Queen Edith’s Active and Connected

Please note: this is a very old page and many of the groups and events may no longer exist. Website links have been removed where no longer working. If you would like to volunteer to help us rebuild this page, please contact the editor.

Keeping physically active and also connected to others is known to be very good for our health and wellbeing – it is also enjoyable and can be free.

The Forum would like to help communicate and promote existing ways for our neighbourhood to ‘get moving’, groups that meet, and places for people to hold events or just get to know each other.

  • NEW (from 19 October 2018): Little Nightingales – informal (free) tea in the community garden on Friday afternoons (1.30 to 3pm) – for parents/carers of babies and small children – or those expecting (Hoop listing). Outdoor, so weather dependent.
  • Social and health walks (page on Nightingale garden website).
  • Ping in the park – outdoor table tennis table by the playground at Nightingale Park. Bats and balls in the club hut to borrow when the garden volunteers are around (A4 poster to print: ping_a4_v2_19nov2016).

Groups in Cherry Hinton, including for young people:

Groups in Queen Edith’s – mainly for adults:

  • Active Lives exercise classes – some of which will be at Nightingale Park. Small fee payable.
  • Babraham Road Action Group (on Council website).
  • Blinco Grove Residents’ Asociation (on Council website).
  • Cambridgeshire Bird Club – has some of its meetings at St John’s Church on Hills Road.
  • Cambridge Older People’s Enterprise Forum (COPE). Has a Queen Edith’s branch that meets regularly in Queen Edith Chapel.
  • Friends of Rock Rd Library:  WordPress site; Facebook page. Very active group.
  • Knit and Natter – meet at the Coffee shop on Wulfstan Way on Wednesday afternoons. A fun group.
  • Queen Edith’s Townswomens’ Guild. Meets at Dunstan Court, Wulfstan Way CB1 3TN, on the Second Wednesday of month at 7.30 pm. Very pleased to welcome new members. You can just turn up or contact Vicky Reti on 07788 184 056.
  • Queen Edith Women’s Institute. Meets third Weds of the month at Hartington Grove Friends meeting house at 7.30pm. Pleased to welcome new members. You can just turn up or contact Vicky Reti: vickreti ‘at’ gmail.com (07788 184 056).
  • Rock Allotment Society. Four sites in Queen Edith’s and Coleridge wards. Has a Trading centre (shop on Baldock Way), which is open some Sundays from 11 am to 12 noon. You can join as an associate member and get inexpensive gardening supplies (including King’s seeds online). In 2016, it was 100 years old – and had a community Dig for Victory project. Holds various social events throughout the year. High turnover of a large site so often plots are available.
  • Rock Choir – local branch used to meet at Queen Edith Chapel on Monday nights – now meets at the church opposite Sainsbury’s on Coldham’s Lane (C3?). Not to be confused with Rock Vox choir, which used to meet around the corner at the same time but has now stopped doing so.
  • Rock Road Scrabble Club. Meets at Rock Road Library on Mondays, 10 am to 12 ish (see library page for more info).

Clubs and groups (and childcare) for children and young people:

This is a new section for us – we get the impression there aren’t enough locally and they tend to be over-subscribed or have waiting lists. It has been compiled, so far, by someone who doesn’t have kids so please let us know if we have missed anything out. See also learning and socialising places below. Some of the clubs don’t have websites but their locations often have summaries and contact info: Queen Edith’s clubs. We haven’t listed clubs that run during school hours or those that look like they are just for the school children.

City Council Sport for Young People page.

