Recent Additions

Maiseerola and the Purple Sweets by Brenda-Gillian and Amelia-Rose Brown

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Cover for Maiseerola and the Purple Sweets

Maiseerola loves purple sweets, but they lead to trouble. A lovely story for young children about actions and their consequences.

Written by Brenda Gillian with help and direction from her granddaughter, Amelia-Rose, Maiseerola and the Purple Sweets is a story about a little girl who loves purple sweets and the antics she gets up to when she goes to a friend’s birthday party.

Maiseerola soon finds out that actions have consequences when, full of energy she bounces a little too high on the trampoline and ends up stuck in a tree. Luckily help is at hand from a friendly woodland fairy, but will Maiseerola take her advice?

A lovely book to read out loud to young children and beautifully illustrated by Andrea McKenzie.

Copies available from the author, Brenda Gillian. Please email her at brendagillian86@gmail.com or visit the Crazy Grandma stories website at www.crazygrandma.co.uk

ISBN: 978-0-9571959-9-8

A4 Paperback format

36 pages with colour illustrations

RRP: £8.75

Dark Seeds 3am by Deborah Hawkins – Revised edition – Out of print

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This is a true supernatural story, of one woman’s battle with evil that began in her childhood and how she won against adversity in the end.

Deborah describes her life as an unstoppable downward spiral of occultism, drugs, abuse, violence and rebellion, her search for love shattered. Underneath it all is a palpable menacing threat, one that manifests physically.

Buffered from pillar to post, from different institutions to living on the streets, such vulnerability only led to more complex problems and suffering, and any kind of recovery was deemed impossible.

Yet, with every challenge Deborah fights her way back to sanity, normality and happiness, often with the help and kindness of strangers.

Left to her own devices you may well find yourself asking what kind of miracle could possibly usher hope into such a dire situation?

Deborah now lives in Astbury, Cheshire, UK. This book is her testimony to the fact that no matter how far you fall or are dragged under, by your own actions of the depravity of others, there is always hope.

Deborah, a trained counsellor, project founder, author, speaker, mother and Nana, has a passion to bring wholeness to others through her written work and speaking engagements.

Invite Deborah to share her testimony: You can call her on 01260 281279 or on her mobile number 07840 363486.

Read an extract here http://goo.gl/Q9Syg0

Out of Print

DraWing: Architectural Design Competition 2013

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A compendium of architectural design based on the ‘Character of Cambridge’

This illustrated book features all the entries and prizewinners in the Marshall of Cambridge DraWing Architectural Design Competition for 2013.

‘Throughout the development of Wing we are committed to engaging deeply with the local community and the many stakeholders who share our interest in the final results.’  Robert Marshall.

As an ideas competition, DraWing asked entrants to draw on the character of Cambridge and provide ideas for the design of a single dwelling.  The aim was to foster creative freedom, whilst maintaining a design’s ability to be integrated into a wider masterplan.

The competition welcomed architectural students, graduates or professionals with an interest in the character and development of Cambridge and the brief asked that all designs adhered to specific space standards, included parking for both vehicles and cycles and illustrated a consideration of environmental sustainability.

Now available in full on the Internet Archive, free to read. Go to https://archive.org/details/DrawingMarshallsInternetArchiveVersion

Title: DraWing Architectural Design Competition 2013

Compiled and Edited by: Chris Ellis, Emma Fletcher, Nick Davie and Chris Thomas

ISBN: 978-0-957-1959-8-1

Paperback: 154 pages

For information, please contact Emma Fletcher, Marshall of Cambridge (Airport Properties) Ltd. emma.fletcher@marcamb.co.uk

Memories of RAF Witchford

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An amazing collection of personal stories, memories and photographs of RAF Witchford during WWII

Third Reprint in 2018!

“He rotated the turret, flipped open the doors and in pain and desperation fell backwards into the night” – without a parachute!

Welcome to RAF Witchford under Bomber Command during WWII: from its beginnings in 1943 to the terrible statistics of lives and planes lost by 115, 195 and 196 Squadrons whilst on raids over enemy territory.

There are lucky escapes – Nicholas Alkemade who baled out of a stricken bomber without a parachute and survived.  There is tragedy when, just about to land safely back home, Lancasters are shot down by a marauding Messerschmidt ME 410 in the Intruder Incident.  Decades later, their twisted wreckage is excavated and becomes part of a lifetime project to rediscover the people who served – and the families that remember them to this day.

This is an incredible collection of personal stories, memories and photgraphs from 1943 onwards.  It gives a real insight into life on a wartime airfield and you get to know many of the young airmen and women who lived an worked there.

The book is dedicated to all those who lost their lives during World War II, especially those from RAF Witchford and RAF Mepal and is linked to the Witchford Display of Memorabilia.

