Cambridge Edition January

Cambridge JANUARY 2016

Your monthly fix of local life www.cambsedition.co.uk

INSIDE THIS ISSUE...

ARTS

MAGAZINE

CULTURE

NIGHTLIFE

GIG GUIDE

Cambridge

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CONTENTS

Welcome

There are plenty of reasons to dislike January (tight waistbands, scary bank statements and a sudden absence of free-flowing Prosecco and pastry-based foodstuffs, to name a few), but, cheesy as it sounds, the new year is also a brilliant time to really think about what we can do better in our lives. That’s why we’ve put together a special feature this month on making a positive change in 2016, starting on page 92. From adult learning courses (on topics ranging from the delightfully esoteric to the immensely practical) to some of the many volunteering opportunities to be had around Cambridge, there’s a myriad of ways to better yourself or get involved with your community. Take a look at our guide and see what tickles your fancy.

Also in this issue, we’ve got a guest recipe writer in the form of Michelle Alston, author of The Last Food Blog, who’s showing you how to create some super easy, healthy and delicious recipes which are ideal for families on page 46. Elsewhere in our food section there’s a round-up of Burns Night feasting ideas, our first nuggets of news on the 2016 edition of Eat Cambridge, and the chance to win a pair of tickets to one of Cambridge Cookery School’s hugely popular bread making courses. Happy new year and enjoy the issue, all!

NICOLA FOLEY, EDITOR IN CHIEF

5 • FIVE THINGS TO DO Edition’s pick of the crop this January 7-10 • NIGHTLIFE Live music, now booking and more 12-13 • MUSIC BLOG The best live gigs in the city this month 14-15 • THE CAMBRIDGE SOUND We chat to the local busker on his way to the big time, Will Robert 17-27 • ARTS & CULTURE Exhibitions, shows and other cultural happenings around the city this month 29• FAMILY Fun family-friendly activities for your brood this month 30-31 • MILL ROAD HISTORY PROJECT We meet the group on a mission to learn more about one of Cambridge’s most fascinating streets 33-51 • FOOD & DRINK Start 2016 with Burns Night feasting and wine tasting, power up your foodie prowess with a course, and try a selection of healthy recipes, perfect for families 55 • COMMUNITY Events and news from your neighbourhood 56-57 • LISTINGS A quick look at what’s on in Cambridge this month 59 • FREE CAMBRIDGE Activities to see you through the most skint month of the year!

Cover Art

On the cover this month, a depiction of Cambridge market by illustrator and writer Nicola Solly. Based between Sawston and London, she’s currently studying literature at Queen Mary.

61-66 • FITNESS & WELL-BEING Catherine Carr has made a vow to get her mind, body and soul in shape this year 71-74 • BEAUTY Daisy Dickinson reviews her favourite products to revive and rejuvenate skin after winter 77-80 • FASHION New fashion boutiques in Cambridge, plus the latest trends, for her and for him 83-88 • BUSINESS We take a look at the city’s best conferencing venues 91 • EDUCATION Parlez-vous français? Sue Freestone from King’s Ely suggests we should all say oui to questions like this 92-97 • MAKE A POSITIVE CHANCE Make a resolution that will really do some good this year – check out our guide to local volunteering opportunities and adult learning courses

EDITORIAL Editor in chief Nicola Foley 01223 499459 nicolafoley@bright-publishing.com Sub editors Lisa Clatworthy & Catherine Brodie

ADVERTISING Senior sales executive Natalie Robinson 01223 499451 natalierobinson@bright-publishing.com Key accounts Maria Francis 01223 499461 mariafrancis@bright-publishing.com

CONTRIBUTORS Angelina Villa-Clarke, Daisy Dickinson, Jordan Worland, Ruthie Collins, Gabrielle Watts, Michelle Alston, Catherine Carr

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

We’re hiring!

