HEMINGFORD ABBOTS PARISH MAGAZINE October 2020
Parish Church Notices Women’s Institute News Parish Council Update CHURCH NOTICEBOARD
Church Services in October St Margaret’s Church St James’ Church Hemingford Abbots October Hemingford Grey
9.00am Morning Prayer 9.30am Harvest 4th 11.00am Zoom
th Wednesday 7 10.30am Service of the Word
9.00am Morning Prayer 9.30am Morning Prayer (BCP) 11th 11.00am Zoom Wednesday 16th 10.30am Holy Communion
9.30am Morning Prayer (BCP) 9.00am Morning Prayer 18th followed by the APCM 11.00am Zoom
9.00am Morning Prayer 9.30am Matins 25th 11.00am Zoom
November
9.00am Morning Prayer 9.30am Morning Prayer (BCP) 1st 11.00am Zoom
Please do contact our priest-in-charge if you would like to talk, or for prayer on 01480 39478 or via email [email protected]. Our associate priests Judith Bolton and Brian Atling would also be glad to speak with you.
If you would like a regular emails with church news for both St Margaret’s and St James’ and including links to join online services please sign up on the St James’ website: https://churchbytheriver.org.uk/wp3/ and scroll down to the Signup on the left side.
Frontispiece – John Hyde
Dear Friends, Thank you to all who are taking such care when attending our Sunday worship. We continue to put our trust in the mercy of God as well as taking sensible precautions to stay safe. I’m sure, like me, you are perplexed by the struggle our politicians and scientists appear to have in agreeing what to communicate and how to encourage behaviour that is so at odds with our desire and need for togetherness. Even if behaviour is at odds with a state-projected belief that death is to be feared, it is understandable that most people who have the means do anything to avoid this risk. The Christians good news is that death has been defeated. That is why the celebration of Christ’s resurrection is both a hope and an encouragement. Each week the Church would normally be doing this by breaking of bread and drinking from the cup of wine. As we consider the options of how to re-instate this celebration of the Christian hope at St Margaret’s we do so with regard to good practice as well as theological differences held within the Church. In the meantime we experience the uncomfortable nature of the liminal space between how it was and the ‘new normal’ that we have yet to attain. One thing should be sure, that there will be no going back. While this will be disturbing to some we can find encouragement from the picture of the good shepherd which Jesus uses of himself. The shepherd’s job is to lead the sheep, from the muddied waters and trampled pastures of today, to fresh pasture and clear water of tomorrow. Psalm 23 reminds us that even though we may travel through the valley of the shadow of death we should be without fear as God has promised his presence and life to come.
We were much touched by the send-off we were given by friends and neighbours after our wedding at St Margaret’s on September 26th. It was a cold day so it was particularly brave of so many people to stand and wait for us to emerge on our way to the Village Hall. We were lucky to be able to have 30 guests under the Covid-19 rules for the wedding, but of course we would have liked to have more. The presence of so many friends after the church service made all the difference to the atmosphere. Thank you very much indeed to those who came.
Jill and Nick Hemingford
USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Highway Faults including Potholes Abandoned cars 0345 045 5212 01480 388297 https://highwaysreporting.cambridgeshire. Fly tipping gov.uk/ 01480 388640
Illegal signs/graffiti https://applications.huntingdonshire.g 0800 7832220 ov.uk/forms/Operations/New_Street Refuse & recycling helpline _Cleaning_1.html
0800 3896613 Faulty and broken streetlights http://huntingdonshire.gov.uk/ K&M Lighting Services 01480 395806 St Ives & District Neighbourhood Where possible please quote street light Policing Team - dial 101 number on plaque on the street light and the location.
PARISH COUNCIL NEWS – JULY AND AUGUST
The Parish Council meetings will continue to be held by Zoom. The agendas are posted in the usual way on notice boards and website. If anyone wishes to make representation or ‘attend’ a Council meeting please ask the Clerk for the connection details for the Zoom meetings. The next Parish Council meeting will be on Monday 26th October at 7.30 p.m.
The Annual Parish Meeting was advertised for Monday 28th September to be held by Zoom. There were no items requested for the agenda by parishioners. The Hemingfords Action Group, and the Parish River Warden subsequently gave a summary of their year’s activities to the September Parish Council meeting.
