The People who Make East Cambridgeshire Special
Every District Council leader probably thinks their district is the best, but East Cambridgeshire really is a very special part of the world!
Our villages are full of people that quietly give their time for the benefit of others, organising village fetes, carol services, running coffee mornings, lunch clubs and community hubs, picking litter, maintaining churches, chapels and cemeteries, renovating and upgrading village halls and sports facilities, running village magazines, coaching kid’s sports teams, I could go on!
The patch that I represent is known as the Downham Ward. It is the largest Ward in our district geographically, but with the smallest population which tells you that it is rural, very very rural! It is made up of a handful of villages and hamlets, each with its own special identity and unique history. I love them all.
I grew up in Little Downham so of course I am biased, but the villages I represent are so very lovely. Little Downham itself has an enormous number of clubs and groups covering all ages and interests, with the vast majority of them run by local volunteers with a passion for what they do.
There is an amazing conservation group that works tirelessly to maintain and improve the Conservation Area, which is made up of two areas of grassland called Myles Meadow (named after Johnny Myles who used to farm there) and The Holts. It is a truly beautiful area with ponds, an apiary and a community orchard, it is home to nationally important species and is a wonderful place to visit for humans too!
Little Downham Parish Council is incredibly active, getting stuck in with whatever needs doing – a recent project was a total refit of the village playground, completed in short order with state of the art equipment and new accessible facilities to benefit children of all abilities. The Council is now getting to work on the playground in Pymoor.
Coveney too has its own more recently established community orchard and wildlife area, a village pond and allotments, all being wonderfully managed by the small hard working Parish Council. Coveney sits above sea level (unusual in the fens!) and has sweeping elevated views across to Ely and the Cathedral. It has a truly ancient feel, with the old dog pound, grazing sheep, the village pond and beautifully maintained grass verges giving it an open aspect. Cows visit the village hall during Parish Council meetings to say hello!
Residents have recently established the King’s Oak Trail – a walking route that takes in the ten English oaks planted in Coveney, Wardy Hill and Way Head to commemorate the coronation of the King.
Underpinning all of this activity is the Parish magazine, a monthly hard copy and online magazine that is well supported by subscribers, advertisers and contributors, keeping everyone up to date with life in the villages across the patch. It is a huge task, putting it together every month and getting it delivered, again all done by volunteers.
We have our challenges in this little patch of the country – access to services, public transport, rural isolation, dodgy mobile signals and patchy broadband access, but the strong sense of community helps to overcome these issues. People rally round, people support each other.
It can be a thankless task being a Parish Councillor, and it is not without controversy, but Parish Councils, supported by a small army of volunteers, are the beating heart of our towns and villages across East Cambridgeshire and we would be much poorer without them. They keep our towns and villages thriving and I celebrate and thank them all.
ANNA BAILEY
Leader of the District Council
Deputy Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
