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.
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.
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.
Lisette Veit explains how the village’s Community Land Trust is giving hope to those for whom the price of renting a home in the village puts them out of reach.
The newly approved block of flats in the Histon conservation area that will overlook Tesco on School Hill has raised lots of questions for village residents. One question is about affordable housing: in this era of rocketing house prices and astronomical rents, what does ‘affordable’ really mean?
‘Affordable’ means unaffordable
It turns out that the government definition of ‘affordable’ is no such thing for the majority of people on a low income. To be classed as affordable, a private let can be for up to 80% of the market rate.
So if the average private property in the Histon & Impington area is let for £1,709 per month (according to home.co.uk) an ‘affordable’ rent would be £1,367 per month, or £16,406 per year. This is well above the actual affordable rate for people on a median salary quoted by South Cambs District Council’s ‘ladder of affordability’.
Limited solutions
So much for private rentals. What about housing let by the Council itself or Housing Associations? Even these can be beyond the reach of many working people, at between 60% to 80% of the private rental market.
Housing in an area where what people earn doesn’t match well with what they must pay in rent is often unaffordable for young people, key workers, separated families wishing to live close by to each other, elderly parents wishing to move closer to their children, or disabled people wishing for more independence, for example.
Another option in a new development might be shared ownership. This is where a buyer owns a share of a property, usually between 25% and 70%, and pays a mortgage on this share, as well as a low rent on the remaining share, which the Housing Association owns.
How can a Community Land Trust help?
Community Land Trusts are locally driven, not-for-profit organisations set up and run by ordinary people in the community to develop and own assets for the community. Most often this is affordable housing, which is bought for use by those with strong local connections.
These Trusts are wholly owned and run by their members, and all their assets are held in trust for the community, forever.
Members have a say in the kinds of designs to be use in any housing development, so instead of trying to make as much profit as possible, they invest in the community’s future. And unlike a property developer or a Housing Association, any money paid in rent to a CLT is reinvested back into their communities to create more of the homes or amenities they need.
Since then it has been working towards finding solutions for our residents and key workers by identifying potential local sites, understanding the best methods of planning and costing a local community resource, and collecting knowledge from the CLT network and other CLT’s experiences.
The next step is to hear the stories of anyone suffering from unaffordable housing in Histon and Impington and fully understand the problems facing those who wish to set up home in the villages.
In 2022 a Cambridgeshire Acre housing needs survey of residents found that people were most in need of one and two bedroom properties. But HICLT Trustee Annie Naughten, a social architect, says: “The real problem with housing needs surveys is that people don’t ask for enough. In fact, they often say they need a lot less than they actually do!”
So if you respond to our short survey here, you can help us gain the depth of understanding we need as we firm up more detailed proposals.
Your involvement matters
To move forward, the support of the community is vital.
Members are the people who can influence the direction of any developments from the beginning, and ensure that the needs of the community are represented. The more members, the more representative that influence will be, so please join us in making Histon and Impington a place to be even more proud of. Anyone with a connection to the villages can be a member – and the good news is, it only costs £1.
To share any story about the impact of unaffordable housing in Histon and Impington, please complete our short survey here.
To show your support for the work of the HICLT and become a member, contact us through our website atwww.hiclt.org
It’s not just farmers who need to be aware of Inheritance Tax rules, writes Selina Doggett. Other family businesses should take advice before changes come into effect in 2026.
There has been much coverage in the press about the potential loss of farmers’ Agricultural Property Relief following announcements made in the Autumn 2024 Budget. But there has been far less commentary on the impact on non-farming business due to similar restrictions to Business Property Relief (BPR).
Today’s rules
At the moment, BPR ensures the transfer of family businesses from one generation to the next without significant Inheritance Tax (IHT) liabilities. Currently it provides:
100% relief for assets such as unincorporated businesses, a share in a partnership, unquoted shares or shares listed on an alternative stock exchange (such as AIM);
or
50% relief for assets such as land/buildings or equipment used in a business but owned personally by the business owner.
These business assets have to have been owned for two years before the relief can be claimed, but if that’s the case, they can be retained until death without incurring a significant IHT liability.
An unwelcome surprise
However, from 6 April 2026, although there have been no changes to the qualifying conditions themselves, the amount of relief available has been capped. If you were planning on leaving business assets in your death estate, the new rules could trigger unexpected IHT liabilities.
From then onwards, the first £1 million of qualifying assets will be exempt from IHT, with business assets in excess of this sum only attracting 50% relief.
Also, listed shares treated as unquoted shares, including AIM listed shares, will only qualify for 50% BPR.
All of this could come as an unwelcome surprise to those who haven’t planned ahead.
Giving it away
One way of avoiding such a surprise could be to give your business away during your lifetime. It’s still possible to make such a gift between 30 October 2024 and 6 April 2026, and this will not be subject to the new £1 million limit. But transitional rules are in place, so your gift could still be affected.
If you die within 7 years of the date of the transfer, any resulting IHT liability will be calculated by reference to the new rules (i.e. only the first £1 million will be exempt), potentially triggering unexpected tax charges.
HMRC issued further guidance on 27 February 2025, saying that the £1 million allowance for individuals will be refreshed every seven years on a rolling basis, which may provide some relief.
