Newsline Spring 2005

THE GOOD - Gifts to the community
As you may have seen in the local press, the Town Council has been presented with a new Mayor's Chain & Pendant by Councillor Peter Fisher and his wife Lillian.

The chain and pendant is made of silver gilt and has links that can be engraved with the Mayors names and dates of office. There is space for the details of twenty mayors to be recorded, so it should last for a year or two. The pendant has the Shefford Town Council shield and the words 'Our heritage is our foundation' on a banner beneath it. It is a very substantial badge of office and certainly helps to raise the status of our council.

I am very proud to be the 'first wearer' of this Mayors badge of office. The original Mayor's pendant has been 're-badged' and will be used by the Deputy Mayor as a badge of that office.

Councillor and Mrs Fisher have also presented the council with three large silver cups. The cups will be known as the OVPFF Trophies and will be presented to:-

A The male resident of Shefford who is deemed to have contributed substantially to the good of the community
B The female resident of Shefford who is deemed to have contributed substantially to the good of the community
C To The Beauty of Shefford. This will be a contest open to young people between the ages of sixteen and twenty three years, resident in Shefford and considered to best display 'Natural Beauty'.

The first two cups will be presented annually and held for one year. We will need nominations from residents of Shefford. It has not been decided yet when the trophies will be presented. It may be at the Annual Town Meeting, or it could take place at the Summer Fayre. Do you have any thoughts on this?

The Beauty of Shefford trophy will also need nominations. It is intended to present this trophy at the Summer Fayre. The entrants will ride in the Gala Parade which ends at the Fayre. It is hoped that the winner will be available to attend and support local community events.

We need to hear from you, who in our community could be deemed worthy recipients of these lovely trophies? Please send nominations for all three categories to the Town Clerk.

THE NOT SO GOOD
I am afraid I have to end this edition of Mayors Comments with news that is less welcome. Vandalism, anti social behaviour, nuisance youths are all on the increase in our community. Exactly why is not certain. Perhaps it's the weather, part of the national trend, yobs being chased out of other communities, lack of parental control, the thought that even if caught by the police there is no real deterrent, we're not sure. Everybody that is blighted with this problem will have a favourite cause. Personally I think it is a combination of all these causes. During February this year there were eleven Recorded Crime Incidents in Shefford, some of those incidents were part of the same 'crime', so the actual number is a little less. There were fifteen reported 'Nuisance Youth' incidents and you might guess there were many unreported incidents.

One thing is certain; it's not going to stop unless we can control this unruly element. By control I don't necessarily mean the use of the court system, although if that is what is needed, in extreme cases, then it should be used, and harshly. Some may think I am far to the right of Khengis Khan for thinking that, but unfortunately there are those, even in our community, who will only recognize forceful authority.

Control can also mean finding useful activities to divert youngsters away from these less desirable elements and activities. We now have an excellent Youth Service worker and support team in Shefford. They have run several events aimed at 'young people'. The Youth Pub and 'Music Nite' being just two events put on by the Youth Team.

The Town Council and Community Safety Group have gathered a list of groups that have 'Youth Sections' or are run for young people. The Youth Workers have this list in addition to their own activities. If you contact me I will send you a copy of this list.

In the unfortunate circumstances that the police need to be called, do so. Do not be put off by the thought of being named as the moaner or the informer. Unless the police know of these incidents they cannot respond to them. They may not race up with blue lights flashing to answer all the calls; it may even be the next day that they come to get more details. Unfortunately some poor soul in the Control Room has to prioritise the Officers workload. And an injury road traffic accident will have a higher priority than some other calls. The important thing is that they are informed of the problem and the incident will be listed and it will build up a picture of where and when problems are occurring. If you would rather be divorced from the reporting procedure altogether, contact the Clerk or me and will pass the message on. Contact us anyway if you think the police response was inappropriate or too slow.

I know you have heard it all before, but if you didn't call, it didn't happen!

