Queen Edith’s news 2023 vol.1 – January

Queen Edith’s News

Issue 226 • Friday 27 January 2023
Emailed to over 1,750 local homes

Photographic exhibition open at the library

Nepal: Resilience and Recovery is a free exhibition of photographs by Simon Howarth and Jane Wilson-Howarth in the Community Room at Rock Road Library. Simon is a civil engineer and Jane a medical doctor; together and separately, with cameras to hand, they have travelled the length and breadth of Nepal before returning to live in this area. With photos of Nepal and the Nepalese from the 1970s to 2020s, this exhibition highlights the mountains, wildlife, people and their livelihoods in one of the most beautiful countries in the world. The library’s current opening times and other details can be found here.

Donations to the Food Hub – an update

We’ve received some great news from the Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub team, who tell us: “The residents of Queen Edith’s have been extremely generous supporters of the Food Hub, especially over the last few months. In addition to many monthly standing orders, we have received a number of large one-off donations, and as a result we now find ourselves with a substantial cash balance that will sustain the Hub for several months to come. We are now in a position to suggest that those giving monthly donations reduce them to no more than £20. Your amazing generosity has been very much appreciated in getting us to this point. We even have enough egg boxes to keep us going for quite a while to come, so thank you all so much!”

  • More Food Hub information can be found in the normal slot below.

Birdwatch, Rhyme & Story-time

The Friends of Rock Road Library are participating in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch tomorrow morning (Saturday 28 January). If you have bird identification skills, and would like to join in, please e-mail rockroadfriends@yahoo.com. Later in the morning there’s Rhyme-time & Story-time, where our youngest can join experienced storyteller, Veronica Speirs, for a mixture of bird-themed rhymes and stories. Rhyme-time (for babies & toddlers, parents & carers) is at 10.30am, and Story-time (for under fives, although children of any age are welcome) is at 11am. No need to pre-book, simply show up on the day. Refreshments will be served.

Lunchtime Community Concert

The next Perse School Lunchtime Community Concert will take place at St John’s Church, Hills Road, on Tuesday (31 January) at 1.15pm. It will be a soloists’ recital, with music by Brahms, Haydn, Schumann and more. All welcome – just turn up. Free, with retiring collection.

Choir sings Evensong

The Homerton College music scholars Charter Choir sings Choral Evensong at St Johns Church on a Tuesday in Full Term, including this Tuesday (31 January). Come and hear this wonderful choir at 6.30pm. The term card is available in Church.

Wandlebury volunteer sessions

There are two volunteer work party sessions at Wandlebury Country Park next week for anyone who’d like to help care for our local green space. The first is on Tuesday (31 January), and the second, on Saturday 4 Feb, aims to continue the work saving the fragile flowering plants that live on the chalk grassland. More details here.

Free virtual yoga classes

Daisy Worzencraft is running a series of virtual yoga classes for the Cambridge Biomedical Campus Wellness Campaign. Yoga with Daisy is primarily about having fun, giving things a go, and trying – with a sense of humour and a smile on your face! It’s a non-competitive practice, with modifications for different levels. The classes are open to all. More details here.

Evening Lantern Walk at the Biomedical Campus

All are welcome next Thursday (2 February) on a 60-minute early-evening mindful lantern walk in nature at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. Connect with the turning of the season, as well as connect with our own internal seasons of emotions, beliefs, hopes and wishes, with a view to taking some quiet reflection time among the raw beauty of nature, led by two mindfulness teachers and soul practitioners, John Nicholson and David Lynch. The event is free. Find out more and reserve your place here.

Art Gallery talk next Friday

AKA contemporary art gallery on Cherry Hinton Road’s “Friday Lates” events continue next Friday (3 February) when David Hayward will be in the gallery for a talk about his work. It will be a great opportunity to discover the secrets behind David’s vibrant paintings. David will also be bringing some work with him so that’s a further reason to attend. There is limited seating, so first come, first served. Drinks and nibbles provided! More information here.

Nestbox-making workshops at Nightingale

Fancy making a nestbox for small birds? The Nightingale Garden team have organised some short 30-minute workshops there, with On the Verge Cambridge, on Saturday 11 February. An adult could help an older child to make the box. The boxes are made from larch, from kits made by garden volunteers. Booking required. There’s more information here.

Warm Welcome Events

The Queen Edith’s Warm Welcome programme is for anyone looking for a warm space, refreshments or just some companionship through the winter. Upcoming events are open to all, and are free of charge. Just turn up!

