Queen Edith’s news 2021 vol.10 – October

 

 

Queen Edith’s News

Issue 161 • Friday 29 October 2021
Emailed to over 1,600 local homes

Dressmakers and Alteration Tailoring shop opens

The latest in our series of new business openings in the area is Cambridge Tailoring, a fashion designer, dressmaker and everyday alteration tailors, which has moved into the old Barkers Carpets shop at 90 Cherry Hinton Road. Owner Yeşim Tezcan is holding a Grand Opening of the shop tomorrow afternoon (Saturday 30 October), so do drop by if you get a chance between 2pm and 5pm to chat to her, and indulge in some drinks and canapés. Cambridge Tailoring’s services include alterations, bridal and bridesmaid dressmaking. Personal appointments are available. More details here.

Get Active in November!

The Move More Challenge is being brought to you this November by Cambridge City Council’s Active Lifestyles team. They’ll be taking on the challenge to do something active every day for 30 days – will you join them? They tell us: “All we are asking is for you to do some form of physical activity for at least 10 minutes everyday in November. Absolutely anything counts! It could be walking the dog, cycling to work, going for a run with a friend, enjoying a swim or doing an online dance class in your living room. We will provide you with a Move More Calendar for you to print off and use to record your activities every day.” Send for your calendar and find out more information here.

Free chance to get into running

If you love the idea of running but it’s hard to get going, Run For Your Life offers free small group runs for “a new, more joyful way to crack running”. Runs start from The Robin Hood pub on Thursday evenings at 7pm. There’s loads of information here.

Cheering up the neighbourhood

9-year-old Hope, the Honorary Executive Officer of the RedCross Areas Residents Association, gathered together plants and people last week to plant up a temporary flower bed on Red Cross Lane, to celebrate the work of our Key Workers and NHS. The volunteers are shown above with Queen Edith’s Community Forum chair Sam Davies. Well done all!

Latest Coronavirus news

Official government advice remains that “Coronavirus remains a serious health risk. You should stay cautious to help protect yourself and others.”

  • Let fresh air in if you meet indoors. Meeting outdoors is safer
  • Wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces where you come into contact with people you do not normally meet
  • Get tested and self-isolate if required
  • If you haven’t already, get vaccinated

Recent changes

Links and data

Latest data from the Office of National Statistics released at lunchtime today suggests much higher infection figures, including an infection rate of 1 in 50 in England. Its survey-based data suggests that 1.3 million people in the UK tested positive last week, the highest number since records began. Please take care.

All Souls Services at local churches

Services to remember loved ones who have died will be taking place at our local churches this week. The All Souls Service at St John’s Church on Hills Road is on Sunday 31 October at 6.00pm, and the All Souls Service at St James Church on Wulfstan Way is on Tuesday 2 November at 7.30pm.

Bring & Buy Sale at St James Church

St James Church on Wulfstan Way is having another Bring and Buy Sale this Saturday (30 October) from 10am to 12noon. It will take place outdoors (weather permitting!) alongside the Community Food Hub and Coffee Chat. All money raised will go towards supporting the work of the church. Everyone is welcome!

Halloween at Wandlebury…

Looking for something a little more exciting for the family this Halloween? Uncover the darker side of Wandlebury’s history with tales from the ghostly past; dare to accept fiendish foods from a ghoulish witch; and take on some eerily creepy crafts. This Sunday (31 October) from 4pm to 8pm at Wandlebury Country Park – £7 adult & £5 Children. More details here.

…and at Rock Road Library…

The Friends of Rock Road Library are holding their Halloween Fun event in the Library garden on Sunday (31 October) from 5.00pm to 7.00pm. There’ll be games and treats, and wear fancy dress (but not too scary please). All welcome!

…and a message from the police

Cambridgeshire Constabulary have some information about enjoying Halloween safely and being good neighbours here.

South African feast at Cambridge Cookery

The ‘Limited Elle-Editions’ 12-week restaurant pop-up at Cambridge Cookery finishes its series tomorrow night (30 October) with Chef Jason Howard from Shanty Cambridge who began the series back at the beginning of August. To make it an extra special evening, there are ‘chef tables’ for those who wish to watch Jason cooking and plating up his exceptional 10 course South African feast. Contact the organiser for details here.

Foot problems?

This week’s featured Queen Edith’s magazine supporters are our local chiropody/podiatry specialists – The Beechwood Practice at 41 Hills Road (call 01223 315541) or Celia Kenney (07939 227195) for home appointments. Treatments include corn and callus reduction; nail conditions; ingrowing toenails; fungal infections and athletes foot; hyperhidrosis and verruce/warts.

Looking forward to St Martin’s Day

Nightingale Garden volunteers are preparing for their first St Martin’s Day family-friendly event in the community garden on 11 November. They want to “light up the garden with lanterns” and also just enjoy meeting together with some (optional) songs and stories. Do have a go at making a lantern – you can use battery tea lights or a torch inside them (but not candles!). Please contact the volunteers if you could join them as a steward, and they are also looking for people to join in with the songs – easy ones – and maybe accompany them with a musical instrument. More information here.