About the authors:

Barry Aldridge was moved to find out more about the brave men and women stationed at RAF Witchford and RAF Mepal when he got involved with organising the War Years exhibition in Ely Museum.  His passion led to the excavation of the Lancaster bomber at Coveney.  And so started a journey of research, amazing discoveries and new friendships around the world.  Sadly, Barry became too unwell to complete the book, but his wife, Sue took over the flame to complete his absorbing account of local history.

Latest News:

10th May 2014: Memories of RAF Witchford wins a Local History Book Award 2014.  Mike Petty from The Cambridgeshire Association for Local History awarded the prize to Barry, Sue and Beth for their outstanding contribution to local history.  Sue and Beth were both surprised and delighted to receive the award.

RAF Witchford book wins award

3 April 2014: Barry and Sue Aldridge’s book, Memories of RAF Witchford, has sold so well, they have been able to help raise funds to purchase a sensory trolley for all the patients at Soham Lodge. Read more in the online article in the Ely Weekly News (3rd April 2014).
http://pages.cdn.pagesuite.com/9/e/9e997b95-2578-4b4e-b56f-a0d5daeb6c9e/page.pdf

12 November 2018:   We are delighted that Memories of RAF Witchford is now in its third reprint this year! The numbers of family members of past RAF Witchford personnell getting in touch and keeping the memories of RAF Witchford alive for future generations keeps on growing!

To purchase a copy, please contact Sue Aldridge via email at: Suealdridge3@gmail.com

RRP £16.00

The Ukraine Carpathians: Europe’s last great wilderness by Alexander Stemp

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New Updated Edition

Alexander Stemp introduces us to a little known corner of Europe that is waiting to be discovered. With its beautiful mountains, valleys and forests, the region offers the chance to step back in time and leave the modern world behind. Here you can experience one of the last great wildernesses, where horses and carts still travel the roads and local people still work the land in traditional ways.

Alexander Stemp has visited the Ukraine Carpathians on various occasions. He gives a unique glimpse into this still relatively unknown part of Europe and provides information and advice on finding your way around the area, including a number of sample itineraries by bicycle and train.

This second edition of the book has been fully updated and extended, with new chapters devoted to Uzhgorod, Beregszasz and Slemence.

Book enquiries can be directed to the author/author’s office by e-mail: 1.stemp.beyond@gmail.com

Revised 2013 edition:

ISBN: 9780957195950
Title: Ukraine Carpathians: Europe’s last great wilderness.
Second revised and extended edition
Pages: 88
Published: July 2013

Route & Branch by Bill Clark

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An autobiographical account of the life of Bill Clark, former Warden at Wandlebury Country Park near Cambridge

Beginning with his pre-war childhood in Bedfordshire, Bill Clark takes us through six decades of dramatic change; socially, in agriculture and, most importantly, in our natural environment.

Through his eyes, we see a boy growing up in a traditional farming background, where sparrows were pests, rabbits a good meal and horses provided real horse-power.  Bill takes us from unexploded bombs, via birds to bulls; from his first tractor to proficiency with a rifle to bag ‘one for the pot’ in Essex and Buckinghamshire.

Following Bill, we see the gradual decline of our natural diversity, which kindles a growing interest in conservation. When Bill becomes Warden at Wandlebury, near Cambridge, the rifle gives way to taking care of increasingly rare plants and wildlife at this historic site.

Forthright in speech and in action, Bill battles against vandals, mystic archaeologists, bureaucracy, plant thieves and the aftermath of The Great Storm (and those that followed).

Bill Clark’s story tells us of a past of sheer hard work and rural nostalgia and of the everyday toils and delights of conservation.

A book for all lovers of history, farming, tractors, bulls, bats, bees, dogs, beeches, snowdrops and many more.

AVAILABLE NOW TO READ FREE ONLINE in the internetarchive at https://archive.org/details/RouteAndBranch 

The book is now out of print.

The author can be contacted at bill@wandleburyring.org.uk.

QR Codes for the creative business person by Chris Thomas

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A well illustrated and accessible compendium of information and links on QR Codes for the creative business person. With your mobile phone, this is transformed into a web enabled book with 100+ additional informative web pages by the sources linked to

QR Codes on your items or products can link your customers directly to information or online through their mobile phones. They are a fantastic tool for your business.

If you want to understand what QR Codes are; if you want to use QR Codes but do not know how; if you want a QR Code that is more imaginative than a stark black box for marketing campaigns – then this book is for you.

The book assumes no prior knowledge. It aims to introduce you to the basics of QR Codes. You learn why people use them. More importantly you are shown how to read and create your own QR Codes. You can then choose how to use QR Codes, whether for your contact details, information or promotions.