  • Food Hub Cafe at St James church on Saturdays, 10.30am to noon. Next event 28 January
  • Friendship Cafe at St John the Evangelist church, every Monday, 3pm to 5pm. Next event 30 January
  • Family Winter Warmer lunch* at Cherry Hinton Care Home, Cherry Hinton Road, every Wednesday, 12noon to 2pm. Next event 1 February
  • Film Club** at Heathlands House, Bullen Close, fortnightly on Thursdays, 2pm to 4pm. Next event 2 February
  • Friday Lunch Club** at Heathlands House, Bullen Close, fortnightly on Fridays, 12.30pm to 2pm. Next event 3 February
  • Friendship Cafe at St James church, first Tuesday of the month, 11am to 3pm, including soup and a roll. Next event 7 February
  • Warmer Together Cafe at Queen Edith Chapel, fortnightly Wednesdays, 11am to 1pm. Next event 8 February
  • ‘You’ve got a friend in me’ Club* at Cherry Hinton Care Home, Cherry Hinton Road, second Thursday of the month, 2.30pm to 4pm. Next event 9 February
  • Warm Space Event at Rock Road Library, second Tuesday of the month, 10.30am to 3.30pm. Next event 14 February
  • Board Games & Puddings at St James church, monthly, 6.30pm to 8.30pm. Next event 18 February

* For TLC Cherry Hinton Care Home events, please email bdm@cherryhintoncarehome.co.uk to let them know you’re hoping to attend.
** At Heathlands House, a lateral flow test is required before attending, and bring evidence of the negative result; or the venue can provide the test but arrive 20–30 minutes early to allow time for it.

Ideas needed from young people

Cambridge Science Centre is looking for 15 young people aged 13–15 to join its Young People’s Advisory Panel. The Centre is a charity that works to bring hands-on exploratory science, engineering and more to school groups and the public through shows, activities and workshops. Meeting around every 2 weeks over 4 months, the panel will help build an exciting and accessible future for the Science Centre by sharing opinions, thoughts and ideas. To get involved, participants don’t need to have visited before (or even have science as a favourite subject!), they just need to be interested in what the Centre does and be willing to share their thoughts and opinions. To find out more, please complete the initial interest form here.

News from our MP

The latest newsletter from South Cambridgeshire MP Anthony Browne is out, and is available to read here.

What goes in which bin?

If you’re not sure what goes in which bin, the council waste service has a searchable page here. This is what we should be putting in our blue bins, for example:

  • Paper, newspapers, magazines and envelopes
  • Cardboard (must be bagged in a paper or clean plastic bag)
  • Cartons (for example, Tetra Pak)
  • Plastic bags (except black bin bags)
  • Non-metallic plastic packets or wrappers e.g. bread bags, pasta bags
  • Plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays (excluding any black plastic which cannot currently be recycled)
  • Food and drinks cans
  • Empty aerosols
  • Greetings cards
  • Wrapping paper (no metallic plastic)
  • Tinfoil and foil trays
  • Biscuit and sweet tins
  • Glass jars and bottles
  • Shredded paper
Featured Queen Edith’s magazine supporter

Bush Sales and Lettings

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“A really excellent service – friendly, efficient and doing the right thing for landlords and tenants”
If you are looking for a property agent in Cambridge, get in touch and discover the Bush difference.
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This Week at The Light Cinema

★ Our multi-screen cinema’s huge lineup of upcoming films includes A Man Called Otto; All The Beauty And The Bloodshed; Avatar: The Way of Water; Babylon; Billie Eilish Live at The O2; BTS: Yet to Come; Empire of Light; Enys Men; Jaws; Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile; M3GAN; NT Live 2023: The Crucible; Pathaan (Hindi); Pathaan (Tamil); Peppa Pig: My First Cinema Experience; Piggy; Plane; Puss in Boots: The Last Wish; Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical; Roman Holiday (70th Anniversary); Room on the Broom; Strange World; Sword Art Online The Movie: Progressive Scherzo of Deep Night; TÁR; The Amazing Maurice; The Banshees of Inisherin; The Fabelmans; The Whale; and Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody.

This week at Cambridge Junction

★ The Cambridge Junction lineup this week includes: All The World’s A Stage; Art // Tech // Play Producers Edition: What The T*ch?!; Elvana: Elvis Fronted Nirvana; Kula Shaker; Lloyd Griffith: One Tonne Of Fun; Marquis Drive; Mr Griff – Album Launch; New Routes: Fern Maddie & Imlac; Niknak: Sankofa; Philip Selway (Radiohead); and Sauerkraut Spell Making Sessions

Food Hub news

The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub runs every Saturday morning, between 10.30am and 12noon, at St James Church, Wulfstan Way. Anyone in need is welcome to attend, with no questions asked. Just turn up and help yourself to what you need. We’ve been visited by several hundred different families and households of all sizes.

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 items like condiments, jam, sauces in jars, tinned fish, breakfast cereals, tinned fruit and tinned rice pudding, but all donations are welcome. More details on food donations here.

Thanks to all the residents who have been keeping egg boxes, but please be aware that the Food Hub has enough of these for the moment.

Health Information

The UK Health Security Agency is reminding people that flu and coronavirus (COVID-19) are currently circulating at high levels and are likely to continue to increase in coming weeks. High numbers of scarlet fever, which is caused by group A streptococcus, also continue to be reported. Its simple steps to help protect children can be read here.