Junction Christmas Show now booking

Cambridge Junction’s 2021 Christmas show is The Snow Queen by New International Encounter, who made an abridged online version last year filmed in beautiful local woodlands. This year they are returning with a new, extended adaptation using six performers and live music. The show takes place from 8 December to 3 January and tickets can be booked here. The show is suitable for ages 5+, and there will be school and group performances.

This Week at The Light Cinema

Our multi-screen cinema’s films this week include Antlers; Blade (4K reissue); Cliff Richard: The Great 80 Tour; Dear Evan Hansen; Dune; Halloween Kills; Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – 20th Anniversary; Hocus Pocus; Last Night in Soho; My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission (Subtitled) No Time To Die; Ron’s Gone Wrong; The Addams Family 2; The Boss Baby: Family Business; The Croods 2: A New Age; The French Dispatch; The Witches; and Venom: Let There Be Carnage.

This week at Cambridge Junction

Another full lineup at Cambridge Junction this week includes Any Suggestions, Doctor? The Improvised Doctor Who Parody; Ben Caplan; Jesterlarf Comedy Club: November; Jim Bob (Sold Out); Love Letter To A Liveable Future: Online At The Change Festival; Loyiso Gola: Pop Culture; Megson; Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker & John Doyle; Neon Moon: Halloween (Sold Out); Sadie Jemmett; Subira Joy: Kill The Cop Inside Your Head; Toyah; and Ways Of Doing Things by Anna Macdonald (Sold Out).

Food Hub and Coffee Morning open this Saturday

The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub, which offers free fresh and packaged food supplies and household goods for anyone experiencing hardship, is open again this Saturday, from 10.30am to 12.30, at St James Church in Wulfstan Way. Our free coffee and chat morning now runs alongside this, open to all, from 10.30am to 12noon. Do come and join your neighbours for refreshments and a chat!

Current Consultations

  • The consultation on the next Greater Cambridge Local Plan is of enormous importance, as the plan will affect us all for the next 20 years and beyond. The ‘First Proposals’ for full public consultation are scheduled to be published during November and December 2021, and public comments need to be received by mid-December. We will cover it here in Queen Edith’s News and in the next issue of Queen Edith’s magazine, to be published before the end of November. There will also be a public meeting organised by the Queen Edith’s Community Forum in early December. Please watch this space.

Traffic disruption

One.network is the website which shows current and forthcoming road works. You can see the map here.

Prescription collection

The Queen Edith’s Community Forum’s ‘Happy To Help’ scheme has now closed, but the Patients Participation Group at the Queen Edith Medical Practice is providing prescription collections for local residents who find themselves unable to leave home – telephone 07968 538783 or email ppg@queen-ediths.info.

How to contact our local councillors

The Queen Edith’s Community Forum guide to our local councillors will ensure you contact the right one depending on your problem and the street where you live. Find it here.

Queen Edith’s city councillor Sam Davies writes a weekly email discussing what she’s been doing and what issues have come up in the area. You can add yourself to the circulation of Sam’s free email here. If our other councillors produce anything similar we will also highlight it here.

Have you been forwarded this email?
Click here to request your own copy each week. It’s free!

 

Queen Edith’s News

Issue 160 • Friday 22 October 2021
Emailed to over 1,600 local homes

Free drop-in community coffee & chat starts

Starting tomorrow, a new ‘Coffee & Chat’ event will be running alongside the Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub on Saturday mornings. Everyone is welcome – pop in for coffee/tea and a chat (we’re sure there’ll be snacks too!), meet other local residents, and find out what’s going on in the area. It’s completely free, and runs from 10.30am to 12noon at St James’ Church on Wulfstan Way. We look forward to seeing you!

  • There’s a new video to watch about the food hub – see link down below at the end of this week’s newsletter.

Final Robin Hood junction work

A contractor will be on site at the Robin Hood traffic signals from Monday (25 October) to finalise the scheme there. This includes the red surfacing, remaining white lining and any other snags that remain. The work should be completed next week, although some following days have been allowed as a contingency. Traffic may be slower through the junction while work goes on.

Pizza in 180 seconds on Perne Road

If you’ve passed Adkins Corner in the last week or two, a new business you’ll surely have noticed is Fireaway, our new branch of the hugely successful national pizza chain. Its £8.99, 12-inch signature pizzas are available for pre-ordered collection or home delivery, or drop by the shop and they’ll cook your pizza in just 180 seconds in their 400-degree fire oven. See the full menu here.

Latest Coronavirus news

Official government advice remains that “Coronavirus remains a serious health risk. You should stay cautious to help protect yourself and others.”

Recent changes

  • All young people aged 12 to 15 will soon be offered a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine
  • Booster vaccine doses will be available on the NHS for people most at risk from COVID-19 who have had a 2nd dose of a vaccine at least 6 months ago. You should be contacted by the NHS about this. The official wording on the NHS website (our highlighting) is: “If you haven’t received an invite by 6 months and 1 week, you can try to book your appointment online without an invite”. The link to do so is here.

Links and data

The Guardian answers the question Who can get a Covid booster jab in England? in this article here. A booster shot of the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine is 95.6% effective against Covid-19 compared with two shots and a placebo, the companies said yesterday.

