Brownies Working for the Changing the World badge

This term the Brownies will be working for the Changing the World badge. "Against Bullying" is the discipline the Unit is taking on in association with Kidscape. Among the activities will be a comic strip to write, sock puppet friend to make, friendship bingo game and lots of other activities connected to bullying. 1/1/09

Rev David Mason celebrates 10 years at St Mary's
On Sunday 5 October the Rev David Mason celebrated 10 years ministry in our parish. David is a non-stipendiary priest and joined us as Priest-in-Charge in October 1998. He had previously served at St James, Biddenham.	Water colour by Hazel Pearce
David lives in Bedford and was previously a dental surgeon at Bedford Hospital. He is supported in his ministry by his wife Ann. In 2007 he was appointed Rural Dean for the Sharnbrook Deanery. The parish is fortunate to have a caring priest who reaches out to all members of the community.   David was presented with a water colour painting, by Hazel Pearce, of the interior of St Mary's church.

Hilary is Overall Winner
Maggie Spoor writes: Although entries for this years Autumn Show were down compared to last year’s bumper crop, everyone seemed to have enjoyed the afternoon. We had a good crowd viewing the exhibits and the Art Club exhibition, which was superb, and the WI did a roaring trade in teas. There were delicious cakes to eat as well as on display! We were well supported by the Pre-School, but it would be nice to see a few more entries from the older children. Autumn Show 2008 Results
This year's overall winner was Hilary Foot, shown here holding the winners trophy. Photo: Maggie Spoor. 21/9/08

Congratulations! felmersham.net was 10 years old in October 2008

Joan Hughes Awarded Doctorate

Dr Joan Hughes with Dr Huw Meirion Edwards her tutor.

Recently a rather special student graduated from the Department of Welsh, Aberystwyth University. Joan Hughes, who is originally from Trefdraeth (Newport) Pembrokeshire, and now lives in Felmersham, was awarded a doctorate at the age of 82 years old.   Joan is a mature student and followed the External Degree programme between 1995 and 2000, and was awarded a BA Honours 2i. She went on to complete an MPhil dissertation on the Puritan and renowned publisher of the seventeenth century, Stephen Hughes, and graduated for the second time in 2003.   She then turned her attention, to a more ambitious study of the life of John Thomas, (1730-1804?). Her PhD thesis is a substantial and readable work which sheds new light on one of the most interesting religious figures of the period. Congratulations Joan.  8/08

Felmersham Wedding

On Saturday 23 August 2008 at St Mary's Church the marriage of Anna Louise Phipps to Andrew James Tarbuck. Photo R Phipps 23/8/08

Successful Open Gardens

Radwell Open Gardens for the British Red Cross on Sunday 13 July was a huge success with over 200 visitors and £1,251.48 being raised. 8 contrasting gardens were open for 3½ hours with favourable weather. A BBQ followed, hosted by another Radwell resident, to end a very busy day. Report: Paul Keeble. Photo: Margaret Jones 15 July

Additional Bus
From last Monday 9 June, we have an extra evening bus home from Bedford. This runs as route 136 at 19.35 (bus station bay 10), calls at the railway station at 19.38 and then takes the scenic route via Bromham, Stevington, Harrold and Sharnbrook before reaching Felmersham at approximately 20.22 and then Radwell.
 
Wildflower Walk - Blossoming Knowledge
The Felmersham and Radwell P3 group would like to say a very big thank you to Laurie Jones, lifelong botanist and Felmersham resident, for guiding an enthusiastic group of around a dozen villagers around the botanical wonders of Harrold Odell Country Park on Saturday 14th June 2008.
For a report of the walk plus photos, See Blossoming Knowledge. 26/6/08

Radwell Wedding

On Saturday 26 April 2008 Stephen Abel and Melissa Hill from Radwell were married at St Mary's Church, Felmersham. The bride and groom left the church in a horse drawn carriage. 27/4/08

