Cllr Mike Mason: “The Guided Bus is a Disaster”

Mike Mason sent this article to the Courier which we are republishing with the permission of the original publishers. There is much that has not been generally known. Cllr Mason, as most know, has represented the village parish councils and in an expert on the Guided Busway project.

Your comments are most welcome.

Rec Fun Day Combined Church Service & Picnic

Sunday 13 June at 11 am.  Join us for a open air service at Histon & Impington Receeation Ground to give thanks for & celebrate the new play area! Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy afterwards! Then, stay all day for the other activities

- Histon & Impington Council Of Churches

‘FUN DAY’ this SUNDAY - Don’t miss it!

Click for image larger version

Don’t miss it … this Sunday 13 June starting at 11 am:  The 2010 Rec FUN DAY and the Official Opening of the New Playarea.  [ For email subscribers: Check the HI Courier website for a complete programme listing of activities.]  There will be plenty of sports activities:  archery, tennis, tri-golf, croquet, fencing, cricket, and netball.  There will be attractions: Laser tag, Electric go carts, roundabout, colour maze, tug of war, demolition ball, assault course bouncy castle and a cross bar challenge.  There will be a brass band, food and drink all day and even a circus skills workshop.  Plus much more!  And the main event: the official opening of the new play area. 

Be there!  It all starts at 11 am this Sunday.

REPORT: General Election 2010

Prospective Parliamentary Candidates Meet with Villagers TWICE in One Week! 

Over 100 attended the HICCA General Election Question Time

28 April 2010: As the General Election campaign goes into overdrive in the last few days one clear fact emerged: our village is a top priority for the prospective parliamentary candidates.  For the second time in 6 days they came en mass to well attended hustings events to convince us that they and their parties are worthy of our votes.

With the dreaded words ‘hung parliament’  hanging over this general election, the lasting impression from both of those events was how much agreement there was among the candidates. There was no antagonism, no overt attempts to ‘point score’ at all costs, but a calm and thoughtful discussion on how to approach different problems facing the constituency and the country.  Many in the audience commented afterwards whether the real problem might not be the party system itself which thrives on endless childlike debating with little common purpose to solve real problems.

The first hustings, put on by St Andrews Church and held at IVC, was attended by over 60 perople.  The second, a ‘Question Time’ event, held last night at IVC and attended by over 100 villagers, was organised by HICCA (Histon Impington Climate Change Action group) and focused mainly on environmental issues. According to the candidates these two events were high on their favourite list winning high marks for the content of the questions and the organisation of the event itself.

Present at HICCA’s Question Time were: Simon Sedgwick-Jell (Green Party), Jonathon Chatfield (Liberal Democrats), Jim Paice (Conservative Party), Andy Monk (UKIP) and  Geoffrey Wollard  (Independent). Daniel Bell (Independent/Christian Party Alliance) and John Cowen (Labour Party) were also invited to attend. Bell sent apologies due to a conflict in scheduling and John Cowen did not attend due, possibly, to a dispute about his status in the Labour Party. Both were present at the St. Andrew’s hustings on the 21st along with Jim Paice and Jonathon Chatfield.

Not surprisingly, Impington resident Jonathon Chatfield (Lib Dems) was a favourite with the audience. He stood out from the start with answers that were designed to reveal more about himself as a person rather than just repeat the party line.

Steve Waters, noted playwright and chair of HICCA, moderated the Question Time. He explained that questions were divided into four categories: Transport, Energy, Development and Climate Change, Questions had been submittted in advance and by the audience at the event itself.  None of the candidates saw the questions ahead of the eventy. Each was given a up to 2 minutes to answer a question.  The honour of asking the first question from the audience was given to 10 year old Miro Hovius who asked: How can we get people to care more about the climate?  Miro is a student at the Histon and Impington Junior School and a memebr of theClimate Rescue Club, a lunchtime group that meets regularly to learn mre about climate change and what can be done to avoid a warmer world.

Key Points from the Question Time:

The candidates were asked to introduce themselves and tell the audience where they would like to see their constituency in 20 years time.  Not surprisingly the answers concentrated on development, housing and transportation:

Simon Sedgwick-Jell (Greens): It’s bonkers to concentrate all the development in Cambridge. People work in Cambridge but have to commute because they cannot afford the housing. He reminded us that the East of England is the most vulnerable part of the UK to climate change - whether from flooding or excess heat.

