25th January 2015.

Dear All,

The big adventure this week has been going out with the “Street Pastors” team in Cambridge last night. Apart from the street patrols on Friday and Saturday nights they now run a cafe called “NightLite” in St Columba’s church for those in distress to sober up, recover, chat, find friends etc. Hilary Allen has been helping since July but they are currently short of volunteers for both this and the patrols. They operate from 9.30 pm to 4.00 am so it is a serious test of stamina and last night was fairly chilly. Kate and I swapped between the patrols and the cafe and it is a fairly good way of making your life seem longer! There are to my surprise 10 night clubs in Cambridge, which mostly operate until 3 am, then the streets are alive with happy revellers in various degrees of excitement or intoxication. The Street Pastors help collecting bottles, sweeping up glass, handing out blankets, water, flip flops, rape alarms etc. Most drunks are happy and humorous (to themselves!) a few get aggressive but mostly it is vulnerable young ladies who have lost their mates or been dumped by boyfriends who are helped. I was n’t actually looking forward to it but in practice it wasn’t too bad. We got to bed at 4.45 am then someone phoned at 10 am to say they would not be at church this morning!

I started a new U3A course on Monday “Italian Cities” covering history, background, geography and architecture of a number of cities starting this week with Venice.

Question: Why was Venice built where it is?

Part of the talk was a photographic trip from the Rialto Bridge to Sala dei Maggior Consiglio evoking memories of a certain wedding and Graham’s face when presented with the gondola bill!

 Familiar Scene from the Rialto Bridge?

Venice Grand Canal

The Tuesday film was “Throne of Blood” a 1957 B&W Japanese version of Macbeth which was very good.

On Thursday the walk started at Cavendish taking in Glemsford with a few more hills than usual and as the frost was just coming out of the ground very sticky underfoot again. Some of the oilseed rape crops were completely hammered by pigeons.

Near Cavendish

“Biographies” covered “Lady Sackville” mother of Vita Sackville-West who led a decidedly colourful life.

I have been building a heated propagating cabinet for the greenhouse this week utilising a heating cable bequeathed by Esther. So far it seems to be working.

New Propagator

I hope you all watched Cambridge Utd nearly humbling the mighty Manchester Utd on Friday? After yesterday’s results it looks as though Cambridge’s path to the final is fairly clear!

You will probably have heard that Esther has been approved as a foster carer and is now able to offer respite fostering to children with complex needs (physical, sensory and learning disabilities). We are very pleased and proud of her.

Mary-Ann and Amélie were in Germany last weekend for Mary-Ann’s birthday.

Love

Mike & Kate