Below is the Chairman’s report for May 2019 - September 2020
Hemingford Abbots Parish Council Chairman’s Report May 2019 – Sept 2020 Introduction This Annual Report covers the activities of the Parish Council over a period of 15 months, much of it in unprecedented times. The Covid pandemic has shaken the world in 2020 and we have all had to adjust rapidly to new ways of living and working. At the time of writing, in September 2020, the Public Health emergency continues and there is no way of knowing when ‘normal’ life can resume. I will report on the structure and working of HAPC during these 15 months in two sections – before Lockdown in mid-March 2020, and after that time. The Council In May 2019 the Parish Council elected Bridget Flanagan as Chairman and John Peters and Brian Parsons as Vice-Chairmen for the coming year. The other Councillors comprised Chris Nicol, Zoe Ryall, Marcus Whewell and Josephine Wills. Georgina West was the Clerk and RFO.
During the year, there have been several changes to the Council. In October 2019 Chris Nicol resigned from the Council but returned in January 2020 when she was co-opted. In November 2019 Brian Parsons resigned and in January 2020 Josephine Wills resigned – both for personal reasons. These two Councillors brought considerable energy and skills to the Council and I thank them for their significant contributions. The Council now has two vacancies and feels it is important to fill these as soon as possible – so the load can be shared, and more importantly, so that new energy can be introduced for the future. Hemingford Abbots is a vibrant and active community in which its Parish Council plays a central role. The Clerk Georgina West took retirement in December 2019; she had been with HAPC for only 14 months but had worked hard to learn about the village and ensure the smooth running of the Council. The role of Clerk is complex and requires a far greater level of professional expertise than is often appreciated. I thank Georgina for all her work with HAPC and the Parish – always done with her kind good nature. HAPC counted itself extraordinarily fortunate to appoint Ramune Mimiene as Clerk in January 2020. She came on recommendation from our Internal Auditor, and was already Clerk to several other Parish Councils. County and District Councillors Ian Bates has continued as County Councillor for Hemingford Abbots. He has attended meetings regularly and is always very helpful on all matters under the CCC jurisdiction such as highways, waste and minerals, schools etc. The three District Councillors choose one of their team to attend HAPC meetings – and they too can be relied on to liaise for the Parish at HDC. After David Underwood’s resignation as HDC Councillor, Sarah Wilson took his seat in the by-election to work alongside Sarah Conboy and Mike Grice. Community Representatives and Helpers On behalf of HAPC I sincerely thank those members of the community who help the Council. Ted Burleigh is a Trustee of the Peace Memorial Playing Field. Ken Martin makes a regular check on the village Playing Field. Iain Muspratt liaises with the Environment Agency and reports on river matters. (HAPC continues to look for a new Footpath Warden – Iain has
done this job for many years and would like to hand on to someone new). Josephine Wills joined the Hemingford Hub Good Neighbour Scheme when it was set up in September 2019. Johnny Brown is the IT expert who manages the village website and helps with the HAPC email system. He presents a quarterly analysis of the traffic data from two VAS (Vehicle activated signs). Erika Brown circulates the weekly St Ives area Policing reports. Through her village email she sends out occasional notices and information. If you would like to be on this list, you must ‘opt in’ and email [email protected] Zoe Brown manages the Community Facebook page. Iain Muspratt chairs the Hemingfords Action Group who give HAPC regular reports on matters relating to the old Golf Course site. The Annual Litter Pick in February was twice postponed due to dangerous weather conditions. Thank you to the stalwart team who, on the third attempt, collected, unfortunately as ever, a considerable amount of rubbish from our roadsides. Thank you also to the quiet individuals who collect litter from the meadow, common and riverside walks on a weekly basis throughout the year. Finance The Precept for 2019-20 was set at £21,748 and this represents an annual Band D property charge of £65.51. The main expenditure of the annual budget is for administration of the Council – Clerk’s salary, meeting room hire, training, insurance etc. Then there is the maintenance of the Playing Field and its equipment, and also general village maintenance and repair. HAPC is mindful of the need for the street light ‘sinking fund’ to ensure the future cost of replacing the lights can be met when necessary. Village Projects and Maintenance The two Village Signs, designed by the late David Peace and given to the village by the WI and public subscription, are currently being refurbished and repainted by Glyn Mould a specialist woodworker. HAPC has been successful in a second bid to the CCC for funds under the Local Highways Improvement Scheme. The project is to implement a 20mph speed limit in the centre of the village and to create a buffer 40 mph zone on part of Rideaway.
