect all colonies on the same day but take a break.
Planning and organising the work
Following Jared Diamond’s approach I have resolved to do something which I believe athletes and others do to improve their performance (not drugs!) It is visuali-sation. I try to perform a thorough mental rehearsal before going near the hives.
I ask myself questions and visualise an appropriate action or actions e.g.
What do I want to achieve e.g. full colony inspec-tion?
How much time should I set aside for the activity?
Will I need assistance?
What are the steps involved?
What equipment will I need?
Is there good access around the hives and suffi-cient space to set things down and allow me to move about without tripping over things?
Are neighbours or family likely to make an appear-ance?
Check the weather – look at the sky.
Then I pause, take a deep breath and stand looking at my apiary and visualise the sequence of actions I am about to undertake. What will a successful outcome look like? After visualisation, I should have set the ob-jective and standards clearly in my mind and picture a safe and efficient work flow.
Constructive paranoia and visualisation as an ap-proach for an ageing beekeeper with failing eyesight is a work in progress but I feel good about it rather than letting fear and anxiety drive me to give up my bees prematurely.
Constructive Paranoia
Hear here: patients want to be listened to Patients in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough want to be listened to by health professionals – especially those with long-term conditions, who are often experts in their own health.
A new report from Healthwatch into people’s views on improving local NHS services shows that patients want health professionals to acknowledge what they know about their own condition and what they experi-ence with it and also to listen to what they say.
You too can share your views on local NHS services. Healthwatch, the independent champion for people using health and social care services, wants to hear from you.
Do you need information about health/ care services? Healthwatch can help you find: - health or care services near to you;
- what to do if you have a concern or complaint; - organisations that can give you help or advice.
Get in touch - Via our websites: https://www.healthwatchpeterborough.co.uk/feedback-
on-care/ http://www.healthwatchcambridgeshire.co.uk/content/
have-your-say - Call us on 0330 355 1285 (local call number) - Email us: [email protected]
Read more about the What would you do? Report
on the Healthwatch Peterborough website or the
Healthwatch Cambridgeshire website
Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]
September 2019 8 Issue 173
The Labour Party in Huntingdon Our next monthly meeting is
Monday 16th September 7.30pm at The Medway Centre
More details on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/
HuntingdonLabourParty/ or via the website:
http://www.huntingdonlabourparty.org.uk
Come along and get involved in helping your neighbours and the community!
Opening Times Mon to Wed - Closed
Thurs - 18:00 - 22:00
Fri - 18:00 - 23:00
Sat - 13:00 - 23:00
Sun - 13:00 - 19:00
Open longer for special occasions
Dogs welcome
Mon-Fri 8.00 - 6.30
Sat 8.00 - 5.00
Sun 9.00 - 2.00
Bank Holidays 9.00 - 2.00
Grafham Community Shop
Tel: 01480 810119
Opening Times
www.grafhamvillageshop.co.uk
See page 5 for shop news in ‘Talking Shop’
‘Meet your Emergency Services’ Day
Saturday 7th September 10.30am – 2.30pm Market Square, Huntingdon
Here’s a great day out! Huntingdon welcomes repre-sentatives* from all our remark-able Emergency Services. The Police, Ambulance and Fire Services will be showcasing their facilities and demonstrat-ing skills and sharing stories that see them save lives every year.
Also attending is the local Magpas Emergency Medical Charity that works hand in hand with the emergency ser-vices to provide pre-hospital care by land and air. FREE Face painter and Dave the Balloon man.
Shakespearean Dinner and Show
18th,19th, 20th September
Shakespeare at The George Hotel
Come and enjoy a two or three course
meal followed by the brand new one-act
play from award-winning theatre compa-
ny Shakespeare at The George (SaTG).
Shakespearean was commissioned by
SaTG as part of its 60th anniversary
celebrations this year and was created
by writer/director Lynne Livingstone.
