HI HUB

News and Information for Histon and Impington

Posts published from 18th December 2020 to 14th January 2021, with Categories: Features, News, from www.hihub.info.

Father and daughter team help old laptops pass their screen test By Bridget Davidson 14 January 2021 Categories: Features Tags: Community, Computers, covid-19, IT, Parish Council

“If you have a laptop that was recently replaced and wish to donate it please message me. I’ve arranged a small team of people who can help work some magic to erase your data, install an OS (operating system) and therefore allow kids to access online learning. Thank you.”

A kind-hearted local dad and his teenage daughter have given up their free time to rebuild old laptops to lend to local children, allowing them to access remote learning in lockdown and their parents to get back to work. Bridget Davidson reports.

he article you’re reading right now might not have been written if it hadn’t been for the time and expertise of Histon resident Colin Myles and his T daughter Anya. Why? Because I didn’t have a computer to write it on. When trying to set up homeschooling Colin’s post on local social media. for my seven-year-old son, Kiril, I discovered our ancient iPad was too old to access Teams (the computer program primary I contacted the Junior School immediately and, a week later, school children in our villages are using to do remote went there to pick up a loan laptop for Kiril. Now he and I are learning), leaving me with no choice but to let him take over both back online and back on track. my laptop. The one I use to run my business; the one I write articles for HI HUB on. I was effectively locked out of my own But access to this very precious resource couldn’t have been life. achieved without the dedication, hard work and community spirit of Colin and his daughter Anya, 13, who helped him Techies to the rescue! rebuild the laptops. Between them, the pair has rebuilt and sent to the school for redistribution 33 laptops, with more to Then, on Tuesday 5 January, the day he had been due to go go. back to school, I read a post on our local Facebook group, HI People, from Colin Myles, an IT expert and well-known locally I spoke to Colin and Anya to ask how their project came for various community roles including member of the Feast about. Colin, who works as a Senior Systems Architect at Committee; Chair of the Infant School PTA, and Beaver Scout Schlumberger, explains: “I work in IT… doing things like leader. Colin was appealing urgently for people to donate their collaboration, events, getting people to use IT, so I old laptops. understand what it takes to be able to do remote learning. I realised late last week when the school closures were Colin wrote: “The Junior and Infant school have a need for announced that the Junior School would be doing online laptops so pupils can access online learning where they learning so there was going to be real need for laptops. currently have no IT accessible at home. Although they’re doing their best, the Department of Education can’t get one million laptops to kids. I knew there’d The pair worked tirelessly at their dining table – to the be an issue. I knew there were loads of machines out there frustration of Colin’s wife, Julie – from the evening of that would be useful and that the villagers would donate.” Thursday 7 January, all weekend until Sunday 10th. Colin even took the Friday off work as holiday in order to get all the laptops up and running in time for the start of the second week of lockdown learning because he saw the urgency.

“It’s important to do this right now,” he says, “as once the vaccine is in place, they won’t be needed. That’s why it’s important to get out there and do something right now.”

I suggest that this must have been hard work. Colin admits it was but, if nothing else, it gave him and Anya something to do.

“We’ve watched most of Netflix during lockdown and there’s not much more to watch,” he laughs.

Soon Histon & Impington Parish Council got involved too, giving Colin a total of £550 from the village COVID fund to pay for new SSDs, which sped up the process considerably HI HUB writer, Bridget Davidson with her son Kiril, 7, who is now using a loan and saved many redundant laptops from landfill. With the cost laptop for homeschooling. Photo: Bridget Davidson of a new basic laptop at around the same price, Colin notes: “We turned around 30 laptops for the price of one.” A helping hand

Everyone’s happy And they did. Residents from across Histon & Impington and further afield answered Colin’s call and brought him their old I asked Anya how she felt about rebuilding the laptops. tech.