Award-winning climate crisis documentary showing

The next event in the Christian Climate Forum series at St John’s Church on Hills Road is a film screening of Thank you for the Rain, tomorrow (23 October) at 5pm. Five years ago, Kisilu, a Kenyan farmer, started to use his camera to capture the life of his family, his village and the ravages of climate change. As a violent storm throws him and a Norwegian filmmaker together, see him transform from a father, to a community leader, and an activist on the global stage. Get a free ticket for the screening here.

Pumpkin fun for kids at half term

St James’ Church on Wulfstan Way has its Pumpkin Picnic next Monday lunchtime (25 October). There’ll be pumpkin carving, craft activities, games, and lunch provided. Children will need to be accompanied by an adult. All are welcome from 12noon.

Try some modern and traditional Persian food

Part of the Cambridge pop-up scene for many years, My Persian Kitchen makes its second appearance for Limited Elle-Editions at Cambridge Cookery on Saturday night (23 October), from 6pm to 10pm. More details here, and reserve a table by email here.

Not-so mini-beast trail

In time for school half-term holiday, Nightingale Garden has a new trail. It adds to the 12 small doors and 10 rabbits on the run. This time 14 minibeasts – mainly beetles – have come out of hiding to say hello. How many can you spot? Do you like their names? Bring the kids down to see. More details here.

Science Centre open every day in half term

The Cambridge Science Centre on the Clifton Road estate is open from 10.30am to 5.00pm every day next week. Explore the interactive exhibits and take part in special shows and activities each day, including Same But Different, Recycling For Life and It’s A Hard Rock Life. No need to book! More details here.

St John’s Players back on stage

The St. John’s Players, one of the oldest drama groups in the Cambridge area, will be presenting The Titfield Thunderbolt next Wednesday (27 October) for four nights. Queen Edith’s residents are involved in the production, which will take place at the Townley Hall in Fulbourn. Tickets are available here.

Sign up for the festive run

Arthur Rank Hospice Charity’s Festive Run will kick off the festive season on Sunday 28 November, and you can do your run wherever and whenever is convenient! Solo or with friends, as teams of colleagues pitted against each other, or as an all-age family-fundraising effort, it should be fun. More information here.

Lunchtime litter pick goes monthly

As we move towards colder days, the lunchtime litter pick starting at Wulfstan Way will now be held monthly, at 1pm on the first Thursday of every month, with time to socialise afterwards. Do come and join us on 4th November!

Will Writing and Estate Planning

This week’s featured Queen Edith’s magazine supporter is Inheritance Legal Services, the Cherry Hinton Road-based specialist advisor. As well as will writing, the team can also organise Lasting Powers of Attorney and more, all with low cost, fixed-fees. More information here.

This Week at The Light Cinema

Our multi-screen cinema’s films this week include Cliff Richard: The Great 80 Tour; Dear Evan Hansen; Dune 12A; Halloween Kills; No Time To Die; Paw Patrol: The Movie; Ron’s Gone Wrong; The Addams Family 2; The Boss Baby: Family Business; The Croods 2; The French Dispatch; The Harder They Fall; The Rocky Horror Show Live 2021; and Venom Let There Be Carnage

This week at Cambridge Junction

Another full lineup at Cambridge Junction this week includes Any Suggestions, Doctor? (The Improvised Doctor Who Parody); Art // Tech // Play: Producers Edition – What The T*Ch?; Cambridge Band Competition Final; Complicité & Fehinti Balogun: Can I Live?; King King; Morgan & West’s Fantastic Family Magic Spectacular!; Palaver Family Festival; Peatbog Faeries; Rachel Fairburn: Maniac; Sara Barron: Enemies Closer; The Noise Next Door’s Comedy Lock-In; The Thinking Drinkers’ Pub Quiz; and Toyah.

Some big Food Hub thank-yous!

The support from the Queen Edith’s community for our Food Hub continues to amaze everyone. Below is the wonderful notice put up by the residents on Kinnaird Way, who ran one of the two pop-up fruit stands in the area raising money in recent weeks…

Now watch the video!

…and below is a short, 2-minute thank-you video from the Food Hub team, which we think you’ll like. Do give it a watch!

Food Hub open this Saturday

The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub, which offers free fresh and packaged food supplies and household goods for anyone experiencing hardship, is open again this Saturday, from 10.30am to 12.30, at St James Church in Wulfstan Way. Food donations should be brought to the church on Saturday mornings between 10am and 10.30am. Popular items that we welcome include kidney beans, cannelini beans, chickpeas, lentils, etc., as well as spreads like peanut butter and commercially-made jams.

Recycling tip extra!

The Tesco ‘Fulbourn’ store on Yarrow Road now has a ‘soft plastic’ collection point taking a broad range of plastics, which may be suitable for some of those items which should not be put in the blue bin. There are more details from Tesco here.

Traffic disruption

One.network is the website which shows current and forthcoming road works. You can see the map here.

Prescription collection

The Queen Edith’s Community Forum’s ‘Happy To Help’ scheme has now closed, but the Patients Participation Group at the Queen Edith Medical Practice is providing prescription collections for local residents who find themselves unable to leave home – telephone 07968 538783 or email ppg@queen-ediths.info.

