Alfred’s Recommended website of the week

Alfred's Recommended website of the week

The Wildlife Trust  for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.

Laura Watson, Community Conservation Officer produced the survey of the ponds in Great Gidding  their website, is packed with information and ideas to help us all enjoy our environment.

Look out for the Species A -Z  Everything you need to know from Acorn Barnacles to Zebra Spiders

Have you seen any toads this month? why not join Garden Watch or if you love Bluebells they have information just for you!

You can even sign up to receive their E-newsletter and so much more.

Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire wildlife website

The excavation of the Diamond Jubilee Pond

Creating a new pond

After mulling over the idea of how to bring another environmental benefit to the Jubilee Wood
it was fairly obvious that a new pond was called for. The site was quickly identified within
the wood, the wettest part ! So on a hot September day our local digger operator, Jeff turned
up with his JCB and was told to create an interesting shaped pond.

Great Gidding Jubilee Wood pond excavation. Photo: Michael Trolove

Nothing startling was unearthed as the dig commenced only the usual Hanslope series top soil
overlying the standard chalky boulder clay below.

Great Gidding Jubilee Wood pond excavation. Photo: Michael Trolove

In an average year when you dig in this clay the soil will stick inside the bucket. Not this time
round, its as dry as it could be.

Great Gidding Jubilee Wood pond excavation. Photo: Michael Trolove

The final shape of the pond follows best advice in that you need a deep area sloping sides and
a gradual slope to a shallow area.

Shaping the spoil heaps - Great Gidding Jubilee Wood pond excavation. Photo: Michael Trolove

The excavated clay soil was shaped into a stockpile and then covered with top soil and was
immediately sown with grass seed.

Great Gidding Jubilee Wood pond excavation. Photo: Michael Trolove

The job done, now we awaited the rain and we’re still waiting 6 months hence.

The first wet in the pond Great Gidding Jubilee Wood pond excavation. Photo: Michael Trolove

Taking a lead from our other recently cleaned out ponds we added stones to create a firm base.

Foggy morning and the Jubilee pond. Photo: Michael Trolove

Five months on and the 2011/12 drought is borne out by the low winter rainfall and the struggle to naturally fill the pond.

Remarkably over the weekend of the 28th and 29th of April 2012 a deluge of 30mm of rain topped the pond up to the shelf on the subsoil level. It may fill even more as the wood is fairly well flooded.

Beer and Skittles – 14th March 2012

The theme for the final beer and skittles, local ales, did not disappoint.

Great Gidding Skittles
“Duck!”

The Cambridge Brewery, Oakham Ales, Bateman’s, Elgoods and the Pot Belly brewery all featured along with Thwaites outpost brewery in the Sawtry hinterland. Citra  and JHB from Oakham ales was well received along with Bateman’s Combined  Harvest. All the beers were eminently drinkable apart from the one that Mr Hodson thought tasted of a bonfire,  wether that was standing in or down wind we’re not sure.

The Ale’d and aimless award was unanimously awarded to Michael

On the skittle front, Mr Garner and Mr Crank showed how the game should be played, fast and furious. The Ale’d and aimless award was unanimously awarded  for the uncanny ability to throw one cheese without hitting any skittles, unique!

Don’t forget the Port supper at the end of the month, Andrew will do a circular e mail if he requires any extra goodies. Mrs T has volunteered a fruit cake.

Thank you everyone for your support during the winter, the yard of ale still makes me smile

A welcome message from the Baptist Church

A welcome message from the Baptist Church

Great Gidding Baptist Church

Our Purpose – Love God Love People Serve the World

The Baptist Church is in fellowship with Grace Fellowship Little Stukeley; Grace Fellowship is part of the International Baptist Convention (I B C) and affiliated to Baptist Union of Great Britain

My Wife and I first came to Great Gidding some 30 years ago as a guest speaker for the day returning from time to time to worship or preach, then we moved to Great Stukely. That’s when Pastor Albert asked me to take care of the Church while he was away in Uganda. During this time we have seen many changes to the Church. When Albert was so ill Penny and I were regular visitors both to the hospital and the home, on their Return to Bristol they asked us to take on the church.

