EDITORIAL

Spring is definitely in the air! As I write this the sun is shining the birds twittering and I can see yellow peeping through on some of the daffodils in the garden. Let us hope that spring is till hovering around when you read this and that we have not reverted to winter!
Speaking of winter, how many of you got stuck in the snow at the end of January?
Not much fun and all so avoidable, let us have your views on the whole sorry business. Who do you think should be held responsible?
The effect on the villages bordering the A14 everytime there is a major incident gets ever more noticeable, do you agree that traffic calming is the answer, or do you feel that it will only lead to every road in the area being at a standstill?
We are still looking for help in the form of someone to co-ordinate the major events list. We will print the events as long as you remember to tell us about them in good time, but really need someone to check with all village organisations two months in advance to see if they have a major fund raising event planned. There is nothing more frustrating to put a lot of time and effort into organising something only to find that it clashes with another event being held on the same day at the same time! Please if you can help get in touch with me.
Happy Easter!
April Martin

Copy date for the June/July issue is April 25th!


DEADLINES!

May I once again make a plea for contributors to keep to the DEADLINE date which is printed in every issue of the magazine. Most of you are very understanding and get your items to us before the deadline for which I thank you. However there are some contributors who leave it all to the last minute and then ask for extra time to get their items to us. If you are working in a company and you are given a deadline then that deadline has to be adhered to. The Meridian may only be a village magazine but we still have to keep to the deadline. All of us on the team are doing this in our "spare" time none of us gets paid for doing it. We try our best to include everyone but if even one item is late then it pushes our production schedule back, thus robbing us of time in which to proof read, correct, edit etc. before sending it to the college for printing and distribution.
The deadline date is the deadline for items to be with either myself or Alan Morris. Please get your items in on time. Alan does a terrific job in laying out the magazine, help me to keep his workload down to sensible proportions.
Thank You
Editor.


Swavesey Library

I am writing to inform you in case you haven't already heard, that Swavesey Library will definitely be CLOSING DOWN.

The closure date, as yet, hasn't been set but it will be sometime during June/July.

Verity Ladds is looking into the possibility of opening a volunteer organised "Book Café" with help from Cambridgeshire Libraries. If you are interested in helping with this project, please contact her on tel: 01954 202938, Email: verity@therowan.org or Carters Way, Swavesey, Cambridge, CB4 5RZ.

I am sorry to be the bearer of such sad news to those of you who had so much enjoyment from visiting the Library.

Alyson Hart
Library Supervisor


A CANADIAN EXPERIENCE

When my Father's brother emigrated to Canada in 1927 aged 21 he could not have foreseen the extensive family that he would leave behind him when he eventually passed away. They are the family that my sisters and I have been lucky enough to be warmly welcomed by when we visit them all. George, who was an accounts clerk, sailed out at a cost of £10 at the request of his uncle who needed help on his prairie farm. Work was scarce in England and it was a wonderful opportunity for him to start a new life. However when the initial work on the farm was done George had to move on and he experienced great hardship for some years occasionally sleeping under hedges. When hands of all sorts were needed George quickly learned that he was obliged to say that he was Scottish as English men were found to be lazy!

All these years he was gradually moving west until he settled in Alberta. At one farm he met Bertha who was only 13 years old but he knew he wanted to marry her and her father made him wait until Bertha was 18 and then they married. They struggled financially for years especially when the children came, three in all but Bertha was a strong Canadian and worked alongside George. The children also had to pull their weight as they grew.

Anyway Jim and I first went out to them in 1976 and George and Bertha drove us around many miles to show us the country of which they were so proud. We were overawed by the height and majesty of the Rockie Mountains, the fir trees and waterfalls and the space. The people are very friendly.(I was asked to explain the difference between England and Great Britain.) On returning home we determined to emigrate to Canada with our young family but it was not to be.

Many years passed as our family grew up and became extended; with grandchildren we are now 14 in all. 4 years ago after George's death I felt drawn to visit again as my eldest sister had been several times. I flew out alone and I remember after 6 hours on the plane I wanted to get off but had 3 more hours to fly before landing in Calgary!

From then on I was looked after by my lovely Canadian family and I grew very fond of them all. I was driven miles to visit with all three cousins and had a super time determined to go again the following year. This I did, and attended the wedding of a second cousin, being royally treated as I had flown so far to be there. But the pleasure was all mine. The mountains and lakes are as beautiful as the first sighting and I feel so drawn to the place but I fear that I would not survive their winters. Bertha is still alive and almost as tough as ever. She sweeps the paths of snow each fall but the family all gather with her when she needs anything major done.

I cannot speak highly enough of the Canadian people at least the Albertians -would you believe pedestrians have right of way in the towns!

My sincere wish is that the contact is never broken and that my family will keep a good relationship with them through many visits in the future.

Liz Milne


MAY-FEST 2003

Bank Holiday Week-end

3rd, 4th & 5th May

Beer Festival

25 Real Ales
Ale House open for a pre-view session from 8.00pm Friday 2nd.

Musical Entertainment Saturday & Sunday featuring last year`s favourites and a few new faces, see local posters for details.

Sunday 4th Family Day

Kiddies entertainers, face-painting, games, Bar-B-Q

BARREL ROLLING

Market Street Green first Barrell off @ 12.30p.m.

Team application forms available from the White Horse, Le Shopi & the Post Office.
Entry : £5 for Adult Teams, £2 for Juniors

Categories this year are Male, Female, Mixed
(2 Males & 2 Females) and Junior (under 14`s)

Grand Charity Raffle
to be drawn @ 6:00pm Monday 5th.

Monday 5th @ 2:00p.m - Karaoke & junior talent competition.

All proceeds this year will go to the Swavesey Over 60`s day outing.


PLEASE TAKE NOTE - BE AWARE OF THESE SCAMS !

We have been informed of the following scam, which is targeting females in particular. They receive a phone call at their place of work from someone claiming to represent the Post Office asking them to confirm their postcode. When this is given, they are told that they have become eligible for some gift vouchers for their co-operation and are asked to provide their home address and postcode in order to receive the vouchers. So far 90% of the women who have provided this information have been burgled, as it is assumed that their homes are empty during office working hours.
The police are aware of this scam and the Post Office have confirmed that they are NOT conducting any postcode surveys.

Also, it has been reported if you receive a telephone call from an individual who identifies him/herself as being an AT & T service technician who is conducting a test on that line, or if anyone else asks you to do the following DON'T. They will state that to complete the test the recipient should dial nine, zero (90) then the hash key and then hang up. This Will give them full access to your phone line, which allows them to place long distance, international or chat-line calls. These are then billed to your account. The information the police have, suggested that many of these calls are emanating from local prisons. The information has been checked out by the police and is correct DO NOT PRESS 90 FOR ANYONE.