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Cople News

December 2013

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WILLINGTON POST OFFICE & STORES

Telephone: 01234 838240

Newspaper & magazine delivery to Cardington, Cople, Willington and Moggerhanger

Fresh bread and cakes from local bakery and decorated cakes for special occasions.

Fruit & vegetable baskets made up for special

occasions.

Home delivery on purchases over

£10.00

Gas and Electric key charging

Post Office counter for: Banking & Foreign currency

Car tax phone & broadband services Savings, Insurance, Mail

Shop Opening Hours

Monday – Friday 6.30am to 6.00pm Saturday 7.00am to 6.00pm Sunday 8.00am to 12 noon

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Editor’s Notes

I have used colour on the front page in an attempt to do justice to Ian Whiting’s excellent image of the interior of All Saints Church. If the advertising revenue holds up I will be using more colour in 2014.

Sally Cobban has supported Cople News for some time with her advert and now that she has returned to live in the village she has generously offered to write a piece every month on tax. She has chosen an inexhaustible subject and one that, like it or not, we all need to know about. I look forward to her contributions. Welcome to the village and to the Cople News team.

Pippa Hawker has had a good idea. She is canvassing for support for a “Book Group” in Cople. Her notice is on page 20.

Michael Roadnight, the Lawn Doctor, has written a Christmas quiz on gardening. Try to keep away from Google and see how you do.

The Friends are making good progress with their Pantomime. On page 39 Julia Moore has given us an update and is looking for help on the support side. This is something new in the village and I am looking forward to the production.

The advertising selection in the magazine is going through its annual regeneration and you will notice numerous additions, deletions and alterations now and in the near future. Perhaps in our own small way we are seeing the economy picking up. The demand for advertising space has increased and I am looking forward to doing more with the magazine as a consequence.

Generally the village is taking a well deserved break from Christmas to new year. Most activities are on hold and we will see a resurgence in the new year. If you are thinking about making a contribution to the January edition I am keen to get the magazine to the printers as soon as possible after the 15th December deadline.

Should you have some free time, have a look at the Cople Village Website. Ian Whiting has included a programme from the Cople Festival held in 1971. The range of activities and the patronage is amazing. If you have memories of this event or photographs both Ian and I would interested to hear from you. Does anyone fancy writing a piece for the magazine? The week long event raised funds to help build the Village Hall and repair the Church. The founding of the village hall is another good topic on its own—any takers for another article. Next month I have an interesting (well I think it is) feature on how the village got its playing field.

We may not have a vicar but the Churchwardens have organised a full range of Christmas services. Starting with Christingle and going on to carols on the 22nd, including refreshments from the Friends, then the crib service and midnight communion on the 24th.

On behalf of our tireless team of distributors and contributors may I wish everyone a happy Christmas and a prosperous new year.

Ged Peeke

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Churchwardens’ Letter With Lynda now installed in her new parish it is business as usual as far as the churchwardens and PCC members of All Saints are concerned. Together with input from the Rural Dean and others we are charged with the task of providing all that the parish requires from its church. We are grateful to Lynda for arranging cover for the majority of regular services up until the new year and for some in the spring. We can look forward to welcoming clergy and lay clergy who have kindly agreed to help out and who will help to make services varied and interesting. In the event of anyone requiring help or assistance in any church related matter they should contact either of the churchwardens whose details are on the back page of the village magazine. We thought that it would be useful to record some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the vacancy. Q. Why have you let the vicarage? A. As vacancies are known to take at least six months to fill, it is policy to attract short term lets. Firstly to avoid costs such as heating etc which would have to be borne by the benefice. Secondly to create a fund from the rental income to finance refurbishment and repairs where necessary. It is also a fact that property fares better when occupied especially during the winter months. Q. Why does it take so long to find another vicar? A. Clergy notices usually consist of a minimum of three months. It is not always possible to advertise the post until the incumbent has vacated the post. There is a shortage of clergy and each parish has to collate a profile of the parish, their aspirations and hopes. Before the post is advertised the PCCs will work together with the Archdeacon and Bishop to present a profile of the Benefice. This will form part of the advertising mechanism. We think that the Benefice will be appealing to candidates. Some less appealing/difficult parishes have been vacant for over three years ! Christmas is a busy and happy time of year in the church. We have the Christingle service on 1st December and it is delightful to see the children with their sweets, oranges and candles. The Village Carol service is on the 22nd December at 6pm. The Friends are kindly providing mulled wine and mince pies after the service. It should prove to be a wonderful evening with readings and favourite carol singing. Rev Stephen Heap, who lives in the village, is kindly taking the service as he is Midnight Communion 11.30pm 24th December. We cannot forget the Crib service at 10am 24th December when the children participate in the service. It is a lovely service and the children really enjoy their involvement. If you are able to come to any or all of the services please do. You will be made very, very welcome. We wish you a Happy Christmas and Peaceful New Year. June Shanahan and Mike Vacher

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All Saints Church Heritage Days 2013

Our final Heritage Day of 2013 was held on the last Saturday in October. Intended to make visitors more aware of the history, artefacts and architecture of the building and church yards and for a limited opportunity to look up family records, these open days have been considered most interesting and in the main well attended.

