You may have noticed the new boards up outside the old Swiss Laundry premises on Cherry Hinton Road; we did, and so we’ve been in touch with the developers CamProp and agents Carter Jonas to find out what’s happening. In summary, the owners want to keep the site for business use, and have no plans to build any housing there. Their full reply can be read here.
Half-Term Children’s Science Activities
The excellent Cambridge Science Centre on the Clifton Road Estate has three different “STEMclub” activities for 7–11 year olds taking place at half-term: “The Power of Ra – Save Ancient Egypt”, “Discovering DNA” and “Exploring Structures”. There are also a range of workshops. All need to be booked in advance, so be quick! More details here.
Flu Vaccinations at Queen Edith Medical Practice
The Queen Edith Medical Practice is asking that residents please do not call the practice regarding flu vaccinations. An overwhelming number of calls are clogging its already very busy telephone system. Receptionists are currently unable to book patients into flu clinics, but please be assured that if you are eligible for a vaccine you will be contacted directly, via phone call, text and/or invitation letter in the coming weeks. With over 3,500 eligible patients this year, this is a mammoth task! You can read much more about what’s happening on the home page of their website here.
Cherry Hinton Hall play area plans
Cambridge City Council has some allocated developer contribution money to improve the play equipment in the Cherry Hinton Hall play area, and has produced an initial design proposal. They want to hear what you think about it, and have produced a form which shows the ideas and allows you to submit your comments. You can find it here.
Cambridge Re-Use now open to the public
Cambridge Re-Use (founded 30 years ago as Cambridge Sofa) is now selling good quality second-hand furniture to all. Previously, the charity has been offering furniture and furnishings to those on low incomes. This will continue, with discounted prices for those in this situation, but at the same time, anyone can now visit the warehouse to find bargains. Cambridge Re-Use is open from 10am to 4pm Monday to Saturday at Unit H, The Paddocks, off Cherry Hinton Road. Manager Cara Moorey tells us: “We have some beautiful furniture donated from the Cambridge area, a real mix of modern and antique pieces, often items that would cost a lot more elsewhere.” More details here.
Piano and music theory lessons
Dr Marcos Stuardo, a musician and piano teacher based off Cherry Hinton Road, is offering music and piano lessons for children and adults. All levels of piano are covered, as well as music theory and composition, and lessons can be given in Spanish as well as English. Contact Dr Stuardo via email or by calling 07933 684899.
Love Food. Hate Waste.
People across the UK wasted a third less food than normal during lockdown – and local residents are being urged to keep up these efforts as part of a new campaign. Local councils and the food partnership organisation Cambridge Sustainable Food have teamed up in the fight against food waste, and you can read more about what you can do to reduce food waste here.
A11 Park & Ride Busway consultation coming
The consultation starts this month on the Greater Cambridge Partnership’s planned busway from the Biomedical Campus out to a new Park & Ride the other side of Babraham. This will be routed next to the Nine Wells Local Nature Reserve and will presumably connect to the new Biomedical Campus railway station. All materials, videos, an interactive map and supporting documents will be available online from 12 October until 7 December 2020. If you’d prefer a postal information pack, you can get one by telephoning 01223 699906. Further information and background documents of the proposals are available here.
This week at The Light Cinema
Our local multi-screen cinema is fully open, with social distancing measures in place. Films coming up include 23 Walks; After We Collided; Akira; Bill & Ted: Face the Music; Cats & Dogs 3; David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet; Dreambuilders; Joker; Matthew Bourne’s Red Shoes; Onward; Pinocchio; Rocks; Tenet; The Elfkins; The New Mutants; Three Tenors: Voices for Eternity; Trolls World Tour; and Unhinged. Full listings here.
Fendon Road roundabout reports
We have been asked by several readers if anyone is collating feedback on the operation of the Fendon Road roundabout following its redesign. Please direct comments or reports of incidents to Vanessa Kelly from the County Council cycling team at vanessa.kelly@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.