HAPC has asked CCC to repair the damaged rumble strips in the High Street by covering them completely with smooth tarmac. The contract for street lighting energy has been transferred to SSE Co Ltd after the CCC relinquished their provision of this across the County. Discussions are continuing with HDC to apply for the former Golf Range to be registered as an Asset of Community Value. Representation HAPC has continued to make recommendation on all Planning Applications within the parish. Extra public meetings are held when necessary to meet the HDC time schedules. HAPC comments on most tree applications, and is increasingly concerned that HDC do not require replanting schemes for trees that are felled in the Conservation Area. HAPC is seeking clarification and more information on HDC policy on this matter. A further (third) response was submitted to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Minerals and Waste draft Local Plan. After submitting a response to the Combined Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Authority’s (CPCA) draft Transport Plan, HAPC was concerned to see that despite this parish’s and many others’ objections, the potential for a ‘Huntingdon Third River Crossing’ – possibly across Godmanchester Eastside Common – was included in the Plan. A Feasibility Study was commissioned by CPCA into the Crossing. HAPC was delighted and relieved when in June 2020 the Study reported its findings and definitively scrapped all plans for such a crossing. HAPC has made strong recommendations against proposed amendments of Planning permission for the old ‘astroturf site’ adjacent to the former Golf Course Site. This application is yet to be determined. March 23rd 2020 and onwards From Monday March 16th the nation was asked to ‘stay at home’ and the following week the country went into Lockdown to combat the spread of the Covid 19 virus. Events were so rapid and the future situation unknown, so Parish Councils were advised to put Emergency Measures in place. Notices were posted and began:
Hemingford Abbots Parish Council recognises and agrees that no business, meeting, service provision or service delivery of the Authority is of any importance above that of public and personal safety. As such the following resolutions are made: AGREED: all scheduled public meetings will be cancelled for an initial 3 month period until 22nd June 2020 (or as circumstances dictate). At the time there was no legislation for the provision and continuation of local government under such circumstances, but slowly new laws were enacted. The monthly March and April HAPC meetings were not held. A new way of working emerged – virtual meetings by Zoom. At the May meeting all payments and business that had been conducted by email were ratified. Meetings have continued by Zoom. National guidance allowed for delay to facilitate completion of the audit. The Annual Parish Meeting was delayed but had to be completed by September. The Annual Parish Council Meeting was not held and so the posts of Chairman and Vice-chairman will continue unless changed within a monthly meeting. The HAPC meetings continue to be advertised on the noticeboards and website, and any parishioner wishing to join the Zoom meetings can contact the Clerk for the link and password We have all had to adapt our ways of working and communicating. Virtual has many benefits, and although it is currently in place of Reality it certainly does not replace it. HAPC will return to public meetings in the Village Hall as soon as it is safe to do so. The Hemingford Hub which formed in the autumn of 2019 proved itself to be a beacon of the communities in both Hemingford villages from March onwards. Under the chairmanship of Josephine Wills, and now Tish Peek, they stepped up to co-ordinate a superb team of volunteers to deliver food, medicines, help and friendship to all those who were shielding, isolated and vulnerable. Both Parish Councils gave financial grants – but these were small compared to the generosity of goodwill, time and effort from the volunteers. An unfortunate casualty of the Lockdown period was our Clerk who found the burden of home working and home schooling to be too onerous and so resigned in July 2020. HAPC was sad to lose such a vivacious and
capable team member such as Ramune and wish her well. In September HAPC appointed a new Clerk, Maxine Blewett, and look forward to working with her. The pandemic and resulting necessary Public Health restrictions have considerably changed and curtailed our lives during the last seven months. There are many more months of uncertainty ahead. I trust Hemingford Abbots and HAPC will return to an open way of living and working in 2021. Until then, stay safe. Bridget Flanagan
Hub volunteers are really good neighbours
HemingfordHub is developing new initiatives as we go into the next stages of helping our community through the winter months. These are based on the results of our recent volunteer survey which demonstrates how committed they are to maintain this strong community spirit. We thank them for their unstinting dedication to those who found it hard to help themselves in trying circumstances. Another survey we conducted with the recipients of volunteer help shows how thankful they are to the volunteers, expressing how reassured they feel in the caring and safe community being created.
