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Trainee Guide Dog Puppy Vania

Vania is the 7th Guide Dog Puppy walked by Councillor and Mrs John Reynolds of Bar Hill. Who are known to all their puppies as Granddad and Grandma.  Vania arrived in Bar Hill on October 6th 2010 when she was just 71/2 weeks old.

This is her story:- .  Hi everyone I have had a very exciting time since I came to stay with Grandma and Granddad.  When I arrived I was a bit frightened and lonely without my mum and brothers and sisters but I had lots of cuddles and love so I soon felt quite at home.  When I was little I had a big indoor kennel with a comfy bed and soft cuddly toys.  When I grew old enough to do without my kennel and I was clean at night I just had a soft bed in the kitchen with all my special toys to play with if I woke up, but I had such an exciting time during the day I always went to bed and slept till Granddad and Grandma came down for breakfast in the morning.  We went to Tesco every morning to fetch the paper and have a coffee in the cafe that was nice because I always had special biscuit.  In the shop lots of people made a great fuss of me so I felt very important especially when I was very young and had to be carried in case I caught a nasty bug.

In the Spring we went to Dorset on holiday and I was allowed to sleep in Grandma and Granddad’s bedroom in my very own bed. It was very odd because when they went to bed they took off their outside fur to go to bed I am glad I did not have to!! I loved going into the dining room for meals because everyone made a fuss of me and said what a good puppy I was, the chef sent me a special sausage but I was not allowed to eat it at the table so grandma cut it up and put it in my treat bag and I had to be extra good to get a piece.

I had my very first visit to the seaside, I loved the sand as I was allowed to dig in it which was great fun.  I ran round and round playing with shells and seaweed which smelled wonderful, I don’t know why granddad did not want the piece I brought for him.  The water was strange it tasted horrible and it kept coming after me so I kept right away from it.  Then 3 big dogs came to play we had a fabulous time chasing each other.  Then I had a ride on a steam train, it was very noisy and whistled and blew nasty black smoke at me but I was not at all scared.    I had a very exciting time at Christmas, Auntie Debbie came to stay with her toy poodle called Bridie.  I think Bridie is very spoilt because she is allowed to sit on the sofa, when I barked at her to tell her to get off she tried to bite my nose and she takes all my toys and sits on them so I cannot play with them, so I wait until she goes off then I grab my favourite toy and take it to my bed.  I went with my family to see Snow White on Ice at the Corn Exchange my family enjoyed it but I went to sleep most of the time, I only woke up when people clapped so I got a special treat for being so good.  I was very pleased that Bridie was not allowed to go with us.  She is not a special dog like me so she had to stay home by herself, serves her right for being so bossy.

I was the very first guide dog puppy to travel on the new guided bus, I felt very important especially as my photo was in the newspaper, I was a bit bored on the journey so I went to sleep Granddad said I was very good and he was proud of me.

I have a very exciting life I have been to the cinema, a night club where the bouncer said he had never seen a puppy in there before, It was very noisy and crowded  so I was glad we did not stay too long, but I did find a glass on the floor with some beer in it, I managed quite a few slurps before anyone noticed.

I love the puppy classes where I meet all my friends, It is a pity we are not allowed to play as there is a lovely big field outside and a big hall with slippery floors which would be great fun to chase and slide on.  It is great fun meeting all my friends, we get very excited when we meet and bark a lot but when we start to work in the class we are very good and try hard to do everything right.  We sometimes have fun meetings when we all get together either at someone’s house or at Magog Downs where there is a special field for dog owners to let their dogs off the lead.  We had a lovely time playing with our friends and with other dogs that came with their owners.  While we played our puppy walkers had a picnic and a nice chat together.  We guide dog puppies are not allowed to beg or get scraps of food at the table but one naughty little terrier jumped onto our picnic table and stole a sausage, we were horrified at such bad manners but wished we could have had a sausage too.   Some of my friends and I were invited to go to a Cambridge United Football match we were allowed to go up to the control room and sit where we wanted to watch the match.  We puppies were a bit disappointed that we were not allowed to go and join in the fun with the ball but we sat quietly and dozed a bit until the Umpire blew his whistle which to us means dinner is ready so we jumped up quickly in anticipation but our puppy walkers gave us a treat instead.  The Cambridge United Manager was very kind and said they will help us raise money for guide dogs next year, I think we brought good luck because united  won the game we watched.   Grandma enjoyed the Royal Wedding but I thought it was bit boring but we had a lovely party afterwards at my puppy friends house, we played in their big garden until 9 at night while our puppy walkers had lots of food and drink and watched the wedding again.  Why they wanted to do that instead of playing chase like we did I don’t know.  I did like the DRESS I think I would have been very good carrying the lovely long train and I am sure all my friends would have helped but sadly we were not asked, that was a big oversight by the wedding organizers.