Food Hub open tomorrow
The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub is open as usual tomorrow morning at St. James Church in Wulfstan Way, with free fresh and packaged food supplies and household goods for those experiencing hardship. We really appreciate any food donations, which can be dropped off on Fridays. The Food Hub is open from 10.30am to 12.30pm every Saturday morning.
Buy Go Glass suncatchers and help people get off the streets
The second Cambridge City Council supported Street Aid Week starts tomorrow (10 October) to raise awareness and money for the award-winning Cambridge Street Aid. Its target is to raise £3,000 so the scheme can give new grants to 10 more people to help them get off, and stay off, the streets. Businesses helping to spread the word include Go Glass on Cherry Hinton Road, who will be selling suncatcher snowflakes to raise money. Check out their website here for more information.
The EU Settlement Scheme
Cambridge City Council is keen that non-UK EU citizens understand the process and deadline for applying to the EU Settlement Scheme, which is necessary for those wishing to continue to live and work in the UK. It is essential that EU Citizens apply to the Settlement Scheme to remain eligible for healthcare, schools, pensions and more. Information on how to apply is available here. Help with the application is available for people needing it; more details here.
Interactive adventure for kids at home
Cambridge Junction’s The Anarchist’s Mobile Library on the weekend of 24/25 October will take children of ages 6+ on an immersive theatrical journey of their own making. It’s an audio adventure that you choose, solving problems and meeting characters, from wherever you choose to play! One ticket is required per household, with ‘Pay What You Feel’ tickets from £2.50. More details here.
Oakes College virtual open evening
Oakes College – the former Netherhall Sixth Form Centre – has an online Open Event for prospective students next Tuesday (13 October). Find out everything that’s happening here, including seeing the list of events and the ‘interactive subject corridor’.
Latest Coronavirus measures summary
A reminder that Cambridge is currently under the COVID-19 restrictions for England, but not additional local rules. As the national rules are expected to remain in force until next March, we thought they were worth summarising here:
You can meet in a group of up to six people from multiple households.
You should work at home if possible.
Pubs, bars and restaurants must close at 10pm. Customers must wear face coverings, except when seated at a table to eat or drink. In licensed premises, food and drink must be ordered from, and served at, a table.
Face coverings must be worn by customers and staff in shops.
Face coverings must be worn on public transport, in taxis and in indoor areas such as museums and cinemas.
Local resident Geoff Heathcock now has his RNLI Cambridge & District Branch shop set up in his garage, and it’s looking good! There are calendars, Christmas cards and diaries, all in aid of the RNLI, and you can pop around to Geoff’s house at 52 Queen Edith’s Way to take a look on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons between 2pm and 4.30pm, or call Geoff on 01223 244901.
News from our MP
South Cambridgeshire MP Anthony Browne has sent out another update to constituents (which include most Queen Edith’s residents south of Cherry Hinton Road). There’s news on the proposed Cambridge Children’s Hospital, the East-West Railway line and saving chalk streams. Read the newsletter here.
Cambridge South Station update
The main consultation on the new Cambridge South Station starts on October 19, focused on station facilities and access arrangements to the site, located next to the busway bridge on Cambridge Biomedical Campus. We will bring you full details here in Queen Edith’s news, and the Queen Edith’s Community Forum is planning to organise an online presentation by Network Rail for local residents. Please watch this space.
Store assistant vacancies
The Essentialz Post Office on Hills Road, opposite Cambridge Leisure, tells us it has vacancies for full-time and part-time store assistants. Store and cashiering experience would be welcome, as is a warm, friendly manner. Applications can be made any time, by emailing your CV and an accompanying letter to uguradis@yahoo.co.uk. A DBS record will be required.
This week at The Light Cinema
Our local multi-screen cinema continues to bring us a terrific lineup of films, with excellent social distancing measures in place. Films coming up include After We Collided; Akira; Cats & Dogs 3; Dreambuilders; I Am Woman; Kajillionaire; On the Rocks; Onward; Pinocchio; Saint Maud; Shirley; Tenet; The Elfkins and Trolls World Tour. Full listings here.
