Issue 229 • Friday 24 February 2023 Emailed to over 1,800 local homes
Free bike marking session next month
Over recent months, the Cambridge City Neighbourhood Policing Team has marked hundreds of bicycles at events such as the one at Long Road Sixth Form College. The next event is just up the road at Cambridge Railway Station on Tuesday 28 March. It’s free, but you will need to register with BikeRegister before you arrive, so here’s advance notice! Here’s what to do:
Bring your bike, with a note of the frame number, to the station on 28 March between 4pm and 8pm to get it marked and protected
A warning label will be provided which should reduce the risk of theft by warning thieves that your bike is marked. It will also increase the chances of you being reunited with the bike, if it does get stolen.
Rhyme & Story-time at the library
Bring your young ones to Rock Road Library tomorrow morning (Saturday 25 February) to listen to experienced storyteller, Veronica Speirs, for rhymes and stories about trains, buses and other vehicles. Rhyme-time suitable for babies and toddlers, parents and carers is from 10.30am to 11am. Story-time aimed at under fives (although children of any age are welcome) is from 11am to 11.30am. There’s no need to pre-book, simply show up on the day. Refreshments will be served.
Bring & Buy at St James
There’s another of the popular Bring & Buy events at St James church on Wulfstan Way this Saturday (25 February) from 10.30am to 12noon. Books, cakes, bric-a-brac, raffle and a Coffee Morning, All welcome.
Find out more about the TV surgeons
Were you a viewer of Surgeons: At the Edge of Lifeon BBC TV recently? The local NHS Trust (CUH) has now organised a live online Q&A session where participants can ask the incredible surgery team questions about the cutting edge procedures they performed on the series. The session is on Tuesday evening (28 February) and will be hosted by Kanwal Moar, CUH divisional director and consultant cleft surgeon. If you’d like to watch or ask a question, details can be found here.
Volunteer Work Party at Wandlebury
There’s another Work Party coming up at Wandlebury country park, for anyone who’d like to volunteer. It’s next Tuesday (28 February) at 10.30am. Help the team care for the green spaces and wildlife – get active, meet others and enjoy learning! All instruction, equipment and tools provided. Wear tough clothes and footwear and bring packed lunch. No need to book, just turn up. More details here.
Taste the Fairtrade difference
Celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight by coming along to a ‘Big Brew’ at St John’s Church on Wednesday (1 March) from 10.30am to 12noon. “Coffee, tea, cakes, biscuits, good company. What’s not to like?” say the organisers. All welcome.
Free evening of Jazz next Wednesday
The Take Five Quintet will be performing at St Johns Church next Wednesday (1 March). The Quintet (clarinets, saxophone and accordion) play an eclectic mix of music mostly arranged for the group, with styles ranging from Baroque to Jazz. The event starts at 7.30pm and will last about an hour, after which there’ll be drinks and nibbles. All welcome – just turn up on the night! Entry is free but donations will be accepted for the church.
Learn about wild flower gardening
Brendon Sims, Head Gardener at Emmanuel College, will speak on Wild Flower Gardening at a meeting of Cambridge Garden Club next Thursday (2 March). Visitors are welcome at the talk for £3 – just come along at 2.30pm to St John the Evangelist on Hills Road. Refreshments will be available.
Arthur’s Shed is back
Arthur’s Shed is a community hub based in the grounds of the Arthur Rank Hospice out by Babraham Road Park & Ride. Volunteers at the venue deliver small group sessions, free of charge, to the local community, including Paper Crafts, Astronomy, Clay Work, Sugar Craft and Mindful Moments. The classes are open to everyone, and activities will start again next Friday (3 March). 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 25 February
Friendship Cafe at St John the Evangelist church, every Monday, 3pm to 5pm. Next event 27 February
Family Winter Warmer lunch* at Cherry Hinton Care Home, Cherry Hinton Road, every Wednesday, 12noon to 2pm. Next event 1 March
Friendship Cafe at St James church, first Tuesday of the month, 11am to 3pm, including soup and a roll. Next event 7 March
Warmer Together Cafe at Queen Edith Chapel, fortnightly Wednesdays, 11am to 1pm. Next event 8 March
Film Club** at Heathlands House, Bullen Close, fortnightly on Thursdays, 2pm to 4pm. Next event 9 March
‘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 March
Friday Lunch Club** at Heathlands House, Bullen Close, fortnightly on Fridays, 12.30pm to 2pm. Next event 10 March
Board Games & Puddings at St James church, monthly. Next event tba
* 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.
