Derrick and Veronica live in Kirtling and one might question why they should qualify as Wood Ditton personalities. There are good reasons for this. They are the kind of people who spread themselves around and in addition to being very well known in their own village they have a much wider circle of interest.
Derrick may be better known to some by reputation, as the editor of 'The Link, Parishes in Partnership' monthly magazine. This informative little publication, costing a mere 25p, won two awards in 2001 in the 'Best Parish Magazine' competition run by Radio Cambridgeshire and is distributed each month to some 640 families in the parishes of Ashley, Cheveley, Kirtling and Wood Ditton. The December issue runs to 1200 copies and is delivered free to every household. Editing the magazine with all its supporting advertising could be a demanding job for a retired person, but Derrick does not come into that category, he has`a full time job with Marshall Aerospace in Cambridge, as well as ecclesiastical duties arising from his post as a Licensed Lay Minister.
He was born in 1944, son of Ron and Mary Aspland and went to school in Soham and then on to Soham Village College. Leaving school in 1960 he trained as a draughtsman at what was then Marshall Flying School Cambridge.
For the first 24 years he worked on bus design and production (single and double deckers), he then spent 5 years in the Motor Bodies division working on design and production of various types of commercial vehicle. In April 1989 work changed to the Aircraft Design Office, and he became a technical office administrator in what has now become Marshall Aerospace, part of the giant Marshall Group.

Veronica, like her father, was born in Kirtling 4 days after Derrick, daughter of Claude and Phyllis Levell, and went to school at Kirtling, Cheveley and finally Bottisham Village College. On leaving school she took up hairdressing and trained at Brumby's of Newmarket, a position held until 1968, when housewife duties took over.
As sometimes happens, misfortune can lead on to an unexpected happy ending. In 1963 Derrick suffered an accident while riding his motor scooter, and while recovering in Newmarket General Hospital he received a get well card from two young hairdressers. Yes, one was Veronica, and so a life long partnership commenced.
Derrick and Veronica were married in March 1968 at All Saints' Church Kirtling and they have continued as well suited partners with similar interests. Veronica is also very involved with community activities, especially those connected with Kirtling and other local partnership churches.

After the birth of their daughter Tina and son Ian (1970 and 1972) they both became involved with the church. Derrick was baptised and they were both confirmed in Ely Cathedral in 1977.
Derrick immediately became a member of the P.C.C. and has for many years held the position of PCC Secretary.
In 1999 he started a training course for readership, and in 2002 was licensed as a Reader (now titled Licensed Lay Minister) at Ely Cathedral which he still continues to enjoy. He is authorised to conduct ordinary services including funerals, but not weddings. Upon his licensing Derrick had to give up his duties as churchwarden, a position he held for twenty years, and Veronica has taken over in this capacity since.
In 1964 Derrick, with an interest in football, but having, as he puts it, 'two right feet', officiated as Referee at a game between Soham United 'A' and Shippea Hill when the referee failed to appear. Although he had looked after (sponge and linesman flag and team secretary) the Soham team for a while he took the Referees entrance examination at Newmarket and enjoyed several years refereeing plus a few years 'lining' on the then Eastern Counties League. He still has an interest in the refereeing aspect and after being secretary/treasurer/chairman of the Newmarket Branch now holds the position of President. Derrick is the proud possessor of the Referees Association Meritorious Service Award for services to the Referees Association, only the second Newmarket member to gain the award.

Since her 'retirement' from full-time hairdressing in 1968 Veronica has kept her hand in by continuing to provide a service to friends and relatives, at least two friends have been 'customers' since 1959. She has also extended her hobbies to include gardening (looking after the allotment as well as the garden at home), needlework, particularly cross-stitch work where a good example is in the 'communion rail kneelers' in All Saints' Church Kirtling, and she is also a bellringer, both handbells and tower bells at Woodditton. An extension to Veronica's gardening is the care and upkeep (mowing) of the churchyard and the village hall grounds.

Derrick and Veronica are made of the stuff that make communities tick and they are likely to be seen assisting in some way in any worthwhile local event, whether it be a Kirtling Tower open day, fete, village show or a church function of any denomination.

Other Village Personalities
No 2 - Freda Swann
No 3 - Jack & Doris Scrivener
No 4 - Beryl Woollard
No 5 - Sepp and Daphne Krombacher
No 7 - Ivor & Iris Brown
No 8 - Roy & Jill Steggles
No 10 - The Revd. Ann Gurner

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