Food Hub open tomorrow
The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub is open as usual tomorrow morning at St. James Church in Wulfstan Way, with free fresh and packaged food supplies and household goods for those experiencing hardship. We really appreciate any food donations, which can be dropped off on Fridays. The list of what we need is here. The Food Hub is open from 10.30am to 12.30pm every Saturday morning.
Great news for Cambridge Junction this week, as it was named amongst the recipients of the government’s Culture Recovery Fund with a grant of £398,459 to get the venue back on its feet. Artistic Director Matt Burman said: “We want to continue old and start new conversations, with people in communities and with artists, that begin with a simple question; what do you need from us? And we’re properly excited by where these conversations, this space for imagining, might lead us…” Cambridge Corn Exchange and the Cambridge Folk Festival also received grants.
Dressing up the area for Halloween
With Halloween approaching, we’re still waiting on official advice about trick or treating, but regardless, we’re hoping that people will go to extra special lengths to decorate their windows and front gardens instead to create a suitably spooky atmosphere. We could all do with a bit of fun! Do let us know if you are planning to do something special – anyone who saw last year’s ‘haunted camper van’ on Glebe Road should have some great ideas for what can be achieved!
Latest Coronavirus news
A reminder that Cambridge is currently under the ‘medium’ local COVID-19 alert level. For more detailed information on what this means, please see the government website here.
Residents on low incomes who cannot work because they are self-isolating due to coronavirus, can now apply for a one-off support payment. The government Test and Trace Support Payments of £500 will be administered by Cambridge City Council, with more information here.
The Taj is back for eating-in
It’s been a long wait, but local favourite the Taj Tandoori restaurant on Cherry Hinton Road re-opened for dining this week. The team says it has decided to take a careful approach, and initially they’ll be open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. They add: “If everything goes well and there is no further lockdown or any news that may impact us, we will look to open fully sometime in November.” Reserve a table here. Takeaway is still available six days a week.
New Worts’ Causeway estate update
The Queen Edith’s Community Forum has been in contact with CEG (Commercial Estates Group), the property developer behind ‘GB1′, the northernmost of the two Worts’ Causeway estates, which is going through the process of applying for Outline Planning Permission. The company has given us a number of clarifications and detailed some changes. You can see what we’ve found out here.
Free Bike Repairs!
The Queen Edith’s Community Forum has arranged Dr Bike to provide free repair sessions for local residents. The first of a couple of upcoming events is scheduled for Thursday 29 October, during the day, outside the shops on Wulfstan Way. Book a 30 minute slot now, then bring your bike along and a friendly mechanic will carry out an inspection, make necessary repairs and fit any minor necessary parts such as cables or innertubes. The mechanic will provide a report on your bike with recommendations for any further work required. What are you waiting for? More details here.
Can we end homelessness in Cambridge?
The Perse School is continuing its termly community lectures, starting with an online event on Wednesday 11 November at 7:30pm. This will be well worth watching: Mark Allan, CEO of Jimmy’s Cambridge, a local charity supporting homeless people, will be asking “Can we end homelessness in Cambridge?” During the pandemic people experiencing homelessness have been put up in hotels, and there has been talk about whether this is a unique opportunity to end homelessness once and for all. But is this realistic? More information, including how to book, is on the school website.
Calling all home bakers!
Maggie’s, the cancer care centre at Addenbrooke’s, is asking Great British Bake Off fans to get baking and raise some dough for people with cancer. Host a socially-distanced or virtual coffee morning, dinner party or games night on Friday 6 November or sell your best bakes to your neighbours. More details and how to register for this year’s Kitchen Table Day here.
