Issue 187 • Friday 29 April 2022 Emailed to over 1,600 local homes
Get to know your election candidates
Which one of these four people will be our next Queen Edith’s city councillor? The candidates got together this week at the Queen Edith pub and we put your questions to them in a unique chat, now available on YouTube. These cover subjects such as raising council tax, communicating with residents, and “following the party line”. If you’re in the Queen Edith’s ward, make yourself a coffee and watch it before you vote next Thursday!
(if you have YouTube as an app on your TV, just search for ‘queen ediths 2022’)
Sing for fun with the Rock Choir
The Rock Choirs in Cambridgeshire are belatedly celebrating their 10-year anniversary in the region, and the summer term has kicked off in Cambridge. They are looking for new members to join them! There’s no need to read music, no need to audition and no experience necessary. A weekly Rock Choir session takes place on Tuesday nights at the Queen Edith Chapel in Wulfstan Way. You can find out a lot more here.
May Day Morris Dance
As the summer sun rises above the Wandlebury woodlands on May Day each year, the Devil’s Dyke Morris Men will always be there to greet it. This year it’s on Sunday, and dancing starts at about 5.29am. It’s a free event, with hot drinks and snacks available. More details here.
Chamber Recital by Perse students
The Perse School Music Department is presenting a Chamber Recital at St John’s Church on Wednesday (4 May) at 1pm. Free admission, and all are welcome – come and enjoy the music from some very talented young people!
Friendship café next week
There’s a ‘Friendship Café’ on Tuesday (3 May) from 2pm to 3.30pm at St James Church in Wulfstan Way, outdoors, in the church garden. There’ll be hot drinks, chat and games in good company – it’s free, and all are welcome. The event is run by St James church and friends, and for all ages. There’s also a Bring & Buy Sale tomorrow morning (30 April) outside the church, from 10am.
Check out our local gym
It’s Open Gym at Netherhall Sports Centre this weekend! Between 10am and 4pm on Saturday (30 April) and Sunday (1 May), there’s free access – come in, meet the instructors and yes, have a go! If you’re thinking of joining a gym, this is a great free opportunity. Just turn up.
Dance your hearts out!
The Cambridge Clubbathon fundraiser for Ukraine takes place on 15 May, but we’re mentioning it now as there’s an exclusive goodie bag for being in the first 50 sign-ups! Dance your hearts out at the Cambridge Junction between 1pm and 5pm with all the very best club anthems from the 90’s to present day. It’s awesome dance exercise to music in aid of a great cause. There’s more information here.
Come and see Homerton Early Years Centre
Homerton Early Years Centre is holding a drop-in morning for prospective new families on Saturday 14 May from 9:30am to 11:00am. If you’re looking for a nursery place for your 2-4 year old child starting this September, do come along to look around this ‘Ofsted Outstanding’ centre and have a chat to the staff. There’s more information here.
Hands across Red Cross Lane
This is a fun idea. In advance of their celebration for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June, the RedCross Area Residents Association is producing ‘alternative bunting’ featuring hands from everyone in the community. People who regularly walk through the area to work at the hospitals and Biomedical Campus have been asking to join in, so RARA is inviting anyone to take a piece of material from the bag at 1 Greenlands and return it with your hands drawn on to the material. No need to cut out the shapes – local children will do that, and they aim to fill Red Cross Lane with their bunting for the 5th June celebration.
MP’s newsletter published
Apologies – the link to the latest newsletter from South Cambs MP Anthony Browne which we published last week was incorrect. You can read the newsletter here.
Bin collection days later again this week
There’s another bank holiday on Monday of course, so bin collection days will be later than usual next week. You can check which bin is collected and when at the normal link, down at the bottom of this newsletter.
Champagne from around the world
Cambridge Wine Merchants on Cherry Hinton Road is holding an exploration of Champagne and sparkling wines from around the world on 24 May at 7pm. Tickets include 8 wines and nibbles, and there’s more information here.
History of Cherry Hinton Hall
Thanks to our friends at the Cherry Hinton News Update (see end of this email) for alerting us to this excellent history of Cherry Hinton Hall, written by its official historian Michelle Bullivant. The grounds of the Hall have been open to the general public as a park since 1960, but the country house had been built, and the grounds laid out, in the late 1830s by John Okes, a Cambridge surgeon, as his family home. It’s an interesting read.
Queen Edith’s magazine supporter of the week
First in ethical letting
Are you looking for a professional Cambridge letting agent? Why settle for an average agent when you can have something special? New View Residential is an ethical property letting and management company located in the city, offering a wide range of professional property services to landlords. Part of a Cambridge-based charity, New View combines local knowledge and commercial competence with ethical business practices and charitable objectives. Find out a lot more here.