The current government statement on COVID-19 is: “There are no coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions in the UK. If you have COVID-19 you should try to stay at home. Most people cannot get free COVID-19 tests. You can buy tests in shops but you cannot report the result to the NHS. You can get vaccinated against COVID-19 by the NHS.”

For details of how to book first, second or booster vaccinations locally, please visit The Vaccinators website.

Bin collections

Check when your bins will be emptied here.

Consultations

  • Cambridge City Council wants residents’ views on the Winter Event on Parker’s Piece, which was not held this year. Runs until 31 January. Have your say here.
  • Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority is asking members of the public and stakeholders to have their say on its draft Bus Strategy. Runs until 22 February. Read the Proposal and complete the survey here.
  • Anglian Water would like customers to share their views on its draft Water Resources Management Plan 2024, which sets out the strategy for securing the region’s water supply. It involves emailing in comments in response to questions posed in this comprehensive document. Runs until 29 March.

Health and Education job vacancies

Links to the jobs and careers pages at all of our local hospitals, schools and colleges can be found here.

Adult Learning and Evening Classes

There’s a wide range of educational and recreational classes and courses for adults available locally, this autumn and into next year. Find out more details here:

Traffic disruption

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.

Local police and crime information

Find out data and information about local crime levels and how to contact Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s City south and east team here.

Help with cost of living

Cambridge City Council maintains a web page listing various forms of help that are available to anyone struggling to cope with the rising cost of living. These range from additional payments from the council or discounts on things like your Council Tax, to support from partners such as food vouchers, energy grants and help managing debt. The page can be found here.

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.

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

Queen Edith’s News

Issue 225 • Friday 20 January 2023
Emailed to over 1,750 local homes

Nightingale Pavilion to be built at last!

After many years of planning and promises, work is beginning on the new pavilion at Nightingale Recreation Ground. Councillor Sam Davies has told us that the council team managing the work met the groundworkers and crane operator last week, and the foundation work is due to start on site in the first week of February. The delivery of the modules to site is expected to start in the first week of March. Details of the pavilion can be seen in the last update on the project, back in 2020.
On the subject of work commencing, RailFuture East Anglia posted this photo of the first works compound taking shape for the new Cambridge South railway station, under Addenbrookes Road. Located between the Biomedical Campus and Hobsons Park, the station will have four full-length platforms.

Thoughts about Lime Kiln Road

Originally just a narrow country lane, Lime Kiln Road is playing an increasingly major role in the infrastructure of Cambridge for which it was never intended. Motor vehicle queues of 300-400m at peak times are not uncommon and it is becoming increasingly hazardous. Local residents Barrie Hunt and Marion Polichroniadis have organised a meeting with the Highways Department later this month at which they hope to discuss a strategy for both short and long term improvement. If you’d like to find out more and get involved in the conversation, have a read of their website.

Local singer at Folk Club tonight

Queen Edith’s-based singer Lara Gisborne is supporting Dave Ellis & Boo Howard at the Cambridge Folk Club tonight (20 January). Lara returned to songwriting inspired by a folk choir with Harbottle and Jonas, leading to songwriting retreats with Kathryn Williams, Boo Hewerdine and recently Chris Difford. Find out more and hear her music here, and get tickets for the gig here.

Wildlife walk at Wandlebury

There’s a chance next week to join the wardens for a gentle guided walk to learn about the woods and their wonderful wildlife at Wandlebury Country Park. The event, on Wednesday (25 January) is free but donations are welcome. More information here.

Community Lunch at St John’s

The popular Community Lunches at St Johns return next Wednesday (25 January) with the first event of the new year. The two-course lunch is from 12.30pm to 2pm and costs just £5. No booking required – just turn up at the St John’s Centre by the church on Hills Road.

Make this year the best one yet!

Start 2023 with a range of energising ideas for health and well-being! The I3 Parent Hub is organising the Power-Up Festival next Wednesday (25 January) at the Netherhall School. There’s a range of exciting activities and workshops, aimed at children, young people, parents, and families, including a Virtual Reality Experience, sports, arts and crafts, free hot food, careers advice and tips on how you can make this year the best one yet!

Service for Chris Kidman

Well-known member of the local community Chris Kidman passed away suddenly on 28 December, and there’ll be a Service of thanksgiving for his life on Thursday 26 January at 11am. This will be at Queen Edith Chapel on Wulfstan Way, and all those who knew Chris are welcome to attend.

CBC Open Mic Night

Cambridge Biomedical Campus has an evening of eating, drinking, music and entertainment next week – it’s time for the next Open Mic Night! Taking place at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute on Friday 27 January, it follows similar events which have proved very popular with up to 200 people attending. Do you play an instrument or sing? Are you a stand-up comedian wanting to try out some material? Want to pull your rabbit out of your hat? …or are you itching to showcase another talent you have to a large and welcoming crowd? Or do you just want to come and watch? Whatever the case, tickets and more information can be found here.

