Safety Notice: Horse Chestnut Tree at the Recreation Ground
The Parish Council has been made aware of concerns regarding a large Horse Chestnut tree at the recreation ground, where children have been enjoying building and playing in a tree house.
A local tree specialist has inspected the tree and identified bleeding canker, a fungal infection which causes the wood to dry out from the inside. The affected branch will be removed on 4 September.
As the tree house is situated within the branches being removed, it will unfortunately also need to be removed.
In the meantime, a Keep Clear notice will be placed on the tree and the area will be roped off with hazard tape. We ask everyone, particularly children, to keep away from the tree and the restricted area.
We appreciate that this will be disappointing, but the safety of children and all users of the recreation ground must come first. The Parish Council is pleased to see children making such imaginative use of the recreation ground and will continue to look for opportunities to support safe and creative play.
Ickleton Cemetery update
We’re pleased to let you know that the Parish Council has successfully purchased the meadow just to the west of the cemetery on Brookhampton Street.
As many of you will be aware, the current cemetery is nearing capacity. Our plan is to apply for a change of use so that we can extend it and continue to serve the village for years to come.
We know how lucky we are to have been able to secure this land – opportunities like this don’t come along often. As well as meeting future burial needs, we’d also like to create a space that the whole community can enjoy, making it a peaceful and attractive addition to the village.
To help us move things forward, we’re looking for volunteers who might be able to support the change of use process and help with applying for grants. If you’d like to get involved in shaping this new space, please get in touch with the Parish Clerk.
Age UK Community Warden Scheme
A Community Warden scheme for Ickleton and surrounding villages has been funded by South Cambs District Council. The warden for Ickleton is Anita Gilchrist. Parishioners aged 60 or over who would like help to continue to live independently in their own home can get assistance from the Community Warden by providing a daily phone call (Mon-Fri) and support such as making drinks and a light meal, collecting prescriptions, small items of shopping, help with paperwork and making appointments, and signposting to other services where appropriate. There is a free 4 week trial and then a small weekly fee afterwards. More information can be found by calling 07812 496004 or emailing wardens@ageukcap.org.uk
Children’s Health – new NHS resource
Ferrule replacement Service at local libraries
Cambs Home Improvement Agency
Cambs Home Improvement Agency is a not-for-profit shared service for South Cambs. They provide advice, support and assistance to the elderly, people with disabilities and vulnerable people to help them repair, improve, maintain and adapt their homes to meet their changing needs. The purpose of the service is to help people remain independent, warm, safe and secure in their own homes. They undertake a wide range of activities ranging from stairlifts, level access showers and ramps to heating systems, guttering and electrical safety related works. Information can be found on their website – Cambridgeshire Home Improvement Agency (cambshia.org)
New campaign launches to help older people ‘Feel Brighter’ by seeking NHS Talking Therapies
Are you 65 or older and feel like life is less colourful than it used to be? If you haven’t been feeling yourself, don’t suffer in silence. ‘Feel Brighter’ is a new NHS campaign that aims to encourage older people aged 65 and over in Cambridgeshire & Peterborough who have symptoms such as anxiety, loneliness, or low mood to reach out and access free NHS Talking Therapies and other local support to help them feel brighter again.
NHS Talking Therapies are effective treatments that involve speaking with an experienced mental health professional to understand feelings and learn ways to manage them. Sessions are totally confidential and can be one-to-one, in a group, online, or over the phone.
Dr Emma Tiffin, GP and Clinical Mental Health Lead at the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Integrated Care System said: “We know that older people can think feeling low or anxious is just part of the ageing process, but if you haven’t been feeling yourself don’t suffer in silence, there is a wide range of help and support available locally. We want our older population to enjoy life to the full, so if you or someone you know is struggling with mental health symptoms like anxiety, loneliness and low mood, do reach out because sometimes a professional listening ear is all it takes to turn things around.
The campaign also aims to reach out to family, friends and carers of an older person, who hasn’t been feeling themselves recently and would benefit from accessing free support like NHS Talking Therapies.
