Long Distance Walkers visiting Great Gidding

Long Distance Walkers visiting Great Gidding

Get your walking shoes ready

On  Sunday  2nd March the Beds Bucks and Northants (BBN) will be starting one of their 20 mile day walks from Great Gidding. The walk is called Huntingdonshire Wolds which this area is historically known as and is still referred to by the District and County Council.

The start will be at 9am from the Village Hall car park.  the distance to be covered is around 18 miles. We stop for a refreshment breaks at around 5, 10 and 15 miles. Bring a packed lunch. These walks are not meant to be route marches the pace should be modest and comfortable for everyone.

This is an opportunity for any local people to sample what the Long Distance Walking is all about http://www.ldwa.org.uk/index.php

Use this link to find out about the nearest Long Distance Walking  Group http://www.ldwa.org.uk/bedsbucksandnorthants

 

Great Gidding’s Night of SWING!

Great Gidding Swing Night

Come along to Great Gidding’s Swing Night in aid of St Michael’s Church. Tickets are £15 per head and you can book a circular table for up to 10 people.

The music will be live Swing with a singer (Lyn Jones!) and 16 piece band.

Dinner and bar

Tickets £15.00 per person
Location: Great Gidding Village Hall (done up to the 9’s)
Start Time: 19:30
Date: 25th Jan 2014

Book a table today!

Telephone Sue Shepherd on 01832 293479 or email shepnsue@btinternet.com

Car stolen in Great Gidding – Neighbourhood Watch

Car stolen in Great Gidding - Neighbourhood Watch

Crime does happen in Great Gidding.
Neighbourhood Watch logo
A Gidding resident has just had their car stolen from their drive during the night. Be alert!

Are you worried about crime or becoming a victim of crime?

Come and find out how Neighbourhood Watch works and how we can all help protect ourselves and our property. Join us for a short presentation by Brian Wilson from Community Safety & Chief Inspector Laura Hunt from Cambridgeshire Police.
Everyone welcome.

7pm  Tuesday 19th November 2013
The Village Hall, Main Street, Great Gidding

History Group meeting dates 2013/14

History Group meeting dates 2013/14

Great Gidding History Group
The group meets on the third Wednesday of each month between September and April. 7.30PM start time. The meetings are very informal – chatting and exchanging memories, sometimes photos or objects are brought in for discussion.
The next meeting dates are:

Wednesday 18th September
Wednesday 16th October
Wednesday 20st November
Wednesday 18th December
Wednesday 15th January
Wednesday 26th February
Wednesday 19th March
Wednesday 16th April
The venue will be the Village Hall unless otherwise stated.

The Village Produce Show

The Village Produce Show

The Annual Produce Show will be on Saturday 7th September.

Latest posts first, scroll down for show schedule.

June 2013

Only 3 months to go and the pressure is on. The weather is at last trying to help and plants are in catch up mode.

Latest concept in bird detterents Veg in raised beds The allotments holders are setting the pace

 

April

 SHOW SCHEDULE

Vegetables and Fruit

1      Carrots                                 3

2      Potatoes (white)                     5 on a plate

3      Potatoes (coloured)                5 on a plate

4      Courgettes                            2

5      Shallots                                5

6      Onions                                  3 – each under 225 g

7      Onions                                  3 – each over 225 g

8      Runner Beans                        6

9      Longest Runner Bean              1

10    Leeks                                   3

11    Dwarf French Beans                6

12    Beetroot                               3

13    Sweetcorn                             2

14    Tomatoes                              5

15    Cherry Tomatoes                    8

16    Vegetable marrow                   1

17    Apples (dessert)                    5

18    Apples (cooking)                    5

19    Pears                                   5

20    Plums                                   5

21    Collection of cut herbs, 4 varieties in one container

22    Biggest Pumpkin

23    Largest Onion

24    Largest Marrow

25    Top Tray, collection of 3 kinds of vegetables on a tray, selected from the following, number as indicated in brackets.  Onions(3) Potatoes(3) Runner Beans(6) Tomatoes(6) Carrots with tops(6) Parsnips with tops (3)

 

