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groups. Thanks to all who donated cakes/soup
and the helpers on the day!
Residents of Windsor Court have been help-
ing to make the garden look wonderful this
year. Working with Luminus and the Time
Bank, members of their community have sug-
gested running a chair-based exercise group. I
thought this would be a lovely opportunity for
the Time Bank to join in and help out. All of
our members would be invited to participate,
but it would be great to get some of our
members delivering the classes. Hunts District
Council are able to offer training which could
be a great way to
get involved. If we
get a few wanting to
train we could run
the classes on a rota
basis. If you would
like to find out
more please contact me.
I can’t believe as I write this we are just 36
days from Christmas! Where did 2014 go?
Still, there is still some time this year to fit
a few more things in! Take a look at the
Dates for your
Diary on page 4.
A huge thank you
to everyone who
either helped
with or support-
ed our Macmillan
Coffee Morning last month. It was a lovely
event and raised a brilliant £89.
We held another Community Light Bite
on Saturday 15th September to promote
Somersham Town Football Club and the
Somersham Sports and Social Association.
It was a fantastic event and raised a whop-
ping £262 to support these great village
Latest News
What a fantastic event at the Commu-
nity Orchard. The Apple Day was a
real success with a great attendance
and plenty of entries into the Bake-off.
Our very own member, Leeanne, was absolutely stuffed after
sampling and judging the array of apple (and one Pear) based
bakes. Well done to Louise Everest who came first, winning
vouchers for Tom’s Cakes in St. Ives, with her crumble.
With local cider, freshly made toffee apples, pressed apple juice,
and a sample of the delicious bakes every-
one went home fully refreshed. The face-
painting was wonderful with each face a one
-off and skillfully done.
The weather was kind and we had the bo-
nus of a smart marquee this year to stop us
all blowing away. The children all enjoyed their experience of nature
through the woods and it was fascinating to see a live hive in action.
To see the development of the orchard and the space being used in
this way was wonderful. All generations enjoying the outdoors and
lots of fun! A huge well done and thanks goes out to those support-
ing the event in any way!
November/December 2014 Issue 32
Special points of
interest:
Our Walking Group is still meeting regularly at
the Springfield Entrance
to the Lake. Do you have
any ideas how to develop
the walks and entice some new folks to come
with us? Get in touch.
We are holding a Time-
banking Conference here
in Somersham with the
County Council and Timebanking UK on
Monday 24th November
for those interested in
running a time bank.
Inside this issue:
Tales from the
Time Bank
2
The Big Switch
On
2
Pidley Mountain
Rescue - The
Christmas Fayre
2
Windsor Court
Garden
3
CareRide Com-
munity Car
Scheme
3
Workshops -
What could you
teach?
3
Diary Dates 4
The GREAT Somersham Bake-Off
Hello everyone, Welcome to Tales from the Timebank. My name is Nicola and I've been chatting with Lu-cy for a while about setting up a bit of a column in the newsletter. Lucy would like to con-sider me, your 'roving reporter'. I have decided the first theme for my articles will be 'Meet the Members', which, as it suggests, will involve a new member appearing in each issue of the newsletter. Allowing you to all learn a bit more about your fellow timebankers. It is therefore only fair that I take the hot seat first. Name Nicola How long have you lived in Somersham? 4 years - although I have lived in the area for most of my life and went to school locally. Where do you work? I work for the Fire Service What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I am quite a social person, I have a close-knit network of friends who I try to see regularly. I like to keep fit, walking and swimming and I like to relax with a fictional novel now and again. How long have you been a timebank member? 4 months What attracted you to the timebank? I like meeting new people and I get a lot of satisfaction from helping my local community. I have not done any direct exchanges yet, but have helped Lucy with a few of the timebank activities over the summer, and now find myself as your newest roving reporter! What would you like to say, to your fellow Timebankers? I am passionate about the role the Fire Service can play in the community. Fire chiefs are asking for help from residents in Cambridgeshire to identify vulnerable people in the com-munity who are likely to be at greater risk from fire. The plea comes following two fatal house fires in less than one week, taking the total number of deaths in accidental house fires to seven in the last three years. In the majority of cases, the victim has been vulnerable owing to their age and other factors such as smoking, mobility issues and hoarding. The Time Bank have already made a referral for a Home Fire Safety Assessment. If you know someone who would benefit from a visit contact Lucy and she will put you in touch with us.
In the next Newsletter: Christine & John Rigg
Our new roving
reporter
Page 2
Tales from the Time Bank - Meet the Members
The Big Switch On! The switching on of the Christmas Lights on the 1st December has become one of the
biggest community events of the year. It brings out the crowds to sing Carols and drink
mulled wine in the street. The committee of volunteers work hard through the year to
maintain and erect all of the lights and the tree, but the evening itself is a busy one and
requires lots of helpers to put it all together.