Andy Monk (UKIP): There’s has been lots of unplanned development in the region including destroying greenbelt. We need to stop building thousands of new houses as gov’t dictates. We need affordable housing for all, but on a much reduced scale decided by local needs.

Jim Paice (Conservatives): It’s not too far ahead given that Cambridge’s success has largely come about over the past 20 to 30 years. We need to stop top down planning for the region. Housing needs to be decided by local council.  The public transport issue needs addressing.  Then to much laughter he said: “By then both the guided busway and the A14 upgrade should be working!” We need to value the local landscape and our agricultural land, preserving this from development especially with the future increase in food requirements.

Jonathon Chatfield (LibDems): We need to be developing local communities with all the facilities they need - shops, pubs, schools, etc. and not just housing estates. For transport we need to be developing the use of cycle, bus and high speed rail.

Geoffrey Wollard (Independent): We cannot continue as we are. I’ve been a member of County Council since 1974 and such councils make mistakes which has led to the current state we are in locally. It’s a bad idea to divert development plans to local authorities. It’s wrong to concentrate development in certain areas only. We need to develop starter homes not starter hutches.

FIRST QUESTION:
The first question from the audience was posed by 10 year old Miro Hovius, student at the Histon Impington Junior School.  He asked: “How would you convince people to care more about the climate.” ( Editor’s Note: Miro spent time in Northeastern Greenland in 2008 with his family. They went to look at the record and impact of climate change on time scales ranging from hundreds of millions of years to human time.  The book ‘Journey into the Ice Age’ about this expedition was published in Norway in September 2009 and is being prepared for publication here.)Geoffrey Wollard (Independent): Human activity does affect climate. Population is a big problem. We need to work out how we can feed the expanding world population with finite resources.

Jonathon Chatfield (LibDems): People are waking up to environmental issues. We should listen to young people who are engaged, passionate and well aware of the problem.

Jim Paice (Conservatives): I agree with the other two comments. To engage the public to accept that it is necessary to change we need to do it in such a way that people want to change. You can have a nice car; it doesn’t need to be fuelled by oil. You can have a nice house without reliance on fossil fuels through the use of insulation. You can have change without too much suffering.

Andy Monk (UKIP): I also agree. People need to be encouraged to buy local food in season - it tastes better, reduces food miles and supports local businesses.  We need to have proper affordable electric cars for all.

Simon Sedgwick-Jell(Greens): I can’t disagree with anything that has been said so far, however, I don’t believe the parties will deliver on what has been said.  We need to convince people that greater affluence does not equal greater happiness.  The current message that having more things makes you happier needs to be undermined.

TRANSPORT:
To save time, several questions where then asked under a particular topic heading and candidates asked to choose which to answer.  The first topic was Transport. The questions: The future of the A14? How did they travel to IVC this evening? How and when will you prioritise cycling over other forms of transport?

Jim Paice (Conservatives): I arrived in a car but there were 4 of us in it. We need to improve the A14 as soon as possible but it’s going to be 2-3 years before work starts. It is essential to upgrade it even though we need other forms of transport. If we doubled the freight carried on rail we would only decrease road traffic by one year’s growth.  Cycle ways are important but they are the responsibility of the county councils.

Andy Monk (UKIP): I came in a car with one other person. The A14 needs improvement but we also need to increase high speed rail to move transport off the roads. The guided busway will help … eventually. (laughter) UKIP would veto the EU’s plan to introduce super lories to our roads. Cycle ways are very important but we need a balance between the needs of all road users including pedestrians.

Simon Sedgwick-Jell (Greens): I came by bus because my bike lights are dodgy and I couldn’t cycle home in the dark. I’m sure the press would have a field day with that if I had. The bus service is not fit for purpose. Last night I had to leave the hustings early to get the last bus or I would have been marooned.  Cyclists are treated as second class citizens for example look at the way cycle ways disappear at junctions like roundabouts where they are most needed for safety. The cost of the A14 upgrade is huge and traffic will just expand to match the increase in capacity.  It would be much better to invest this amount of money elsewhere.

Jonathon Chatfield (LibDems): I got here by walking since I only live a few minutes from IVC. The Lib Dems support a smaller, cheaper and quicker scheme for the A14 aimed at improving safety, for example, at junctions - not for increasing capacity. We need to move freight traffic to rail. I think there should be a pricing structure to decrease road where transport alternatives exist, but obviously not in areas where there is no alternative to car use. Off-road cycle ways are very important.  I’m a keen cyclist myself. We also need to improve road structures and speed limits to make cycling safer on the roads.