They have also said that from April 2026, IHT on business property may be paid over ten annual instalments which will be interest-free, and so offer some measure of mitigation.
Trusts
Where trusts have been set up to hold business assets, these will in future receive a combined £1million allowance, though if multiple trusts were set up before 30 October 2024, these may have their own £1million allowance.
Trustees will need to consider the impact of these new rules in relation to 10-year anniversary charges and exit charges for capital distributions.
Planning ahead
Given the changes will not come into effect until April 2026, now is a sensible time for family businesses to consider whether it would be in their interests to transfer their assets before April 2026, in order to take advantage of the current, more generous relief available.
At the same time, it would be sensible to review current wills and other financial plans, to see how these are impacted by the changes made and the options available.
For further information and guidance contact Selina Doggett, who writes on behalf of HI HUB sponsor Streets Chartered Accountants, 3 Wellbrook Court, Girton t: 01223570000 e: selina.doggett@streets.uk
With the County Council and Mayoral elections just a few weeks away, HI HUB has invited those standing the opportunity to introduce themselves to our community.
Both have five candidates in the running, representing the Conservative, Green, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Reform UK parties.
Each confirmed candidate was invited to first introduce themselves to potential voters, and also to answer the following question pertaining to hyperlocal community journalism: If you were to be elected, what are your plans regarding supporting the growth and sustainability of independent and local news? Each was asked to do this in 300 words or less.
Here are their responses in alphabetical party order unedited and unabridged.
Mayoral Candidates
Conservative : Paul Bristow
I’m Paul Bristow. I live in Wansford, a village just outside Peterborough, where I was the local MP. My parents were NHS nurses and I grew up in Whittlesey, on the Fens. Villages like Histon and Impington represent the best of Cambridgeshire, as does this fantastic local news site.
I want to make the Mayor matter to you:
Dual our major A-Roads – Our major roads, like the A10, need to be dual carriageways. As Mayor, I will designate a Key Route Network, get the plans in place and ensure that funding is prioritised.
Connect with faster trains – I’ll ensure a much faster Peterborough-Ely-Cambridge service, using new rail powers for Mayors. The Ely Area Capacity Enhancement will remove the bottleneck on local lines.
Scrap the failing GCP – The Greater Cambridge Partnership is a disaster. It tried and failed to impose congestion charging. Now it wants to put bonkers busways through unspoilt countryside. I’ll get it scrapped.
Deliver the Fens reservoir – Water shortages are a huge issue for our region. Getting the new Fens reservoir built is essential, but political leadership has been lacking. It needs to happen now.
Build light rail in Cambridge – With Cambridge expanding and talk about 150,000 new homes, it’s time for a light rail solution. I will make light rail a precondition of the government’s growth plans.
End the war on motorists – Labour and the Lib Dems voted to force 15% of cars off all local roads by 2030. That requires road charging or closures. I want good alternatives, like light rail, but I will never punish drivers.
Stop increasing our tax – Labour’s Mayor put a charge on our council tax, then trebled it, then tried again. I will never increase the mayoral precept.
I think independent and local news is incredibly important – and when I’m Mayor, I’m going to do everything I can to support them. HI HUB does a great job keeping people informed of what’s relevant to Histon and Impington. That’s such a valuable thing for the local community. Everyone from the Mayor down should be engaging, so that projects of this kind can succeed.
Together, let’s get Cambridgeshire and Peterborough moving.
Business & Charity Background – Bob has lived in Cambridgeshire for 45 years, and is currently the programme lead for FutureIN, which gives disadvantaged young people employment opportunities in construction. He works for two other social enterprises. Having directed the Cambridge office of a national construction company for 15 years, he understands business, is passionate about sustainability, and the importance of developing the skills of the local workforce.
Tackling Inequality – Bob will focus on tackling the cost of living crisis. He wants to invest to end homelessness, fight for tenants rights and campaign for rent controls. He says more social housing is essential because affordable housing simply isn’t.
Transport – Bob wants to see more buses, running more frequently on more routes, with tap-on tickets that are capped. He says we must continue to invest in active travel, and maintain existing roads rather than build new ones. He doesn’t support the proposed new busways, saying there are better solutions, and would like the East West Rail to go north of Cambridge with a stop in St Neots.
Growth – The region is growing but it needs to be properly managed, prioritising the needs of the many over those of the few. He would focus on increasing support for small businesses and growing the green economy. He wants to see new housing developments using renewables – and including community facilities in them, and says that we must insulate our homes.
Environment – Bob says we cannot ignore the looming water crisis any longer and will take action to address it. He also wants to see more space for nature across the region.
Local and independent news is more important than ever before. In a fake news and misinformation news cycle, local independent news is vital in an ever changing world. We’ve seen the rise of the far right across the world in recent years, and we must learn how to tackle the spread of misinformation.
There are new ways for young people to get news, from the likes of Tik Tok and how this can radicalise young people.
By working with local independent news, we can work together to see a new dynamic of getting the right news to everyone.
My name’s Anna Smith and I’m Labour’s candidate for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mayor.
I am standing to be your Mayor because I believe I am the best placed candidate to deliver change for our region. I live in Cambridge and work in Peterborough. I know what matters to people who live here.
Since I became your candidate, I have been speaking to voters across the whole of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough – from Wittering to Whittlesford. And time and again I am hearing the same thing – people just want things to work.