Paul Mackin
Town Mayor

EDITORIAL
Welcome to the summer edition of Newsline. If you have a child born between 1.9.00 to 31.8.01 please read the article on page 6 of this magazine. Shefford is lucky to have a low crime rate but recently there has been an increase in vandalism and anti - social behaviour in the area. There are just a few culprits who give all youngsters a bad name and who very often come from other areas. Ultimately it costs the whole community to put things right. So, please be public spirited and report incidents before these minor incidents escalate into more serious incidents. Did you know there is a very active Home watch group in Shefford? If it is not active in your area why not volunteer as a Street Coordinator. Featured on the front cover we have Town Councillor Peter Fisher and his wife displaying the new Mayors chain and OVPFF cups which they have donated to the town, a truly generous and long lasting gift to the community. Don't forget to look out for the Craft and Produce Show Schedule so that you can prepare your entry. Have a happy and safe summer. Jennifer
SHEFFORD OVER 60's COFFEE MORNING CLUB
With the passing of Cath Ingram and several others known to the group, it was a sombre springtime initially, although the weekly gatherings continued through to the warmer weather in their usual lively manner. With other residents joining, the numbers attending remain in the high 50's and 60's. The summer programme began with special occasions. On the 9th of March, the annual Meningitis Appeal was held, raising another £105 for this needy cause. Meningitis strikes down so many, usually young people of the land. On the 23rd of March, following the success of last year's initial trial, we had our Easter Bonnet Parade and meal again. The fella's joined in too! Thanks go to Ivy and Albert Townsend and their team for providing the repast and Elsie Lawrence for instigating and continuing the support of the parade. With V.E. and V.J. 60th Anniversary days coming up, the club are running a trip to a London Variety day out to celebrate this, probably final time, marking of the end of the war. Exciting excursions and trips are planned, with the holiday and other festive occasions 'at home', to keep the club flourishing throughout the year. We have a strong group of volunteers who willingly continue the strong management of the club. Thanks go to all those helpers and supporters and those who help far beyond the membership. To join, look in one Wednesday 10.15am to 11.15am. Thank you too for helping us to collect the Chronicle Bonus Points, perhaps for a small P. A. system this year. Last years sugar bowls and milk jugs are being well used. Dave Jordan Secretary 01462 813081
SCOUTS MAKE A NOISE
Don't be surprised, if over the coming months you see columns of our 67 strong Beavers, Cubs and Scouts, marching through the streets of Shefford. Under the direction of Leader, Nige Cross, they will be sprucing up their act to ensure they have a smart appearance in forthcoming town parades. It's discipline and they love it! On a lighter note, to relax, we have several camps and outdoor activities planned throughout the summer months. Furthest afield will be the Scouts who are visiting Brownsea Island, near Poole in Dorset. This is where the first ever Scout Camp was staged, as an experiment, by Lord Baden Powell in 1907. Over the past few months our leadership has grown, but we are still looking out for more adult leaders, to help plan and deliver a healthy programme of activities to our youngsters. Interested? Contacts are Beavers (6-8) - Hayley Henshall 01462 817446, Cubs (8-10.5) - Dave Cousins 01462 811441 and Scouts (10.5 - 14) - Diane Landau 07903 088516. Diane Landau Scout Leader On behalf of Shefford Scout Group
SHEFFORD & DISTRICT ANGLING ASSOCIATION
The association established over a century ago and currently with over 800 members, is the local coarse fishing society based in the town. The association controls the fishing rights on several excellent lakes and premier stretches of the rivers Great Ouse, Ivel and Flit. With specimen carp over 45lb, catfish and pike over 30lb, barbel and bream over 10lb and roach over 3lb in its waters, the club caters for the general angler as well as the specimen hunter and match angler. The lakes include the Airman Pit, Willington Lake, Stanford Pit and Broom Lake as well as the lakes in the picturesque Harrold Country Park situated north of Bedford. If you require further information then please take a look at the club's website (www.shefforddaa.org.uk) or contact Colin Smith (tel. 01462 812265). Membership cards, latest news and advice on venues and tactics can be obtained from Andy at the tackle shop in the High St. Colin Smith (Publicity Officer)
SHEFFORD LOWER SCHOOL