The Lights Committee joined the Time Bank earlier this year and have asked us for
some help with the setting up, selling raffle tickets and generally being useful! If you can
spare a little time to make a big difference please get in touch. Any time you give to
others through the Time Bank is ALWAYS appreciated!
Pidley Mountain Rescue Team - The Christmas Fayre On Saturday 29th Novemeber, 10am - 2pm in Pidley Village Hall
There will be loads of stalls including craft, children’s activities, bric-a-brac, jewellery, beauty, also
ladies doing nails, head massage and Reike.
Donations of raffle prizes, bric-a-brac and cakes would be most welcome.
Stalls still available at £10 (set up from 8.30am). Contact Emma Armstrong on 07879438869.
The garden is already for the winter months. Residents and
time bankers have excelled adding winter colour, bulbs for the
spring and cutting back shrubs. Luminus kindly removed the
waste for us blew away the fallen leaves, leaving it looking all
neat and tidy.
The children from First Step Playgroup have also contributed
to the garden recently, filling pots with compost, winter pan-
sies and bulbs. They gathered the leaves together and abso-
lutely loved watering the newly filled pots going back and forth with their little watering
cans!
Windsor Court Garden
Page 3 Issue 32
Water for the birds!
Workshops - what could you teach others?
We are keen to improve people’s skills through time banking by sharing the knowledge our mem-
bers already have. We recently ran a workshop for 3 ladies who had all inherited sewing machines
from their mother-in-laws! Carol, one of our newest members showed them the basic skills they
needed to make a start.
Claire said of the evening ‘Carol is an excellent teacher, guiding us carefully so that we all learned
by experience. From just looking at my machine before, I now know what a spool and a reel is and
how to wind one from the other. I know how to thread my machine and how to untangle
mistakes! Carol had brought some fabric so we were all able to get a feel for the pedal and
feed the fabric through, with varying degrees of success. There is much more to learn about
different stitches, tensions and techniques, but we all came away having learned something
that we didn't know before, not least that the timebank is a great way to be part of your
community, to learn, to meet new people and have lots of fun and laughter along the way.’
Tony, another new member, is keen to work with people on their carpentry skills. He has a
workshop ready to use. Another Tony, a retired carpenter is also willing to share his knowledge in
your own home with jobs, such as fitting skirting board. Get in touch if you’d like to find out more.
CareRide Community Car Scheme are looking for
a new Coordinator and Drivers
Why not join this vital and rewarding community car scheme You would join a pool of volunteer drivers who
offer lifts to people who can’t use public transport or make essential journeys by any other means.
Do you like helping people? Have a few hours to spare? Have a clean driving licence?
Then you could be just who we are looking for!
The coordinators role takes incoming calls at set times on weekdays only and will be provided with a mobile
phone. The coordinator then contacts the schemes' volunteer drivers to find someone to undertake the journey
and concludes arrangements with the passenger.
CareRide Community Car Scheme covers the area of Somersham, Colne,
Bluntisham and Earith.
The scheme covers all reasonable local Journeys, and longer trips to hospitals:
Essential-medical, dental, chiropody, etc.
Social-getting to local group meetings and events, shopping, visiting relatives, hair appointments, etc… (medical
appointment's have priority). You would use your own car and receive a mileage allowance for expenses
incurred. Additional insurance is provided.
Coordinator would have the schemes mobile phone.
If you are interested then please contact Susan Bate at Care Network Cambridgeshire on 01480 423085 or
email [email protected] who support CareRide Community Car Scheme
Individual members 116
Organisational members 14
Total hours given 2132.25
Total hours received 2135.25
Latest statistics
What could you give
and receive?
Diary Dates
Thurs 20th November Coffee morning, 10.30am, Somersham Library.
Mon 1st December Somersham Christmas Lights, 6.30 for 7pm, The Cross
Tues 2nd December Walking group, 10am, meeting at the Springfield entrance to
the lake. Feel free to bring your dogs!
Tues 2nd December Film Night, watching Invictus (Morgan Freeman/Matt Damon)
7.30pm, 4 Butts Close (bring a drink and I’ll bring the snacks)
Wed 17th December Social Evening, 8pm, The Rose and Crown
Thurs 18th December Christmas Coffee and Mince Pies,10.30am, Somersham
Library
We would like to plan a Light Bite at some time in February. If you would be interested
please contact me.
If you have any ideas or suggestions to add to our so-
cial activities or would like a lift to any of above get in
touch.
Interested in timebanking?
Come along to one of the events above. Alternatively contact the Time Bank Co-
ordinator Lucy Bird.
07443 619017
www.somershamtb.org.uk