That’s why my plan is based on our shared priorities – fixing our roads, building the infrastructure we need for our growing towns and making sure you can access NHS services when and where you need them. None of these things are unreasonable to expect. But after 14 years of Conservative government they feel unattainable. And that’s simply not good enough.
This election is for ALL of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, which includes both Labour and Conservative strongholds. Across the whole of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough only Labour or the Conservatives can win.
The choice on the 1st of May couldn’t be clearer: either return to Conservative chaos or a Labour Mayor with a proven track record of delivering for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. As your Labour Mayor I promise to work with all of our councils, regardless of their political make up. And as a Labour Mayor I promise to work with our Labour government to deliver the change that Cambridgeshire and Peterborough needs. And that includes supporting independent and local news organisations by continuing to engage and support them as well as looking at how we can support them through training opportunities for journalists of the future.
I’ve lived near Ely since 2009, and have been a district councillor in East Cambridgeshire since 2014 and a county councillor since 2016. I’m an experienced campaigner with a proven track record.
I’m standing to be Mayor because this is a pivotal election, in which we need to address the challenges facing Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and to seize the opportunities ahead of us. And I have a plan for real change. I’ll…
Work with local health and social care services and MPs to save our NHS and improve access to GP, dental and hospital care.
Join forces with local councils to lobby Government for the money we need to fix our rapidly dilapidating roads.
Proceed with bus franchising, but go much further, exploring opportunities to connect our county better including light rail and trams.
Protect our rivers and green spaces.
Prioritise genuinely affordable housing—not the Conservatives’ ‘£100K homes’ gimmicks.
Ensure young people can access the skills they need for the jobs of the future.
We really don’t need a return to the neglect of the Conservatives, or the failure of Labour. We need a Mayor who will stand up to the Government on behalf of local people and put the needs of our area first and foremost.
Community news outlets like HI HUB do great work in our communities, providing trusted local news in challenging circumstances where business models are changing fast. As Mayor I’d want to build positive relationships with local community journalism, including facilitating partnership with local colleges, and raising the profile of local news providers. Ultimately the sustainability of community journalism is about finding the right balance of income from advertising, subscription and sponsorship; and state support from Government including access to statutory public notices.
As you can probably appreciate I am constantly under attack from those who are ill-informed by one sided journalism, I am a free speech advocate, I welcome all independent and balanced news broadcasters, and this extends to the local community broadcasters as well, it is crucial for people to receive free opinions, free thinking journalism and local news. I am in full support of this.
About me: I am deeply connected to Cambridgeshire; I was born in Histon, studied at Impington Village College, Hills Road Sixth Form and Cambridge University, before working locally as a landscape designer. During the pandemic I volunteered as the coordinator for Cambridge Community Kitchen and was a team leader at Waterbeach Foodbank.
My team and I have spoken to over 1000 local residents in Histon, Impington and Orchard Park over the past six months to find the issues that matter most to our community. The main ones raised on the door step were; the need for safer streets, for more regular and direct buses and the desire for better facilities for young people. If elected, I would work hard to solve these problems. I would also push for housing developments to include high quality and sustainable social housing. I would advocate for the regeneration of our countryside to increase habitat creation. I will be a voice for young people in this ward who are bearing the brunt of the mental health crisis due to climate-anxiety and lack of amenity investment. I hope to put local people and our natural world back at the heart of our communal decision making.
Local media has been crushed by multi-billion pound media tycoons that saturate the market. A thriving local media is essential for a functioning democracy. Therefore, supporting local media is something that I would actively prioritise if elected. I want to de-mystify local politics by creating educational content that could be published locally and would continue to promote local news outlets to people on my social media platforms. Finally, I encourage anyone who wants to protect local media to join the Green Party in its call to restrict the ownership of print and press media so that no individual or company owns more than 20% of a media market.
As a Cambridgeshire County councillor, I’d be all about the community where I live.
Keeping the community together. Many young people move away because they can’t afford to rent or buy here. The Cambridge Growth Company (a subsidiary of Homes England) is ramping up its work. I will campaign for affordable homes. And I’ll campaign for better protections for renters. This is especially important to Orchard Park with its many Houses of Multiple Occupation.
A safe community to be in. I want to see better use of the Community Safety Partnership and more bobbies back on the beat. On the County Council I will take an interest in Youth Services, so there’s something for everyone to do. Independent local news has a valuable part to play here.
An easy place for the community to get around. I’m so pleased that bus franchising is happening. Meaning we take back control of our buses: routes, timetables and fares. I’ll run passenger surveys and work with the Labour mayor to deliver the services you need. I’ll push for safer bus stops with lighting, up-to-date information and somewhere to sit.
I’d be a good councillor because I offer:
Experience of service and speaking up for others. As a teacher, my life revolves around public service. I’m a workplace rep for my Trades Union.
Team spirit. I play for a local amateur Rugby Football Club. I know that we can achieve so much more when we all pull together.
A younger voice. There aren’t many councillors under the age of 30. We need that balance at the County so that all voices are heard.
My mantra is local, local, local! I will write a regular blog. If I can work with HI Hub to share and debate with a wide audience that’ll be great.
It is my pleasure to stand for re-election as County Councillor for Histon and Impington.