Cambridge Edition is recruiting a features and web writer, please email CVs and cover letters to nicolafoley@ bright-publishing.com. For more details on the position, visit www.bright-publishing.com

Designer Emily Stowe 01223 499450 emilystowe@bright-publishing.com Ad production Lucy Woolcomb 01223 499468 lucywoolcomb@bright-publishing.com

MANAGING DIRECTORS Andy Brogden & Matt Pluck 01223 499450

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CAMBRIDGE EDITION MAGAZINE • Bright Publishing Ltd, Bright House, 82 High Street, Sawston, Cambridgeshire CB22 3HJ, 01223 499450, www.cambsedition.co.uk • All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of the publishers. • Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Cambridge Edition or Bright Publishing Ltd, which do not accept any liability for loss or damage. • Every effort has been made to ensure all information is correct. • Cambridge Edition is a free publication that is distributed in Cambridge and the surrounding area

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5 THINGS TO DO

this month...

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AT THE PERSE Make a beeline for The Perse school on Hills Road for a fascinating series of lectures. On 27 January, Professor Chris Bishop will speak on Artificial Intelligence: Our Final Invention?, in a free event (booking advised). Professor Bishop is the laboratory director at Microsoft Research in Cambridge, professor of computer science at the University of Edinburgh and a fellow of Darwin College. Held in the upper school, it starts at 7.30pm. www.perse.co.uk

CAMBRIDGE WINTER ALE FESTIVAL Cambridge and District CAMRA brings Cambridge its 20th winter beer festival this month, offering a chance to try some top brews from around the world. Held at the University Social Club on Mill Lane, there will be over 100 different beers and ciders on offer. As is tradition, there will be a focus on stronger, darker, seasonal brews. The festival will run from 21 to 23 January, starting at various times and finishing at 10.30pm. Tickets are £3 for the public and £1 for members of CAMRA. www.cambridgebeerfestival.com

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Lovingly curated by the Cambridge Edition team every week, the Cambridge EDIT is our digital newsletter, bringing more than 16,000 local subscribers (and rising!) bitesized nuggets of news on the best events around Cambridge. Delivered to your email inbox every Friday, the EDIT gives you the inside track on the latest openings, foodie events, gigs, art exhibitions, festivals and more – and best of all, it’s 100% free! Visit the Cambridge Edition website to sign up. www.cambsedition.co.uk

DANCE ENSEMBLÉ Local community dance group Dance Ensemblé brings a very special production to the Junction this month. Take a Step is the product of more than a year’s work and will be used to raise funds and awareness for the charity Parkinson’s UK. Cakes and Parkinson’s UK items will be on sale during the performance. There will also be a charity raffle, with prizes donated by local businesses. It takes place on 8 and 9 January at 7.30pm and 2pm on the 9th. Tickets are £16.

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ROLLER DERBY FRESH MEAT ’N’ GREET Cambridge Rollerbillies are hosting a meet-and-greet at Kelsey Kerridge from 3pm on Sunday 24 January. It will be a chance to get some skates on, see some roller derby in action and meet league members ahead of their tenweek fresh meat training for beginners.

The course, which begins on 31 January, is designed to teach you basic skating skills and the building blocks of roller derby: a fast-paced, full-contact sport played on quad roller skates. It’s open to anyone over 18, even if you’ve never skated before! The course fee is £50, but the meet-and-greet itself is free to attend. www.rollerbillies.com

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NIGHTLIFE

CHECK OUT LOCAL EVENTS ONLINE cambsedition.co.uk

MATTHEW E WHITE

REBECCA FERGUSON

Esoteric hit singer, songwriter and producer Matthew E White brings his Spacebomb Records band back to the UK for a not-to-be-missed tour which hits Cambridge this month.

The Virginia natives will be playing tracks from 2012 album and critical success Big Inner, as well as Outer Face and 2015’s Fresh Blood.