If you haven’t seen it yet, the first names have been announced for this year’s Cambridge Folk Festival, which takes place from 27 to 30 July in the grounds of Cherry Hinton Hall. Leading the way are The Proclaimers, whose live performances and catalogue of hits from “500 Miles” to “I’m On My Way” and “Sunshine On Leith” make them the perfect festival band. Other headliners include Rufus Wainwright, Imelda May, progressive rap collective Arrested Development, Kiefer Sutherland, Kate Rusby and Cornwall’s Fisherman’s Friends. Tickets are now on sale – more details here.
What if it won’t go in the bin?
Continuing our series of items about waste and recycling, it’s worth drawing attention to the council’s bulky item collection service, which will take up to 9 items. Up to 3 items can be booked for a minimum charge of £31, then additional items are £5 each. Hazardous electrical items are £25 per item due to the separate collection and processing required. To arrange a collection (and see what can and can’t be picked up), see the dedicated web page here. Items for disposal will need to be brought out to the street.
Featured Queen Edith’s magazine supporter
Host an international student in your home
The EF school on Hills Road has many students needing to immerse themselves in the daily life of the country while they’re here. Homestay students enrich their understanding of local culture and customs, pick up expressions with greater ease and acquire a more authentic accent. Often, students develop meaningful relationships with their host families that last far beyond the duration of their language course. Excellent lodging rates are paid – find out more here and if you’d like to discuss offering a place to one or more students, please email accommodation.cambridge@ef.com
This Week at The Light Cinema
★ Our multi-screen cinema’s huge lineup of upcoming films includes All Quiet on the Western Front; Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania; Avatar: The Way of Water; Blue Jean; Boy George & Culture Club: One World, One Love; Brian & Roger Eno Live at the Acropolis; Champions; Cocaine Bear; Creed III; Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Swordsmith Village (Subbed); Epic Tails; Exhibition On Screen: Mary Cassatt Painting The Modern Woman; I Get Knocked Down; Joyland; Luther: The Fallen Sun; Magic Mike’s Last Dance; Marcel the Shell With Shoes On; NT Live 2023: Othello; Pip and Posy: Cinema Show; Puss in Boots: The Last Wish; Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical; Sarah & Duck: Robots!; Scream (2022) & Scream VI Double Bill; Selfiee (Hindi); The Amazing Maurice; The Banshees of Inisherin; The Whale; The Woman King; What’s Love Got to Do With It?; Willow; and Women Talking.
★ The Cambridge Junction lineup this week includes: Angelo Starr & The Edwin Starr Band; Black Sheep; Carl Hutchinson: Watch Till The End; Comedy Connoisseurs Featuring Dan Antopolski & Alexis Dubus; Lighthouse; Lissie (above); Macondo; New Routes: Smith & Brewer Band And George Breakfast; Paul Foot: Swan Power; Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs; Randy Feltface: Feltopia; The Go! Team; and We Touch, We Play, We Dance
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 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.”
NEW Cambridge City Council has launched its “Our Cambridge” programme which aims to build a better, more efficient and sustainable council for the future. As part of this it’s asking us “to tell it about the things that are really important to us.” They want to know our thoughts on “the things that will make our daily life safe, happy and healthy.” Runs until 26 March.Take part in 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.
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:
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.
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 228 • Friday 17 February 2023 Emailed to over 1,800 local homes
Coronation Street Party grants now available
King Charles III’s coronation will take place on Saturday 6 May at Westminster Abbey in London, and grants of £500 are available for groups of local residents planning to host events and activities over the weekend. Groups could apply for funding towards street parties, Big Lunches, Big Help Out events to celebrate volunteers, or other activities to help the community mark the coronation. Full eligibility criteria and an application form are available on the City Council’s website here and applications can be submitted until 24 March.