This Week at The Light Cinema
★ Our multi-screen cinema’s lineup of films this week include Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness; Downton Abbey: A New Era; Dune; Everything Everywhere All At Once; Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore; Operation Mincemeat; Sing 2; Sonic The Hedgehog 2; Spider-Man: No Way Home; The Bad Guys; The Batman; The Lost City; The Northman; and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.
★ This week Cambridge Junction has another fine lineup including the Cambridge Band Competition Final; Cambridge Ska Festival 5; Fault Lines; Hammer & Tongue May; Hannah White + Michele Stodart; New Routes: Emily Fraser, Jenem & Tall Trees 6ft Man; Sam Sweeney; Slay Duggee: My First Metal Gig; The Bubble Show; The Fiver – May; and The Undercover Hippy.
The government has removed remaining domestic restrictions in England. It says: “There are still steps you can take to reduce the risk of catching and spreading COVID-19: get vaccinated; let fresh air in if meeting indoors, or meet outside; and consider wearing a face covering in crowded, enclosed spaces.”
For details of how to book first, second or booster vaccinations, please visit The Vaccinators website and click on your age group.
A further 87 people went into hospital in Cambridge with coronavirus this week (an encouraging drop on the week before); there were 4 coronavirus patients in hospital with a mechanical ventilator on Tuesday, and 1 death reported this week within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test. Data here.
Food Hub news
Andrew Tse of Seven Days restaurant on Regent Street and Hong Kong Fusion on St John’s Street popped into the Community Food Hub last Saturday with a generous donation of Chinese meals. We persuaded Andrew to join in a photo with his son Theo, alongside Sam and Risa from the Community Forum team! Thank you so much.
The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub is open tomorrow (Saturday) as usual, from 10.30am to 12noon at St James Church on Wulfstan Way. All in need are welcome, no questions asked. The Coffee Chat is back too!
Food donations may be brought to the church on Saturday mornings from 10.00am to 10.30am. The team tells us it’s usually particularly in need of tinned beans (not baked beans) and tinned fish, but all contributions are welcome.
One.network is the website which shows current and forthcoming road works. You can see the map here. Click the ‘Today’ box and select ‘Next two weeks’ for future works.
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 issue 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.
Queen Edith’s News is produced by the Queen Edith’s magazine team, part of the Queen Edith’s Community Forum, chaired by Sam Davies. Contact Sam by email at hello@queen-ediths.info
Email us at hello@queen-ediths.info if you have any news you’d like to see included, or any updates to the information above.
Issue 186 • Friday 22 April 2022 Emailed to over 1,600 local homes
New Italian restaurant open on Cherry Hinton Road
NAPOLeat is the completely refurbished and relaunched Italian restaurant at the Sorrento Hotel, on the corner of Blinco Grove and Cherry Hinton Road. There’s a full menu of pasta, meat and fish dishes, as well as a huge range of pizzas from a new wood fired oven. The restaurant is open seven evenings a week, as well as lunchtimes at weekends. There’s more information at their website here, or if you’d just like to try the food at home, you can order via Deliveroo here. Give them a try!
Your questions for our next councillor?
The Queen Edith’s ‘Meet The Candidates’ event for the forthcoming city council election is returning this year. However, rather than a public meeting, this year we’re going to have a small gathering of the candidates, which will be recorded on video and made available for you to watch this time next week. So if you’ve got any questions which you’d like us to put to all four candidates, please let us know, and we’ll use the most popular ones. Email them to hello@queen-ediths.info. There’s an introduction to all the candidates in the new Queen Edith’s magazine, which you should get through your door in the next seven days.
New Worts Causeway estate access discussed
On Wednesday, the northern of the two new housing estates on Worts Causeway – Netherhall Gardens – came before the City Council Planning Committee. The developers had stated that the council’s desired cycling and walking link from the estate to Almoners Avenue or Beaumont Road had been investigated and was not possible, and requested that the condition to look into this was discharged. (In the absence of such a link, residents wishing to walk or cycle to the centre of Queen Edith’s will be required to take the long route via Worts Causeway and Field Way to reach the same two roads). Queen Edith’s Councillor Sam Davies addressed the meeting and argued that more could be done; the committee agreed to defer the discharge of the condition pending further investigation. You can watch the entire 50-minute discussion here or just Cllr Davies’ argument here.
Road surfacing work scheduled
The County Council has scheduled surfacing works for the next couple of months, which will involve daytime road closures. These include Greenlands, Stansgate Avenue and Red Cross Lane on 4/5 May; and Ventress Farm Court, Blenheim Close, Greystoke Road, Bullen Close, Missleton Court and Derwent Close on 8–12 May. Our County Councillor Alex Beckett should be able to find out more information if required.
Mindfulness in nature at Nightingale
Places have almost filled for the first free Mindfulness in Nature session at Nightingale Garden, on Saturday 7 May from 10 am to 12 noon. Contact the garden volunteers to join a short waiting list or for details of future sessions: see the garden website for further information.