Call 01480 432444
FREE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP
Saturday 31st August 9:30am until 10:45am
i-d Image Development St Neots
Book your free place now as places are limited. (Registration required,
Age 15+)
To book or for more information
Tel: 01480 367033 or
email [email protected]
Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]
September 2019 9 Issue 173
Churchyard Rewilding Motivated by the very helpful advice and suggestions
from ecologist Dr Pat Doody, an enthusiastic group of
volunteers met on the first two Saturdays in August to
start preparing a flower
meadow in the church-
yard. We were delighted
to be joined by members
of the “Making the
Change Happen” group,
and hope to join them on
future projects for the village.
As a result we are making good progress on
the early stage of strimming or scything the
long grass and then removing the cuttings.
This will be followed by mowing and then
scarifying the soil surface, so that flower
seeds can be sown in the autumn.
Once again we enjoyed the coffee and deli-
cious cakes baked by Diana Thomas.
The next meeting will be on Saturday August 31st
at 10am. Do come along and join us!
All help would be greatly appreciated. To find out
more contact Jean Baty [email protected]
Police and fire officers urge public to help prevent arson
POLICE and fire officers are urging the public to be vigilant and report suspicious behaviour in a bid to prevent arsons in the county.
Over the past few years, the fire service has dealt with more than 80 arsons during the month of August.
Sergeant Craig Flavell, from the force’s Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT), said,
‘The summer months see an increase in rural arsons, with the harvest resulting in an increase in stack fires, when hay bales are deliberately set on fire. I would urge anyone who sees suspicious behaviour, particu-
larly around vulnerable locations, such as hay stacks, to call police and if a crime is taking place call 999.’
RCAT deal with stack fires in a joint operation with the fire service called Op Armitage. This involves:
a dedicated response plan when called into either emergency services,
covert and overt tactics,
crime prevention from both emergency services,
regular meetings between police and fire to share information/intelligence.
To help prevent stack fires, farm workers are urged to store hay away from the road and keep fuel, fertilisers and pesticides under lock and key.
Continued at the bottom of page 11
September 2019 10 Issue 173
Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]
Join Our Short Walks
Ideal for people of any age, who would
like to get a little fitter
Walks are free, leisurely, lasting
around 30 minutes
Starting from The Surgery,
Buckden
Every Thursday at 10.00am
Come and make new friends, build
up energy and fitness
Walks are led by
Hunts District Council trained
walk leaders
Buckden Gardeners Association Buckden Gardeners Association meets on the third Tuesday of the month from October to April in Buckden Village Hall. Topics focus on gardening but also include related subjects such as wild flowers, bees and birds. In the summer months we organise outings to gardens and related areas. All are welcome.
For more information please visit our website www.buckdengardeners.info or just come along.
Rosemary Surridge, Secretary
I’ve got about 30 different games but I’m always interested in playing new ones! Robert
Looking for the Goshawk -
The Lost Raptor
7.30pm Wed 11th Sept
Brampton Memorial Hall
The Huntingdonshire Local Group of the Wildlife Trust invites you
to their first indoor meeting of the autumn. This illustrated talk
about Goshawks will be given by Conor Jameson, who has
worked for the RSPB and BirdLife for over 25 years. Conor has
written for The Guardian and BBC Wildlife and is a columnist for
the RSPB magazine ‘Natures Home.’
The talk will tell the story behind Conor’s well known book ‘Looking
for the Goshawk’, which took him to some unexpected places at
home and abroad in search of this mystery-shrouded bird of prey.
Originally found in the UK, the goshawk was persecuted to extinc-tion in the late 19
th century but re-introduced in the late 1960s.
Conor will expand upon the turbulent history of the Goshawk, in-
cluding how it lives, where it lives and why it might be missing from
our lives.