Nightingale Community Garden welcomes you
Almost all the building work at the Nightingale Community Garden at Nightingale Recreation Ground is complete now, and it is open in daylight hours, every day, from at least 10am to 3pm. There are two covered areas, a veranda and polytunnel, in case of rain. People find the garden a good place to meet up. It isn’t too busy but please follow any COVID-19 rules and social distance. The remaining jobs are to pave the veranda and plant up the green roof. But the garden volunteers are busy working on other projects too. There’s funding which has come from developers for an outdoor kitchen and activity preparation area – with a portable pizza oven. For next Spring, hopefully. Over the weekend, they will install an Autumn Quiz Trail, ready for half-term holiday. Just for fun – no prizes. Questions for all ages. Do let them know if you have any other ideas for projects to help everyone enjoy the garden – and for all of us to ’survive the winter’! Check their website for updates.
A message from Sam Davies (MBE!)
Queen Edith’s Community Forum chair Sam Davies tells us: “Thanks to everyone who sent me messages of congratulations after last week’s announcement. I’m working my way through sending replies but there are quite a lot of messages and it’s taking a while, so please don’t think I haven’t read and appreciated them!” There was a very nice BBC radio interview with Sam last week which you can listen to here.
This week at The Light Cinema
Our local multi-screen cinema continues to bring us a terrific lineup of films, with excellent social distancing measures in place. Films coming up include After We Collided; Akira; Ammonite; Cats & Dogs 3; Dreambuilders; I Am Greta; I Am Woman; Kajillionaire; Michael Ball & Alfie Boe – Back Together; On the Rocks; Onward; Over the Moon; Rebecca; Saint Maud; Stevie Nicks 24 Karat Gold The Concert; TENET; The Elfkins; The Trial of the Chicago 7; Trolls World Tour; Two By Two: Overboard! and Unhinged. Full listings here.
Food Hub open tomorrow
The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub is open as usual tomorrow morning, with free fresh and packaged food supplies and household goods for anyone experiencing hardship. We really appreciate any food donations, which can be dropped off on Fridays. The list of what we need is here. The photo above shows a huge, and unexpected harvest donation being dropped off by Rob from the Perse Pelican school in Glebe Road. Rob is with the Food Hub co-ordinator Risa and St James’ Church vicar Steve. Thank you so much to the school!
The Food Hub is open to all, from 10.30am to 12.30pm every Saturday morning at St. James Church in Wulfstan Way.
The two big transport projects which will affect Queen Edith’s over the next few years have both launched public consultations this week. In each case, there’s a lot of material to read, and the chance to give your feedback.
1. The new Cambridge South station
If you’re interested in finding out more about what Network Rail is proposing for Cambridge South station, the Queen Edith’s Community Forum has organised an online presentation from Network Rail which is open to anyone to watch. There’ll be a 30-minute presentation followed by the chance to ask questions. This will take place next Thursday, 29 October from 6pm. If you’d like to be sent details, just click the button below.
If you’re interested in seeing the full proposal from the Greater Cambridge Partnership for its Cambridge South East Transport busway to Babraham, head on over to the consultation website here and follow the link to the ‘Virtual Consultation Room’. You can have your say on this one too.
Latest Coronavirus news
As the instances of COVID-19 are rising again, the Queen Edith’s Community Forum will continue to do our best to find out what’s happening across the city and keep local residents up to date via this weekly Queen Edith’s news email. Please let your friends and neighbours know about this newsletter by forwarding it to them; point out to them that they can get their own copy by clicking the link at the bottom.
Cambridge City Council informs us that across the city, infection is primarily within the young adult age group. They are targeting communications and (if necessary) enforcement at this group over the half-term break.
You may have seen data in the press showing Queen Edith’s having moved in the last fortnight from being the ward with the fewest cases of COVID-19 in the city, to one of the highest. We should point out that this is almost entirely due to a number of cases at Homerton College, which are safely under control thanks to prompt action by the college. We’re very grateful to the college for this letter to the local community, which you might like to read.
There is now a walk-in only testing siteby the Abbey Pool, the other side of Coldham’s Common, with capacity for 400 tests a day. You must still book an appointment first.
Residents on low incomes who cannot work because they are self-isolating due to coronavirus, can now apply for a one-off support payment. The government Test and Trace Support Payments of £500 will be administered by Cambridge City Council, with more information here.