MP’s newsletter published
South Cambs MP Anthony Browne has a newsletter out, which can be read here. There’s nothing directly related to Queen Edith’s in it, but there is information about East West Rail, the Homes for Ukraine Scheme and housebuilding in the constituency.
Bin collection days later again this week
After the Easter bank holidays and another in a fortnight’s time, bin collection days will be later than usual for the next couple of weeks, until 9 May. There’s a notice from the city council here and you can check which bin is collected when at the normal link, down at the bottom of this newsletter.
New member joins church staff
A new full-time Assistant Curate is joining St John’s church on Hills Road. Nell Whiscombe has lived in Cambridge for 15 years, and studied Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic for at the University of Cambridge and is currently completing an MPhil in Christian theology. She spent a decade working in academic and educational publishing, including for Cambridge University Press, and has experience as a school governor, and Brownie leader, as well as a qualification in counselling skills.
Goldberg Variations at the Perse
Celebrated pianist Joanna MacGregor will be performing Bach’s Goldberg Variations in the Peter Hall Performing Arts Centre at The Perse School on Hills Road next Friday (29 April) as part of the school music department’s Goldberg Project. Tickets are £15 and can be booked online here.
Kids Yoga classes
There’s a series of Saturday morning Kids Yoga classes for Years 1 & 2 starting tomorrow (23 April) from 10:30am to 11:30am in the Hall at Queen Edith Primary School. They’ll run until 28 May. “KidsYoga” is a fun way for children to learn yoga poses and to build strength and flexibility! Children will need to bring a Yoga mat and wear comfortable clothes or sportswear. For a signup form, email Jessica Morgado here.
Queen Edith’s magazine supporter of the week
Newspapers delivered to your door
The Daily Store on Cherry Hinton Road can deliver all local, national and international newspapers to your door. It’s the easiest way to get the Cambridge News, Cambridge Independent, The Sun, The Times, Daily Telegraph, Guardian, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror and many more. Just pop in or call 01223 248895 to set up your delivery!
This Week at The Light Cinema
★ Our multi-screen cinema’s lineup of films this week include CODA; Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore; The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent; Operation Mincemeat; Sing 2; Sonic The Hedgehog 2; The Bad Guys; The Batman; The Lost City; and The Northman.
★ This week Cambridge Junction has another huge lineup including Alison Spittle: Wet (Work In Progress); Arts & Minds: Creative Café; Cambridge Ska Festival 5; Can’t Even Think Straight; Felicity Ward; India Electric Co.; Jenny Gaskell: Hopelessly Devoted; José González; Lou Sanders: One Word – Wow; Nick Helm: Masterworks; Nubiyan Twist With Eckoes And Shao Dow; Rosie Jones; Sam Avery: Role Model; Sara Barron; Short Scratchings; The Blackheart Orchestra; The Sound + Vision In Conversation Sessions; The Treatment; Tim Burgess, Penelope Isles, Ren Harvieu + Pom Poko; Tom Ward: Anthem; Ugg ‘N’ Ogg And The World’s First Dogg
“The government has removed remaining domestic restrictions in England. There are still steps you can take to reduce the risk of catching and spreading COVID-19: get vaccinated; let fresh air in if meeting indoors, or meet outside; and consider wearing a face covering in crowded, enclosed spaces.”
For details of how to book first, second or booster vaccinations, please visit The Vaccinators website and click on your age group.
A further 123 people went into hospital in Cambridge with coronavirus this week (a similar number to the week before); there were 8 coronavirus patients in hospital with a mechanical ventilator on Tuesday, but thankfully no deaths reported this week within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test. Data here.
Worth knowing…
The World Health Organization (WHO) has said the number of reported new Covid-19 cases worldwide decreased by nearly a quarter last week, continuing a decline seen since the end of March. More here.
Official instructions from Addenbrooke’s remains that unless you have a medical appointment or need to attend the Emergency Department, please do not come to the hospital site. Information about visiting can be found here.
Food Hub news
The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub is open tomorrow (Saturday) as usual, from 10.30am to 12noon at St James Church on Wulfstan Way. All in need are welcome, no questions asked. The Coffee Chat is back too!
Food donations may be brought to the church on Saturday mornings from 10.00am to 10.30am. The team tells us it’s usually particularly in need of tinned beans (not baked beans) and tinned fish, but all contributions are welcome.
One.network is the website which shows current and forthcoming road works. You can see the map here. Click the ‘Today’ box and select ‘Next two weeks’ for future works.
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 issue 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.
Queen Edith’s News is produced by the Queen Edith’s magazine team, part of the Queen Edith’s Community Forum, chaired by Sam Davies. Contact Sam by email at hello@queen-ediths.info
Email us at hello@queen-ediths.info if you have any news you’d like to see included, or any updates to the information above.