“Happy. It’s really nice to know they’re going to be used. I “We’ve got about 16 or 17 older machines. A couple are going enjoy knowing that once we’ve made one, that it’s going to go to be recycled for parts. Two desktops, three tablets and two to someone who needs it. That it going to help them.” MacBooks. Another 15 from one company that are coming in… and six more from people on the way. By the time we’ve Someone else is happy too. Another person who benefitted finished we will have about 50-60 useable machines, and 10 from one of Colin and Anya’s laptops was Naomi Chapman, older ones that will be reused .” who lives in Impington with her three girls, Siena, 8, Ria, 7, And Daisy, 5, all in different year groups. Understandably But collecting the machines was the easy part. Now Colin had homeschooling was a technological challenge, so Naomi to make them safe and usable again for schoolchildren. This bought a laptop. would take time, but luckily he had a willing and capable assistant to hand, his daughter Anya. Although Anya, who’s in Year 8 at IVC has never done anything like this before, she was keen to help.

“I was bored,” she says with the shining honesty of a teenager, but a caring one too. “Because I saw you doing it, I just wanted to help.”

And help she did. Working together in the evenings after Anya’s online lessons and Colin’s own job, they followed a lengthy process for each and every laptop. First they had to wipe all the original owner’s data three times to ensure there were no security concerns – a process that sometimes took 18 hours overnight – reboot it from a USB stick, install Windows and do updates, all of which Anya participated in.

“It’s been a huge help, I have to say,” says Colin. “I love helping people,” Anya adds.

A smashing time

Naomi Chapman’s children have benefitted from a loan laptop. From left: Ria, There was some fun to be had too, as the pair enjoyed 7, Daisy, 5, and Siena, 8. smashing up the old hard drives which had to be physically destroyed. “I purchased a secondhand one for £50 but it has ended up “We’ve been teaching people across the country to do it as crashing halfway through tutorials so it wasn’t ideal. I ended well. I’m trying to inspire other people to help. In Cottenham up getting really frustrated with it and not being able to I gave them some instructions and they are doing it there complete their work assigned for them.” now. There’s a guy in South Yorkshire too, in fact all over the country. I work for global company with 100,000 people and Naomi got in contact with the Junior School and the laptop 3,000 in IT and tech. On Monday Anya and I are giving a she received has been invaluable. “I am truly grateful for it. webinar to tell them why they should do it too. If anyone It’s really helping us catch up. It’s helped me gain a routine wants to know how to do it they can email me.” with my children and I’m using it for each of them to share and doing one to one with them whilst the girls play or do As for Anya, she can now get back to doing the things she some arts and crafts.” loves; cuddling her cat Bambi, going for walks with friends and – when the pandemic allows – playing football again for I asked her what she’d like to say to Colin and Anya. Histon Hornets Under 13s. Their family can finally have their dining table back too. For now. “They are amazing, doing what they’ve done to help families like us get by during this hard time, they deserve something To donate a laptop or find out how to rebuild your own, email back for giving and helping during all of this. Thank you so Colin at: [email protected] much! My family and I are truly grateful!” To request a loan device for your child’s use, please contact Colin urges others to do the same as Naomi: “If people are the Junior School on 01223 712192 or email: struggling and if people can go to the schools, they can help. [email protected]. IVC also has devices Some people are coping, but with this they can do it available to loan out to their students. properly.”

Not content with helping his local community, Colin is also spreading the word about how others can do the same, after posting on the Family Lockdown Tips & Ideas Facebook page.

Abbey Farm sale progressing slowly but surely By Amanda Borrill 14 January 2021 Categories: News Tags: Abbey Farm, Community, Parish Council

are being slowed down by Covid restrictions and the general pressure of business. It is hoped that the sale will be complete by March 2021.

AFTFG has been meeting regularly as a group as well as with the Abbey Farm buyer and Histon & Impington Parish Council. The buyer has agreed to immediately sell-on LM and CCSA to the community on the day of sale. It can then be developed as a public resource, balancing nature conservation, public access to green space, education and leisure.

