March 2023

16 Buckden Roundabout March 2023 Village News Bookings Update This month, alongside all our lovely regular hirers, we have a Yoga Day, a private function, a dog training seminar run by Clarity Canine Education on Saturday 11 th March (email clar- itycanineeducation@gmail.com for more information), a kid ’ s party and a week - long corporate booking. Stay & Play Fridays 1pm – 2:30pm We are delighted to confirm that the Stay & Play sessions run by Cambs CC will now be at the Hall every week from 3 rd March. Please call 01480 372700 option 1 to book a space. Pantomime In February Melodramatics returned to Buckden Village Hall with Beauty and the Beast. It was a great show! Thank you to everyone who came to the show and to all of the Melo- dramatics team who spent a lot of time and energy putting on the shows! A big thank you – Paypal update! As mentioned last month, the Trustees would like to thank everyone who has very kindly donated to the upkeep of the Valley via the Gofundme page. The amount currently raised is £190 but we have also had some very generous donations separate from this page. If anyone else would like to do- nate please visit: www.gofundme.com/f/buckden - valley - drought - relief - project Parking No parking is allowed on the paved pedestrian pathway in the front of the Hall. This path is for the use of pedestrians/ pushchairs/wheelchairs only. There is also a defibrillator on the front of the building and access to this is restricted with thoughtless parking. Vandalism We are still experiencing some vandalism around the Hall building. We have cameras that cover the entire area and clearly those carrying out the acts don ’ t realise that! If anyone witnesses vandalism taking place around the Hall building, playing field or Valley, please report it directly to 101 or online at www.cambs.police.uk. Please report any damage to the Hall Manager on admin@buckdenvillagehall.co.uk Jo Harvey, Hall Manager Email: admin@buckdenvillagehall.co.uk Tel: 01480 811101 Please call or email to arrange any face - to - face appoint- ments. Office hours: 9am – 2pm Burberry Road, Buckden, Cambridgeshire, PE19 5UY Tel: 01480 811101 www. buckdenvillagehall.co.uk email: admin@buckdenvillagehall.co.uk News from the Knot Garden These two photographs of the same clump of snowdrops at the Knot Garden were taken on 18th January 2022 (left)and 21st January 2023 (right). Even though there was snow in De- cember and frosts in January this clump of snowdrops doesn ’ t seem to have been affected. This group is always the first to come into bud. Snowdrops thrive under shrubs in partial shade, these are under the mulberry tree where they have morning sunshine and some protection from the tree. Snowdrops originate from the eastern Mediterranean and were possibly first introduced into the gardens of abbeys and priories in Britain. They were designated a wildflower in 1770. Snowdrops will grow in most soil types, preferably in partial shade. In the Knot Garden the bulbs have been planted to form drifts so that the flowers show brightly white against a grass or earth background. The snowdrops planted in the two arbours behind the box hedges are much later to flower. After flowering and the top growth has died back any bulbs that are overcrowded are lift- ed and transplanted to another area of the gar- den where they will have room to spread. The winter clematis started to flower back in the late Autumn and goes on flowering throughout the winter, even during the snow and frost. It looks at its best now, covered with pale cream bell - like flowers and will continue to flower through into the Spring. The gardeners have not been able to work through some of the worst of the winter weather but are in the garden on fine Tuesday mornings. Work has been going on in the walkways at the church side and the yew hedge side of the garden. The vines have been cut back, the ties will need to be checked next. The vertical branches on the laburnum trees are being trimmed back to encourage the new growth to cover the posts and wires of the walkways. The overgrown jasmine has been being trimmed back and new growth tied in to make walking along the paths easier.