May 2022

5 Buckden Roundabout May 2022 From your County Councillor Buckden Neighbourhood Watch RICHARD WEST Village Coordinator 01480 811467 / 07841 866630 To contact the police: 999 in an emergency; 0800 555 111 Crime Stoppers; 0300 123 2040 Action Fraud. EMAIL burglarycrackdown@cambs.pnn.police.uk or visit www.crimestoppers.uk.org or you can telephone 101 Suspicions or concerns can be reported via the police force ’ s online web chat function here https://bit.ly/3tfssQF Or via the online reporting forms here https://bit.ly/3ck9z85 Protecting your home from burglars Spring is here – longer days and warmer weather. We are heading into the time of year when our windows are being opened to get some of that fresh spring air circulating, but unfortunately historically we see thieves using this as an op- portunity to invite themselves into our homes. Leaving ground floor windows, doors and patio doors open in the warmer weather can give burglars the prefect opportunity. If you ’ re upstairs or out of the room, even just for a few minutes, close them and help shut burglars out. Always close windows and doors if you ’ re leaving your home altogether. Don ’ t forget, if you see something suspicious report it to the police. Worried about burglary? Think WIDE(N) Windows Locked Interior Lights on a timer Doors Double or Deadlocked Exterior Lights on a sensor ( Neighbours ) Keep an eye out Most burglaries happen when a house or flat is empty, so don ’ t advertise your absence when you ’ re on holiday or even out at work or shopping. Ask friend or neighbour to look after your home, collect mail left in the letter box, draw the curtains, and otherwise make it look as though the house is occupied. From your County Councillor In February 2022 I was reflecting what to write for the Rounda- bout. A small group of friends were discussing as to how lucky we are to have lived during the past 70 years of peace and spectacular advances of technology and health care. The main theme of the discussion was around the fact that we have lived in peace and mostly harmony with our close neighbours in Europe. There have been few, if any, shortages of food and that is sometimes reflected in waistlines. We have of course been in the grip of a pandemic, which still hasn ’ t gone away and numbers are still extremely high in Cambridgeshire. Thankfully highly effective vaccines were developed in record time due to the advance of medical science and this has kept, in the most part, serious illness at bay. So, yes, we have had difficulties in recent times but all of these fades into insignificance compared with the War in Ukraine. Despite the joint efforts of United Nations, NATO and govern- ments of the World, Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday 24 th February 2022. Ukraine is a sovereign state and as a result of the Russian invasion, Ukraine is at war with Russia. At the time of writing the War continues to focus our minds away from our personal trials and tribulations. I cannot image what is going through the minds of the people of Ukraine. What I can imag- ine though, is that it will be extremely frightening and will cause great anxiety and stress for individuals and families. And yes, it is having an effect on all of us. The effect will continue for weeks and months, possibly years, so we need to be pre- pared to help wherever we can. However small our contribu- tion it will be well received by the refugees who have fled or who are still trying to escape the horrific scenes of death and destruction we see on our TV screens on an hour - by - hour ba- sis. The majority of refugees are women and children all of whom are scared and worried about their menfolk left behind. Left behind with a will and great determination to fight for their freedoms and their country. This is an unprecedented humani- tarian crisis the likes of which have not been seen in over 70 years. At this time in our lifetime, maybe it is a wakeup call to all of us to not be complacent about peace. Harry Billinge MBE, who sadly died on 5 th April 2022, said that we should ‘ Love one an- other ’! I cannot agree more with his sentiment. Harry was someone who had witnessed and understood to horrors of war. Like so many veterans, Harry did not want to talk about these horrors or his experiences of conflict apart from always remembering his comrades, lest we forget. Our communities are strong and in the main have supported each other during the Pandemic. We have seen the best in people who have been willing to aid those in most need. We have supported refugees from Afghanistan and now we are encouraged to support refugees from Ukraine. I know our hearts and thoughts go out to the refugees from Ukraine and we will offer support and a great welcome. Our communities will give warmth, compassion and kindness. We may not know how they are really feeling, but I know that we will try to gain understanding through our willingness to help. The smallest of gestures will mean so much to people who have left their homes in ruins and only have what they could carry with them. They will be frightened, apprehensive and deeply worried about their loved ones left behind in Ukraine. My discussions with friends about how lucky we have been during our lives have now taken on a new focus. Be thankful for what we have, rather than what we want. Be thankful for the food we eat; be thankful for the technology that helps our daily activities; be thankful for the advances of medical science that keeps us healthy including clean water to drink. Be thank- ful that on our island of the United Kingdom we still experience peace and freedom of speech. Thank you everyone in our com- munity for making a difference. - Ken Billington