HemingfordHub’s good neighbour scheme has come into its own since the summer lockdown. We are recognised by HuntsForum as integral to supporting our local community, and a National Lottery Covid-19 award of £3210 ensures we can carry on supporting our most shielded and isolated residents, while working within
government guidelines, currently called the rule of six (where up to six people can gather — but this is subject to change). We currently have 55+ volunteers still active across both villages, but another 80+ have said they will make themselves available once more if the need arises. We welcome anyone who would like to volunteer. Many people start by making the occasional friendly phone call, which can lead to new friendships. The one thing all volunteers mentioned in the survey was how gratifying it is to give just a little bit of their time to brighten up the days of others.
Freedoms to socialise are constantly being evaluated. The Hub is still hosting socially-distanced tea parties. And we soon hope to offer fun-filled ITea parties to introduce our residents, on the wrong side of the digital divide, how to shop, play cards or communicate with family and friends. We will be using our donated and funded iPads and tablets, all suitably sanitised. If you know anyone who would like to join us (there’s no obligation to use the equipment) and just see how to do a spot of Christmas shopping, please contact us at the address below.
We still help those who have restricted lives with their shopping, prescriptions, post, dog-walking, making friendly phone calls, repairing dentures, providing bird seed, lending jigsaws and contacting handymen who can fix broken things ….. you just have to ask. We are always careful to keep a safe distance and wear masks and gloves. Stay safe and stay healthy. T: 07308 035416 E: [email protected] www.hemingfordhub.co.uk
Hemingford Abbots WI
At the beginning of September, the WI held a much scaled down Mamma Mia Party via Zoom. Alas no singing and dancing but our newsletter provided an excuse to celebrate both Scandinavian crafts & cuisine and to enjoy an ABBA quiz. Did you know that one of the Swedish band, Anni-Frid, was actually born in Norway? Or that when Agnetha, Björn, Benny & Anni-Frid wanted to call their band ABBA, they had to get permission from the Abba picked herrings company! The majority of outdoor scenes for the film 'Mamma Mia' were filmed on the beautiful island of Skopelos, located between Skiathos and Alonissos. Its picture- perfect setting makes it a popular holiday destination. I was lucky enough to visit the island at this time last year. Ioannis Chapel – also known as the 'MAMMA MIA' wedding church is situated on the island, there are 199 steps to walk up if you want to recreate the 'MAMMA MIA' movie feeling, or you can simply enjoy the stunning views and the cooling sea
breeze from the top of the rock. Maybe you would like to try the Norwegian ice cream cake recipe? Or try your hand at making these adorable Scandinavian Hearts to decorate your home, add to a parcel or put on your Christmas tree! They can be made with coloured paper or you could use felt. Alas while some of us enjoy our zoom meetings, it is not the same as all getting together in the village hall. We will need to continue reaching out to all our members via our monthy newsletter, and giving you a taste here in the Parish magazine, for the foreseeable future. Sue Cook
Norwegian Ice-cream Cake Cake base - 4 egg whites, 200g castor sugar, 200g ground almonds Line base and grease sides of 23cm loose bottom cake tin. Whisk egg whites gradually adding sugar to make meringue then gently stir in almonds. Spoon into tin. Cook at 150°C for 30-45mins. Allow to cool.
Topping - 4 egg yolks, 100g castor sugar, 400ml double cream, 4 Dime bars - chopped or crushed with rolling pin in bag. Whisk egg yolks with sugar until mixture is thick & pale and leaves a trial. Lightly whip double cream then gently incorporate with egg mixture before stirring in Dime. Pour over meringue, smooth top and place tin in freezer -cover with cling film and place in plastic bag. Take out 1/2 hour before serving with strawberries or raspberries.
HEMINGFORD ABBOTS WI Usually meets the first Wednesday of the month in the Village Hall at 7.30pm
Members will receive an email with a link to virtual meetings. If you don’t, please contact Janine.