This year we welcomed visitors from around the world as well as from surrounding villages most with connections with the Church and with Cople. Commenting on their visits the majority were surprised at the high level of historical content and in particular the brasses dating from the 15th Century and the story that they tell. Trips up the tower were always on the top of most visitors agendas with stunning views of the village and the surrounding country side as well as our splendid bells dating from the 15th century. Our grateful thanks go to the small band of volunteers who gave up their free time to act as tour guides and providers of home made cakes teas and biscuits as well as running the increasingly popular Traidcraft stall.

We will continue with these days in 2014 starting in April (dates to be confirmed). If you would like to help next year in any way please contact Mike Vacher on 831207.

Mothers’ Union

Our meeting on the 4th November was held in a member’s house, and after prayers, Pat entertained us with a quiz. After the meeting Daphne was thanked for her hospitality and Pat for the 1ove1y cake. Our Christmas meeting will be held on Monday 2nd December at 2.30pm in Glebe House. Members are asked to bring a festive reading or poem to read in between singing carols. For refreshments we shall be having tea and mince pies. Many thanks go again to all our knitting and sewing friends for all the lovely garments they have made for us. These will be taken to the MU Forum at the end of November, for distribution both here and overseas.

Liz Buck

Prayer

God of hope and joy, open our hearts in welcome, that your Son Jesus Christ at his coming may find in us a dwelling prepared for himself who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever Amen (MU The Prayers We Breathe)

From the Registers

Funeral: Vera Janes 2 November 2013

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CHRISTMAS LUNCH

This years Luncheon Club festive lunch will take place on the 16th December in the village hall at 12.30pm.

Three course traditional lunch, mince pies , grand raffle and lots of good company.

Reservations are required .Please contact June 831705 to book your place. Tickets are £7.50 .

Gift Day Thank you to all who donated to the church on 26th October as part of our Gift Day. We received £570 which will go towards the upkeep of the church. If you were away or forgot the date and would still like to donate something, no matter how small, you can leave an envelope in the church or at 34,Grange Lane. With many thanks June Shanahan and Mike Vacher

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Wild About Cople

With the advent of colder, more autumnal weather, things are really beginning to change in and around Cople and one of the more obvious changes at this time of year are the trees dressing in their autumn finery. So, let’s start with a simple chemistry lesson! A green leaf is green because of the presence of a green pigment known as chlorophyll. During the spring and summer the green colour dominates and masks out the colours of any other pigments that may be present in the leaf. Chlorophyll has a vital function: that of capturing solar rays and using the resulting energy in the manufacture of the plant's food—simple sugars which are produced from water and carbon dioxide. These sugars are the basis of the plant's nourishment—the sole source of the carbohydrates that are needed for growth and development. In their food-manufacturing process, the chlorophylls themselves break down and thus are being continually "used up". During the growing season, however, the plant replenishes the chlorophyll so that the supply remains high and the leaves stay green. In late summer, as the daylight hours shorten and temperatures cool, the veins that carry fluids into and out of the leaf are gradually closed off as a layer of special cork cells forms at the base of each leaf. As this cork layer develops, water and mineral intake into the leaf is reduced, slowly at first, and then more rapidly. It is during this time that the chlorophyll begins to decrease. Often the veins will still be green after the tissues between them have almost completely changed colour. In the autumn, the chlorophyll starts to break down and degrades into a colourless chemical and this is when the hidden pigments of yellow xanthophylls and orange beta-carotene are revealed. The leaf’s stem is completely closed off by cell growth and the leaf is effectively dead – then strong winds and frosts cause the leaf to fall from the tree where it lies decaying on the ground thereby feeding nutrients back into the tree. Similarly, the amino acids released from all the chemical processes are stored all winter in the tree's roots, branches, stems, and trunk until next spring when they are recycled to re-leaf the tree. So, the next time you are admiring a tree in its full autumn splendour just think of all those chemical processes going on! And while on the subject of trees, we are now entering the best time for planting new trees – there are many good reasons for planting trees apart from the obvious ones such as being nice to look at, good for wildlife and adding generally to the attractiveness of the landscape. Recent research has shown that trees are incredibly effective at cutting down (by filtering) pollution from cars. It has been shown that trees (or hedges) can filter out what is called ‘Particulate Matter’ (or PM). If you live on a road PM can accumulate in your house (particularly in the front room) and can be a contributing factor to various health problems including heart disease. It has been shown that just by planting two or three trees in your front garden (silver birches were found to be particularly good at this) that the amount of PM in your home can be reduced by 50 – 60%. It was only a small study but with astonishing results with regard to (yet again) the power of nature. In addition, it has been shown that a tree or trees in your front garden and streets can add up to 18% to the property value of a house.

