SUPPORT
CHARLIE, JOSH & SIMON
6
June 2010
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In
March this year we (Charlie Nicholls, Josh Rollett and Simon
Havers) were selected as part of a 36 strong contingent of
scouts, including Sea Scouts and Air Cadets to represent
Berkshire at next years Scout Jamboree.
You
might well ask, what is a Jamboree? The World Scout Jamboree
happens every 4 years in a different country of the world, and
is a worldwide gathering of Scouts from nearly 200 countries,
more countries than the Olympics! The participants will live in
tents on sub-camps with Units from all over the world, and for 2
weeks, they will take part in a wide variety of activities with
Scouts from other countries and cultures.
The
aim of the Jamboree is to create an amazing first-hand
experience of multiculturalism in action, to provide an
opportunity to interact and participate with others from
different cultures and to build solidarity and understanding
across cultural and geographical boundaries.
We
have been lucky enough to be selected to join 32,000 young
people and adults at the World Scout Jamboree in Rinkaby,
southern
Sweden
from 27th July to 7th August 2011. We were selected from over
130 applicants from all eleven Districts within Royal Berkshire
on a freezing selection camp in Old Windsor. Cookham was the
only troop to get 3 scouts through the selection process!! To
gain one of the 36 places we had to prove ourselves through a
series of challenges, tasks and activities.
The
2011 Jamboree has 4 key aims
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To
be close to nature, in fact we will live in the middle of
nature for 2 weeks, in an immense field surrounded by trees
and woodlands. The Jamboree Programme will use the natural
environment as a learning tool, demonstrating both its
vulnerability and what individuals can do to better protect
the world we live in.
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To
encourage meetings between those from different cultures,
religions, countries and contingents. Participants will get
to know those who live outside of their own local community
and find that strangers can become friends
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To
encourage solidarity between Scouts of all ages, and promote
the unity between Scout Organisations from around the world.
It will also help us see that we share a common
responsibility to our world and to each other.
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To
promote respect for other people, emphasizing equal rights
and peace and at the Jamboree itself, all are equal,
independent of any personal characteristics or background.
In
addition to attending the Jamboree we will also spend 2-3 nights
in Copenhagen and 2-3 nights living with families in
another country (as we write Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia,
Poland and Finland are being discussed).
Part
of the experience is that we are required to Fundraise the cost
of attending which is approximately £2,100 per person. We are
planning a range of activities including a quiz night, sponsored
swim and a number of stalls at summer fetes. Our next Fund
Raising Event is a Car Wash Event at Cookham Station on Saturday
12th June from 9am-1pm - please come and let us wash your
car for you !
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COOKHAM
TO BECOME PART OF BUCKS
3
June 2010
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24
May 2010 – Cookham’s newest art gallery is taking Cookham
across the river for its latest show.
The Gallery at Elizabeth House is taking part in the annual
Bucks Open Studios programme, which runs for two weeks this month.
Six local artists are combining forces to create a bumper
exhibition and the gallery will be open for extended periods while
it takes place. The
Open Studios programme has been running for many years and
encourages people to visit local artists and see the wealth of
talent and creativity in the region.
The Elizabeth House gallery will be open for the event on
weekdays and Sundays between 6th June and 2nd July – and
throughout the weekends of 12/13, 19/20 and 26/27 June.
You can see some of the work on the gallery’s new web
site – www.thegalleryatelizabethhouse.org.uk
Local
artist Juliette Palmer and photographer husband Dennis have opened
their house, Melmott Lodge in Cookham’s Pound, for the event for
several years and will be adding to the artfest this time.
Mike Copland, for the gallery, said that they hoped that
the attraction of two art shows very close to each other, as well
as the renowned Stanley Spencer Gallery, would bring additional
people into the village and enhance Cookham’s reputation as a
great place to see great art.
The artists combining their talents are
Alison Adcock, Gail Dorrington, Eunice Goodman, Gill Harper, Mandy
McAllen and Pat Shenstone, offering a wide variety of styles and
media.
