Queen Edith’s news 2020 vol.07: July

Nightingale Garden news

The community garden in the former bowling green at Nightingale Rec is a volunteer-led project. The local community gardeners re-opened the garden, on most days, a few weeks ago and it has been very happily used and safely. There are only a few now keeping it going, and they find it much more efficient and safe to work when the gates are locked. They are very keen that the garden is open, during daylight hours, as much as possible, and it should be open from around 8/9 am to around 7/8pm each day, apart from most Sunday mornings. Upcoming construction work will give the garden a covered veranda for people to enjoy in rain or shine. Looking forward to it! There’s more information about the garden at their lovely website here.

Cambridge Folk Festival ‘at home’

It would have been the Cambridge Folk Festival this weekend. It may not be happening, but the organisers have pulled out the stops to create a ‘festival at home’, and you can get a programme, souvenir posters, and AAA pass at their website. There are broadcasts from BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio Cambridge, and Cambridge 105 Radio, featuring a huge lineup of artists. Find out all you need to know here.

Fendon Road roundabout reopens

The newly redesigned Fendon Road roundabout was opened this morning by the Vice-Chairwoman of Cambridgeshire County Council. There was an interesting 12-minute preview piece about it on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire this morning, which included our own Sam Davies. You can listen to the item here. There was also a live report featuring local resident Mark Lawrence-Jones which you can listen to here. Expect further coverage on BBC East TV news tonight in the 6.30pm and 10.30pm programmes.

Keeping active through the summer

Cambridge City Council is organising a programme of fun and affordable activities to keep families and young people moving throughout the summer school holidays, around the city and online. Find out more information here.

Don’t forget that in Queen Edith’s we also have our own free Monday and Friday fitness sessions for children aged 5 to 16 at Nightingale Rec. (below), and we still have room for more children to join next week. The sessions are completely free – full details here.

Pizzas at the Queen Edith

A new pizza menu has been launched at the Queen Edith pub, and it looks great. They’re available to eat in (booking advised) or to takeaway (order online here).

Hills Road ‘pop-up fruit stand’ returns

Pop round to the Hills Road fruit stand tomorrow (Saturday 1st) on the driveway of 253 Hills Road from 10.30am until all the fruit has gone. Not-for-profit, this is a community support project selling at cost price to help residents taste seasonal produce from a local fruit farm. This week features new arrival greengages and Avalon plums plus Oullin’s golden gages and apricots. Cash only and please bring a bag.

Cambridge Wine Merchants offers

Cambridge Wine Merchants on Cherry Hinton Road has two promotions for the month of August, exclusively to this branch. No corkage Wednesdays means you can buy any bottle of wine, fizz, or beer and drink it in the bar, corkage-free (saving usually £8 per bottle). And there’s a free glass of wine or fizz when you spend £50 or more in the shop. Note also that along with the wide range of wine, fizz and spirits, the Cherry Hinton Road store also stocks an impressive collection of over 190 different beers! More here.

Food Hub open tomorrow morning

The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub is open as usual tomorrow morning (Saturday) from 10.30am to 12.30pm at St. James Church in Wulfstan Way. All those in need of fresh and packaged food supplies and household goods are very welcome to attend. We continue to do our best!

Fitness sessions for children begin

This morning saw the first of the free fun fitness and sport sessions for children organised by Queen Edith’s Community Forum with funding from Sport England. The sessions will be delivered by Bruno, Ash and Patrick who are all sports coaches at a local secondary school. The one-hour sessions are at Nightingale Recreation Ground on Mondays and Fridays at 10am (5 to 11 years) and 11am (11 to 16 years) – meet by the Nightingale Park ‘pavilion’. No booking, just turn up on the day, but we are limited to 20 children per session, on a first-come first-served basis. A responsible adult will have to stay with children attending the 5 to 11 class. See you on Friday!