Geoffrey Wollard (Independent): I came in a car with my wife of 48 years, but no other women. (laughter and applause). The A14 needs improvement. The use of rail is not feasible in some areas. Cycle ways make more sense in Histon and Impington which is close enough for people to use for journeys into Cambridge.

A follow up question from the floor by a man who is a member of the ‘Speaking Up’ youth parliament: Would the Parties extend the use of bus passes to include disabled workers of working age during peak hour to allow travel to and from work?  There was agreement by the panel that the idea had merit even though none of the parties had a policy covering that.  Simon Sedgwick-Jell said he would not stop at bus passes for disabled and that we can learn from schemes in other parts of the world. For example, in Denver they put up sales tax by one-half percent and made buses free during off peak times and very cheap the rest of the time. Everyone thought putting bike racks on buses would be useful. Jim Paice said that contrary to rumour, the Conservatives would commit to keeping the free bus pass system.

ENERGY:
Energy Questions: Would you change the feed in tariff to include the early pioneers who installed renewable energy systems before July last year? What is your party’s target for the use of biofuels? Which biofuels would you approve? To meet our renewable power needs the UK will need either expanded nuclear power or massive wind farm. Which do you support?

Geoffrey Wollard (Independent): The increased use of biofuels means increased deforestation and increased growth of crops - not for food but for fuel. What we need to do is to economise on fuel use not expect biofuels to support the current levels of consumption. We need to increase both nuclear and wind farms - controversial but necessary - but not necessarily massive wind farms.  For example, I would happily cope with three or four wind turbines in my parish.

Jonathon Chatfield (LibDems): I have a problem with the sound bites nature of this format. There is much detail which needs to be discussed. Feed in tariffs need to be set at decent levels for everybody.  It’s necessary to listen to experts in these fields to decide on which type of fuels to use. I am nervous about biofuels and I don’t see them as a major solution. Critical decisions need to be made soon. We need to invest in renewables not old nuclear technology and we need to decrease consumption.

Jim Paice (Conservatives): We can’t rely on wind for all our power. We need to decrease our energy use. I support all renewables but nuclear is also a vital part of our strategy. I used to be very keen on biofuels but have changed my mind because of the problem of deforestation and the diversion of food crops. Energy production needs to be sustainable.  I would make the feed in tariffs equal for everybody except for those early adopters who have received a substantial grant. 

Andy Monk (UKIP): I share the misgivings about biofuels. We need to increase money for research into other alternatives such as hydrogen fuel cells. We should invest in new clean nuclear technology. Wind is not reliable. It only works out because of huge government subsidy, so nuclear is much better. [not true - ed] We do need to make feed in tariffs fair.

Simon Sedgwick-Jell (Greens): Remove, reduce, replace. We need to reduce energy use in both commercial and domestic settings, we could conserve 30% of energy with insulation. Nuclear is mad, expensive and a waste problem. Wind, solar, wave and other energy - we need to use them all. There is no magic bullet solution. Biofuels are destructive.

DEVELOPMENT:
Questions: Is it feasible to make all new houses built from 2016 zero carbon as is gov’t policy?  Are other parties and candidates going to succumb to pressure from the airlines and build a third runway at Heathrow? What will you do to encourage the development of efficient electric cars?

Simon Sedgwick-Jell (Greens): With regards zero carbon building we can learn much from Europe. They have much higher standards in Scandanavia. We shouldn’t bow to pressure from the building industry. We need to include standards for rebuilds and renovation because we have an unfit existing housing stock and that situation needs to be addressed. We don’t need any new runways. We need to decrease the subsidies on air travel and put an airmiles tax so that the real cost of air travel is paid.

Andy Monk (UKIP): We have 800,000 empty houses in the UK. We need to get those in use before building more. There is a zero carbon Tesco’s in Ramsey where I live.  It’s not feasible for all homes to be carbon neutral by 2016 and we need to see if the cost to achieve that for new builds is sensible. We would not increase the size of Heathrow but would build a new airport in the Thames estuary.