Big Inner, produced by White and friends’ own label Spacebomb records, earned five stars in The Guardian and was dubbed by Uncut “one of the great albums of modern Americana”. Blending soul, gospel and folk, White’s sound is a distinctive, richly produced and critically acclaimed. Released by UK independent record label Domino in March last year, Fresh Blood has been called ‘the brilliant bloom to Big Inner’s striking bud’. Clearing up four-star reviews in all directions, local musos should save the date for a night of musical mastery to remember.

Matthew E White will be playing Cambridge Junction on Friday 29 January, doors open at 7pm. Tickets are £15 in advance. www.junction.co.uk

You might remember Rebecca Ferguson as the softly spoken Liverpudlian mum who appeared on The X Factor back in 2010. Guest judge Nicole Scherzinger was a fan from the off, declaring her to be ‘our generation’s songbird’ after an early audition, whilst Dannii and Cheryl gave her a standing ovation after her heartfelt rendition of Candle in the Wind. She eventually lost out to Matt Cardle for the crown, but soon signed to Simon Cowell’s label Syco.

Unlike many hopefuls from the show, she’s shrugged off the reality TV label and become an artist in her own right. Her first album, Heaven, drew comparisons to soul greats including Aretha Franklin, hitting number three in the charts, whilst her follow-up, Freedom, explored a more R & B, dance-orientated musical direction.

For her third album, Lady Sings The Blues, Ferguson dived into the world of jazz for a complete album of Billie Holiday covers, released in 2015, the year that the iconic singer would have celebrated her 100th birthday. Again, she’s proved her ability to make the critics fawn over her, with The Times likening her to Dusty Springfield at the height of career. See for yourself at the Corn Exchange on 28 January at 7.30pm, tickets start at £25. www.cornex.co.uk

N A J 29

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NIGHTLIFE

ALIEN ANT FARM Hit California rockers Alien Ant Farm are celebrating the 15th anniversary of their multiplatinum release ANThology with a month-long tour of the UK and Europe, and they’ll be stopping by at Cambridge Junction on 17 January. It’s the first time the band has played the entire ANThology album live, and lead singer Dryden Mitchell claims that “we’ve waited 15 years to do this and we will not disappoint.”

In their 20-year history, the band, variously dubbed alternative, indie and nu metal, have had four hit singles and a Grammy nomination. Two of their best known tracks came from ANThology: Movies, and most famously, a cover of Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal, and the album itself sold more than five million copies worldwide. On the back of their latest release Always and Forever in early 2015, they won’t be slowing down any time soon.

Support on the night is from English alt rock Essex band InMe and The Dirty Youth from South Wales. Doors open at 7pm. Tickets are £18.50 in advance. www.junction.co.uk

ROB DEERING TO HEADLINE CUSTARD COMEDY The popular Comberton Custard Comedy night is back after a Christmas break on 8 January and 'guitar-wielding, loop-layering’ stand-up comedian Rob Deering will be headlining. Deering has done stand-up in a dozen countries, and now he’s a 21st century one-man band described by The Telegraph as “inspired”. Opening the night will be Kate Smurthwaite, a left-wing, atheist, feminist “powerhouse of observational wit” according to The Spectator, which named her one of the ten best things about the Edinburgh Fringe in 2013.

Smurthwaite is followed by the down-to-earth Bobby Murdock who Buzz Comedy declare, “gives any audience a feel good factor”. Finally, rising talent of the comedy circuit, charming northerner Craig Murray will be the night’s MC. Over 18s only, tickets start at £5.50. Starts 8.15pm. www.custardcomedy.co.uk

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THE NOISE NEXT DOOR: NOISE IN THE HOOD The UK’s premier improv comedy troupe is embarking on its third national tour, set to hit Cambridge Junction on 15 January. With their eighth consecutive sell-out run at Edinburgh Fringe in 2015, and appearances on BBC One, ITV2, BBC Radio 1 and more, the group have good reason to rest on their laurels.

Not that they have been.

