Photos: Great Gidding School Summer Fete 2013

By on July 9, 2013   /   Great Gidding C of E Primary School, Home page latest news, News stories and reports   /   Leave a comment
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Photos: Great Gidding School Summer Fete 2013

What a cracking day for the school fete! Scorching sun brought lots of parents, children and village residents along to Great Gidding School on Saturday 6th July for the annual school fete.

This year a very special guest, Warwick Davis, kindly opened the fete and made us all laugh with his warmth and wit – along with some very unpretentious name-dropping! Lots of stalls displaying everything from temporary tattoos to tempting cupcakes kept everyone happy and the afternoon was a great success.

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Photos: Great Gidding Gala July 2013 – History Walk

By on July 9, 2013   /   Giddings history, Home page latest news, News stories and reports   /   Leave a comment
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The first Giddings event of Gala Week kicked off with a wonderful tour yesterday evening of Anglo Saxon Great Gidding, led by archaeology historian Josie Barnacle and ably aided by Patrick Ellis.

Instead of peering over the gates, it was a delight to be able to walk across fields that had been opened especially for the event and to see the location of the old windmill, hollow ways and indications of Anglo Saxon housing platforms. The sun shone as we wandered along the old road, sloping down from the site of the windmill to where the open marketplace had once bustled.

Further round and we saw part of the moat that possibly once encircled an old manor house, from there leading on to St Michael’s Church via Church Lane – now commonly known to all as ‘the jitty’ (or should we spell that with a ‘g’ as we’re in GG).

Josie had handed out maps at the start of the walk – some dating from 1641 and others from a later date, so it was very interesting to follow our track and see how the settlement had expanded away from the original location. Many facts, stories and anecdotes were imparted throughout the walk and many thanks to the Gala committee and Michael & Julie for tip top refreshments at the end of the walk.

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Photos: An Evening in the Garden June 22nd

By on July 6, 2013   /   Home page latest news, News stories and reports, Uncategorized   /   Leave a comment
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Photos: An Evening in the Garden June 22nd

‘An Evening in the Garden’ (in support of Emily Read’s expedition to the Arctic) took place at Crown Cottage, Great Gidding on Saturday 22nd June and featured the Peter Shepherd Jazz Trio and King’s School Swing Band.

A note from Emily:

Thank you hugely to everybody who supported the summer garden party on the 22nd of June in aid of my BES trip to the arctic this summer, sitting in the blustery wind, listening to the Peter Sheppard Jazz Trio and King’s School Swing Band. Thanks also the Bill the horse and his assistants behind the bar, everybody who helped massively behind the scenes with marquee assemble/dissemble team, all involved in the provision of food, decoration and generally keeping the night running! I will think of you all warmly as I’m trekking across a glacier.

Emily Read

We all wish her a great time and a safe journey.

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Michael is runner-up in ‘Green Champion of the Year’ award

By on June 17, 2013   /   Home page latest news, News stories and reports, Parish Council News & Notices   /   2 Comments
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Michael is runner-up in 'Green Champion of the Year' award

This year’s Green Heart Community Awards, backed by the News & Crier and organised by Huntingdonshire District Council, took place at the Burgess Hall in St Ives. Judges received more than 30 entries for six categories including: Best Primary School, Best Secondary School/College, Green Champion of the Year, Best Wildlife or Nature Initiative, Best Environmental Project and Best Business Environmental Project. The shortlisted nominees for each of the categories were invited to an evening dedicated to them and their hard work in helping to improve the environment of Huntingdonshire.

Great Gidding Parish Council nominated Michael Trolove for the Green Heart Community award and he came runner up at the awards ceremony held at the Burgess Hall on Saturday 15th June.

The Parish Council’s nomination:

Working with the Parish Council and the wildlife Trust, Michael Trolove has always been a valuable asset to the wildlife of Great Gidding.

In the last year Michael has dedicated a great deal of time to the renovation of two village ponds and installed a dipping platform. He has recently prepared a third pond in the Jubilee Wood and as a trained Newt Officer, Michael has also developed the Great Gidding Newt Trail; popular with villagers and visitors alike.

As a Tree Warden, Michael keeps a full list of trees on site and all of them have been given a numbered tag for identification. He has been in discussions with DEFRA concerning Ash Dieback Disease and spends much time planting trees around the Parish, organising a planting event and pop up coffee shop, enjoyed by all for the Diamond Jubilee.

Michael works hard on the maintenance of Jubilee Wood, monitoring, weeding, planting new trees and mulching and in the last year added some old varieties of fruit tree to the planting scheme, created log piles and built bug boxes to further encourage wildlife to the area.

Michael Trolove is instrumental in co-ordinating the upkeep of the Jubilee Woods, ponds in the area and all the trees in the Parish and demonstrates log-term commitment to protecting and improving open space within the village of Great Gidding.