Bring & Buy Coffee Morning at St James

The first Bring & Buy Coffee Morning of the year at St James Church on Wulfstan Way will be next Saturday (28 January). Open from 10.30am to 12 noon, the event will feature books, cakes, bric-a-brac and a raffle. All are welcome!

Warm Welcome Events

The Queen Edith’s Warm Welcome programme is for anyone looking for a warm space, refreshments or just some companionship through the winter. Upcoming events are open to all, and are free of charge. Just turn up!

  • Food Hub Cafe at St James church on Saturdays, 10.30am to noon. Next event 21 January
  • Friendship Cafe at St John the Evangelist church, every Monday, 3pm to 5pm. Next event 23 January
  • Family Winter Warmer lunch* at Cherry Hinton Care Home, Cherry Hinton Road, every Wednesday, 12noon to 2pm. Next event 25 January
  • Warmer Together Cafe at Queen Edith Chapel, fortnightly Wednesdays, 11am to 1pm. Next event 25 January
  • Film Club** at Heathlands House, Bullen Close, fortnightly on Thursdays, 2pm to 4pm. Next event 2 February
  • Friday Lunch Club** at Heathlands House, Bullen Close, fortnightly on Fridays, 12.30pm to 2pm. Next event 3 February
  • Friendship Cafe at St James church, first Tuesday of the month, 11am to 3pm, including soup and a roll. Next event 7 February
  • ‘You’ve got a friend in me’ Club* at Cherry Hinton Care Home, Cherry Hinton Road, second Thursday of the month, 2.30pm to 4pm. Next event 9 February
  • Warm Space Event at Rock Road Library, second Tuesday of the month, 10.30am to 3.30pm. Next event 14 February

* For TLC Cherry Hinton Care Home events, please email bdm@cherryhintoncarehome.co.uk to let them know you’re hoping to attend.
** At Heathlands House, a lateral flow test is required before attending, and bring evidence of the negative result; or the venue can provide the test but arrive 20–30 minutes early to allow time for it.

Interested in a career in the arts?

Cambridge Junction is throwing open its doors in March for an ‘industry evening’, a fantastic opportunity for those aged 16 – 21 who want to learn more about a career in the creative and cultural sector. The evening will provide an insight into the wide range of job opportunities within the arts both on- and off-stage. It’s an invaluable opportunity to find out about entry routes, career paths and individual experiences, and includes a tour of the venue, an opportunity to meet staff and ask questions, and a workshop – either lighting design, sound engineering or theatre making. More information and tickets here.

Neighbourhood Watch for Cedar Court

Residents from Cedar Court recently expressed a wish to join Neighbourhood Watch, the scheme that deals with safety and builds safer, stronger and more active communities. The nearby Red Cross Lane Area Scheme has been given permission to support Cedar Court, so if you’re a resident there, head over to their website for more information.

Tips on reducing your carbon footprint

There are things that we can do to reduce our emissions, reduce our energy bills and insulate ourselves from energy price shocks and shortages. These will be explained in a free online event from local charity Cambridge Carbon Footprint on Tuesday 31 January. See here for details on how to watch.

Featured Queen Edith’s magazine supporter

Chiropody and Podiatry services

Anyone in need of locally-based foot care should contact Celia Kenney to arrange home appointments. Treatments are available for corn and callus reduction, nail conditions, ingrowing toenails, athletes foot, hyperhidosis, verruce and warts. Call Celia on 07939 227195.

This Week at The Light Cinema

★ Our multi-screen cinema’s huge lineup of upcoming films includes A Man Called Otto; Avatar: The Way of Water; Babylon; Billie Eilish Live at The O2; Bing And His Friends At The Cinema; BTS: Yet to Come; Corsage; Empire of Light; Everything Everywhere All At Once; Like Water For Chocolate; Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile; M3GAN; NT Live 2023: The Crucible; Pathaan; Peppa Pig: My First Cinema Experience; Piggy; Plane; Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical; Strange World; Sword Art Online The Movie; TÁR; That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime; The Amazing Maurice; The Banshees of Inisherin; The Fabelmans; The Whale;  and Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody.

This week at Cambridge Junction

★ The Cambridge Junction lineup this week includes: Dancetopia; Democratic Set – Film Screening Premiere; Harry Baker: Unashamed; Kula Shaker; Marquis Drive; Martyn Joseph; Mr Griff – Album Launch; Shakespeare Schools Festival; The Blue Avatar …Tales Of The Flute Boy From Vrindavan; and The Fiver – January

Food Hub news

The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub runs every Saturday morning, between 10.30am and 12noon, at St James Church, Wulfstan Way. Anyone in need is welcome to attend, with no questions asked. Just turn up and help yourself to what you need. We’ve been visited by several hundred different families and households of all sizes.

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 items like condiments, jam, sauces in jars, tinned fish, breakfast cereals, tinned fruit and tinned rice pudding, but all donations are welcome. More details on food donations here.