Toms Houghton and Livingstone, Charlie Granville, Matt Grant and Sam Pacelli have been performing together since 2006. The general structure of their shows is built on audience suggestions, which they transform into scenes and songs live on stage with one-liners, epic tales, mad characters and “explosive physicality”. They’ve been on tour since September 2015 and will be until April this year. Having been guests in a range of venues from Radio 4’s Sketchorama to the heavy metal music festival Download they are on track for ever-greater success.

Described as “comedy gold” by The Guardian and “a superior kind of chaos” by The Telegraph, they’re a must-see in the new year.

They’re on stage at 8pm on Friday 15 January; doors open 7pm. Tickets are £15. www.junction.co.uk

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NIGHTLIFE

ROOTS MANUVA 3 March, Cambridge Junction, £19.50 Presenting a rare chance to catch some decent hip hop in Cambridge, Roots Manuva, aka Rodney Smith, hits Cambridge in the spring. A leading light of the UK hip hop scene, he released his latest album, Bleeds, in October 2015 after a fouryear hiatus, and he’s back to his gruff, gritty best. www.junction.co.uk

JAMES MORRISON

DAUGHTER London trio Daughter created a huge buzz with their wistful debut album If You Leave in 2013. Fronted by the haunting, intense vocals of singer and guitarist Elena Tonra, the band create hypnotic soundscapes, laden with heartbreak, and it seems to be a winning formula – they’ve already achieved cult status, and the critics can’t get enough of them.

Three years on and Daughter are determinedly upping the ante, with their new album (released this month), Not To Disappear offering an even darker, more compelling listen than its much lauded predecessor.

See what all the fuss is about on 15 January at the Corn Exchange. Tickets are £20. www.cornex.co.uk

8 March, Corn Exchange, £31 Gravelly voiced singer of hits including You Give Me Something and Wonderful World, soulful singer-songwiter James Morrison hits the Corn Exchange in March. www.cornex.co.uk

SEAN LOCK 23 April, Corn Exchange, £25.50 The hilarious Sean Lock’s Keep It Light tour keeps his tradition of taking a show on the road every three years. Come and see what he’s pondering this time around in a show that The Times has described as “gloriously intelligent and deliciously unlikely”. www.cornex.co.uk

PROFESSOR BRIAN COX LIVE 25 & 26 November, Corn Exchange, from £32.50 Erstwhile pop star, much loved author, presenter and science boff Brian Cox takes us on a dazzling journey through space and time. www.cornex.co.uk

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NIGHTLIFE

SECRET GARDEN PARTY ANNOUNCE FIRST WAVE OF ACTS

THE CIRCUS OF HORRORS Certain to blast away any January boredom, The Circus of Horrors will be smashing into Cambridge for one night only on Saturday 23 January, promising an evening of extreme entertainment to mark their 21st anniversary.

Beginning life at the Glastonbury Festival way back in 1995, this motley crew of performers stormed into the final of TV’s Britain’s Got Talent with their sword swallowing, fire eating and jaw-dropping aerial stunts. Since then they’ve gone on to tour the world, from Aberdeen to Argentina, performing with artists such as Eminem, Motörhead, Muse and more. Last year they also became the first circus to appear in the West End for 100 years.

An impressive feat, but they’re not resting on their laurels – in fact, the latest show, Welcome to the Carnevil, promises their most spellbinding, gruesomely awesome show yet.

Set in Victorian London, Jack the Ripper is at large, terrorising the city, and the freakshow is alive and well. The story follows a young girl with dreams of running away to join the circus: dreams which quickly become nightmares at the decrepit Carnevil with its killer clowns, demon dwarves and death-defying aerialists.

Join in with the fun at the Corn Exchange, ticket prices start at £21.50 and we’ve heard the flaming finale is quite a spectacle… www.cornex.co.uk

Cambridgeshire’s most colourful, hedonistic party definitely isn’t a secret anymore. In fact, it has completely sold out well ahead of its July date for the last couple of years, as its very smiley, very glittery band of followers swells. Tickets are now on sale for the 2016 event (21-24 July), and if you get in early you can take advantage of the first release ticket price of £139.50.