This week’s Local Walk

Every week this summer, we’ve got a local walk for you to try, detailed in our free, 32-page Summer in Queen Edith’s booklet and on our website. This week’s walk takes you around the public art in the area, from The Marque down to Ninewells. You can get a copy of the booklet from any of the following:

• Cambridge Cookery Café, Purbeck Road
• Go Glass, Cherry Hinton Road
• Balzano’s, Cherry Hinton Road
• The Book Exchange Box at Joy’s Garden, Baldock Way
• Outside St John The Evangelist Church, Hills Road
• Outside St James Church, Wulfstan Way
• The Coffee House, Wulfstan Way
• 11 Knightly Avenue, Ninewells (box in porch)

Let us know if anywhere has run out of copies! The online version of the booklet is even better as it has notes on the art too. It can be found on the Community Forum website here.

Toys, Games and Books Exchange

Sam Davies writes: “Around 30 to 40 families came to our free event on Saturday morning, with children of many different ages delightedly helping themselves to toys, games and books. So thank you so much to everyone who donated to the event – we’ve had many spontaneous thank-you letters, and your childrens’ toys, games and books are now getting a wonderful second lease of life.”

EV Charging Points for Nightingale Rec?

Cambridge City Council plans to install electric vehicle charging points in the public car park at Nightingale Recreation Ground and wants feedback from residents. We’re not sure who they’ve contacted, so we thought we’d disseminate the information more widely. There would be 2 charging points to service 4 bays, one for the use of taxis only. More details here.

Dispose of face coverings correctly

Cambridge City Council has asked residents to make sure disposable face coverings and masks are put in their black wheelie bins at home to help control the spread of Coronavirus. More details here.

Fendon Road Roundabout update

The Fendon Road roundabout is finally opening this Friday, 31 July. On Thursday, the double yellow lines on Nightingale Avenue will be removed and new ones installed on the north side of Queen Edith’s Way between Hills Road and Mowbray Road. A new video explains how pedestrians, cyclists and motorists should use the roundabout safely. Motorists must give way to cyclists and pedestrians, but cyclists and pedestrians must slow down before crossing to check that vehicles are stopping for them.

Red Cross Area gets clean up

A team of 10 people from the Red Cross Area Residents Association and from the Co-op braved the weather this morning to ‘clean up and green up’ their area. They were led by youngest member Penelope, who presented a hand-made thank you card to Simon Eggleton from The Marque’s Co-op store.

Scholar from South India joins St John’s team

St John The Evangelist Church on Hills Road has appointed Dr Muthuraj Swamy to join its clergy team. Dr Swamy begins his ministry in September, when ordinations take place at Ely Cathedral. More details here.

Pools reopen

The city’s main swimming pool at Parkside and a number of other Cambridge City Council leisure facilities have reopened, including Abbey Leisure Complex pools and Jesus Green outdoor pool. Entry is through pre-booked sessions which need to be booked online or via the GLL bookings app. Unfortunately, council owned paddling pools and splashpads will remain closed throughout the summer. More details here.

Toys, Games and Books Exchange

Next Saturday morning, 25 July, the Queen Edith’s Community Forum is organising a toys, games and children’s books exchange outside the shops on Wulfstan Way. Come along, bring the family, and help yourself to donated toys, games and books for free. There will also be free children’s clothes from our recent donations. We’ll be open from 10:30am to 12:30pm.

We’re taking any donations of toys, games and children’s books in good condition this week. You can bring them to St James Church on Wednesday afternoon (22 July) or Friday afternoon (24 July). Our team will be there from 2pm to 4pm. Thank you!

Art Walk in Queen Edith’s and Coleridge

Cambridge Open Windows is on show for the last time this coming weekend. In addition, this weekend only there are also a number of artists displaying their work in person, in the traditional Open Studios format, as a Queen Edith’s and Coleridge area Art Walk. It’s a bit of a ‘magical mystery tour’ with a map here which you can print out – it should make a lovely wander. Artists will be present between 2pm and 5pm on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Online activities for young people

Cambridge City Council’s Children and Young People’s Participation Service (ChYpPS) is organising online activities for various age ranges this summer. There will be arts and crafts, quizzes, discos and more to keep children busy. The timetable for week 1 (next week) is now available here.