Open the Book
"Open the Book" is a national organisation enabling every child to hear the story of the Bible at school in their primary years. A group of volunteers living in this parish Open the Book and read to children in our local schools. Material and support is provided.
A Get-Together has been organised for the Bedford area on Thursday 26 June 2008 from 1.00pm to 3.30pm at Brickhill Baptist Church, Bedford. This is an opportunity for existing and potential members to find out more about the scheme and meet other story tellers. Contact Sally Carr, Radwell for more details. Link 7/5/2008

Parish Crime Down
Bedfordshire Police report that crime figures for Felmersham and Radwell in 2007/8 are down on the previous year 2006/7. In Felmersham only 3 offences have been recorded in the last 12 months compared with last year when 17 offences were recorded. Radwell had 6 reported crimes in the same period compared with 8 in the previous year. These can be broken down as 3 violent crimes, a criminal damage, a burglary of a dwelling and a burglary of an other building.
Most nuisance reports have been in relation to Moor End Road and youths possibly taking drugs. This area has received increased police patrols and work is being carried out on wider issues. Police Community Support Officer Allan Taylor is now the support officer for this area working alongside Pc Rob Smith the Neighbour-hood Police Officer. (01234 275175) 7/5/08	Pcso Allan Taylor
Download a copy of North Beds Police Safer Neighbourhood News Letter (PDF Format)

Rita Hope 1937 - 2008
Rita Kathleen Hope has passed away. Rita and Dave lived in Radwell from 1968 to 1980. Rita took an active part within the community. An obituary.

Female Reed Bunting in Felmersham Garden
Last week Paul and Glenda Davis observed a Reed Bunting on a seed feeder in their garden. Reed Buntings are on the RSPB's list of globally threatened birds. They are typically found in wet vegetation but have recently spread into farmland and, in winter, into gardens. 6/4/08	Photos: Paul Davis.

 
Marriage Blessing
On Saturday 5 April at St Mary's Church Felmersham the Marriage Blessing of Neil Thomas Wildman and Allison Margaret Wildman. 6/4/08

March Forum Topics
Among the topics discussed on Felmersham Forum during March were:
Broadband Speeds, Recycling, Nature Reserve car park, Radwell causeway, Flooding and Cat attack.
31/3/08 felmersham.net is not responsible for the content of external internet sites with links from felmersham.net
Neighbourhood Watch has a new address:
www.safer-beds.org
 
New felmersham.net pages
Two new pages have recently been published on felmersham.net: Ouse Valley Quilters and Celtic Grave Goods. I have also reinstated the Ouse News archives. Ouse News is now published as a PDF file.
22/3/08

Pinchmill School Singing Success
Pinchmill Lower School choir won the Leslie Bowles Memorial Trophy at this years Bedfordshire Festival of Music, Speech and Drama held on Saturday 8 March. The trophy was for the best choir of schools with under a 100 pupils. This is the third successive year the choir has won the trophy. Some members of the 25 strong choir sang at last year's Christmas Carol Service at St Mary's church. 14/3/08.

Marathon in China
In June 2008, Christian Coghlan will be attempting the Gobi March - Ultra Marathon in China for Macmillan Cancer Support. Many will remember Christian's father, Peter, who lost his battle with bowel cancer when Christian was just 12 years old.
Click here to support Christian. 14/3/08.

New Labradoodle Home Page
Annette Courtney has published a new website specialising in Labradoodles.
Visit: annetteslabradoodles.co.uk 13/3/08.

Cricket Players Wanted
Pavenham and Felmersham Cricket Club welcomes players of all ages and abilities as well as social members and those who wish to umpire and score. As well as one of the best grounds in Bedfordshire (with covered pitches) they also have a full social calendar of activities beyond cricket for all the family. Click here for more details. 22/2/08 
 
Dorothy Galliver
A Memorial Service was held at Priory Methodist Church, Bedford on 21 February to celebrate the life of Dorothy Galliver.

The Changing Community
One tends to think of the populations of our two communities of Felmersham and Radwell as being fairly static. So here are some surprising statistics:

Since 2000, 70 properties in Felmersham have been sold at an average price of £257,997 and in Radwell 21 properties have been sold at an average price of £277,040. That represents about a quarter of the dwellings in both Felmersham and Radwell have changed hands since the year 2000. 8/2/08

Black and White Revival - New Website
Help with traditional photograph restoration and conservation and is also a unique source of some 160 photographs of old Bedfordshire supplied mounted and framed. Black and White Revival

YouTube Video
Felmersham Flood Video.   Radwell Flood Video.

