Author: chris

Village marks ‘VE Day 80’ in traditional style
Our community is gearing up to mark 80 years since the end of World War Two with the Royal British Legion (RBL) club leading efforts to mark the occasion here in H&I. Lucy Callington tells more.
To mark Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) the RBL on Saffron Road is hosting an afternoon tea party, including children’s crafts and games. The club is inviting members of the public of all ages to join in celebrating VE Day 80, as they plan to honour the bravery and sacrifice of the Second World War generation.
Dave Blakesley of Histon RBL said: “We’re so excited for this special national celebration. Coming along to a VE Day Tea Party is a wonderful way to come together with family, friends, and community to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day and a year of commemorations marking 80 years since the end of WWII. It also supports the Royal British Legion, and helps make a real difference for those who have served”.
The tea party on 5 May is free to attend, and scones and refreshments will be available at no cost, although the RBL is welcoming donations to the Poppy Appeal.
The Royal British Legion will also hold a short service at the Peace Memorial on Water Lane at 6.15pm on VE Day, Thursday 8 May, as well as on Victory over Japan Day (VJ) Day on 15 August.
80 years on
Victory in Europe Day commemorates the official surrender of all German military operations in World War Two on 8 May, 1945.
However, the original VE day in Histon and Impington was not celebrated quite as fervently as in some other parts of the country because so many Cambridgeshire men were captured at Singapore by the Japanese. The H&I Village Society does however have some records of events that took place here at the end of the war.
A photo, donated by Margo Tolliday to the society, shows a street party in Saffron Road, Histon in June, 1945. It took place a month after VE day to allow time for planning, and featured fancy dress costumes for the children. Ongoing food rationing at the time meant the food available had to be carefully planned. There was also a parade through the centre of the Village.
Residents celebrate in Saffron Road in 1945. Photo: Margo Tolliday c/o The Village Society
H&I residents are planning their own celebrations including a similar street party, organised for residents of Park Avenue, Histon in the afternoon on Sunday 4 May, where organisers say, “bunting and scones are encouraged”.
Boost for pubs
Nationally, pub goers will be able to enjoy an extra two hours on Thursday 8 May to raise a toast to veterans to celebrate this historic anniversary as venues with a usual closing time of 11pm will be able to keep their doors open till 1am. This echoes what happened on VE Day, 80 years ago.
While it’s unclear at the moment if any of H&I pubs will offer their patrons longer hours, Susie at the King Bill is planning to get into the commemorative spirit by hanging bunting and painting a commemorative display on the window panes of the pub.
Visit Royal British Legion | Armed Forces Charity and VE Day Celebrations 1945 — Histon and Impington Village Society for more information.
01/05/2025
Bus to provide up-to-date venue for youth services
The first of two new Youth Buses run by The Connections Bus Project is about to start serving communities across the region – but not Histon & Impington.
The charity, which describes itself as a ‘Youth Club on Wheels’, operates 14 drop-in youth clubs each week. The new buses will replace the two aging vehicles that used to serve villages across the county.
With funding support from the National Lottery Community Fund, The Foyles Foundation and Joanies Fund, the refurbished double-decker buses have been fitted out to provide a safe and welcoming space for young people to gather, access support, and participate in various activities.
Features of the buses include comfortable seating areas, dedicated spaces for crafts, tabletop games and puzzles, and up-to-date games consoles and PCs with internet access. There are facilities on board for playing music, phone charging points, a snack bar, outdoor sports equipment and an undercover outdoor area.
New branding and new graphics have given the buses a new look.
Alan Webb, who managed the project to create the new buses, said: “Having gathered feedback from young people who use our services and the staff who work for us, I think we have created a space that will suit everyone.”
Andrea Cowley, Assistant Manager of The Connections Bus Project commented: “We’ve listened to what young people want and need, and we’re confident that we’re offering a service that truly addresses those needs.”
No change in H&I
Although the launch of the new Connections Bus was held at Histon Baptist Church, there are currently no plans for the new bus to be made available to young people in Histon & Impington.
At least until December 2025, the Monday youth clubs are due to continue meeting at the community room in the Pavilion at the New Road Recreation Ground.
Parish Clerk Chelsea O’Brien told HI HUB: “The Recreation Ground is not an ideal venue for a double decker bus to visit, with the height restriction barrier, high levels of parking and a restricted turning space it will be difficult to safely accommodate the bus.”