Food Hub update

Another successful session for the Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub on Saturday morning saw many regular and new attendees. Thanks as ever to all the volunteers, but a special mention to Laura C, who donated a large box of delicious plums from her tree. These proved very popular! We welcome all donations of home-grown fruit and veg.

Red Cross Area litter pick

The Red Cross Area Residents Association are organising a ‘Community Clean-up’ next Monday morning (27 July) in Greenlands, Red Cross Lane and Stansgate Avenue. If you’d like to help out for maybe 30 minutes, do let the team know. Their Community Star Penelope will be pleased to see you!

Monitoring Planning Applications

Those of you who like to keep up to date with the many building and other planning applications going on will probably find the council system fairly useless as an overview. However, a new tool on the Street Focus website changes all that. This interactive map shows applications of all sizes, and takes you directly to key documents and the comments system. You can also set up an email alert. We’d thoroughly recommend bookmarking this site for future use.

Hills Road ‘pop-up fruit stand’

Tomorrow (Saturday 18th) there’s a new ‘pop-up fruit stand’ on the driveway of 253 Hills Road. Not-for-profit, this is a community support project to help local producers and residents. By supporting local fruit farms you can taste seasonal produce, with different varieties, at cost price and sourced from local fruit farms. This week will feature Regina cherries, Sanctus Hurbertus plums, and apricots. Opens at 10am until it’s gone – just look for the sign out front. Cash only and please bring a bag.

Virtual success for Arthur Rank fundraiser

Last month nearly 300 supporters took part in Arthur Rank Hospice Charity’s first-ever ‘virtual’ Star Shine Walk last month, including readers of Queen Edith’s news. The charity has announced that an incredible total of more than £33,500 was raised! Historically the 10 mile walk starts and finishes at Shelford Rugby Club, taking in the Cambridge’s historic streets at twilight. This year, participants were invited to walk 20,000 steps any time between 23 May and 6 June. Full story here.

‘Low and Slow’ Sliders at the Queen Edith

The Queen Edith pub in Wulfstan Way is serving ‘Low & Slow’ tonight, with pulled pork, pulled beef or jackfruit sliders. Available to eat in or as click and collect. Opening hours and telephone contact details (for orders or table reservations) can be found at the pub website. The site also now offers online ordering of a range of beers.

Your views on the city’s growth

Could you help a local resident with her Masters degree, by completing a short (10-minute) online survey? This explores the social sustainability of growth in Cambridge from the perspective of local residents. Here’s the survey, open to anyone living in the ‘Greater Cambridge’ area.

Tips for making face masks easier

From next Friday, face coverings will be mandatory in shops and supermarkets. From choosing the right material to wearing a mask with glasses, Which? has rounded up a set of top tips to ensure you stay comfortable whilst staying safe. You can find them here.

Egg cartons wanted again!

The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub once again needs some empty egg boxes, if you’re passing by St James Church in Wulfstan Way. There’s a collection box at the door. Small (half dozen) size only please.

St John’s is open

A reminder that St John the Evangelist church on Hills Road is open again for gathered worship. Services are taking place at the following times:

• Wednesday 10am: Morning Prayer with reflection
• Sunday 9:30am: All Age Service of the Word
• Sunday 11am: Service of the Word
• Sunday 6pm: Evening Prayer with sermon

Physical distancing and hygiene measures will be in operation, and there are some limits to the number of people who can attend each service. More details here. For those who are unable to (or choose not to) attend gathered worship, the online ‘Church@Home’ service continues here.

Food Hub open tomorrow morning

The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub is open as usual tomorrow morning (Saturday) from 10.30am to 12.30pm at St. James Church in Wulfstan Way. All those in need of fresh and packaged food supplies, household goods and children’s clothing are very welcome to attend. As ever, we would be very grateful if people continue to donate food, including allotment produce. This can be brought to St. James Church on Wednesday afternoons – full details here.