Please meet at Brampton Memorial Hall, Thrapston Road,
Brampton, PE28 4T. No booking is necessary. For more infor-
mation please contact Alistair Grant [email protected] or
07775 365 507. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part of the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire
Registered Charity No: 1000412
Bedfordshire Cambridgeshire Northamptonshire
Huntingdonshire Local Group
Have you tried the parkrun
yet?
It’s a free 5km run,
jog or walk that takes
place at
Hinchingbrooke
Country Park, every
Saturday at 9.00am.
Parkrun happens in
various other places
all over the country.
You should register
with
www.parkrun.org.uk/
huntingdon before
your first run and you
will get a barcode, so
that you obtain a
registered time on
completing the run.
You can run round
the course or walk or
jog or just watch if
you prefer, then you
can join everyone for
coffee afterwards if
you wish. Huntingdon
Parkrun is organised
by volunteers. If
you’d like to volunteer
to help email:
huntingdonhelp-
You’ll find everything
you need to know at
www.parkrun.org.uk/
huntingdon
September 2019 11 Issue 173
Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]
Come and find out about the fascinating lives of our bees and pollinators with the Grafham bee-keepers, Sue, Nick, Barbara, Andy, Jo and wild bee champion Val Littlewood.
The beekeepers are bringing a small demonstration hive and there will be a display of bee keeping equip-ment, honey tastings and beeswax products for sale.
There will be lots of useful information about how the beekeepers work with our honeybees and about the life cycles of our important bumble and solitary bees, with a solitary bee house on display complete with bee nests.
You will find some great gardening tips about the best plants and shrubs both, native and non-native,
to grow, as well as simple things you can do in even the smallest garden to help wildlife and pollinators.
There will be bee-friendly plants to take away and plant in your garden.
*If you have any plants to spare or are dividing clumps of perennials please bring some along to share or swap.
The Grafham Trout will be open for refreshments. Everyone is welcome.
For more information contact Sue Fancourt: [email protected] or Val Littlewood: [email protected]
Come and Meet the Pollinators,
Grafham Village Hall
Sunday 6th October 1pm - 4pm
Station Commander Pete Jones, Arson Liaison Officer for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, said:
‘Fires started deliberately like this pose significant is-sues for us. Not only do they present a risk to our crews, like any fire, but the crews committed here are not available to respond to other emergencies. This is very frustrating as fires like this are avoidable and could delay our response to another emergency. Arson is a serious crime and can have severe consequences for
those who start a fire, no matter how big or how small it is. Not only this, but any fire presents significant risks for anyone around the area if it gets out of hand.’
If you have information about a deliberate fire or have seen suspicious activity please submit an online report at www.cambs.police.uk call the police on 101 in a non-emergency or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111. If it is an emergency call 999.
For fire safety advice, visit: https://www.cambs.police.uk/A-Z/Arson
Police and fire officers... continued from page 9
September 2019 12 Issue 173
Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]
Monday 25th November Thursford Christmas Spectacular
Departing from Huntingdon Bus Station 10.50am
Coach leaves Thursford after the end of the show, usually about 5.00pm
Price per person is £60.00 which includes the return coach travel and ticket entry to this spectacular show.
We will be joining a trip already organised by Dews Coaches. Please contact me, ASAP.
This is a direct coach from Huntingdon straight to the venue, so you will have to make your own ar-rangements for food. I would advise that Thursford does have the Garden Pavilion restaurant serving home cooked food (such as jackets, casseroles and curries.) They also have three snack cafés serving food and drinks and a fully licensed bar.
For more information or to book please contact me on 07711 012957 or email:
Details of the planned road closures, diversions and latest news can be found on the Highways England website by
clicking here or type
www.highwaysengland.co.uk/A14C2H
into your search engine,
or stay updated by following: https://twitter.com/a14c2h
and https://en-gb.facebook.com/A14C2H
There is also a dedicated A14 Public Helpline
0800 270 0114
Details of the planned road closures and diversions are also available on the Grafham village web site
www.grafham.org.uk Ed
A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme
Sunday 22nd September
England vs Tonga KO 11.15am
Saturday 5th October
England vs Argentina KO 9am
Saturday 12th October
England vs France KO 9.15am
Saturday 2nd November
Final KO 9am
Bacon rolls will be available
We will be open for all knock out rounds that England make it to – keep an eye on Facebook for updates!