Children qualifying for free school meals who are asked to isolate should continue to get provision via their school, so please do contact your school if you are eligible.
A reminder that Cambridge is currently under the ‘medium’ local COVID-19 alert level. For more detailed information on what this means, please see the government website here.
Cambridge Junction’s half-term family fun is an online ‘pay what you feel’ event which looks excellent. The Anarchist’s Mobile Library “will take you on an incredible audio adventure that you choose, solving problems and meeting characters, from wherever you choose to play!” Tessa Bide Productions have partnered with expert technologists to create an interactive, audio adventure to empower children to be masters of their own destinies, to be inspired by literature and to change the stories they see unfolding around them. More details here.
A Halloween Hunt for your children!
Here’s a great idea. A group of Queen Emma school parents/grandparents have devised a Halloween Hunt for any primary age children, instead of trick or treating this year. It’s a free, socially distanced event which can be completed in your own time, during daylight hours, on Saturday 31st October, and gives the children the chance to wear their scariest costumes! Use the map to find Halloween fact posters on a walk around Queen Edith’s streets and answer a set of questions. We suggest adults give their children a treat for each answer! Please do not walk in groups larger than 6 (unless you are from the same household). Download the questions and the map here and enjoy!
Half term at Cambridge Science Centre
There are loads of excellent events next week for children aged 7–11 at the Cambridge Science Centre on Clifton Road estate, behind Cambridge Leisure. Take a look at the lineup here.
Interested in an Urban Parish?
A few local people have been interested for some time in the potential for Queen Edith’s to become an urban parish. If you’re interested in the subject, and perhaps getting a chat going, please email Sam Davies here at the Queen Edith’s Community Forum and we’ll see where it takes us. We can offer a few invitations to a really promising online presentation on the subject next week, if you’re quick! We’re especially interested in talking to residents with local council experience elsewhere.
Football for girls on Wednesdays
Cambridge United Community Trust’s Premier League Kicks weekly football sessions for girls aged 11 to 16 have arrived at nearby Coleridge Rec, on Wednesdays from 3.45pm. Fun, free and safe. Sign up here and there’s some background here.
Marshall Road closure
Signs have gone up announcing that Marshall Road is to be closed for three days the week after next (2–4 November). We’ve been in touch with Cambridge Water who tell us the works are to excavate and relay a lead supply pipe in the footway and carriageway. To find out more information about any works in our area, One.network is a good place to look.
Addenbrookes surgery on BBC One
Addenbrooke’s and Royal Papworth surgical staff have been shown performing some of the most complex operations in the world in BBC One’s Surgeons: At the Edge of Life on Tuesday evenings. There are still three more episodes to be shown live, but previous editions can be watched on iPlayer here.
This week at The Light Cinema
Our local multi-screen cinema continues to bring us a terrific lineup of films, with excellent social distancing measures in place. Films coming up include 100% Wolf; After We Collided; Akira; All My Life; Cats & Dogs 3; Dreambuilders; Honest Thief; Kajillionaire; Max Winslow and the House of Secrets; On the Rocks; Onward; Over the Moon; Pixie; Rebecca; Saint Maud; Stevie Nicks 24 Karat Gold The Concert; Superpower Dogs; TENET; The Climb; The Craft: Legacy; The Elfkins; The Secret Garden; The Trial of Chicago 7; Trolls World Tour; Two By Two: Overboard!; Uncle Vanya; and Wolfwalkers. Full listings here.
Food Hub open tomorrow
The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub is open as usual tomorrow morning, with free fresh and packaged food supplies and household goods for anyone experiencing hardship. We really appreciate any food donations, which can be dropped off on Fridays. The list of what we need is here. Thank you so much this week to St John The Evangelist Church on Hills Road for donating their harvest collection to the Food Hub.
The Food Hub is open to all, from 10.30am to 12.30pm every Saturday morning at St. James Church in Wulfstan Way.