The first acts have just been announced and include Primal Scream, Rae Morris, Lissie and Maribou State, but as ever, the headliners are only a tiny part of what makes this festival great. It’s one of the prettiest festival sites you’ll ever explore, with rolling green fields, art at every corner and a huge lake, and the care that goes into making it a memorable weekend is evident with every detail. This year’s theme injects a rather creepy, sci-fi feel to proceedings – check out the space-age new website for details. www.secretgardenparty.com

ACOUSTIC ROUTES On 16 January CB2 on Norfolk Street kicks off its 2016 series of basement sessions, Acoustic Routes, with guest act The Dryad.

The Dryad are a local group with a refreshingly individual sound woven around woodwind driven Celtic blues. Robb Appleton (harmonica) and Paula Welham (whistle, flute and saxophones) are former members of the well-established Cambridge-based acoustic band Telephone Bill and The Smooth Operators. They are regularly joined by vibrant bodhran player Sue Szymanski and Myke Clifford, a renowned jazz and blues saxophonist and flautist.

In addition, Cambridge singer-songwriters Bernard Hoskin, Dave Streatfield, John Meed and Rhys Wilson will be performing 'in the round', taking it in turns to play songs, tell stories and occasionally accompany each other. In the second half, they will become The CAN House Band, playing popular songs by musicians including Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and The Beatles.

On 16 January the night starts at 8.30pm. Tickets are £4 and can be booked online. www.acousticroutes.co.uk

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MUSIC

Jordan Worland from local music website Slate the Disco selects his must-see gigs in Cambridge this month ith Christmas behind us we welcome in a new year filled with new live shows to get immersed in. January certainly gets the ball rolling nicely for 2016.

Our must-not-miss show this month comes courtesy of the moody folk and hushed electronic stylings of Daughter at the Corn Exchange. The trio play Cambridge on the day their sophomore LP is finally released, Friday 15th.

Starting life in 2010 as an outlet for the musings of Elena and Igor, then fellow classmates studying music in college, they soon gained attention with their

Their twinkling melancholy is more sonically ambitious

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self-released fourtrack EP, His Young Heart, in April 2011, and the Communion Records sanctioned The Wild Youth EP, which followed that October (around the same time as Remi joined the band). On the strength of those two releases alone and their impressive early live shows, the trio quickly gained a loyal fanbase and a record deal which led to the release of their impressive debut record. 2013 marked the release of their debut album, the much anticipated If You Leave, a record that left many a fan and critic spellbound.

Much then is expected of their follow-up, Not To Disappear. Tracks that have preceded the release suggest an advancement of their twinkling melancholy, becoming more sonically ambitious.

Daughter might have diversified, packing as much punch with strangely organic swells of electricity as they do with goosebumpy plucked melodies, but Elena’s distinct lyrical voice

remains in its element.

A “modern soul visionary” might not be the most enticing of descriptions but Matthew E White does things differently.

A beguiling mix of the new and old, both musically and in appearance, he is one of a kind in a business full of imitators.

White returned with his second album, Fresh Blood, in the spring of last year, making bold advances and gaining great critical responses in the process. He brings his band back to the UK for a blowout 2016 tour playing tracks from debut LP Big Inner and of course his 2015 release Fresh Blood.

The tour reaches the Cambridge Junction on 29 January.

Alien Ant Farm's 2001 album ANThology turns 15 this year and the US band will be playing it in its entirety at venues around the UK on a rare 15-date tour. Featuring InMe and The Dirty Youth as support acts, the tour includes a stop in Cambridge, arriving at the Junction on 17 January.

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MUSIC

ANThology includes the single Movies and the band's famous cover of Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal.