Issue 185 • Friday 15 April 2022 Emailed to over 1,600 local homes
Local creative event announced for the Jubilee
Cambridge Junction has been awarded funding by Cambridgeshire Community Foundation and Arts Council England for a “tasty and poetic” new Jubilee Community project. A Recipe for a Queen will be led by writer, poet and theatre maker Hannah Jane Walker (above) and filmmaker Peter Harmer, and co-created with residents of Heathlands House Care Home, local primary school children and community groups in Queen Edith’s and Cherry Hinton. The project will explore people’s reminiscences of the Queen and her seventy-year reign, and the resulting poems and film will be shared at a garden party for participants, families and friends over the long Jubilee weekend at the beginning of June. The full news story can be read here.
College principal tells his amazing story
When Lord Simon Woolley became Principal of Homerton College on Hills Road last October, he also became the first black man to head an Oxbridge College. His memoir Soar: My Journey from Council estate to House of Lords has been released this week, and is available at all good bookshops. There’s more about the book here, and Lord Woolley will be discussing the work at the Cambridge Literary Festival next Thursday (21 April). Details about the event can be found here.
Last chance to help with the magazine
The next issue of Queen Edith’s magazine is at the printer and should be with us next Friday. We have nearly 100 residents offering to help deliver copies (thank you so much!) but we could do with a few more. All you’ll need to do is to collect a bundle of issues from us next weekend (23/24 April), and deliver them to a road near you in your own time. It should only take an hour. If you can help, just add your name here and we’ll get back to you.
Wooden Easter egg trail at Nightingale
The Nightingale Garden volunteers have created a Wooden Easter Egg Trail in the community garden, with 12 eggs decorated by local volunteers of all ages to hunt. It will be in place for a week or so, and is free. The garden is open from at least 10am to 6pm each day. More information here.
Garden sketchers meet-ups
From grand vistas to a single leaf or flower. Bring your sketching kit (or there’s some to borrow) and join in the fun at Nightingale Garden on Thursdays from 4.30pm to 6.30 pm. Starts next week for four weeks, and is free, all welcome. More information here.
Bin collection days later for three weeks
With two bank holidays this weekend and another in a fortnight’s time, bin collection days will be later than usual for the next three weeks, until 9 May. There’s a notice from the city council here and you can check which bin is collected when at the normal place – see link at the end of this newsletter.
Get involved with the big Jubilee event
Planning is well under way for a Queen Edith’s ‘Big Lunch’ celebration for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee on Sunday 5 June. The event will be held across the Queen Edith Chapel and St James Church premises in Wulfstan Way, and after an open-air lunch, the organisers are discussing a range of activities in the afternoon. What they now need are some more volunteers to help with planning and on the day. If you’d like to get involved, email David Stearn at david@queenedithchapel.org.
Quiz night at wine bar
Cambridge Wine Merchants on Cherry Hinton Road is taking bookings for a quiz night to be held on Tuesday 26 April. Come and test your general knowledge (including a section or two on wine) in a fun evening with some great prizes. The bar will be open and you can bring your own food. Cost is £10 for a team of up to 4 people; to book, email cherry@cambridgewine.com and include a contact number.
Cambridgeshire History at COPE lunch
This month’s Evelyn Charnley Memorial Lunch Club will hear from the excellent local historian Mike Petty – all are welcome. The event takes place at the Queen Edith Chapel on Wulfstan Way next Wednesday (20 April) from 12noon to 2pm. Tea and biscuits are provided, but you can also bring your own lunch if required. For more information call Peter Murfitt on 01223 364303.
Wandlebury Wildflowers in Spring
There’s a free (gentle!) guided walk next Tuesday (19 April) to learn about spring wild flowers at Wandlebury Country Park. It’s led by a knowledgeable CambridgePPF Warden, who will help you to identify wild flowers using features such as colour, form and habitat. Just turn up; more details here.
RNLI Shop open Easter weekend
The Cambridge and District Fundraising Branch of the RNLI has a shop in the garage of 52 Queen Edith’s Way, and it’ll be open tomorrow (Saturday 16 April) and Monday (18 April). “We have new lines in tinned biscuits, new mugs and a new Teddy bear called Finley”, says Geoff Heathcock. Card payments can be taken.
Queen Edith’s magazine supporter of the week
High speed broadband via new fibre network
This week’s featured Queen Edith’s magazine supporter is CityFibre, “the 100% fibre-optic network built for the digital age.” They’ve been building all around the area, and can already offer many residents their high-speed broadband. Find out if that includes your home here.
★ Our multi-screen cinema’s lineup of films this week include Casablanca; Clifford the Big Red Dog; Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore; Massive Talent; Morbius; Operation Mincemeat; Sing 2; Sonic The Hedgehog 2; The Bad Guys; The Batman; The Lost City; The Northman; The Outfit; The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent; and Uncharted.
