February 2018

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12 Buckden Roundabout
February 2018
Events
Storytime is on every Tuesday in school term time and starts
at 2.15pm. This month’s sessions are on the 6th, 20 th and 27th
February. Our regular monthly craft activity will be on Satur-
day 10 th February and the theme this month is Narnia. Look
out for more details in the library.
Knit Lit meetings are on Friday 2nd and 16th February from
8pm. Knitters of all ages and abilities welcome!
Do you enjoy playing Scrabble? Come along to our weekly
games afternoon to play a selection of games. Every Thursday
afternoon from 2 – 4pm.
Engage in the Afternoon
On Wednesday 21st February local historian, Mark Egerton
will be giving a talk based on the ‘Witch’ Annie (Nanny) Izzard
who is buried in St Mary's Church in St Neots. Annie Izzard
was born in Offord before moving on to Gt Paxton. This story
is mainly focused on Gt Paxton and St Neots where Annie
spent most of her life.
Half-term events
Lion Learners are coming to Buckden library on Monday 12
February at 2pm. They will be bringing some furry, cuddly,
creepy, crawly, slippery, scaly animals for you to meet and
hear their amazing stories. Lion Learners is for children aged
4 years and upwards. Free tickets are available in advance
from Buckden library. Please note numbers are limited, so
book early to avoid disappointment!
Lego Club is taking place on Thursday 15th February from
2pm – 3.30pm. Come along and see what you can build!
Volunteers
We currently have a few vacancies for volunteers in the li-
brary. If you think you might be interested, or would like
some more information, ask in the library.
Village Hall, Burberry Road, Buckden
Tel: 0345 045 5225
www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/library
Tuesday 10.00 am to 1.00 pm
2.00 pm to 5.00 pm
Thursday 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm
Friday 5.00 pm to 8.00 pm
Saturday 10.00 am to 1.00 pm
Closed Monday and Wednesday
BUCKDEN VILLAGE HALL - A SHORT HISTORY (Part 2)
By Jo Harvey and John Thelwall
(At the end of Part 1, we had reached the late 1990s, when the build-
ing was looking rather tired and a working party was established to
decide its future.)
A number of options were considered and eventually it was decided
to try to rebuild the hall with assistance from Millennium Commission
funding. A small working group was set up and opinions from local
clubs and organisations and the community at large were sought to
establish what the clubs and public wanted in a village hall.
Coincidentally, the County Council decided to close the library in
Manor Gardens and sell the land for development. The County Coun-
cil was persuaded to donate the money from the sale towards the
new Hall. They were promised a new library in the Hall in return.
It was also decided that the new Hall should have an improved stage,
space for the Village Club and for Buckden Pre-School, meeting
rooms, offices and a separate pavilion.
Money was raised from various sources, including the Millennium
Commission, HDC and over one hundred individual donations. These
are all recorded in the foyer of the Hall. There was a shortfall, but this
was raised by the Parish Council taking out a loan, paid for by an in-
crease in the precept. All the houses in the village were canvassed as
to whether to raise the shortfall by this means or by making an imme-
diate contribution. The clear majority preferred the precept increase.
The new pavilion was funded by grants from the FA and other
sporting bodies.
The new Hall was built on time and within budget and opened in
2000. At the same time the field was improved and the supply of
water to the lake in the valley was assured by piping run off from the
Hall roof and the car park into it.
Inevitably over the years its use has changed. There is no longer a
drama group, nor is badminton played there. A number of the organi-
sations entitled under the 1969 Scheme to nominate trustees, no
longer do so and the present trustees are seeking to change the
Scheme to reflect this changed reality.
The Memorial Playing Fields are well used by Buckden senior and
junior football teams and by the cricket club. The Tennis and Bowls
Clubs are equally well established. The Valley is a pleasure to walk
through, particularly in summer and is a valuable ecological resource
in the village. The Hall provides comfortable meeting rooms for busi-
ness and social organisations and events, space for wedding recep-
tions and parties as well as accommodating the Parish Clerk and
Council meetings. It is also frequently used for fitness and well being
classes.
It is managed by the Hall Manager and overseen by the Trustees who
are all volunteers. With the assistance of a loan from the Parish Coun-
cil the Trustees have been able to install solar panels on the roof to
generate electricity. The Trustees have also, in the last 18 months or
so, been able to spend money on improving the fabric of the building
and its facilities which has greatly improved it.
Our Village Hall is the largest in the area. It plays a large role in the
life of the village and is an excellent amenity for everyone living here.
The Trustees hope the Hall will be the first place you think of if you
want to hold a party or event in the village.
Village News