GREAT CHESTERFORD VILLAGE RECORDER ANNUAL REPORT 2003/2004

June 2003 saw the erection of the new village sign on the Green. The design caused a fair amount of discussion, and I have added photographs and other information to the Recorder Collection.

In July 2003 the Friends of Great Chesterford School held an Auction of Promises to raise money for school funds. This was very successful, and the programme they produced has been added to the Collection.

July also saw the start of the monthly Farmers’ Market at the new Community Centre. This is very popular and I have started a folder of information.

In September 2003, Great Chesterford railway station appeared on Anglia TV’s ‘Going Home’ series. It featured the return of the Stationmaster’s two daughters to the place they grew up. A video of the programme has been added to the Collection, and newspaper articles to the village scrapbook.

Also in September, Friends of Great Chesterford School held another fund-raising event – a Village Fun Day with games and entertainment. Again the programme has been added to the Collection.

October 2003 saw the 12^th annual Steam-Up in the village and the usual photographs and press cuttings have been saved.

In April 2004 the Pilgrim Close play area was opened with new equipment bought through small grants, donations and fund-raising by PICLO, the Pilgrim Close Community Project Group. All the work was carried out by the residents, and the project has received quite a bit of press coverage.

Throughout the year I have collected newspaper cuttings on developments at the new Chesterford Research Park, and other local industry.

Two local societies have their 30^th anniversary this year – the WEA and the Gardening Society.I have asked them for information on their activities and celebrations.

I added a copy of local builder Derek Plumb’s autobiography ‘Little Un’s Story’, and hope there will be a 2^nd part which should be more concerned with his later life in Great Chesterford.

I have also started a folder of information on the village-based charity Lifeline Romania with Chesterford Aid.

This year I have appealed to society and club secretaries to donate a poster of each of their activities to the Recorder Collection, as these are a good indication of the social life of the village. So far the response has been minimal but I will keep reminding them.

I have started filling out the computer record cards for the RUTH cataloguing project. The collection is already fully catalogued in the form of a card catalogue (in numerical sequence, and alphabetically by subject heading), and a numerical list on computer, printouts of which have already been given to the Parish Council and the Local History and Archaeology Group.

Since the Conservation Workshop which I attended at Saffron Walden Museum, I have been given the go-ahead to order archive quality materials for the Recorder Collection to be paid for by the Parish Council. They also appear to be willing to undertake financially the repair of any items in need of restoration.

Kate McManus

 Great Chesterford Recorder