So, here we are, August already, and The Golden Jubilee just a distant memory, we hope you like the photos of some of the decorated houses in the village. We are grateful to Radio Cambridgeshire for letting us use theirs and to Adam for the front cover. I am grateful to Oliver Day for telling me all about the people on the last front cover. The wagon and horse belonged to the Day family the horse (called Gypsy) being led by Austin Day. The gentleman on the Penny Farthing bicycle was Bill Bleet who kept the local garage, and the lady on the bicycle was Marion Norman who is now Marion Chapman. The two people in the pony trap, Bill Savage and Joe Ingle (driver) and the outfit belonged to Dr Ford.

A couple of letters appeared through my door since the last issue which are published elsewhere in this magazine. Please remember that the views expressed are those of the writers!

The DEADLINE for the next issue is August 25th and this will cover October and November, so please make sure you send me details of those Autumn fairs.
Enjoy the rest of the summer

April Martin

THANK YOU to everyone, both those who gave time to collect and those who gave money so generously to 'the week' in May. The total raised in Swavesey was £1,0005.78. This will contribute to making a real difference to people's lives by enabling them to help themselves and to achieve a better life for their families.

We are moving back to the Memorial Hall in September and will resume our twice weekly meetings as follows:

Tuesdays : 1.30-3.00pm Toddlers
Fridays : 10.00-11.30am Tiddlers

Cost only £1 per family, which includes juice and biscuit for the kids and tea or coffee for the parent/carer.

For those of you who haven't been before, we have use of a large room for the children to enjoy large play equipment like slide, trampete, cars, trikes, see-saw etc. Great for them to use up some of their excess energy!

There are also craft activities organised most weeks, many seasonal like Christmas cards, or messy activities such as playdough, painting, gluing and sticking and so on.

We have a large variety of toys which give the children the opportunity to use their imaginations and enjoy roleplay with the others; play kitchen and equipment, train set, garage and cars, dolls, buggies, Lego, work bench and tools, dressing up clothes etc.

Of course there are plenty of toys for the under ones, as well as bouncy chairs, play mats, and we welcome all pre-school siblings at both sessions.

Children are free to play and enjoy the craft activities (under parental supervision) until it's time to sit around the table for juice and a biscuit - a highlight for many of them! Then there is a short sing along session until it's time to say goodbye.

We also organise visits from a photographer (planned for October), and children's book or craft companies and a fabulous Christmas party with a visit from Santa and entertainment!

Come and see us soon!
If you require any other information give us a call on 01954 205409.

One or two of you may be aware that we had a problem with the website at the beginning of June. We got hacked and re-directed to another website! Please rest assured that this has now been rectified and should not happen again. I do not understand the technicalities of it all but Tim and Gary had to work very hard to sort it out, and I gather some other websites that they had set up were hacked as well.
So apologies to anyone who got sent to the other site and thanks to Tim and Gary for sorting it all out so promptly.

April Martin

Dear Editor,

Has Caroline Buckie got it right when she expresses concern about the effect on the local lakes and nature reserve by the proposed rapid response route and further gravel extraction?

I have stood and estimated that I, and everyone else, have physical and visual access to about 100 acres of water and tracks. It is quite true that the area is a wonderful amenity where we can walk, ride, cycle, exercise a dog and even jog. Together with the other tracks and footpaths in the village it is the best amenity in which I have ever lived. In the true Fenland area - no walks. East Cambs - there and back the same way. North Peterborough - in the car to an area in the forestry. Even in the Clywd Valley in North Wales our local walks were very restricted. Taking all that into account it seems rather churlish to bite the hand that feeds. More extraction means more amenities in the end. If a train clatters along at a sedate pace is that going to cause a problem?

I have always assumed that criticism of this sort refers to the disturbance of wildlife. I am sure that birds soon adapt to non-harmful events. In fact there will be less close-quarter disturbance from walkers and their dogs along the railway line. There maybe a benefit.

If Caroline Buckie had suggested that the birds and waterfowl would benefit from the thinning of Magpies (seven in one bush), mink, crows and foxes, I would offer to help.