The following are in our calendar when we resume: October 7th Craft Corners November 4th AGM & Guest Speaker December 2nd Christmas Party
Join us when we meet again. For more information phone Janine Hamilton on 01480 390505 or 07827 157227
ABBOTS VILLAGE HALL NEWS
We All Need Friends – Please Be One of Ours! If you are interested in becoming a friend of the Village Hall, and are willing to give a couple of hours a month, on an occasional basis to help with leaflet dropping, setting-up the hall etc. – please call: Stuart Prosser 07892 682389 Chairman
NATURE NOTE Spider’s Webb
During the past few weeks the garden has become festooned with spiders' webs. These are the orb webs or cartwheel webs that consist of a spiral thread laid across tightly drawn spokes. In the centre of many of the webs you can see the spinner, a plump- bodied garden spider. It is the picture of patience as it waits for an unfortunate insect to become glued and entangled.
There was one web that was particularly striking. One side was attached to the stout stem of a foxglove, so it looked like a diaphanous flag flying from a pole, and the other side was connected to a clematis by a single strand of silk about six feet long. It was an amazing piece of construction work that survived rain and wind, and the obvious question is how the spider managed to bridge the huge gap between foxglove and clematis.
It was not by laboriously descending from the foxglove, crawling along the ground, shinning up the wall and out on to the clematis. Paying out a silken thread without entangling it would have been an impossible feat. The trick is simple, and the envy of any human engineer stringing cables between pylons.
The spider lets out a gossamer thread that drifts with the wind until it snags on a distant object. Then the spider walks along it, coiling it in and eating it, while paying out a new, thicker thread. So there is no mystery how a spider's web can be suspended between two trees or even across a stream.
Robert Burton, Naturalist
RECTORS OF HEMINGFORD ABBOTS This is the eighth in a series of articles about past Rectors. We would be grateful for any anecdotes, corrections or comments. Charles Beresford and David Yeandle
FRANK HENRY GEORGE, Rector 1926 - 1930 Patrons: Representative of the late Henry Herbert Frank Henry George was born on 4th December 1872 in Great Yarmouth. His father was a bookseller and a collector for the gas company. He was educated at Great Yarmouth School and won a scholarship to Jesus College Cambridge, where he proceeded to his B.A. (2nd class, Classics Tripos) in 1893 and M.A. in 1909.
He was ordained deacon in 1898 and priest in 1899 in the Diocese of St Albans. He spent much of his career in education, first as Assistant Master at Durston House School, Ealing, for two years; then at Berkhamsted School, Hertfordshire, 1898-1901. He was Chaplain of The Grange, Folkestone, a private preparatory school, 1901-06. He was then at three of the Anglican Woodard Schools, first as an assistant master at Hurstpierpoint College, Sussex, 1906-13, then as Headmaster of King’s College Taunton, 1913-19 during the First War, and as Headmaster of Bloxham in Oxfordshire, 1919-25. In 1925, he returned to parish ministry, as Rector of Graveley (Huntingdonshire, a Jesus College living), 1925-26, before coming to Hemingford Abbots, aged 54, for five years, from 1926 to 1930. The population of Hemingford Abbots declined from 372 in 1921 to 296 by 1931, less than the 306 that it had been in 1801. During
Mr George’s incumbency the electoral roll reduced from 151 in 1927 to 134 in 1930; the number of school pupils fluctuated between 15 and 19, but there were 17 in both 1926 and 1930. The pupils left in the term in which they reached their eleventh birthday. Mr George visited the school in October 1926 soon after arriving and throughout his incumbency he visited the school on 2 or 3 mornings each week, checking the Register and taking the oldest children for Scripture lessons. In 1929 the Assistant Director of Education in the Diocese found that the children’s scriptural knowledge was satisfactory and they showed interest, and in 1930 the Diocesan Director of Education credited their good knowledge of facts and praised the accuracy of their repetition of the Catechism and the “happy and sympathetic atmosphere” in the school. The HMI considered the school was improving, within the constraints of small numbers in each age group. Mr George’s predecessor, Rev Hugh Frith, had only been Rector for a few weeks before his death, following an operation in January 1926. At his first PCC meeting in November 1926 Mr George was keen to revive the Parish Magazine and to improve the Rectory. No work had been carried out to make the Rectory fit for habitation since it was vacated in October 1925. Mr George’s marriage to Violet Hawes in 1927 must have made the lack of progress particularly irksome to him. The proposed reduction in the size of the Rectory required £250 to be raised by the parish to gain matching funding from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners and a grant from Queen Anne’s Bounty. Within a couple of weeks promises by the parishioners of nearly £170 were secured, together with a loan guarantee to cover the balance. Further progress was delayed until delapidations due from the previous incumbent had been paid or the Living mortgaged to Queen Anne’s Bounty.