I went to stay with a guide dog puppy boarder in Peterborough twice, once when Grandma and Granddad went to Chester for a weekend then for two weeks when they went abroad on holiday.  I had a lovely time they were very kind to me and had a wonderful garden to play in and made sure I met some doggy friends to play with. I was so excited the second time I went I forgot my manners and rushed in to say hello and accidently pulled poor Grandma over,  I was so surprised to see her lying on the ground  I gave her face a good lick to kiss her better.  Luckily she was not hurt but I still think it wasa very odd thing for her  to do as dogs should be on the ground and people should be standing up!!!

I went with Granddad and Grandma on Holiday to Anglesey we stayed in a lovely place on the banks of the Menai Straights, we had a cosy little cottage, and I was allowed to sleep upstairs in their bedroom. I was very glad to go to bed  at night as we had such busy days visiting castles, stately homes town and villages, but best of all were the wonderful long sandy beaches where I loved rolling in the sand, tossing shells and pebbles around and playing games with lots of other dogs.  I also enjoyed playing in the forests round the trees and in and out of the ponds.  Grandma was not very pleased with me on the last day when she let me have a last free run in the forest and I found my favourite thing a nice pile of fox poo to roll in.  I thought I smelled great but Grandma didn’t agree and tried to wash it off but she said I still made the car stink all the way home.  Humans are so peculiar they have a very odd sense of smell.

This Christmas I went to stay in Harrogate with Aunty Debbie and Bridie, I am bigger now so I am not so nervous of Bridie even though she still tries to boss me around.  On Christmas Day we all went to Aunty Sarah’s house in Leeds where there were 5 of Granddad and Grandma’s grandchildren and their eldest Great granddaughter (I didn’t think they were that old!!!)  We had a wonderful time playing together I was glad to have a snooze while they ate their dinner.  Next day we joined the family again for a lovely game in the woods which was very exciting as it was very muddy and Bridie and Rocket a Whippet came too.  I was covered in mud by the time we got home but oh so happy and tired.

It is January 3rd  today I am going into big dog training school.  I am going to work very hard so that I can be a very special friend and helper to someone who cannot see.  I will learn how to guide my new owner safely round obstacles, cross roads, go out shopping, visit friends and family.  I might even have to find the right bus or train for my owner to go to work.  I will be very busy at the trainiong school  but Grandma said I will also have plenty of fun as there will be lots of other dogs to play and learn with as well as people who love dogs that will play with me, teach me and give me lots of cuddles.  Grandma said I will have such a lovely time that I will not miss her and Granddad nearly as much as they will miss me!

Lots of Love from Vania.  I’m a big girl now!!!

PS On 26th January Granddad and Grandma are getting another Guide dog puppy called Gus he is a black Labrador/retriever cross like me except I am yellow or as  Grandma says more the colour of cappuccino.  I hope he is as happy as I was but I know he will get lots of love.

If anyone is interested in becoming a puppy walker or puppy boarder (for such times when the puppy walker is away or unwell.  Also all puppies have to spend some time away from their puppy walker so that they get used to change.)

Contact John or Diana Reynolds on 01954 200 571 or write to

4 Hollytrees,  Bar Hill,  Cambridge  CB23 8SF

This is not just a matter of convenience, but has a real life saving potential.

As a regular user of the Dry Drayton to Madingley road, and the road from Madingley to Madingley Hill, I am continually amazed by the inconsiderate and dangerous driving of those who feel it is safe to round blind bends, ignore dips with blind spots and overtake cyclists on this narrow country lane at speeds in excess of 50mph. Two of these crazies, travelling in different directions can meet on a blind bend at a closing speed of over 100mph, and clearly don’t give a fig for any poor cyclist who happens to be there. I’ve seen wobbling cyclists overtaken by cars at 50 mph with all of six inches clearance. It is a daily miracle that there are not more injuries on these roads.