The land will initially be owned by an intermediate company, funded by local couple Bogusia and Anthony Jenking, and managed by several guarantors within the village. The purpose of this is to bring speed and ‘bridging’ finance to the process. Once the monies have been raised, the land will then be passed on to a community body. There has been a great Behind the scenes, the Abbey Fields Task and Finish Group deal of thought on the best organisation to eventually own (AFTFG) continues to work hard to secure this glorious piece and manage the land and the Parish Council is now of countryside for the future enjoyment of our entire considering how they can best take on the job. They would be community. HI HUB is delighted to share the following update a very attractive owner because they represent the entire from Howard Biddle on behalf of the group… village and are well-established, secure and credible for donors. At the moment we are investigating the best legal he sale of Abbey Farm is progressing, and the and tax-efficient structures to achieve this. It is important to community is still on course to buy part of the note that the Parish Council won’t be buying land outright, it estate – Long Meadow (LM), the water meadow will be through public donations. by Park Lane, and the remarkably regenerating T Croft Close set-aside (CCSA) south of Gun’s Lane. The sale is taking longer than expected as all sides’ solicitors So good news for the village but we are not quite there yet. Previous related articles: And when we are, we will be asking everyone to convert their pledges into real donations so please don’t spend all of your https://www.hihub.info/news/optimism-grows-as-mystery- savings in the January sales! bidder-withdraws-from-abbey-farm-purchase/

Happy New Year to you all. https://www.hihub.info/features/abbey-farm-mystery-bidder- sought/ Howard Biddle On behalf of Abbey Fields Task and Finish Group

Read more at abbeyfarm.online

Access issues provoke angry reaction to development plans By Liz Hill 14 January 2021 Categories: News Tags: Building Works, Consultation, Planning

Developers claim the plans would “completely regenerate a currently vacant site, bringing vitality to the local area and increasing connectivity within Histon”.

The new village would comprise a three-storey apartment block housing 65 one- and two-bedroom apartments; 36 one- and two-bedroom single storey, bungalow style apartments; and four bungalows along the entrance route to the site. There would also be communal areas and facilities designed to meet the needs of the residents, who must be more than 60 years old.

This would be the first McCarthy & Stone Retirement Village development to provide a mix of accommodation of this nature and the scheme would dwarf other facilities serving a similar purpose in Histon & Impington. The site would provide twice as many residences as Brackenbury Manor in Kay Hitch esidents are gearing up to oppose plans for what Way and Windmill Grange on Windmill Hill, each of which developers describe as a ‘Retirement Village’ to be comprise 46 properties. built at the southern end of Home Close, Histon, on R land belonging to Jam Factory owners Hain However, a national population trends suggest more homes Daniels. for older people will be needed in the years ahead, and a Government initiative is encouraging new developments. The A planning application has been submitted by property developers point out that the Government will pay the local developer McCarthy & Stone for 105 new retirement homes authority around £378,000 for every 45 new homes built – on the land, known locally as Barrel Field. Full details, money it can spend as it wishes. including 114 separate documents, are available on the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning website, and planners Residents’ unease are consulting with local people as part of their wider assessment of the proposals. The community was first made aware of the development in September 2020 and was invited to respond to a preliminary Local residents are among a long list of consultees being consultation. invited to respond to the proposals, and Planners have told HI HUB they now have until 12 February to contribute to the consultation – a short extension to the original deadline. Site 154 responses were submitted, 40 per cent of which were notices will be displayed at various locations around the described by the developer as supportive. 69 comments proposal site next week. acknowledged a local need for specialist housing for local older people, and McCarthy & Stone say some people – though it is not clear how many – gave outright approval to The Parish Council will be reviewing the proposals in detail at the proposals. Others added comments expressing its next planning committee on 2 February, to assess their reservations. “I am in favour of affordable quality care for the impact on the village and the implications for residents. If it elderly, but my concern is in the access to the site”, said one. objects to the proposal, it will be asking that it goes to the And another commented: “I do agree that this type of SCDC Planning Committee. housing is a good use of the site providing it genuinely