Notes taken at the Parish Council Meeting
Meeting held on the 8 January 2008, three members of the public attended.
The parish precept was set at £12,500 for 2008/09 (the same as last year). This equates to an average of £44 per household per year.
In March an established hornbeam tree will be planted next to the bus shelter where previous trees were removed.
Further discussions will be held with the Community Trust regarding the tenancy agreement of the Margaret Alleway Memorial Garden. The Council has already agreed to cut the grass and to include the insurance of the donated furniture in their insurance policy.
Parish speed limits will be reviewed 2009/10. Moor End Road speed limit will be looked at by M.E.R in April. The installation of speed activated signs is still a possibility.
No immediate consideration will be given to installing traffic lights on Radwell bridge because there were no recorded traffic accidents over the past three years.
The Parish Council has made a donation of £3K towards the cost of refurbishment and renewal of the playing field equipment.
Maggie Spoor presented the report of the Communications sub-committee. This committee has now finished its task. Cllr Hartop will attend a half day course on Web sites for Parish Councils. The Parish Council is moving towards publishing minutes of meetings and other Council information on the Web. 9/1/08.
    

Janet Eyre 1938 - 2008 It is with great sadness that we report the passing of a much-loved former teacher of Pinchmill School. Janet joined Pinchmill School in 1976 and retired in December 1991. During those years she was a much liked and capable teacher. Her main interest was in music and in particular teaching the recorder. So many childrens' introduction to instrumental playing was due to Janet's enthusiastic recorder teaching.
At Christmas there was always a stage production - the music being Janet's responsibility. The singing was always of a very high standard for such a small school with so few young children.   Janet was also an active and lively presence at the many social functions held in the village and we fondly recall the vitality she brought to any occasion - and her lovely smile!
Janet moved to Malvern in 2003 to be near her daughter. She was taken ill in 2006 but sadly died on 24 November 2008. We are sure that many of Janet's former pupils, and their parents, will have very fond memories of her, as will all the colleagues who had the immense pleasure of working with her. Jean Pritchard & Mary Freeman. 27/11/08

World Quilt Competition success for Janet
	Congratulations to Janet Cook and her friend Sally Holman who were awarded second place in the World Quilt Competition - 2008 with their quilt entitled "Streak of Lightning". In order to meet the shipping requirements to the USA, the hanging arrangements had to be modified. Unfortunately "the lovely painted metal rods had to be replaced with the black fabric". Sally made the orange diamonds and Janet the blue ones. The quilt is currently on display in the World Quilt Show which is touring America. 13/10/08
Photo: Streak of Lightning by Janet Cook & Sally Holman

Radwell Wedding

On Saturday 27 September 2008 at St Mary's Church the marriage of Susanna Britton to David Rogers. 28/9/08

Karen Smith has a full time vacancy for one child aged 1 to 5. She can provide care before & after school, and care during school holidays for up to three children over 5. Please contact her for more information. Tel: 782630 Mob: 07886 313641 Web: www.karenschildcare-registeredchildminder.vpweb.co.uk

Infected Horse Chestnut Trees The four horse chestnut trees in the churchyard and the tree next to the bus shelter are infected with the larvae of Cameraria ohridella, or horse chestnut leaf miner, a moth that is spreading across the southern half of England. The larvae mine within the leaves, which eventually shrivel and drop off as early as the middle of August.   The Forestry Commission states: Far from being dead, though, the trees are probably still healthy. Infested trees do not look pretty, but they are well able to withstand the damage, and will re-flush normally next year.

Horse chestnut trees are also under threat from another disease, bleeding canker, which causes lesions that ooze liquid from the trunk. One of the trees in the churchyard clearly show signs of disease but it may not be this particular fatal disease. 24/07/08 Click images for an enlarged view.