Thanks to all the residents who have been keeping egg boxes, but please be aware that the Food Hub has enough of these for the moment.

Health Information

The UK Health Security Agency is reminding people that flu and coronavirus (COVID-19) are currently circulating at high levels and are likely to continue to increase in coming weeks. High numbers of scarlet fever, which is caused by group A streptococcus, also continue to be reported. Its simple steps to help protect children can be read here.

The current government statement on COVID-19 is: “There are no coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions in the UK. If you have COVID-19 you should try to stay at home. Most people cannot get free COVID-19 tests. You can buy tests in shops but you cannot report the result to the NHS. You can get vaccinated against COVID-19 by the NHS.”

For details of how to book first, second or booster vaccinations locally, please visit The Vaccinators website.

Bin collections

Check when your bins will be emptied here.

Consultations

  • Cambridge City Council wants residents’ views on the Winter Event on Parker’s Piece, which was not held this year. Runs until 31 January. Have your say here.
  • Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority is asking members of the public and stakeholders to have their say on its draft Bus Strategy. Runs until 22 February. Read the Proposal and complete the survey here.
  • Anglian Water would like customers to share their views on its draft Water Resources Management Plan 2024, which sets out the strategy for securing the region’s water supply. It involves emailing in comments in response to questions posed in this comprehensive document. Runs until 29 March.

Health and Education job vacancies

Links to the jobs and careers pages at all of our local hospitals, schools and colleges can be found here.

Adult Learning and Evening Classes

There’s a wide range of educational and recreational classes and courses for adults available locally, this autumn and into next year. Find out more details here:

Traffic disruption

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.

Local police and crime information

Find out data and information about local crime levels and how to contact Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s City south and east team here.

Help with cost of living

Cambridge City Council maintains a web page listing various forms of help that are available to anyone struggling to cope with the rising cost of living. These range from additional payments from the council or discounts on things like your Council Tax, to support from partners such as food vouchers, energy grants and help managing debt. The page can be found here.

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.

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

Queen Edith’s News

Issue 224 • Friday 13 January 2023
Emailed to over 1,750 local homes

‘Lighter’ Post Office coming to Wulfstan Way

A new type of Post Office branch is to be trialled at Express General Convenience Store on Wulfstan Way from the end of this month. The Post Office says that the new format has been developed to offer easier access to key needs, so there won’t be banking or more complex services; however, the branch will offer parcel collect and return, as well as bill payments. Services will be available from 8am to 8pm on Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 4pm on Sunday.

Watercolour exhibition in church

Local artist and teacher Denise Schoenberg’s weekly watercolour painting group will be having a small table top exhibition of their paintings at St John’s Church in the Church lobby from tomorrow (14 January) to 21 February. Do drop by to see their beautiful artwork!

Help out at Wandlebury

There’s a regular opportunity to help the team at Wandlebury Country Park to care for the green spaces and their wildlife next Tuesday (17 January). All instruction, equipment and tools provided. Wear tough clothes and footwear and bring packed lunch. No need to book, just turn up. More information here.

Free lunchtime music at St John’s

Next Wednesday (18 January) sees the first in a series of performances at St John’s Church, Hills Road, by Perse School musicians. All recitals are free (with a retiring collection) and begin at 1.15pm. No tickets required, just come along.

Illustrated talk on travelling healthily

‘Bugs Bites & Bowels’ is the title of a travel health talk and discussion by Rock Road Library Writer-in-Residence Jane Wilson-Howarth next Thursday (19 January). How much is travel a risk to your health? What are the commonest travellers’ complaints? How can people sidestep hazards that might be encountered overseas? Dr Wilson-Howarth, author of three travel health guides, will answer these questions and more, and show slides of some of the nastiest critters to be encountered in the steamiest destinations. Entry is free but donations to cover refreshments will be welcome. The talk is at 7pm – all welcome, just turn up on the night.

Gaming and Gambling: a parents guide

We have conversations with our children about drugs, alcohol, and smoking – but what about gambling, gaming and the potential links between the two? The I3 Parent Hub, based at the Netherhall School, is holding a Gaming and Gambling awareness and information online session next Thursday (19 January). Open to parents and carers of young people at any school, the event will include a look at recognising the signs of harm and where to go for support. There’s more information and you can request a link to watch the presentation here.

Unique ‘Virtual Dementia Tour’ next weekend

Cherry Hinton Care Home, on Cherry Hinton Road, will be hosting an Open Day on Saturday 21 January from 11am to 4pm with a unique opportunity to experience a ‘virtual dementia tour’, allowing you to understand how a person living with dementia can feel. The free tour is the only scientifically proven method of giving a person an experience of what dementia might be like. By end of the experience, you will be able to recognise the issues faced by people with dementia and start to think about the correct provision of services to meet their needs. Read more about the event here.