School Lane, Shefford, Bedfordshire SG17 5XA Headteacher: Mrs T Callender Telephone: 01462 629123 Facsimile: 01462 628844 E-Mail: sheffordl@deal.bedfordshire.gov.uk Registering Children at Shefford Lower School As we are all aware, Shefford is a growing community with increasing demands being placed on its local services including schools. In order for Shefford Lower to plan effectively, we do need to know if you intend to send your child to our school. We do not automatically hear from pre-schools or the Local Education Authority that your child lives in Shefford and that they should have their name included in our Admissions lists. The school only knows to include a child's name when parents/carers have completed an application form. Please note: all application forms received by us are acknowledged to confirm receipt by us. Parents of children with dates of birth from 1.9.00 to 31.8.01 MUST contact the school and ensure an application form is completed and with the school NO LATER than mid-September 2005. At the end of September 2005 the school must complete a listing of all catchment area applications and non-catchment applications and forward it to the Admissions Team at County Hall. The Local Education Authority has a policy that all children living in Shefford (the catchment area of Shefford Lower) will be offered a "first admissions" place in the main school AS LONG as an application has been received within the "normal" timescales detailed above. Children are eligible to attend the school's nursery from the term in which they become 4 years old and, at this stage, are offered a 2 1/2 hour session every weekday during term time. The school has just undertaken a consultation exercise to amend its admissions policy to the main school and this means that full time education is now being provided from the September after the child's fourth birthday. For more information about the school and an application form for admission please contact the school office on 01462 629123. PLEASE NOTE Our address and postcode has changed from Bloomfied Drive to School Lane - see above
SHEFFORD LOWER SCHOOL FETE
Shefford Lower School Summer Fete will take place on Sunday 26th June starting at 12.00noon. For further details please contact Clare McGill, Parents School Association on 01462 851 226
DROVERS SPINNEY
I wrote the update on this walk which is found adjacent to the Somerfield car-park in the early days of spring following a litter pick of the area. I guess the downside to this lovely riverside walk is its location and the associated antisocial behaviour of a few individuals who have no respect for the beauty of the area. The amount of litter which at some time resided in the superstore comprises much of the usual five or six bags of rubbish collected when I walk the area. In spite of these problems, it was lovely to see numerous butterflies and plenty of birds busying themselves collecting material for nest building. If you do get the opportunity to walk the area you will be pleasantly surprised particularly at the southern most point which can be a peaceful oasis away from the hustle and bustle of the shoppers. Colin Smith (Volunteer warden)
LIGHT WITHIN
Wednesday evenings at 8pm St Michael & All Angels' Church, Shefford Come & share a journey of discovery into deeper ways of praying, seeing and knowing -using all our senses and embracing insights from many cultures and traditions. No previous experience necessary! Wednedsay 4th May WITH QUIET EYES: outward image and inward vision Wednesday 11th May WITHIN LISTENING DISTANCE: sound and silence Wednesday 18th May THE DIVINE IN THE ORDINARY: taste and touch Wednesday 25th May JUICE AND JOY: the wisdom of poetry Wednesday 1st June FEELING LIGHT WITHIN, I WALK: a gentle walk through Shefford in the company of Jesus and his disciples All evenings begin at 8pm in the Meeting Room (finish by 9.45pm) For further information contact Jenny Dann on 01462 817337 St Michael & All Angels' Church, High Street, Shefford, Beds website: www.sm3a.org.uk
SHEFFORD SUMMER FAYRE
SUNDAY 12th JUNE, from 1pm, is the date and time of this year's Summer Fayre. The Official Opening of the Fayre will take place at approximately 2pm, followed by the Arena Events. It is hoped the Events will include the Town Band, The Fire Brigade, Majorettes, Irish Dancers, Ballet Dancers, Belly Dancers (this is not a spelling mistake!) and Line Dancers. There may also be other groups taking part as well. Matt Dorrington has agreed to again provide and run the PA system and music. Outside the Arena, entertainment will be provided by some of the stalls, and it is hoped to have Swayboats, a small train, Quad Bikes and two other types of fairground entertainment for the children. If you have not yet applied for a stall and wish to do so, please contact Brenda Ford on 01462 813264 who will be pleased to give you all