Huntingdon Library and Archives
Huntingdon Library and Archives is celebrating its 10th an-
niversary this year. The building was opened in November
2009 by Dame Evelyn Glennie, and provides a welcoming
space for all members of the community.
To celebrate, a series of special events and activities have
been organized. In June we enjoyed our first ever Murder
Mystery Evening with many thanks going to The Wellworth
Players for a fun and an entertaining evening, and in July
we held a very special 10th birthday party attended by over
100 children.
Quiz Night at Huntingdon Library Help us carry on the celebrations with a Quiz Night on Sat-
urday 7th September, at Huntingdon Library, 7.30pm. Join
quizmaster Keith Parker for a fun and friendly general
knowledge quiz night. Bring a team of up to 6 people or
meet others to make up a team on the night. Everyone is
very welcome. Please bring your own nibbles and drinks.
£5 per person. Booking essential. Tickets available from
Huntingdon Library.
The Library Presents 'The Library Presents’ is back for a new brilliant season of arts
in Cambridgeshire libraries this autumn and tickets are availa-
ble soon. The Season starts on Saturday 21st September -
taking high quality, affordable arts activities into the heart of
towns and villages across the County - until Saturday 15th
December.
The full programme and tickets are available from
www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/arts and participating libraries or
through @TheLibraryPresents facebook page.
What is the WEA? EngAGE in Afternoon Thursday 5th September Huntingdon Library 1.30pm – 3pm
Discover how the history of the Workers’ Educational Or-
ganisation and what it offers today in Huntingdon and the
surrounding area.
Free (donations welcome) booking required. Please speak
to library staff or call 0345 045 5225 for a ticket.
Writing and Publishing Workshop Saturday 31st August Huntingdon Library 10.30am – 12pm Discover strategies and tips to help you develop as a writer
plus discussion on the practicalities of self-publishing and
approaching mainstream publishers with your work.
Tutors: Jane Menczer, Mark Wells and Miranda Doyle.
£8 per person. Booking and payment in advance.
Tickets from Huntingdon Library or call 0345 045 5225
September 2019 13 Issue 173
Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]
Send your news, views, photos, recipes and gossip to [email protected]
To advertise, email: [email protected]
During the last 10 years 190 Boys and Girls from the villag-
es around Grafham Water will have attended the fortnightly
activities during term time at Grafham Water Centre as
members of the Lions Adventure Club
The Club was established in November 2009 following
fundraising by the Lions Club at Perry Fétes, and a part-
nership being established between Huntingdon Grafham
Water Lions Club and Grafham Water Centre (GWC). The
Lions Club acts as organisers and GWC provides the facili-
ties, equipment and instructors.
The Club gives local children between the ages of 8 and
13 years, the opportunity to experience a range of activi-
ties that they may otherwise have been unable to access,
with the aim of developing personal and social skills. Effec-
tive learning takes place in an environment of fun and en-
joyment with experienced and skilled instructors.
The Club has had a full membership during this time with
a long waiting list for places, including some children who
have not achieved the qualifying age!
To celebrate our 10th birthday we are inviting all present
and past members to join us for tea and birthday cake at
Grafham Water Centre between 12noon and 2pm on Sat-
urday 16th November. It would help us to know who is
coming along so please contact as below.
We would love to see how our past member’s lives have
panned out and whether they have taken up any of the
activities they participated in during their 3 years member-
ship.
The Lions Club continues to subsidise membership via
fundraising events and our next event is on 28th Septem-
ber when we will hold an ABBA themed night at the
Grafham Water Sailing Club.