All works on show will be for sale, with a percentage going
to Elizabeth House, the club for Cookham’s older residents.
The Open Studios exhibition at the Gallery
at Elizabeth House is open each weekday between 9.30 and 11.30 am
and on Sundays from 10 am – 4 pm as well as between 10am and 4pm
on Saturdays 12th, 19th and 26th June.
Refreshments are also available for visitors.
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KATE
SWAN DIES
26
May 2010
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 It
was with great sadness that Cookham.com heard of the death of Kate
Swan on Friday 21st May. Kate was born in Cookham Village in 1911
where her father ran the bakery, now Second's Out. Kate lived in
Cookham for most of her life with a gap when she got married and
only moved into sheltered accommodation in Bourne End around eight
years ago. Even then she would come back at every possible
opportunity and continued to be a member of the Cookham Society
and the Cookham Dean WI. She appeared on Cookham Summer FM
in 2006 and had the most remarkable memory for names and could
remember all the things that had happened in Cookham over the
years. She was involved in the book written by Chrissy Rosenthal
and Ann Danks, Cookham Voices.
Kate will be very sorely missed
by many people in Cookham, as she was so well known by so many
people. Her funeral will be held at Amersham Crematorium on Friday
4th June at 2.30pm and followed by everyone meeting at the Cookham
Dean WI Hall. Family flowers only. Donations to the RNIB.
Click
here for article in Bucks Free Press.
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ATTENTION
ALL DOG LOVERS!
20
May 2010
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 Our
Cookham community dog rescue urgently needs short-term
fosterers and volunteer dog walkers & transporters.
Can
you help ?
Gray
Matter rescues and rehomes older dogs within the Cookhams and
Bourne End and has successfully placed hundreds of dogs with
loving new owners.
To
enable it to continue its good work, Gray Matter is urgently
looking to expand its network of volunteers.
You
can lend a hand by :
*
Fostering a Gray Matter dog
- usually for short
periods of a week to a month
*
Walking a Gray Matter dog
- helping them to enjoy
getting out and about
*
Transporting a Gray Matter
dog - picking up or
delivering rescue dogs on trips to the vet or delivering
them to their foster
home
If
you are able to assist, even for a limited period of time, please
contact Gray Matter on 01628 524610
or
email
graydogs@btinternet.com
Gray
Matter website : www.gray-matter.org.uk
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SHOWCASE
COMES TO COOKHAM
3
May 2010
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The
increasingly popular King’s Arms public house in Cookham village
is set to stage regular entertainment events for guests.
The Showcase at
the King’s Arms, on Wednesday May 5th is the second in a series
of slightly more formal/dining evenings. The first,
on March 31st, was a vibrant sell-out.
Tickets are £18
in advance or £20 on the door and include food.
Part
of the aim of Showcase is to nurture fine local talent.
Wednesday’s event will feature Derry Pope and Louise
Herrington. Both live in the county and have recently performed at
Norden Farm Centre for the Arts with local impresario James
Church.
The
newly formed Buffo Swing Trio provides its own brand of
sophisticated swing and backing for the performers, again
featuring local musicians and lead by James.
Showcase
Nights will be a regular feature and further events are scheduled
for June 2nd, 30th and an Opera Gala Night
on July 28th.
For
more information, please call 07717 026333 or email
baritone@live.co.uk
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COOKHAM
DEAN VILLAGE SHOP UPDATE
23
April 2010
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Since
our meeting on 3rd March the Village Shop Committee has
spent a great deal of time assessing the practicalities of
locating the shop in the grounds of The Jolly Farmer pub. In doing
so we’ve received considerable support from Laura Kelsey, Mandy
& Harry Brar and The Jolly Farmer Board, all of who have been
very keen to help us develop a workable plan for the construction
of suitable premises and the operation of the shop. However, as
the process has progressed it’s become clear to us that it’s
really not feasible to run a separately owned, fully functioning
shop on the same site as the pub without causing genuine
difficulties for both businesses in operating comfortably and
profitably together.