the necessary information. The Town Council will again be organising a parade, which will wend its way through the town ending at the STMA playing fields, off Hitchin Road, where the Summer Fayre will be held. The Christmas Lights Committee will again be running a Balloon Race, tickets £1 each. The winner will be the purchaser of the Balloon that travels the furthest within a given time limit (yet to be fixed). The winner will receive £100 as a prize. Please support the Balloon Race as this is a main fund raising event for the purchase and maintenance of the Shefford Christmas Lights, from which all persons in Shefford benefit at a dreary time of year, weather wise. We hope to see you on the 12th June. If you come by car, there is plenty of easy access FREE PARKING available on the playing fields. Please do not block the surrounding roads. Andrew Boatwright Committee Member
SHEFFORD CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
We are still having difficulties obtaining appropriate insurance cover for our volunteers when erecting and dismantling the lights. We have no problem obtaining cover for all volunteers who keep their feet on the ground. Our problem is finding insurance which will cover the man at the top of the ladder! Without the man at the top of the ladder, we have no lights! For some years now, Ed and Kevin of K & F Hydraulic Platforms Ltd have sponsored us by putting up some of the displays at high level, but we could not afford to pay for all the lights to be erected under a contract. The Race Night was a great success. Everybody seemed to have an enjoyable time for very little cost. We have raised some money towards the cost of the insurance for the erection and dismantling of the Lights and the cost of insurance for the Summer Fayre. If, however, we receive any grants and donations for the insurance, we can put the Race Night profit towards replacing some more of the old displays, which are showing signs of weathering and age. We are looking at the possibility of holding a function during the summer, possibly a BBQ, at which volunteers can help us test the light bulbs. Each year all bulbs have to be tested before we can put them in the strings of cable or in the large displays. There are a lot of bulbs! If a function is organised, posters will be erected in the town and it will be mentioned in local papers. We had hoped to extend the Lights into the Kingsmede gardens and to put strings of lights down the corner edges of the Church tower, but in view of the lack of volunteers to help with the Lights last year, we have decided to concentrate on the erection of the existing cables and displays. We shall be holding another Balloon Race at this year's Summer Fayre so look out for people selling tickets at £1 each prior to the Fayre, and then at the Fayre we shall have a stall at which we shall be selling balloons, blowing them up and then releasing them in groups. Please support us there as we use this occasion to raise money for the Christmas Lights. Andrew Boatwright Committee Member
MID BEDS ALZHEIMER'S SOCIETY
May 19th - Seasonal Reminiscences June 16th - CPN July 21st - Summer Outing August - No Meeting September 15th - Legal Issues October 20th - to be arranged November 17th - Music for all - Jenny Dann December 15th - Christmas Meal All meetings are held in the Town Meeting Room on the third Thursday of each month between 11am and 12.30pm. In Mid Beds there are two Carers Support Workers who would be happy to visit you at home and discuss events mentioned or give information and support. There are also several coffee and chat sessions held at various locations in Mid Beds which give the opportunity to meet other carers informally and provide a social break. If you would like to find out more please contact Sally or Anita on 01525 841472. There is always an answer phone available, so please leave a message and we will ring you back.
REGULAR MEETINGS
S.T.M.A. Hitchin Road (entrance opposite Woolpack Public House) Telephone 01462-815495 Royal British Legion - 2nd Monday of the Month (except June & August) 8.00pm Majorettes - Tuesday 7pm and 8.30pm - contact Paulette on 629646 1st Shefford Rainbows Wednesday 4.30pm - 5.30pm Vintage Motorcycle Club - 2nd Thursday of the month METHODIST CHURCH HALL Ampthill Road (near Ford garage) Acorn Pre School Playgroup Monday & Wednesday - 9.15am -11.45am 12.45pm - 3.15pm Tuesday & Thursday 9.15am - 11.45pm term time only. Pre-school mobile no: 07759 873775 during session time. Contact Gill Berry 01462 629237 for details of viewing and waiting list Merry-Go-Round A group for play for pre school children and babies with special needs. Tuesday 1pm - 3.00pm Wednesday and Friday 10am- 12 noon Parent and Toddler Group - Thursday 1.30pm - 3.15pm contact Beth 01462 623745 Town Band Practice - 7.45pm - 9.45pm