Before I was first elected, National Highways caused chaos with the A14 upgrade. My campaigning changed how they worked. After election I got 840,000 dead A14 trees replanted. I made a difference.
Fixing Roads. I have fought tirelessly for highways maintenance. Raised tables on Station and Cambridge Roads have been replaced, recurring flooding stopped (B1049, Holiday Inn, Bell Hill) and hundreds of potholes filled. Our roads have been underfunded for decades. We have a plan to change the system allowing quicker repairs, progress tracking and inspection.
NHS Services. Access to GPs and dentists is an ongoing problem, government demands housebuilding in Cambridgeshire then blocks NHS expansion. Working with our MP I am lobbying government to change their rules.
Our Thriving Green Community. Making a difference locally is why I became a councillor. I’ve got involved, listened and created opportunities. The Infant School site is now home to Cambridgeshire Music and a forest school for our youngest children. I have grown the repair movement, supported the pump track and planted trees.
Tensions were rising over the new 3G football pitch. I organised a meeting which allowed people to speak openly and is addressing longstanding concerns on New Road.
I’ve increased busway frequency and made such a compelling case for an interchange bus stop at Orchard Park that the stop is now agreed and will transform travel options. Busways are urgently needed by keyworkers in our new towns.
HI HUB holds politicians to account. Local government must support small independent journalism better. See blog (link below) for more.
I’ve showed up, listened and learnt how to be really effective. I take knocks, own problems and continue smiling. We achieve so much here, but there is so much more to do!
As Station Road salon Anya Lois Hair raises a glass to ten years of business here in Histon & Impington, Amanda Borrill catches up with young entrepreneur and founder Anya Lois Cooper and hears how, with a lot of support and determination, dreams really can come true.
“When you support a small business, you really are supporting a dream”, writes Anya as she announces on social media the plans to celebrate ten years of her very own hair salon – the self named Anya Lois Hair.
Anya Lois Hair celebrations. Anya (second in from left) and team.
Just 21 when the opportunity to open her own salon arrived, Anya has proved that age is no barrier to success and despite a few initial, and perfectly understandable, doubts around whether taking on such a challenge was the right thing to do, has made it through ten years. Thanks, she says, to the support of her amazing customers.
A passion for all things hair
For Anya, the salon is a dream she has held since she was a young girl. Inspirational mum, Shiralee Gristwood, is well known here in the community for her successful Milton-based tailoring business, Shiralee Alterations, and creative ambition, it seems, runs in the family.
Growing up and attending school here, it was a Year 10 opportunity to take up hairdressing as a subject at Impington Village College that drove this very early passion for all things hair. Work experience and an apprenticeship in that same work experience salon followed, and Anya’s future career path was beginning to take shape.
Aged just 19, she decided to take the plunge, leave her job and go it alone with her own mobile hairdressing business. Every moment of her spare time was spent delivering leaflets – raising awareness and slowly, but surely, building up her future clientele. She began to research potential rentals around Cambridge until, cycling down Station Road Histon one day early in 2015, spotted a sign in what had been Jane’s Frames advertising availability to rent. A chat with her parents ensued and the deal was done. The keys were handed over at the beginning of March and, with a lot of help from family and friends, doors opened for business at the end of that same month.
Ten years since that opening day, the salon has 4 staff working in Anya Lois Hair – all of whom, Anya smiles, share the same passion she does for hair. But, as for many businesses, the ride has not been without its bumps in the road and plans to expand back in 2019 were about to be thrown into disarray. “I was all set to employ more staff”, Anya recollects “and make the most of the extra space. But then, in March 2020, we were all put into lockdown because of the pandemic.”
Hair-raising days of lockdown
The struggle without our hairdressers was real! Few will forget the bad hair days of lockdown and our nation’s unruly tresses being shared across social media feeds. “It was a really strange, unknown time as I imagine many others would agree”, reflects Anya. “As a business owner, it was really odd being told ‘you can’t go to work’. Not knowing when the salon would be able to reopen was very stressful. Luckily, when we did finally reopen, we had the extra space taken on pre-pandemic enabling a safe space to accommodate essential social distancing measures.
“I will never forget the day we were given the green light to reopen. I had my work phone at home and, within minutes of the announcement, it was going crazy for days on end. Before this I was worried I wouldn’t have a job to come back to after seeing people giving hairdressing a go on friends and family in their homes during the lockdown. How wrong I was though! Our services were well and truly needed and our hairdressing skills appreciated more than ever.”
And, as seems to be a recurring pattern here in the village, once again it was the love of community that kept Anya afloat. “I will forever be grateful to those wonderful clients that called and messaged during this time just to check in and see how I was. I believe the people of Histon & Impington are a big part of the success of Anya Lois Hair through their support of local and small businesses.”
Clearly, there is much joy to be gained from being a business located in the heart of H&I. “I am very thankful to have my salon here”, Anya tells me, “it is a lovely community in which we have been lucky enough to build strong relationships with local residents; offering a relaxing atmosphere for clients to unwind and enjoy their salon experience.
“Being in the village”, she smiled “we often see a lot of returning customers but are always welcoming new customers too. It’s lovely to bump into familiar faces inside and outside of our working hours”.
It is plain to see this mover and shaker in the world of hair is truly a force to be reckoned with. Just 31 years old now, and with ten years of a successful business behind her, Anya has much to celebrate going forward.