“Bringing vitality” doesn’t create any greater amount of traffic than anticipated The Statement refers to the benefits gained by local residents in the plans”. from a “turning head” at the access to the new Village, which would enable traffic to change direction more easily. Over half of respondents (53 per cent) simply objected to the scheme outright and expressed their unease. Respondents The Village would include 64 car parking spaces, most of raised issues with already overstretched services in Histon, which will be purchased by homeowners, with a few available such as the local GP; the potential loss of biodiversity at the for staff and visitors. This number, the company says, will site; and overwhelmingly, the access route into the site. ensure “no overspill parking will occur on the local road network”, but pre-application advice from Cambridgeshire 76 of these negative comments included objections to Home County Council warned that “the proposed parking areas Close being the sole access point to the new Village, and 17 create a car dominated environment”. mentioned traffic issues in surrounding area, referring to already congested roads in vicinity of the site. They also The Transport Statement assumes that only 0.4% of journeys highlight the risks associated with the entrance to the site, from the site would be by bicycle, one in 35 residences will which would involve traffic crossing a public footpath, and the need to store a bike, and only three long-stay spaces will be impact of additional traffic at the junction with the High provided for these, plus some short-stay spaces for visitors. Street, opposite Tesco. New bus stop Home Close is a narrow residential no-through-road, where the width of the road means cars consistently have to park on Among the justification given for the suitability of the site for the pavements to allow traffic to pass. However, a photograph the new Village is its proximity to the busway. An assumption included with the planning application suggests otherwise, is built into the proposals that there will be a “significant and local Facebook groups are speculating that the image improvement in access to sustainable transport” as a result of isn’t quite what it seems. One described it as a “very strange building a new bus stop adjacent to the site – to be paid for and unreal” and another posted: “I have never known Home by the developer. Close to be as quiet as it is shown in the picture in the last 20 or so years”. Another stop would potentially help Histon residents get on the bus and Cambridgeshire County Council has already Despite the weight of local objections to the traffic started looking into the proposal. Bus company Stagecoach is implications of the proposed development, MCCarthy & Stone said to be supportive in principle. Seven residents who replied has dismissed residents’ concerns, saying: “We have to the consultation agreed the new busway stop will benefit undertaken a Transport Assessment of the access options local people. available that have concluded safe access can be made via Home Close”. But it is unclear yet how the bus stop on the south side of the busway can be accommodated, as the land there does not Assumptions belong to Hain Daniels, but is part of Histon Wood and owned by the county. McCarthy & Stone describe the Barrel Field site as being in “a highly sustainable location, with residents not required to rely Furthermore, there would be no vehicle access to the on private modes of transport.” proposed stops, which would be connected to the new development by a footpath, but not a road. To improve access Its analysis is based on the assumption that the majority of to the busway, the existing informal footpath beside the residents will give up their vehicles, either on entry to the Community Orchard would be surfaced, and external lighting new development or shortly afterwards, and that 26% of the installed. mainly female residents will have “never held a driving licence”. Full details of the planning application are now available online here. Responses to it can be submitted online here or But despite this, the Transport Statement concludes that even in writing to planning officer David Norris at South under this scenario, only 17% of journeys from the new Cambridgeshire Hall, Cambourne Business Park, Cambourne, development would be by pedestrians and 10% by bus, while Cambridge CB23 6EA. Comments not submitted online can be 70% would be by vehicle, prompting a further 163 trips a day copied to South Cambridgeshire District Councillor Pippa along the street. This, it concludes, means vehicles associated Heylings and to the Parish Council. with the development are “unlikely to meet on Home Close”, and “will not have a significant impact on the operation of the local road network”.

Minibus gears up to help with hospital vaccine trips By Liz Hill 14 January 2021 Categories: News Tags: covid-19, HI Friends, Medical, Transport, Vaccinations

been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace or been in contact with anyone who has, is asked not to request transport.