Unfortunately,
Laura does not currently have the resources to run the shop as
part of her existing business and, at present, no other location
in the village is available on such generous terms as offered by
Laura – i.e. a peppercorn rent – which, as previously
reported, is a key requirement for its success. As result, we’ve
decided to call a halt to the current project and to return all of
the donations made by villagers to support it.
Other
opportunities for establishing a village shop may well arise and
if they do, or if anyone is motivated to look at a similar
venture, please get in touch as we’ll be happy to share the
results of our research and to assist in developing the idea. In
the meantime, we urge you to maximise your support for the Post
Office in The Jolly Farmer – its success is important for the
village and, if it is a success, it’s quite possible that Laura
and The Jolly Farmer Board could extend its activities to provide
some of the additional services that a large number of villagers
would clearly like to access locally.
Thank
you very much for the magnificent support we’ve received over
the past 12 months. Cookham Dean is an unusually strong community
and your help in assisting us in our work has been very gratefully
received.
From
the CD Village Shop Committee:
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A
HOST OF GOLDEN DANDELIONS
20
April 2010
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With thanks to
Richard James - click on photo for larger image
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STAIRWAY
TO HEAVEN
17
April 2010
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A Cookham.com
reader sent us this photo of a demolition in High Road, they said
"It looks to me like a Stanley Spencer stairway to
Heaven!"
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COOKHAM
MONTESSORI IS OUTSTANDING
11
April 2010
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 Cookham
Montessori School were delighted to be graded as an OUTSTANDING
nursery for their recent Ofsted inspection. Some of the highlights
of the report are:
·
Staff devote
significant dedication to their roles. As a result staff promote
children’s learning and welfare to a very high standard.
·
Staff provide an
extremely warm and welcoming atmosphere. They know children
exceptionally well as individuals. Children have excellent
relationships with staff. Excellent settling in procedures support
new children very well
·
Children thrive in
the rich, child-centered environment.
·
Parents are
extremely well informed and their nursery actively seeks
parents’ involvement and views
The nursery provides a very
flexible variety of sessions for children aged 2-5 years. The
maximum length of time a child can stay in a day is from 8.30am to
3pm and the minimum is 2½ hours. Parents can build up each
individual day differently to suit their family and child’s
individual needs.
Currently all our 3, 4 and 5
year old children (and some 2 year old children) can access our 2½
hour daily sessions completely FREE. From September 2010 this will
be extended to include our 3 hour sessions.
The nursery has an open-door
policy and is very happy to show their nursery to anyone who is
interested.
www.cookhammontessori.com
Ph:01628
529414/01494 442057
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CHARLES
AND DAVID ON RADIO BERKSHIRE
9
April 2010
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David Joynes and Charles Luxford
were on BBC Radio Berkshire on Wednesday 7 April, promoting the
restoration project at Holy Trinity and, in particular, the
Popular Classics in Concert at Holy Trinity on 17th April 2010 in
aid of the restoration of the church. David Joynes said "Well,
we had a reasonable spot on Radio Berkshire – the Anne Diamond
show. Phil Gale was very positive and kept the show moving
asking questions about Holy Trinity and Cookham."
If
you want to hear them, you can play it by going on the link below.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0074pk3/Anne_Diamond_07_04_2010/
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PROBLEM
FOR GRAVITY GRAND PRIX
1
April 2010
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 Google’s
spy-in-the-sky satellite is threatening to force a change of date
for the annual Cookham Dean Gravity Grand Prix.
The
organisers of the annual charity event are locked in negotiations
with Google Earth over the search engine’s claims that
spectators lining the streets of the village for this year’s
event on September 12th will spoil its satellite pictures.
Now in its fourth year, the Gravity Grand Prix has become an
established village event, with more than a thousand spectators
expected to cheer on 30 teams racing hand-built karts.
