Millennium News - Issue 1The following articles and news items appeared in issue 1 of the newsletter - December 1998 - 400 days to go! A WELCOME FROM THE CHAIRMAN Welcome to the first issue of the Histon & Impington Millennium Newsletter - Community 2000. It is our way of consulting with the community about the ways in which villagers wish to celebrate and commemorate the year 2000. On Tuesday evening of 5 May this year, a public meeting of local village people took place, to discuss ideas on how to celebrate the year 2000. It was suggested to hold celebrations throughout the year with a host of events that are to be publicised in a quarterly Millennium Calendar. The first draft of the proposed Calendar can be seen in the centre pages of this newsletter. It should be seen as a discussion document with only a few firm dates in place as yet. Some examples of ideas that were put forward that evening can also be found in this newsletter. That same evening volunteers came forward to serve on a committee with the remit to co-ordinate the Millennium Calendar. With this focus in mind, the first step of the committee was to obtain a little funding. Each of the Parish Councils donated £100 towards our efforts. This has enabled us to set about asking local businesses and societies for some assistance now, and for ideas for events during the year 2000. We have also launched a Millennium Logo Competition for local schoolchildren, with the task of designing a logo that can be used in several ways in connection with the year 2000 celebrations (see p. 8). The Calendar is a community calendar. It will only work with the help of suggestions, financial and practical contributions and the efforts of the whole of the community in Histon and Impington. We therefore invite all of you to think of ways to celebrate the year 2000. Gather a group of people together to help you put your ideas into practice and, once you have done that, consider a date. At this point we would ask you to consult the Millennium Calendar Master Planner, which is held by the Committee, and that you let the Committee have a brief outline of your plans. This will answer the concerns about possible clashes of events that were voiced at the meeting in May. Inclusion in the Newsletter should also contribute to the success of your undertaking. We hope that your response will result in a varied series of events, so that the views and tastes of the whole community will be catered for. As a Committee we will start things off by seeing out the old and greeting the new Millennium and by organising the New Year's Day celebrations and the final 24 hours of the year 2000 in co-operation with the Parish Councils, the Churches and any individuals or groups who wish to be involved. We also aim to organise an event in the middle of the year. We have included a form with this newsletter for you to complete if you wish to be included in the Community 2000 project. Even if you do not wish to organise an event, I hope you will be able to participate in these once in a millennium celebrations. With best wishes Anne L. Ryan
A BRIEF LOOK BACK by Michael Bentick As we approach the Millennium I wonder how many of us who have lived in our two villages all our lives will talk with friends and family about the changes we have seen take place in our lifetime. Our older citizens - those born in the early part of this century - will remember the Windmill in Impington in full working order, and the grand Impington Hall, family home of the famous Samuel Pepys. Impington Hall was demolished in the 1930s to make room for Impington Village College, where many of us received, and still are receiving, our education, and which has become a focal point for the community. The initial building was designed by Walter Gropius, one of the most influential architects of the period before World War II. We owe this and many other developments in the two villages to the generosity of the Chivers family, who were the main employers in the area for many years. Alas, today the old Chivers Factory and the once thriving Railway Station are just part of an ever increasing collection of fond memories. Can you recall the changes that have taken place in Histon High Street? There was Smith's Shoe Shop, Jim Dyes, the hairdresser, Mr Marshall's Grocery and Sweet Shop, Macs Garage, little Mrs. Smith's Paper Shop (on the site of what is now The Boot car park), and Bill Hibbit's shop. Big changes have taken place in other parts of the villages too. Did you visit Unwin's Seeds wonderful show garden on the corner of Cottenham Road and Glebe Way (now part of the Greenleas Estate)? Were you one of those who played in the woods and fields that are now covered by the St Audrey's Close Estate or in the wonderful meadow that backed onto Mr Pegg's Coal Yard in Clay Street? Everything changes with time, and we must hope that the changes are for the better. With the coming of the new Millennium let us all make sure that life in Histon and Impington - as everywhere - will provide the younger generations with memories they can cherish.
THE CHURCHES AND THE MILLENNIUM Histon & Impington Council of Churches are encouraged by the numerous events being planned by the Millennium Committee, and look forward to celebrating this momentous event as a community. The task of the Churches is to forge a link between the year 2000, the name of Jesus Christ, and the possibility of personal meaning and public hope. For once the Churches can say that this is our party. For what does the Millennium mean other than the TWO THOUSANDTH ANNIVERSARY of the birth of JESUS OF NAZARETH? Whilst we are aware that the year 2000 is inevitably going to bring great swathes of celebrations, events and new building projects, it must be more than that. For this is a time to remember where we came from. For Christians it is a major anniversary that enables us to re-tell the story of Jesus of Nazareth and to consider the impact he had on our lives and on our communities. It will inevitably be a time of reflection for many individuals, but also a period of advancement and excitement as we embark on a new beginning. The Committee of the Council of Churches is meeting in December to outline a more detailed programme of events. Further details will be published in future Newsletters and we look forward to your valued support. Millennium News 2000 is published periodically and is on display in our local Churches. Margaret Edwards
TO ALL PROSPECTIVE AUTHORS AND ARTISTS IN HISTON AND IMPINGTON The Millennium Newsletter will appear every three months until the year 2000. The Editors are inviting contributions from writers, poets and artists for the next issues. The subject of the works should be connected with one or both villages and with the Millennium, and should not be more than 1000 words or more than two A5 pages. For the next issue please send your contribution by 19 February 1999 to: Mrs Beatrix Bown, 41 Park Lane, Histon CB4 9JJ Tel: 561635(h), 335029(w)
ADVERTISEMENTS IN THE MILLENNIUM NEWSLETTER The Millennium Newsletter is the most important means by which we can contact the whole community. We would like to make it of the highest possible standard, but this -like so much else, costs money. We are therefore looking to businesses, both large and small, to help us by taking advertising space. The cost of advertising is modest (from £7.50 for a quarter page to £25.00 for a prestige full page, with discount for repeats). For details please contact: Mrs. B. Bown, 41 Park Lane, Histon CB4 9JJ Tel: 561635(h), 335029(w) Advertisements for the next issue should be booked before 19 February 1999. |