Cambridge Festival events announced
This year’s Cambridge Festival takes place from 17 March to 2 April, but we thought we’d mention it now, as it is already booking. The Festival will include “a uniquely Cambridge, eclectic mixture” of over 350 science, arts, humanities and social science events and activities, from panel discussions, film premieres, and self-guided walking tours, to interactive activities for the whole family. A number of the events are taking place here in Queen Edith’s, notably on the Biomedical Campus and at Cambridge Junction. Perhaps most excitingly of all, however, is a whole day of interactive family science activities and workshops at Cambridge Academy for Science and Technology on Long Road on Saturday 18 March. Make a date for that one if you have any young scientists in your family!
Queen Edith’s-based Cambridge Science Centre’s half-term excursion to the Grand Arcade ends this weekend with a number of family shows and activities, as well as hands-on, interactive exhibits for young science enthusiasts! If you’re heading into the city with the family, find out more here.
Jazz at lunchtime – all welcome
Jazz at Lunchtime next Wednesday (22 February) is a free performance from the Perse School’s jazz bands, featuring familiar and new tunes. It’s at 1.15pm at St. John The Evangelist Church on Hills Road. Just come along!
Cancer seminar next Thursday
The February event in the Milner Seminar Series is entitled “Pancreatic Cancer clinical studies – spotlight on Cambridge in its UK context”, and it will be presented by Bristi Basu from the university’s Department of Oncology. The seminar takes place next Thursday (23 February) both in-person (at the Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre) and online, and will be followed by refreshments and networking for in-person attendees. Reserve a place here.
Need a chat about dementia?
TLC Cherry Hinton Care Home on Kelvin Close has another of its Dementia Cafés next Thursday (23 February) for anyone living with dementia or supporting someone who is. Enjoy a cup of tea, and exchange knowledge, ideas and experiences. It starts at 2.30pm and is complimentary, but please email bdm@cherryhintoncarehome.co.uk to reserve a place.
All about our haven for farmland birds
Local author, researcher and musician John Meed will talk about his new book A Haven for Farmland Birds at Rock Road Library next Friday (24 February) at 7pm. The book describes his ten-year study of the wildlife in the fields adjoining Queen Edith’s around Nine Wells and White Hill. John will discuss the fascinating birds and animals that live there, and the factors that help to give the fields their unusually rich biodiversity. John will be signing copies of the book. The event is free – just turn up. More details 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 18 February
Friendship Cafe at St John the Evangelist church, every Monday, 3pm to 5pm. Next event 20 February
Warmer Together Cafe at Queen Edith Chapel, fortnightly Wednesdays, 11am to 1pm. Next event 22 February
Family Winter Warmer lunch* at Cherry Hinton Care Home, Cherry Hinton Road, every Wednesday, 12noon to 2pm. Next event 22 February
Film Club** at Heathlands House, Bullen Close, fortnightly on Thursdays, 2pm to 4pm. Next event 23 February
Friday Lunch Club** at Heathlands House, Bullen Close, fortnightly on Fridays, 12.30pm to 2pm. Next event 24 February
Board Games & Puddings at St James church, monthly. Next event March, tba
Friendship Cafe at St James church, first Tuesday of the month, 11am to 3pm, including soup and a roll. Next event 7 March
‘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 March
* 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.
Local artists are now being offered the chance to exhibit at our local art gallery, AKA contemporary. There are group shows in March/April, July/August and December/January. The exhibitions will be curated, prestigious events, and each show will open with a launch event and online catalogue. More details here.
Does your home need adaptation?
Cambridgeshire Home Improvement Agency provides assistance to the elderly, people with disabilities and vulnerable people to help them repair, improve, maintain and adapt their homes to meet their changing needs. Typical work ranges from stairlifts, level access showers and ramps to heating systems, guttering, electrical safety related works. There are now grants of up to £30,000 available for people on low incomes to take advantage of the service – find out more here.
Flowers to your door throughout April
You may remember Cambridge Flower Farm being introduced in last year’s Queen Edith’s magazine. The locally based business now has ‘flower subscriptions’ available on its website, such as ‘Bringing Spring Indoors’ – scented narcissi which will be flowering for around a month from late March to April. Each week you or the recipient will receive 20 stems of these gorgeous flowers to your door, grown just down the road: order for one, two or four weeks. Beautiful, seasonal British flowers with no air miles! There are also bouquets, and flower buckets for events. Find out more here.
