Saturday 7th February - Safari Supper

Thursday 12th February - Make Localism Work

The General and Local Elections will take place on Thursday May 7th 2015

To have your say on how the country and Bedford Borough is run you must be on the Electoral Register. According to their web site you are able to register to vote up to 11 days before an election is held. In case of unseen delays the earlier you register the better.

Registering can be done online at www.bedford.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Bedfordshire Police are urging residents and businesses to be be aware of, and not fall victim, to Cybercrime

“We have called our campaign [Ctrl] +[Rpt] +[Del] because we want people to take control of the information and images they put online to protect themselves from scams, phishing and harassment; report any cybercrime they are aware of and delete the opportunities for criminals to use the internet for crime."

“For example if you are shopping online this Christmas always use either your credit card, which offers you protection in case of fraud, or a recognised online payment service such as PayPal. Avoid paying by money transfers or direct banking transactions which can be unsecure. Never send confidential personal or financial information by email."

Lots more information here, read it now, not after you have been scammed

The Friends of Cople Church kick off the events for 2015 with the very popular Safari Supper on Saturday, February 7th. They are hoping to get support from all the ‘regulars’, plus those in the village who haven’t been before. If you are a newcomer to the village this is a splendid way to get to know people.

The number of tickets available is always dependent on the number of hosts, so if you are willing to open your house and serve either a starter or a main course to a small group please let them know as soon as possible. You will be fully reimbursed after the event.

If you would like tickets or more information please contact them on (01234) 838683, 838704 or 831466. Tickets are priced at £15.

Stand as a Councilor

Cople Parish Council, in conjunction with Bedfordshire Association of Town & Parish Councils (BATPC), will be running a free session to encourage people to stand as a councillor in the forthcoming elections on 7th May 2015.

This will take place at Cople Village Hall on Thursday 12th February 2015 from 7.00 pm - 8.30pm. The purpose is to let people know a bit more about what parish councils can do, and what is involved in becoming a councillor.

Interested? Tea, coffee and delicious cakes will be available from 7.00 pm, there will be a short presentation to tell you something about what Parish Councils are, and what Parish Councillors do, and some of your current Parish Councillors will be available to chat informally about things your Parish Council is involved in at the moment. Just turn up at 7pm.

Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity (BRCC) is providing new transport facilities in Bedford Borough to help over 65s and those with a disability to travel and meet social, recreational or other engagements.

More details from http://voluntaryworks.org/brcc/wheels-motion, call Amy Baker on 01234 345558 or email amyb@bedsrcc.org.uk

Download details from here (PDF)

The Cople web site receives a lot of junk e-mail shots asking me to give them a free mention of their wonderful product. Most go straight into the bin. But I have just had one that makes a little sense and told me things I did not know.

There is a trade association for chimney sweeps, NACS, who, obviously, campaign for everyone to have their chimneys regularly cleaned. So far no surprises. But they go onto say that if a chimney is not regularly swept and a certificate issued then your insurance company may refuse to pay out if it catches fire. I don't know if this is true but worth thinking about.

They also have a list of how often a regular user should have it swept, and this includes a gas fire chimney.

Make your own minds up, more information on their web site nacs.org.uk

Many residents will fondly remember Rev. Christopher Huitson, vicar of Cople in the 1970s-80s. Their son Toby, still no stranger to Cople, has written and had published "Stairway to Heaven". Subtitled The Functions of Medieval Upper Spaces, the book covers those fascinating and curious places in the church that we wonder about and then may simply pass by, including spiral stairs, galleries and upper chambers.

Of course Toby has included some of our local churches in his book.

Stairway to Heaven: The Functions of Medieval Upper Spaces is a new book by Toby Huitson, son of Rev. Christopher Huitson, vicar of Cople in the 1970s-80s. Toby grew up locally and currently lives in Canterbury where he works at the Cathedral, having been a student at the University reading History there. Despite the distance, he likes to support local events such as the summer Music Festival and he sometimes appears as a guest organist at the Friends' Christmas celebration.

Toby's new book is all about the practical purposes of hidden and mysterious upper spaces in medieval cathedrals and parish churches such as galleries, gatehouse rooms, rood lofts and porch chambers. The book includes Toby's own colour photos of Cople, Northill and Willington church, and mentions Bushmead Priory and Dunstable Priory, together with many other buildings at home and further afield. It is written with the non-specialist in mind, but contains a full set of scholarly references and an index.

Stairway to Heaven is published by Oxbow Press and is available online from Amazon UK and all good bookshops, RRP £35. ISBN: 9781842176658.