Jim Paice (Conservatives): We should stick to the 2016 target which is that all homes built from that year need to be carbon neutral. I’m more concerned about the existing housing stock. We will introduce an up front payment of up to £6500 for people to spend increasing the carbon efficiency of their home. It would be paid for over a 25 year period by the savings in their fuel bills.  We oppose a third runway at Heathrow and would block a second runway at Stansted and at Gatwick because we believe that we need to develop high speed rail services. We are also proposing incentives for electricity suppliers to create a network of charging points for electric cars.

Jonathon Chatfield (LibDems): I agree about new builds but we also need to help the existing stock become energy efficient. We will have grants to bring 250,000 houses online for use, no new runway, have a per flight tax not a tax per passenger which will encourage maximum passengers per flight. I agree with electric cars and charging points but we need to develop alternative transport as well.  

Geoffrey Wollard (Independent): The government has got some things right, for example, civil partnerships and no fox or hare hunting. Current building regs are much improved on 1960’s housing and is part ashamed and part proud of recent developments.

CLIMATE CHANGE - The Wider Issue:
Questions: Do you believe in climate change? How will you help community, agencies and residents? Can we afford to mitigate against climate change? How much resource will you be willing to commit? How do you restore confidence after the failure of the Copenhagen talks and the recent events at the University of East Anglia?

Simon Sedgwick-Jell (Greens): There’s been much misinformation from the media especially regarding the University of East Anglia. Equal time has been given to scientific evidence and skeptical views - the equivalent of giving equal time to those who still think the world is flat. Much is being done at local level but this is not helped sufficiently by government. Our taxes are lower today than they were under Margaret Thatcher. We have to accept that we cannot have Scandinavian level services with American level taxes. We cannot rely on jumble sale funding.

Andy Monk (UKIP): We need to have a balanced debate between man made climate change and natural climate change. The jury is out. UKIP would listen to residents and have referenda. We need to look at finances with reservations and examine from both sides. We need to decrease bureaucracy and red tape relating to the environment.

Jim Paice (Conservatives): I have received a lot of mail expressing the opinion that either climate change does not exist or is natural. However, these are all wrong. The vast majority of exerts worldwide believe in climate change and that the majority of it is manmade. To believe otherwise would be stupid. Even if the naysayers are correct, taking the precaution to do something is safer than doing nothing. Therefore we MUST invest. Feed-in tariffs and grants will help people solve their own problems. People respond better to the carrot than to the stick - incentives not penalties.

Jonathon Chatfield (LibDems): Climate change IS happening and man is mostly responsible. It’s significant that a number, I think 20%, of conservative candidates do not believe this. Conservative MEPs have moved position within the EU to join the ultra right wing group of non-believers. I would listen to groups like HICCA and similar.

Geoffrey Wollard (Independent): I think Jonathon is wearing a halo. I’m not convinced that climate change is happening but I believe an increasing population will have an effect on climate. There is no alternative to mitigating climate change, we must do it. Changing rates of taxation can affect behaviour.

Jim Paice (Conservatives): [Responding to Jonathon Chatfield] I’m not sure about the 20% figure. The Conservative Party policy is that climate change is happening and that man is largely responsible. The Conservatives forced a lot of the climate change bill through. It’s possible for Conservative MP’s to have a separate personal view from the party line. Conservative MEPs will vote with the climate change lobby in Europe.  They will introduce green taxes but decrease taxation elsewhere.

Impington Toad Rescue

Anita Joysey, tireless rescuer of 1000's of distressed toads!

It started Friday evening 19 March.  First there were a few. Then the migration began in full. The toads marched out of Impington woodland areas heading for their spawning lakes adjacent to the Holiday Inn.  Halfway along their path stood an unexpected obstacle - the new Guided Busway track - the toad equivalent of the Great Wall of China. Had it not been for Anita Joysey the scene would have been tragic - thousands would have died from dehydration and predator attacks.  

It now appears that Impington is home to an exceptional colony of common toads (Bufo bufo) as defined by the Natural Environment and Rural Community Act 2006. The common toad is a true gardeners friend living on a diet of slugs, and insects. So far, over 3000 have been rescued, checked and counted. Anita Joysey and Dave Seilly found the first wave of migration early Saturday 20 March and rescued 701 toads.  They carefully collected them from the sides of the busway where the exhausted animals had been trying to find a way around the endless track then gently carried them into the lake in large buckets.  Then they spread the word that more were likely to come.  It’s this time of year when toads are on the move from their winter hibernation shelter to spawn in nearby lakes. Like salmon they return to the place of their birth to spawn the next generation. Any stress is dangerous as they have limited energy resources. They will not have eaten from the time the went into hibernation in October until they return from spawning in mid April.