All the information that older people aged 65 and over need is available on the campaign website www.cpics.org.uk/feel-brighter, or they can call this number to make an initial referral: Tel 0300 300 0055. Phone lines are available 9am-4pm, Monday to Friday (closed on Bank Holidays).
Electric scooters – know the law
Cambridgeshire Police have provided Parish Councils with some useful information about e-scooter use.
You can buy e-scooters from many popular retailers, but it is against the law to ride them on a public road without complying with several legal requirements which users will find very difficult. It is also against the law to ride them on a pavement or cycle lane.
If you are stopped by Police while using an e-scooter illegally, they will advise you of the current law about how to use one legally and ask you to take your e-scooter home. They may however still penalise you depending on the nature and gravity of the offence.
This is all because e-scooters are classed as a motor vehicle in the same way that motorbikes and cars are. This means they are subject to the same legal requirements, such as MOT, licensing, tax, and insurance. As e-scooters do not have numberplates, indicators, and do not always have visible rear lights, they cannot be used legally on the roads. Further details can be found on the following Government website at www.gov.uk/government/publications/powered-transporters/information-sheet-guidance-on-powered-transporters
Cambridgeshire Police say: “We understand the public’s support for environmentally friendly modes of transport. We want to work with the public to make sure the roads are safe for everyone. The UK Government is currently taking part in “Future Transport Zone” trials for e-scooter hire, with a view to making them legal to use on the roads.
BT Staying Safe Online training
This 10 minute, simple and interactive training, is designed to help you or your friends and family stay safe online. Based on BT’s own employee training, the Staying Safe Online course will help you look out for and spot scammers and their criminal tricks – https://bt.com/skillsfortomorrow/home-life/staying-safe-online
Self-referral foodbank Sawston
The John Huntingdon’s Charity Foodbank is a self-referral foodbank at 189 High Street, Sawston. It is open Monday to Friday 9am to 1pm.
Active with Parkinson’s Cambs
Specialised exercise classes are held in Sawston on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons. Tuesday and Wednesday classes are based on the Parkinson’s Warrior regime and Friday is Nordic Walking for People with Parkinson’s (or Smoveys as an indoor alternative).
All classes are fun, enjoyable and motivational, led by our award winning instructor Paul Goddard who has many years’ experience as a neurological disease exercise instructor. If you or anyone you know has Parkinson’s Disease and would be interested in attending please contact Deb Liddington – debliddington@btinternet.com for further information.
Safe and well visits
Colleagues supporting the South Cambs Community Safety Partnership are promoting the opportunity for vulnerable residents to have free ‘Safe and Well visits’. The Safe and Well team visit residents’ homes to assess six key elements:
- Fire safety in the home – including cooking, general safety and escape plans.
- Falls prevention – including simple remedial action such as replacing lightbulbs or taping down loose carpet.
- Alcohol use – alcohol related hospital admissions are steadily increasing.
- Stay well and warm – can residents afford to heat their home? Do they have access to a hot meal? Do they access the all the services available to them?
- Crime reduction – providing advice on making their home more secure in addition to advice to make them less vulnerable to scams or fraud.
- Smoking – if people need a helping hand to quit, our Safe and Well partners can offer the help and advice people need.
- Hoarding – if people need advice in relation to the health and safety of individuals with hoarding concerns.
Find out if someone is eligible for a free safe and well visit by contacting the automated message line on 0800 917 9994 and leave a message including the person’s name, address and daytime phone number to receive a call back.
Foster carers
Cambridgeshire County Council urgently needs more foster carers. Fostering means caring for one or more children or young people in your own home when they are unable to live with their family. Foster carers provide a safe and secure home for children and young people of all ages, and come from a wide range of ages, cultures and backgrounds. Becoming a foster carer normally takes four to six months. Foster carers could earn up to £44,720 plus benefits for looking after two children aged eleven or over, subject to experience, training, and assessment. There are lots of different types of fostering available for the right people and their families. For more information:
• visit www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/fostering
• call 0800 052 0078
• text FOSTERING to 60777