£415,000, freehold.
Entrance hall, kitchen, sitting room, dining area, three bedrooms, shower room, family bathroom.
Author: chris
3 bedroom end of terrace house for sale in Hunters Close
£176,000, shared ownership, leasehold.
Downstairs: Entrance hall, cloakroom, kitchen, lounge/dining.
Upstairs: Three bedrooms, family bathroom.
2 bedroom semi-detached house for sale in Hunters Close
£156,000, shared ownership, leasehold.
Downstairs: Entrance hall, cloakroom, kitchen, lounge.
Upstairs: Two bedrooms, family bathroom.
Celebrations as Abbey Fields sale reaches completion!
From little acorns, mighty plans have grown and on 11 May the community purchase of Long Meadow and the Croft Close Set Aside finally reached completion. Amanda Borrill has been talking to the team behind this success, along with Abbey Farm’s new owners, about the journey so far and what happens next…
In July 2020, the Rowley family-owned Abbey Farm house and grounds, with its two associated plots – Croft Close Set Aside (CCSA) and Long Meadow (LM) – all went up for sale causing much concern locally over its fate. What followed next was people power at its finest; a community coming together through a unique set of circumstances with one sole aim – to preserve this historic and beautiful part of our village for future generations.
The power of the people
Resident alongside the CCSA since 1966, nature lover Moira Neal is overjoyed that completion has finally taken place. Talking to Moira, you can’t fail to be drawn in by her passion and enthusiasm for its preservation: “Yes, I am passionate about it! Over the past 21 years we have enjoyed the field with our dogs and grandchildren.
Two of the regular visitors to the CCSA pond, captured together, by chance, in a rare moment. Photo: Moira Neal “I have always vowed I would have been like Swampy and strapped myself to a tree if any developer had got hold of it. It is such a very precious space which Tony and I have nurtured for over 20 years. As I sit writing this I can hear the purr of the highly-endangered turtle dove calling for a mate. He has chosen our field as his summer home. We are indeed very honoured as they have decreased by 93% since the 1970s.”
Early steps
A walk around the area with Howard Biddle and his wife Hilary early last summer introduced me to this area of natural beauty that I had no idea even existed and took Howard into his leading role on the Abbey Fields Task and Finish Group – a joint collaboration between the community and our Parish Council. Howard shares how he became involved.
“During the first Covid lockdown we explored a lot of local walks and were delighted to discover new woods and paths, all between Histon, Girton and Westwick, but we couldn’t understand why there were no paths marked across Abbey Fields. I therefore decided to research the process for claiming formal Rights of Way. Tentative conversations soon evolved into a campaign and then, in July, came the news that the entire Abbey Farm estate was up for sale. The Abbey Farm house was going for a high price but the price being asked for the two plots now known as Abbey Fields (CCSA and LM) seemed within reach for the village. Publicity on HI HUB, Network Magazine and local social media very quickly established overwhelming support for what we were doing.”
Asking Howard what it means to him personally to have played a part in securing this land for our community, his enthusiasm shines through: “It was a project that needed doing and I couldn’t find anyone else to do it! Unwelcome as lockdown was, it gifted me time I would never normally have had to take this on. Green spaces in urban developments are important. These two pieces of land are special both from an environmental and historical perspective. My kids enjoyed these fields and so too now will future generations. It is brilliant that we have been successful.”
Fortune favours the brave
Securing this land, however, has not been without its challenges. It is to all our fortunes that one multi-million pound offer for all three plots was subsequently withdrawn and some very good samaritans, in the form of the Jenking family, came along with the means to buy CCSA and LM – taking them off the open market and keeping them within the community.
Anthony Jenking takes up the story: “It has been a surprisingly complicated process spanning over 10 months and I’ve certainly learnt a lot on the way. Over this time I have met some amazingly talented and dedicated people that, strangely, I have yet to meet in person due to the pandemic. I can’t wait to rectify that!
“Essentially we (myself and my wife Bogusia) have bought CCSA and LM and covered the related costs for the short-term. Unfortunately, we’re not in a position to donate all of the money, so our aim has been to ensure that the land was off the market and ‘safe’. Now that this has been achieved, our group has more time to organise and deliver a permanent solution, to ensure the fields can remain a community asset in perpetuity. We’re also excited to be able to open that process up to the wider community now that the private sale has been completed.
The beautiful and tranquil Croft Close Set Aside at sunset. Photo: Moira Neal “Although I’ve lived in the area for over 20 years, I had no idea that the CCSA existed. When I talked to friends in the village, it seemed that a good proportion of them were also unaware of this incredible piece of land on our doorstep. My aspiration is that, if we can make this a success, we can replicate the process again: our group has dreams of a “Histon Loop” where people can walk around the village on connected fields and pathways. It might take a lifetime to realise but this is a great first step!