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So, as well as looking nice, improving the landscape and being good for wildlife, trees can improve our health and make us money – I think we all need to be getting out and planting more trees over this winter! Finally, there are murmurings in the skies above Cople at dusk. Recently, a large starling roost has developed near Willington and, before arriving at the roost, the starlings congregate and coalesce into larger and larger flocks before flying into the main roost site. Roosting in birds has several functions including; keeping warm, predator avoidance and detection (more pairs of eyes = safety in numbers) and as a means of passing on information about where to go the next day for sources of food (following certain groups of birds the next day as they leave early for the best food supplies). Keep at look out at dusk for the swirling flocks as they perch in trees, chattering away, before suddenly launching upwards in a rush of wings and into larger and larger flocks as they head towards Willington. The large trees around the churchyard are a favourite place for the birds to gather. Steve Halton stevehalton@gmail.com

Tuesday Club

“I Love Christmas, but” We were entertained on 12th November by Louise Reed , a professional speaker with very amusing anecdotes of her Christmas memories over the years. This was a subject to which we could all relate.

Louise said that every year her children bring home unexpected friends and there is always a last minute problem as to where everyone is going to sleep. This year she has bought an extra bed in anticipation. She always gives the impression that it is not a problem whilst inwardly she is in full panic.

Christmas pudding is something she doesn't like but has to buy one because an elderly lady comes on Christmas Day bearing brandy butter. Also Louise always worries that the charms will be swallowed and they will not be available for next year.

Last year Louise let her daughter decorate the cake. The result was a reindeer which had been killed by Santa armed with a toothpick.

On the subject of unwanted gifts, we have all receive lace hankies and bath cubes which don't dissolve. There are also the dreadful tea towels which don't dry anything.

One last piece of advice was, that if you drop the turkey make sure that you remove the cats hairs and watch the dog doesn't pinch the mince pies off the trolley. !

It was a very amusing evening which ended with mince pies and mulled wine being served.

Our Christmas meal is at the Plough on 10 December. Next year we will meet on January 14th when Graham Ebbs is giving a talk entitled 'My Life in the Music Industry'. Ronnie Matthews

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Cople Sports and Social Club October has come and gone; we have celebrated Halloween and now look forward to Christmas. Thank you for every body’s donations on the wear it pink evening the money raised goes directly to breast cancer research. If you wish to join us at our Christmas party it

December Football at CS&SC

Saturday 7th December Man United v Newcastle 12.45pm Liverpool v West Ham 03.00pm Sunderland v Tottenham 5.30pm Sunday 8th December Fulham v Aston Villa 1.30pm Arsenal v Everton 4.00pm Saturday 14th December Man City v Arsenal 12.45pm Chelsea v Crystal Palace 3.00pm Sunday 15th December Aston Villa v Man United 1.30pm Tottenham v Liverpool 4.00pm Saturday 21st December Liverpool v Cardiff 12.45pm Man United v West Ham 3.00pm Sunday 22nd December Southampton v Tottenham 1.30pm Swansea v Everton 4.00pm

There is a regular email sent out to all members in regard of what sports events will be shown and up and coming events. If you wish to become a member please enquire on details below or visit us at CS&SC.

Jeanette Skipsey Telephone: 01234 831473 Mobile: 07749 272249 Email: Jeanette_skipsey@hotmail.co.uk

Cake for Rev Klimas’ farewell 20th October

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Cople Parish Council The Parish Council met on Monday 18th November as part of it's normal bi-monthly schedule of meetings. Also in attendance at this meeting were Councillor Stephen Moon and Andrew Prigmore from Bedford Borough Council Highways department.

Councillor Moon provided an update as part of his Borough Councillors role. He advised that the scheduled Broadband upgrade proposals had still to be announced, but were expected shortly. In addition he confirmed that the planning application in respect of the Travelling Showpeople on the A603 had now been approved by Bedford Borough Council, although there had been opposition to this.