How to contact our local councillors

The Queen Edith’s Community Forum guide to our local councillors will ensure you contact the right one depending on your problem and the street where you live. Find it here.

Queen Edith’s city councillor Sam Davies writes a weekly email discussing what she’s been doing and what issues have come up in the area. You can add yourself to the circulation of Sam’s free email here. If our other councillors produce anything similar we will also highlight it here.

Have you been forwarded this email?
Click here to request your own copy each week. It’s free!

 

Queen Edith’s News

Issue 159 • Friday 15 October 2021
Emailed to over 1,600 local homes

Children’s Hospital takes shape

The planning application for the proposed Cambridge Children’s Hospital was submitted to Cambridge City Council last week, and you can see the documentation here (‘Design and Access Statements Parts 1 & 2’ are the key document). The 36,000sq.m building will be located on land next to the Rosie Maternity Hospital. There’s a news story on the hospital website here.

Autumn Fair tomorrow at St John’s

This Saturday afternoon (16 October) sees the Autumn Fair at St John The Evangelist Church on Hills Road. Open from 12noon to 4pm, the event features the sale of nearly-new clothes, books, jewellery, toys and games. There’s also refreshments, art stalls and a raffle. Do pop down and see what’s there! If you have any as-new items you’d like to donate, these can be brought to the church on Saturday morning between 10am and 11am.

Syd Barrett’s guitar to be sold for charity

Pink Floyd founder ‘Syd’ Barrett’s guitar is being auctioned off to raise funds for MIND and  the Arthur Rank Hospice. Syd died of pancreatic cancer in 2006 and his nephew Mark Barrett is now selling the 12-string Yamaha acoustic guitar, which was was stored with his father, Alan Barrett after their Hills Road house was sold in 1974. There’s a Cambridgeshire Live story on the sale here and details of the auction can be found here. Our article Pink Floyd: our very own Queen Edith’s rock legends can still be read on the Queen Edith’s Community Forum website here.

Latest Coronavirus news

Official government advice remains that “Coronavirus remains a serious health risk. You should stay cautious to help protect yourself and others.”

  • Let fresh air in if you meet indoors. Meeting outdoors is safer
  • Wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces where you come into contact with people you do not normally meet
  • Get tested and self-isolate if required
  • If you haven’t already, get vaccinated

Recent changes

  • All young people aged 12 to 15 will soon be offered a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Links and data

In further reading, you may be interested in this article from The Week, which asks: Why does the UK have highest Covid case rate in western Europe?

New Asian food specialist on Hills Road

We promised you news of several businesses opening up locally over the next few issues, and this week it’s the turn of Jiamart, a new Asian supermarket which has opened on the ground floor of The Marque on Hills Road, where the Nisbet’s catering supplies store used to be. The new store joins the branches of Jiamart in Regent Street and Burleigh Street, and is open from 11am to 8pm, seven days a week. There will also soon be a bubble tea bar, Yi Fang, just inside.

Cambridge Re-Use opens its doors to all

Cambridge Re-Use, which sells quality second-hand furniture, has opened its doors to enable everyone to shop at its store. Previously it was open only to those on low incomes, although it’s still discounted for members. Open Monday to Saturday, from 10am to 4pm, the shop is at The Paddocks estate on Cherry Hinton Road, opposite Cornford House Surgery. There’s more information here.

Don’t drive into the city centre this weekend

The huge Cambridge Festival of Running takes place this weekend, and there will be many road closures on both Saturday and Sunday, so we’d strongly advise against driving through the city centre. Details on the roads affected can be found here.

Petition aims to prevent more road deaths

A week after the tragic death of Anna Garratt-Quinton at Addenbrooke’s roundabout, local charity Camcycle yesterday placed a ‘ghost bike’ in her memory near the site of the incident. This joins the large number of floral tributes which have also been left by the crossing. Camcycle is calling on all local authorities to work together on an audit of junctions across the county to identify urgent improvements to make active travel safe; this would be in the interests of drivers as much as cyclists, and there’s a simple petition you can sign here.

Courtesy bus back at hospitals

The Courtesy Bus service around the hospitals site has resumed on a limited service of Monday to Friday between 8am and 4pm. The service will start from the bus stop at the rear of car park 1 and run on a continuous loop around the Trust, capturing both car parks 1 and 2; dropping and collecting on request.

Last chance to hear award-winning author

Registrations close tonight for this year’s Arthur Rank Hospice annual lecture, A Journey into Companionship at the End of Life, an evening with Dr Kathryn Mannix, author of the award-winning book about dying. ‘With the End in Mind’. The online lecture takes place next Tuesday (19 October) at 7pm. Details on how to sign up for the online event are here.

How to reduce your carbon footprint

One of many events taking place as part of the Cambridge Zero Climate Change Festival 2021, How can you reduce your carbon footprint? is a set of online presentations this Sunday morning from Cambridge Carbon Footprint, Cambridge Sustainable Food and Transition Cambridge. Sign up to watch the free event here.