The link to the 2001 Census data compiled and writen about by Ged Peeke in the May 2014 Cople News can be found in the About Cople Page

The Cople Players presented their first pantomime at the Cople Village Hall on the 28th/29th March 2014

Produced by Julia Moore and Fran Moore. Script and director was Miles Tetly.

It was a brilliant success and enjoyed by all.

Proceeds were divided between the Friends of Cople Church and BeCHar (homeless charity.)

Photographs

Publicity by Ian and Claire - January 2014

Dress rehearsal by Ian - 22nd March 2014

Behind The Scenes by Fran - 28th March 2014

Live Show by Vaughan - 29th March 2014

STOP PRESS

The Cople Players were nominated for a number of prestigous awards and thanks to Miles you can read these and discover the winning actors in his transcription

Also Miles has kindly gathered the stunning reviews of the show here

As at November 2013 a limited number of water butts are available to Bedford Borough residents this winter. Bedford Borough Council, in partnership with Straight plc, is offering 190 litre Water Butt Kits for the special price of £30 plus £5.49 delivery charge. A saving of £9.98 on the usual price.

More details

In 1971 Cople had their own grand festival for no particual reason other than to celebrate Cople. Although they did also take the opportunity to raise funds for the new Village Hall and the Church.

Recently Bob Parrish found, amongst his late mother's possessions, the programme from this festival. He has kindly sent this to me for putting on to the Cople web site

You can read the 1971 Festival Programme through the same ISSU interface we use for the Cople News. Click this link http://issuu.com/cople/docs/cople_festival_1971

Trees are important. Trees are beautiful, soften the urban impact, provide shade, clean the air, benefit the environment, support diverse wildlife and can provide natural fuel and building material.

Bedford Tree Fund is an independent charity working from within Bedford Council to promote the planting and upkeep of trees in the parks, streets and open spaces across the Borough of Bedford.

BTF aim to plant 1,000 new trees by 2014 and are looking for individual or company sponsors.

More information on how you can help the BTF from www.bedfordtreefund.org

If you have a picture of your favourite tree please send it to me for adding to the Cople collection

I have been kindly sent two new pictures for the Cople photo gallery. These are of the late Ernie Rawlins and his Cottage (now demolished) in Water End. The pictures were supplied by Christopher and Bob Parrish

The pictures have been added to the main village image pool

If you have any old (or new and interesting) photos of Cople please do send them to me for adding to the collection. It is always nice if you know a few words about the image too, what it is, who took it, when, background story etc.

Anyone can report potholes and blocked drains online to Bedford BC Highways or by email highways.helpdesk@bedford.gov.uk or by telephone 01234 718003

If you believe the fault you are reporting is an emergency (e.g. likely to cause damage or injury or wires showing) then please telephone the 24 hour phone line (01234 718003) to report the fault

Ernest Storton, 1909 - 2003, was born nearby in Hatch and moved to Cople in 1914. In 1989 Ernest wrote his memories of his childhood in Cople which were then published and distributed in Cople.

In March 2013 Ged Peeke, the currect editor of Cople News, has kindly transcribed Ernest's orginal article for republication.

Download Childhood Memories, Ernest Storton 1989 PDF

This spring & summer children from Cople Lower School are taking part in a programme of tennis lessons.

LTA liaison coach, Dave Revell, inspired children at the taster session at Cople Village Hall on a recent visit.

For further information please contact the Cople Lower School.

Jane Harvey asks "Is there anyone in Cople who can help in my local history research?"

I live in Shortstown and run two websites one about the history of Shortstown www.shortstownheritage.co.uk and one recently set up about RAF Cardington www.rafcardingtoncamp.co.uk

If anyone has any memories or photographs of any time spent in Shortstown or RAF Cardington I would love to hear from them. I have also heard that during WW2 decoy buildings resembling the 2 sheds at Cardington were set up in some fields around Cople - can anyone comment on this please?

I can be contacted onjyh@shortstownheritage.co.uk or alternatively by phone 01234 740671. Thank you, Jane.

I have added some pictures from the Bedfordshire v Oxfordshire cricket match played at Cople May 13th 2012. If you know their names please email me and I will update the captions.

New albums have been added to the Cople Photo Albums with photographs from Julie Scherrer and Vaughan Southgate.

The sell-out Friend's dinner and talk by Charlie Porter, "Tales from Wood End", and the first Heritage Open Day for Cople Church. The latter is to be held usually on the last Saturday of each month for six months, this has been a great success.

The Cople Village Hall now has its own mini web site

See booking rates, facilities, contact details and photographs. Village Hall is available for hire, discounts offered to Cople residents and regular hires.

Paul Walsh and Charlie Porter recently came up with the brilliant idea of having a Charity Shoot on their respective farms to raise funds for St John’s Hospice and the Friends of Cople Church.

Click here to read more