  • After school (and breakfast) clubs:  Morley Memorial breakfast and after school; (possibly over-subscribed); Queen Edith’s (probably over-subscribed);
  • After School Art Club (Rebecca Ledzion) – for year 3 to 9.
  • Archery: Netherhall Archers (from age 10);
  • Arts and crafts: Newnham;
  • Badminton: at Netherhall (unsure of ages);
  • Ballet: Dedikated, at Queen Ediths (Monday, Tuesday, Weds, Thurs, Sat morning), from age 3 years to adults; girls and boys;
  • Basketball: Cambridge Cats, meet at St Bede’s.
  • Birthday parties: Sports Centre at Netherhall; various rooms at Hills Road Sports Centre (has a traversing wall and links to organisers);
  • BMX – by Abbey Pool;
  • Coding:
  • Cycling: Cambridge Junior Cycling Club – Netherhall (road) and Milton (mountain bike); Outspoken bikeability;
  • Dance (see also ballet): at Netherhall (unsure of ages);
  • Drama – Helen O’Grady on Saturday mornings at Queen Edith’s (and other places in Cambs), from age 4 years; Perform at Hills Rd Sports (from ages 4 to 7 years);
  • Fencing: at Netherhall (unsure of ages);
  • Football: Cherry Hinton Lions junior football; at Netherhall (unsure of ages); Little kickers at Hills Rd Sports (from ages 18 months to 7 years);
  • Forest schools: Wildawood (in Chippenham, Cambs): stay and play (12 months to 5 years); pre-school (ages 2.5 to 5 years); Easter holiday clubs (ages 4 to 12 years); family days;
  • Girlguiding – Cambridgeshire: Rainbows (ages 5 to 7), Brownies (ages 7 to 10), Guides (ages 10 to 14), Senior Section (ages 14 to 26): seem to register centrally and then find out where the groups are. We think the 40th Brownies which used to meet at Queen Edith’s is no longer meeting.
  • Holiday clubs: Homerton (ages 2 to 5 years); Perse School; St Mary’s holiday club;
  • Karate: English Wado-ryu Sport Karate on Thus evenings at Queen Edith’s(contacts from this link); at Hills Rd Sports (from age 8);
  • Kuk Sool Wu (martial art): at Hills Rd Sports;
  • Kung Fu: at Hills Rd Sixth (from age 2 years);
  • Language and culture: Kids Arabic club, meets at Queen Edith’s School on saturdays;
  • Martial arts: Cambridge Kung Fu (from age 2 years) meet at Hills Rd, Netherhall and some local schools,
  • Music: ;
  • Netball: at Netherhall (unsure of ages);
  • Nurseries: Daynurseries.co.uk:  Bright Horizons at Addenbrooke’s (Bunnybrooke’s day nursery and pre-school);  Homerton Early Years Centre (from 2 years); Patacake, including Malta Rd; Queen Edith’s; Queen Emma’s;
  • Rugby: Shelford Rugby Club; Little Scrummers at Queen Emmas (ages 18 months to 7 years);
  • Running: Junior Parkrun – at Milton on Sunday mornings;
  • Scouting: Beavers (ages 6 to 8 years), Cubs (ages 8 to 10 years), Scouts (ages 11 to 14 years), Explorers (ages 14 to 18 years):  Local scouting website: including 13th Cambridge beavers, cubs, scouts – meet at Mamora Rd; 16th Cambridge (includes beavers, cubs and scouts) and meets at St James’ church or Queen Edith’s school; 27th Cambridge (beavers, cubs and scouts) – meet in Cherry Hinton;   28 Cambridge Scouts (includes beavers and cubs) – meet on Flamsteed Rd; 44th Cambridge; 57th Cambridge (beavers, cubs, scouts) meets in Fulbourn;
  • Soft Play: at Hills Rd Sports;
  • Tai Kwon Do: Mighty Ninjas of MAUL Tae Kwon Do Club – for ages 3 to 6 years at Queen Ediths (contacts from this link) on Tuesday and Friday evenings.
  • Tennis: Netherhall and Hills Rd Sports Centre (from age 3 years), including Tennis Summer holiday camps at Hills Rd (ages 5 to 13 years);
  • Trampolining: ;
  • Tumbletots including in Cherry Hinton Village (classes, from 6 months): variable availability.
  • Woodcraft Folk: Cambridge area: Cambridge Woodcraft: including Acorn Elfins at St Matthews, Badger Elfins at Ridgefield School; Chipmunk Elfins at Histon; Histon Pioneers; Rheumatic Penguin Pioneers at St Matthews; One Venturers and one DF group (not sure where they meet); Groups are organised as Woodchips at age ‘under 6 years’ to Elfins (from school age), Pioneers (ages 10 to 12), Venturers (13 to 15 years), District Fellows (from 16 to 21 years).

Nearby groups

  • Friends of Cherry Hinton Brook. Doing amazing things, including litter picks and wildlife walks, with City Council help. Look out for water voles and Kingfishers. Looking for some new committee members.

The Council also has a list of some residents associations.

Non-faith and community centres

  • Cherry Hinton Library.
  • Cherry Hinton Village Centre.
  • Nightingale Pavilion – will be re-built soon… we are in a queue…
  • Rock Road Library, Queen Edith’s.