Children’s books and toys

On Saturday 25th July, the first weekend of the school summer holidays, we’ll also be running a COVID-19-safe children’s books and toy exchange outside the shops on Wulfstan Way, weather permitting. If you have any good condition books or toys that you are willing to pass on, please start hunting them down – we will be taking donations at St James church on the afternoons of Wednesday 22 July and Friday 24th July. More details in Monday’s issue.

Housing Developments Update

There are several major planning applications making their way through the system at the moment, and we thought we’d highlight the main ones here in today’s issue. These are the two new housing estates off Worts Causeway, and the application to build 53 apartments on the site of the former care home at 11 Queen Edith’s Way. Scroll down for details.

Coffee Shops Open

Many of the local coffee shops and cafés are now serving again, particularly the independent ones, so please do support them if you can. They include Balzano’s, Pickwicks Sandwich Bar and Harpur’s Café on Cherry Hinton Road, Cambridge Cookery off Purbeck Road, and The Coffee House on Wulfstan Way. Check the links for opening times, as not all are open all day every day. All seem to be making great efforts to ensure customer safety.

Dry Cleaning

Swiss Laundry may have moved its main premises out of the area, but it now has a shop at Adkins Corner to serve the public with dry cleaning, repairs and alterations. Swiss By Saffron is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 12.30pm.

Toys, Games and Books Exchange

Make a note in your diary: on Saturday 25 July, if the weather’s nice, the Queen Edith’s Community Forum is organising a toys, games and children’s books exchange on Wulfstan Way. We’re more than happy to take any donations of toys, games and children’s books in good condition during the week before. They can be brought to St James Church on the Wednesday afternoon before (22 July) or the Friday afternoon (24 July), between 2pm and 4pm. We’ll also need a few helpers on the day – just some fun work! If you’re interested, please email Sam Davies.

Open Windows

Cambridge Open Windows is on show every weekend to the end of the month. This replacement for the month-long Open Studios involves the artists displaying the work in their windows, and “Peeping Toms are most welcome”, as this article on The Cambridge Critique blog says. Look out for the signs.

Worts Causeway ‘GB1’ housing estate

The new housing estate planned to go between Worts Causeway and the rear of Beaumont Road has been named ‘Netherhall Gardens’ and is likely to have 200 homes. You can read the main descriptive document here. The main documentation repository is on the council planning website here. Although the dates for responding are confusing, we believe that the planning service is still accepting and publishing public comments via the ‘comments’ link there. To read the up-to date discussion by local bloggers and councillors, we suggest a search here.

Worts Causeway ‘GB2’ housing estate

The new housing estate planned for the area from Worts Causeway down to Babraham Road has been named ‘Land At Newbury Farm’ and is likely to have 230 homes. You can read the latest main descriptive document here. The main documentation repository is on the council planning website here. Again, the dates for responding are confusing, but we believe that the planning service is still accepting and publishing public comments via the ‘comments’ link there. To read the up-to date discussion by local bloggers and councillors, we suggest the same search as above, here.

Apartment Complex at 11 Queen Edith’s Way

Plans have been submitted for “53 high quality serviced apartments with associated landscaping, parking and access arrangements” on the site of the now-demolished “Hollies” care home at 11 Queen Edith’s Way. You can read the main descriptive document here. The main documentation repository is on the council planning website here. The planning service is still accepting and publishing public comments via the ‘comments’ link there.

As with all these applications, public comments already received can be read either under the “Comments > Public Comments” link or under the main “Documents” link.

Cambridge Wine Merchants bar reopening

Cambridge Wine Merchants’ popular Cherry Hinton Road bar is back next Wednesday (15 July). Bookings are welcome but you can just turn up too. Opening hours are 4pm to 9pm Wednesday and Thursday, 4pm to 10pm Friday, 12noon to 10pm Saturday and 12noon to 6.30pm Sunday. Closed Monday and Tuesday. The shop’s seven-day retail hours are unchanged. Home deliveries and current offers can be seen at the shop’s website here.

