Nature What’s Behind the Fence?

the A10. We were not the first local visitors by any means: Melbourn Village College students and neighbourhood residents had already been on site, donning the same protective boots, hard hats and high viz for what can only be described as a dazzling tour across an incredibly well-organized site, amidst gallons of inevitable construction site January mud somehow kept in its place. The creative space for inventive working that defines TTP was already clear to see, and we very much look forward to seeing the finished product next year! Zoom Cuppa Surgeries Wednesdays 5-6PM If you’d like to meet with your councillors by Zoom, to bring any concerns or ask any questions, please come along to our weekly Wednesday Zoom Cuppa Surgery, 5–6pm. Please contact Sally Ann for a link: Sallyannhart@riskingonpurpose.com.

Or contact us any time by phone, email or snail mail!

District Councillors Sally Ann Hart and Jose Hales, and County Councillor Susan van de Ven sallyannhart@riskingonpurpose.com, Tel 07791 233303 jose@josehales.me.uk, Tel 01763 221058 susanvandeven5@gmail.com, Tel 07905 325574

A10 Cycling Campaign and Spring cycling

If you are new to Melbourn and enjoy cycling, please consider joining the A10 Corridor Cycling Campaign, which has helped to deliver the existing cycle route from Melbourn to Cambridge. The campaign is now focusing on efforts for an off-road path and bridge over the A505 at the Royston junction, in order to provide a safe walking, cycling and scooter link between Melbourn and Royston. The ‘Melbourn Greenway’ project is anticipated to support these aims – and also to improve the existing route to Cambridge, particularly around Harston and Hauxton. Things have been a bit slow in the past 18 months, but we expect to see things get moving again soon.

Our campaign meets two or three times per year, and hosts an annual ‘A10 Awareness Ride’ to familiarize people with the route. We get involved in cutting back brambles along the route, and this includes a TTP staff group on their lunchtime break who go out with their secateurs. The campaign has become a generator of many new friendships within Melbourn and across the villages and Royston.

More at www.a10corridorcycle.com, which has links to join our mailing list and Facebook page. Susan van de Ven Contacta10cycle@gmail.com susanvandeven5@gmail.com Tel: 07905325574 – all volunteers including Duke of Edinburgh Award students welcome

If you enjoy community gardening or are looking for a way to fulfil your Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award volunteering requirement, please read on!

The Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Community Rail Partnership is always looking for volunteers to join our gardening team – just helping out with watering the platform tubs makes a huge difference to keeping the station environment in good shape.

A Meldreth station garden tidy up will be taking place on March 12.

If you’d like to get involved in any way, or to find out more, please get in touch – we’d be delighted to hear from you. Sarah Grove and Susan van de Ven Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Community Rail Partnership Sarahgrove.msfcrp@gmail.com, susanvandeven5@gmail.com

Nature

What’s Behind the Fence?

The last two years have been a challenging and difficult time for the River Mel Restoration Group, as it has been for most organisations, the consequence being that our maintenance programme has been severely curtailed.

To get things back on track we have been working with the Parish Council, who have employed a contractor to cut back the thickets of brambles that have steadily encroached upon the river where it runs through the playing fields at the back of the Village College. If left unchecked, they would completely smother the marginal plants, such as the sedges that provide safe cover and food for the water vole colony.

We are very fortunate that we have such an active colony of these attractive and endangered species on our doorstep. In order to protect them as their food sources recover, it has been necessary to fence the small stretch of river where they are most active, while the vegetation recovers.

For further details about volunteering or the dates of future working parties please telephone Maureen Brierley on 01763 262752.