Perhaps we should all be extremely grateful for what we have.

DAVID CARRINGTON

Dear Editor,

Visiting Swavesey a week ago I called in at The Shop in Middle Watch and as a lorry and a car were parked in the road outside, my friend parked in front of the shop leaving ample room for a mobile chair etc. to pass. It did not seem very necessary to put my disabled cards in view. We did not see a No Parking sign so if there is one, we apologise. As we were belted in ready to leave a young man approached in his mobile chair so we waited for him to pass. To our horror instead of going by the side of us, he kept coming head-on until he bumped into our car. He put on his brakes and shouting, he used as many swear words as he could and continued to swear as he passed on his way.

Does he normally shut his eyes until he hits something or greet all strangers in the same way?

Young Man, I was Swavesey born and bred 87 years ago, married a Swavesey Man and lived in the village long before him. My mothers name was Daisy Wilderspin. So young man, get that chip off your shoulder, look around you and count your blessings. You will see folk worse off than you. If you carry on as you did someone will get hurt. A week later, and I am still shuddering at that experience.

Mrs. Kathleen Dodson.

Library News

As all our readers will know by now, our Library Supervisor, Pat Jackson, has sadly left us. Pat had been with us for several years but has now decided to spend more time at the stables with the horses. At present, we still do not have a replacement, but we may have by the issue of the next Meridian!

We're now well established in our new building and are looking forward to a lick of paint on the outside, sometime this year hopefully!

In the meantime, if you know or suspect that any of your youngsters "hang out" around the Library, could you please make them aware that damage to property is a CRIMINAL OFFENCE and leaving broken glass around may cause injury.

The New Photo Copier

Saturday morning PC fun!

We have now had our long awaited photocopier installed; so if you need any copies, you know where to come!

To update you on the Library Service Budget situation: - NO LIBRARIES ARE GOING TO BE CLOSED AND NO LENGTH OF OPENING HOURS CUT. However, we are having to tighten our belts and "make do" for the present.

Being one of the smaller libraries, we will have to close on one of our four days but we won't lose that time, it will be added to another day's opening hours. Any changes will be implemented around October. A survey will be done and your opinions taken into account but, in the meantime, we would welcome any comments, suggestions or objections you may have.

To clear up any confusion re: computers: our Internet and People's Network are all obtained through grants. They are nothing to do with our budget situation.

Ending on a lighter note, we are having a TEDDY BEARS PICNIC on Thursday, 29th August at 2.30 p.m. for the 0-5/6 year olds and their parents/carers. This will take place on the grass adjacent to the Library, weather permitting and tickets will be available shortly (The Library will be open as usual). We hope to see you there, along with all those teddies!

We are also running a reading scheme this Summer called "The Reading Planet" which has a folder, stickers and certificates to give away and some prizes to be won.

Please do visit us and make use of our:

¨ CD ROM, Videos & Cassettes
¨ Internet (no charge)
¨ Fax
¨ Photocopier
¨ Local Information
¨ Doorstep delivery for the Housebound
¨ Not forgetting BOOKS!

Opening hours are:
Tuesday/Wednesday 6.00 pm - 8.00 pm
Thursday/Friday 2.30 pm - 5.00 pm
Saturday 10.00 am - 12 noon.

There was a nasty traffic accident in the village in June, which meant the road to Over was closed for about 4 hours while it was sorted out. The place where the accident occurred at the junction of Taylors Lane and Station Road is but one of the many junctions along the stretch of road that goes through Swavesey to the A14. Be aware of the problems when emerging from any of these junctions, be aware of the possibility of something coming out of a junction when you are driving through the village. Parked cars obscure the view of anyone coming out of a junction, and the corners of Taylors Lane and Black Horse Lane seem to suffer badly from this. The Highway Code sets down the distance that should be left clear each side of a junction but this is not being adhered to. THINK AHEAD! When driving, could that corner be hiding a car about to pull out? When parking, is my car stopping others from having a clear view? A longer walk to your front door could be a matter of life and death for someone else!