Google Earth wants a change of date to accommodate its planned
High Definition upgrade of Cookham Dean. The Google Earth
satellite passes overhead only once a year and this year’s
“pass” is on September 12th at 3:12pm, smack in the
middle of the Gravity Grand Prix.
The news has thrown plans for the event into disarray, said race
organiser Peter Bartlett. “I received an email from the Director
of Imagery and Data Capture Europe who explained that they want to
obtain a typical likeness of Cookham Dean - without the crowds.
“I
can see their point to a certain extent; it’s far easier to
change the date of the event than it is to change the path of the
satellite.
But
that is as far as it goes. We raised more that £10,000 for the
Air Ambulance last year and I don’t think that we should
reschedule the event purely to allow some nosey people to get a
better look in other people’s back gardens.”
Following an emergency meeting of the Gravity Grand Prix planning
committee, Bartlett has gone back to Google with a
counter-proposal.
“We will simply ask everyone to go indoors for 15 minutes
starting at 3pm. The satellite will be passing overhead shortly
after 3:12pm.
“We’ve
done the math. If each resident on the course takes in about 20
spectators - maybe a few more for the larger properties - that’s
the problem solved. This break in proceedings will have the added
advantage of giving the spectators the opportunity to use the
toilet - taking pressure off the facilities at the village
hall.”
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"THE
MEDIA FRENZY"
23
March 2010
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Timmy
Mallett's metre size painting - The Media Frenzy! - is
causing a storm in Cookham.
What have a
police cordon, TV crews and health and safety stewards got to do
with a public execution?
Is this an
advert for Britain's got Talent? love of celebrity, being on the
telly, or something else?
You can see for
yourself - it's on public display along the Lower Road by
St Elizabeth's until April 11th
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PHYLLIDA
CAPTURES THE SCENE
20
March 2010
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During the Secondary
School Fiasco meeting at Moor Hall on 16th March, Phyllida Shelley
Smith our resident war artist(!) stood at the back drawing the
scene. Click on the image to get a larger version. Phyllida really
has caught the feeling of the meeting.
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SHAKESPEARE
2011
16
March 2010
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 Local
actor and playwright, Richard James, is to spearhead a new event
for next year's Cookham Festival; a full-scale production of
Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' at the Odney Club. 'The
idea', says Richard, 'is to attract people who wouldn't normally
go anywhere near Shakespeare with a barge pole, let alone even
think about stepping on stage. It's my aim to show people that
there's really nothing mystical about Shakespeare and that his
plays are for everyone!'
An initial meeting will be held in November for all those who are
interested (either on stage or behind the scenes), with rehearsals
beginning in January 2011 and performances in May. 'I know it's
early days', says Richard, 'but we will canvassing for people all
this year, from all sections of the village, to make this a true
community event'.
You can follow the project at Richard's blog: http://cookhamdream.blogspot.com/
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GOODBYE
JANET
12
March 2010
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 Janet
Wheeler, who has been the Clerk for Cookham Parish Council for
nearly eight years having taken over from David Armstrong in 2002,
is leaving her post as clerk as she has been offered a job as Town
Clerk in Amersham. Janet said 'This job will have a lot more
responsibility and should be a real challenge'. Janet has more
recently been Clerk to Hurley Parish Council too, so both councils
are having to find a new clerk. On Friday 12th March, Mike Barnes,
vice chairman of the council, presented Janet with a goodbye
present to remember Cookham by. Janet will be a hard person to
replace.
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HAPPY
BIRTHDAY PATRICK
8
March 2010
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 The
Mattins Choir sang a special anthem during this Sunday's morning
service at
St John
the Baptist Church Cookham Dean. Patrick Bell’s wife Sonya
commissioned Malcolm Archer to write an anthem to give to Patrick
for his 85th birthday last year. The words are by Henry
Vaughan (1622-95) My Soul there is Country. The composer
has written at the top of the anthem: “For Patrick’s 85th
birthday and for his most loyal “Mattins Choir”. There was a
very good turn out at the service to hear the anthem which was
beautifully sung by the choir.