What DOESN’T go in our… Green Bin?
We’ve previously covered what should (and shouldn’t) go in our blue bins. This week, here’s a list of what should NOT go in the green bins!
Any plastic
Plastic type bags/sacks and biodegradable/compostable ‘plastic’ food waste bags
Cat or dog waste
Soil, stones or turf
Treated wood
Rubble
Loose ash of any kind, and coal ash
IDEA: newspaper can be used for kitchen food waste and then put in the green bin. If you’re not sure what goes in which bin, the council waste service has a searchable page here.
Featured Queen Edith’s magazine supporter
Garden care whatever the weather
With over 15 years’ experience, the All Season Gardener works all around the Queen Edith’s area. Whether it’s lawn maintenance, hedge cutting, tree maintenance, patio and drive cleaning or power washing, get in touch with Sam now for availability and a quote. Full details here.
This Week at The Light Cinema
★ Our multi-screen cinema’s huge lineup of upcoming films includes All Quiet on the Western Front; Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania; Avatar: The Way of Water; Brian & Roger Eno Live at the Acropolis; Cocaine Bear; Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Swordsmith Village (Subbed); Epic Tails; I Get Knocked Down; Luther: The Fallen Sun; Magic Mike’s Last Dance; Marcel the Shell With Shoes On; NT Live 2023: Othello; Peppa Pig: The Golden Boots; Pip and Posy: Cinema Show; Puss in Boots: The Last Wish; Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical; Shehzada (Hindi); The Amazing Maurice; The Fabelmans; The Son; The Whale; What’s Love Got to Do With It?; and Women Talking
★ The Cambridge Junction lineup this week includes: Angelo Starr & The Edwin Starr Band; Beans On Toast; Black Sheep; Breathe; Club Urania – February; Josh Pugh: Sausage, Egg, Josh Pugh, Chips & Beans; Max Cooper; Michael Akadiri: No Scrubs; Paul Foot: Swan Power; Pitch Up; Rob Auton: The Crowd Show; Stone Foundation; The Fiver – February; and The Gigspanner Big Band
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 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.”
NEW Cambridge City Council has launched its “Our Cambridge” programme which aims to build a better, more efficient and sustainable council for the future. As part of this it’s asking us “to tell it about the things that are really important to us.” They want to know our thoughts on “the things that will make our daily life safe, happy and healthy.” Runs until 26 March.Take part in the survey here.
Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority is asking members of the public 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.
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:
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.
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 228 • Friday 10 February 2023 Emailed to over 1,750 local homes
Unusual new arrivals at Wandlebury
Wandlebury Country Park has just welcomed some new residents – a herd of eight Belted Galloway cattle. They have a distinctive black and white striped coat, and Ed Wombwell, the Estate Manager, is delighted with the new arrivals. He says: “We have some beautiful wildflower meadows in the park and the cows help to keep the grasses down, which benefits the flowers. We don’t have any barns, so our animals are outside all year, which is why we have chosen this hardy Scottish breed. They are also really attractive animals and we hope that visitors to the park will enjoy seeing them.” The Country Park is two miles out of the city on the road towards Haverhill – more information about visiting here.
Volunteer to help at Wandlebury
There’s a chance to help out at our local country park next Tuesday (14 Feb) which is suitable for ages 12-18 if accompanied by an adult. It’s a chance “to get active, meet others and enjoy learning!” All instruction, equipment and tools provided. Wear tough clothes and footwear and bring packed lunch. Details here.
Happy Hearts Tea Party
The next event open to the whole community at TLC Cherry Hinton Care Home in Kelvin Close is a Valentine’s Day Happy Hearts Tea Party, on Tuesday (14 February) from 2.30pm to 4pm. Join in an afternoon “filled with homemade baked treats”, and help raise money for the British Heart Foundation too. Just turn up, but it’d be appreciated if you could let the organisers know you’re coming by emailing bdm@cherryhintoncarehome.co.uk beforehand.