For further details about the Club and its activities, or for
members past and present to book a place for
tea and cake, please telephone Lion Bernard
Dable on 0345 8337516 or email:
Huntingdon Grafham Water Lions Adventure Club to Celebrate its 10th Birthday on Saturday 16
th November
Let’s disagree kindly
In the 1990s a new species of crayfish (known as the
"Marmokrebs") was discovered. What makes this
particular species interesting is that all of them are
female and they reproduce asexually, which means
that a child is genetically identical to its parent (and
its siblings). Scientists saw a valuable opportunity to
explore a fundamental question: what shapes who
we are, our genes or our environment? And so, sci-
entists put several genetically identical marmokrebs
in exactly the same environment (same food, same
temperature, same PH) to see what would happen.
To their surprise they found that the
marmokrebs developed to be very
different (as far as crayfish can be
different) - they grew to be different
sizes, with different colouring, with
preferences for different food. All of
this suggests that we're neither con-
trolled by our genes, nor by our environment; other
factors are involved and everything is even more
complicated than we thought.
In a world in which we seem to be increasingly divid-
ed, I wonder whether we all need to start making a
conscious effort to be kinder to one another. It's easy
to pass off those who differ from us as either stupid,
lazy, acting in bad faith, or having "bad blood". But
when we seek to understand and accept our differ-
ences it's often easier to come together. Jesus never
shied away from telling people when they were in the
wrong, but he always took steps towards those who
disagreed with him rather than distancing himself.
There are plenty of things out there to disagree on,
but let's do so kindly. Mike
(To read more from Mike visit: www.eastleightonstone.com/
and click on Blog.
Contact details for Mike can be found on page 2. Ed) © Crown Copyright - Cefas
Marmokrebs or marbled crayfish
September 2019 14 Issue 173
Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]
GRAFHAM WATER (NEXT TO THE VISITOR CENTRE)
WIDE RANGE AT LOW PRICES
OPEN WEDNESDAY- SUNDAY 09.00-17.30 TEL:01480 819730
FREE PARKING & FREE DELIVERY
PET & WILD BIRD FOOD
www.petfoodsdirect2u.co.uk
Free back door, when ordered with 5 or more windows
For a free, no obligation quotation please contact your local representative Jon Goodchild on 07825 238240 or email
WINDOWS DOORS ROOFLINE
CONSERVATORIES
GARDEN ROOMS FLAT ROOFS
www.gaphomeimprovements.co.uk
Grafham Plumbing and Heating Ltd
Oftec registered technician
High efficiency condensing boilers fitted
Oil tanks fitted complete with bases
All boilers serviced
All plumbing undertaken
Vaporising appliances fitted and serviced
Service and maintenance plans available Professional, friendly and reliable
01480 812590
07799 640476
Paul's Private Hire and Chauffeur Service Van Diemens Way, Grafham,
Huntingdon, Cambs. PE28 0GB
Tel. 01480 811594 Mobile 07795 296281 Email [email protected]
Travel in style via Mercedes cars to your destinations
JEZ ASHCROFT LTD All your decorating needs including:
Coving, Internal Decorating
Drylining & Plastering
FREE ESTIMATES
Please Call
Tel: 01480 812461 Mobile: 07708031493
Kevin Hutchinson • Reliable Local Carpenter and Joiner
• All carpentry work undertaken
• Fitted kitchens, new doors, wood flooring and much more
• No job too small
Tel: 01480 811863/07889 414274
BSM BSM Driving Instructor DSA Approved, Pass Plus Registered Living locally in Grafham
Call John Sisseman for details
Tel. 07806 941675
Cinnamon Bar and Indian Restaurant Open 7 days a week 5pm to 10.30pm Also lunch time if pre-booked for 5 or more people
Call 01480 812211/811316 Thursday Night is 'Banquet Night'
1 starter, 1 main, 1 side.