Band concert no longer taking place

The band concert in aid of the RNLI, scheduled for Friday 29 October, has sadly had to be cancelled.

Help spread the word

We’ve had some neat little ‘business cards’ made to remind people how to sign up for this newsletter. If you run a local business, or are part of a local group where you could distribute these for us, do let us know, and we’ll drop off a handful for you. Thanks! Email us at hello@queen-ediths.info

Make sure you’re aware of scams

Cambridgeshire County Council’s Against Scams Partnership offers a good list of the increasing number of scams to be aware of, from undelivered parcel texts to debt recovery calls. Click ‘Scam Alerts’ here to read more. If you use an ATM to withdraw cash and it acts in an unusual manner, or if anyone immediately steps up to help you, be very concerned. Make a note of the bank number on the back of your card, so you can immediately call the bank and cancel it.

Recycling tip of the week

The last in our mini-series of recycling tips covers what to do with those difficult-to-recycle items that we shouldn’t put in our blue bins, including toothpaste tubes, plastic/foil pouches and crisp packets with metallic insides. The answer is to collect them for Terracycle, the innovative recycling company that specialises in typically hard-to-recycle waste. Unfortunately there aren’t Terracycle collection points locally for everything, but there are two we do have, thanks to local residents:

  • Baby food pouches can be dropped off in the porch of 8 Neville Road
  • Crisp packets can be dropped off at 111 Cherry Hinton Road

Another local resident is interested in co-ordinating the collection of petfood ‘pouches’, but needs someone to offer to be a collection point. We can put you in touch if you’d like to email us.

Support in the home

This week’s featured Queen Edith’s magazine supporter is CHS Group, who offer a range of community services based around Dunstan Court. This includes fully trained carers who can visit you in your home and help with laundry, housekeeping, shopping, etc., and hot lunchtime meals delivered to your door. If you could use some help, please email denise.taylor@chsgroup.org.uk for details.

This Week at The Light Cinema

Our multi-screen cinema’s films this week include Dune; Halloween Kills; No Time To Die; Paw Patrol: The Movie; Ron’s gone Wrong; Space Jam: A New Legacy; The Addams Family 2; The Croods 2; The Last Duel; and Venom: Let There Be Carnage.

This week at Cambridge Junction

This week at our local arts centre, there are performances from Complicité & Fehinti Balogun: Can I Live?; Grace Petrie; Jayde Adams: The Ballad Of Kylie Jenner’s Old Face; Kae Kurd: The Spoken Kurd Tour (Sold Out); New Routes: Anna Hester, Kelly & Woolley & Lizzy Hardingam; Palaver Kids Party; Spiers & Boden; The Fiver – October; and Villagers.

Food Hub open this Saturday

The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub, which offers free fresh and packaged food supplies and household goods for anyone experiencing hardship, is open again this Saturday, from 10.30am to 12.30, at St James Church in Wulfstan Way. Food donation time has changed, and donations should now be brought to the church on Saturday mornings between 9.30am and 10.30am.

Open Consultations

  • Cambridge City Council’s draft Biodiversity Strategy – Documentation and Survey (until 17 October)

Traffic disruption

One.network is the website which shows current and forthcoming road works. You can see the map here.

Prescription collection

The Queen Edith’s Community Forum’s ‘Happy To Help’ scheme has now closed, but the Patients Participation Group at the Queen Edith Medical Practice is providing prescription collections for local residents who find themselves unable to leave home – telephone 07968 538783 or email ppg@queen-ediths.info.

How to contact our local councillors

The Queen Edith’s Community Forum guide to our local councillors will ensure you contact the right one depending on your problem and the street where you live. Find it here.

Queen Edith’s city councillor Sam Davies writes a weekly email discussing what she’s been doing and what issues have come up in the area. You can add yourself to the circulation of Sam’s free email here. If our other councillors produce anything similar we will also highlight it here.

Have you been forwarded this email?
Click here to request your own copy each week. It’s free!

 

Queen Edith’s News

Issue 158 • Friday 8 October 2021
Emailed to over 1,600 local homes

Cyclist killed by lorry near Addenbrooke’s

As many readers will be aware, tragically a cyclist was killed yesterday in a collision near Addenbrooke’s roundabout. Thanks to the local residents who assisted the emergency services, directed traffic and pedestrians, and allowed hospital visitors to park on their driveways so they could get to hospital appointments. There will be a full investigation into the circumstances of the accident, but if you saw anything that might be relevant please contact the police – call Sgt Tom Daly (dial 101) or contact Cambridgeshire Constabulary via web chat quoting incident 66 of 7th October. Our thoughts are with the cyclist’s family and friends, and colleagues at Addenbrooke’s where she worked. There’s a Cambridgeshire Live news update here.

Flats on Queen Edith’s Way deferred

A decision on whether to build 40 new short-term accommodation flats on the site of the old ‘Hollies’ Care Home on Queen Edith’s Way has been delayed, after councillors raised concerns over “missing” information. The plans had been recommended for approval by the planning officer, but residents have objected to the scale of the buildings. There’s a report in the Cambridge Independent here.