★ This week Cambridge Junction has a huge lineup including A Certain Ratio; Alison Spittle: Wet; Can’t Even Think Straight; Devin Townsend Acoustic; DJ Jam Feat. Aphrodite And Dillinja; Figs In Wigs: Little Wimmin; Futures In Music & Audio Conference; Isy Suttie: She’s Alright; Lost Voice Guy: Cerebral Lol-Sy; Max Cooper; Michael Akadiri; Mike Wozniak: Zusa; Nubiyan Twist With Eckoes And Shao Dow; Patrick Monahan: Started From The Bottom, Now I’m Here; Riot Jazz Brass Band; Sam Avery: Role Model; The Comedy Conference; The Fiver – April; The Music Industry Conference; An Evening With Gill Sims; and Two Mr P’s In A Podcast: Live.
“The government has removed remaining domestic restrictions in England. There are still steps you can take to reduce the risk of catching and spreading COVID-19: get vaccinated; let fresh air in if meeting indoors, or meet outside; and consider wearing a face covering in crowded, enclosed spaces.”
For details of how to book first, second or booster vaccinations, please visit The Vaccinators website and click on your age group.
125 people went into hospital in Cambridge with coronavirus this week (a similar number to the week before); there were 6 coronavirus patients in hospital with a mechanical ventilator on Tuesday, and after a few weeks with no deaths, there were 2 deaths reported this week within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test. Data here.
Worth a look…
Local data analyst Cab Davidson produced this outspoken analysis of recent COVID-19-related data trends on Wednesday, pointing out that the daily deaths total was over six times what it was this time last year, and stating that recorded cases data is currently “nonsense …because we’ve abandoned testing at a time when real cases are rocketing.” All this was before yesterday’s huge total of 651 deaths (see chart above). Please continue to take precautions.
Food Hub news
It might be Easter weekend, but the Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub is still open tomorrow (Saturday) as usual, from 10.30am to 12noon at St James Church on Wulfstan Way. All in need are welcome, no questions asked. The Coffee Chat is back too!
Once again, the Hub is in need of egg boxes (6 or 12 size). If you can collect some, they can be left (in bags) outside the front door of church at any time.
Food donations may be brought to the church on Saturday mornings from 10.00am to 10.30am. The team tells us it’s usually particularly in need of tinned beans (not baked beans) and tinned fish, but all contributions are welcome.
We have a local council election coming up at the start of May, and our guide to the election is here. If you think you might not be able to make it to the polling station in person, there’s still time to get a postal vote. All you have to do is to print out and complete a simple form, and email it back to the City Council. The application form is here.You have until next Tuesday (19 April).
One.network is the website which shows current and forthcoming road works. You can see the map here. Click the ‘Today’ box and select ‘Next two weeks’ for future works.
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 issue 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.
Queen Edith’s News is produced by the Queen Edith’s magazine team, part of the Queen Edith’s Community Forum, chaired by Sam Davies. Contact Sam by email at hello@queen-ediths.info
Email us at hello@queen-ediths.info if you have any news you’d like to see included, or any updates to the information above.
Issue 184 • Friday 8 April 2022 Emailed to over 1,600 local homes
Queen Edith named Cambridge Pub of the Year
Cambridge & District Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has judged the Queen Edith in Wulfstan Way its City Pub of the Year for 2022 as well as its overall Pub of the Year. It’s yet another accolade for a local business that we can be very proud of here in Queen Edith’s. Congratulations to the team.
Petrol supply problems return
Disruptions to fuel supplies, caused by a combination of a protest and the inevitable panic-buying, is causing queues and shortages at local petrol stations. Reports this morning included no petrol or diesel at the Sainsbury’s supermarket petrol station in Brooks Road, and queues for the pumps preventing the 1 and 3 buses from stopping at Tesco’s Fulbourn supermarket. The Cambridge News is running live updates here.
EU citizen? You can vote in the local election
Cambridgeshire county councillor Alex Bulat from Abbey ward pointed out recently: “Countless times I knock on doors and ask if someone is registered to vote and they say ‘No, I’m not British’. However, British, Irish, Commonwealth and EU citizens can all vote in the city council election on 5 May. I also did not know I could vote when I came to the UK!” The deadline for registering to vote in the upcoming election is next Thursday (14 April). Details of how to register can be found here. Are you a student? You can register to vote at both your term-time address and your home address, if you wish, but you’ll need to make two separate applications. If you want to check if you’re registered, just contact the city council’s Electoral Registration Office at elections@cambridge.gov.uk or call the office on 01223 457048. Our guide to the upcoming election is here.
Friendlier crossing points by hospital
There’s some clever new technology at the Addenbrooke’s roundabout. Queen Edith’s County Councillor Alex Beckett tells us: “After Councillor Sam Davies and a few others raised the issue with me, I’ve been working with the county council signals team, and we now have the first gesture controlled crossing points in the county!” It’s a great idea, and we’re sure it will help a number of people with restricted mobility. There’s a Cambridge News story about the changes here.