Safety first

To minimise any risk to all who are travelling in the minibus, before and after each trip the driver will clean any surfaces which have been touched by either the driver or the passenger.

Passengers will be required to wear gloves and face coverings throughout the journeys, as will drivers, who will always wear masks if they are seated within two metres of a passenger, which they will attempt to avoid at all times. Passengers will have to sit in seats as directed by the driver.

Drivers will not enter homes to collect or return passengers, or give them physical help to enter or leave the minibus, eventy people in Histon, Impington and Orchard except by operating the tail lift. Any passenger needing other Park tested positive for Covid-19 in the seven days assistance will have to be accompanied by a companion or to 8 January, extending a consistent rise in case carer. S numbers since shortly before Christmas. But news of the vaccine starting to be administered is giving hope that The driver will usually wait for the return journey, but if the the current crisis can be shortened. minibus is required elsewhere, the drop-off and pick-up may be done by different drivers. As part of the Histon & Impington Coronavirus Response, the Community Transport team is gearing up to support the huge Payment/Donations national effort to get the most vulnerable people vaccinated as soon as possible. The terms of the HI Friends minibus licence prohibit charging fares to passengers and HI Friends will undertake these In conjunction with the Histon, Impington and Girton journeys for free to individuals during the period of the crisis. Community Car Scheme (HIGS), a scheme is being set up to provide transport for local residents when they are invited to But the costs will mount up so donations will be very a vaccination centre or other medical appointments outside welcome. The team hopes passengers will give amounts that the villages. reflect what would have been charged by the Community Car Scheme, if it were able to run. Residents unable to use other forms of transport can ring the HIGS phone line on 07982 108927 to arrange for a booking Round on the HI Community Minibus. This will enable lifts to be Destination trip fee provided in a Covid-secure manner. Addenbrookes Hospital £8 Don Kelly, Vice Chair of Friends of Histon & Impington Huntingdon Road Surgery, Arbury Road Community (HI Friends), has prepared some notes, so Surgery, Firs House Surgery, £3 passengers can understand what is expected of them and Telegraph St Surgery, Cottenham their drivers. Newmarket £10 Ely £9 Don’t endanger others Huntingdon £10 To minimise the handling of cash, passengers will be asked to Above all, passengers are urged not to book transport or to put any donation inside an envelope and leave it on the travel if they could endanger others. This includes those who minibus. The driver will then pass the envelope to the HI have had any symptoms within the previous seven days that Friends Charity Manager. could be Covid-19, or if they have been advised that they may have the virus. To book a journey on the HI Community Minibus, ring 07982 108927 Also, anyone who has been in contact with anyone with the virus or with symptoms within the past 14 days, or who has

Work begins on special school in Impington By Liz Hill 14 January 2021 Categories: News

It describes its mission as “enabling the self” – equipping students with the skills, confidence and abilities to take their place in the world.

Sensitive design

Comprising one single-storey and one two-storey buildings, the layout of the school has been specially designed to be sensitive to the social and emotional demands of students, and conducive to their learning. uilding work started this week on The Cavendish School, which will be set in the grounds to the The corridors will be wider than usual, with no dead-ends, south-east of the Impington Village College which will help students navigate their way around the school B campus. The aim is for an official opening in without feeling trapped or claustrophobic. Natural light – autumn 2021. particularly beneficial to young people with autism – is central to the design. The school will be the world’s first International Baccalaureate Facilities that support both academic and vocational learning special autism school and Cambridgeshire’s first state will include a calm sensory breakout room and a horticultural maintained special free school provision for young people with room with opportunities for planting and growing. autism.