Felmersham Wedding

On Saturday 28th June 2008 the marriage of Miss Emma Louise Gee and Mr Simon Roger Clark at St Mary's Church, Felmersham. 28/6/08

Duck Race Winners
The winners of Pavenham and Felmersham Cricket Club Duck Race held at Radwell Bridge on Saturday 10 May were:
First Prize: £100 Fred Young, Pavenham
Second Prize: £75 Helen D.
Third Prize: £25 Keith Bowers, Pavenham
 

Ship's Bell used as Font

A ship's bell was used as a font at the Easter christening of Matthias Michael Templeman Rindsig at St Marys Church, Felmersham. The bell has been traditionally used for christenings in the Templeman family for many years and is inscribed "HMS King George V. 1940". The photo shows Matthias and his parents Morten and Kathryn (nee Templeman) and the vicar, the Rev David Mason.

Parish Council Report
At the meeting held on 6 May, Cllr Peter Hartop was re-elected Chairman and Cllr Marjorie Pipe Vice Chairman.
The Parish Council applied for a £20K grant from the Borough Council to re-equip the playing field. The Borough responded with an offer of a £10K grant. This offer was considered insufficient to even partly equip the playing field so the PC intend to appeal the Borough decision. A letter from children living within the parish was read out to the meeting stressing the need for the facilities to be improved.

Rubbish bins are not being emptied at the bus shelters. Parish Council to complain to Borough Council.
The Council will try and bring forward the date of the proposed road resurfacing work to the south of Radwell bridge because it is considered to be unsafe for all types of traffic.
The Council completed the application for a speed activated sign within Felmersham. A parishioner's letter to the Council stressed that the proposed sign should be small and compact and operated by mains power.
It is proposed to install a new bench seat near the War Memorial and a new seat, on the site of the old Radwell bus shelter, including visual improvements.
7/5/08

Open Gardens at Radwell

On Sunday afternoon 13th July, some of the residents of Radwell will be opening their gardens in aid of the Red Cross. One of the attractions are the Alpacas, photographed above. See advert on left for more details. Photo: Gavin Bell. 6/5/08

 
Wind Turbine Appeal Withdrawn
Nuon Renewables have withdrawn their appeal to the Planning Inspectorate in relation to the refusal of planning permission in respect of the erection and operation of 9 wind turbines and associated infrastructure at Airfield Farm, Podington. 14/3/08.

Litter Pick
7 people from Felmersham and 6 from Radwell joined this year's annual parish litter pick. Many thanks to everyone who took part on that very windy and blustery day. The haul this year was 24 bags of litter, plus 5 old cell batteries and an electric heater that had definitely seen better days. 1/1/08
  
David Rhodes - An Obituary
 

Commemorative Quilt

The illustration shows part of a quilt made by the Ouse Valley Quilters to Commemorate the restoration of the organ in St Mary's Church, Felmersham. The quilt is on displayed in the church.   All materials and the display case were donated by Richard Horsford in memory of his wife Daphne and son Paul.   The following quilters helped with the work: Janet Cook, Patricia Keeble, Anne Atkinson-Clark, Mary Pickin, Barbara Curry, Di Stephenson, Karen and Georgina Chandler.   Click to view Quilt 10/02/08

Sun Pub Reopens
Redecoration work and other essential work is now completed and the Sun has reopened. It will initially be under the temporary management of a holding company with the possibility of a new tenant in by early March.
Options to improve the facilities for the longer term will be investigated. 4/2/08 
 

The Sun After more than 20 years as publicans of The Sun public house, Steve and Maureen Miasek have moved to Kempston.

 
Making felmersham.net your Homepage with IE7
Some people are reluctant to make felmersham.net their home page because they wish to have a different choice. With Internet Explorer Version 7 you can now have more than one web site as your Homepage.
To see how to do it Click Here. To download free Internet Explorer version 7 Click Here. There are also other advantages to version 7.

Cricket Club Update
In his letter to club members the new chairman of Pavenham and Felmersham Cricket Club, Nick Kitchen, has highlighted a number of significant changes to the club officers. Mike Wagstaff has stepped down as chairman of the club and Damien Dunlop as captain. Both are praised for their contribution to the club in Nick's letter. David Cook is the new President Elect. For more details on the new club officers, click here.