Failure to find a breach in the Busway track means slow death by dehydration, or terrifying death by predator

Upon hearing the news, Impington parish councillor Pene Nudds sprang into action alerting councillors at District and County level. Last year a far smaller migration left many toads crushed by Busway construction vehicles.  Parish, District and County councillors were determined to avoid a repeat of that incident. Soon help began to show up as Anita and her crew of volunteers collected stranded toads each morning. Dave Haxton, a representative from Atkins, the engineering firm that is acting as project manager for the Busway project, arrived bright and early Monday morning to see what could be done.  Last year a temporary toad fence was erected to prevent additional carnage as toads strayed onto the path of Busway construction traffic.  This needed repair.  Pitfall traps that had been used last year to safely catch and hold toads for short periods needed to be installed. Atkins moved swiftly to assist, sending several staff and ecologists to help Anita with the morning and evening rescue efforts. 

As impossible to climb as the Great Wall of China the busway track completely blocks the path to their spawning lake

William Seale from Maddingly Toad Rescue told the HI Courier that this is a Biodiversity Action Plan issue.  The number of common toads, in spite of their name, are dwindling as development and habitat removal increases.  Impington now appears to be a site of significant interest. William has been working for over 20 years to rescue toads and provide safe and stable habitats for them.   

Toads emerge from hibernation on land in late February or early March and complete the migration back to the lake where they started the previous autumn. Once there, mating and egg laying occur over a brief period in March and April. The adult toads then leave the lake and head back to the land needing, once again, to cross the Busway track on the way. They live in the woodland for the remainder of the year, entering hibernation again in late September or early October.

Several permanent toad tunnels will be needed to allow this two way access between the woodland and lake. County council has assured us that they will begin construction when they officially take control of the northern section of the Guided Busway. Tunnels of the sort needed can be built after the fact while the busway is in operation. Until that happens mitigation efforts and daily toad rescues will be needed for the few weeks of back and forth migration that occur in March and late July.

Anita had helpers from the Regional College on the third morning

What could have been a disaster has been avoided by the cooperation at all levels - parish, district, and county councils, Atkins, and most of all by Anita Joysey and her volunteers.  Our hats off and a ‘well done’ to all.  The HI Courier will be watching and reporting as this story develops.

Toads were checked and counted before releasing into their spawning lake

Sensing the end of their ordeal the toads are anxious to get into the water

Checking one of the pitfall traps where toads are safely caught at night and can be rescued in the morning

Green toad fence built in 2009 is in remarkably good shape after a year of exposure to the elements and construction crews. In theory toads should not get onto the busway track and should fall into the pitfall traps. But many still manage to get through somehow. This will be replaced with a permanent barrier by Cambridge County Council when construction of the northern section of the busway is completed.

This is the goal. The lake on the other side of the busway. The A14 motorway forms one boundry and the busway the other. This effectively cuts off toad migration during spawning season. Several toad tunnels under the busway are essential for protecting this large colony of common toads.

SHOCK! Woodland Devastated

Residents and Parish Councillors have been shocked by the devastation of the wood between Histon Football Club and the Guided Busway. The operators appeared on Saturday morning 20th February and felled at least 20 mature healthy trees, all of which were protected by a Tree Preservation Order.

Histon Parish Councillor Alan Eade said: “As tree warden for Histon, I was appalled to learn of the deliberate and unlawful destruction of the copse to the southeast of the Histon football ground. The presence of such areas of trees and bushes of varying ages and species is vital for the limitation of vistas, the preservation of the essentially rural aspect of our villages, and the prevention of the spread of nondescript suburbia. It constitutes an act of corporate vandalism and encourages the wilful disregard of long standing regulations to protect trees in our environment.” The trees in question were protected and required parish council notification and district council assent before any work is to be undertaken. This makes their destruction, without prior permission, a breach of the Town and Country Planning Act.

When felling commenced on the Saturday morning, the workmen and the gang leader were informed that the trees were protected and they were asked to check whether the necessary permissions had been obtained before proceeding. Despite this, felling continued until there wasn’t a single tree left standing. The devastated area is immediately adjacent to and exactly in line with the southern edge of Histon football club leading to speculation by some that the club had ordered the clearing operation.