New grocery store opens

NJ Groceries has opened its doors on Cherry Hinton Road, where Boots used to be. There’s a wide selection of fresh produce and Halal meat “from the best British farmers to exotic and unusual fruits and vegetables from South Asia.” The store is open from 9am to 8pm from Monday to Saturday, and initially until 6pm on Sunday. Do support this new venture, which is one of several new shop and takeaway openings in the area – details of more follow in the next couple of issues. NJ Groceries website can be found here.

It’s Apple Day tomorrow!

Tomorrow morning from 10am to 12.30pm sees the return of the Friends of Rock Road Library’s Apple Day, a free event in the library’s garden. There’ll be an electric apple press to juice YOUR apples – just bring them along (as well as containers for the juice) and watch the magic happen. There are also several events for children, including potting crocus bulbs, making apple crumble (you’re given the ingredients and take it away), Lego, guess the weight of the marrow (prizes for every contestant), making apple bird feeders and more. There’ll also be refreshments and it’s all to support our local Library, so do bring the family. More details about the Friends group can be found here.

Latest Coronavirus news

Official government advice remains that “Coronavirus remains a serious health risk. You should stay cautious to help protect yourself and others.”

  • Let fresh air in if you meet indoors. Meeting outdoors is safer.
  • Wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces where you come into contact with people you do not normally meet
  • Get tested and self-isolate if required
  • If you haven’t already, get vaccinated

Links and data

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group are looking for those with experience of living with (or caring for someone with) ‘long-Covid’ to help improve services for others by joining an NHS steering group to help with developing a long-Covid service. You would attend a steering group which will take place every fortnight on Thursdays between 12-1pm until at least early November. Contact Helen McPherson by email here if interested.

A new article from the Office for National Statistics investigates how many people have died as a result of a COVID-19 vaccine. It is of course difficult to attribute a cause of death, but different measurements possibly give us upper and lower bounds.

Voi Scooters in Queen Edith’s

Our county councillor Alex Beckett tells us that he is currently working with the Voi team to improve access to e-Scooters in Queen Edith’s and to address any issues with their parking or use. If you have any suggestions for new scooter parking locations, or know of any problem parking spots, please do email him.

Facelift for Joy’s Garden

Our friends from the City Council’s Streets and Open Spaces team will be helping out at Joy’s Garden next Tuesday morning (12 October), when we’ll be taking down the remaining hoardings round the site to open up the garden. We’ll be there between 10am and 12noon, so come and have a chat about our plans for the space and share your ideas.

Nightingale Garden newsletter out

Issue 2 of the beautifully designed Nightingale News has been published, with a report on the first Mid-Autumn Moon Festival and much more. It’s a delightful read, and includes details of the upcoming St Martin’s Day event, and also how to become a supporter of this wonderful place. You can read the 6-page newsletter here.

Last chance to comment on regional development plan

The public consultation on the so-called ‘Oxford to Cambridge Arc’ closes next week, so this is the last chance to have your say. The Trumpington Residents Association have been quite forthright on these quite extraordinary proposals for growth in the region, and you might like to read their response – there’s a link in their latest newsletter here. The online survey is – as usual – full of local authority planning jargon like ‘spatial frameworks’, but don’t be discouraged by this. You only need to fill in any sections that catch your eye, so it can be completed very quickly. There’s a link in the “Open Consultations” section down below.

Food Hub donation sessions changing

Residents who so generously support our Community Food Hub with donations of food and household goods should know that after next week (Friday 15 October), the time for bringing donations will move to Saturday mornings, 9.30am to 10.30am.

New tennis coaching at Netherhall

Cambridge Tennis Academy is now offering a new tennis coaching programme at Netherhall Sports Centre from today (Friday 8 October). There are weekly sessions on Thursday and Friday evenings for children and adults. For more information and to book a free taster session, just email Rob at the academy; more details here.

Pasta Night at Cambridge Cookery

Fasta Pasta, “Cambridge’s most loved pasta makers” have designed a menu around locally sourced produce, paired with classic Italian flavours, and will be serving at Cambridge Cookery tomorrow night (Saturday 9 October) from 6pm to 9pm. Book a table here.

Tickets on sale for brass band concert

The local RNLI fundraisers have been able to secure the services of Cottenham Brass Band for a concert at St Johns Church, Hills Road on Friday 29 October. Tickets include coffee and tea and are available from Geoff Heathcock at 52 Queen Edith’s Way, priced at £10. Alternatively call Geoff on 01223 244901.

Tuition tailored to your child

This week’s featured Queen Edith’s magazine supporter is Cambridge Online Tuition, the locally-based tutoring service covering subjects from key stage 1 up to GCSE/A-level, including Maths, English, Science, French, Psychology, History, Politics and Computer science. Talk to Dr Laura Brown if conventional teaching styles don’t suit your child, or if your child has been left behind at school, or even if your child isn’t being challenged enough to fulfil their potential. Full details here.

This Week at The Light Cinema

Our multi-screen cinema’s films this week include Free Guy; No Time To Die; Paw Patrol: The Movie; Respect; Scream (25th Anniversary); Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings; Space Jam: A New Legacy; The Addams Family 2; The Croods 2; The Many Saints of Newark; and The V&A presents Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser.

