Soham Town Forum Online Magazine
The latest issue of the online magazine is now available for September - October 2010
Soham Christmas Event - The start of something bigger
A new committee has now been formed to officially run and progress the hugely popular annual Christmas Street Fair.
With new ideas joined with traditional favourites, the Soham Christmas Event Committee hope to make this event better than ever.
We are asking any shops, businesses, organisations or individuals wishing to open, have a stall or take part to please contact us via email at: editor@sohamtf.co.uk
So keep this date in your dairy - Friday 10th December
Grand Opening of new Skate Park/BMX Track and Recreation Facilities
Saturday the 17th July saw the long awaited opening of Soham's new recreational facilities.
These include:
- New Playground Equipment on the existing site
- The Much Publicised Skate Park.
Opened at 1pm by the Chairman of Sohan Town Council - Anne Tuite, people of all ages flocked on and around the park to enjoy the new facilities, watch the action or just to sit and enjoy the afternoon.
Soham Master Plan Latest
The Soham Masterplan Vision which has set out possible plans for the town's future has now been given the thumbs up by East Cambridgeshire District Council.Paid for by external funding, the 79-page outline 'vision' has cost more than £68,000 to produce and highlights potential improvements to the town's leisure, transport & consumer facilities. In the months ahead, East Cambridgeshire District Council will move forward with the plan to develop ideas with partners & developers from gateways into Soham from the east and west - roads and more new housing developments to new employment opportunities and a revitalised town centre.
Another idea to improve the town's transport system is the re-opening of Soham station, earmarked to cost between £250,000 and £500,000. The scheme has received the backing of Soham councillors.
Work begins on Scout & Hut
Work on a new £400,000 Scout & Guide hut in Soham could start in the next couple of months.
The project will replace the two buildings currently being used on the recreation ground.
Spread over two construction phases, phase one will see the demolition of the current buildings, to be replaced by a new hall and toilets, which could be completed by the end of the year.
The first phase, costing £250,000, was funded from a Section 106 grant from East Cambridgeshire County Council - money that comes as a result of a legal agreement with a developer - totalling £160,000, and a £50,000 boost from Waste Recycling Environmental Ltd, a non-profit-making organisation that awards grants to assist community projects. The rest of the money was provided from sources in the community.
The second phase of the project, costing a further £150,000, will see the separate toilets & changing facilities moved into two 'wings' on the side of the main building. Toilets built in phase one will be converted into storage rooms.
“We are waiting for some final figures from CJ Murfitt, which will be doing the construction of the building,” said Peter Campbell-McBride, treasurer of the Guide and Scout Hut Committee.
“There are 220 Scouts and Guides in Soham and we have a long waiting list. The buildings have outseen their service and need to be replaced. We are extremely grateful for the Section 106 money from East Cambridgeshire County Council and for the grant from Wren.”
Mr Campbell-McBride said he hoped the project could be completed by 2012.
Soham community groups could also use the facility as a venue.
East Cambridgeshire volunteers recognised by The Queen with prestigious Award
Viva Arts and Community Group from Soham has been announced as one of 103 UK volunteering groups to win this year's The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, the MBE for volunteer groups.
The prestigious National Honour recognises outstanding contributions made to local communities by groups voluntarily devoting their time for the benefit of others. It sets the national benchmark for excellence in volunteering, with the work of those awarded being judged of the highest standard.
Viva Arts and Community Group has received the Award for its extensive arts and community work with people of all ages in and around Cambridgeshire including running Viva Youth Theatre, Viva Theatre Company, The Viva Centre, The Viva Charity Shop, Viva Mini, Viva Integr8, The Viva Fringe Festival Project and many other community projects.
Winners of this year's Award were selected from 341 groups nominated by members of the public who have been helped personally or witnessed the benefits of a group's work in their community.
Viva will receive a certificate signed by the Queen and an exclusive commemorative crystal, presented by Her Majesty's representative in Cambridgeshire Mr Hugh Duberly CBE at a special ceremony.