But the Connections Bus services to the village are currently under review following concerns raised about the value for money offered, and Chelsea continued: “I am sure [the Youth Provision Working Group] will include considering the provision of the youth bus in their overall review of youth provision going forward.”
Commenting on the reasons why their buses don’t serve Histon & Impington, Alan Webb said: “Our youth work in Histon is guided by the contract we have with the Parish Council and their request for services. The youth buses have not visited Histon since 2011.
“It is true that facilities are different on the youth buses but not superior to those at the Pavilion which includes table tennis, cooking, use of the MUGA and more which are not available or possible on the youth buses.
“We are in communication with the Parish Council regarding youth services moving forward and currently are not aware of any changes. We are awaiting a youth plan that they will be revealing in June, I believe.”
01/05/2025
Popular children’s summer holiday club to pause for thought
Holiday Club, the children’s club run by Churches Together in Histon & Impington, will not run this summer – after organisers decided to “pause for reflection”.
The Christian summer club, aimed at primary school-aged children, has been run by staff and volunteers from local churches at the Baptist Church for over a decade, but the group of local church leaders and ministers have issued a statement saying that they feel this is the “right time to pause Holiday Club for summer 2025”.
According to the group, the move is “to give space for reflection, review, and discernment about how to best serve children and families in our community in the years ahead”.
Fun and Games
With sessions themed around Bible stories, Holiday Club has previously welcomed up to 200 children for sessions over five mornings at the start of the summer holidays. Children take part in crafts, sports and activities, singing and drama sessions as well as ‘messy challenges’ – facilitated by volunteer adult leaders and young helpers.
Unlike other, often more expensive, activities offered to children in the school holidays, parents of children attending Holiday Club are only asked for a donation of whatever they can afford towards running costs.
A time of transition
Children’s Worker at Saint Andrew’s, Histon, Tim Blake – who has coordinated and fronted Holiday Club for many years – is stepping down from his role at the church this May, and this has played a part in organisers deciding to put the club on hiatus for the year.
In the Churches Together statement, James Blandford Baker said: “We want to take this opportunity to offer a huge and heartfelt thank you to Tim for his extraordinary commitment and leadership. Holiday Club simply wouldn’t have been the same without him”.
A further factor in the decision to pause is the organisers’ struggle to recruit enough volunteers to run the club safely and sustainably. James said: “We are so grateful to everyone who has contributed to Holiday Club over the years. It has been a beautiful expression of our life together as Churches Together, and we treasure all that it has meant”.
Faithful future
Churches Together ministers are planning to host a day of “listening and discernment”, with the help of an outside facilitator to consider the future of Holiday Club.
Organisers believe that this will provide a chance for everyone involved to, “explore together what God might be calling us to in the future — whether that includes Holiday Club in a new form, something different altogether, or a refreshed vision of our shared work with children and families”.
HI HUB will share news of any updates on this, as soon as they become available.
01/05/2025
Summer departure for Impington Village College Principal
Impington Village College (IVC) Principal, Victoria Hearn, is stepping down from her role, and is set to leave the school at the end of the 2024/25 academic year.
Victoria Hearn has been Principal of IVC since 2020, taking over from Ryan Kelsall. Photo: IVC
Ms Hearn, who first joined the school as an Assistant Principal over a decade ago and who has been Principal since 2020, is leaving to take up a new post at Comberton Village College which comes under Cam Academy Trust.
Her move comes shortly after the school received positive feedback from a recent IB Evaluation, as well as an Outstanding Ofsted report. The college, part of the Eastern Learning Alliance, was also recently named ‘UK Comprehensive School of the Year’ by the Sunday Times for 2025.
On her time at IVC, Ms Hearn said: “It has been an absolute privilege to be a part of this truly unique school. I am incredibly proud of all that the leadership team, staff and students have achieved during my time at the College.”
She continued: “The [school’s] achievements belong to our entire College community, and especially the incredible senior leadership team with whom it has been a joy to work during my tenure as Principal.
“Thank you all for your support during my time as a senior leader at the College, and for your enthusiasm and belief in our unique approach to education”.
Ms Hearn will continue as Principal until the end of August. HI HUB will bring news of her successor when available.