Work to do
There has been much work to do as we redecorate the  manse and clear up the rubbish that has been gathered over the years and we are still working at getting the grounds and sheds dealt with, it will take time to do all we have in mind.

The first service we will take is to be held on Easter Sunday At 3pm.
We welcome you all to come and join us for the service and share a cup of tea or coffee after the service.

Further details of regular meetings will be announced soon.

Polio and the ‘Purple Pinky’ and crocuses in front of the church

Polio is a terrible crippling disease.  It was once the major cause of disability.  Before 1988 there were over 350,000 cases reported per year worldwide.  Now it is down to about a 1,000 cases per year.  India use to have more cases than anywhere else.  Now it has reported only one single case in the last 18 months. 

Polio charity crocuses outside St Michael's Church Great Gidding

This is down to 25 years of hard work on the part of Rotary International and other agencies.  For years the programme has depended on charitable giving and the precious time of individuals prepared to go out and help, at their own expense, in vaccination clinics.  At last we are on the brink.  One final push is needed to get rid of this dreadful disease once and for all.  If we don’t make that effort now and leave off it will come back.  That final effort will cost money.  Bill Gates has generously contributed $355 million but there is still a need to raise a further $200 million world wide to see it through.

During national immunisation days in India, as many as 65 million children are immunised. Volunteers hold these days every six weeks, visiting remote villages and slum areas to deliver the life-saving vaccine. Although polio is nearly wiped out, work has to continue through this next generation of children to be sure to eradicate the disease for good.  Booths are set up in major cities, attracting school children and families, who will travel for miles to protect their children.  After vaccination each child has a finger dipped in purple dye for control purposes.

In order to bring your attention to the vaccination programme purple crocuses have been planted all over the UK.  It is hoped that the 500 bulbs planted in front of the church last autumn will eventually multiply to make a magnificent springtime display.  When you look at them please think about all the children walking around with purple “pinkies” who will now have a better chance in life.  It will be wonderful when the day comes when no one else will ever have to suffer from polio.  This can be a real success story!  Will you please help?

Donations to the “Rotary Club of Kimbolton Castle” can be handed to Tony Scott, 15 Mill Road, Great Gidding or to Jed and Aruna at the village shop.

New couple at Great Gidding Baptist Church

New couple at Great Gidding Baptist Church

Welcome to Pete and Penny Bourne

“If you see us working at the Manse please stop and introduce yourself to us. We are hoping to hold our first service Easter Sunday 3pm please come and join with us”

Pete Bourne

For the time being the contact details are as follows
Pete and Penny Bourne
Phone 01480432207
Penny’s Email penny.bourne@sky.com
Pete’s Email bourneagain58@yahoo.co.uk

Read more about the Great Gidding Baptist Church

Bateman’s, Hook Norton and Fullers beer and Skittle’s night.

Bateman's, Hook Norton and Fullers beer and Skittle's night.

It’s the bleak mid winter, snow lying deep and crisp and even. Well you get the picture, so thank you to those who braved the cold for the February B & S night.

As usual it was with great interest to see what the various offering would be and how many bottles of the same beer would be set on the bar and as usual in that magical Gidding way none were duplicated.

A great range of beers
Fullers topped the evening but only one London Pride which is their main beer. London Porter and Chiswick Bitter along with ESB were sampled. A bottle of Golden Pride 8% has been held over for the next event. Hooky Gold and Hooky Bitter along with the Xmas 12 Days were offered from the Hook Norton Steam Brewery. Bateman’s ales were far more elusive with a bottle of Victory Ale. Somehow we acquired a good selection from the Sole Bay Brewery at Southwold. Any Adnams beer is welcomed so thanks for those. Because of the low numbers attending this time, several bottles have been put in the cellar for next time.

A talented newbie and a new top score record.
A robust couple of rounds of skittles were played and Newbie to the evening Mr Steven Garner showed us a thing or two about how to play skittles and was the overall winner of the evening and walked off with the Ale’d and Aimless trophy.