Well done Michael. Very well deserved.


Michael Trolove – Runner-Up in the Huntingdon District Council Green Heart Community award

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Long Distance Walking

By on June 5, 2013   /   Community, Home page latest news, News stories and reports, The Environment   /   Leave a comment
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Long Distance Walking

Long Distance Walkers Association

If you like walking you may be interested to know about a national organisation that exists to promote walking longer distance as a recreational or challenge activity.

The Long Distance Walkers Association  (LDWA) promotes distance walking through its regional groups. For example the nearest LDWA group to Great Gidding is the Beds, Bucks and Northamptonshire  group who meet regularly on Thursdays for 15 mile walks and Sundays for 20 mile walks in the counties mentioned.

As  stated previously the distances walked  range from 15 miles and 20 miles. There are other organised events where greater distances are covered  and these are regarded as challenge events. The ultimate being 100 miles in 48 hours !

All walks have a leader who is competent in map reading and social skills to ensure you enjoy the walk . They must count you out and count you back in and deal with any on route issue. Start points usually have decent car parking for the rural based groups.

As usual the web site is the best source of information.  To find the group walks start from the LDWA Home Page and drill down the pages thus – Events  – View Events List  –  Group Walks  –  Beds, Bucks & Northants (example)

 

 

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Sun shines on The Big Lunch & Have a Field Day

By on June 3, 2013   /   Home page latest news, News stories and reports   /   Leave a comment
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The sun shone for the annual ‘Big Lunch’ and ‘Have a Field Day’ on the recreation field in Great Gidding on Sunday 2nd June. Picnics and drinks were followed by a well fought rounders match (which ended in a very fair draw)! Free kites and footballs supplied by the ‘Fields in Trust’ scheme kept the children (of all ages) amused.

Thanks to Michael and Julie Trolove, Paul Hodson and many others for organising the event.

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Clarion – March 2013

By on March 18, 2013   /   Great Gidding, Home page latest news, News stories and reports, Parish Council News & Notices   /   Leave a comment
Clarion - March 2013

Great & Little Gidding Parish Council

Clarion – March 2013

The Giddings Website www.giddings.org.uk In March 2012 the new Giddings website was launched with funding from the Great Gidding Charity.   A calendar has been added so now it’s really easy to keep up to date with what’s happening. The new site is updated by different editors who take responsibility for their own section.   Not just oldies! We are looking for young (15+) members of the village who would like to contribute.   We can set up your own section and help you get started with your very own blog (village-related in some way!)

The Parish News for The Giddings, Hamerton, Winwick and Upton is produced 10 months of the year – annual cost £4 delivered to your door. Please support all those whose voluntary efforts go to produce it. 

Sawtry Eye This is produced bi monthly and distributed to Conington, Glatton, Upton, Winwick, Hamerton and Sawtry.   It may be possible for the distribution to be extended to Great Gidding but it would require volunteers to deliver. Initially we need to know if there is enough interest in receiving this publication – please let the Parish Council know either by email giddingspc1@btinernet.com, tel 293068 (answerphone) or a note through the office door at the village hall.    

Chapel End – the Parish Council have successfully gained funding to make improvements along this stretch of road.   Plans have been drawn up by the County Council for a new footway.   This is a jointly funded initiative and the Parish Council contribution will be 10% of the total cost.

Gains Lane – The County Council have recently removed some dead trees from the verge.

The Jitty – the Community Payback Scheme recently sent a team to clear the path.   Network Power will   carry out work to remove branches that are obstructing their wires

Jubilee Wood – Ash Tree Dieback has been observed in the Jubilee Wood and inspected by FERA.  We await a decision on any action that needs to be taken. The Jubilee Wood will reach its 10th Anniversary in June 2013 and it is hoped to mark this celebration with a Woodside Arbour.

Recreation Ground – A plaque to commemorate the Fields in Trust Queen Elizabeth II Field status will be placed near to the entrance.  As items of the wooden adventure trail deteriorate they are being removed for safety reasons.

Parish Council meetings are usually held on 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7.30pm in the village hall, check noticeboards for agenda – all are welcome to attend

 

Annual Parish Meeting will be held in the Village Hall on Tuesday 19th March at 7pm

All welcome – come along and take part

Great Gidding Shop
Did you know that the following are available from, or through the shop Prescription service – Wellside Surgery will deliver your medication for you to collect Dry cleaning service – drop off and collection.  Daily papers, magazines and lottery tickets

Mobile LibraryRoute H18 – 3rd Thursday every month, Chapel End 12.40pm –1. 00pm
Friendly staff, ready to help, free to join, open to everyone.