Faith places
We haven’t listed the religious activities but have searched their websites for non-faith community activities.

  • Cherry Hinton Baptist Church. The Rainbow Credit Union visits them once a week. Friday Friends is for older people. They have a monthly ‘give and take’ stall.
  • Hartington Grove Quaker Meeting. Has three bookable rooms plus a kitchen. Venue for yoga, at least (not on website).
  • Rock Baptist Church. Meets at Morley Memorial School on Sundays.
  • St James Church, Wulfstan Way. Rooms to hire. Hosts Beaver Group (6 to 8 years), Wulfstan Way Parent and Child group. Hosts an annual Christmas fair in late November (very good!) and lots of other events through the year.
  • St John the Evangelist, Hills Rd. At least three community rooms to hire. Hosts a Companions Tea Party every two months and a weekly (Weds at 2 pm) knitting group.
  • Queen Edith’s Chapel. Several rooms to hire. Hosts the annual flu jab/ Celebrating age wellbeing fair in early October. Lots of regular events, including evening badminton.

‘Health’ places

  • Cambridge Biomedical Campus including Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie hospitals – and lots of academic organisations and labs. The concourse is a handy place to meet people with a better selection of refreshments than in previous years. You don’t need to be sick or visiting a patient to visit. There are also some very good outside places, such as the Diamond Jubilee Garden, Outpatients garden and a full programme of activities by Addenbrooke’s Art. The Foundation trust also organises ‘Medicine for Members’ lectures and talks (it is free to join). Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) arranges lots of fundraising events during the year, including with its Friends of Addenbrooke’s scheme.
  • Cherry Hinton and Brookside Medical Centre, Cherry Hinton. A health walk starts and finishes there – contact them for details. All welcome.
  • Cornford House. Local primary care on Cherry Hinton Road.
  • Queen Edith Medical Practice. Local primary care on Wulfstan Way. Has a patient participation group looking for new members.

Learning and socialising places
These are places people learn during weekdays, but also some of them might hire out rooms and host community activities.

  • Cambridge Cookery School, just off Hills Road. Masses of courses but also restaurant.
  • Cherry Hinton Library.
  • Colville Primary School, Cherry Hinton.
  • Fawcett Children’s Centre.
  • Fawcett Primary School.
  • Hills Road Sixth Form College. Masses of evening, weekend and holiday courses.
  • Hills Road Sports and Tennis Centre. lots of daytime and evening classes – check their website and, especially, noticeboards. Can hire rooms too, including for badminton, football, uni-hock, volleyball, birthday parties.
  • Homerton Children’s Centre. Local nursery and Sure Start centre. Also breastfeeding support.
  • Homerton College. Part of Cambridge University. Has a conference centre.
  • Morley Memorial Primary School. There is at least one room to hire. A Baptist Church meets there and at least one slimming group.
  • Netherhall School. Also Sports Centre with activities for adults , kids (ages 8 to 12, including tennis club). Hosts various clubs including sports and young actors and certificated first aid courses. Can also host birthday parties.
  • Perse School. Local private school, hosts lectures (open to all) and summer camps.
  • Rock Road Library. Regular events, including ones organised by the active Friends Group. Has a new community room and really lovely volunteer-made community garden. Book via central library booking form.
  • The Spinney School, in Cherry Hinton.
  • Queen Edith Primary School. Hosts the  Cubs (8 to 11 years). Scouts (11 to 18 years). Used to host 40th brownies but recently disbanded due to lack of adult support.
  • Queen Emma Primary School, Gunhild Way, Queen Edith’s. Hosts Tuesday and Thursday evening Cambridge Tae Kwon-Do lessons: Juniors (6.30 to 7.30 pm) and Teens/adults (7.30 to 8.45 pm).

Living spaces

  • Normanhurst, Cherry Hinton Rd. Managed by Hundred Houses. ‘Regular social activities include bingo, coffee mornings, various social events throughout the year’. Has a monthly library stop too.