Puddings & Games night returns
Whether you like something quiet, like chess or a jigsaw, or a good participative game like Dobble or Linkee, you’ll enjoy the Puddings & Games Evening at St James Church on Wulfstan Way. The next event is on Saturday 18 February, from 6.30pm to 8.30pm – it’s free entry, just turn up, and all are welcome. Feel free to bring a pudding or cake to share too!
5 Ways to Well-Being Workshop
A workshop called 5 Ways to Well-Being is being organised by the i3 Parent Hub on Wednesday 22 February at The Netherhall School. Mental health charity CPSL Mind will take parents and carers through five simple actions to improve well-being in everyday life, based on the latest scientific evidence. There’ll be an opportunity to devise a personalised well-being plan. There’s a trailer video here and more information can be found here.
Volunteers wanted for the Garden
The lovely Nightingale Garden at the Nightingale Recreation Ground needs some new volunteers. Gardening sessions are happy and a great way to make good friends! There’s more information here.
Exciting new choir launching
Sing! Choirs sing pop, rock and songs from the shows. There are no auditions and you don’t need to be able to read music. And now Kathryn Rowland, who has been running Sing! Choirs since 2011, will be running one here, meeting at the Cancer Research UK CI Building on the Biomedical Campus. This new group is open to everyone who lives locally, and there’s no charge to attend. Find out more, and even reserve a place when it begins the week after next, right 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 11 February
Friendship Cafe at St John the Evangelist church, every Monday, 3pm to 5pm. Next event 13 February
Warm Space Event at Rock Road Library, second Tuesday of the month, 10.30am to 3.30pm. Next event 14 February
Family Winter Warmer lunch* at Cherry Hinton Care Home, Cherry Hinton Road, every Wednesday, 12noon to 2pm. Next event 15 February
Film Club** at Heathlands House, Bullen Close, fortnightly on Thursdays, 2pm to 4pm. Next event 16 February
Friday Lunch Club** at Heathlands House, Bullen Close, fortnightly on Fridays, 12.30pm to 2pm. Next event 17 February
Board Games & Puddings at St James church, monthly. Next event 6.30pm to 8.30pm, 18 February
Warmer Together Cafe at Queen Edith Chapel, fortnightly Wednesdays, 11am to 1pm. Next event 22 February
Friendship Cafe at St James church, first Tuesday of the month, 11am to 3pm, including soup and a roll. Next event 7 March
‘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 March
* 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.
Last October, Cambridge Junction worked with 100 people (and 2 dogs!) from our community to make what they describe as “a cavalcade of portrait, soapbox and drama” with critically acclaimed Australian company Back to Back Theatre. The ten-minute video, “The Democratic Set”, has now been released, and we love it. See what you think. Watch it on YouTube here.
Be a Governor at the hospital
Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) governor elections nominations are about to open. This year, there are three patient governors and three public governor positions open for election. Governors play a vital role by representing the views of patient, public and staff members to the board of directors. If you’re interested in standing, there’s an online briefing session on Thursday 23 February at 12:00 – to join the call, please email cuh.foundation@nhs.net and request details.
What do you know about archives?
Mark Wilson, an archivist at the local hospitals trust, is researching perceptions of Archives and Archivists in Cambridge and would like help from readers through a short survey. If it’s something you have thoughts on, you can complete the survey here.
What goes in our… Green Bin?
We’ve previously covered what should (and shouldn’t) go in our blue bins. This week, here’s a list of what should go in the green bins!
Garden waste, such as grass cuttings and leaves
Untreated wood
Straw and sawdust
Food waste including meat, fish, dairy, cooked food, fruit and vegetable peelings (Wrap these in paper bags or newspaper but NOT ‘compostable plastic’ bags)
The Fulbourn Cat Sitting Company provides in-home cat sitting, based on your cat’s individual needs, giving your feline companion safety, comfort and familiarity in their own surroundings. Fully trained, insured and DBS checked sitters. Find out more here.