Plants and Flowers

1       Three decorative Dahlias

2       Cut Chrysanthemum – single stem

3       Five cut Roses

4       Gladioloi – 3 stems of same variety

5       Gladioli -5 stems of any varieties

6       Vase of Crocosmia – 3 stems

7       Agapanthus single stem

8       Cactus or Succulent – 1 specimen

9       Best Pot-Plant

10     Top Vase – between 5 and 10 stems of at least 2 varieties

Jam and Chutney – made since 2012 Village Show

1      Jam              Any fruit

2      Jelly             Any fruit

3     Chutney        All ingredients to be listed on label

 

Baking

 

  1. 1.  Apple Cake
Ingredients

  • 225g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
  • 450g cooking apples
  • Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 225g caster sugar, plus extra for dredging
  • 3 large eggs
  • 225g self-raising flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 25g ground almonds
  • 1 tbsp demerara sugar

 

 

METHOD

 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas4. Grease a deep 23-24cm springform cake tin and line with baking paper. Peel, core and cut the apples into 1cm pieces, and toss with the lemon juice.

2. Using an electric hand whisk, cream together the butter, caster sugar and lemon zest in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, adding a little flour with each addition to keep the mixture smooth.

3. Sift the remaining flour and the baking powder into the bowl and fold in with the ground almonds. Drain the apple pieces well, then stir into the mixture.

4. Spoon into the prepared cake tin, lightly level the top and sprinkle with the demerara sugar. Bake in the oven for 1 hour or until well-risen, brown and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If the cake starts to look a little too brown, cover with a sheet of baking paper after about 45 minutes.

5. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the tin and place on a serving plate. Dredge heavily with the extra caster sugar.

 2       Fruit cake – any size /type of fruit3      Plain Scones      5 on a plate4      Cheese Scones   5 on a plate

5      Sausage Rolls    5 on a plate – shortcrust pastry

6      Bread –  5 White rolls,made by hand

7      Bread – Wholemeal loaf made by machine

8      Shortcake              5 on a plate

 

Craft Section

1      Knitted  handicraft item completed since last year

2      Hard handicraft item completed since last year[woodwork/pottery/metal]

3       An item of patchwork or quilting

4      A hand-made greetings card.

5       Any sewn item, including clothes

 

Miscellaneous

1      Six Brown eggs

2      Six White eggs

3       Bottle of Home made wine

4       Bottle of home made sloe gin. Made in last 2 years

 

 

Children’s Section (under 15)

 

1a    Tallest sunflower                              Age up to and including 10 years

1b    Tallest sunflower                              Age 11 and over

2      Animal made from vegetables and/or flowers

3      A scarecrow (as big as you like)

4      A decorated cup cake    Age up to and including 10 years

5      A decorated cup cake made by entrant   Age 11 and over

6      A decorated hard boiled eg

7      Something made from a kit eg. Woodwork,models,

Soft toy

 

 

March
All the details to follow.

Hopefully the protracted winter will relent soon so that we can get seeds and plants under-way but heading up to Easter 2013 it doesn’t look promising especially for those new potato planters who use Easter as a calendar reference for sowing

Web links that may or may not help you in your quest for produce perfection

Don’t despair take a look at this website for inspiration on how to grow show veg and here for everyday veg

Not to be left out for the cooks amongst you, some baking tips from down under and a taster from Jam World

Aunt Sally Tournament

Aunt Sally Tournament

Back by popular demand

August Bank Holiday sees the return of the popular Aunt Sally Tournament which will be held at the Fox & Hounds, Great Gidding.

The projected start time will be 2pm and the format and rules will be similar to the 2011 event. Last year we didn’t bother because of the relentless wet and then the highly successful Olympic games got in the way.

Further updates will follow and we will have a practice evening soon.

If any one would like to sponsor the event with a bottle of fizz for the winner  then please let me know.

Last time !

 

Aunt Sally competition - August bank holiday 2011

The previous winner Dave Barrett-Hague receiving the trophy and goodies from tournament organiser Michael Trolove

 

Great Gidding Gala Week

Great Gidding Gala Week

A new July event for Great Gidding

A new event for The Giddings! Following the weekend of the Eliot Festival at Little Gidding there will be a series of cultural and fun events held in and around the village. From Monday 8th July through to Sunday 14th July there will be poetry, arts, crafts, lunches, cultural visits and a couple of fun events to cater for all tastes.