The sooner that a new route for cyclists can be found the better. Drivers can then just get on with injuring each other. A new cycle track and a 40mph speed limit might be an even better solution.

We wish the BHDDMadCycle group every success. When the new track is completed, perhaps the group could look at another route to link Dry Drayton to Oakington, from where there are safe cycle tracks to Histon, Girton and Cambridge and to the cycle track beside the guided busway providing connections East and West.

Meanwhile as a follow-up to earlier burglaries, PCSO Mani informs us “There have been two burglaries recently in Park lane, Dry Drayton. Both crimes have been thoroughly investigated, however until the present time we do not have a responsible suspect, and both of crimes have been filed.”

You can contact E-cops at cambourne.npt@cambs.pnn.police.uk

Or, if you have any idea who our local burglars are, then why not contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or via http://www.crimestoppers-uk.org

Their message:

Reply To: cambourne.npt@cambs.pnn.police.uk

Hello All,

A busy week this week for us all. You will have no doubt received various E-cops messages this week regarding the disorder in London, and I would like to thank you for your messages of support at this time. We have been working twelve hour shifts and have had all our rest days cancelled in order to assist the Metropolitan Police as well as maintaining our service to the residents of Cambridgeshire.

Unfortunately, I have to report that we have had two dwelling burglaries in Park Lane, Dry Drayton since last Saturday. The first being where three unknown male offenders have forced their way into the home of an elderly gentleman and held him while they searched his home for cash. This occurred at approximately 09:00 hours on Saturday 8th (sic) August.
On Wednesday 10th August, between 14:00 and 17:00 hours, unknown offenders have forced the front door of a property and conducted an untidy search of the kitchen before taking a vehicle from the driveway.
On Sunday 7th August, a local resident reported to Police that they had seen three males that were wearing gloves and acting suspiciously in the High Street area of Dry Drayton. This was responded to by our helicopter and on the ground by officers from Cambourne/Parkside and the dog unit. The helicopter was able to identify the males discarding items and also talk in officers on the ground to where these items and the males were. All three males were arrested and charged for theft. It is not believed this incident is related to the two burglaries in Park Lane.

We have had a theft of oil from Boxworth. This is believed to have happened anytime between 19th July and 8th August. Between 18:30 hours on 8th August and 08:00 hours on 9th August, there has been a report of a theft of fuel from a vehicle that was left parked within the industrial area in Bar Hill.

We are keen to hear from anybody who may have witnessed any of the above crimes or who can provide any further information. If you can help, please contact us on 0345 456 4564.

Kind regards
PC 2207 Claire REEVES

You can contact your neighbourhood policing team directly by replying to this email. We welcome your feedback and we will aim to get back to you as soon as possible. Please be aware that responses may take longer at times of high demand. Alternatively, you can ring your neighbourhood team on 0345 456 456 4.

In an emergency, when a life is in danger or there is a risk of violence or serious injury or when a serious crime is being committed please call 999. For all non-emergencies, general enquiries and to report crime please call 0345 456 456 4. To give information anonymously about crime, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

If you have been forwarded this e-cops newsletter by a friend and would like a free subscription sign up by visiting http://www.cambs-police.co.uk/myneighbourhood/ecops/

 ***** end of e-cops message *****

Royal Wedding Street Party

 Friday 29 April 2011, 3-5pm, at Madingley Road next to St Peter and St Paul Church.

•  “AT THE PALACE” FANCY DRESS
• Cupcake Contest
• Design a Palace Posy competition
• Raffle
• Craft Activities
• Wedding Dress exhibition
• Music and Dancing

 Please Bring a ‘Bring and Share plate’ per family

Cambridgeshire County Council Environmental Services outlined how the process works and they referred us to this page on their web site which tells you all you need to do.  
http://tinyurl.com/4uutrhr
When you get there, you will find basically that it’s already too late to ask for permission on a road with through traffic – they want 12 weeks notice of that. For a road which isn’t a through road then you may be in with a chance  after filling in their application form – you will be please to know that you don’t need specially trained people or special signage, but they do recommend public liability insurance.