Anya and Dan on their wedding day in October 2024. Photo Anya and Dan Cooper.
Six months ago, she married boyfriend Dan Cooper. They met on holiday in Tenerife and tied the knot on their ten year anniversary in October last year. But who is brave enough to do the wedding hair of the hairdresser, I asked? “My great friend and stylist who used to work for me called Molly did my hair”, reveals Anya. “She left me to go self-employed and specialises in extensions and bridal hair. I asked the girls who work with me now if anyone fancied doing my wedding hair for me and they all went quiet! I think it was a bit too much pressure”, she laughs.
Across the community, the love for Anya runs deep. I have heard so many good things whilst preparing for this feature and the comments on her Facebook post celebrating their ten year celebrations match these offering well wishes including – ‘congratulations to you, here’s to many more successful years’, ‘well done on an amazing achievement’ and, slightly more jokingly, ‘many thanks for the 9 years of sheep shearing you have given me!’
Congratulations and happy 10th birthday Anya Lois Hair!
At that most difficult of times in a family’s life, our community is fortunate to benefit from the experience and guidance of HI Friends’ End-of-Life Support Worker, Jo Franklin. Eddy Moore met with Histon resident Jo to find out more about this crucial and sensitive role.
Jo Franklin is a trained and experienced palliative care and end-of-life nurse who advocates for, and offers support to, those who wish to die in their own home. She is able to help people prepare by starting conversations around their wishes, identifying the types of support available and liaising with GPs, district nurses and other professionals.
This part-time role is funded by local wellbeing charity HI Friends which has diversified over the years from a sports and leisure focus into a charity concerned with all areas of health and wellbeing. Originally working as a volunteer, Jo saw a way her expertise could contribute to the local community having supported a neighbour, bed-bound for eight months during COVID, to die at home avoiding a distressing hospital admission.
Dignity in death
In previous generations, a death was an event which occurred in the community and more people died at home than in hospital. Afterwards, the body would be laid out and family and friends would visit before the funeral service. With advances in treatment, death has become more medicalised as people are living for longer often with a number of illnesses. Hospices can provide excellent care but only about 5% of deaths occur there. Care homes are also well set up for end-of-life care and provide a setting where a team of carers and nurses can support people at the end of their lives.
However, having witnessed traumatic deaths in hospital settings, Jo is keen that, as far as possible, death should be a peaceful rite of passage in a more humane setting. Approaches to her come from families and carers needing advice, friends in the community, referrals from local churches or from HI Friends itself.
Jo describes her role as, “like a Doula for death” – a Doula is a non-medical professional who provides guidance and support before, during and for a short period after the birth of a baby.
Photo: Gabriel Alva from Pixabay
Very often someone with a terminal diagnosis coming home from hospital will have family and carers who provide intimate care, visits from District Nurses, GPs and a host of people on the periphery who support in practical ways such as collecting prescriptions, doing shopping and cooking meals. Jo is able to coordinate support such as provision of a hospital bed when a bed in a different room is required, helping families and carers with the package of care, and sign-posting questions to ask the health professionals.
Jo explains that fundamental care across all areas is essential. She describes palliative care as “the icing on the cake – and icing can’t go on an unbaked cake”.
Stressing that end of life is unpredictable by its nature, lasting a year, months, weeks or days, Jo is keen for people to realise that, once a doctor has assessed someone as having reached that point, funding is available for continued healthcare.
A privileged position
For a community to have access to someone with Jo’s experience and skills is very unusual. She is incredibly knowledgeable and is able to help in many practical ways as well as providing calm, caring, emotional support helping families and carers to recognise the stages that mark the end of someone’s life. She says it has been a privilege to be present with some families and speaks very movingly of how the end of someone’s life can occur peacefully in their home environment. She likens the natural process of dying to that of giving birth.
Jo has another part-time job working for the NHS 111 service. In Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, anyone phoning 111 can choose Option 4, which will put you through to a 24hr-service with the Palliative Care Hub. Jo says she finds this role less rewarding as there isn’t an opportunity to build up a relationship with callers in the way she can within the Histon and Impington community, but she deeply values being part of that very supportive team.
Patience and understanding
After a death, Jo is not in a position to offer ongoing support but can signpost a range of services which can help those who have been bereaved. “Don’t be afraid to talk about death”, she says. “It is still a massive taboo which we need to break down and, even if you don’t know what to say, just being with someone and listening is so important.”
For those dealing with the impending death of someone close, Jo recommends reading ‘With the End in Mind’ by Dr Kathryn Mannix. “Everyone should read this book”, she implores “and her videos on YouTube are also incredibly helpful”, says Jo.
And, as Jo explains, “helping people and their families approach the end of life with the correct care package in place, a deeper understanding of the stages they will go through, and in a place they wish to be, can be a natural, spiritual and elemental experience”.
Jo Franklin can be contacted at HI Friends here. Email jo@hifriends.org.ukor phone her on 07752 016164.
The following organisations can also offer palliative and bereavement support:
Terri Lewis, of Histon Library talks to Lucy Callington about how to make the most of your library membership by visiting during its extended, unstaffed hours. All it takes is a 45-second induction, a membership card and pin number.
