January 2020

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5 Buckden Roundabout
January 2020 Neighbourhood Watch
Buckden Neighbourhood Watch
OFFICIAL LOOKING LETTERS FROM YOUR BANK OR
BUILDING SOCIETY
If you receive a letter from your bank or Building Society and it
causes you concern, either take the letter to the bank or
building society in person and speak to a bank employee or
you can check the details by telephone but use the telephone
number on the original bank documents when you opened
your account.
Always check and check again with the telephone number, do
not use the number on the letter that has been sent to you.
Ensure that all letters sent to you on financial matters are ei-
ther shredded or properly filed away.
Fraudsters search through bins, mainly blue bins, for names
and addresses and other details that they can use.
ON-LINE
• A message to say that your internet security has been
compromised.
• A warning that your TV licence needs renewing immedi-
ately.
• A message to say that there is a virus in your computer
software.
• The usual message is that something has gone wrong and
there is a small amount to pay.
• They need your bank details,
• They may even ask you to log on and follow their instruc-
tions, thus giving them access to your laptop or computer.
RICHARD WEST Village Coordinator 01480 811467 working with CLIVE WILLIAMS 01480 811828
To contact the police: 999 in an emergency; 0800 555 111 Crime Stoppers; 0300 123 2040 Action Fraud.
EMAIL burglarycrackdown@cambs.pnn.police.uk or visit www.crimestoppers.uk.org or you can telephone 101
Volunteering on Huntingdonshire’s Countryside Sites
Volunteering is one of the most rewarding things you can do
with your spare time and it makes a world of difference to the
local community.
Last year volunteers worked over 3500 days on Huntingdon-
shire District Council’s Countryside sites which include Paxton
Pits Nature Reserve (St Neots), Hinchingbrooke Country Park
(Huntingdon) and Holt Island Nature Reserve (St Ives), among
others.
These amazing volunteers carry out a wide range of indoor and
outdoor roles which include:
Practical Conservation • Events • Outdoor Education • Site
Checks
Hinchingbrooke Country Park Café • Wildlife Surveys • Paxton
Pits Visitor Centre
If you would be interested in finding out more about the cur-
rent volunteering opportunities, we would love to hear from
you.
There are many different reasons why people choose to volun-
teer. It can range from loyalty to a particular cause, giving back
to the community or simply as a way to fill spare time. Whatev-
er their reason, people experience many benefits from volun-
teering: connecting with others and making friends; a sense of
wellbeing and fulfilment; an improvement to their physical and
mental health.
Recently our volunteers told us why they enjoy volunteering so
much:
“Every week is different, the company is fantastic”
“I just love it!”
“The look of wonder on the faces of the schoolchildren”
“It gives me confidence with people and hope for the future”
“Always learning something”
“The sense of community”
“My favourite job”
“We love the park and all the people involved in making it a
special place”
On our Countryside sites we wouldn’t be able to achieve nearly
as much without our volunteers but we really need even more
people to help.
If becoming a volunteer for HDC’s Countryside Service is some-
thing you are interested in or if you have any questions about
volunteering opportunities, please get in touch with Robyn
Staddon (Volunteer Co-ordinator) on 07704 019620 or by email
at Robyn.Staddon@huntingdonshire.gov.uk.
From your County Councillor
Best of luck for 2020 – we’re going to need it !
This article has had to be written before the General Election
on December 12th has taken place but by the time you read it,
we will know what the shape of the government will be.
It is difficult, nay impossible, to forecast the impact on local
councils. Local government services have not featured promi-
nently in the pre-election debates so the County Council moves
forward into planning budgets in January overshadowed by
uncertainty.
I honestly cannot foresee what will be happening in 2020 and
beyond in those aspects of our collective life that have tradi-
tionally been provided by local councils. The turmoil is unprec-
edented. All I can promise to do is to report regularly and accu-
rately to the parish council, in this monthly report in Rounda-
bout and in my bi-monthly Focus leaflets.
The ingenuity and resilience of local communities, greater per-
sonal action at the local level and, I fear, greater financial de-
mands will be in the forefront of our thinking.
On a personal level, may I wish all Buckden residents good
health and good luck in 2020. Take comfort from the fact that
you are living in a village which has many positive features and
although you may see things which need improving, you are
more fortunate than most other people in this country, let
alone the rest of the world. Peter Downes