Speaking of their success, Viva's Artistic and Managing Director Dan Schumann who also founded Viva in 1997 said: "WE ARE THRILLED TO HAVE RECEIVED THIS PRESTIGIOUS HONOUR FOR THE WORK WE DO IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. THIS IS A WONDERFUL TRIBUTE TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO WORK SO HARD FOR VIVA AND ALL OF OUR MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS - VIVA IS A VERY SPECIAL AND UNIQUE CHARITY AND WE ARE VERY PROUD OF OUR WORK AND REPUTATION. THIS AWARD IS A WONDERFUL BOOST FOR US ALL"
The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service Main Award Committee Chair and former broadcast journalist Martyn Lewis CBE said, "Outstanding volunteer groups across the UK all too often go without recognition for the truly amazing work they do, despite the vital part they play in helping bind our communities together. It's a great pleasure to celebrate the efforts of Viva Arts and Community Group with The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service and help raise awareness of all they do for the benefit of others."
More than 850 groups around the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man have now won the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, over the eight years since it was created by Her Majesty to mark the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002.
For details of all this year's Award winners and information on how to nominate a group, visit the Government website, where a nomination form can be downloaded.
Liam Fairhurst's brother Callum to bike length of Britain
Newmarket Journal - Report By Robert Andrews
Callum Fairhurst, the brother of inspirational Soham fundraiser Liam Fairhurst, is planning to cycle the length of Britain in his brother's memory. Soham Village College student Callum, 12, wants to raise £20,000 for Clic Sargent, the charity his brother supported while he was battling cancer.
Callum's challenge will see him bike from John O'Groats to Land's End with about nine other riders, having organised the feat through the popular social networking site Twitter, where members communicate with each other with 'tweets', a type of short message. Named Twycycle Britain - from Twitter Cycle - the ride will take place from August 29 to September 5 and will see the team cycle in a relay-style event, between 6am and 10pm until the challenge is finished.
He is appealing to Journal readers to sponsor him though his website. "This was Callum's idea, it started out as an acorn and has grown into an oak tree," said his mother, Sarah. "I think he was inspired because he saw the Comic Reflief ride. He has already raised more than £2,000. He has certainly got the ambition - just like his brother - and he is an extremely confident character. He just wants to do something in his brother's memory."
Liam, a former student of Soham Village College, raised more than £320,000 for Clic Sargent, the children's cancer charity, before he died. His achievements were recognised by some of Britain's biggest sporting celebrities and policital leaders, including then Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Virgin boss Richard Branson and Prince William.
An online auction, which begins later this month, has also been planned to give Callum's fund a cash boost.
Soham Allotments
An angry tenant has criticised council proposals to build a school extension on public allotments in Soham. Geoff Langridge spoke out against Cambridgeshire County Council's plans to extend The Weatheralls Primary School on to the site of 15 allotment plots on Berrycroft at a meeting of Soham Town Council on Monday. Under the proposals, the allotments affected by the building would be re-sited onto nearby farmland.
Mr Langridge told the meeting "The town council, which owns the land, is in fact unable to dispose of them (the allotments) without the permission of the secretary of state, whoever that may be. It is not permissible to just replace a like area with like. The waiting lists and future demand must all be taken into account. Soham has a waiting list for all of its allotment sites. Prepared plots must be made available prior to the holders being displaced from their original site and the growing season must also be taken into account."
Mr Langridge told the council that he had been consulting a representative of the National Allotment Association. He said that according to the Allotments' Act, holders must be given a minimum of 12 months notice of changes. Town councillors agreed that they could not support or reject the proposals because they had not been given enough information by the county council.
A spokesman from Cambridgeshire County Council said that plans would first see a temporary building on The Weatheralls site before construction of a permanent building. "Our plan is for the new building to be opened by 2012," he said. "We are in continuous discussions with Soham Town Council." He said that suitable allotment land would be provided for tenants.
Soham Lodge Hotel
Soham Lodge Hotel/Motel on A142 has been given the go ahead to convert into a care home.
It will be turned into a home for the elderly suffering from Alzheimer's and dementia.
It will have 50 bedrooms, a dining room, two indoor garden areas, kitchen and therapy room.
Despite some controversy surrounding the plans, East Cambs District Council's planning committee has approved them.
Soham Market Returns
A small team of dedicated people are looking into re-establishing a Friday Market within the town.
They are looking for both general market stalls and arts and crafts.
If you are interested in having a stall please pop into Paperclip along Soham High Street, opposite The Viva Centre, or leave a note of interest at The Pavillion.