Teenager Tom Korni plays guitar, bass and sings whilst also playing the drums with his feet (all at the same time). No backing tracks, no loop pedals, no rhythm machine, no auto-tune - just pure, live organic music.

He was the winner of Cambridge Has Talent 2013 as well as winning The Cambridge Buskers and Street Entertainers Festival in both 2014 and 2015. With his debut album currently in the pipeline, Tom will take to the Junction's J2 stage on 17 January.

The same venue also plays host to acclaimed Canadian singer-songwriter Lindi Ortega on the 18th. Possessing a tremulous vibrato that bears comparison with country forebears Dolly Parton and Patsy Cline, Ortega’s music is lush in

A true one of a kind in a business of imitators

southern Americana.

Staying at the Junction, folk rock duo The Rails return to Cambridge on the 20th after impressing at the annual Folk Festival. Comprising wife Kami – daughter of folk royalty Richard and Linda Thompson – and husband James – the goto guitarist for The Pogues, The Pretenders and Ray Davies – the duo released their impressive debut album in 2014, while their forthcoming J2 date is likely to focus on new material.

There’s a host of events taking place at The Portland Arms that should catch

your eye this month, particularly the first Cambridge 105 NMG show of the year (22nd) which will showcase a handful of local acts. The RocSoc-presented night on the 16th is also shaping up to be a loud one with Obscene Entity in town to headline.

Meanwhile John Wheeler, the man behind Hayseed Dixie, is playing on the 21st, and will be a good act to catch.

Previously hand-picked to support the likes of The National, Sharon Van Etten, Iron & Wine and José Gonzáles, This Is The Kit play The Portland on the 27th.

The band has been in existence since

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the 2000s, formed by Kate Stables who moved to Bristol to further her musical education before upping sticks to Paris.

It was here that her debut album Krülle Bol took shape, recorded and produced

by PJ Harvey’s long-standing musical collaborator John Parish. Her second album, 2010’s Wriggle Out The Restless, was made in France alongside members of François and the Atlas Mountains before final touches from TITK’s extended musical family were added in Bristol, Belgium and several points in between. A new record is due this year.

Our top Portland tip though takes place on 20 January when Eliza and the Bear take to the stage. Through support shows with the likes of Imagine Dragons and Paramore, the band have clearly established themselves as a force to be reckoned with. Their recent run of dates with Twin Atlantic included a 10,000 capacity sold-out show at Glasgow's SSE Hydro, plus Brixton Academy and Manchester Albert Hall too. Big things are certainly expected from this promising indie-rock outfit.

Tell us about your gig at www.slatethedisco.com

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CAMBRIDGE SOUND WORDS WESLEY FREEMAN-SMITH

THE CAMBRIDGE

SOUND

#15 Will Robert

t’s proving a good start to 2016 for singer-songwriter Will Robert. Recent years have seen the musician gradually working his way to being one of the most accomplished musicians of the genre, slowly but surely building a dedicated fanbase through countless live shows, immeasurable hours busking and his excellent debut LP, Transitions, in 2014. It’s only fitting then that all this hard work culminates with a headline UK tour, opening this very month, as Will continues his upward trajectory after being playlisted by none other than BBC Radio 1 recently.

Starting in January, he’ll be bringing his well-honed songcraft first to Norwich and

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then onwards to the rest of the country; home town Cambridge falls somewhere towards the end on 11 February. As attendees of open mic nights everywhere know, the male soloist is something of a common feature in most music scenes.

It’s possible to think that if you’ve heard one guy with an acoustic guitar you've heard them all, right? Not so. To echo the words of Fatea magazine’s wonderful online review, Will Robert is “not only an exceptionally proficient guitarist who

has developed a very specific percussive guitar style; he is also an admirable multiinstrumentalist, a wonderful singer and a remarkable producer.” This praise can be extended to include his lyrics – songs with a positive, optimistic outlook that rise from the darkness, eschewing much of the navel-gazing usually associated with singer-songwriters.