Andrew Prigmore attended the meeting to provide feedback as to the progress of various issues that had been passed to Highways to deal with and reported back as follows:- The drains in Water End have now all been cleaned and cleared, this should help with the excess water collecting in the road. Additional work is still required to the verges to enable water run off into the ditches, this will be done shortly. The roadway markings for the bus stop outside the garage, heading towards Cardington, should be done in the next 2 weeks. The proposed bus stop on Northill Road, just outside Water End, should be in place in the New Year. The various overhanging hedgerows and trees are being taken forward with the owners of the properties. Weeds on the footpath between Woodlands Close and Water End will be dealt with shortly.

Various planning applications were discussed.

Information has been provided by the bus company that new interactive timetables have been installed at the following bus stops in the village, A603, Bedford bound and at Grange Lane outside the church. These will provide actual arrival/departure times of any given bus on the route when used in conjunction with your smart phone.

The Village Trust are looking to update the play equipment on the playing field and the Parish Council are considering providing some support for this, therefore if you have any thoughts or suggestions about the type of equipment that might be appropriate please let the Village Trust know - contact details can be found on the Cople website.

Various discussions were held around the Millenium Wood in Water End and the lack of ongoing management of this area, which seems a waste of a valuable asset to the community. The Parish Council are minded to take over the ongoing management and maintenance of The Millenium Wood in Water End, to make this a Community wood. If you have any views on this please let us know.

As part of our ongoing support for local charities a donation of £250 was agreed

for the Bedfordshire Police Partnership scheme, which amongst other things runs the 'Bobby scheme'.

Details had been supplied from Bedford & District Citizens Advice Bureau offering to hold free workshops for residents giving advice on the Best Energy deal, the purpose of which is to choose the best supplier for peoples needs, to make sure people are aware of the various grants and discounts available. They require a venue and attendance of approximately 20 people. If any organisations feel they could use this workshop then the contact name is Susan Wilkinson -01234 346543, or email susan@bedfordcab.org.uk.

The next meeting is scheduled for Monday 20 January 2014, at 7.30pm in the Village Hall.

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COMPOST AND MORE

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Free next day delivery in Bedfordshire on orders over £40.00.

Dumpy bag of soft wood logs £60.00. Dumpy bag of hard wood logs £75.00.

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www.compostandmore.co.uk

Heidi@compostandmore.co.uk

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FOR THE GARDEN 6- 50L bags of organic compost £10.00

3- 70L bags of bark chippings £10.00

70L play bark £5.99 a bag

Mini digger and skip loader hire also available.

Heidi Robinson

9 Bedford Road Cople

MK44 3TP

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Tracy Herrick 76 Willington Rd. Cople 01234 831079

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Architectural Design

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Cople Village Trust 200 Club

Prize winners for November2013

1st Prize of £60 145 Chantelle Holland 2nd Prize of £30 208 Kathy Becker 3rd Prize of £10 115 M Aldridge

Mobile Library for December

Wednesday 4th and 18th

10:00 to 10:20am All Saints Road 10:25 to 10:45am Water End 10:50 to 11:10am Outside Five Bells

Cople Book Group

I thought it might be fun to try and form a book group in the village. It would not be too serious and people would choose books that would appeal to a wide readership. I thought it could be once a month and perhaps we could meet in the pub so that we could have a drink while to chatted about the book.

Anyone who is interested just email me at pjhawker@yahoo.co.uk and I'll take it from there if there is any support.

Thanks Pippa Hawker

kevin@1wood99.freeserve.co.uk

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Eamonn , Julie and Katie would like to welcome you to the Five Bells in Cople , a traditional country village pub .

It is our intention to provide a warm welcome in comfortable surroundings for visitors and locals alike to enjoy a drink or a

hearty meal .

Wherever possible , we have sourced our ingredients from local suppliers and our menu is designed to be as homemade as

possible .

We also provide a wide selection of fine ales , wines and spirits and great care is taken to ensure they are kept to the highest

standard

Themed Menu every Wednesday Live Music most Saturday nights (see website for details)

Sunday Roasts £8:50 (Very popular, booking recommended) Party bookings available

Tel : 01234 831330 www.fivebellscople.com

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Sunday Church Services in December

1st 11:15am Christingle Family Service

8th 09:00am 09:45am

Holy Communion BCP Sunday School

15th 09:45am 11:15am

Sunday School All age Communion.

