September 2024

13 Buckden Roundabout September 2024 Buckden Repair Café We are excited to confirm that Buckden ’ s first Repair Café is on Sat- urday 5 th October from 1.30 - 4.30 p.m. in the Village Hall. Have you got a “ drawer or cupboard of doom ” filled with things that need fixing? Our repair café could be the answer! Just bring your item along, e.g. small electrical and electronic devices, jewellery, clothing in need of a new zip or other repair, mechanical items, small pieces of furniture, garden tools, bicycles, etc. and our volunteer repairers will try their best to make your item work again but sadly, there can be no guarantees. Repairs are free (donations to help cov- er costs would be much appreciated). Our volunteers give up their time to try to help reduce the amount of “ stuff ” that could easily be repaired from going to landfill and because they enjoy mending things! Booking is highly recommended to avoid having to wait on the day but do feel free to just turn up with something. We ask that you sit with the repairer whilst they are mending your item. Repairers like to explain what they are doing and why and, in that way, you might be able to fix a problem if it occurs again in the future. Of course, tea, coffee, cakes and other sweet treats will be available to make the wait even more worthwhile! Or just pop in for a cuppa and see what it ’ s all about. Bookings can be made via e - mail to buckdenrepaircafe@gmail.com or online by following this link https://forms.gle/3NjojicPWCLyMcVQ7 If you have any questions, please e - mail us at buckdenrepair- cafe@gmail.com or clerk@buckdenpc.org.uk To find out more about local Repair Cafés go to https:// cambridgecarbonfootprint.org/what - you - can - do/events/ Churchyard Conservation Award Scheme: The judging for the Bronze Award will take place in Septem- ber. As part of the application by the Parish Council, a survey of the existing wild flower population was undertaken by vol- unteers in June and July, the results are shown below. This will form our baseline to see how much we can increase the biodiversity of the churchyard as a result of a different man- agement plan. In future, some areas of the churchyard will have grass that is uncut and others that get cut less frequently than before. Hopefully, this will allow all the organisms pre- sent the opportunity to thrive and allow other species to colo- nise the area too. It is likely that there are other wildflower species present but until we leave the grass to grow longer, we may not be able to spot them. Why do we allow some nettles and brambles to grow? Nettles are the main food source for the larvae (caterpillars) of several of our favourite butterflies • Peacock • Red Admiral • Comma • Small Tortoiseshell Bramble provide nectar for insects such as honey bees, bum- ble bees, Brimstone and Speckled Wood butterflies. The fruits are an excellent food source for many birds such as song thrush and yellowhammers but are also eaten by foxes and badgers. Deer will eat the leaves too and Holly Blue butterfly larvae may also feast on them. Bramble thickets also provide shelter for hedgehogs and dormice (would that we would be so lucky as to attract those to our churchyard!). However we will be managing these carefully to ensure that they do not outcompete other, slower growing, plants. bird's - foot trefoil greater celandine rose bay willow herb black medick greater hawk's - beard salad burnett borage ground ivy self - heal bramble groundsel smooth hawk's - beard broad - leaved willow herb hedge bedstraw sorrel buttercup hogweed sow thistle cat's - ear knapweed spear thistle common mallow lady's bedstraw speedwell cow parsley lesser bindweed St John's wort creeping thistle meadow cranes- bill teasel daisy mouse - eared chickweed white bryony dandelion musk mallow white clover dock nettle wild carrot fleabane ox tongue yarrow foxglove ox - eye daisy great plantain ragwort greater bindweed ribwort plantain Village News