Mr Adam Titmuss almost demolished the skittle table with some power throwing and achieved an evening top score of 14.

The muppet award again fell into the hands of the event organiser for a dreadful first round score of 3 after showing so much promise in the warm up.

A Wassailing we go!

Drawn to the Jubilee woods by the light of bonfire and waning gibbous moonlight, the villagers once again gathered to join in with the ages old tradition of Wassailing. This year, to aid the abundant harvest of fruit on the trees, the Wassailing performed around the circle of five fruit trees in the wood – including, of course, a cider apple variety. Filling our cups with a wonderful cidery brew we sang, cheered and saluted ‘Waes Hail’! into the night before adding another toast to the tree branches – this time in the form of bread – for the sanity of the birds in the area.

Wassail, January 2012, Great GiddingWassail, January 2012, Great Gidding

But this was not all….taking steps toward the bench we were most entertained by a very clever and amusing heart-rending poem written and performed by Paul Burgess – dressed in his usual garb of scary white sheet. Sue Jarvis followed with a beautiful poem that she had written with Patrick (read the poems below).

Calamity – A Conversation By Paul Burgess

Wassail, January 2012, Great Gidding

Greenhouse

How did this come to pass,
That I, a house of glass,
Should fall in shards upon the grass?

Wind

T’was I, the Wind replied
That tipped you over on your side,
And left your framework gaping wide.

Greenhouse

I heard you wield such mighty powers,
Which turn to storm the mildest showers,
But what of Val and her tender flowers?

Wind

I’m afraid I’m not concerned with that.
It is my job to knock things flat
Or set you running for your hat.

Greenhouse

But are you not concerned that this,
A dirty deed which none would miss,
Makes extra labour for poor Chris?

Wind

Why, no! I think you miss the point,
To create mayhem,God did me anoint
And, so, to altogether wreck the joint.

Nature
What you said is nearly true,
But you haven’t really thought it through,
For however hard you thought you blew,
I, Nature, in time will make it new.
And Chris your work will soon undo
After another trip to B&Q

© Paul Burgess
Entry for the Gidding Eisteddfod, 2012

Sue & Patrick’s Poem

Wassail, January 2012, Great Gidding

Looking back and thinking about 2011
It seems fair to say it was no gardener’s heaven
The winter too cold, the spring too dry
It made us gardeners cry “Why oh Why?”

Allotment holders feared a mass plant slaughter
But wait! At last! The council has put on water!
Hurrah Hurrah we can weather the drought
And we allotment holders can now have no doubt

Our tates will be rounder, our leeks will be longer
Our peas will be greener and our onions will be stronger
Another year is coming to dig and to delve
So lets sing a song to 2012

Festivities continued in the Village Hall with hot soups and a variety of foods and, to bring us bang up to date again, Michael had pasted QR codes around the hall. These Quick Response codes are black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background and when you hold your iPad or smart phone up to them you get information. The evening ended with Paul Crank taking some photos of everyone and instantly putting them on our new Giddings website!

Thank you Michael, Julie and everyone who helped to make this another ‘great’ Gidding evening.

Report by Krystyna – Jan 2012

Minutes of a Meeting of the Parish Council held in the Village Hall, Tuesday 17th January 2012

Minutes of a Meeting of the Parish Council held in the Village Hall, Tuesday 17th January 2012

Present: Cllrs Alexander (Chairman), Hayden (Vice Chairman), Hodson, Howden, Giddens, Trolove, County Councillor McGuire, District Cllr Tysoe and clerk

Sue Jarvis attended the meeting to inform the Parish Council of plans to hold an event in the village hall on Saturday 2nd June for the Jubilee Celebrations.   They would not however be going ahead with their proposal for a Country Fair on the Recreation Ground on 4th June.

785.12 Apologies for absence were received from District Cllr Tuplin

786.12 Minutes of 20th December 2011 were agreed and signed

787.12 Matters arising (information only)

788.12 Members declaration of interest for agenda items Cllr Giddens 794.12

789.12 Grass cutting contract 2012- it was noted that the new contractor would start in April.   As there are still funds allocated in 2011 budget for another cut it was agreed to contact the present contractor for a cut in March.