One resident said, “The trees were part of a necessary wind barrier across the recreation area in the direction of the prevailing wind and this has now been lost. Also visually the trees made a complete line shielding the Holiday Inn from the Rec.” A further potentially dangerous situation now exists since people will now be able to stand on the B1049 bridge and watch the football matches, causing a potentially serious road hazard.

This mature wooded area not only provided an excellent wind, sound and visual barrier, but it also provided a wonderful haven for wildlife. Although it was quite narrow it had created a vital corridor between two established wooded areas, linking The Copse to the west with the Chivers Wood (alongside the Elizabeth Woodcock Memorial field) to the east. An enviro.volunteer commented “We’ve spent a lot of time improving the condition of other local wooded areas, so it’s a very sad thing to see the destruction of such a large number of healthy mature trees. It’s quite ironic that this should happen the very week that we and so many other residents turned out to help plant up the new Centenary Wood on the other side of the village. Contractors who have recently been planting up alongside the Guided Busway are also somewhat concerned by this unexpected extra loss of habitat along this section.”

The HI Courier contacted Histon Football Club and received this response from club Secretary Julie Roach dated 27 February: “We employed a local firm to clear some shrubbery and some dead trees in an area surrounding the club. However this did go beyond our expectations of what was anticipated.”

Work still being carried out on 2 March

This is not the first time HFC have been criticised for their actions regarding the environment. Previously villagers were shocked by their actions during the installation of HFC’s new footpath. On that occasion mature trees were cleared from the roadside embankment, losing an important feature and exposing The Rec. to road noise and wind disturbance.

The HI Courier obtained a copy of the certified map showing all of the protected trees and zones surrounding the football club and The Rec area. The green areas shown are all under tree protection orders. The section shown in red indicates the wooded area destroyed, without permission, by contractors acting on behalf of HFC. At least 20 and perhaps up to 50 healthy protected trees have been removed.

Having been alerted to these actions, South Cambs District Council sent an officer to the scene on Tuesday morning. Shortly thereafter they issued this statement: “South Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC) is currently investigating unauthorised work to cut down a number of protected trees at the rear of Histon Football Club. This is an offence that SCDC takes very seriously and can result in a criminal prosecution and a fine of up to £20,000.” We understand the matter is receiving very serious consideration by the South Cambs legal department, but we cannot confirm this directly.

According to the South Cambs District Council website “anyone seeking permission to do anything to a protected tree must do so by written application. On receipt of the application form there is an eight-week consultation process. South Cambridgeshire District Council then makes a site visit to assess the works being requested and  either gives consent, refuses consent or gives conditional consent.”

For all the latest developments and to leave your comments, please go to our website www.HIcourier.co.uk  or post them to Histon Impington Courier Ltd, PO Box 1161, Histon, Cambridge CB24 9XB

Histon Resident to Become a Queen’s Nurse

 

Being a QN provides a link into a nursing organisation with a 120 year history of inspiring, involving and investing in nurses and the opportunity through a QN Forum to influence future policies and practice.

The Queens Nurse Institute is a charity that traces its origins to 1887 with the grant of £70,000 by Queen Victoria from the Women’s Jubilee Fund. A Royal Charter in 1889 named it ‘Queen Victoria’s Jubilee Institute for Nurses’ and gave it the objectives of providing the ‘training, support, maintenance and supply’ of nurses for the sick poor, as well as establishing training homes, supervising centres, co-operating with other bodies and establishes Branches as necessary.

Janet will be attending an award ceremony in London in May 2010 to receive her QN Badge and Certificate.

For further information about Queen’s Nurses go to: http://www.qni.org.uk/queens-nurses/index.html

Play Area Design Consultation September

A play area designer was appointed in August to design a new and enlarged play area for the Rec, and a summary of the latest design is shown above.

The designer was asked to use the feedback from the two earlier consultations in the summer when designing;

• In June the favourite play activities advised were climbing, balancing, swinging, fitness and meeting friends. Many also wanted to see the spiral tower slide kept.

• In July ideas of possible new play equipment were provided, there was strong support for most ideas, but also for more challenging equipment and for landscaping.

The designer has also had to consider the cost and space available.

Please do comment on the latest design so we can move forward to finalising it.