Thursday - contact Mrs J Steinfeld on 629026 METHODIST CHURCH Ampthill Road Contact Phil on 01462 813284 or visit www.sheffordmethodist.org.uk Sunday Services - 9.30am (creche) - 6.00pm 3rd Sunday in month Holy Communion Junior Church - 9.30am Sunday All age worship - 9.30am - 3rd Sunday of every month COMMUNITY HALL (formerly St Michael's Church Hall) W.I. - 3rd Tuesday of the month 7.30pm Over 60's Coffee Morning club - Wednesday 10.15am - 11.15am Shefford & District Amateur Radio Society -Thursday 8pm Slimming World Classes - 9.45am Thursday - details contact Sally on 01462 813367 Line Dancing - Wednesday 7.30pm-8.30pm Beginners contact Rosemarie on 01767 600268 or www.sheffordlinedancendo.co.uk Lunch Club - Monday - 12 noon. Contact Pat on 01462 812796 for details Art Society - Details Dianne Carr - 01462 700422 SHEFFORD BAPTIST CHURCH (at junction of Stanford and Bedford Roads) Contact Steve on 812564 or visit www.sheffordbaptist.org.uk Sunday Services -10.30am & 6pm Junior church & Creche in mornings All-age service -10.30am 4th Sunday of every month Men's Breakfast Club - Last Saturday of every month 8.30am Thursday Afternoon Fellowship - Meet every 2nd Thursday of the month. An opportunity to meet together and chat over a cup of tea, with a short reflection For further details contact Eric on 817289 Springboard Youth Group - every Friday for Middle School young people (Years 6-9) Term time only YNU/YNU2 - Groups for Upper school age young people, that meet fortnightly on Saturday evenings for various social activities and weekly on Sunday evenings for discussion on a variety of topics from a Christian perspective. For further details contact Jenny on 01462 626101 St Michael and All Angels Church High Street Contact Jenny on 817337, John on 813334 or visit www.sm3a.org.uk Sunday Services - 10am - 1st in month Family Service, 2nd Morning Prayer, 3rd Family Communion, 4th Thinking Together, 5th Specials (with breakfast from 9am.) Evening Communion Service - 6pm on 2nd Sunday of the month Tuesdays - 10.15am - 12pm Coffee Shop (Biggleswade Adult Centre) Plus Time 4U - listeners available for those needing someone to talk to Fridays - 9.50am Service, tea/coffee from 10.35am - prayer ministry available Traidcraft stall on last Friday of month Mini-M's - 10am 1st & 3rd Wednesday of the month - worship and fun for O's -4's + parents/minders TOWN MEETING ROOM Ladies Group - Meetings held fortnightly on Wednesday evenings Alzheimer's Carers Group - 3rd Thursday of each month - 11am to 12.30pm Fingers Crossed Cross Stitch Club - 3rd Thursday of each month - 7.30pm to 9.30pm OTHER MEETINGS Union of Catholic Mothers - 2nd & 4th Tuesday of the month. Angela Room (rear of Catholic Church) Mothers' Union - 1st Tuesday of the month 2.30pm., Church Room, St. Michael's Church Bible Study Group - 2nd Monday of the month (except August) see Diary for venue Lions Club of Shefford - 1st & 3rd Wednesday of each month Spm.White Hart Public House. Contact President Lion Enid on 01462 851397 Slimming World Classes - Wednesday 6pm Shefford Lower School. Contact Sally 01462 813367 Line Dancing - Thursday 6.30pm -7.30pm Beginners, 7.30pm - 9.30pm Intermediates. Friday 6.30pm - 7.45pm Improvers/Intermediates, 7.45pm - 10pm Intermediates/Advanced. Bloomfield Middle School. Contact Rosemary on 01767 600268 orwww.sheffordlnedancendo.co.uk USEFUL INFORMATION Shefford Town Council - Clerk Mr G Barham - Telephone 01462 816321 Email towncouncil@sheffordtown.co.uk or write to PO Box 39, Council Chamber, 13 North Bridge Street, Shefford, SG17 5XN Shefford web site - www.sheffordtown.co.uk Police - non-emergency telephone 01234 8411212 Beat Manager -Nick Battams 01234 841212 ext.2567 Health Centre - Appointments 01462 819200 General enquiries 01462 814899 Shefford Lower School 01462 629123 Robert Bloomfield Middle School 01462 628800 Multi Use Games Area - Bookings 077313 94372
BEDFORD AREA BUS PASSENGERS INVITED TO SPEAK OUT!
At long last bus users in the Bedford area have a say in how their services are operated following the formation of the Bedford Area Bus Users' Society (BABUS). The need for the society was first identified at a Bus Surgery held in Harpur Square, Bedford in 2002, organised by the Bedfordshire Rural Transport Partnership and National Federation of Bus Users. The inaugural meeting of BABUS took place in October 2004, a resounding success with 11 people coming forward to form the committee. However, there is still room for more committee members! BABUS is the latest addition to a growing number of bus user groups across the country, and has an interest in all bus services operating from Bedford Bus Station. The birth of BABUS comes at an ideal time; not only have there been extensive changes to bus services in the Bedford area over the last year, but also there are a number of exciting imminent improvements to bus information on the horizon, courtesy of Bedfordshire County Council. The Society has three main aims: to represent the interests of bus users in the Bedford area, to encourage people to use buses, to act as a focal point between bus users, bus companies and the borough and county councils. For further information, please contact Stephen Sleight, Field Officer (Transport) on 01234 838771 ext 115 or email stephens@bedsrcc.org.uk