E-cops said, “Thanks for your enquiry regarding road closures for street parties in celebration of the forthcoming Royal Wedding.  Any such road closure request must be submitted to the County Council (Environment Services Department) at Shire Hall for consideration, and I would stongly urge anyone planning a street party to adopt this procedure. There is close liaison between our organisations albeit the Council reatins  supremancy in this area.  

I would also welcome any confirmation of such, authorised, events to ensure we are preapred to support our communities in the most appropriate manner.  The Constabulary has no authority to deviate from this area of legislation.

I hope this is of help to your contact.

Jon.
=====================
Sergeant 1212 Jon Capes
South Cambridgeshire Neighbourhood Policing Team
Cambourne Police Station
0345 456 456 4
Ext 3901″
=====================

1. Next Village Newsletter

 Just a reminder that news items for the next Village Newsletter should be with Sylvia (sylviapryer@aol.com) by 22 January please.

 2. Broadband Internet Access.

 Congratulations to those covered by Madingley Exchange (Some parts of the village near Scotland Farm & in Madingley Road). After a brilliantly run campaign the Madingley Exchange won a place in the top 6 exchanges in the country in the recent BT Race to Infinity competition for early introduction of a new high speed broadband service. Caxton Exchange was also in the top 6 nationally. The winning exchanges will be enabled in early 2012 subject to what BT say is “availability, survey, terms and conditions”. By and large the more apathetic subscribers in the Crafts Hill exchange area (most of us in Dry Drayton) didn’t vote in the competition and will have to wait our turn as the new system is rolled out nationally.

 3. Crime and Policing

 Cambridgeshire Constabulary PCSO 7009 Bujar Mani wanted to remind you that he will be holding a police surgery next week on Wednesday 19th Jan between 10:00 and 12:00, This surgery will be held at the usual place at Bar Hill Parish Council Office. There is an invitation to go along and talk about any issues there might be in the village.

For your information below are the four most recent crimes in and near the village recorded on the police website.

15/12/2010 17:30-17/12/2010 07:00 Hill View, Attempted to gain entry to garage by forcing the lock.

08/12/2010 17:00-05/01/2011 08:00 Cambridge Rd Madingley, forced lock and removed heating oil from tank

15/11/2010 08:00-17/11/2010 14:00 St. Neots Rd, Offenders entered office and took safe and contents

12/11/2010 15:15-12/11/2010 18:30 Park Street, rear window forced and rooms searched and jewellery and money stolen

 4. TV Digital Changeover

 Cambridgeshire ACRE is supporting the local roll-out of the TV Switchover Help Scheme which aims to help people to understand the changes to how our television signal will be received from the end of March 2011 onwards. The analogue signal will be switched off and replaced with a digital signal that you will need special equipment to receive. They need local volunteers to help raise awareness and make sure no one misses out on the help that is available to make the necessary changes. They are looking for people who are willing to make use of their local connections, knowledge and networks to spread the word. If you think you could help the message reach some of the most vulnerable people in our communities please read on and return a completed ‘Volunteer Form’ to be invited to a training event which is taking place on 27 January at the Cambridge Development Centre. Please note, they are looking for volunteers across, East Cambridge, Fenland, South Cambridge, Huntingdon and Cambridge City.

The ACRE contact is Edward Aniskowicz, Community Project Assistant, Cambridgeshire ACRE, 32 Main Street, Littleport, Cambridgeshire, CB6 1PJ, edward.aniskowicz@cambsacre.org.uk , Main Switchboard: 01353 860850

 5. Village Pub

 Roger Swain writes to say, “This may be common knowledge, but 2011 sees new landlords in our local………Gary & Denise. Gary tells me he has run bars in London, so knows the ropes. First impressions are encouraging. I gather he intends to re-open on Mondays & Tuesdays. Gary needs to re-build the business & regain support from the community……….but the community also needs to show its support for one of the few facilities we’ve got here. So get down there & give it a go. Please pass this on to anyone who might be interested.” Later he added, “I’m informed that for the time being the pub is open on Monday/Tuesday lunchtimes only i.e. not those evenings”.

 6. Housing Needs Survey Report

 ”To fulfil all current and immediate housing needs in Dry Drayton, eighteen new affordable homes need to be built.” This is the recommendation of The Cambridgeshire ACRE Housing Needs Survey Report for Dry Drayton, which is now available at www.drydrayton.net .