We are incredibly lucky to have a fully functioning, well-stocked and well-run library at the heart of our community – a place where all ages can mix and mingle, where we can find a new favourite author; or simply get online outside of the home. And we’re also fortunate to have Open+, a scheme that allows us twice the opportunities to visit the library.
Open+ has been a lifeline for many over the two years it has been up and running at Histon library, and according to Terri Lewis, Area Library Manager for South Cambs North, it is going “phenomenally well.”
The service, which allows library users to access the library building outside of staffed hours – at a time which may be more convenient for them – to borrow or return books, work using its WiFi or simply just hang out in bad weather.
Existing library users, as well as new members, need to register for the special Open+ access and then, using their library card and pin number, can use the pin pad on the pillar outside the main entrance to access the library.
Greater flexibility
Terri believes the success of the scheme is due in part to the fact that it offers such great flexibility. She says: “It’s a thriving system. Open+ offers a variety of hours and gives our members greater options. It meets the needs of families, those working from home and students alike”.
While these are additional opening hours – it should still be stressed that it is not a 24-hour service and you can only access the library in the specified hours. Wednesdays in the library are still earmarked for community events such as the popular writing group and school visits.
Comfortable, private work zones and free WiFi make for a really useful amenity on our doorstep.
Terri is also keen to share that the library really belongs to its members, commenting: “Unstaffed, the library becomes a shared community space and users come along with a shared agenda. It’s a safe, secure environment – covered by CCTV – and everyone using it so far has treated the facilities and other users with respect.”
Access all areas
When you register for Open+ you are given a short briefing on how the system works – this should take under a minute. And there are signs informing you how to log on to the WiFi. Each user should enter using their own library card. In the interests of health and safety and for the smooth running of the system, library staff would prefer it if multiple people didn’t all slip in using one membership card.
You are allowed to eat and drink sensibly in the library during these access times and there are also signs encouraging you to dispose of your litter carefully – and it’s worth bearing in mind that there is no access to the toilet during Open+ hours!
Terri tells me: “It’s very easy to join the service. It’s user friendly, doesn’t cost you anything and joining up helps keep the service ticking over nicely. We get enquiries all the time from people wanting to join up – and thankfully there is no limit on membership – so everybody is welcome.”
While she is obviously keen to sing the praises of Open+, Terri is also quick to stress that the service doesn’t pose any threat to staffed hours in the library, especially since, for some, the presence of staff is the main reason to pop in.
She comments: “Open+ is currently running for about 26 hours in Histon, which is about the same as staffed time. So it’s a good balance. Staffing hours are still important and our staffed late night is one of the busiest sessions at Histon. Having access to the library without staff certainly doesn’t replace the experience of interacting with staff. Lots of people come in specially for a chat with the librarians – especially the staff members who live in Histon and Impington!”
Open to all
The flexibility of the opening hours is great for users of all ages. Terri shares that it’s ideal for people living alone, as they can work from somewhere other than home occasionally – and she personally loves watching parents coming in with their children on Sunday afternoon sheltering from the rain. She says: “sometimes people come in just before school drop off or, after with a younger sibling. They share a story together – so it’s really worthwhile”.
Since there is no limit to how many people can join the scheme, Terri is looking to spread the word far and wide. Everybody really is welcome. So whether you’re elderly or adolescent – as long as you are over 16 – and you have a membership card to scan on entry, you can take advantage of your local library at your own convenience. And why not encourage your friends to do the same?
Vision Park coffee and sandwich bar, d:licious, is celebrating its 14th birthday. Amanda Borrill talks to owner Musa Nafi about their dream, the nightmare of COVID and how the support of a community has kept them strong.
It all began with a vision – a desire for a business that would fit comfortably around family life.
Rewind to March 2011 and founder of long-established Vision Park sandwich shop, Nadia’s, was preparing to retire. An opportunity to buy this popular and well frequented lunch stop, situated amidst an abundance of thriving businesses here in the heart of Histon & Impington, was too good to miss and, most importantly, its Monday to Friday opening hours fitted perfectly with husband and wife team Musa and Louise Nafi’s dream; a family focused business which would allow them to achieve a happy work-life balance as parents to three young daughters.
A weekend of redecorating, new menus and the introduction of customer seating followed – and brand new coffee & sandwich bar d:licious was launched to a hungry public.
Loyalty and friendship
Breakfast like a king. Photo d:licious.
I asked Musa what he enjoys the most about life as a business on the Vision Park. “The shop has been great for us”, he tells me. “We have always been fortunate to have an amazing team behind us, it has fit in well with our lifestyle and we have made some genuine friendships with customers over the years. Plus”, he smiles, “very many are repeat, loyal customers. We know them by name, know all about their families, and even where and when they are off on their holidays!
“We see familiar faces from nearby offices but we also see lots of lovely village locals who come and visit for a coffee and cake treat”.
Five years ago, however, things were considerably less rosy. The COVID pandemic and its enforced lockdowns left this family business teetering on the edge. Being a business located amidst a collection of, now mostly empty, office buildings could have ended its relatively short life there and then but, against all the odds, d:licious survived. So, how did they do it?
“COVID was tough”, says Musa. “Things were going so well up to that point, we were getting busier and busier, the team had been settled for about five years and then, boom, overnight everything fell off a cliff. That first lockdown in March 2020 saw us forced to close for three months. When we returned, the working landscape had changed beyond recognition”.