790.12 The Great Gidding Newt Trail update – interpretation boards were in hand but subject to the Lottery Funding allowing an extension of  2 months to allow work to be completed

791.12 Noticeboard refurbishment –only one key could be found for both boards and it was agreed to obtain 2 spare keys for the noticeboards

792.12 Rural Housing Needs Survey – still no update on when this will take place

793.12 Diamond Jubilee – village celebration update.   It was agreed the group organising the event in the village hall on 2nd June would be allocated £500 to underwrite the event.   A coffee morning to celebrate the Flora and Fauna at the Jubilee Woods was being organised for 3rd June but no PC funding requested.

794.12 Planning – Tree Preservation Order, 47 Main Street – It was agreed to write and state that the PC await outcome following the 6 month order

795.12 Rural Broadband – Mobile Phone Coverage.   A letter had been received from Shailesh Vara MP who was looking in to this for the parish

796.12 Textile Recycling Bank in the village – the village hall had agreed to have this facility situated in their car park.   (The public house had declined)

797.12 Fields in Trust – Queen Elizabeth II Recreation Ground- a suitable sign would need to be erected during the Jubilee Celebrations

798.12 Litterbin location on Main Street – it was agreed that all Parish Councillors view the location of the present bin with a view to suggestions of where it can be relocated

799.12 Local Minor Highway Improvements Funding – As the CC budget limit was £10,000 it was agreed to consult on costing for a foot way from Main Street to Gains Lane.   If this exceeded the budget then a kerb along this stretch of Chapel End would be applied for.    The PC has to contribute to any improvements with a maximum of £1000.

800.12 Vehicles exceeding speed limit through the village – a request has been made for information on any speedchecks carried out during the past year but no response had been received to date

801.12 Anglia in Bloom – It was agreed that the PC would not be involved in this year but encourage members of the village to take this community activity on  (Clarion)

802.12 Rental agreement for Parish Land – it was agreed that the clerk draw up a draft agreement for discussion at the next meeting

803.12 The date for the Annual Parish Meeting was set for Tuesday 20th March at 7pm when village organisations would be invited along to give a short report on their activities (5mins)

804.12 Reconciliation of accounts and payment of cheques were agreed

S Dalley (clerk)                                                                  £295.70

Anglian Water (Rec Ground)                                              £87.05

Anglian Water (Allotments)                                                £18.57 (Charity)

805.12 Representatives reports

Rights of Way – Cllr Giddens – it was noted that another Anglian Water drain cover was missing – opposite The Mill

Allotments – Cllr Howden recommended an increase in the annual fee for 2013 – to be agreed at next meeting

Highways & Police – Cllr Hayden – no report

School – Cllr Alexander –

Village Hall & Recreation Ground – Cllr Howden reported that the Hall had seen an increase in bookings

Finance & Charities – Cllr Hodson gave a brief update

Tree Warden – Cllr Trolove had planted 50 trees provided by HDC along Lodge  Road, Hemington.   He has also produced a definitive list of the trees at the Jubilee wood which will be numbered and tagged for easy identification by visitors.

806.12 Correspondence received

North West Hunts Neighbourhood Forum 25th Jan, Infant School, Sawtry – noted

Peterborough Cycle Club notice of race Monday 4th June – noted

Wassail night 2012

Wassail night is on the go!

A hardy group of villagers are Wassailing the night away. Firstly in the Jubilee Wood and then onto the Village Hall for food, cider and a warm up!

Wassail night at the village hall

Everyone’s enjoying the cider!

Wassail night at the Village hall

Paul Burgess is awarded the ‘Ale’d and Aimless’ trophy for his wonderful Wassailing poem. Sue and Patrick were close runners up.

Paul receives the Ale'd and Aimless trophy from organiser Michael Trolove

A big thank you to Michael and Julie Trolove (and anyone else that was involved) for organising the event.