  • A wide range of books for all ages.
  • Large print books and audio books
  • Access to all library service stock on request
  • On-line requests delivered to your local mobile library
  • Return items borrowed from any library

Mobile Post Office, Chapel End  Monday 9.30 – 11.30am, Tuesday to Friday 9.30 – 11.00am (exc bank holidays)

Fox and Hounds Public House –  serving food Tue – Sat 7 – 9pm and to book Sunday lunch tel. 293298

Better Broadband
– thank you to everyone who supported the Connecting Cambridgeshire campaign. BT has been awarded the contract and we await further news

Police

Dial 999 for emergency incident requiring immediate assistance. If it is non-emergency dial 101. If you wish to discuss an issue or pass on information by email with your local team email HuntsCops@cambs-police.co.uk Senior contact Sgt Ed McNeill. Please take part in the Community Feedback survey athttp://www.cambs-police.co.uk/survey/huntscops/communitysurvey.htm

Recycling – a textile recycling bank is located in the Village Hall car park.  The materials put in the textile bank are sorted and sent to Africa, any clothes not suitable are cut into rags for industry. A small income may be generated from this (£150 per tonne) for the village

Buses – do you use service 409 – would you like to be involved in Cambridgeshire Future Transport programme, if so we would like to hear from you, please contact the Parish Council.

Parish Council Office open Monday and Thursday 1200 – 2pm in the Village Hall (note amended times) Telephone 293068 (answerphone out of hours) or email giddingspc1@btinternet.com

Parish Councillors

Andrew Alexander (Chairman) 62 Main Street. Tel: 293315
Robin Hayden Warren House, Main Street. Tel: 293360
Paul Hodson 17 Chapel End. Tel: 293782
Chris Howden 9 Main Street. Tel: 293679
Rachel Giddens 47 Main Street. Tel: 293277
Michael Trolove 87 Main Street. Tel: 293591
Lydia James Manor Farmhouse, Main Street. Tel: 07962099922

Huntingdonshire District Councillors
Darren Tysoe Grove Cottage, Ellington. Tel: 01480 388310
Dick Tuplin t Andrew’s House, Sawtry. Tel: 01487 834156

Cambridgeshire County  Councillor 
Viv McGuire viv.mcguire@cambridgeshire.gov.uk. Tel: 01733 248788

 

Annual Parish Meeting will be held in the village Hall on Tuesday 19th March at 7pm

All Welcome – come along and take part

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Take part in the ‘Policing in Huntingdonshire’ survey

By on March 14, 2013   /   Home page latest news, News stories and reports   /   Leave a comment
Take part in the 'Policing in Huntingdonshire' survey

A short survey has been created in relation to Policing in Huntingdonshire. You can access the survey which is on the Huntingdonshire Policing Team webpage.

The purpose of this survey is to get some Community feedback in relation to Policing in Huntingdonshire. Now more than ever, we will have to prioritise what we do and where, and this survey will allow the Area Commander ( C/Insp Mel Dales) to review and then set the District priorities and how local Police can engage with the Community for the next financial year. With that in mind, it is vital that you reply on behalf of your community as this will shape Policing in the area.

Please take the time to complete it, and also feel free to send or signpost others to complete it.

Closing date 1st April 2013

There is also a link for smartphone users.

http://www.cambs-police.co.uk/survey/huntscopsmobile/communitysurveymobile.htm

Inspector Mark Greenhalgh
Safer Neighbourhood Manager, Huntingdonshire

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‘Find José’ competition winner announced at Beer and Skittles evening.

By on March 14, 2013   /   Home page latest news, News stories and reports   /   1 Comment
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The winner of the Giddings website competition ‘Find José’ was announced at last nights Beer and Skittles event held in The Village Hall.

The winning entry was drawn from José’s sombrero by Andrew Alexander. The lucky recipient of the bottle of ‘bubbly’ was Michael Trolove who had managed to find all five hidden José’s around the website. A big thank you to all the entrants and better luck next time.

Staying with the Americas(!)… Here’s a report of the beer and skittles evening by Michael Trolove.

You missed a real treat this evening . Our American theme beers was a monster hit. You can rest assured that our USA cousins over the pond so to speak have mastered the craft brewing to a fine art. I would implore you to seek out the following beers as a fine tribute to Uncle Sams brewing ability: Jeremiah Weed,  Root Brew, a hint of ginger in the tasting and serve with an ice cube; Jeremiah Weed, Sour Mash Brew, a complex beer of hidden tastes but explode on the taste buds; A couple of wheat beers including 312. Not an ITV game show but a craft beer of typical wheat brew taste, sort of flat but not fizzy flat.

American beers at Great Gidding Beer and Skittles Night
Selection of American beers

A reminder that the end of season bash will now be on Saturday 13th April.

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