I am Chris Thomas, Director of Milton Contact Ltd. The company helps businesses communicate in print, pictures and person, in the UK and internationally. Business people are creative. I wrote this book to share the knowledge gained on using QR Codes creatively so that you can too.

QR Codes for the creative business person is a full colour, 108 page A5 book, containing 100+ unique QR Codes in 100 illustrations, of which 11 are photographs and 13 are graphics. Some of the QR Codes contain hidden text, most provide links to relevant websites, extending the book by a large number of articles and information by the sources referred to.Short links are also provided for those reading the book with a PC/Mac/Laptop/Notebook or tablet at hand who cannot imediately acces the QR Code encoded links with their mobile.

This book introduces you to QR Codes from the perspective of a business person, rather than a technical geek.

The aim is to provide you with as little or as much information as you need to make a decision about whether and how you can use QR Codes within your business. It also points the way to using QR Codes more imaginatively, both in applications and design.

The overall structure of the book starts with basic concepts and enough information to get started. Further examples and additional information follow with the highly technical information at the end.

However, the structure is also such that you can dip in to chapters that interest you at the moment.

The content or link of each QR code is also given in for reference in the back of the book. Each QR Code has been modified creatively.

The book is now available on Kindle at £2.02, click here.

A View from the Lodge: Reminiscences by Alan James

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These are the reminiscences of a Cambridge College Porter, all the more remarkable for being true, with only some of the names and places changed in the tradition of discretion.

Through Eric, we capture a hilarious glimpse of a college’s life from its true custodians, the porters. Cambridge porters exist at the fluid boundaries between the worlds of the tourists, the students and Fellows. Their life is therefore full of the unexpected and often bizarre as they manfully guard the continued existence of their college.

Consequently, it takes a special kind of person to become a porter. You might be dealing with a ticking parcel on one occasion and a famous Hollywood actress the next. In Eric’s case, his unique qualities also included a predisposition to being absent minded and accident prone.

We see how Eric learnt to adopt a philosophical and good humoured approach to his affliction – if mishaps such as exploding coffins were going to happen, and in his case they usually did, then this was simply due to fate.

The one positive outcome from Eric’s constant calamities and the unique nature of his fellow porters was that it often led to the most amusing situations.

The occasionally surreal anecdotes within this book describe events that actually occurred – proving that truth is often stranger than fiction. Read on!

ISBN: 9780956264985
Title: A View from the Lodge
Format: Paperback

RRP: £9.99

Copies of the book can be purchased from

The Author: contact alan@authoralanjames.co.uk

Ka Sefofane: The Story of Flying Mission by Malcolm J. McArthur

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The Flying Mission was inspired by the effortless flight of birds over the heads of a medical team, toiling across difficult terrain in the beautiful country of Botswana. This book charts the journey from inception to an organisation that brings medical and spiritual help to people across the vast expanses of Botswana and neighbouring countries by aeroplane – ‘ka sefofane’!

The author, Malcolm J. McArthur learnt to fly and chose his further medical training to realise this dream. Asked by the Flying Mission to record its birth and growth, he has written a book full of humour, stories, people and faith.

Flying Mission provides air transport for missionaries, church workers, and medical personnel and their patients. It is committed to the spiritual and physical welfare of all Batswana, especially those living in the remote areas of the country. Flying Mission is a Christian, non-profit making body registered with the Government of Botswana as a charitable organisation.

This well illustrated book will appeal equally to doctors, pilots, Batswana (the people of Botswana) and the general reader.

This book is available as a Kindle edition and can be purchased on Amazon

Price: £6.16

If you have any problems, please contact Milton Contact Ltd at chris@miltoncontact.com.

And Only the Seagulls are Laughing by Norman Setchell

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Poems by a Hospital Chaplain on the feelings of grief, loss and faith.Norman Setchell wrote this book of poems  in an attempt to convey the feelings of those who work among the bereaved and of those who are undergoing the pain of personal grief and loss. It is also about hope and the unexpected moments of joy.This is a pocket book that you, the reader, can take with you as a companion when you are helping the bereaved or suffering a loss yourself.The author, Norman Setchell is a retired Minister of the United Reformed Church.  Since his leaving Westminster College, Cambridge in 1979 and ordination to his first pastorate his Christian ministry has taken him to parts of the world as an Army Chaplain and Port Chaplain;  the experience gained in visiting patients in hospitals from the Falkland Islands to Belfast in NI and Cyprus, Germany and Belgium provided a good grounding for Hospital Chaplaincy.   The last seven years of full-time ministry was as Team Lead Chaplain at Margate Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, Margate, as part of the Chaplaincy team in East Kent, where he was given inspiration for the poems written in this book.

Want to buy the book?

You can order the book by e-mailing the publisher Milton Contact Ltd at chris@miltoncontact.com.

Orders will be passed to the author personally to respond to you.

RRP £6 + P&P