The
photograph shows the choir with Patrick Bell.
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WORDS
APART THEATRE COMES TO COOKHAM
22
February 2010
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click
on photos for larger image
Following
their opening night in  Huntingdon,
Cambridgeshire, 'Words Apart Theatre Company' bring their
inaugural production to the Pinder Hall in Cookham, on Friday
March 19th. Local actor, Richard James (familiar to some from his
tv and film work, and to others for his roles with the Tarrystone
Players), has teamed up with friend and fellow actor, Dean
Laccohee, to present two one-act plays.
'I Am Hamlet' concerns an actor auditioning for a role in a
local  production
of Hamlet, who turns out to have more in common with the Prince of
Denmark than meets the eye. The second play, 'Vision Impaired',
lets the audience see inside the most terrifying creatures ever
created for televison, as we eavesdrop on two actors waiting to
make their entrance as Daleks in 'Doctor Who'...
Tickets are £8 and are available from the Stationery Depot,
Station Parade, Cookham or via Richard James on (01628) 532880.
You can find out more at www.wordsaparttheatre.co.uk
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CURLY
CARVER (NT WARDEN) RETIRES
20
February 2010
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As
you may have heard our NT Warden Mr Curly Carver is to retire this
August after nearly 30 years of service to the Maidenhead and
Cookham Commons.
Curly’s
official job has been to maintain and monitor 735 acres of
woodland and commons. He has also above and beyond his official
duties got to know his community. He fights for our land….for
your view, verge, hedgerow, pathway, for the wild animals and
birds, for horse riders, ramblers, runners and dog walkers.
He
knows who are the lonely and vulnerable, the bullies and abusers.
He is shouted at by rude visitors (and sometimes villagers!) when
he protects our patch – he is abused when commoners’ cows
chase the unwary, when litter strews the car parks, and when his
employers levy charges to the locals.
But….
he is deeply appreciated by all those who love the area when he
builds bonfires for the children,
supports the Fete and the Gravity Grand prix, when he drags
bails of hay onto the Common for the Boxing Day games,
plants new trees, when he develops the derelict brick kilns
into a wonderful amenity, cuts the verges, picks up litter, moves
fallen trees, supplies logs, advises on tricky road building
problems, clears out unwelcome visitors from car parks, or chases
off unwelcome
travellers.
It’s
now time for us to show our appreciation of the hard years he and
Rita have invested in us. A
gift fund has been set up and you can donate in the following
ways:
Visit:
Nationwide
Building Society
3
Station Hill
Cookham
Rise,
SL6 9BT
Sort
code: 07-00-93
Bank
account no: 33333334
Account
no: 1246/704074417
Write:
‘The
Maidenhead and Cookham Commons Advisory Committee’
Pippins
Popes
Lane
Cookham
Dean
SL6
9NY
Cheques
please made out to: ‘The Maidenhead and Cookham Commons Advisory
Committee’
Bank
transfer: (Nationwide as above)
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FIND
YOUR VOICE
2
February 2010
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Maidenhead
Choral Society are hosting 6 sessions of Find Your Voice from
Thursday 11 February to Thursday 18 March led by Christian
Goursaud a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court
Palace.
The
cost of the 6 sessions with be £36 and will be held in the
Wesley Hall, Methodist Church, High St, Maidenhead from 8-10
pm.
For
further information and to sign up contact
Jenny
01628 822886, Trisha 01628 416980, Anne 01189342109
Information
below gives a taste of what will be covered.
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Breathing/Posture,
Primal sounds, Scales/arpeggios, Notation/Monophony
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Singing
in Parts: Simple two and three part music Singing in
Parts: Simple four-part music
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Applied
choral skills I: Musical awareness/Listening II:
Balance/Phrasing III: Tricks of the Trade
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Case
Studies: Renaissance Baroque, Romantic/Twentieth
Century
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