SHEFFORD CRAFT AND PRODUCE SHOW
Saturday 17th September 2005 Yes, we are advertising the Craft and Produce Show already - it's nearly time to start planning your entries - seeds to set - crafts to begin - pickles to be made - photos to take and a web site to design. Our schedules have already been printed for us by Mid Beds District Council and will be in the Library and local shops shortly. We would love to see some new people entering our show this year as well as all our faithful who enter year after year. At each show we hear the same old thing "I could do that" - don't just say it - do it! Make this year's show bigger and better -come on now - grab your copy of our schedule and get those entry forms rolling in - make our day, we know YOU can do it!
CALLING ALL DRIVERS
The Bedfordshire Community Transport Brokerage (or Beds CTB for short) is a minibus sharing scheme that enables groups and organisations within the community to use accessible and affordable transport. They can either be self driven or a driver may be made available with the vehicle. The scheme is new to Bedfordshire and has already started to make a big difference to a variety of groups across the county: Older peoples groups are helped to get out to visit a range of interesting activities. Scouts, Guides, churches and young peoples groups are enabled to go on trips, to get to conferences and other outings. Frequently buses can be available but drivers are in short supply and to help the brokerage expand we need to recruit more volunteer drivers. Payment can be offered to drivers in some circumstances. To meet with the safe driving standards of the brokerage, drivers will need to have Mini Bus Driver Awareness Training (MiDAS) training. This is a nationally recognised standard for mini bus drivers.This training and funding support (subject to approval) is available to drivers involved in Beds CTB and may be accessed by application to the Rural Transport Partnership Delegated Fund. Anyone who is interested, either just to be available to be called on from time to time or as a dedicated driver just to help out a particular organisation like Scouts or Guides, please contact me, Beni Wright at the Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity 01234 838 771 ext 106
CELEBRATING SUMMER WITH THE SHEFFORD CHURCHES
MAY 4&18 Mini-M's - St Michael's Church- 10am 4,11,18,25 'Light Within' course - St Michael's Church - 8pm 14 Pentecost Party - An open - air celebration of the Church's birthday, lots of fun & exciting things happening, watch out for the publicity nearer the time - Baptist Church - 10.30 to 12.30 15-22 Christian Aid Week. Volunteers needed to help raise funds - please contact Christine Brayne - 01462 815689 or speak to their local church representatives. JUNE 1 'Light Within' course - St Michael's Church - 8pm 8 & 22 Mini-M's St Michael's Church - 10 am JULY 6&20 Mini-M's St Michael's Church-10am 16/17 Anniversary weekend for Shefford Baptist Church. Celebrate 180 years with us, on Saturday , with a party and on Sunday . Everybody welcome! Watch out for the publicity nearer the time. 17 'Songs of Praise' - St Mary's Meppershall, led by the new United Benefice Junior Choir - 6pm. 25 Week beginning 'SPARKS' - Children's Holiday Activity Club. Organized by St Michael's Shefford & St Mary's Meppershall, for all local 7-14's. Meeting at St Mary's. Details from Sandra Harper - 01462 813334 AUGUST 2 Mini-M's - St Michael's Church - 10am Teddy Bears Picnic. 14 Special service to commemorate 60th anniversary of VJ Day - St Michael's Church - 11am
TOWN MAYOR'S COMMENTS
THE GOOD - Gifts to the community As you may have seen in the local press, the Town Council has been presented with a new Mayor's Chain & Pendant by Councillor Peter Fisher and his wife Lillian. The chain and pendant is made of silver gilt and has links that can be engraved with the Mayors names and dates of office. There is space for the details of twenty mayors to be recorded, so it should last for a year or two. The pendant has the Shefford Town Council shield and the words 'Our heritage is our foundation' on a banner beneath it. It is a very substantial badge of office and certainly helps to raise the status of our council. I am very proud to be the 'first wearer' of this Mayors badge of office. The original Mayor's pendant has been 're-badged' and will be used by