Archive for April 2015

Cosworth revs up the Tithe Barn

April 8, 2015 History Comments Off on Cosworth revs up the Tithe Barn

TitheClean7It was fantastic to welcome a volunteer team from the company Cosworth; to help with the spring clean of the Landbeach Tithe Barn (pictured right; I am the one with the red broom!)

We were very fortunate to be blessed with good weather and the transformation over the day was wonderful. One long standing visitor to the Tithe Barn said it was the tidiest he had seen in 30 years!

Tithe Open DayThis is ahead of our open day this Saturday, the event link can be viewed at; www.facebook.com/events/1543588452589433/

Our working group (the forerunner to a Trust) is working hard with the District Council (who own the building) to ensure this building is saved and restored. Especially as it is the last remaining Tithe Barn in Cambridgeshire and the only one in the UK with it’s original brick floor.

There is still a long way to go in securing the long term future of this building, but we are certainly going in the right direction.

 

Tithe Clean 12TitheClean4

On this day – 33 years ago – Naval Task Force set sail to the Falklands

April 5, 2015 Armed Forces Comments Off on On this day – 33 years ago – Naval Task Force set sail to the Falklands

hms-invincible-en-route-falklands-1982Today marks thirty three years since the Naval Task Force was despatched from Portsmouth to recapture and free the Falkland Islands.

The whole task force eventually comprised 127 ships: 43 Royal Navy vessels, 22 Royal Auxiliary ships and 62 merchant ships with 28,000 armed forces personnel.

It was an incredible achievement to mount such an ambitious operation, just three days after Argentina forces landing on the Falkland Islands.

A short film on the Statement to Parliament by Prime Minister and our forces leaving Portsmouth can be seen at; http://www.britishpathe.com/video/british-task-force-to-sail-for-falklands.

Let us never forget the 255 armed forces personnel that gave their lives in service of our country.

Supporting early years for our next generation

April 5, 2015 Family Comments Off on Supporting early years for our next generation

Sure StartThere is now a record number of families are using children’s centres. A study by the national charity, 4Children, shows that over a million families are benefiting from Children’s Centre services and that centres are supporting two-thirds of all disadvantaged families with children under the age of five.

Childcare places have increased since 2010. There are over 100,000 more places for parents to choose from than there were in 2010.

But also helping with the cost of childcare;

(1) Increased free childcare for all 3 and 4 year olds to 15 hours a week, worth £2,400 to each family.

(2) Extended 15 hours a week of free childcare to 260,000 2-year-olds from low-income families.

(3) Legislated for tax free childcare to support families, worth up to £2,000 per child.

(4) A £1,000 transferable tax allowance for four million married couples.

(5) Universal Credit childcare support increased from 70 per cent to 85 per cent.

Pictured above is when I was delighted to attend the opening of the SureStart Centre in Waterbeach several years ago (known locally as the Dolphin Centre). Little did I know at the time that I would now be taking my wonderful baby daughter there!