Dine on the Terrace at Cambridge Cookery

For some quality restaurant dining, Cambridge Cookery is open tomorrow evening (Saturday 11) for a terrace dinner service, or candlelit indoors if weather dictates. The menu is here and details on how to book are here, along with details of next week’s ‘Gourmet-To-Go’ dinners for collection to eat at home. Cambridge Cookery is also open for drop-in coffee and seasonal hand-made food from 9am to 2pm, Thursday to Sunday.

St John’s re-opens for public worship

St John the Evangelist church on Hills Road is re-opening for public worship on Sunday (12 July). There’ll be a limit on numbers per service of between 30 to 40 people, but there’s a new service, specifically designed for families, which will be more informal. The Sunday services will be at 9.30am (families), 11am (morning worship) and 6pm (evening worship). There is also a service on Wednesdays at 10am. Initially there will be no Holy Communion. The weekly online service continues here.

Our hospitals during the COVID-19 outbreak

The CUH Foundation Trust held a ‘virtual’ Medicine for Members discussion recently, focusing on how our local healthcare providers have responded to the unprecedented recent health situation. The hour-long session is now available to watch on YouTube for non-members too. The talk was hosted by the chair of CUH, Mike More, and included guest speakers Dr James Morrow, Dr Charlotte Summers, Dr Ben Warne and chief operating officer, Nicola Ayton. You can watch it here. The Trust announced today that it has now discharged 312 coronavirus patients, including 60 more since the beginning of June.

Get to know your neighbours

WLTM (Would Like To Meet) Cambridge is a new project commissioned by Cambridge Junction. Artists’ collective Scottee & Friends is looking for one street in Cambridge “who would like to get to know each other better”. Could that be one of our streets? It’s a really interesting idea, and you can find out more here.

Experimental Road Traffic Orders update

The Greater Cambridge Partnership has issued an update note on its upcoming road restrictions and point closures, including Nightingale Avenue and Luard Road. They say that “it is anticipated that the experimental orders will be made in the next few weeks with implementation of the physical measures starting towards the end of July/early August.” You can read the update note here. Thanks to our friends at the Trumpington Residents Association for forwarding the note, which came from one of their councillors.

Food Hub open tomorrow morning

The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub is open as usual tomorrow morning (Saturday) from 10.30am to 12.30pm at St. James Church in Wulfstan Way. All those in need of fresh and packaged food supplies, household goods and children’s clothing are very welcome to attend. Last week we again had our highest number of visitors ever, and expect the need to grow, so we would be very grateful if people continue to donate food. This can be brought to St. James Church on Wednesday afternoons – full details here. We could also do with some more empty egg boxes – these can be left in the collection box outside the church at any time.

Children’s books and toys

On Saturday 25th July, the first weekend of the school summer holidays, we’ll also be running a COVID-19-safe children’s books and toy exchange outside the shops on Wulfstan Way, weather permitting. If you have any good condition books or toys that you are willing to pass on, please start hunting them down – we will be taking donations at St James church on the afternoons of Wednesday 22 July and Friday 24th July. Watch this space for more details.

Hairdressers, Restaurants and Pubs reopening

Your humble correspondents have spent the weekend walking the streets of Queen Edith’s trying to find out what’s reopening this week, and details of what we’ve found out are below. It’s always a surprise to realise how many traders don’t have up-to-date websites or even bother to post opening details on their front door, but we’ve done our best by knocking on doors. If you know of any errors or omissions in what’s below, please let us know.

