DryDrayton Village News, circulated to the DryDrayton.net e-mail list on Sunday 19 March 2023

Annoyed by Aircraft Noise ?
If you are finding the increase in aircraft noise in the village annoying, here is an explanation of the cause: https://www.drydrayton.net/AD6.asp and, if this affects you adversely, here is how to complain about it: https://www.drydrayton.net/pdfs/complaint.pdf . Please don’t just rely on others to complain. The number and nature of complaints will make a difference, demonstrating the need for re-thinking flight paths.

Dry Drayton on YouTube – Fragments Of Time: Dry Drayton In The 1900s
Fragments of Time Episode 3 has now been uploaded to YouTube. Follow this link: https://youtu.be/lTOXQxHYuTQ or type in to YouTube: Fragments of Time Episode 3. In Episode 3 we meet Joy Dunn and Violet Hawkes. Joy first came to the village in the war years. She produced Nativity plays in the church from the 1940s to the early 1960s. She was active with her family in the church and school and stayed connected with Dry Drayton for many years. Violet arrived at age 12 when her father became Rector of the Parish. Violet remained in the village for the rest of her 98 years. She was active in many aspects of village life and founded and ran the Country Cattery. Many of her family are still here.

The recollections are illustrated and brought to life in the videos with photographs and information, much of which can be found in the Local History and Family History pages on the village website. Previous episodes featuring John Hacker and Sid Martin can be found by following the links: https://youtu.be/0PJVfP-S5GQ and https://youtu.be/zA5S4iWW0MM

Next Village Coffee Morning
The next coffee morning will be at the Village Hall on 5th April 10 – 12. There will be a few stalls selling local produce and homemade craft items to raise money for Riding for the Disabled and the Dry Drayton Village Hall. If you have any produce/ craft items etc which you could donate, please bring them along on the morning. A big thank you to all the volunteers who make the coffee morning a success The last one was the busiest yet and it was great to see people travel from other villages to join us.

Broadband speeds in Dry Drayton
Are Broadband speeds now adequate throughout Dry Drayton? If you have a minute, please do a check on one of the free speed testing sites e.g. https://broadbandtest.which.co.uk/ and let us know the result. We will produce an anonymised table showing variations across the village – please let us (webmaster@drydrayton.net) have the following five details: street, postcode, download speed Mbps, upload speed Mbps, internet service provider.

Oakington Market
Oakington Market, Oakington Business Park, Dry Drayton Road, Oakington CB24 3DQ, opens Saturday 25 March 2023 and Saturdays thereafter. Public entry before 8.30am £1 per person, after 8.30am 50p per person. https://bedfordmarkets.wixsite.com/skylarkcarboot/oakington-car-boot

Neighbourhood Policing, Community Meeting, Tues May 2 2023, 7.00 pm to 8.00 pm
This online meeting will include a presentation on recent policing activity from the team, Police will listen to concerns, present the results of the survey and allow you to have an influence. You will be sent a link to the meeting about 15 mins before it is due to start. After the meeting, your neighbourhood policing team will work on the matters we agree and update you with the progress over the coming weeks and months.
Find out more and reserve a free ticket here: https://tinyurl.com/nn74rb3k

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Bad News for Local Walkers, Cyclists and Riders

Dry Drayton Non Motorised Users’ track

The project to build a non motorised users’ track for walkers and cyclists joining the village to the tracks alongside the A1307 has suffered a major setback. Although approved by the County Council in 2019, negotiations on funding and implementation have delayed the project. Now National Highways have decided not to part fund this and other projects in a programme (NMU2) of additional NMUs connected with the A14 improvements. 

Meanwhile, because of its inclusion in the now defunct NMU2 programme, the Dry Drayton track has been omitted from the wider Greater Cambridge Greenways Project connecting local villages to the wider Cambridgeshire off-road network. 

Dry Drayton Parish Council have repeatedly given assurances that their financial contribution to the project remains in place, but clearly additional funding will now have to be found if this track is to be built alongside Oakington Road. Meanwhile there is no safe traffic-free connection to and from Cambridge on a route which has already claimed the life of one cyclist. 

The NMU track will be discussed at the next Parish Council meeting at the Village Hall on Tuesday 7 March 2023 at 7.00pm. If you have comments on the need for this track and/or suggestions for future action, you might wish to ensure that the Parish Council (clerk@drydraytonpc.org.uk ) is aware of your views. If you intend to attend the Parish Council Meeting be aware that the only opportunity to speak is usually right at the start of the meeting. (7.00pm. not the usual 7.30 start)

Background to the project can be found here: https://www.drydrayton.net/ctrack.asp

UPDATE 6 March 2023

Grant Weller (Team Leader – Project Delivery – Cambridgeshire County Council) will be the guest speaker at the Parish Council Meeting on Tuesday 7 March (7pm Village Hall). He will be giving an update on the proposed Non-Motorised User (NMU) track connecting the village to the A1307 and on improvements at ‘The Drift’. A briefing paper is available here: https://www.drydrayton.net/pdfs/NMUFunding.pdf on the various NMU projects, programs and funding bids, made to date. The proposed Dry Drayton track, costing around £300k, is now mainly unfunded after National Highways have decided not to fund it and a number of other similar projects. This is your opportunity to show the Parish Council the importance of this project to residents.