Link for Recreation ground main site

http://www.hisimprec.net  

Link for article in question

http://www.hisimprec.net/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59:play-area-design-consultation-september&catid=37:play-area-project&Itemid=59

Choir 2000 Rehearsals Begin 30 September

Choir 2000 has become an integral part of community life in Histon and Impington.  If you have ever thought of joining this inspiring group, here is your chance.  Choir rehearsals for the 2009-2010 season start on Wednesday 30 September 7.30 at the Baptist Church, Histon.  Rehearsals are held on Wednesdays from 7.30pm to 9.45pm and include a tea/coffee break, giving members a chance to chat and make new friends.   You do not need a formal musical education to participate in Choir 2000.  There are no auditions. The high quality of training offered enables members to continually develop their musical and vocal skills.

CHOIR 2000 is looking for practical help, too

If you do not want to sing with the choir, but would like to be involved with its activities, you can become an Associate Member. There is no fee, but we would ask you give up some of your time to assist with front of house duties, refreshments, or publicity. You will receive a complimentary ticket every time you offer your help, and are invited to come to our social events.

Peter Britton, Musical Director

Since its beginning in 2000, and thanks to intensive work and exciting performances first under Grayston Burgess and now under Peter Britton, Choir 2000 has developed from the original ad-hoc group of 60 singers into a coherent and well trained choir of over 120 members whose performances have drawn praise from top professional musicians.

Although many of our singers have had little or no formal musical education, and membership of the choir is open to all without auditions, the high quality of training offered in our rehearsals enables our members to continually develop their musical and vocal skills. The result is a wonderful choral sound, differentiated singing, and refreshingly enthusiastic and sparkling performances.

We perform three concerts each year, usually at the Histon Baptist Church, in December, March and June; in June we also take our concert to West Road Concert Hall in Cambridge, where we can perform with a full orchestra. Our repertoire, encompassing 400 years of European music, is designed to mix the familiar with the new, and includes secular as well as sacred works.

In June 2009 the choir performed the U.K. First Performance of Herman Suter’s Le Laudi to great acclaim. It is a large-scale oratorio for choir, four soloists and childrens’ choir and a big orchestra.

In June 2010 we shall celebrate our 10th Anniversary with a full-scale performance of Bach’s masterpiece, the Mass in B-minor.

Choir 2000 Choral Days attract singers from well beyond the borders of Cambridgeshire, and are another way of fulfilling our role as an educational charity. We invite accomplished choral conductors to come to Histon for a day and work with all who want to come, sometimes to improve our understanding of a familiar work, sometimes to introduce the participants to new repertoire.

We also organise lively non-singing social events for members and guests. In addition, our chamber choir group presents some smaller scale events, usually by invitation.

Choir 2000 has become an integral part of community life in Histon and Impington and has been invited to take part in several village-sponsored events. It is also drawing members from many of the villages surrounding Cambridge, and from the city itself.

Rehearsals are held on Wednesdays from 7.30pm to 9.45pm at the Baptist Church in Histon and include a tea/coffee break, giving members a chance to chat and make new friends.

Our fees are modest. We charge a basic enrolment fee of £20.00 p.a., payable at the beginning of the season (September), and a participation fee of £15.00 (£20.00 summer term only) for each full term of rehearsals and two performances. Couples only pay one enrolment fee between them. There is a £5.00 reduction for those who pay for the full year in advance and a reduced enrolment fee for new members who join later in the season. In cases of hardship the committee may agree to waive part or all of the participation fees.

For further information about Choir 2000 please visit our web-site www.choir2000.org or ring 01223 561635. You are welcome to come along for a ‘taster-session’.

County Seeks Flu Volunteers

click image for full text of letter

A letter from the Cambridgeshire County Council Emergency Management Team to all parish councils is asking for volunteers to work alongside the County’s health workers to provide support through the current swine flu outbreak.

If it should become necessary, volunteers would help with the distribution of antiviral medications at up to 16 centres, each operating for 12 hours a day and 7 days a week. These centres may be set up at short notice and may be required for several weeks.  The antivirals would be collected from the centres by ‘flu friends’ - patients with swine flu would not attend the centres themselves.

Quoting from the letter: “We are looking for people who are able to deal with the public, comfortable in a community setting and who have good organising skills. We have prepared comprehensive information packs and made arrangements for briefing volunteers so that they know what they will be doing and are confident in their role. Reasonable direct costs incurred eg travelling will be reimbursed.”

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