Cople
Welcome to the Cople village web site.
If weave maid any spelling miss steaks or udder errors please let me no, thanks, Ian
What's On Soon
Saturday 14th December - LIve Music - Hair of The Dog
Saturday 21st December - Live Music - Leon
Sunday 22nd December - Carol Service
Water Butt
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.
Cople to Bedford Free School Bus
Frontline Travel have a new school bus route which is running from Blunham to Bedford Free School via Cople. This will leave Cople at 7.50am from the Grange Lane/Northill Road junction and depart Cauldwell Street at 4.25pm
A bus pass from 2nd December to 20th December will cost £126. For the start of January school term 2014 Frontline have applied for funding for this route but if funding is not successful then the cost will still be the same as above which is £42/week.
Further details from Stuart Buchanan, 0844 567 6806 or 0844 318 9824 or 0330 660 0634. Email frontlinetravel@3uk.blackberry.com
Cople Festival 1971
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
Bedford Tree Fund
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
Ernie Rawlins
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.
Reporting Potholes and Blocked Drains
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
Childhood Memories - Ernest Storton
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
Any Children for Tennis?
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.
Cardington Airfield Development
The 94-year-old airship industry in Bedfordshire could come to an end if a planning application goes through, protesters have claimed.
Plans have been submitted to build 167 homes, near Shortstown, south of Cardington airfield and hangars. Campaigners say if this land is built on, the airfield will not be "operationally viable".
See BBC news http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-19570262
For those concerned about this additional development you can sign the e-petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-cardington-airfield/# After signing up you are asked to donate to iPetition. This is optional and does not help finance the Cardington campaign. Your name will have already been added to the petition regardless of whether you donate, you can now close the i-petition window without following the "payment" link
Shortstown and RAF Cardington Memories
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.
Photos
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.
Community Garden Shortstown
From Caroline Williams, Shortstown Community Garden. 01234 313815/07888 730184. email: shortstowncommunitygarden@gmail.com
I have just started a Community Garden in the area, and am looking for support from residents in the area. The garden I have recently set up in Shortstown, having the use of part of the Shortstown Lower School's plot. I have the backing from BPHA, have set various networks such as on Facebook and also a link with Shortstown Heritage Site. I have also have connections with Mile Road Allotments, Shuttleworth College and Bedford Borough Council, so quite a lot of work has been undertaken.
The land I have is temporary, the school is moving next year. I am therefore looking to grow interest through demostration at the site I have at the moment, in order to form a committee and eventually get funding. I am also looking for a permanent location in the area, this may well be more suited in Cardington or Cople, as finding land near to Shortstown is turning out to be impossible.
My vision is to grow something that is self-funding and pretty much sustainable, and have fairly ambitious goals. Do you think that this is something that the residents might be interested to get involved in? Or would you like to know more about this?
If it is of interest to someone in this area, I would love to hear from you (see above)
Village Hall web pages
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.
Charity Shoot
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.
Cople Photo Albums
Police 101 Non-Emergency Number
Bedfordshire Police have launched a new number providing people with a new way to get in touch about non-emergency issues. 101 is now the main number to call Bedfordshire Police when it is less urgent than 999
Distraction Burglary
The police newsletter has asked everyone to be aware of a distraction burglary with a new twist that took place recently in Milton Ernest
If you live near to an elderly or vulnerable person please take the time to think about who might be calling at their home.
Details on our Police Reports page
Get Safe Online
BEWARE: Internet users are being warned about cold callers who offer to fix viruses but then install software to steal personal information.
Never accept these calls and do not follow their advice
Get your own good advice from getsafeonline.org A joint initiative between the Government, law enforcement, leading businesses and the public sector.
Parish Council
A section has been added to this Cople web site to promote the work of our Parish Council. The council will provide details of minutes, meeting agendas and other items that are of interest to Cople residents.
You will find a permanent link to the Parish Council page in the right hand menu of this page
Next Meeting
Click here for the next meeting date
All members of the Council and local residents are invited to attend.
Your new neighbour
Beware of visitors claiming to be your new neighbour
Ringmaster, the Police information service, has asked that we make residents aware of a distraction burglary alert. Someone is calling on the elderly claiming to be their new neighbour
Local Shops
Willington Post Office
Although Cople has no full time shop of its own the Willington Post Office sells a useful range of basic food, bread, wine, some good-looking fruit and vegetables and newspapers. We urge residents to support the Post Office whenever possible.
Summerhill Farm Shop
Also March 2008 has seen the opening of a new shop in Cardington, Summerhill Farm Shop. Since then Summerhill have earned a good reputation selling salads, vegetables, bread, fruit, meat, cheese and other delicatessen items sourced locally where possible.
Safer Neighbourhood Team
A new web page has been added for the Cople Safer Neighbourhood Team police officer.
Who is your local bobby? When are his/her Cople surgery/walkabouts? Do you know what Ringmaster and Smartwater are? Read about local crime statistics and contact links in the Cople Safer Neighbourhood Team's newsletter here.
We are also including recent, local crime reports on the 'Ringmaster' page. This lists reported crimes in this area and offers advise on how to avoid becoming a victim.
Local weather
Webcams
Web and weather cams are usually fixed cameras uploading an image every few minutes. They are often run privately and may not always be working. I have not found any cams in Bedford. The live cameras below are within 40 miles and usually have similar weather patterns
Clifton weather cam (10 miles south)
RSPB Sandy bird feeder (10 miles east)
Ampthill weather cam (12 miles south)
Stopsley, Luton (20 miles south)
Flood Map
Online map from the Environment Agency. Most of Cople seems clear, Water End has a risk from an extreme flood