A window in the south aisle of the church blew in and needed replacing in 1927. Later in the year the roof of that aisle was leaking and estimates were obtained for repairing the roofs of both aisles and a couple of pinnacles on the tower. In 1929 Mrs Williams sponsored the repairs to the north aisle in memory of her husband, on condition that the PCC would improve the lighting and the heating. Electric lighting was installed in 1930 and a ‘Gurney’ stove was installed by the west column of the north aisle, with the chimney going up and out through the clerestory wall. The Roman tomb or sarcophagus was moved to the west end of the north aisle. The north aisle and the cleaning of the organ were completed in 1929. The Jolliffe Nativity window by Kempe and Tower was approved. Plastering and distempering of the chancel and both aisles were to match the colour of the stone pillars in the nave. In 1930 an altar with appropriate furnishings was placed at the east end of the south aisle. This was donated by Mrs Linton in memory of Colonel Linton, who had been Churchwarden and Chairman of the School Managers. Colonel Douglas donated part of his garden so that the churchyard could be extended northwards. Mr George chaired the PCC and was also elected as secretary in 1929. At his last PCC meeting in 1930 Mr Herbert reported that the Bishop had approved the Trustees’ nomination of Rev Algernon Ayre as the next Rector. Mr George had been appointed as Rector of Brampton, Huntingdonshire, where he also served as Rural Dean, from 1930- 37. He then moved to Orton Longueville, 1937-40, and to Elton, 1940-44. Like Hemingford Abbots, both parishes are in Ely Diocese, despite being close to Peterborough. He retired back to his Norfolk home region and died five years later in Gorleston, aged 76, on 23 June 1949.
WE ARE OPEN WITH NEW OPENING TI MES
WEDNESDAY THURSDAY AND FRIDAY ONLY 10am – 2.00pm
Hemingford Garden Room Village Coffee Shop
33 High Street, Hemingford Grey, PE28 9BJ 01480 300484
NOVEMBER 2020 MAGAZINE The deadline for copy for this magazine is 5pm on Friday 23rd October 2020. The magazine will be published as a PDF and distributed by email. Please provide copy as A4 with 16pt font. Thank you for taking the time and effort to contribute to the magazine. Please send articles, advertisements and notices directly to: Rachel Winton, [email protected] , or deliver to The Parish Administrator, Parish Office 33, High Street, Hemingford Grey
HEMINGFORD ABBOTS VILLAGE CONTACT LIST CHURCH Priest in Charge Revd Peter Cunliffe 394378 Associate Minister Revd Judith Bolton 370036 Associate Minister Revd Canon Brian Atling 493975 Churchwarden David Wordsworth 370634 Daniela Spilca 07722 587759 Deputy Churchwarden John Hyde 464127 Sheila Holmes 463733 Bellringers Sharon Williams 830766 Choir Charles Beresford 463458 Flower Guild Bridget Flanagan 465370 Magazine Parish Office Team 467250 Treasurer John Hyde 464127 For weddings see churchbytheriver.org.uk/weddings PARISH COUNCILLORS Bridget Flanagan (Chairman) [email protected] 465370 Christine Nicol [email protected] John Peters (Vice-chairman) [email protected] 496464 Marcus Whewell [email protected] 464293 Zoe Ryall [email protected] 462387 PARISH CLERK: Maxine Blewett [email protected] COUNTY COUNCILLOR: Ian Bates 830250 DISTRICT COUNCILLORS: Sarah Conboy [email protected] Mike Grice [email protected] Sarah Wilson [email protected] Parish Council Website: www.hemingfordabbots.org.uk Webmaster: [email protected]
VILLAGE HALL Chairman Stuart Prosser 07892 682389 Bookings Jenny Desborough 468956 Bridge Club Chris Nicol 300185 Village Lunch Jenny Stocker 468802 Whist Drives Danny Hallissey 465007 Women’s Institute Janine Hamilton 390505