AUTUMN 1998

COOKHAM SOCIETY Newsletter Autumn 1998 THE COOKHAM SOCIETY ~ 30 YEARS ~ 1968-1998
Cookham Bridge update Profile: "Mac" MacDonald Cookham Christmas Cards	Charity Christmas Card Market New Year Party Cookham Website		Millenium Project Membership Committee
COOKHAM BRIDGE UPDATE – Public consultation
The prospect of the closure of Cookham Bridge for urgent repair work cannot be far from our minds; the effects of this work on the local community will be far reaching. A meeting with an officer from Babtie took place on September 24^th attended by representatives of the Parish Council and the Society. We are able to report that temporary works to the bridge will commence early in November to restrict the use of the bridge to one line with traffic lights at each side and a safe area for pedestrians to cross. This initiative will halve the load on the bridge and protect the structure with single file traffic to provide for alternate way working. The existing 7.5 tonne weight limit will continue, to try and persuade large lorries using the A4094 to seek an alternative route, such as the A404(M). As a temporary measure to attempt to control traffic, a box junction with yellow lines on the road will be placed on the A4094 northbound carriageway opposite the exit from the High Street. If this measure does not prove helpful other		options could be considered such as traffic lights or a mini roundabout. Stephen Brown, the Engineering Services Manager of the Windsor and Maidenhead Council has promised to give more information soon, at a public meeting in Cookham to be called by the Parish Council.

PROFILE – "MAC" MACDONALD - Membership Secretary
The Society has been blessed over the years with any number of talented people, willing to contribute to the aims and aspirations of our work as an amenity group. Mac is but one of this number but what a contribution he has made during his term with the committee. His commitment as Membership Secretary has been exemplary, under his stewardship about one third extra members have been added. He also turns his hand to almost any task that needs attention. Mac and his wife Phyllis have lived in Terry’s Lane for eleven years. They both enjoy gardening and Mac persists in trying to hit a little white ball around Winter Hill in a reasonable score. He is also a member of the local Probus Club. Since the Cookham Regatta was revived some ten years ago, he has been creating chaos annually but the Rotary Club are too polite to ask him to finish! On leaving school at the end of 1944 he volunteered for the Indian Army and joined the 1^st Gurkha Rifles. Following the partition of India he was demobbed from the Seaforth Highlanders in 1948. Mac took over as Membership Secretary in 1993 and has increased the membership to 840. This brings our target of 1000 well within reach. He also wishes to encourage younger members which will guarantee the succession of the Society, safeguard the future of Cookham and keep it for the next generation to enjoy. As he says, for only Ł2 a year it has to be the bargain of the Century		In 1950 he and Phyllis were married and he joined Marks & Spencer. After a career in Store and Personnel Management – 36 years and thirteen house moves later they moved to Cookham. The old wives tale of a new home, new baby was not fulfilled! However they have been blessed with four children and four grandchildren. Cookham is such a delightful area to live; and they agreed whole-heartedly with the Society’s aim:- "To protect and improve the three Cookhams, (Village, Rise & Dean) and give expression to the opinions and wishes of their residents", that they joined in 1950.

FROM THE CHAIRMAN - Have you bought your Christmas Cards yet ?
CHRISTMAS SUNRISE OVER COOKHAM HIGH STREET Reproduced by kind permission of Michelle Hewett (Click here for a bigger view)		Well don’t, until you have considered the cards that the Society is offering for sale. This is a fund raising project to raise the kind of money that we need to cover day to day expenses, for instance, the publishing of this newsletter, and as such is vital to the wellbeing of the Society. We have produced an attractive card featuring a snow-covered scene in Cookham High Street, which has been created specially for us by Michelle Hewett. These can be purchased in packs of ten at a cost of Ł2.50 from committee members, and we shall also be attending the Christmas card market at the Parish Centre on October 31^st. Please support your Society and consider this option when buying your cards, if we can make a success of this venture, we may be able to offer different designs in future years. Michelle has kindly donated the original painting to the Society; this will be framed and offered for auction, or raffled in the New Year.