Meeting people ‘over refreshments’ places

  • Balzanos: Facebook page. Independent cafe (and bakery) on Cherry Hinton Rd. Has a much wider range of breads now, including interesting sourdoughs.
  • Cambridge Cookery School, just off Hills Road. Daytime ‘Scandi’ cafe and some evening events.
  • Coffee House, Wulfstan Way. Facebook page. Independent cafe on Wulfstan Way. Has a ‘Knit and natter group’ meeting there on Weds afternoons. Famous for its all-day breakfasts – and sausage rolls.
  • Gog Magog shop – up the hill.
  • Queen Edith pub – new pub on Wulfstan Way. Has Monday evening quiz nights and lots of music. Supporter of the Nightingale community garden. The QECF meets there on the first Friday of the mont at 6pm.
  • Rathmore Club, Cherry Hinton Road.
  • Red Lion pub Cherry Hinton.
  • Robin Hood Pub, Cherry Hinton Road. Lots of special offers.
  • Rock Pub, Cherry Hinton Road. They have a regular pub quiz and lots of sports.
  • Sitar Tandoori, Cherry Hinton.
  • Taj Tandoori, Cherry Hinton Road. Unlicensed independent restaurant.

Playspaces

  • Gunhild Rec/Godwin Playspace, which will be refurbished soon (gained S106 developer’s levy funding in April 2017).
  • Holbrook Road Rec – small play area, tucked behind some house and next to the Homerton Nursery.
  • Nightingale Park playground, Queen Edith’s.

Community gardening (page on Nightingale garden website) and nature places

  • Beechwoods local nature reserve: (webpage).
  • City Council nature reserves: Limekiln Close and West Pitt. Nine Wells, Byron’s Pool (webpage).
  • Cherry Hinton Hall and grounds (Friends website).
  • Cherry Hinton Village Recreation Ground.
  • Nightingale Rec/Park. Municipal (City Council) park/recreation ground near Addenbrooke’s, on Nightingale Avenue. Good for play and fitness for all ages. Has a good kids playground, outdoor trim trail and fitness equipment, natural all-weather walking path, outdoor Ping table tennis table. Public loos (open 9am to about 7pm in the summer – shorter hours in the winter). Lovely mature trees and interesting planting. New website for the community garden in the former bowling green www.nightingalegarden.org.uk, which also has links to social walks in the area. Two garden volunteers sessions on Sunday and Monday afternoons from 2pm, weather allowing (with gardeners’ tea at 3). Cherry Hinton Lions play football on Saturdays and some evenings. Drop-in social football on Sunday morning at 10.30.
  • Ninewells local nature reserve: (webpage).
  • Rock Allotments. On four sites – three in South Cambridge. Can often get a plot quicker than many other sites. Has a trading centre, which is open on most Sundays 11 am to 12 noon. Unofficial Facebook page.
  • Rock Road Library Community garden. Open during library opening hours. Has grassed area, some recently planted apple trees, planted tree pits, mixed hedging. Willow sculptures funded by public art project in 2015. Informal drop-in gardening group meets on some Friday and Mondays – leave a note in the Friends box in the library entrance if you’d like to join (best to bring your own gloves and tools).
  • Wandlebury – South of Queen Edith’s…

Other useful websites:

Regular events

March, April, May:

  • Plant sale at Rock Road Allotments.

June:

  • ‘Big Lunches‘ including by Cherry Hinton Baptist Church. Various small ones around individual streets throughout the year. Most have restricted invites – apart from Rock Road, which has a local maildrop.

July:

  • [Big weekend on Parker’s Piece in town]
  • Cambridge Folk Festival, Cherry Hinton Hall

August:

  • Chypps events in the park.

September:

  • Brass Band in the Park – at Nightingale. Organised by Cambridge Live.
  • Cherry Hinton Festival. A whole week of events. Facebook page.
  • Early September: QECF Community Action Morning/skip day/Share Fair. In 2018, was on 8 September.

October:

  • Apple Days at Rock Road Library, Rock Allotments.
  • [Festival of Ideas around Cambridge]

November:

  • Flu action day/wellbeing day – at Queen Edith Chapel, Wulfstan Way. Flu jabs for eligible patients of Queen Edith Medical Centre, refreshments and stalls for anyone else interested.
  • Fireworks at Cherry Hinton Baptist Church.
  • Christmas Fair at St James Church, Wulfstan Way.
  • A ‘Very Cherry Christmas‘. Lights and craft fair.

December:

  • Xmas event at St John’s Church.
  • [Mill Rd Winter Fair]

Last updated: 15 September 2018

 

Sign up for our FREE emails

* required




Latest from local schools via Twitter