An Evening of Song in February

Tenor Nicky Spence and pianist Joseph Middleton will be at the Peter Hall Performing Arts Centre at the Perse School, Hills Road on 6 February for “An Evening Of Song“. Winner of the BBC Musician Magazine Personality of the Year 2022, Nicky Spence was described in The Times as ‘a tenor who combines heroic tone and a poetic sensibility that takes the breath away’. Tickets are now available here.

Warm Welcome Events

The Queen Edith’s Warm Welcome programme is for anyone looking for a warm space, refreshments or just some companionship through the winter. Upcoming events are open to all, and are free of charge. Just turn up!

  • Food Hub Cafe at St James church on Saturdays, 10.30am to noon. Next event 14 January
  • Friendship Cafe at St John the Evangelist church, every Monday, 3pm to 5pm. Next event 16 January
  • Family Winter Warmer lunch* at Cherry Hinton Care Home, Cherry Hinton Road, every Wednesday, 12noon to 2pm. Next event 18 January
  • Warmer Together Cafe at Queen Edith Chapel, fortnightly Wednesdays, 11am to 1pm. Next event 18 January
  • Film Club** at Heathlands House, Bullen Close, fortnightly on Thursdays, 2pm to 4pm. Next event 19 January
  • Friday Lunch Club** at Heathlands House, Bullen Close, fortnightly on Fridays, 12.30pm to 2pm. Next event 20 January
  • Friendship Cafe at St James church, first Tuesday of the month, 11am to 3pm, including soup and a roll. Next event 7 February
  • ‘You’ve got a friend in me’ Club* at Cherry Hinton Care Home, Cherry Hinton Road, second Thursday of the month, 2.30pm to 4pm. Next event 9 February
  • Warm Space Event at Rock Road Library, second Tuesday of the month, 10.30am to 3.30pm. Next event 14 February

* For TLC Cherry Hinton Care Home events, please email bdm@cherryhintoncarehome.co.uk to let them know you’re hoping to attend.
** At Heathlands House, a lateral flow test is required before attending, and bring evidence of the negative result; or the venue can provide the test but arrive 20–30 minutes early to allow time for it.

January Sale at Lifeboat Shop

Cambridge & District RNLI’s shop at 52 Queen Edith’s Way has a sale on, including Christmas card packs, jigsaw puzzles and notelets. Geoff Heathcock, who runs the store, says: “Please call 01223 244901 to check when shop is open, or just ring the door bell when passing.”

Council activity grants available

Area Committee Grants are now available for next year from the City Council – to qualify, you just need an idea for a community, arts or sport activity that will help to reduce inequality. Applications need to be in by the end of the month – more information here.

Battery recycling update

Household batteries for recycling can now be left out weekly on top of any green, black or blue bins. The Shared Waste Service has also adjusted guidance on how batteries should be presented for collection, and asks that residents place a small tied plastic bag containing the batteries loosely on top of their bin, rather than tying it to the bin handle.

Featured Queen Edith’s magazine supporter

Cambridge Online Tuition

Is your child struggling with self-belief and lacking confidence in academic work? We have your child’s needs covered in maths, English, science, exam preparation and more. We’re Queen Edith’s based. Find out more and watch some of our testimonials at our website.

This Week at The Light Cinema

★ Our multi-screen cinema’s huge lineup of upcoming films includes A Man Called Otto; Avatar: The Way of Water; Babylon; Bing And His Friends At The Cinema; Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; Corsage; Empire of Light; Everything Everywhere All At Once; Gentlemen Prefer Blondes; Gruffalo; KSI v Faze Temper; Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile; M3GAN; NT Live 2023: The Crucible; Rashomon; Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical; Royal Ballet 22/23: Like Water for Chocolate; Strange World; That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime; The Amazing Maurice; The Gruffalo’s Child; The Whale; Till; and Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody.

This week at Cambridge Junction

★ The Cambridge Junction lineup this week includes: Harry Baker: Unashamed; Lucy Porter: Wake Up Call; Nick Cope Family Show; The Fiver – January (20Th); Tony Law: A Now Begin In Again; and Wifi Wars

Food Hub news

The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub runs every Saturday morning, between 10.30am and 12noon, at St James Church, Wulfstan Way. Anyone in need is welcome to attend, with no questions asked. Just turn up and help yourself to what you need. We’ve been visited by several hundred different families and households of all sizes.

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 items like condiments, jam, sauces in jars, tinned fish, breakfast cereals, tinned fruit and tinned rice pudding, but all donations are welcome. More details on food donations here.

Health Information

The UK Health Security Agency is reminding people that flu and coronavirus (COVID-19) are currently circulating at high levels and are likely to continue to increase in coming weeks. High numbers of scarlet fever, which is caused by group A streptococcus, also continue to be reported. Its simple steps to help protect children can be read here.

The current government statement on COVID-19 is: “There are no coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions in the UK. If you have COVID-19 you should try to stay at home. Most people cannot get free COVID-19 tests. You can buy tests in shops but you cannot report the result to the NHS. You can get vaccinated against COVID-19 by the NHS.”