Ladies’ Hairdressers

Several have re-opened, and all look to have pit extensive health and safety measures in place. YOLO Hair Design and Beauty on Wulfstan Way is available by appointment, and looks very busy, but call them on 01223 241627 to find out more. Ferdy’s Hair & Beauty on Hartington Grove appears to have re-opened for appointments, according to a Facebook post; they can be contacted on 01223 666284. Elem Hair on Cherry Hinton Road has an impressively refurbished salon, and may be a good bet for an appointment soon, from the conversation we had with them. Call the salon on 01223 778488, or they have a good online booking system here. Last but most certainly not least, Elajé Hair and Beauty on Hills Road, opposite Cambridge Leisure, is opening from 7am to 9pm, seven days a week, and tells us they have “a few slots” in the next fortnight, depending on your needs. Elajé also has an impressive online booking system or call them on 01223 244 888.

Gents’ Hairdressers

All of the hairdressers above are taking appointments for men too, but appointments are still required. Also available by appointment only is Rogue Barber on Cherry Hinton Road, which has a good online booking system here. Eddie’s Barber Shop on Cherry Hinton Road seems to be the only hairdresser in the area offering walk-up haircuts, although there was a fair queue at the weekend. Opening hours are 8am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturday (7pm Tuesday).

Pubs

Our local pubs are now open, subject to the well-publicised changes in serving arrangements. All have good food offerings as well as the usual drink selection. The Queen Edith pub on Wulfstan Way is serving from 5pm to 11pm Monday to Thursday, 12pm to 11pm on Friday and Saturday, and 12pm to 10pm on Sunday. More details on the pub’s Facebook page here. The Rock pub on Cherry Hinton Road opens today (Monday) and is recommending booking a table. Opening hours are 12pm to 10pm Sunday to Thursday, 11am to 11pm Friday and Saturday. The pub’s excellent website is being regularly updated and can be found here. We should also mention – just across the road from the Queen Edith’s boundary – Cherry Hinton’s Robin Hood; details are at its website here.

Rocker’s Steakhouse now open

Not many restaurants are opening up for dining in yet. The pubs above are a good option, but also back is Rocker’s Steakhouse at Cambridge Leisure, which can be booked online. As they say, “From the famous New York Strip Steak to the Californian burger you won’t need to travel cross the Atlantic to experience the great taste of America.” Rocker’s is open 12pm to 10pm every day (10.30pm Friday and Saturday). Our updated list of restaurants offering home delivery can be found here.

Scotsdales update

Scotsdales Garden Centres has been in touch to remind us that it continues to uphold the 2m social distancing rules throughout its three stores and ask that if possible groups of only two visit their stores to help maintain the social distancing. The Sunflower cafes remain closed until further notice, but as of Saturday 4 July dogs kept on leads are now allowed in stores. Opening times are here.

Outdoor play areas reopen

Children’s play areas across the city are reopening, and our new Mayor of Cambridge, Cllr Russ McPherson, has marked this by visiting Cherry Hinton Recreation Ground to officially reopen the children’s play area there. Full story here.

Food donations

Local resident Michael Fincham has been taking food donations to the Cambridge Foodbank for many weeks, making it easy for people who live near him to donate. Now Michael is asking people to donate directly to our local Queen Edith’s food hub, as Cambridge Foodbank is supplying to this. We’d like to thank him for his much-appreciated efforts.

Home Fire Safety – free online talk

The Patients Group at the Queen Edith Medical Practice has organised an online (Zoom) talk on Wednesday (8 July, from 2pm to 3pm) on Home Fire Safety. You don’t need to be a patient of the practice to watch. The talk will be given by Andrew Doherty, Community Champion for Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue Service, and will cover smoke alarms, principal risks including kitchen and electrical fires, Escape Plans and bedtime routines. For details, send an e-mail to Alan Williams and you’ll get details emailed back with instructions just before the talk starts.

Visiting restrictions eased at Addenbrooke’s

Restricted visiting is being permitted across the Cambridge University Hospitals Trust from today. Some areas do still have restrictions: for full information see details here. To arrange a visit, you’ll need to call the ward to find out when there is availability.

