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Another Fenland ward has been snatched from the Conservatives by Reform
Reform UK’s Michael Fisher will be the new councillor for Whittlesey South
after he received 1,191 votes in the county council elections
The seat had been held by Conservative David Connor since May 2021
Cllr Fisher said: “I am rather overwhelmed and humbled that people have put their trust in me
“I would also like to congratulate the opponent candidates
It has been a very civil run in Whittlesey South and everybody is worthy as much as anybody else
“I want to make clear one thing - the vote gone to Reform UK
but that does not mean that I am different to anyone else
“I very much want to work with the greater good of the population of Whittlesey South in conjunction with other counties
My plans going forward are to come to terms with the role and work my hardest for the people.”
• Liliya Aleksandrova Masharova (Green Party) – 106
• Steven Anthony Newton (Liberal Democrat) – 137
• Barry Norman Wainwright (Independent) – 371
Results are still coming for the district’s other areas. You can click here to stay updated
One person was injured as a result of a flat fire in Whittlesey
Two fire crews were called to the blaze on Sorrel Avenue yesterday at 2.58pm
Crews from Stanground and Dogsthorpe along with the north-roaming fire engine
and one casualty was left in the care of paramedics
Crews were at the scene until around 6.15pm
A Conservative councillor has managed to keep his seat in the Cambridgeshire County Council elections
Cllr Chris Boden says he “will continue to do his best for people and work as hard as he can” after it was announced that he will remain the representative for Whittlesey North
Taking the victory today with 1,215 votes - a few hundred ahead of Reform UK candidate Kevin Marston - he plans to give people “their own voice”
He said: “I am pleased to have been re-elected - it means I have another three years of hard work to do
“It is really important that we recognise what the elections are about
and elections are about giving people the chance to have their say
“And if you want to give people to have a chance to have a voice
especially when we see the results we have seen today in the elections
and work as hard as I can for them over the years
we have particular issues to do with our road network - but we have also got a major issue coming up
“I have to try to make sure that we get the best deal that we can for Whittlesey and for Fenland with local government reorganisation
which is going to fundamentally change the way in which we have local government in three years' time.”
• Clare Delderfield (Liberal Democrat) – 97
• Kevin Ian Michael Marston (Reform UK) – 947
Results are still coming for the district’s other areas - you can click here to stay updated
A Fenland town’s remembrance poppy displays are back and they are bigger and better than ever
the organisation behind Whittlesey’s annual Remembrance poppy displays
is back for its fifth year running this autumn
and will exclusively be launching a brand-new display location
as well as its tribute to a valiant war animal
The Garden of Remembrance remains the centre of activities
knitted military people and other adornments carpeting the grounds
Visitors will also find a new display honouring the sacrifices of another animal that went to war
a piece that students from Peterborough College assisted in creating
There is a brand-new showstopper poppy display at Harrington House on the square
as well as decorative nods of respect dotted around the bus station
bollards and more throughout the town centre
Whittlesey Poppy Blitz depends on donations to continue its important work and support its nominated charities for 2024
the Whittlesey Royal British Legion and the Whittlesey Detachment of the Cambridgeshire Army Cadet Force
The team has been busy reaching out to local businesses and residents
with a number of sponsorships secured and donations received
The team has also been running stalls at the Armed Forces Weekend and the Whittlesey Festival
where a range of beautiful handmade gifts and decorations
Keen to show its support to the town and its employees
Manor Packaging jumped at the chance to be this year’s headline sponsor
Manor Packaging will feature across the Poppy Blitz’s promotional materials and within the Garden of Rest
the Poppy Blitz team is thrilled to confirm that Poppy’s Coffee Bar will be its official poppy seller for the duration of the displays
and the Muffin Oven will also be supporting its efforts with a window display
The event’s official photographs have been snapped by local professional photographer Mandy Wright
and its first charity dance was hosted for free by the Whittlesey Conservative Club
with local performer Stevie B also donating his time and talent to the cause at the weekend when £860 was raised
Displays are up from now and will remain until after Remembrance Sunday
Whittlesey Poppy Blitz has this year launched an online donation platform to make it as easy as possible for individuals to support the cause
Just visit www.gofundme.com/f/help-fund-our-poppy-displays to donate
Every year the Whittlesey Poppy Blitz team aims to ‘Paint the town Poppy red’
in support of Remembrance and to put Whittlesey on the map
Year on year the team of volunteers behind the displays have ambitions to grow the event
by introducing new and exciting pieces and extending the locations across town
It’s hoped that this will also help to bring our community together
There is a whole lot of work that goes in to preparing for the displays
A host of creative volunteers start work in January each year to help maintain the existing displays and knit or crochet for new features
it takes 15 minutes for an experienced knitter or crocheter to create one poppy
The war horse is covered in 3,000 poppies - that’s 31.25 volunteer days before they are even added to the frame
Brighten your March by joining in with a new initiative spearheaded by Strictly Come Dancing star
Let’s Dance Day will be coming to The Manor Leisure Centre in Whittlesey on Sunday
costing just £5 on the door to cover the venue hire
the celebration has the support of the NHS and leading health organisations such as Parkinson’s UK and the Sport and Recreation Alliance with the event designed to inspire the whole nation to dance
Dancing is known to have a beneficial effect on both physical and mental well-being
Sport England’s Active Life Survey of 2019 shows: “3.66 million adults in England took part in a dance class at least twice over a 28-day period
“Movement and dance as a physical activity is widely understood to have significant benefits for individual and community wellbeing
it is often overlooked as a recommended activity”
dance was found to improve not only overall strength
cardiovascular fitness and stamina but also an individual’s confidence
In Peterborough dance schools and community groups are getting involved and there will be events and activities to encourage new participants to join local classes
One such event will encompass three genres of dance – Ceroc
Three Instructors from Peterborough have come together to offer an afternoon of dance and an introduction to three different local classes
You can take part in all three classes if you like
“It will be lovely to see everyone maybe trying something new and I am really looking forward to being part of this exciting new project.”
salsa and Latin with the odd bit of tango - without any of the complicated footwork
“You don’t need a partner as we rotate through the class so you can come on your own or with friends
Come along and see what Ceroc and we are all about”
Angela added: “I am calling on everyone to get involved
“The more we dance the fitter and happier we will be
For more information contact Barbara Wraith on 07810 117972 or by email: wraithbarbara@gmail.com
towns across Fenland are preparing for commemoration events taking place this weekend
Parades and events are being held in Wisbech
Chatteris and Whittlesey on Remembrance Sunday (November 10)
Find details below where remembrance events are taking place near you…
wreath-laying and church service takes place in the afternoon
there will be no service at the memorial at 11am
The parade will muster at Furrowfields car park for 2.15pm before leaving Furrowfields at 2.35pm
The parade will arrive at the town's war memorial for 2.45pm
The parade then falls out into church for service of Remembrance at 3pm
representatives from the Armed Forces and cadet groups will be forming at the Market Place at 10.45am
This will be followed by the civic party which will lead to the war memorial
There will be a two-minute silence at 11am and will be followed by wreath laying
There will be no church service this year due to St Peter’s Church not having a vicar until the end of the month
A Remembrance Day Parade will be taking place in March on Sunday
The parade will gather in Sainsbury’s car park at 9am before moving to St Peter’s Church at 9.30am
The church service will begin at 9.45am and the parade will move into town at 10.30am ready for wreath laying
a Remembrance Sunday Parade will start from St Andrews Parish Hall at 2pm.