Any rice or any nan £13.50 King prawn or duck £1.50 extra
http://cinnamonhuntingdon.co.uk/
September 2019 15 Issue 173
Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected]
Bringing Back The Meadows
Bugs, Bees and Flowers and their Importance to Us Some facts
We have lost a shocking 97% of our grassland mead-
ows over the last 40 years.
Along with those once abundant acres we have also
lost:
- the bees and bugs which pollinate our crops,
- invertebrates, amphibians and small mammals which
are essential members of the food chain,
- the flowers, trees, and shrubs which provided natural
carbon storage and shelter for animals and birds.
The effect has been to impoverish our soils, necessi-
tate pesticide use and strip the countryside of its life
and throw nature out of balance.
What we can do to help
We can all help by planting more native wildflowers
and leaving more wild areas in our gardens and com-
munities. Sometimes it is difficult to persuade people
that a “scruffy” garden patch or an “untidy” unmown
lawn is actually a huge benefit to wildlife and, in turn,
a huge benefit to us. But they really are.
Here are a few ideas:
Plant wildflowers and seeds: check the height and
sun requirement of the plants. Bear in mind some
are perennial and some annual. Consider that in
Grafham we have heavy clay and remember wild
flowers like poor soil!
Make sure whatever you buy is of British origin.
A few good providers of UK wildflowers and seeds:
Wildflowers UK: https://www.wildflowers.uk/clay-soils-
c2x17722169 They have some clay specific plug
plants.
Habitat Aid: https://www.habitataid.co.uk/ All sorts of
UK seeds and plants for various sites and uses
and lots of advice.
Puddle Plants: https://www.puddleplants.co.uk/uk-
native-plants/ water and margin plants.
Bee Happy Plants: https://beehappyplants.co.uk/uk-
wild-plants-for-bees/ Yes! Plants for bees!
Mow the lawn less frequently and see the selfheal,
clover and birds foot trefoil pop up covered with
bees and pollinators.
Leave some areas to grow wild but keep nettles,
long grasses, thistles and brambles at bay as they
may smother the flowers you already have.
Make a pond, however small, and plant with native
waterplants: such as purple loosestrife, watermint.
marsh marigold and yellow flag. You will have drag-
onflies.
In the village
The churchyard: Good wildflower areas may look
effortless, but they need managing. Annual mowing
has to be undertaken when flower seeds have been
shed and clippings removed so as not to enrich the
soil. Barer patches of earth are necessary to allow the
seeds to recolonise and some plants such as bram-
bles, thistles and nettles need to be kept in check. In
the village an initiative to improve the churchyard, a
natural candidate for some wild beauty, has got off to
a great start with clearing and scarifying to be followed
by some September seeding. Watch this space!
One of the aims of our ‘Making the Change in
Grafham’ environmental group is to introduce more
areas of wildflowers, shrubs and trees and possibly a
community garden. I hope we can rely on your sup-
port. Join in on Facebook here https://
www.facebook.com/groups/2163121293796272/
If you would like to know more about bees, wildflow-
ers, garden flowers and pollinator friendly habitats do
please come along to our ‘Meet the Pollinators’ af-
ternoon on Sunday 6th October from 1-4pm in the
village hall. The village beekeepers will be there with
info about honey bees. I will be there championing
wild bees and what they need to survive. There will be
plants and loads of info for gardeners.
I hope you will be able to join us.
Val Littlewood
For more info about “Making the Change In Grafham”
contact Chris or Amanda on:
and sign up for our mailing list here:
http://eepurl.com/gxgeM1
On page 7 there is more information about the ‘Meet
the Pollinators’ afternoon, including contact details.
Make a Will Month - Have you got round to making or updating your Will?
Now’s the time! Local solicitors and Will writers are kindly donating their time to write or update a standard Will in return for a donation to Arthur Rank Hospice.
Make a Will to make sure those you care about most are provided for - it’s easier than you think.