Road closures next week
A reminder that Queen Edith’s Way will be closed in both directions between Wulfstan Way and Nightingale Avenue tomorrow (Saturday 9 April), all day. Pedestrians and cyclists will have access through the works at all times. And Wulfstan Way will be completely closed on Wednesday (13 April) towards the Cherry Hinton Road end, and on Thursday (14 April) at the Queen Edith’s Way end.
More vacancies added to list
We’ve added YMCA Childcare in Blinco Grove to our list of educational establishments with job vacancies, which you can find towards the end of this newsletter each week. The centre caters for children aged 3 months to 5 years and has the capacity for up to 73 children at one time.
Local authors publish another children’s book
During the first lockdown, local artist Emma Bennett and her 14 year old daughter Molly wrote and published a children’s book called Finn and the Five Flies. They have now just had a second children’s book published, which we’re sure will be of special interest to everyone in this neighbourhood. Bella and the Bees is a funny vibrant story about friendship, a journey and just being yourself. It’s available for £7.99 from Emma’s website here and copies can be dedicated and signed.
Children’s holiday activities at St James
There’s a Holiday Lunch Club at St James Church on Wulfstan Way next Wednesday (13 April), from 11am to 1pm, with a free lunch as well as activities for children (accompanied by adults please). There’s also an Activity Morning next Friday (15 April) from 10am to 12noon – come and make an Easter Garden!
An on-street electric car charging solution?
Ever the technology enthusiast, County Councillor Alex Beckett is currently investigating options for on-street electric vehicle charging and is looking to develop a trial for electric charging ‘gullies’. These would be similar to the ones on trial in Oxford here. Alex would like you to get in touch if you live in an area with on-street parking and currently own – or are looking to buy – an electric car. Alex’s contact details are here.
Church offer for local Ukraine support
The Rev James Shakespeare of St John the Evangelist church on Hills Road writes: “I am sure all of us share a sense of outrage at atrocities being committed in Ukraine, and a commitment to doing all we can to welcome refugees, as well as contributing to humanitarian support, via the DEC appeal. Alongside use of the Cambridge University Ukrainian Society matching scheme, one other key way in which St John’s is available to assist the local effort is as follows. The St John’s Centre, on Hills Road, is available as a point of local community co-ordination and support, for Ukrainian refugee families or hosts. If you would like to enquire about using the Centre, or facilitating such support, please email me on stjecambridge@gmail.com.”
New Beginners Yoga Class
Join local Yoga teacher Helen Pomeroy at her new Beginners Yoga Class at The Hills Road Sport and Tennis Centre from Monday 25 April at 7pm. If you’ve been wanting to try yoga or would like to have some in-person classes to go back over the basics, here’s your chance! Helen also teaches a Yoga class at the centre on Thursdays at 10am. More details here.
Try some Australian wine for £11
Cambridge Wine Merchants on Cherry Hinton Road is offering ‘an awesome Australian tasting flight’ in its wine bar throughout April, with 4 wine samples for £11. The Wine Bar is open Monday to Wednesday until 8pm, Thursday to Saturday until 10pm, and Sunday until 7pm.
Queen Edith’s magazine supporter of the week
The area’s favourite window cleaning service
This week’s featured Queen Edith’s magazine supporter is Shortle ProClean, the well-known local exterior cleaning service. Using state-of-the-art pure water cleaning system, Harry and team can tackle windows, gutters, fascias, conservatories, patios and driveways. Call Harry for a quote on 07803 578357 or email info@shortleproclean.co.uk
★ Our multi-screen cinema’s lineup of films this week include Coda; Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore; La Traviata; Morbius; Sing 2; Sonic The Hedgehog 2; The Bad Guys; The Batman; The Lost City; The Outfit and Uncharted.
★ This week Cambridge Junction has a great lineup including Bobby Mair: Cockroach; Chris McCausland: Speaky Blinder; Hammer & Tongue April ft. Hannah Jane Walker And Beth Hartley; Hawklords; Junction Young Company: The Re-Do; Mystery Jets; Police Dog Hogan; Punk Alley Easter Holiday Family Show; The Alarm: 40th Anniversary Tour; The Fiver – April; The Lovely Eggs; The Psychedelic Furs; and Two Mr P’s In A Podcast: Live
“The government has removed remaining domestic restrictions in England. There are still steps you can take to reduce the risk of catching and spreading COVID-19: get vaccinated; let fresh air in if meeting indoors, or meet outside; and consider wearing a face covering in crowded, enclosed spaces.”
For details of how to book first, second or booster vaccinations, please visit The Vaccinators website and click on your age group.