22nd 09:45am 11:15am 6:00pm

Sunday School Sung Communion Village Carol service

Cople All Saints

Willington Saint Lawrence

1st 10:00am Holy Communion BCP

8th 11:15am Parish Praise

15th 10:00am Sung Communion

22nd 10:00am 6:00pm

All age Communion Village Carol Service

Moggerhanger St John the Evangelist

1st 09:00am Sung Communion

8th 10:00am Family Service

15th 6:00pm Village Carol service

22nd 09:00am All Age Communion

Benefice Service 29th December There will be a Benefice Church Service on the 29th but details were not available at the time of going to press.

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December Diary Monday 2nd

11:00am Tiny tots sing along Cople Church

2:30pm Mothers Union Glebe House

6:15pm Junior choir practice Cople Church

7:00pm Senior Choir Cople Church

Tuesday 3rd

09:00am Morning Prayers Moggerhanger

10:00am to 12:00 Coffee morning Village Hall

7:00pm Benefice PCC Willington

Wednesday 4th

7:30pm to 10:00 Carpet Bowls Village Hall

Thursday 5th (Orange Bin)

9:00am Morning Prayers Willington

10:00am to 11:30 Baby and Toddler Group Village Hall

7:00pm Benefice PCC Willington

Friday 6th

10:00am Yoga Class Village Hall

Monday 9th

11:00am Tiny tots sing along Cople Church

6:15pm Junior choir practice Cople Church

7:00pm Senior Choir Cople Church

Tuesday 10th

09:00am Morning Prayers Moggerhanger

10:00am to 12:00 Coffee morning Village Hall

2:30pm Over 60s Club Sports Club

7:30pm Christmas Celebration The Plough Bolnhurst

7:30pm Bell Ringing Cople Church

Wednesday 11th

7:30pm to 10:00pm Carpet Bowls Village Hall

Thursday 12th (Green Bin)

10:00am to 11:30 Baby and Toddler Group Village Hall

Friday 13th

10:00am Yoga Class Village Hall

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Monday 16th

11:00am Tiny tots sing along Cople Church

12:30pm Christmas Lunch Village Hall

6:15pm Junior choir practice Cople Church

7:00pm Senior choir practice Cople Church

Tuesday 17th

09:00am Morning Prayers Moggerhanger

10:00am to 12:00 Coffee morning Village Hall

7:30pm Bell Ringing Cople Church

Wednesday 18th

11:00am School Service Cople Church

7:30pm to 10:00 Carpet Bowls Village Hall

Thursday 19th (Orange Bin)

9:00am Morning Prayers Willington

10:00am to 11:30 Baby and Toddler Group Village Hall

Friday 20th

10:00am Yoga Class Village Hall

Tuesday 24th

10:00am Crib service Cople Church

11:00am Crib Service Willington

3:00pm Crib Service Moggerhanger

11:30pm Midnight Communion Cople Church

Wednesday 25th

10:00am Sung Communion Willington

Thursday 26th (Orange Bin)

Cople Carpet Bowls Club

Have you ever thought of playing bowls. If so why not come along and join in a game of carpet bowls which is played indoors on a 30 ft carpet in Cople Village Hall on Wednesday evenings 7:30 to 10:00 pm Any enquir-ies contact Pauline on 01234 838102.

Pauline Baynes.

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Sally’s Tax Corner It is with great pleasure that I have just moved back to Cople and that Ged agreed I could write a tax corner for the Cople News. I hope you enjoy reading it, as lots of people can have a head in the

sand attitude to tax, I hope I can clarify a few points for you over the coming year. Each month I will try and cover an interesting tax topic (there are some I promise!). If there is anything you would like covered in particular then please do drop me a line or put a question through the door and I will try my best to cover it. Much as I wanted to write about inheritance tax this month, I decided that in December that was just too morbid, so I better cover self assessment instead as the deadline for submitting a personal tax return, for the tax year which ended on 5th April 2013, is 31st Jan 14 which is fast approaching. My first piece of advice is start early - don’t leave it until the 30th Jan to sit down and do you tax return. If you haven’t done one on line before then you need to register with the government gateway and this will take about 10 days. In 2012 according to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) figures, around 20,000 people filed their returns over the Christmas holidays, - 1,100 taxpayers filed on Christmas Day, 11,648 sat at their computers to file their returns on New Year's Eve and 8,935 submitted their documents on the first day of the year. Don’t let that be you! OK the technical bit from HMRC: Allowable expenses for self employed people. For those of you that are self employed and are doing your own tax return then make sure you know what is an allowable business expenses – the HMRC definition is 'wholly and exclusively' for carrying on and earning the profits of your business. This means that your sole purpose for the expenditure must be a business purpose. For 2012-13 and earlier, you can get some private benefit from the expenditure and still get tax relief for the amount spent for your business, as long as either: the private benefit was incidental and not the reason for the expenditure you can clearly identify and separate the expenditure between business and private purposes For 2013-14 onwards, there are some new simple flat rates you can use that may reduce the records you need to keep. You can claim flat rate expenses for: Use of home allowances; HMRC have introduced a simpler flat rate of claiming for use of home expenses based on how long you work from home for. These are a guideline and I list them below.