Fendon Road Roundabout road closures

Cambridgeshire County Council has been in touch to announce the following timetable for completion of the Fendon Road roundabout works:

• Queen Edith’s Way west arm (ie. between Fendon Road and Hills Road) will remain closed at the roundabout until the works are completed.
• On Thursday 16 and Friday 17 July there will be daytime surfacing works but no road closure
• From Saturday 18 at 7.30am to Monday 20 July at 6am there will be a total closure of the Fendon Road roundabout to construct 2 centre islands. The works will be completed on the Sunday afternoon but the closure is required overnight to allow concrete around the kerbs of the new islands to harden up.
• From Monday 20 to Friday 24 July there will be an overnight total closure of the roundabout (7pm to 6am) to install surfacing, road markings, signage and belisha beacons.
• On Sunday 26 July there will be a total closure of roundabout between 7.30am and 10pm to put in red cycleway surfacing and road markings.
• From Monday 27 to Friday 31 July the Queen Edith’s Way west arm will remain closed in this final week to allow for any last roundabout works, reinstallation of double yellow lines on Queen Edith’s Way between Fendon Road and Hills Road, removal of double yellow lines on Nightingale Avenue and reinstatement of the No Left Turn ban on Queen Edith’s Way at the junction with Hills Road.

Access by foot will be maintained throughout the works although some pedestrian management may be required on Sunday 26 July when the cycleways are tarmacked. Advance information signs will be displayed from 3 July. Diversion signs for motorists will be in place. Bus operators have been notified. Nightingale Avenue will be the diversion route for Citi 1 and Citi 2 buses (in both directions).

The County Council will also be issuing a press release early next week. Further publicity, including an educational campaign with Road Safety colleagues, is planned. Three short videos will be released each showing how to approach/use the roundabout as a driver, cyclist and pedestrian. More on this to follow.

Book ahead for City Centre visits

Cambridge City Council tells us that “residents intending to make the most of newly reopened food and drinks businesses in Cambridge city centre this weekend are being encouraged to plan ahead, book places at food and drinks establishments, think carefully about their travel arrangements and follow national safety advice.” More details here.

Cherry Hinton Hall folk music at home

The Cambridge Folk Festival would normally have taken place at the end of this month, and many regular attendees like your humble correspondent will be missing the satisfying feeling we get each night from walking back to our houses past all the tents. As it happens, this year, our homes will be the location of an online event, taking place over the festival weekend, 30 July to 2 August. It includes performances, interviews, talks, workshops, and a virtual choir open to everyone. Find out more here.

Small business and not-for-profit grants available

Cambridge City Council has more funding available for businesses and organisations that have not been able to access previous Coronavirus-related government grant funding schemes, such as the small business grant or retail, hospitality and leisure grant. Local grants of between £1,000 and £10,000 are available. Find out more here.

Red Cross Area community heroes

If you didn’t see the news earlier in the week, members of the Red Cross Areas Residents Association, led by their youngest supporter Penelope and her mum Sofia, a nurse, organised a delivery of special ‘goody bags’ to local residents on Monday. You can read about this wonderful initiative and see some photos of the event here.

NHS Test and Trace programme in Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire County Council has a web page about the NHS Test and Trace programme launched by the Government which you can read here. It includes a link to a six-page leaflet called A guide to NHS Test and Trace in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough which you can read here. If you have neighbours and friends who are unlikely to see this online, they might appreciate a printout if you could deliver one.

COPE meeting cancelled

Cambridge Older People’s Enterprise has cancelled its July event in Queen Edith’s, as well as its AGM.

Food Hub open tomorrow morning

The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub is open as usual tomorrow morning (Saturday) from 10.30am to 12.30pm at St. James Church in Wulfstan Way. All those in need of fresh and packaged food supplies, household goods and children’s clothing are very welcome to attend. Last week we had our highest number of visitors yet, and expect the need to grow, so we would be very grateful if people continue to donate food. This can be brought to St. James Church on Wednesday afternoons – full details here.