October 2024

17 Buckden Roundabout October 2024 Village News awaiting the final report which will allow us to apply for up to £8,000 for improvements to the Valley. Green Business Improvement The Trustees are working with PECT (Peterborough Environment City Trust) to develop our Net Zero Strategy Pathway. Once this is complete (expected early October) the Village Hall Trust can apply to the Green Business Improvement Fund for up to £15,000 for energy - saving measures and improved sustainability. Following an energy audit by our utility supplier, Utility Aid, we are focusing on converting all lights to LED ’ s and increasing the number of so- lar panels on our roof. The Playing Field Last month Prolawn applied additional weed herbicide as part of our regular maintenance. Please can all dog owners pick up after their dogs. The football season has just started and it is dangerous and unhygienic for children to slip in dog poo so please BIN IT! There are bins on the edge of the playing field and around the Valley. How all of you can help Buckden Village Hall to help maintain the Hall and Valley Legacies and Donations It costs over £6,000 per month just to keep the Hall open (salaries, astronomical utility costs, insurance, business rates, repairs, maintenance). We are completely self - funding and therefore rely on our loyal hirers and donations from the Parish Council as well as regularly applying for charity grant funding. One little - known way of supporting the Village Hall Trust is leaving a legacy or donation, as the Trust is a registered charity. In the past four years, we have received very generous donations and legacies. The Trustees earmark specific projects for these funds and do not use it for regular operating expenses so that we hon- our the legacy. If you are interested in more details, please con- tact the office. Buying online to help maintain the Hall and Valley Everyone can help to raise money for the Trust while simply shop- ping online and it doesn ’ t cost a penny! 1. Go to www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/buckdenvillagehall 2. Sign up for free 3. Get shopping! It doesn ’ t cost you anything more the online shops make the donations and are collected by easyfundraising and automatically sent to us! There are no catches or hidden charges, and Buckden Village Hall Trust will be extremely grateful for your donations, especially at this challenging time. Jo Harvey, Hall Manager Email: admin@buckdenvillagehall.co.uk Tel: 01480 811101 Please call or email to arrange any appointments Office hours: 9am – 2pm (Continued from page 16) generated, along with fundraising efforts provided funds that were reinvested in the property allowing for more of the facili- ties to became inhabitable and ready for use. One piece of news from the Towers is that the Shakespeare at the George has now evolved into ‘ Shakespeare at the Towers ’ and will be working in collaboration with the Claretians to bring this cultural experience into a new era. It is ironic that there are people from around the country that are familiar with Buckden Towers when there are local people who have no idea about this national treasure. The property is private and open to the public. The attempt to ban people walking dogs (originally due to the desire to not have mess when visitors especially groups of children are exploring the property) is clearly not observed and enforced. We do howev- er expect dog owners to clean up any mess that is created – while most observe this, sadly there are a few who don ’ t.!!! As a private property we get no help from local government for the upkeep of the premises and the Claretians are grateful to the volunteers who generously give of their time. This al- lows the limited resources to be effective in allowing Buckden Towers to be appreciated by so many people. So, if you have never been inside those walls in the middle of the village and are nervous about coming in, next time you have visitors bring them with you and take the plunge of see- ing what lies behind the walls, because there is always safety in numbers!!! (Continued from page 6) Shakespeare comes to Buckden Towers Shakespeare at the George is to become Shakespeare at the Towers. The award - winning local theatre company has been putting on annual open - air Shakespeare performances at the George Hotel in Huntingdon for many years, but in future their new home will be Buckden Towers. The venue was chosen by the Shakespeare at the George Trust after visiting a number of potential locations in Huntingdon itself as well as properties further afield. To celebrate the move, the theatre company and charitable trust is renaming itself Shakespeare at the Towers to better reflect the partner- ship with the Claretian Missionaries, who own the Towers, and the new location. The first production at the Buckden Towers will be Twelfth Night running from Tuesday 24 th June to Saturday 5 th July 2025 in the Knot Garden. Reuben Milne, Chair of the Trust commented: “ Wherever we chose, the venue had to have the same wow factor that we were able to offer audiences when we performed in the court- yard of an old Jacobean coaching inn. Buckden Towers allows us to continue to perform open air Shakespeare in an authen- tic venue which has its own fascinating history and offers an equally immersive theatre - going experience. ” Father Paul Smyth, Director of the Claret Centre in Buckden Towers, welcomed the collaboration as another way for the wonderful space in our village that is the Towers to be enjoyed by more people.