This week at Cambridge Junction

Another full lineup at Cambridge Junction this week includes Chanje Kunda: Plant Fetish; Iain Stirling: Failing Upwards; KSI (sold out); Martin Taylor & Martin Simpson; Scouting For Girls; Steve Hughes: Are You Serious?; Talkshow – Take This Test (To Find Out If You’re A Good Person) Beta Edition; Tarzanna; The Skints; and Turin Brakes.

Food Hub open this Saturday

The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub, which offers free fresh and packaged food supplies and household goods for anyone experiencing hardship, is open again this Saturday, from 10.30am to 12.30, at St James Church in Wulfstan Way. Food donations may once again be brought to the church on Friday afternoons from 3pm to 4pm. Please note that next week will be the last Friday afternoon food donation session – this will be moving to Saturday mornings from 23 October.

Recycling tip of the week

Items which should not go in your blue bin include toothpaste tubes; plastic and foil pouches, such as from pet food or baby food; biodegradable or compostable plastic (e.g. wrap, bags, cutlery or cups); drinking straws; nappies; crisp packets with metallic insides; hard plastic (such as buckets, toys, and storage boxes) and polystyrene (foam-style plastic) takeaway containers and packaging.
Source: Cambridge City Council’s Plastic recycling campaign page

Open Consultations

Traffic disruption

One.network is the website which shows current and forthcoming road works. You can see the map here.

Prescription collection

The Queen Edith’s Community Forum’s ‘Happy To Help’ scheme has now closed, but the Patients Participation Group at the Queen Edith Medical Practice is providing prescription collections for local residents who find themselves unable to leave home – telephone 07968 538783 or email ppg@queen-ediths.info.

How to contact our local councillors

The Queen Edith’s Community Forum guide to our local councillors will ensure you contact the right one depending on your problem and the street where you live. Find it here.

Queen Edith’s city councillor Sam Davies writes a weekly email discussing what she’s been doing and what issues have come up in the area. You can add yourself to the circulation of Sam’s free email here. If our other councillors produce anything similar we will also highlight it here.

Have you been forwarded this email?
Click here to request your own copy each week. It’s free!

 

Queen Edith’s News

Issue 157 • Friday 1 October 2021
Emailed to over 1,600 local homes

Open Evening at Netherhall

The Netherhall School is delighted to be opening for visits in person for prospective students this year. Its Open Evening is next Thursday (7 October) from 6pm to 8pm; there will be guided tours around the site, plenty of hands-on activities to try out, and an address from the Principal at 6.15pm and 7pm. There’s more information here, along with the school prospectus.

Sixth Form Colleges open days

Queen Edith’s probably has more sixth form institutions in a small area than anywhere in the country, so there’s a wide choice for year 11 students. Oakes College has an Open Evening on 12 October from 6 to 8.30pm (more details here) and the Perse School Sixth Form open event will take place on 20 October from 5.30pm to 8.30pm (details here). Long Road Sixth Form College has a limited number of tours available for students unable to attend the September Open Evenings (more details here) and Cambridge Academy for Science & Technology has an event in November (details here). There are no more open events scheduled at Hills Road Sixth Form College but there are details for prospective students here, and last but not least, there’s information about Abbey College here.

Latest Coronavirus news

Official government advice remains that “Coronavirus remains a serious health risk. You should stay cautious to help protect yourself and others.”

  • Let fresh air in if you meet indoors. Meeting outdoors is safer
  • Wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces where you come into contact with people you do not normally meet
  • Get tested and self-isolate if required
  • If you haven’t already, get vaccinated

Recent changes

  • The government has set out its COVID-19 autumn and winter plan.
  • People aged 50 years and over, care home residents, frontline health and social care workers, and those aged 16 to 49 years with specific underlying health conditions will be offered a booster vaccine dose. Find out more about the booster vaccine at NHS.UK
  • All young people aged 12 to 15 will soon be offered a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Links and data

Have you got COVID or a cold? Does it matter? Dr Tim Spector of the ZOE COVID Study has some views on this which are interesting, which he discussed on ITV’s This Morning last week, as you can watch here.

Street food pop-up at Cambridge Cookery

This week’s restaurant event at Cambridge Cookery is a Shanty Street Food Charity Pop-Up to raise money and awareness for Jimmy’s Night Shelter. Elle from Elle-Events and Chef Jason Howard from Shanty will be teaming up once again from 6pm. There’s no need for bookings but to guarantee a table please do email Elle-Events on info.elleeventsltd@gmail.com

Fascinating telephone-based talks for older adults  

COPE’s Talking Together is a unique initiative that brings older adults together for engaging and stimulating conversations about topics of shared interest. This free programme offers weekly telephone-based discussion groups which are joined from the comfort of your home. No special technology is needed, just the telephone. Exciting new topics for the new Autumn series include local history, Cambridge’s Botanic Garden, Discovering DNA, the Natural World, Fenland stories and playreading. All are welcome to join. See more details in the new leaflet here.