“This is the first big community effort I’ve been involved in and I have been bowled over by the spirit that has been displayed. The people of Histon & Impington are just as special as the environment we live in.”
With completion of the sale of Abbey Fields, comes a new chapter in the life of the Abbey Farm estate and I asked Anthony how he saw the relationship between the Task Group and the new house owners evolving. “Obviously I don’t wish to speak for them, but we should bear in mind that a huge task lays ahead for them with renovation of the house and grounds. This is likely to keep them very busy for the foreseeable future. I can say though, throughout the sale process they have been incredibly supportive of all we are aiming to achieve and I see them being a fantastic asset to the community.”
Abbey Farm – the next chapter
So, just who are the new buyers of the Abbey Farm estate? I had the pleasure of speaking to one half of the husband and wife team behind the purchase – Michael Watson. Michael oozed enthusiasm for their return to the village he grew up in and it was clear that he and his wife Sue are keen to build a harmonious and long lasting relationship with the community.
Michael’s family connection with the villages goes back many generations with his great-great grandfather once owning the windmill and his sons running Loves Butchers. His parents still live in the village and, until her recent retirement, his mother, Rosemary, worked in Barclays Bank here on our High Street. Michael tells more:
Abbey Farm. Photo: Howard Biddle “I have very fond memories of Abbey Farm (or Rowley’s as it was always called) particularly at times of the Feast Parade where the procession would assemble on the drive, before starting its journey through the High Street. With that as the background, it is therefore a privilege (if not also a little daunting!) to be stewards of the next chapter for Abbey Farm.
“We welcome the enthusiasm from the village community in trying to bring some of the grounds into public ownership and have been working hard, alongside Howard Biddle and other members of the Task and Finish Group, to allow this vision to be brought to reality. What amounts to almost 40% of the original Abbey Farm grounds will be designated permanently as open spaces to be enjoyed by everyone. This is a fantastic achievement and the newly named ‘Abbey Fields’ will, I’m sure, be the envy of many other villages who could only wish to achieve a similar result.
“We will be taking up residence on 11 May, and our initial focus will be to renovate the main house, as well as restore and find new uses for the historic farm buildings within the grounds. There is also a lot of general catch-up maintenance to make safe a number of damaged or diseased trees and ensure the rather unique natural environment can be preserved for the long term. You may notice therefore increasing levels of activity in the coming months as various equipment, materials and people are brought in to help with these tasks”.
Over recent weeks, the erection of new signs on the estate has prompted questions on local social media. I asked Michael about these and how he sees the relationship developing between his family and the community. His response was a fair one:
The recently erected sign on the Abbey Farm estate. Photo: Tom McKeown “The Rowley family were generous over the years in hosting events and allowing access to their land. Once our initial projects are completed, we too will look to find ways for others to enjoy the grounds. In the meantime, we hope people will understand our need to balance that against the privacy we all expect in our family homes. Many of you will have seen the new signs we have erected to help identify the areas that will have public access, as opposed to those that will remain private. We are really pleased with how this has been respected so far and we thank you for your continued understanding as we work through sorting out a new future for Abbey Farm. We look forward to strengthening old friendships and creating many new ones as we settle back into the village.”
Turning pledges into hard cash
As completion is finalised, the team reaches the most difficult part of all – raising the money needed to buy this land for the community. A call for pledges in August last year saw offers totalling over £130,000 and now the time has come for these pledges to be turned into hard cash. Fundraising lead on behalf of the Abbey Fields group is Kate Brierton. Kate told me what drove her to take up this challenging role and how it is planned to gather in these vital funds:
“I have been walking the land around Abbey Fields nearly every day with my family for the last 15 years and when I heard it had come up for sale, I immediately wanted to protect it from development. I’m a clinical psychologist and there is lots of research showing that contact with nature is good for emotional and physical wellbeing. The importance of this has been underlined by the pandemic and I feel these green spaces have been invaluable during this period.
“Our minimum target is £450,000 to cover the purchase cost but our ambition is to raise significantly more than this so that we can invest the surplus to provide income to cover the cost of the upkeep. I am looking forward to collecting more pledges from individuals and local companies, as well as organising fundraising events and grant applications. Most of the funds will come from individuals in the local community but we will also be applying for grants both from local authorities and other grant awarding bodies that focus on environmental conservation. A charity is being established under our Parish Council so donors can be confident in our objectives and accountability. The fundraising and collection of pledges will take place after the charity we are forming is registered.
“It’s amazing what you can achieve with a group of like-minded people working towards a common objective. Now we’ve secured the land – I can’t wait to get started on this next phase!”