Cambridge’s positive COVID-19 test result rate has fallen this week, but is still 957 per 100,000 people, way above the average in England overall at 678. Data here. 121 people went into hospital in Cambridge with coronavirus this week (a fall on the week before); there were 7 coronavirus patients in hospital with a mechanical ventilator on Tuesday, and after a few weeks with no deaths, there were 5 deaths reported this week within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test. Data here.
The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub is open tomorrow (Saturday) as usual, from 10.30am to 12noon at St James Church on Wulfstan Way. All in need are welcome, no questions asked. The Coffee Chat is back too!
Once again, the Hub is in need of egg boxes (6 or 12 size). If you can collect some, they can be left (in bags) outside the front door of church at any time.
Food donations may be brought to the church on Saturday mornings from 10.00am to 10.30am. The team tells us it’s usually particularly in need of tinned beans (not baked beans) and tinned fish, but all contributions are welcome.
Could you help deliver the next issue of Queen Edith’s magazine to a road near you? All you’ll need to do is to collect a bundle of issues for a nearby road on the weekend of 23/24 April, and deliver them in your own time. If you’re interested, just add your name here and we’ll get back to you.
Get a postal vote for the election
We have a local council election coming up at the start of May, and if you think you might not be able to make it to the polling station in person, why not get a postal vote? All you have to do is to print out and complete the simple form, and either post or email it back to the City Council. The application form is here.You have until 19 April.
One.network is the website which shows current and forthcoming road works. You can see the map here. Click the ‘Today’ box and select ‘Next two weeks’ for future works.
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 issue 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.
Queen Edith’s News is produced by the Queen Edith’s magazine team, part of the Queen Edith’s Community Forum, chaired by Sam Davies. Contact Sam by email at hello@queen-ediths.info
Email us at hello@queen-ediths.info if you have any news you’d like to see included, or any updates to the information above.
Issue 183 • Friday 1 April 2022 Emailed to over 1,600 local homes
Italian restaurant expands to meet demand
Popular local Italian restaurant Al Pomodoro has moved around the corner from Homerton Street to the premises formerly occupied by Alimentum and Gatusso’s on Hills Road. The family-run business is regularly fully booked, and the owners hope that the new larger restaurant will be able to keep more customers happy! Al Pomodoro is in TripAdvisor’s top ten restaurants in Cambridge, and although its website still shows the old premises, you can reserve tables at the new restaurant there or by calling 01223 971234.
Roadworks on Queen Edith’s Way
Queen Edith’s Way will be closed in one direction towards the Robin Hood pub end on Monday and Tuesday (4/5 April) for roadworks. It will also be completely closed in both directions between Wulfstan Way and Nightingale Avenue on Saturday week (9 April), all day. Pedestrians and cyclists will have access through the works at all times. There will also be a road closure at the southern end of Strangeways Road on Wednesday (6 April) all day.
E-Scooter trial extended
The trial of the orange Voi e-scooters and bikes has been extended until at 30 November, following a vote at the Combined Authority Board meeting on Wednesday. The Department for Transport had requested this, in order to continue gathering data on the scheme’s impact. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough has become one of the first regions in the country to roll out electric scooters and bikes to the public, and evidence apparently indicates that there has been a significant shift in mode of transport from the private car. You can watch the discussion at the meeting here.
Annual Meeting background online
Our Queen Edith’s Community Forum online annual meeting last night was well attended, and we hope that residents found it interesting. Unfortunately we don’t have a recording, but the links and documents can be found here.
Bushcraft for children next week
Holiday Bushcraft at Wandlebury is designed for children aged 5-12 and is run by experienced qualified teachers from Wild Thyme & Embers, who will inspire children and share their knowledge and skills of surviving in the wild. The session focuses on practical bushcraft and survival skills and follows a forest school approach, encouraging self-confidence and sense of achievement. It should be a lot of fun. More details here.
How to get involved with the Hospitals Trust
A talk open to all local residents has been arranged by the Patients Group of the Queen Edith Medical Practice next Tuesday (5 April). Howard Sheriff, a Patient Governor of Cambridge University Hospitals Trust, will explain the Governance of our local hospitals and how you can become a Patient Member of CUHT. The talk is at St James Church Hall in Wulfstan Way at 7.30pm (just turn up), or can be watched via Zoom – email Alan Williams at ppg@alanwilliams.org.uk for the link.
Recycle printer cartridges
Local fundraiser Geoff Heathcock can now accept empty inkjet printer cartridges for recycling, on behalf of the local RNLI branch. Just drop them off in an appropriate bag at Geoff’s home address, 52 Queen Ediths Way. Inkjet cartridges only please, not laser printer toner types.
