By clicking the above download button you will be able to see the full “Kingswood” proposal created by the Kingswood Steering Group. This is a project in its very early stages to create a new woodland running from Broadway in Grantchester up to Newnham.

The next step for this proposal, which comes from environmentally interested residents in Newnham and Grantchester, is to get approval at least in principle from the landowner, King’s College. Because the bulk of the project lies within the parish of Grantchester, King’s College have asked the Kingswood Steering Group to secure the support of Grantchester Parish Council before they will consider it.

We (the Parish Council) have benefitted from a presentation on this project, but we want to hear from you, our fellow villagers, as it will have significant impact on our local environment and people may have different views on whether that is for better or for worse (or both!). We are grateful to King’s College for asking the steering group to seek the Parish Council’s approval, but please be aware that even if that is given, there is no guarantee that King’s would then be happy to proceed – our approval is necessary, but very far from sufficient.

There are unquestionably environmental benefits to these proposals, but also impacts on historic views and the overall feeling of our village and its surroundings. Please let us have your thoughts on the two options presented, and any other reactions you have to this potential development. We will discuss all your responses in the parish council and feed back what we hope will be a fair response from the village to the Kingswood Steering Group.

You can email your thoughts to our clerk, Anne Rudge, ideally along these lines:

_________      I approve of both Options in this set of Proposals

_________      I only approve of Option One of these Proposals

_________      I only approve of Option Two of these Proposals

_________      I do not approve of either Option in these Proposals

_________      I would be happy with the proposals if amended as suggested below…..

Further to the full proposal, there is also a summary of the proposal and a photographic survey that may be of interest

Wednesday 4th December’s hustings were a rip roaring introduction to the candidates, with the whole community playing the part of Andrew Neil.

Watch Grantchester resident and the other candidates duke it out here:

Download (PDF, 290KB)

Download (PDF, 755KB)

Due to an ongoing teacher shortage, Teach in Cambridgeshire have, once again, organised an Initial Teacher Training event to make people more aware of all the options open to them. This event will be of use to anyone considering a career in teaching.

The ‘Getting into Teaching’ event at Anglia Ruskin University on Thursday 16^th November 2017, 6-8pm. There will be a range of local provides attending offering all phases and routes such as school centred places,  PGCEs,  B.Ed or internships.

Tickets for this event can be booked by clicking on the following  linkhttps://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/getting-into-teaching-information-event-tickets-37992374214

Villagers may have noticed a recent night-time closure of the M11 at junction 13.

This is part of a wider range of improvements to the A14 and M11 over the coming year.

Some detail below on the work that happened this week, there’s much more at the following URL on work coming up over the next six months or so:

http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKHIGHWAY/bulletins/125ec12

In the past year as many of one in four residents in Cambridgeshire visited A&E when they could have used an alternative service or looked after themselves at home.

Each visit to A&E costs the local NHS £87, and that’s before any treatment is given. When you look at the figures, this costs the local NHS over £4million a year. In turn this is the equivalent cost of 677 hip replacements, or 287 liver transplants or 115 more dementia nurses.

Using A&E when you don’t need to can also have a knock-on effect to the rest of the hospital, as busy A&E departments resulted in 500 cancelled operations and procedures because a bed was no longer available, and longer waiting and referral times.

But you can help

·         Stay healthy – get a flu vaccination if you are eligible

·         Look after others – check on elderly friends, relatives and neighbours especially in spells of cold weather, help them to keep warm and have the medication they might need

·         Be prepared – get your prescriptions in early before the holidays and see your pharmacist or GP for any issues you might be putting off

·         Choose the right service – your local pharmacy can provide confidential, expert advice and treatment for a range of common illnesses and complaints, without having to wait for a GP appointment.

For help with finding local NHS services visit http://www.cambsandpeterboroughchoosewell.co.uk/

The filming of Grantchester series 2 arrived in the village this week, with the usual rush of excitement, traffic and discussion of which villagers would actually attain the lofty height of “extra”.

Of course the most significant part of any television shoot is the Friday evening rounders match, and so it was this week. Though there was rumour of a Grantchester crew vs. Grantchester residents setup, the cast decided that splitting up the assembled athletes between Team Green and Team Norton would allow the crew (average age: 35) to benefit from the many years of rounders experience brought to bear by the Grantchester residents (average age: slightly higher.)

On a beautiful late summer evening many brave souls stepped into the batter’s box to face fierce bowling and might fielding and after much confusion and clanging of bases it was decided that we were all winners as none of the dogs had ended up with the ball. An honourable draw was declared.

As the game went on it was difficult to work out whether it was the hard fought contest or the canvas chairs and cold beer that commanded the most attention, but either way the evening was enjoyed by all.