READ ALSO: IVC rated ‘outstanding’ in full Ofsted inspection | HI HUB
01/05/2025
Mixed reaction to heavy duty planters near ATM
Specialist planters designed to protect cash machines and stores from ram-raiders have been installed outside Histon Tesco Express. The location is one of 14 “high-risk sites” identified as part of a £100,000 initiative.
Ram raiding is a type of burglary where criminals drive a vehicle into a building, often one with a cash machine, to help them access property or cash to steal. It is said the heavy duty concrete planters can withstand the force of being hit by a vehicle or machinery.
The completed planters at the Cambourne Co-op. Photo: SCDC
Two were installed at the Tesco Express on 11 April, one close to the ATM and another near the car park. But the Council has explained there has been a delay with planting because of heavy rain over the Easter weekend and that the guttering from the Tesco Express building has been leaking into one of the planters.
A South Cambridgeshire District Council spokesperson said the Histon planters will be planted up “asap”, once the repairs to the gutter have been carried out.
She added the same planters have been installed at the Co-op in Cambourne, and are “looking lovely, whilst doing an important job for our rural communities”.
In the meantime, residents have commented on social media about the new Tesco Express planters, with one joking it had become “a water feature” since it was installed. Another described it as “a total eyesore”.
‘Total eyesore’
Another planter has been placed next to the Tesco Express car park. Photo: HI HUB
One resident said: “Tesco roof gutter has been overflowing at that point for ages, so will continue to receive excess water after rainfall until that is fixed. Even if holes [are] drilled to allow drainage for planting, the volunteers’ work to make this nice will be ruined.”
SCDC says the planting and upkeep of the planters will be the responsibility of the Parish Council.
Gutter to be fixed
A Tesco spokesperson said: “We are working to fix the gutter at our Histon Express as quickly as possible, and thank customers for their patience as the work is completed.”
He added the store remains open as usual and that Tesco will provide updates on the works progress.
The £100,000 funding for the project to install heavy duty planters across South Cambridgeshire District Council has been provided by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.
READ MORE: Marking a community’s deep-rooted love for its trees
01/05/2025
New chapter for Histon laboratory
A specialist laboratory service based at Vision Park has acquired another Cambridge-based company for an undisclosed sum.
Source Bioscience is considered an industry leader in the areas of genomic services and histopathology diagnostics. It works with the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, healthcare and academic sectors.
And last month, the company announced it had completed the acquisition of Cambridge Clinical Laboratories (CCL) which specialises in clinical healthcare testing. It was said the move will bolster Source Bioscience’s clinical diagnostics portfolio from its state-of-the-art clinical labs in Histon.
CCL staff will relocate to Source Bioscience’s labs at Vision Park, in Histon. Photo: Source Bioscience
‘Extremely pleased’
Jay LeCoque, Chairman and CEO of Source BioScience, said: “We’re extremely pleased to welcome Cambridge Clinical Laboratories into our team here at Source Bioscience. CCL has a longstanding reputation for its expertise in personalised clinical diagnostic services, and as such, represented the ideal opportunity to complete our service offerings.”
CCL staff and equipment will relocate to Source Bioscience’s labs at Vision Park.
Tony Cooke, former CEO and Chief Scientific Officer at CCL, added: “We welcome the opportunity to join forces with Source, which will allow us to bring together the talent and expertise of both companies.”
READ MORE: Church and driving test centre both approved
01/05/2025
3 bedroom semi-detached house for sale in Pepys Terrace
Guide price £425,000, freehold.
Extended Victorian semi.
Ground floor: Living/dining room, kitchen, utility room, bathroom, bedroom 3/sun room.
First floor: Two double bedrooms.
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1 bedroom ground floor flat for sale in Station Road
Offers in the region of £260,000, leasehold.
Living/dining room, kitchen, bedroom, rear lobby, shower room. Allocated parking space for one car.
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2 bedroom terraced house to rent in Primrose Lane
Available now for £1,600pcm, unfurnished.
Downstairs: Living/dining room, kitchen, WC.
Upstairs: Master bedroom with en-suite shower room, second bedroom, family bathroom.
Allocated parking.
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1 bedroom flat to rent in Loves Close
Available 02/05/2025 for £975pcm, part furnished.
First floor flat with ground floor entrance and stairs to flat. Kitchen, living room, bedroom, shower room. Allocated Parking.
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