For details of how to book first, second or booster vaccinations locally, please visit The Vaccinators website.

Bin collections

Check when your bins will be emptied here.

Consultations

  • Cambridge City Council wants residents’ views on the Winter Event on Parker’s Piece, which was not held this year. Runs until 31 January. Have your say here.
  • Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority is asking members of the public and stakeholders to have their say on its draft Bus Strategy. Runs until 22 February. Read the Proposal and complete the survey here.
  • Anglian Water would like customers to share their views on its draft Water Resources Management Plan 2024, which sets out the strategy for securing the region’s water supply. It involves emailing in comments in response to questions posed in this comprehensive document. Runs until 29 March.

Health and Education job vacancies

Links to the jobs and careers pages at all of our local hospitals, schools and colleges can be found here.

Adult Learning and Evening Classes

There’s a wide range of educational and recreational classes and courses for adults available locally, this autumn and into next year. Find out more details here:

Traffic disruption

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.

Local police and crime information

Find out data and information about local crime levels and how to contact Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s City south and east team here.

Help with cost of living

Cambridge City Council maintains a web page listing various forms of help that are available to anyone struggling to cope with the rising cost of living. These range from additional payments from the council or discounts on things like your Council Tax, to support from partners such as food vouchers, energy grants and help managing debt. The page can be found here.

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.

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

Queen Edith’s News

Issue 223 • Friday 6 January 2023
Emailed to over 1,750 local homes

Worts Causeway closure until March

Worts Causeway will be closed from Monday (9 January) until early March, for works by Cambridge Water Company. The permissive footpath from Babraham Road will also remain closed during this period. The Eddeva Park housing estate developer This Land says that the length of this work is due to the water mains contractor discovering that the water main on Worts Causeway was deeper than expected.

Find out about our city museum

Historian Roger Lilley will be giving a talk tomorrow (7 January) at St John the Evangelist Church, Hills Road, on the Museum of Cambridge. The museum was opened in the mid-1930s as the Cambridge & County Folk Museum, and one of its earliest supporters was Queen Mary, consort to King George V. The event is free to Cambridgeshire Association for Local History members and £2 for others. More details here.

Winter tree walk at Wandlebury

Learn how to identify our native trees using bark, buds, shape and form, with this guided walk around Wandlebury with one of the wardens next Wednesday (11 January). Free but donations welcomed. More details here.

Thinking about volunteering?

Cambridge Council for Voluntary Service has an online coffee morning on Wednesday (11 January) to hear about how you can make a difference volunteering with local charities. More information here.

Christmas Tree Recycling

There’s still time to get your Christmas Tree collected via the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity’s Tree Recycling Scheme. No needles in your car and no fuel costs! Request collection here.

Board Games and Puddings!

Whether you like something quiet, like chess or a jigsaw puzzle, or love a good noisy game, like Monopoly, Dobble or Linkee, come and join the regular evening of Board Games and Puddings on Saturday 14 January, from 6:30 to 8:30pm at St. James Church, Wulfstan Way. Games will be provided, but please bring a pudding/cake to share. Hot drinks and soft drinks are also available. All welcome – just turn up.

Warm Welcome Events

The Queen Edith’s Warm Welcome programme is for anyone looking for a warm space, refreshments or just some companionship through the winter. Upcoming events are open to all, and are free of charge. Just turn up!

  • Food Hub Cafe at St James church on Saturdays, 10.30am to noon. Next event 7 January
  • Friendship Cafe at St John the Evangelist church, Mondays, 3pm to 5pm. Next event 9 January
  • Warm Space Event at Rock Road Library, second Tuesday of the month, 10.30am to 3.30pm. Next event 10 January
  • ‘You’ve got a friend in me’ Club* at Cherry Hinton Care Home, Cherry Hinton Road, second Thursday of the month, 2.30pm to 4pm. Next event 12 January
  • Family Winter Warmer lunch* at Cherry Hinton Care Home, Cherry Hinton Road, Mondays and Wednesdays, 12noon to 2pm. Next event 9 January
  • Warmer Together Cafe at Queen Edith Chapel, fortnightly Wednesdays, 11am to 1pm. Next event 18 January
  • Film Club** at Heathlands House, Bullen Close, fortnightly on Thursdays, 2pm to 4pm. Next event 19 January
  • Friday Lunch Club** at Heathlands House, Bullen Close, fortnightly on Fridays, 12.30pm to 2pm. Next event 20 January
  • Friendship Cafe at St James church, first Tuesday of the month, 11am to 3pm, including soup and a roll. Next event 7 February

* For TLC Cherry Hinton Care Home events, please email bdm@cherryhintoncarehome.co.uk to let them know you’re hoping to attend.
** At Heathlands House, a lateral flow test is required before attending, and bring evidence of the negative result; or the venue can provide the test but arrive 20–30 minutes early to allow time for it.