Thinking outside the lunch box
The business was forced to reconsider its entire existence. The menu was increased with things like pizza and waffles added, trials with food delivery partners like Just Eat and Deliveroo were experimented with and, once gatherings were allowed again, outdoor pizza nights were hosted. Their delightful outdoor area would, in fact, prove to be a huge asset as social distancing, along with government incentives such as ‘eat out to help out’, came and went over the months ahead.
Uncertain pandemic days for d:licious. Photo their own.
Reflecting on that time, Musa tells me, “the biggest help for us all was, without doubt, the support of the local community. Even though the cafe had been here on the Vision Park since 1991, there were still many villagers unaware of d:licious or where we were located. We worked hard to change that and, through village social media and leafleting, managed to stay afloat during a period that saw around 95% of our previous customer base taken away from us”. And there is no doubt that very many of us were immensely grateful for that opportunity to sit on their decking or collect a take-away coffee during our daily walks; a welcome reminder of a life we were all missing through those pandemic days.
Lunch in the sun on the terrace. Photo Musa Nafi.
The care of a community
So, how are things now for this family café “Things are better than they were,” says Musa, “but still nowhere near pre-pandemic levels. We dug in, diversified, realised we couldn’t get by with just Vision Park office trade and made a conscious effort to reach out to residents in the village. Fortunately they responded and helped see us through. Had we not had such support I’m not sure we would still be here”.
A lunch stop with a view. Photo d:licious.
And that local support has seen a real swing in the d:licious customer base. “Where office staff would have once made up 90-95% of our customer base”, explains Musa “it’s probably now more like a 50/50 split between Vision Park custom and locals who stop by and continue to support us. We are lucky to own a lovely outdoor area. The decking has just recently all been relaid with the addition of new and extra benches. it really is a great spot to relax, particularly in the kinder weather.”
With 14 years behind them, what delights lay ahead for d:licious? Can the community look forward to more sundowner events on the decking? “We’ll always run at least one pizza night during the summer. I’ll have to as everyone always keep asking when the next one is”, laughs Musa. “Weather permitting we will try and run a couple extra this year. It’s difficult to make too many plans. Post COVID my confidence around making concrete plans was knocked somewhat and now we prefer to make sure plans are flexible enough to adapt to situations as they arise”.
Triumph through adversity
The Feast – a panini league topper.
Besides mentioning the very warm welcome that always awaits a visit to this family-run café, a feature like this wouldn’t be complete without talking food! Personally, they had me at carrot cake, but I couldn’t resist asking Musa what sits atop the d:licious lunchtime league? “Our most popular panini”, says Musa, “has to be ‘The Feast’. This is one we introduced many years ago, before COVID, where we donated 10% of sales to the Histon Feast. Customers kept asking for it after it was discontinued so we’ve since made it a permanent fixture to our menu! It consists of chicken tikka, mixed in yoghurt and mint dressing with mozzarella, onions and jalapeños, toasted in a crisp panini.
“In terms of cakes, the carrot cake has always been a good seller”, he smiles, “but top sellers remain the oat & almond tart and millionaire’s shortbread”.
Xmas 2024. Musa (left) and a few of the d:licious team. Photo their own.
There is no question that 14 years of this family-run cafe here in Histon & Impington deserves commemorating and their resilience through adversity reflects the strength of the entire d:licious team. And, from Musa to the community of H&I he has this message: “A massive thank you from us all. Thank you for the last 14 years and, in particular, the last 5! You’ll never truly know how much your custom meant.
“And, to those of you who haven’t tried us out yet, please do. New faces are always welcome and we can’t wait to meet you”.
Find out more about d:licious by visiting their website.You can also follow all their latest news on Facebook.
Enthusiastic to do their bit for our local environment, last October village residents Jean and Roger Venables grasped the grabbers to lead our local litter pickers. Amanda Borrill finds out how it’s all been going.
Founded by Histon ‘super volunteer’, Cedric Foster, Histon & Impington Litter Pickers (HILP) have been ‘wombling free‘ across our community for around 15 years now. Things began small, with just a few helpers taking part on occasional weekends, but now it takes a huge spreadsheet to contain the 150+ long list of volunteers. These days the tidy-ups possess their own regular schedule; with streets assigned and the additional option for ‘tidy uppers’ to get out there with a grabber pretty much whenever works best for them!
In October last year, local couple and long-time members of HILP, Roger and Jean Venables, took over the coordination of this vital village service – telling HI HUB at the time “please forgive us if we do not meet Cedric’s high standards until we have been ‘through the loop’ at least a couple of times.”
Making the communications work
Six months down the litter picking road, I ask them have things gone better – or more rubbish than expected?
Litter picking kit.
“It’s been going well, mostly”, they tell me. “We are greatly enjoying meeting new HILP’ers. Can’t say we have enjoyed creating a new email list for (almost all) the volunteers, working out why multi-addressed emails sometimes selectively fail to deliver to Gmail-ers, and learning Facebook for the first time”, they laugh. “But there is satisfaction in making the communications work”.
Jean and Roger have lived here in H&I since 2017. Both of them retired civil engineers, they ran their own consultancy company for around 35 years. “Our focus”, they explain, “was almost entirely on civil engineering projects with an overall beneficial impact on society, on research to improve the quality, reliability or positive impact of civil engineering. Much of this work addressed the environment & sustainability agendas, minimising adverse impact and maximising the gains. Volunteering has been a major part of our lives professionally and in our local community”.
