Dear Editor

Referring to the question relating to the Pony Trap- the one I bought from Mr Crouch many years ago- it is in the process of being renovated. We have found the maker : "T BUNKER, SHEFFORD 1910.
Polly, the pony was a wonderful "bomb proof" pony who celebrated her 21st birthday party with other local ponies and riders and had a bean roots cake with 21 carrots on top! This was held in the Manor fields. I thought Mr Crouch's son lived in the village?
I do not get the magazine regularly but Stephen Bull has sent me the ones recently which refer to the Manor and its surroundings.
Yours sincerely
Eileen Ford
PS I will send photo of the trap when the work is completed.

Ed Note:
I am very grateful to Eileen for contacting me and updating me on the trap that we showed in our photographs. I look forward to the photograph showing it restored to its former glory.

This is a new feature and is intended to avoid major events clashing on the same day. It will only work if we are advised of all such events, so please let us know as soon as you can confirm the details. A form is available at the back of this magazine. We will list them in this section of the Magazine but a more up to date listing will be found on our website at www.swaveseymeridian.co.uk

2003
Sat 22nd Feb, 7.30pm, Cambridge String Players concert, St Andrew's Church Swavesey, Roger Holland (01954 230077}

Sat 15th Mar, 10.30am, St Andrews Church Jumble Sale , Memorial Hall Swavesey,
Roger Holland (01954 230077}

Sat 22nd Mar, "Messiah", Over St Mary's Church
For more details contact St Mary's Church

Sat 12th Apr, 10.00am?, Meridian Woman's Club Easter Fayre, Memorial Hall Swavesey, Shirley (01954 230306)

Sat 12th Jul, 2.30pm, St Andrews Church Fete, Swavesey Market Street,
Roger Holland (01954 230077}

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.

Would anyone reading this please pass it on to friends and colleagues etc... otherwise it could cost someone a lot of money.

I loaned out a book of newspaper cuttings and they are proving difficult to find. The book is of the A4 exercise type and bound in brown paper and contains cuttings from a number of newspapers that featured items linked to the family of Jack and Maud Culpin. If anyone can shed any light as to the whereabouts I would be most grateful hear from them.

Bill Smart, 83 Moat Way, Swavesey, Cambridge, CB4 5GQ

I hope all those who attended the Carol Evening, held in Market Street on 21st December 2002, enjoyed the event, despite the inclement weather. One hundred and seventyfive children received a gift from Father Christmas. This number is slightly less than last year but I imagine the rain, combined with a general sickness affecting many children in the village, had something to do with it. However, my impression was that there were more adults than usual in attendance making a combined total of approximately 600 people.

Residents, who have only recently moved into the village, may wish to know that it is twenty-five years since the first of these Carol Evenings was staged. Our aim has always been, not to make a profit from this evening but only to cover the expenses involved in giving the Village and especially the children, a good old-fashioned start to the Christmas celebrations. However, I am happy to say that by dipping into our reserves and after settling our accounts with the band, caterers, printers, providers of power, flaming touches, insurance contribution and a one-off expense of just over £500 for the new stage we have managed to cover our expenses. Please bear in mind that this event is not organised by the Parish Council and therefore we rely entirely on you for financial support.

Father Christmas still managed to work his magic, keeping everyone guessing, to appear next to Dr Amure's chimney! But what a wonderful sight Jeff Cockran's sleigh made carrying Father Christmas and surrounded by Rudolf and his team of reindeers carrying flaming torches.

Special thanks this year go to Bill Smart and Bob Long for giving their time, free, to build the new Band Stand and to Ridgeons for donating £100 towards the cost of the materials and finally to John Burgess for making the trailer permanently available to us for future carol evenings. (Only the bandmaster got wet this year!)
A big 'Thank You' goes to Martin McDonald and Alan Stanley of Cambridge Sound & Light. The Personal Address system and electrical work they provided for us were invaluable. Thanks also go the Baptist Minister, Richard Owen who introduced our carols; I am sure he was pleased with the 'roaming' microphone.
As always, many members of the Cottenham Brass Band turned out to give us their much- appreciated support, only requesting a nominal donation towards their costs.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those, not already mentioned, who helped to make the evening such a success: Kath Clewlow, Janet Hinson, Shirley Smith, Rita Coronas and all who donated mince pies; John Ardley, Margaret Springer, Sue Marriott
and all who donated raffle prizes; John Dyer, Nick Dennis, Paul Hendry, programmes; Anne Stone, Carol Shaw collection; John & Carol Pook, Kath Clewlow, Jonathan Kinns, John Brown, electric power and lights; Brian Dye, stall signs; John Dyer,(Rudolf) plus his reindeers(with antlers!); John Hodson, Martin Herrington, Mr Manish-A Patel.

I hope everyone enjoyed the Carol Evening and wish you all a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year.

BOB STONE

As the Carols & Father Christmas evenings embrace mainly the young and those able to withstand the winter weather, I propose in future to pass on any excess money collected as a contribution towards future Village Over Sixties, Christmas Outings to London.

Silent Battle Won

My thanks to all those who fought to stop Cow Fen from bursting it's banks on 4th/5th/6th January. While the village slept they battled with the elements and sandbags to keep us all dry and free from flooding. I do not know all there names but I wish to say a heartfelt thanks.

Sue Marriott

UNSUNG HEROES!

Who? I hear you ask? None other than some of our local farmers who whilst we were tucked up in our nice warm beds during the recent floods at the start of the New Year, spent the whole of one freezing night working to make sure that our village was protected from the rising waters, Do they get paid for this? NO! They did this because they care about Swavesey, because they care about the land they farm, because they know the damage that floods can do to the land, in short because they know this area intimately, knowledge gained from years of working the land going back to their forefathers.
So a big thank you to them, I will not name them as I do not know all their names only some, but next time you get held up by a tractor going through the village on your way to work don't swear and mutter under your breath but stop and think of the contribution they make to our community and of the many things that they do that you never get to know about.
(Ed)