September 2024

19 Buckden Roundabout September 2024 Village News Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box Appeal, 2024 Buckden Community will be taking part in the appeal and shoe boxes will be collected in November. Operation Christmas Child is a worthwhile charity making a difference at Christmas, by giving shoe boxes containing small gifts to children in poor countries. PLEASE NOTE SWEETS AND TOOTHPASTE CANNOT BE PUT INTO SHOEBOXES THIS YEAR Gift suggestions Toiletries: Toothbrush, hairbrush, etc. No Bottles or liquid items please. Educational Supplies: Felt pens, pens, pencils, pencil sharp- ener, eraser, etc. Toys: Cuddly toy with CE label please, doll, toy truck, skip- ping rope, yo - yo, ball, small puzzle, etc. Other items: Hat, scarf, gloves, sunglasses, hair accessories, wind up torch, jewellery set. Are you able to knit a puppet, hat, scarf, gloves, or soft toy? Patterns are available. Or perhaps make a bag, pencil case or puppet using your sewing skills? Buckden Learning Group Update As I write at the start of August I am looking back at a busy summer. This is a period we spend mainly on Zoom, allowing people to attend from anywhere they choose; this also means that we are able to take advantage of some excellent distant tutors. In April members were welcomed to a Zoom guest lecture enti- tled ‘ The Changing Role of the Poet Laureate ’. This took us on a gentle stroll through four hundred years of English literary his- tory, looking at the changing role of the Poet Laureate, from John Dryden to Simon Armitage. Later in April, we commenced our main summer course on Zoom, spending 10 weeks (with a tutor based in Wales) exam- ining one of the most important movements in European histo- ry, from its first medieval rumblings to the ‘ Counter - Reformation ’. This is a subject that still arouses intense pas- sions, as was evidenced by the questions and discussion that took us over the allotted time each week. During the Reformation course we had two weeks back in Buckden Towers to accommodate the tutor ’ s well deserved holiday plans. While she was away we had talks from group members: firstly about Pepys and his local connections and a second talk about the history of Airships. At the start of July, inspired by a previous course about the history of Architecture, a group of our members assembled for a modular day out in Buckden. For the first element of the day we used the 2020 Parish Council leaflet about Buckden to navi- gate our way around the historic village. The highlights of our walk came when one resident, in the High Street, invited us to view historic aspects of his garden; and another, in Church Street, came out to talk about his home. We ended our walk with a visit to the Anglican Church, supported by another ex- cellent leaflet. The morning was followed by a pre - booked lunch at the Vine. The day was concluded with a guided tour of Buckden Towers. It ’ s a site we know well from the inside, but for some of our members it was an opportunity to find our more about the history of the site through the ages. In July for our final Zoom sessions before our break in August we were ‘ visited ’ for three weeks by a British tutor now based in Detroit. The subject this time was ‘ The First Six Presidents of the United States ’. Our morning sessions meant a very early start for the tutor, with 2 alarm clocks and a bottomless coffee pot! It also meant longer than usual sessions for us to accom- modate two Presidents per session. We will soon commence enrolment for our next course which starts in September. This is a 5 week history course back in the village entitled ‘ The French Revolution ’ (see advert for details). This course will be followed in November by a course about Japan. A full programme has now been planned through to Easter 2026. As usual, our main courses will continue to be interspersed with some additional events. Note that pre - registration for our courses is essential to avoid disappointment. Of course, you may like to do your own shoebox, and this would be very welcome, as well. Donations of money always welcome for transportation as it costs £5 to transport each box. If you would like more information, contact Carol Swepstone 810053