CHARITY CHRISTMAS CARD MARKET – Your support is appreciated It has been the custom for many years for Holy Trinity Church to offer a venue to charitable organisations in the area to come together to sell Christmas Cards in October each year. This year the Society will attend for the first time. In the Summer Newsletter we hinted of the possibility of a specially commissioned painting being available for reproduction as a Christmas card. We are delighted to say that these cards, "Christmas Sunrise over Cookham High Street", by Michelle Hewett are available for sale right now, at Ł2.50 for ten, available from any committee member		NEW YEAR PARTY Last winter the Society ran a very successful wine and cheese party, and raised over Ł300 for our funds. We would like to stage the same event again and accordingly have booked Holy Trinity Parish Centre on Saturday January 23rd 1999, 7.30pm-10pm. Please try and keep the date free and purchase tickets from committee members nearer the time.

COOKHAM WEB SITE - an exciting innovation
One of our members, Julian Bell, who lives in Cookham Village, and who obviously knows a lot more about computers than most of us, has set himself the task of creating a Website for Cookham. The village receives visitors from all over the country, if not the world, websites provide a very useful source of information for people planning a visit, Marlow for instance already has a site in operation.		Julian is keen to expand the site and has been busy contacting local organisations and businesses to gather information for inclusion. The Society has already made its contribution, if your organisation would like to be included and has not yet contacted Julian his telephone number is 509250.

MILLENNIUM PROJECT – Your views, please!
For some time now the Society has been considering the idea that we should have our own project to mark the forthcoming millennium. We have settled on the idea that we should install a community notice board on the small triangle of grass outside the entrance to Cookham Station. Some organisations in Cookham, such as the Parish Council and British Legion, have their own notice boards, but there are a whole number that have no proper place to display their notices and are obliged to rely on the generosity of local shopkeepers who allow the use of their windows.		The Society has been in touch with Thames Trains and has obtained their permission to use the site and we have clarified the requirements regarding planning permission with the Windsor and Maidenhead Council. We are now proceeding to consider funding for the project and specific designs. The idea is that the Society would maintain the boards and control the notices displayed, we would be pleased to receive feedback from our members on support for this project.

MEMBERSHIP The Society now has 830 members. Through Estate Agents all newcomers to the Cookhams receive an enrolment form. We are aware that we still miss people but we also know the best form of recruitment is by personal recommendation. So if you have a neighbour, friend or relative you feel would like to join the Society that saved Cookham from gravel extraction and the development of Poundfield, please pick up a membership form from CRUNDLES, High Street, Cookham Village or D I MacDonald, Brinsdale, Terrys Lane. We would ask existing members to check when their subscriptions are next due. This can be done with reference to the Society’s address label on the Newsletter. If it says ’97 your subscription was due in January ’98 unless you enjoy a five years Membership or pay by bankers order. Ł 2.00 = Annual Membership Ł10.00 = Five year family Membership		COMMITTEE "P" denotes Planning Committee members President:: Mrs Jean Stretton (P), Isis House, Berries Road, Cookham Village SL6 9SD 01628-819100 FAX 01628-509393 Chairman: Mr John Bowley (P), Gayton House, High Road, Cookham, SL6 9JF 01628-504580 Vice-Chairman: Mr Roger Mabey CMG (P), Carrol Lodge, Sutton Road, Cookham Village, SL6 9RD 01628-500501 Hon Secretary: Mr Richard Gold, Little Garlands, Grange Lane, Cookham, SL6 9RP 01628-501215 Hon Treasurer: Mr John Gibbings, 1 Vivien Close, Cookham SL6 9RD 01628-503031 Membership Secretary: Mr D I "Mac" MacDonald, Brinsdale, Terrys Lane, Cookham, SL6 9RT 01628-503631 COMMITTEE MEMBERS Mr John Field (P), 31 Westwood Green, Cookham, SL6 9DD 01628-503960 Mr Dennis Palmer, Melmott Lodge The Pound, Cookham, SL6 9QD 01628-503089 Mr Bob Sands, Widbrook Farm Cottage Sutton Road Cookham SL6 9RD 01628-502601 Mrs Susie Tremlett, Tregedna, Startins Lane, Cookham Dean, SL6 9TS 01628-483444
New Year Party Cheese & Wine Holy Trinity Parish Centre 23^rd January 1999 7.30pm-10pm Ł5	Charity Christmas Card Market Saturday October 31^st 10am – 2.30pm Holy Trinity Parish Centre Tea & Coffee with biscuits & rolls available		News & Views WE NED YOUR HELP! Editor Jean Stretton The Cookham Society Newsletter Published by The Cookham Society Produced by Strettons