Science for kids every weekend

October’s weekend sessions are now listed on the Cambridge Science Centre website – and there is no need to book a session! Just come along and discover all things science. For example, shows tomorrow (Saturday 2 October) are Safe in Space, Built for Speed, Pop Rockets and Predator Plants. These are brilliant activities for kids, and right on our doorstep at the Clifton Road Estate behind Cambridge Leisure. Find out more at the Science Centre website.

Wandlebury Volunteer Work Party

Tomorrow (Saturday 2 October) from 10.30am to 1pm is your chance to help wildflowers by joining a volunteer work party with Cambridge on the Verge and CambridgePPF. Volunteers will be cutting back scrub on the edge of Wandlebury Country Park in order to save the fragile flowering plants that live on the chalk grassland. More details here.

Award-winning Indian and Pan-Asian Dining

This week’s featured Queen Edith’s magazine supporter is Queen Edith’s own Taj restaurant, the number one rated Indian restaurant in Cambridge on Tripadvisor. Chef Julal Syed (‘Jools’) was crowned Best Chef nationally this year by the Asian Restaurant Owners Network – and you only need to look as far as Cherry Hinton Road to try out his team’s cooking. The refurbished restaurant is open for table bookings six days a week, or there’s takeaway and delivery available too. Full details at the Taj website.

Festive fun run open for registrations

The Arthur Rank Hospice Charity annual Festive Run is now open for registrations. Runners, fancy-dress lovers and teams of families and friends are being invited to limber up, pull on their best Christmas-themed fancy dress and run 5 or 10km in any chosen location on Sunday 28 November. Last year five hundred runners took part around the area, raising an astonishing £22,000 – a record! Keen Festive Runners (and walkers!) can now sign up here. Everyone who registers before 21 November will receive a specially designed runner pack including a Santa hat, runner number, fundraising tips and treats to keep the energy levels up!

Free classes on Crafts and Astronomy  

Would you like to meet new people and learn new skills? Arthurs Shed at the Arthur Rank Hospice runs sessions free of charge to anyone on Card Making, Paper Crafts and Astronomy. The Shed is a safe space and is continuing with its COVID-19 protection measures until at least 2022. You can read more details here.

Rioja tasting flight now available at wine bar  

Cambridge Wine Merchants’ wine bar on Cherry Hinton Road is offering a Rioja wine tasting flight throughout October at only £8 for 4 wines. There are over 30 Riojas in stock at CWM with varieties including Graciano, Grenache Noir, Tempranillo and Viura. Now is the perfect time to find your favourite!

This Week at The Light Cinema

No Time To Die: Daniel Craig’s swansong as the iconic 007 is finally here and he’s going out with a bang! Brimming with spectacular action sequences, stunning set pieces, and a twist that will leave your jaw on the floor. Grab the tissues, it’s going to be emotional. Our multi-screen cinema’s films this week also include Free Guy; Jungle Cruise; Oasis Knebworth 1996; Paw Patrol: The Movie; Respect; Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings; Space Jam: A New Legacy; The Croods 2; The Harder They Fall; and The Many Saints of Newark.

This week at Cambridge Junction

Another full lineup at Cambridge Junction this week includes Chanje Kunda: Plant Fetish; Chase & Status (DJ Set); House Gospel Choir; Jesterlarf Comedy Club: The Lost Summer – All New Variety Pack; Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman; Kitty Macfarlane; Luca Stricagnoli; Megson Family Folk Show; Palaver Kids Party; Symoné: Utopian; The Blow Monkeys; The Cambridge Pentacle Club: The Magic Show; The Lathums; The Slow Readers Club; and The Thing.

Food Hub open this Saturday

The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub, which offers free fresh and packaged food supplies and household goods for anyone experiencing hardship, is open again this Saturday, from 10.30am to 12.30, at St James Church in Wulfstan Way. Food donations may once again be brought to the church on Friday afternoons from 3pm to 4pm.

Recycling tip of the week

Plastic bags of many types can be recycled in your blue bin, but ensure they are empty, clean and dry bags only. Please do not put items inside bags. Acceptable types include bread wrappers, magazine or mail wrapping (unless it’s compostable), cereal packet inner bags, carrier bags, multipack wrapping, such as from toilet rolls or baked bean tins, cling film, peel-off lids, such as from fruit punnets, and thin moulded plastic packaging, such as from toys, batteries or Easter eggs (separate them from any cardboard).

Source: Cambridge City Council’s Plastic recycling campaign page

Open Consultations

Traffic disruption

One.network is the website which shows current and forthcoming road works. You can see the map here.

Prescription collection

The Queen Edith’s Community Forum’s ‘Happy To Help’ scheme has now closed, but the Patients Participation Group at the Queen Edith Medical Practice is providing prescription collections for local residents who find themselves unable to leave home – telephone 07968 538783 or email ppg@queen-ediths.info.

How to contact our local councillors

The Queen Edith’s Community Forum guide to our local councillors will ensure you contact the right one depending on your problem and the street where you live. Find it here.

Queen Edith’s city councillor Sam Davies writes a weekly email discussing what she’s been doing and what issues have come up in the area. You can add yourself to the circulation of Sam’s free email here. If our other councillors produce anything similar we will also highlight it here.

Have you been forwarded this email?
Click here to request your own copy each week. It’s free!