Cambridgeshire County Council is reminding residents to replace traditional Halloween activities this year with alternative safe versions. This means keeping socially distanced, sticking to the rule of six, and keeping hands clean. Instead of trick or treating, the council suggests parents get their children to join in an organised hunt or seeing how many spooky pictures they can spot in local windows. Or try a fun way to hand out sweets at home! Please don’t share food with other households.
A reminder that a local Halloween Hunt has been set up around Queen Edith’s streets for daylight hours on Saturday 31st October, and children can still wear their scariest costumes! They can use this map to find Halloween fact posters and answer the questions to perhaps be given a treat for each answer by their parents!
Remembering loved ones
On the first Sunday of November, churches often remember those who have died. At St John’s on Hills Road this year, the All Souls Service of Remembering is even more poignant, because many of us will have lost friends and relatives in 2020 and have been unable to attend funerals. Seating will be limited at the service, which takes place on 1 November at 6pm, but there is no limit on the number of names that will be read, or candles that will be lit. If you would like the church to remember your loved one, do please share their name. This and seat bookings should be emailed to James Shakespeare. More details at the church website here.
Bonfire Night
Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue Service is urging residents across the county to think twice about holding their own firework displays. Not only do these present risks for residents and fire crews, but with the pandemic still with us we all have a responsibility to ensure we don’t put unnecessary strain on emergency services. Please read their message here.
Latest Coronavirus news
A reminder that Cambridge is currently under the ‘medium’ local COVID-19 alert level. For more detailed information on what this means, please see the government website here.
Data on cases in Cambridge from the government can be found here.
Note that for nearby areas on the next alert level (high), such as Uttlesford (Saffron Walden) and Braintree, additional restrictions have been put in place, which can be seen here.
News from Cambridge City Council can be found here.
The CUH Foundation Trust has written to public members to express delight at learning that the government has confirmed funding for the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital at Addenbrooke’s. It describes plans for this and Cambridge Children’s Hospital (part of a previous funding announcement) as “landmark developments that will hugely benefit patients and the region”. Alongside this announcement, the Trust says it is actively planning to build capacity at Addenbrooke’s to deal with any surges in Covid-19 in our region.
Meeting for Queen Edith Patients
The annual general meeting of the Queen Edith Medical Practice Patients Group is online on 19th November at 12 noon. Anyone wishing to take part can request to do so by emailing the PPG here. Details of how to connect to the AGM will be sent a day or two before the meeting.
A Local Hero ❤️
We’ve had this lovely recommendation for some ‘Local Hero’ recognition, which we’re more than happy to bring to you. Earlier in the year, Mrs Adrianne Russell, a parent of Queen Emma Primary school and a teacher at the Stephen Perse, offered online maths lessons to Year 5 children while having to look after her own family. Read the full story here…
This week at The Light Cinema
Our local multi-screen cinema is temporarily only opening on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. However, it’s still managing to show an extraordinary wide range of films! This weekend’s lineup includes 100% Wolf; After We Collided; All My Life; Cats & Dogs 3; Halloween; Hocus Pocus; Honest Thief; Host; On the Rocks; Over the Moon; Pixie; Rebecca; Saint Maud; Stevie Nicks 24 Karat Gold The Concert; Superpower Dogs; TENET; The Burnt Orange Heresy; The Climb; The Craft: Legacy; The Exorcist: Director’s Cut; The Nightmare Before Christmas; The Secret Garden; Trolls World Tour; Two By Two: Overboard!; Uncle Vanya and Wolfwalkers. Full listings here.
Food Hub open tomorrow
The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub is open as usual tomorrow morning, with free fresh and packaged food supplies and household goods for anyone experiencing hardship. We really appreciate any food donations, which can be dropped off on Fridays. Top of our needs list at the moment are breakfast cereals! The full list of what we need is here.
The Food Hub is open to all, from 10.30am to 12.30pm every Saturday morning at St. James Church in Wulfstan Way.
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Chris Rand