Aircraft noise, local events and Job Vacancy

Aircraft Noise Problems – meeting 23.2.23

A reminder that there will be a public meeting at 7.30pm on Thursday 23 Feb at Little Gransden Village Hall (and by Zoom). The local MPs will be there . It is also on Zoom, email: nrostami.lgpc@gmail.com.

The Powerpoint Presentation from the meeting can be found in the RELAS group on Facebook.

Richard Littlewood has set out an explanation of the increased air traffic noise in the village and how to complain about it. https://www.drydrayton.net/ad6.asp or in the February Village Newsletter.

Date For Your Diary – Dry Drayton Parish Boundary Walk 2023

Based on the ancient custom of Beating the Bounds we plan to walk the Parish Boundaries on Saturday 24th June. In England the tradition is centuries old, dating from at least Anglo-Saxon times.

This will be the 5th Boundary Walk since we revived the tradition and this year we will go around the parish in an anticlockwise direction. The full walk is approximately 10 miles and there will be several rest stops and a place for a picnic lunch. There are also a few easy exit points for those that wish to take a shorter route home.

More than half of the Parish Boundary falls on private land and we have permission from the relevant land owners that will allow us to follow the boundary as closely as possible. We will travel along paths and through woods normally closed to the public. We wish to thank Messrs Chivers, Jenkins and Peck for kindly granting this once in a year access to their private land.

Anyone who would like more information or to register their wish to participate should send an email to: boundarywalk@gmail.com or text 07709 584207.

Village Coffee Morning

The next coffee morning will be at the village Hall 10- 12 on Wednesday 1st March, followed by the Easter Coffee Morning on 5th April. During the April Coffee Morning there will be a few stalls selling local produce and homemade craft items to raise money for Riding for the Disabled and Dry Drayton Village Hall. If you have any produce/ craft items etc which you could donate, please bring them along on the morning.

Thank you to everyone who comes to the Coffee Mornings and supports us in any way. We are always looking for more volunteers to help, particularly to bake for us! (We promise not to harass you for more cakes, we are just grateful whenever people can help out!) If you would like to give time/ cake please contact Una on una.sowerby@btinternet.com or Gil on hemyghislaine@gmail.com
(From Tara Grove)

Next Parish Council Meeting

Village Hall, Tuesday 7 March 7.30pm. Agenda at http://www.drydraytonpc.org.uk

North West and West Cambridge Community Forum

The next North West and West Cambridge Community Forum will take place online on Wednesday 1 March, from 6pm. Forums are free, open, public meetings bringing together residents, planners, developers and other stakeholders to discuss and share information about new development. All interested residents are welcome to join. Find out more: https://www.scambs.gov.uk/community-safety-and-health/community-forums

Housekeeper / Cook Vacancy in Dry Drayton

Professional housekeeper/cook wanted for house on Scotland Road, Dry Drayton. Monday to Friday 8 am until 6:30 pm. Please contact me on 07854126579 for full job description and more details. Alexandra White.

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Dry Drayton Parish Boundary Walk 2023.

From Alec Hawkes –

Based on the ancient custom of Beating the Bounds we plan to walk the Parish Boundaries on Saturday 24th June. In England the tradition is centuries old, dating from at least Anglo-Saxon times.

This will be the 5th Boundary Walk since we revived the tradition and this year we will go around the parish in an anticlockwise direction. The full walk is approximately 10 miles and there will be several rest stops and a place for a picnic lunch. There are also a few easy exit points for those that wish to take a shorter route home.

More than half of the Parish Boundary falls on private land and we have permission from the relevant land owners that will allow us to follow the boundary as closely as possible. We will travel along paths and through woods normally closed to the public. We wish to thank Messrs Chivers, Jenkins and Peck for kindly granting this once in a year access to their private land.

Anyone who would like more information or to register their wish to participate should send an email to: boundarywalk@gmail.com or text 07709 584207.

Feel Brighter

Are you 65 or older and feel like life is less colourful than it used to be? If you haven’t been feeling yourself, don’t suffer in silence.

‘Feel Brighter’ is a new NHS campaign that aims to reach out to older people aged 65 and over, who may be struggling with their mental health but don’t know where to turn for advice, support and to find out what services are available locally.

The new campaign aims to encourage older people who have symptoms such as anxiety, loneliness, or low mood to reach out and access free NHS Talking Therapies and other support to help them feel brighter again.

NHS Talking Therapies are effective treatments that involve speaking with an experienced mental health professional to understand feelings and learn ways to manage them. Sessions are totally confidential and can be one-to-one, in a group, online, or over the phone.