the Deputy Mayor as a badge of that office. Councillor and Mrs Fisher have also presented the council with three large silver cups. The cups will be known as the OVPFF Trophies and will be presented to:- A The male resident of Shefford who is deemed to have contributed substantially to the good of the community B The female resident of Shefford who is deemed to have contributed substantially to the good of the community C To The Beauty of Shefford. This will be a contest open to young people between the ages of sixteen and twenty three years, resident in Shefford and considered to best display 'Natural Beauty'. The first two cups will be presented annually and held for one year. We will need nominations from residents of Shefford. It has not been decided yet when the trophies will be presented. It may be at the Annual Town Meeting, or it could take place at the Summer Fayre. Do you have any thoughts on this? The Beauty of Shefford trophy will also need nominations. It is intended to present this trophy at the Summer Fayre. The entrants will ride in the Gala Parade which ends at the Fayre. It is hoped that the winner will be available to attend and support local community events. We need to hear from you, who in our community could be deemed worthy recipients of these lovely trophies? Please send nominations for all three categories to the Town Clerk. THE NOT SO GOOD I am afraid I have to end this edition of Mayors Comments with news that is less welcome. Vandalism, anti social behaviour, nuisance youths are all on the increase in our community. Exactly why is not certain. Perhaps it's the weather, part of the national trend, yobs being chased out of other communities, lack of parental control, the thought that even if caught by the police there is no real deterrent, we're not sure. Everybody that is blighted with this problem will have a favourite cause. Personally I think it is a combination of all these causes. During February this year there were eleven Recorded Crime Incidents in Shefford, some of those incidents were part of the same 'crime', so the actual number is a little less. There were fifteen reported 'Nuisance Youth' incidents and you might guess there were many unreported incidents. One thing is certain; it's not going to stop unless we can control this unruly element. By control I don't necessarily mean the use of the court system, although if that is what is needed, in extreme cases, then it should be used, and harshly. Some may think I am far to the right of Khengis Khan for thinking that, but unfortunately there are those, even in our community, who will only recognize forceful authority. Control can also mean finding useful activities to divert youngsters away from these less desirable elements and activities. We now have an excellent Youth Service worker and support team in Shefford. They have run several events aimed at 'young people'. The Youth Pub and 'Music Nite' being just two events put on by the Youth Team. The Town Council and Community Safety Group have gathered a list of groups that have 'Youth Sections' or are run for young people. The Youth Workers have this list in addition to their own activities. If you contact me I will send you a copy of this list. In the unfortunate circumstances that the police need to be called, do so. Do not be put off by the thought of being named as the moaner or the informer. Unless the police know of these incidents they cannot respond to them. They may not race up with blue lights flashing to answer all the calls; it may even be the next day that they come to get more details. Unfortunately some poor soul in the Control Room has to prioritise the Officers workload. And an injury road traffic accident will have a higher priority than some other calls. The important thing is that they are informed of the problem and the incident will be listed and it will build up a picture of where and when problems are occurring. If you would rather be divorced from the reporting procedure altogether, contact the Clerk or me and will pass the message on. Contact us anyway if you think the police response was inappropriate or too slow. I know you have heard it all before, but if you didn't call, it didn't happen! Paul Mackin Town Mayor
CELEBRATING 15 YEARS