Community Action
To inform, educate and involve the whole community, a village meeting is planned. This will take place at 7.30pm on 10 June and will give everyone the opportunity to hear more from the team involved about their next steps. More details on how to join this meeting will be made available on the Abbey Fields website, here on HI HUB and across local social media.
The team is also looking for people willing to get involved with fundraising. If you have experience in fundraising or a just passion to help, please contact Kate Brierton at kate@brierton.net.
You can find out more about the project, the land and its archaeological history at the Abbey Fields website, here.
Previously on HI HUB:
https://www.hihub.info/news/unanimous-backing-for-abbey-fields-community-campaign/
https://www.hihub.info/news/abbey-farm-sale-progressing-slowly-but-surely/
https://www.hihub.info/news/optimism-grows-as-mystery-bidder-withdraws-from-abbey-farm-purchase/
Village charity commits to building a ‘dementia friendly’ community
Families affected by dementia are set to receive more support thanks to a new initiative aiming to make Histon & Impington a place where they are welcomed, cared for and can live a full life.
Families affected by dementia are set to receive more support thanks to a new initiative aiming to get Histon & Impington officially recognised as a Dementia Friendly Community.
Project Forget-me-not is being launched on Friday, 14 May by local charity HI Friends, to coincide with national Dementia Action Week. It will be led by the new village dementia worker, Sarah Brown and Project Lead, Jan Payne.
Sarah’s role is to work closely with people affected by dementia, developing work begun in the village by Margaret Reed Roberts, so that anyone caring for people living with the condition, and people dealing with memory loss issues themselves, can ‘live well’ here.
Village dementia worker, Sarah Brown She will be providing support and guidance for people living with dementia or memory loss, and their families and carers, helping with practical, emotional and social needs such as accessing local services, maintaining personal interests, taking part in social activities, and finding respite for carers.
She explained: “As well as helping those whose lives are affected by memory loss and dementia, my role is to influence change in Histon & Impington, to encourage a socially inclusive and compassionate neighbourhood response, so that people can maintain and increase their social contact.”
Village-wide project
Project Forget-me-not lead, Jan Payne, will be working with Sarah to achieve the Dementia Friendly Community designation for Histon & Impington. This quality standard is accredited by the Alzheimer’s Society, which awards the badge to places where people with dementia are understood, respected and supported, and confident they can contribute to community life.
Project Forget-me-not lead, Jan Payne “In a dementia friendly community people will be aware of and understand dementia,” they say, and “people with dementia will feel included and involved, and have choice and control over their day-to-day lives.”
The Alzheimer’s Society lists three key factors that contribute to people ‘living well’ in their community:
- Being able to find their way around locally, and be safe
- Continuing to have access the local facilities that they are used to and where they are known, such as banks, shops, cafes and post offices, and
- Maintaining their social networks so they feel they continue to belong.
Jan explained: “My focus is really to support Sarah’s work and grow a community that can help those living with dementia and memory loss.
“We’ll be listening closely to those affected by this, supporting businesses and groups of all ages, arranging activities around the village and forming a support group of people who’d like to get involved.
“We hope that it will become possible for everyone affected by dementia to feel cared for and welcome in our community. This project is about overseeing a change in perception and bringing about changes where needed.”
Taking action
The national Dementia Action Week runs from 17-22 May. To kick off Project Forget-me-not, Jan will be presenting a Dementia Friends Awareness session on Zoom, as offered by the Alzheimer’s Society. The first session will be on Tuesday 18 May at 7.30pm, and then repeated on Friday 21 May at 10.30am.
Jan has experience of helping to care for members of her own family living with dementia and her work has included leading singing groups for those with dementia and memory loss. She has also been trained by the Alzheimer’s Society to give these 45-minute presentations, which everyone can access from home and take part on a computer or phone. They are open to anyone over 18 and there’s no need to book in advance. Full details are available from the HI Friends website.
Then, on Saturday 22 May 2021, from 09.30am until midday, members of the public will be able to meet Sarah and Jan at a stall on The Green, where they can learn more about the project and share their views on the type of help and changes that would be most valuable.
Jan is keen that as many people as possible take part. She explained: “Dementia is an increasingly common condition that will affect many people in the village and it can have a profound impact on them, their family and their friends.
“Nationally 1 in 14 people over 65 live with dementia and by 2040 it could affect as many as 1.5 million people in the UK. What’s more, it is not just a disease of the elderly: increasingly more and more younger people are being given this diagnosis.
“But a diagnosis of dementia isn’t life-ending, and people can live well for many years if communities are supportive and understand what a huge difference their positive attitudes and behaviour can make to those living with the condition.
“I do hope that the village will embrace this opportunity to build on the amazing care and compassion they have shown to their neighbours during the pandemic, and create a lasting legacy that will be a shining example to other communities.”