You will find more on our website

School and Village Association Annual General Meeting

All village residents and parents/carers of children at the school and pre-school are invited to attend the Dry Drayton School & Village Association Annual General Meeting in the school hall on Tuesday the 21st of February 2023, starting at 7:30pm.

Over the last year, the S & VA donated over £5 thousand to the school to support library books, the Accelerated Reader Scheme, the Forest School, Jubilee mugs, Early Years garden materials, a new climbing frame, and the trip to the Cambridge Panto.

We believe village events that bring together the school and village are one of the things that make Dry Drayton such a wonderful and supportive place for old and young. This year we hope to organise an event to celebrate the King’s Coronation on Saturday the 6th of May and continue with favourites like the Fun Run. We’d love to hear your views on what activities you’d like to see and we always welcome offers of help of any kind. Please get in touch at drydraytonsva@gmail.

The Agenda for the meeting and last year’s minutes are here.

Luton Airport – flight paths – Public Meeting 23 Feb 2023

Luton Airport – flight paths – Public Meeting 23 Feb 2023

Local councillors and the public have been invited to attend a meeting on Thursday 23 February 2023, at 7.30 pm, at Little Gransden Village Hall (SG19 3DP). You can also attend via Zoom, the link for which will be provided beforehand.

This is what the meeting organisers say about it:

A number of protest groups against this change in flight path for Luton Approach have been formed. There will be presentations on the latest findings, analysis and public objections registered with the councils. Our local MPs, Anthony Browne, Jonathan Djonogly and Lucy Frazer propose to attend either in person or via Zoom. Please join us for more information to hear how the affected residents under the flight path are in despair and distressed. We have reports of cases with health conditions attributed to the noise nuisance from aircraft braking at low altitudes. The public are attending to seek help and assistance from their representatives. We are pleading for a collective and collaborative action from MPs and Councillors in urging the programme sponsors to re-design AD6. Mrs Noushin Rostami, Parish Councillor- Little Gransden, nrostami.lgpc@gmail.com .

We have now added a paper to the site by Richard Littlewood on making an effective complaint about aircraft noise

Cost of Living Drop In Event

Cost of Living Drop in Event

Cost of Living Drop in Event at Cambourne Library in conjunction with South Cambs District Council & Think Communities Friday, January 20, 2023, 10:00 AM 1:00 PM. Cambourne Library Sackville Way Cambridge, England, CB23 6HL.
FREE drop-in event. A number of organisations will be gathering together, all in one place, to provide advice and support to help you through this winter and beyond. Call in for a warm welcome, a hot drink and a chat.

Please Help the S and VA

Use AmazonSmile to support the School & Village for free!

AmazonSmile will contribute 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to the charity of your choice. By choosing the Dry Drayton S & VA, you can support the school and village for free! Remember to use the Amazon Smile website, which is different from the Amazon site, but you can use your Amazon password. Here’s how: 
• Go to the Amazon Smile website: https://smile.amazon.co.uk/  
• Sign in using your regular amazon.co.uk password.
• In the bar at top, select “Supporting” or “Choose a charity.”
• Under “Pick your own charitable organisation” type: Dry Drayton School and Village Association and press “search.”
• Select The Dry Drayton School and Village Association.
• Shop as normal.

If you use the Amazon shopping app on your phone:
• First select the Dry Drayton School and Village Association at https://smile.amazon.co.uk .
• Then open your app and find ‘Settings’ in the main menu (three horizontal lines).
• Tap on ‘Amazon Smile’ and follow the on-screen instructions to turn on Amazon Smile on your phone.

Remember if you want AmazonSmile to donate to the S & VA you need to start each shopping session at smile.amazon.co.uk or turn on AmazonSmile in the Amazon Shopping app, and they will donate 0.5% of the net purchase price (excluding VAT, returns and shipping fees) of your eligible purchases to the S & VA . 

Your support for the Dry Drayton School & Village Association will help us to help the school and the village! (Diane Harris)

Charity Christmas Tree Collection

Our local Christmas Tree Recycling Scheme is run by Arthur Rank Hospice Charity in partnership with JustHelping and with support from Cambridge City Council, numerous local businesses and members of the community. The Christmas Tree Recycling Scheme helps to raise vital funds for the Arthur Rank Hospice. They would welcome a donation and in exchange will collect your Christmas tree and take it away to be recycled for you. No hassle, no needles in your car… leave it to them! Your donation will make a real difference to their patients, who are living with a life limiting illness, and their families. Their team of volunteers will be collecting trees in postcodes CB1, CB2, CB3, CB4, CB5, CB21, CB22, CB23, CB24, Waterbeach & Landbeach from Thursday 12th – Sunday 15th January 2023. In order for them to collect your tree, please register by 11.59pm Sunday 8th January. Use this link https://just-helping.org.uk/register-tree/  to register your tree and the charity will send you details of when they will collect it from you for re-cycling. (Maggie Hook)