Hours of business use per month 2013 to 2014 flat rate per month

25 to 50 £10*

51 to 100 £18*

101 and more £26*

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I do hope you get in touch with any suggestions for topics or a specific question you would like answered and I will do my best to cover it next time. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Sally Cobban FCCA

SJ Tax LimitedSJ Tax Limited The Old Stable House

3 Woodlands Close Cople

Bedfordshire MK44 3UE

M: 07899 808592 E: sally@sjtax.co.uk W: www.sjtax.co.uk

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Annual Gardening Quiz Win An Hour’s Gardening!

Somewhat incredibly, it’s that time of the year again for the fiendishly tough Annual Gardening Quiz! Complete the answers and if yours is the first one pulled out of the bag, you win an hour’s gardening time from yours truly!

The answer to last month’s just for fun question is: Geraniums (pictured) are so called because the word is Greek for Crane. The fruit of the Geranium is said to resemble the bill of a crane which is why the plant is also known as a cranesbill! Can you see the likeness?

So, if you are sitting comfortably, here goes: What is the correct generic name for the hardy perennial commonly known as the Day Lilly? A native of Guatemala, the colourful Odontoglossum grande is one of the easiest orchids to grow in a living room. What is its common name? The hardy, evergreen, flowering shrub Pieris thrives in lime-rich soil. True or false? The Aspidistra is easily recognised by its spear shaped, ribbed dark green leaves. Where on the plant might you occasionally see mauve and brown flowers? Name the 17th Century herbalist whose book The English Physician is still influential to this day? The hard, white wood of Euonymous europaeus was once used to make an essential item for the wool industry from which the tree received what common name? The word lutescens is sometimes used in botanical names to indicate what colour? What is the country of origin of the Beloperone which has brown overlapping bracts? What is the name of the garden in Wales that, commands views of Snowdonia and is famed for its collection of rhodedendrons and contains a former pin mill? When grown as a bedding plant, Coleus should be treated as an annual and discarded after its first year or treated as a perennial? What is the usual common name for a Canna? What name is given to a reproductive body containing an embryo often accompanied by food reserves and enclosed within a protective coat? When grown as a house plant, the Acorus has an erect, compact habitat, red flowers and requires soil that is permanently saturated. True or false? The name Clematis is derived from the Greek word klema. What does this mean? A newly planted hybrid tea rose must be pruned back to the fourth or fifth outwardly facing bud. True or false?

Entries can be emailed to LawnDocGardens@aol.com or posted to Lawn Doctor Garden Services, 6 Sand Lane, Northill, SG18 9AD but must be received by 15th January 2014.

As usual, please contact me with any gardening queries you may have.

Best wishes all for a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

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Willingtots Pre-school Peace Memorial Hall

Church Road Willington

Telephone 07972 148085

E-mail info@willingtots.co.uk Website www.willingtots.co.uk

Fundraising www.buy.at/willingtots

Sessional care for children aged 2 to school age during term time

FREE PLACES for eligible 3 and 4 yr olds

09.15-12.15 Monday to Friday (£9.00) 12.15-15.15 Tuesday & Wednesday (£9.00)

Lunch Club daily 12.15-13.15 (£3.00)

Registered Charity No. 1035672 Member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance and registered with OFSTED

“We are totally committed to safeguarding children”

37, Ridge Road Kempston, Beds MK43 9BS

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Cople Baby & Toddler Group

Has opened its doors again

Every Thursday (Inclusive of school holidays)

10.00am-11.30am At the Cople Village Hall (off Grange Lane)

First session free, £2 per family thereafter Adults with one child under 7 months £1

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Friends of Cople Church Reg. No. 1096386

Games Evening 19th October 2013

I was very pleased that I offered to be a ‘judge’ at the recent Games Evening as the tests imposed would have found me sadly deficient in so many skills – whether dexterity, memory recall or decoding, I would have been a hindrance to my team. Far better it was to hide my uselessness and watch others struggle - and then pronounce judgment on them!