Events list

Saturday 6th July and Sunday 7th July

T S Eliot
T S Eliot Festival at Little Gidding
Monday 8th July
History walk around Great Gidding
A guided walk around Great Gidding, looking at a number of historical sites, starting at Chapel End and then along Main Street. Start time 5pm Mill Farm, Chapel End
Tuesday 9th July
Fox and Hounds Great Gidding
Poetry Please, your choice of poem. Tell Paul Burgess 293354 by Friday 5th July.
Start time 11am at 85 Main Street.

Fox & Hounds Lunch, start time 12.30pm.
Booking and menu choice phone 293657 before 1st July.

Menu 1, Ham , salad and hot new potatoes £6.00.
Menu
2, Scampi, chips & peas £7.00

Wednesday 10th July
Wif Waf Evening in Great Gidding Village Hall
Wif Waf evening – fun and games in the Village Hall.
Start time 3.15 through till 10pm, includes an adult bouncy castle.
Thursday 11th July
Spiceland, Peterborough
Visit the Lincoln Road Temple, PE1 3BU from 9.30am

Curry Club lunch at Spiceland 12.30pm . Booking meal phone  293354 or 293591

In the evening there will be a talk about the Civil War and it’s effects on the local area.
Start time 7.30pm, Village Hall.

 Friday 12th July 
Peterborough Museum
A visit to the recently refurbished Peterborough Museum  from 10am and then in the evening “Eliot for Dummies” – a not too serious chat about T S Eliot and his work, meeting at 85 Main Street from 7.30pm
Saturday 13th July
Art Exhibition in Great Gidding
Arts, crafts, photographs and sculpture by residents of Gidding and the surrounding villages  to be held in St Michael’s Church between 2pm _ 5pm followed by an evening concert. Music by Bach & Handel featuring Fergus Black (organ) and Leslie Crowson (tenor) Tickets £4 pay at door.
Start 7.30pm.
Sunday 14th July
St Michael's Church Great Gidding
“Desert Island Hymns”  11.30am – choose your favourite hymn to be sung during the service this, followed by a Garden Party Lunch 12.30pm. Food provided but bring your own drinks.

Choice of Hymn to Lois Jordan 293178 or johndeval@hotmail.com

Further updates and announcements will appear here on the run up to the event

If you would like to help with any of the events or submit an item for the display in the church please let one of the organisers know.

Paul Burgess, Mary Read, Roland Bostock, Julie Morrison and Julie Trolove

Alternatively use the contact form below.

 

Midsummer Picnic 2013

Midsummer Picnic 2013

Its getting closer

May I draw your attention to the fact that the annual Midsummer Picnic held to celebrate the planting of the Jubilee Wood will reach its 10th gathering in June 2013.

Usual format, bring your own picnic and chat. There will be an unveiling or cutting of ribbon ceremony to celebrate 10 years of tree growth and picnicking in the coldest, wettest field in the parish.

From 4pm until the goose bumps appear (4:10pm)

The date of the picnic is Sunday June 23rd

 

 

A random selection of Mid Summer Picnic photographs from previous years.

 

 

 

The Big Lunch & Have A Field day

The Big Lunch & Have A Field day

Picnic time on the Recreation Field

Sunday, June 2nd  on Great Gidding Recreation Field and if even just the weather repeats itself as last year then it will be a grand day out.

The Big Lunch is all about community coming together to share a meal which in our case is more of a picnic but the aims are still the same. Meeting neighbour’s and villagers who you don’t often see, catching up with all the latest news or just taking up the challenge of the mass rounders game.

Have a Field Day is the formal recognition that our Recreation Field is now in trust and will never be built on

Details of the Big Lunch nationally can be found with this link

Date – Sunday 2nd June

Time –  12:00 until 4:00pm

An Evening in the Garden

An Evening in the Garden

Title: An Evening in the Garden
Location: Crown Cottage, Main Street, Great Gidding
Description: Come along to a Garden Party at Crown Cottage, Great Gidding on Saturday 22nd June 7.30pm featuring the Peter Shepherd Jazz Trio and King’s School Swing Band. (In support of Emily Read’s expedition to the Arctic).

Tickets £10.00 per person. Catered bar and buffet.
Dress code ~ smart as you please.

Call 01832 293 479 or email shepnsue@btinternet.com
Start Time: 19:30
Date: 2013-06-22

An Evening in the Garden, Great Gidding