Get to know the Children’s Hospital
Parents, adults, professionals, young people and children can all have fun with artist Harold Offeh exploring the cutting-edge research and vision behind the new Cambridge Children’s Hospital at an event next Tuesday (5 April). Get creative with hands-on art activities, make your own artworks to take home, and help to create a zine that will inspire everyone who is part of the hospital’s journey now and in the years to come. There are 90-minute workshops at 10am, 12.30 and 3pm. More details here.
Ukrainian refugees information
Although not strictly a Queen Edith’s item, several readers have written to us asking for information about supporting refugees from Ukraine. One place to start is a new website matching Cambridge residents with Ukrainian refugees, developed by Cambridge University Ukrainian Society to enable those fleeing the war to get in contact with prospective sponsors in Cambridge or elsewhere in the UK. You can read a Cambridge Independent story on the initiative here, and the website itself is here. To find out more about helping refugees in general, The Cambridge Refugee Resettlement Campaign website is here.
Queen Edith’s magazine supporter of the week
Anyone for tennis?
Looking to join a local tennis club? Cocks and Hens Cambridge Tennis is a friendly club for all ages, with modern facilities off Grantchester Road. The club is a warm, friendly and inclusive group of people who have built a community around tennis, to which all are welcome. The emphasis is on fun.Junior Camps take place during the Easter holidays and these are up and ready to book! More information about the club here.
This Week at The Light Cinema
★ Our multi-screen cinema’s lineup of films this week include Ambulance; Morbius; Peter Rabbit; Sing 2; Sonic The Hedgehog 2; The Bad Guys; The Batman; The Phantom of the Open; and Uncharted.
★ This week Cambridge Junction has a great lineup including A Great Recorded History Live Launch; Catherine Bohart: This Isn’t For You; CCH Creates!; Humble Pi: Matt Parker’s Comedy Of Maths Errors; Jesterlarf Comedy Club: April; Joan As Police Woman; Kiri Pritchard-Mclean: Home Truths; Matt Chorley: Who Is In Charge Here?; Matt Winning: Hot Mess; Police Dog Hogan; Rejjie Snow; Slime; The Cambridge Night Festival; and Together Culture Presents Conversations On Collaboration.
Government advice remains as follows: get vaccinated; let fresh air in if meeting indoors, or meet outside; and consider wearing a face covering in crowded, enclosed spaces.
However, the ‘get tested if you have COVID-19 symptoms, and stay at home if positive’ recommendation has been removed from its main advice list. Instead, we’re directed to this page which says: “free testing for coronavirus (COVID-19) from the NHS has ended for most people in England. Free testing services have closed at pharmacies, test sites, community collection points such as libraries schools, nurseries and universities”. It has a section on ‘What you can do instead of taking a COVID-19 test’.
For details of how to book first, second or booster vaccinations, please visit The Vaccinators website and click on your age group.
Cambridge’s positive COVID-19 test result rate continues to rise, now to 1334 per 100,000 people, still way above the average in England overall at 874. Data here. 142 people went into hospital in Cambridge with coronavirus this week (another rise on the week before); there were 4 coronavirus patients in hospital with a mechanical ventilator on Tuesday, but again, fortunately, no deaths reported this week within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test. Data here.
Worth a look…
Prof. Tim Spector of the ZOE COVID study has issued another update which you can watch here. He shares how COVID symptoms have changed over time and some advice and reassurance on how to prepare for the lack for free testing in the UK. Up to 1 in 15 people now have COVID symptoms, the highest numbers since records began.
Food Hub news
We are thrilled that students from St Bedes Inter-Church School in Birdwood Road chose the Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub as their charity for this term. They collected hundreds of kilos of food and toiletries for us. Thank you so much!
The Food Hub is open tomorrow (Saturday) as usual, from 10.30am to 12noon at St James Church on Wulfstan Way. All in need are welcome, no questions asked. The Coffee Chat is back too!
Food donations may be brought to the church on Saturday mornings from 10.00am to 10.30am. The team tells us it’s usually particularly in need of tinned beans (not baked beans) and tinned fish, but all contributions are welcome.
Could you help deliver the next issue of Queen Edith’s magazine to a road near you? All you’ll need to do is to collect a bundle of issues for a nearby road on the weekend of 23/24 April, and deliver them in your own time. If you’re interested, just add your name here and we’ll get back to you.
Get a postal vote for the election
We have a local council election coming up at the start of May, and if you think you might not be able to make it to the polling station in person, why not get a postal vote? All you have to do is to print out and complete the simple form, and either post or email it back to the City Council. The application form is here.
One.network is the website which shows current and forthcoming road works. You can see the map here. Click the ‘Today’ box and select ‘Next two weeks’ for future works.
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 issue 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.
Queen Edith’s News is produced by the Queen Edith’s magazine team, part of the Queen Edith’s Community Forum, chaired by Sam Davies. Contact Sam by email at hello@queen-ediths.info
Email us at hello@queen-ediths.info if you have any news you’d like to see included, or any updates to the information above.
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Chris Rand