Ryan Kelsall, Deputy CEO of Eastern Learning Alliance which Initially the school will admit around 40 students in Years 3 to runs The Cavendish School, explained: “One of our aims is to 7, and year on year this will be extended to year 13, to provide a safe, nurturing space, alongside inclusive and accommodate ages 7 to 19 years. The maximum capacity will comprehensive support so that all of our students thrive. It is be 80 students. fantastic to see the first building blocks of that promise come to fruition. A place in the world

“Our hope is that young people with autism learn to love and The vision is for the school to provide a safe and nurturing celebrate their differences – seeing them as bridges, not environment in which young people with autism can enjoy barriers.” learning, achieve their potential, and develop the skills they need to thrive as independent, emotionally and socially confident adults. Read also: The Cavendish School – a sanctuary

Education at the click of a button By Victoria Hearn 14 January 2021 Categories: Features

avigating the disruption that Covid-19 caused to education last year was a huge challenge for schools all over the world, and it hasn’t been any N different for us here at Impington Village College. We now find ourselves in the same situation that we faced 10 months ago, but thankfully, due to the lessons learned and technology to enable remote learning methods, we have managed to continue delivering a high standard of education across all year groups. When the latest lockdown was announced, all of our learning went live and online within 24 hours.

The same… but different For 10 months now, Impington Village College has had to rise to the challenge of delivering remote learning and keeping its To mirror the College day, we have implemented timetabled community spirit alive. Principal Victoria Hearn explains lessons, all day, every day, as per the normal College how they have navigated the transition – and what the ‘new timetable. Attendance is compulsory and the lessons are normal’ looks like in the virtual classroom. calendared at least 24 hours in advance so that students have All our staff remain consistently willing to get involved and plenty of time to arrange access. adapt as best they can to the new changes. At the start of the first lockdown we introduced Microsoft Teams. We had always The lessons are live for 50-55 minutes and include some planned to introduce it during the current academic year, but interactive elements for students to get involved with. We’ve when lockdown began, we condensed our planned 20-hour ensured all of our students have access to technology, induction period into a week of staff training. This also including delivering Chromebooks to those who need them so included a huge virtual TeachMeet, attended by nearly 100 that no-one misses out. Expectations for behaviour in online teachers across our Trust, Eastern Learning Alliance, to share lessons are the same as in College; if students don’t meet good practice. Everyone worked extremely hard to learn the teachers’ expectations then they will be sanctioned and may new technology and, in turn, provide our students with the be removed from lessons. best possible educational experience.

Wider support The interactions between students, teachers and pastoral team has been, and will continue to be, constant. We found There is daily, compulsory tutor time for students with their that even the most informal functionalities, like the chat normal form tutor, and some recommended activities on space, quickly and easily replaced the day-to-day interactions Tuesday afternoon for an iCAS@Home session – our unique that we had in the classroom. Microsoft Teams helps staff to programme that supports students’ personal development deliver live – and recorded – lessons, undertake group work, and wellbeing. set homework and maintain conversations with students at all times. As we move forward, we will continue using it to Students’ wellbeing and pastoral care are priorities. Many of enable parents and students to contact their teachers at a our students are now more insecure and worried about the click of a button. world around them than they were before the pandemic. It continues to be our duty to nurture their abilities, while Parents play their part neutralising anxieties as best we can. Throughout this new school term, we will be running a number of 1-2-1 and group Our parent community has also been incredibly supportive. sessions in which students can talk to each other and to Their flexibility has allowed us to really embrace the challenge experienced members of staff about any worries or concerns of virtual learning, and I’m sure the level of increased that they have, ensuring our students continue to feel part of communication, particularly in sharing information about the a community. curriculum and assessments, will continue throughout the year. We will also be supporting our students virtually through our House system, keeping our students motivated and connected As the country enters this new national lockdown, we are in a to one another. Being able to to discuss in-house activities, far better position to engage learners using new technology competitions and channel their team-working skills played a and remote learning than we ever would have been before. A significant role in their wellbeing last year and we hope that it positive takeaway from the whole situation is how much will have the same effect this time around. everyone at IVC has been able to keep our school’s community spirit alive. During these uncertain times, our Staff commitment students have been forced to use their initiative and develop resilience in their approach to learning – I have been genuinely impressed and I am proud of them all.