And, it would appear, volunteering continues to be a big part of their lives in retirement. The co-ordination of HILP is no small task and I’m curious to know more about their future plans for the group. “We are working towards all roads, paths and green spaces having a least one picker”, they respond. “Many already have more than one. The next step will be to secure multiple pickers for more of the most-affected streets and to ask them to work in rotation to ‘keep on top’ of the problem as best they can. We would also like to make ‘Big Tidy Up’ events into more than mega-litterpicks and include major clear-ups of selected areas – for example accumulated leaves and twigs”.
A true community affair
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme pupils in May 2023. Left-right: Sam, Henry, Zedie and Sammy.
One thing seems certain – HILP continues to go from strength to strength. The group regularly gets approached by local businesses and schools; with students from Impington Village College (IVC) joining the crew a couple of years ago as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award and frequent collaborations with the Keep Britain Tidy Spring Clean campaigns. In true community spirit, the HILP kit is also loaned out after the annual village fireworks event – making the onerous clean up of the IVC field faster and considerably easier.
Jean and Roger are clearly delighted to be leading HILP and when asked what they enjoy most about being involved in a community initiative like this one, without hesitation, they respond: “having a beneficial impact on the community’s environment”. And, I am in absolutely no doubt that Great Uncle Bulgaria and his fellow forward-thinking, environment loving, inhabitants of 1970’s Wimbledon Common would be 100% in agreement!
The next HILP village litter pick is on Saturday 7 June. Full contact details for HILP can be found here in the HI HUB Directory. Email Jean and Roger on rogerandjean@rjvenables.uk.
Despite dwindling numbers, hedgehogs here in Histon & Impington are still in with a fighting chance. Alison Turnbull shares an update on how the community is helping to turn around the plight of these plucky nocturnal visitors.
In rural areas, nationally, hedgehog populations have reduced by up to 75% – with the largest decline being seen in the eastern half of England. However, in urban areas there are stable populations which show signs of increasingaand Histon and Impington may just be one of them. This is where we can all help by protecting gardens and green spaces and taking action at a local level to support our village hedgehogs.
In 2020, hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) were included in the IUCN Red List of species noted as ‘vulnerable to extinction in the United Kingdom’, due to their overall declining populations. Sadly, of course hedgehog road fatalities are highest in and around towns. But while the future seems bleak, the situation is not impossible to rectify.
How can you help?
There are things that we all can do to help support our local hedgehog populations. We talked to Sue Free, one of our community’s local ‘Hedgehog Champions’ – leading on an offshoot of the work of H&I Sustainability. For several years now, the group has encouraged people to report hedgehog sightings which, in turn, contribute to a map showing where they have been seen, and where the gateways are which allow the hogs to roam. This then helps the group to work out which areas need to be added to the ‘hedgehog highway’.
Sue explains: “The hedgehog mapping project has been very successful so far but we still need more people to participate. We’d like to produce a new map each year to give some guidance on changing numbers. It’s really important that we make sure our gardens are connected with gaps in hedges or fences so that hedgehogs can forage widely and be connected to habitats and other populations. Ideally, ultimately, we hope to have all the streets linked in one big hedgehog highway”.
She continues, “Lots of people have already provided a hedgehog gateway into (and out of) their garden by having a small circular hole cut in their fence. We have a special hole saw available and there are volunteers who will help cut the holes.”
Pete Gilheany uses the special round hole saw to extend the hedgehog superhighway for Lara Kingsman
Sue explains that the list of sightings, “shows the range of the hedgehogs and helps us to spot features in the environment which might prevent them roaming more widely”.
How many hedgehogs are there in H&I?
Estimating numbers of hedgehogs locally has not been easy; they are widespread but scarce, and may forage some distance during the course of a night. Consequently, a number of hedgehog sightings within a mile on a particular night, could be the same hedgehog! They are opportunistic eaters and will feast on carrion and fallen fruit, as well as earthworms and invertebrates. They will also eat meat-based cat and dog food, purchased hedgehog food and cat biscuits.
In 2024, the HI Hedgehog Heroes collected sightings across 46 streets from 81 separate households. The Hedgehog Highway website has recordings of 92 holes found in this area.
Generally they prefer gardens and hedgerows and tend to follow linear features in the landscape which give shelter. The biggest pressure on hedgehog numbers is the impoverished environment, such as the intensification of agriculture and use of pesticides which has unfortunately reduced numbers of invertebrates in our green spaces.
As hedgehogs are emerging from hibernation, it’s the perfect time to check gardens and outdoor spaces, leaf piles and shrubs. Don’t clear up too much in case they are disturbed, and if you have a pond, ensure there is a gentle slope or a log or other feature to allow a stranded hedgehog to climb out.
Hedgehog Champions will be at the HIGS members’ afternoon and AGM at 2pm on Saturday 22 March at the Saint Andrew’s Centre. Why not come along to log your latest sighting and add your garden to the Hedgehog Superhighway!
If you want to help make Histon and Impington one of the most hedgehog friendly villages and have a fully connected hedgehog highway ready for them to emerge from their winter hibernation, get involved today. Email hihedgehogs@gmail.com for more information and how you can help.