This year, Samuel Whitbread Nursery is celebrating its 15th birthday. Although I only accepted the position of Nursery Manager in October 2004, I feel proud to have joined the team to celebrate this occasion. I love working with children and feel that this community has a lot to offer. Coming from a large city of 1.5 million people, Shefford/Clifton seems like a very close knit community. Samuel Whitbread Nursery is a small, friendly Nursery with an established, qualified team, some of whom have been working here since it started, 15 years ago! We work to the 'Birth to Three Matters Framework' and the 'Foundation Stage Curriculum'. Older children are offered emergent literacy as well. We celebrate all events so that children can experience and understand different cultures as well as the usual development skills, cutting construction art etc. I have so many ideas for the future of the nursery, and with the help of the team we will build on the existing foundations and make this the best nursery we can. As summer approaches I want to bring the community in to the Nursery to see what we have to offer. We will be organizing something special this year to celebrate our 15th birthday. Come along and visit us! For further information please contact me, Christina Weatherill, Nursery Manager on 01462 815637
SHEFFORD SUMMER CYCLE RIDES
The Shefford Summer 'Spins' are aimed at non-racing cyclists who want to make the most of the long summer evenings on their bikes. You will find riding with a group is more sociable and improves your visibility to motorists. The rides will cover about 15 miles with a short pub stop. The pace will be about 10-12 mph- a comfortable pace for any reasonably fit person. They are run by 2 experienced members of the CTC (the UK's national cyclists association). Pete and Helena will lead the rides from Shefford High Street by the War Memorial starting at 7pm on the dates below. You will need: - a well maintained bike - front and back lights - To carry: water, warm & bright clothing and a puncture kit. DATES* Thursday 5th May Thursday 2nd June Thursday 30th June Thursday 4th August Thursday 1st September If you are reasonably fit and find an average of 10mph uncomfortable, it is likely there is a simple solution such as: - Adjusting rubbing brakes - Pumping up tyres - Adjusting your saddle position For further details telephone Helena 01462 811743 or see www. ctc-bedfordshire. co. uk*
BELLCOTE MEADOW MILLENNIUM GREEN
The trees and hedges on the green have woken up from their winter dormancy, likewise the volunteers are leaping into action beginning their seasonal maintenance of the green. Unfortunately, the work is going to take longer than usual to complete this year, due to the small number of people volunteering to do the job and the additional tasks to be undertaken, like repairing the damage caused by vandalism and clearing up after a FEW local residents who persistently 'fly tip' garden rubbish over their back fences onto the green! The green is the largest public amenity area in Shefford, enjoyed by the many local residents and maintained by volunteers. Please help us to keep the area clean and tidy by taking away your rubbish, and dog walkers, please clean up after your dogs and place their deposits in the bins provided, remember the children who may be running and playing on the green. The Trustees would like to thank all the volunteers who help maintain the area, in particular, Andrew Boatwright who regularly mows the paths for us. If you would like to help us keep the area tidy, a couple of hours once or twice a season would help. For more information please contact Chris Tuffnell on 01462 636320. We hope for a good summer this year so that you can all spend many pleasant hours on the green. Jennifer Harrison Trustee
P3 NEWS
During the winter and spring months our small team have carried out maintenance work, mainly on the river footpath. This included levelling a small section which had worn to a steep angle, cutting back undergrowth and litter picking. The alders alongside the old wharf were clipped back where they overhung the path. At our request Bedfordshire County Council removed a tree, blown down in the high winds, which was blocking the path near the South Bridge. A similar request for the removal of a large oak tree on the bridle path south of Rowney Warren has not yet been implemented. We still await a resolution of the access problem to enable the County contractors to repair the path along the river bank between the foot bridge and the Millennium Green bridges. We continue to make preparations for the new edition of the walks leaflets. Estimates have now been obtained and we are exploring various available grants to enable us to proceed. As the new growing season approaches we are still very short of volunteers and would welcome any help - even lifting the occasional bagful of litter can help to make using our paths more enjoyable. If you feel you would like to help in any way please contact me on 01462 811228. Clark McGregor Chairman P3 Group
FINGERS CROSSED
The 'Fingers Crossed' Cross Stitch Club has re-located. The new venue is the Town Meeting Room, North Bridge Street Shefford. The club will meet monthly, EVERY 3rd THURSDAY between 7.30pm - 9.30pm. New members are always welcome. For further information - phone Ruth on 01462 629594

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