Help with cancer research needed

Are you age 40 to 80, cancer free or have completed treatment for cancer over a year ago, and willing to participate in follow-up studies? You’ll be asked to answer questionnaires and provide samples including blood, urine and on rare occasion saliva samples. You will then be assessed as to whether you are eligible for any of our early detection studies. More details here.

Supervisor role on offer

Cambridge Re-Use is currently recruiting for a paid Saturday supervisor. The organisation, based on Cherry Hinton Road, is a registered charity offering low-priced recycled furniture to everyone – but with especially low prices for those on low income, benefits, pension and grants. For a job specification and further details please email cara@cambridgereuse.org.uk.

  • See also health and education job vacancies below

Sort out your cable drawer

A reminder that the local drop-off points for small electrical items can take electrical cables, if you want to finally get rid of those never-to-be-used-again connectors from the 1990s. The pink bins can be found at Gwydir Street Car Park (off Mill Road), Fulbourn Tesco car park, and Hawkey Road on the Clay Farm estate. More information here.

Seating accepted as waste again

All nine household waste recycling centres in Cambridgeshire will accept upholstered household seating again from tomorrow (7 January), the County Council has told us. The council has apologised for last week’s sudden temporary restriction on accepting upholstered seating while it worked with its partners on a safe disposal method. More information here.
Featured Queen Edith’s magazine supporter

Queen Edith’s Favourite Window Cleaners

Professional, safe and fully insured, Shortle ProClean offer state of the art pure water window cleaning, as well as gutter cleaning, fascia cleaning and conservatory cleaning. Reliable, professional and friendly. More information here.

This Week at The Light Cinema

★ Our multi-screen cinema’s huge lineup of upcoming films includes A Man Called Otto; André Rieu in Dublin; Avatar: The Way of Water; Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; Corsage; Empire of Light; Gentlemen Prefer Blondes; KSI vs DANIS live; Like Water For Chocolate; Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile; M3GAN; Rashomon; Strange World; That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime; The Amazing Maurice; The Gruffalo; The Gruffalo’s Child; The Menu; Till; and Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody.

This week at Cambridge Junction

★ The Cambridge Junction lineup this week includes: Lauren Pattison: It Is What It Is; The Fiver – January; and The Snow Queen.

Food Hub news

The Queen Edith’s Community Food Hub runs every Saturday morning, between 10.30am and 12noon, at St James Church, Wulfstan Way. Anyone in need is welcome to attend, with no questions asked. Just turn up and help yourself to what you need. We’ve been visited by several hundred different families and households of all sizes.

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 items like condiments, jam, sauces in jars, tinned fish, breakfast cereals, tinned fruit and tinned rice pudding, but all donations are welcome. More details on food donations here.

Health Information

As pupils and students return to school following the Christmas break, the UK Health Security Agency is reminding people that flu and coronavirus (COVID-19) are currently circulating at high levels and are likely to continue to increase in coming weeks. High numbers of scarlet fever, which is caused by group A streptococcus, also continue to be reported. Its simple steps to help protect children can be read here.

The current government statement on COVID-19 is: “There are no coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions in the UK. If you have COVID-19 you should try to stay at home. Most people cannot get free COVID-19 tests. You can buy tests in shops but you cannot report the result to the NHS. You can get vaccinated against COVID-19 by the NHS.”

For details of how to book first, second or booster vaccinations locally, please visit The Vaccinators website.

Bin collections

Check when your bins will be emptied here.

Consultations

  • Cambridge City Council wants residents’ views on the services it provides, and views on its draft budget. The council needs to reduce its net spending by around 20% in the next financial year. Runs until 10 January. Have your say here.
  • The county’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Darryl Preston, would like us to take a few moments to provide our views as he considers increasing the policing part of the council tax by 5.8%. This equates to 19p per week for a property in Band A, or 29p per week for a Band D. Runs until 13 JanuaryHave your say here.
  • Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority is asking members of the public and stakeholders to have their say on its draft Medium Term Financial Plan, covering 2023-2027. Runs until 13 January. Have your say here.
  • Cambridge City Council wants residents’ views on the Winter Event on Parker’s Piece, which was not held this year. Runs until 31 January. Have your say here.
  • Anglian Water would like customers to share their views on its draft Water Resources Management Plan 2024, which sets out the strategy for securing the region’s water supply. It involves emailing in comments in response to questions posed in this comprehensive document. Runs until 29 March.

Health and Education job vacancies

Links to the jobs and careers pages at all of our local hospitals, schools and colleges can be found here.

Adult Learning and Evening Classes

There’s a wide range of educational and recreational classes and courses for adults available locally, this autumn and into next year. Find out more details here:

Traffic disruption

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.

Local police and crime information

Find out data and information from Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s City south and east team here.

Help with cost of living

Cambridge City Council maintains a web page listing various forms of help that are available to anyone struggling to cope with the rising cost of living. These range from additional payments from the council or discounts on things like your Council Tax, to support from partners such as food vouchers, energy grants and help managing debt. The page can be found here.

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.

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