 7. Indian food delivered to the village on Thursdays – a new service

 Just before Christmas, at the Mill Road Winter Fair, we came across Cadwins Of Cambridgeshire, who provide home-made Indian curries that utilise organic ingredients that are, where possible, locally produced, in association With Cambridge Organic Food Company. Each week they see what is available and create an Indian meal that they offer to their customers. The meals change each week depending on what is available. Normally they send out their menu via email for the week on a Friday and customers email them with their confirmed orders by Monday evening. Your Organic Indian meal is delivered to your door in Dry Drayton, chilled and with heating instructions on Thursday evening. If you want to learn more, contact cadwins@hotmail.co.uk  or call Sudesh 07814303885.

On the 5th October between 7.40pm and 7.45pm there was a distraction burglary in Brockholt Road, Caxton.  

The victim was sat in the living room when he heard a bang at the front door, he looked up and a gloved hand came through the letterbox.  The victim went to the front door to challenge this person and he spoke to a male who asked the victim how much he wanted for some rubbish which was outside his neighbour’s house.  The victim told the male it was not his and that he had no business there and to clear off out of the area. The male offender muttered something and walked off quickly around the corner.  

The victim then went to his next door neighbours house to let them know what happened.  When the victim returned to the property he noticed that some of the doors in his property were ajar and entry had been gained into the house by the rear bedroom window which had been forced open. A search had been carried out, but it appears no property was stolen.

It is believed that the house was entered by a female whilst the male offender was talking to the victim at the front door.  A witness saw a female sitting in a white old style ford transit van and heard the driver and the female speaking in an Irish accent.  As the witness tried to confront them they drove off at speed, but they could not get the registration number as it was covered by mud, rather than it being dirty.

The male offender the victim spoke with has been described as a white male, approximately 40 years old. 5ft 10″ – 6ft, was quite broad and well build.  He had short hair and an Irish accent.  He was wearing a dark bobble hat, grey trousers, a bomber jacket, white trainers and possibly white gloves.

The female the witness saw has been described as white, approximately 35 years old. She had short, back-combed hair and was dressed all in black.

Were you in the area at the time and see any people matching these descriptions, or a white transit van with the number plate covered up?  Please pass this information onto your Neighbourhood Watch members, and if you have any information in relation to these incidents which you think may be useful, please do not hesitate to call 0345 456 456 4, or contact me on the details below.

Kind regards,

Holly

*******************************************
Holly Chandler
Watch Scheme Support Officer
Southern Division
Cambridge Constabulary
Switchboard: 0345 456 456 4  Ext: 3314
Email: holly.chandler@cambs.pnn.police.uk
*******************************************

“We need your help with the following suspicious circumstances and crimes… if you saw anything, please call us on 0345 456 456 4 or call Crimestoppers, an independent charity, anonymously on 0800 555 111.

On September 15th at Pettit’s Lane, Dry Drayton, unknown persons have forced a property open. Very few items were removed from the property as the offenders were disturbed by neighbours.

On 22nd September at Hillcrest, Bar Hill, unknown persons have entered a property in the area and stolen a bunch of keys. There were no visible points of entry into the property but the vehicle was stolen during the night.

On September 22nd at Viking Way, Bar Hill unknown persons have used a screwdriver to jemmy the lock of a vehicle in the area and gain entry.

On September 18th at Pettit’s Lane Dry Drayton a local resident reported a man in the area behaving suspiciously. He was seen loitering for 30 minutes.

If you see anything suspicious in your neighbourhood please report to your team and do get in touch if you have any information on any of the above situations. You can contact the team on 0345 456 456″

In addition to the above, there was another burglary at a house in Dry Drayton in mid September.  If you search on the postcode CB23 on this page on the police website:

https://www.cambs-police.co.uk/myneighbourhood/crimeinfo.asp 

among the 56 crimes listed there which took place between 1/9/10 and 4/10/10 you will find further burglaries during this period in Hardwick (3), Coton (3), Haslingfield (2), Cambourne, Toft and Elsworth. Not every reported crime gets listed there – so even this is an understatement of local burglary activity.  There is clearly a need for us to be vigilant (in the daytime and after dark) and respond to PCSO Mani’s plea.

Fred Northrop got this picture of the activities at the damaged pylon on the 1st. Nice one Fred.