This Week at The Light Cinema
★ Our multi-screen cinema’s huge lineup of upcoming films includes All Quiet on the Western Front; All The Beauty And The Bloodshed; Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania; Avatar: The Way of Water; Blue Jean; Decision to Leave; Dirty Dancing Sing-a-long; Elvis; Epic Tails; Heathers; Knock at the Cabin; M3GAN; Magic Mike’s Last Dance; Mean Girls; NT Live 2023: Othello; Pathaan (Hindi); Peppa Pig: The Golden Boots; Puss in Boots: The Last Wish; Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical; Royal Opera 2022/23 Season: The Barber of Seville; Shehzada (Hindi); The Amazing Maurice; The Barber of Seville; The Fabelmans; The Notebook; The Smeds and The Smoos; The Whale; Titanic (25th Anniversary); and What’s Love Got to Do With It?
★ The Cambridge Junction lineup this week includes: Club Urania – February; Colin Hazell’s 80th Birthday Fundraiser; Drown & Friends; Home X; Motive Presents Shy Fx; Rob Auton: The Crowd Show; Short Scratchings; The Bubble Show; The Fiver – February; The Magpie Arc; The Mighty Kids Beatbox Comedy Show; Tom Stade: The High Road; and Tom Ward: Anthem
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 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.”
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.
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:
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.
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 227 • Friday 3 February 2023 Emailed to over 1,750 local homes
Plans submitted for new hospital
A full planning application to build a new specialist cancer research hospital for the region on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus has been submitted to Cambridge City Council. The Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital (CCRH) project will bring together clinical expertise from Addenbrooke’s Hospital and world-class scientists from the University of Cambridge in a new state-of-the-art facility for the East of England. The full story can be read here and the planning documents can be seen here (the main overview is the ‘Design Access Statement’ series).
Self-driving vehicle trial on Campus
The Greater Cambridge Partnership has been awarded £8.7 million by government, matched by industry, to pilot on-demand self-driving vehicles. Plans include introducing up to 13 electric vehicles to provide passenger services on two sites, one of which is the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. There’s more in a Cambridge Independent story here.
Congestion Charge debate on BBC
The BBC is holding a televised debate on whether Cambridge should have a congestion charge. It takes place tonight (Friday) and will be shown on TV in an extended BBC1 Politics East programme on Sunday (5 February) at 10am, and on BBC Radio Cambs on Monday (6 February) at 5pm. Both programmes should also be available on BBC iPlayer/BBC Sounds after broadcast.
Decorative lighting for Wulfstan Way
The City Council has awarded £169,000 in community grants to 47 projects aimed at improving the environmental quality of streets and open spaces across Cambridge. They include permanent decorative lighting for the trees at Wulfstan Way shops, which should brighten up the area and provide an environmentally-aware alternative to a cut Christmas tree each year. Funding under the council’s Environmental Improvement Programme was allocated after submissions from residents, local community groups and councillors.
Online Safety and Your Child
Are your children spending too much time online? Learn how to regulate their internet diet (and deal with the fallout) at a free presentation by the I3 Parent Hub next Thursday (9 February). It takes place at the Netherhall School, and is open to all.There’s a short advert for the event here and you can reserve a spot here.
Recovery and resilience in Nepal talk
There’s a free talk at Rock Road Library next Thursday (9 February) by Simon Howarth about the challenges of recovering from disasters and building resilience to climate change in Nepal, and how this is relevant in the UK as well. Simon is a Water Engineer who has worked for almost 20 of the last 50 years in Nepal, including five years leading a UK-Government funded project to help with recovery after two devastating earthquakes in 2015. The talk starts at 7.15pm and refreshments will be provided. No tickets required, just turn up.
Holiday Lunch Club at St James
There’s a free Holiday Lunch Club for children on the Monday of half-term (13 February) at St James Church on Wulfstan Way. It takes place from 11am to 1pm, and will have a range of activities. Just turn up, but please note that all children must be accompanied by an adult.
Holiday Bushcraft for 5-12 year olds
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 sessions, which take place over half term (13 Feb – 17 Feb) focus on practical bushcraft and survival skills and follow a forest school approach encouraging self-confidence and sense of achievement. More details here.