Ceri and Quentin Dawson had devised a ‘minefield’ of activities and teams of 4 or 5 tackled them manfully, in fine humour and with great competitive strategies. Even those who managed to clock up a minus score in some games did not allow it to quench their thirst for success and

went on to redeem themselves in other areas soon after.

The evening was great fun from many perspectives and we have to thank Ceri and Quentin for the huge amount of hard work and preparation they had put in to ensure the successful smooth-running of the programme, and the enjoyment of the participants. No evening is complete without adequate refreshment so thanks must go too to Catherine at the bar and all the ladies who cooked and served a delicious supper.

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A profit in excess of £400 was made; another useful contribution to the Church Fund for upkeep.

As our thoughts turn towards Christmas, may I remind you that there will not be ‘A Celebration…’ this year , but the Carol Service on Sunday, December 22nd at 6 p.m. will provide ample opportunity to lend heart and soul and voice to a traditional and magical start to the festive season and you will be able to partake of mince pies and mulled wine.

The Safari Supper in its traditional format will be taking place on February 15th and we are hoping to get support from all our ‘regulars’, plus folk who haven’t been before. If you are new to the village this is a splendid way to get to know people. Remember to get in early as tickets have to be strictly limited.

A Pantomime is planned for March (See Julia’s separate article) - something new to capture the imagination and a splendid focus for all the talent in this village.

Vaughan Southgate www.org.uk/friends v.southgate714@btinternet.com

Panto update Friends of Cople Church

The planning for the Cople panto is now well under way and we have a cast who are busy learning their lines. We have had to change the date for this event from the 18th January to 28th and 29th March to give us a bit more time and to avoid clashes with other events happening in the village. As a result, we have decided to include 2 dates instead of one. We are now able to turn our attention to background tasks and will be planning these in the weeks to come. Thank you to everyone who has offered to help behind the scenes. We have not forgotten you and will be in touch in due course. If you haven't already offered your help and would like to be involved in this exciting production, then please call Fran (01234 831466) or Julia (07837 105964) as we would love to hear from you. Just as a reminder, we need help with the following: We still need people to be in a chorus/crowd scene; Scenery; Lighting; Posters; Props; Costume; Makeup; Prompt; Sound effects; Julia Moore

Message from Cllr Carole Ellis Great Barford Ward

I would like to say thank you for all the messages of support, flowers and cards I have received since I was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour. My husband Eddie and I are very grateful to everyone who has contacted us.

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Need a bit of Help in your Home

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Rejuvinating Hatha Yoga classes which include creative flowing sequences, in-depth posture work

and space for reflection and relaxation

Sundays 10 – 11.15 a.m. Cardington Village Hall, Southill Road, Cardington

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New bus service to the Bedford Free School. The service will start on 2nd December and run until the last day of term finishing on 20th December. For the period: 2nd December - 20th December a bus pass will cost £126

For the January school term 2014 start we have applied for funding for this route, but if funding is not successful then the cost will still be the same as above which is £42 weekly which is payable every half-term, (usually 6 weeks to half a term)

SCHOOL BUS TIMETABLE Blunham Church 07.25 Great Barford, Silver Street: opposite Alban Middle 07.35 Willington Loop, then P. Office 07.40 Cople, Clares Garage 07.50 Cardington, opp. Public House 08.00 Cauldwell Street - BFS 08.10

Cauldwell Street - BFS depart 16.25 (returning to all of the above)

For a bus pass application form please call or email us as soon as possible**

Stuart Buchanan Telephone from a landline: 0844 567 6806 or 0844 318 9824 from a mobile: 0330 660 0634 email: frontlinetravel@3uk.blackberry.com

Address: Frontline Travel 19 Starling Way Bedford MK41 7HW

Police Update

Although Cople has been low in crime with none reported since September all surrounding villages have been subject to burglary of dwellings. Remember, if you have a hunch it is suspicious then you need to call us on 101.

REPORT IT Opportunistic thieves are always around, ready to take advantage opportunities so please continue to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity by calling Bedfordshire Police on 101. Ensure you have lights on in the house as soon as it starts to get dark. It is all too easy for burglars to pick out houses that are empty when no lights are on in the evenings.

OUTBUILDINGS Sheds and outbuildings are favoured targets for thieves looking for scrap metal as well as valuables such as tools, garden machinery, bicycles, and light vehicles. Invest in substantial locks and bolts and use them. Chain larger items together and to secure points to make them difficult and noisy to remove. Fit intruder alarms to outbuildings and garages as well as your house.

CHRISTMAS Finally, don ’t store Christmas presents in outbuildings or sheds and ensure they are not visible through your windows to passers by.