Sarah is keen to hear from anyone affected by or caring for someone with dementia or memory loss, and Jan is starting her search for people willing to serve on the Support Group and make a start on achieving Dementia Friendly Community status for Histon & Impington.
To find out more, join the Dementia Friends Awareness session on Zoom:
Topic: Dementia Friends presentation webinar (on Zoom)
Time: May 18, 2021 19:30 London
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88271719510?pwd=RUtFcng2c3FBQzFRNE8yN2J6TzRqZz09
Meeting ID: 882 7171 9510
Passcode: ProjectFMNTopic: : Dementia Friends presentation webinar (on Zoom)
Time: May 21, 2021 10:30 London
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85021584199?pwd=YXpsR2pRZm9CcTRMSC9HcUFqOXZRdz09
Meeting ID: 850 2158 4199
Passcode: ProjectFMNFor more information, come and chat to Sarah and Jan on The Green on Saturday 22 May from 9.30am to midday, or email sarah@hifriends.org.uk or jan@hifriends.org.uk
Extension and porch at 20 St Audrey’s
Single storey rear extension and front porch at 20 St Audrey’s Close Histon CB24 9JX was validated on Wed 14 Apr 2021
Residents say yes to the Neighbourhood Plan
Nine out of ten residents in Histon & Impington have endorsed the Neighbourhood Plan drawn up by the Parish Council.
The Plan sets out a framework for future development of the village. By voting overwhelmingly at last week’s referendum to adopt it, the community has secured the formal assurance that South Cambridgeshire District Council planners will take local wishes into consideration when they decide on planning applications.
Over half of residents eligible to vote – households in the parish that are north of the A14 – did so. This was slightly higher than the turnout in Cottenham, which also voted to adopt its Neighbourhood Plan, but with a marginally smaller majority.
The Parish Council has said a “huge thank you” to everyone who voted to adopt the plan, which the Planning Committee can now refer to in their responses to proposals for complex large developments in the village, and it will help them engage constructively with developers.
A working document
Although the Neighbourhood Plan provides a solid baseline, it can still be revised and updated as the village’s needs and circumstances change, and the Parish Council intends to keep evolving the plan via future editions.
Already on the horizon are the Government’s plans for changing the regulation of the planning system, and this could lead to major changes in the Local Plan – the overarching framework that covers the whole of South Cambridgeshire until 2031.
The Parish Council has already started to put together a team to take forward new ideas and is keen for more people to join.
Chair of the Parish Council, Denis Payne, believes tackling environmental issues could be part of a first revision, looking more closely at sustainability, biodiversity, climate change adaptations.
“I think we should also be looking at other Neighbourhood Plans,” he said. “For example, Hailsham has just approved a plan that contains policies supporting a ‘10-minute town’ – where everywhere is accessible within a 10-minute walk or cycle ride. Our focus on 800m is close to that, but we may want to refine it and look at more walking and cycling improvements.”
Revising the Plan will involve the same process as developing the original one – listening to the community, producing a draft for consultation, reviewing the responses and checking that the agreed version matches with the Local Plan.
“It won’t be a quick process,” Denis explained, but hopefully it will be much quicker than this first one, which has been delayed by a year due to Covid.
The Parish Council would be delighted to hear from any resident interested in contributing to revising the Neighbourhood Plan. Email np@hisimp.net for more information.
Café Manager – Saint Andrew’s Café
Saint Andrew’s Café are looking for a Café Manager to be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Café, designing and planning seasonal menus to provide high-quality food at reasonable prices, as well as managing and developing the team of staff and volunteers. Closing date for applications 12.00 on Monday 24th May.
Maintenance Manager, Hospitality Service Manager – Holiday Inn
LGH who manage the Holiday Inn in Impington are looking for these new rolls.
Maintenance Manager to take responsibility for the management and performance of the department, ensuring it is run efficiently and in line with the hotel goals. As Maintenance Manager you will manage planned maintenance programs, reactive maintenance, defect repair and health & safety checks. A good understanding of building services is required, as is solid experience in a maintenance role at management level. Closing date 02/06/2021
Hospitality Service Manager with responsibility of overseeing all hotel operations. The role requires a hands-on approach, and you will be given the opportunity to work and apply your knowledge within all operational departments in the property. Closing date 29/05/2021
Housekeeper – Etheldred Care Home
Etheldred Care Home, in Histon are currently looking for 5 roles including this.
Housekeeper to be responsible for the overall cleanliness of the home, maintaining a hygienic, safe and pleasant environment for the people they care for, staff and visitors. Salary £10.07 per hour, 30 hours a week, from Monday to Sunday. The closing date for applications is Monday 7 June 2021.