Twilight with the Museums
Our own Cambridge Science Centre is one of the hosts for Twilight with the Museums, a week of free and low-cost family events and activities, including hands-on science, storytelling, after-hours museum exploration, space toys, carnival headdresses and underwater-themed discovery. It all takes place over half-term week. Find out more 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 4 February
Friendship Cafe at St John the Evangelist church, every Monday, 3pm to 5pm. Next event 6 February
Friendship Cafe at St James church, first Tuesday of the month, 11am to 3pm, including soup and a roll. Next event 7 February
Family Winter Warmer lunch* at Cherry Hinton Care Home, Cherry Hinton Road, every Wednesday, 12noon to 2pm. Next event 8 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
Film Club** at Heathlands House, Bullen Close, fortnightly on Thursdays, 2pm to 4pm. Next event 16 February
Friday Lunch Club** at Heathlands House, Bullen Close, fortnightly on Fridays, 12.30pm to 2pm. Next event 17 February
Board Games & Puddings at St James church, monthly. Next event 6.30pm to 8.30pm, 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.
COPE (Cambridgeshire Older people’s Enterprise) has a lot of local members, and is about to start a new season of its popular Talking Together telephone-based discussion groups. These include healthy eating, Oliver Cromwell, genomics, and your carbon footprint. Full details here.
Ninewells in the snow
During the snows of December, Ann Dewar and Alan Batterbee, from Warburton House at Nine Wells, produced this beautiful poem set to music. It’s accompanied by images from around the Ninewells Nature reserve on the first morning of the snows. Watch it on YouTube here.
Browse the Queen Edith’s census data
The data from the national Census 2021 is now available to local level, and we’ve put it together for you in an approximation of the area covered by the Queen Edith’s Community Forum. The area has 6,100 households containing 17,500 people, and the data looks at age, sex, partnership status, country of birth, length of residence in the UK, languages, cars, heating, bedrooms, travel to work, occupations and more. You can see it all here.
What goes in which bin?
Last week we reminded everyone what should go in our blue bins. This week, here’s a list of what should NOT go in the blue bins!
Food
Liquids
Nappies
Clothes, textiles or shoes (take to charity shops or clothing banks)
Expanded polystyrene or Styrofoam
Foam/sponge
Non-packaging plastic (for example toys and bowls)
Cambridge Veterinary Group is proud to serve Cambridge city and surrounding communities. We are dedicated to providing the highest level of veterinary medicine along with friendly, compassionate service. Find out what we do, and book an appointment online here.
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; BTS: Yet to Come; Decision to Leave + Recorded Q&A; Dirty Dancing Sing-a-long; Enys Men; Epic Tails; Heathers; I Wanna Dance With Somebody; Jaws; Knock at the Cabin; Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile; M3GAN; Magic Mike’s Last Dance; Mean Girls; Missing; Pathaan (Hindi); Plane; Puss in Boots: The Last Wish; Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical; Roman Holiday (70th Anniversary); Room on the Broom; Sword Art Online The Movie: Progressive Scherzo of Deep Night; The Amazing Maurice; The Barber of Seville; The Fabelmans; The Notebook; The Smeds and The Smoos; The Whale; Titanic (25th Anniversary); What’s Love Got to Do With It?; and Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody.
★ The Cambridge Junction lineup this week includes: Babatunde Aléshé: Babahood; Colin Hazell’s 80th Birthday Fundraiser; Creative Café; Elvana: Elvis Fronted Nirvana; Ginny Lemon & Sister Sister: You Keep Me Hangin’ On; Hamlet; Kali: The Story Of The World’s Wildest Goddess; Mark Watson: This Can’t Be It; Robin Morgan: Snip, Snip, Bitch; Sauerkraut Spell Making – Unfinished Business; Tom Houghton: Absolute Shambles; and Tom Stade: The High Road
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 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.”
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.
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:
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.
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.
Queen Edith’s News Issue 235 • Friday 31 March 2023 Emailed to over 1,800 local homes Citi 2 Buses to go electric in May The city is getting 30 new electric double decker buses in May, and one of the two routes...
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...
Queen Edith’s News Issue 222 • Friday 30 December 2022 Emailed to over 1,750 local homes Find out how to have a healthy new year The 2023 Healthy You Virtual Festival is a free event organised by local...
Chris Rand