This scheme offers people the chance to make their Will at a vastly reduced rate. We suggest a donation of
£100 for a simple single Will and £160 for a basic mirror Will. Thanks to the generosity of local solicitors and Will writers and help from people like you, this scheme has raised over £15,000 to help fund the care and support we provide to those who need our support.
For more details, visit arhc.org.uk/makeawill or call 01223 675881
email [email protected]
Registered Charity No. 1133354
Website: www.grafham.org.uk E-mail: [email protected] Opinions expressed in the Grafham Gossip, including past issues, are those of the writer and not the editors.
September 2019 16 Issue 173
Printed by Easiprint 01733 602302
Grafham Wildlife and Conservation Group Regional winners of the BTCV Green Award 2006 & 2007 invite you to carry out woodland conservation
Call Sam Malt: 01480 811654 / 07849 082870
or email: [email protected] www.gwcg.btck.co.uk/
Across the Churches Bible Study We are a small group meeting twice a month (Tuesdays 7.30pm) for Bible study, prayer and fellowship. We come from different churches and are always happy to welcome new members.
For more information, please contact Rob or Jean Clark 01480 890033.
Grafham Church Flower Club We are available to decorate the church for weddings and other church occasions.
Floral arrangements for: pedestal, altar, font, windowsills, pew ends, pillars.
Please contact Hazel Powell on
01480 810326 for details and quotes.
If anyone in the village has foliage in their garden that they would be willing to donate for church decoration for festivals, please let us know, we would be very grateful.
The Mobile Library Route H24 visits Breach Road, Grafham on the 4th Wednesday of every month from 10.40 to 11.00. Next visits - 25th September
For renewals/ enquiries call 0345 045 5225 or click here
.Come and join the
GRAFHAM LINE DANCERS Beginners are welcome
Monday evenings in the Village Hall
7.30 – 9.00pm
For more information ring Julia 01480 811613 or Text Penny 07986 509481
Ellington and Grafham WI
meets on the first Tuesday of the month in Ellington village hall. Membership is £41 per annum but you are most welcome to come as a visitor. The programme is varied and interesting with speakers or events every month.
September a glassblowing demonstration with hands-on experience as well, starting at 19.30 in Ellington Village Hall. For more information please contact:
Sue 01480 896139 [email protected] or Ann 01480 891192 [email protected]
Grafham Little Fishes Toddler and Baby stay and play session
All Welcome Beginning 4th September
Wednesdays 10.00 to 11.20 term time only Grafham Village Hall
Free play time followed by a short bible story, action songs and simple craft.
Just turn up on the day
Little Fishes is very short of helpers to make tea/coffee. Please contact Hazel 810326 or email: [email protected] if you can help.
See also the notice on page 2
Coffee Morning Grafham Social Committee invites you to
Coffee Mornings at 10.30am on the third
Wednesday of the month:
18th September - Tina, 5 Home Close
This is an informal social occasion for
residents of the village. Please come along
for a cup of coffee and a chat.
GRAFHAM VILLAGE HALL has a Public Entertainments Licence for music, dancing, performing arts and can accommodate 92 guests seated in rows or 150 at a dance/disco - an ideal venue for children's and family parties. There is a playing field for sports activities and the hall has small changing rooms with shower facilities.
For details or to book, tel: 07711 769911
Grafham and Ellington Art GroupGrafham and Ellington Art GroupGrafham and Ellington Art Group http://grafhamandellingtonart.weebly.com/ Grafham Village Hall, Every Tuesday 1.30-4pm Calling all who want to meet and paint with like minded people on a regular basis.
Beginners and those with more skills are all very welcome.
Cost: About £2 to cover hall hire/refreshments. Come along with your paints and equipment!
Please ring me for more details.
Jackie Woods 01480 890279
Quiz night Last Thursday of every month
Starting at 8pm
Teams of 4, £1 entry per person
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