Your local officer is PCSO 4760 Paul Jones Riseley Police Station Telephone 01234 842864 Email LPT.gtbarford&roxton@bedfordshire.pnn.police.uk

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News from Cople Lower School

We have had another busy month in school. The children are working hard and enjoying their learning. Lots of our activities this month have revolved around charities and fundraising. We have sold poppies for remembrance day. We also all enjoyed wearing our pyjamas to school for Children in Need. Along with selling wristbands and keyrings and holding a cake sale we raised over £150. Our Rotakids have been busy and on November 23rd will have taken part in the Rotary Swimathon with sponsorship raised being shared between Canine Partners (providing dogs to assist disabled people) and our own school hall project. We held a successful Quiz night and raffle in early November. Many thanks to all members of the community who came along to the quiz, bought or sold raffle tickets or who kindly donated prizes. We raised £450. Christmas is fast approaching and the children are already preparing for our production of ‘Santa’s on Strike!’. We like to invite younger children who might be joining us next year to come and watch our dress rehearsal (Tuesday 10th December at 2pm in the Village Hall) and will be sending out invitations to those for whom we have contact details. If you don’t think we have your details and would like to come, please contact the school office. Helen Johnson, Headteacher

News from the Before and After School Club The Before and After School Club had a very active first half-term, making a big spider for the ‘Scarecrow’ competition, that wrapped around the tree. They also had fun decorating tea towels, making salt dough and book marks to name but a few. At the end of the half-term we had a Halloween party with various scary and creative costumes, and some ‘superheroes’ as well. We had 23 children attend the party and they had great fun holding ‘Sparklers’ and toasting marshmallows on disposable BBQs. Inside, we had a disco with Halloween music and events such as cake decorating, making their own spiders and a lucky dip full of sweets.

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Village Hall Bookings: David Reardon 01234 838987

Over 60's Club Secretary : Hazel Shreeves Tel : 838817

Mothers Union Contact: Jill Ebbs Tel : 838659

Cople Lower School Headteacher : Helen Johnson Tel : 838827

Cople Village Trust Chair : Sandra Thacker Tel : 831344

Royal British Legion Chair: Max McMurdo Tel: 01767 680624 Welfare: David Hansen Tel : 01767 226020

Police PC Paul Jones Riseley Police Station Tel : 01234 - 842864

Carpet Bowls Secretary : Pauline Baynes Tel : 838102

Willingtots Pre-School Group Tel: 07972– 148085

Before & After School Club At Cople Lower School Tel: 07592 - 012249

Brownies (Willington) Amanda Briscoe, Tel: 07504 299994

Beavers, Cubs & Scouts Contact Emma Whiterod Tel: 07908 167356

Friends of Cople Church Chair: Vaughan Southgate Tel: 838714

Cople Sports & Social Club Chair: David Hughes Tel : 838669

Tuesday Club Joy Duthie Tel : 838407

Cricket Cople Argus Cricket Club Chris Gregory 01234 838396

Biggleswade Chronicle Village Correspondent: Jill Ebbs Tel: 838659

Cople Web Site Ian Whiting Tel : 838347 Email: ian@cople.org.uk Web Site :www.cople.org.uk

Cople Baby and Toddler Contact Kylie Dougall Tel: 01234 740745 07999 257165

Just Ask Wendy Worgan 0800 039 1234

Cople Parish Council Clerk to the Council: Jeanne Pope 42 Wingfield Road, Bromham, Beds. MK43 8JY Tel: 01234 823 297 jhpope@btinternet.com

Yoga Classes Freda 01767 627611

Pilates Classes Julie Crawford www.forwardfitness.co.uk Mobile 0794 6067266

Village Contacts

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All Saints Church

Churchwardens

June Shanahan Mike Vacher 34 Grange Lane 91 Willington Road Cople Cople Tel: 01234 831705 Tel: 01234 831207 vacher309@btinternet.com

Cople News

Editor : Ged Peeke 39 Willington Road, Cople, Beds, MK44 3TH

Tel 01234 838379 Email: coplenews@yahoo.com

Deadline for copy and advertising 15th of every month

Advertising Rates Annual Charges

Full Page £96 Half Page £48

Delivered free to every home in Cople every month Circulation 360 copies

Cople Village Hall and Playing

Field

Available for Hire for

Private Functions, Children’s Parties,

Weddings, Conferences

and other bookings by arrangement

Hire Charge from £ 9 per hour

Please Contact

Bookings Officer: David Reardon

Telephone : 01234 838987

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