It’s this talent that has led Will to bridge the gap between stage and street, having earned his wings busking to strangers –

it's this talent that's led will to bridge the gap between stage and street SIGN UP TO THE EDIT NEWSLETTER AT CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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CAMBRIDGE SOUND

intercepting them on their ways to and fro where you can catch their fascination and/ or indifference towards your existence. The pipe dream of being heard by a passing record company boss and signed there and then is rarer than a friendly swan, but the benefit of busking is in the serendipity of it all – the connection you can build through music with an audience you’d never otherwise meet.

In Cambridge, where you can’t walk five minutes without some plum covering Hallelujah, it’s easy to take street music for granted. Perhaps it might be best to view the disparate multitude of entertainers as forming a competitive market rather than as oversaturation; no matter how many people are standing on street corners with their instruments in hand, you still stop entranced when someone’s doing something truly special with theirs. For Will, taking something so personal out in such

i'd like to think there is hope and optimism in my songs a public way was a voluntary baptism of fire. “I had no idea if people would want to listen to my songs. Busking seemed like the ultimate test in a way – just putting yourself out there on a street and playing music is a terrifying thing to begin with.”

It’s also the best way to develop your confidence, your craft and a good rapport with audiences. People’s reactions are instantaneous: “when you see a positive reaction from people who quite often aren't expecting to see music it’s quite an amazing feeling.”

It’s a feeling that’s taken him all over the UK and to Europe (Germany, at the time of writing). People on the continent are exceedingly welcoming to street musicians, says Will, Germans especially. “I’ve made some great friends over the last year or so, people who have helped me out with places to stay and putting me in contact with promoters and venues.” He was even spotted in Hamburg by a presenter from Radio Hamburg, who swooped in to invite Will to record a session in his studio – excitingly close to the myth of being stolen from the wilds by some wealthy benefactor with a record contract for you to sign. A quick search on YouTube will reveal plenty of similar sessions – acoustic takes captured on film in kitchens, studios and

in one 12th century Cambridge chapel.

What’s immediately apparent to anyone who’s heard but not seen Will do his thing is that his playing is incredibly tactile; holding his guitar in lap, he uses the body and face of the guitar percussively, fingers tapping strings as well as the usual strumming, pecking and plucking.

While not alone in this style of playing, the pairing of this with his accomplished writing is what makes his performances so distinctive.

“I write everything on an acoustic guitar,” Will tells us. “That’s the way I always perform the songs live. When I start recording I always put the guitar track down first and then build other instruments around it if I feel it will add something to the recording… sometimes that process will influence how I then perform the tracks live.” True to his word, if you were to listen from album to live performance there’s never a sense that his songs lose anything in translation; his music puts the guitar at the centre of everything he does, his playing ably encompassing all the songs need to be.

And these are songs that have been about for a long time. Transitions collects together material written and developed over a period of many years, providing

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plenty of time for them to grow into themselves and mature. Each song was developed individually, not necessarily with the idea of making an album – consequentially they’re not songs that second-guess themselves or compromise for the sake of fitting into an other whole.

How does it feel to have them all down?

“To get the finished and packaged product back was quite satisfying. They were written over a such a long period, so it represents a lot of time and effort to me.” I bet it feels marvellous.

“I suppose the hope for most artists is that people will want to continue listening to your music for some time. But for me I write a lot about problems or challenges in my life that I’ve had to deal with, and I’d like to think that there is a hope and optimism in my songs that others might take from them.”

Sounds like exactly what the world needs right now. Will makes the return flight from his touring adventures in early February, alighting on Cambridge Junction on the 11th; tickets are £8.50 in advance. Be sure to show him a warm welcome that will give the Germans a run for their money. www.junction.co.uk

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ARTS & CULTURE

We explore the arts and culture scene in Cambridge, showcasing some of the many exciting exhibitions and shows taking place around the city

THE 39 STEPS After nine years in the West End, Broadway and touring 25 countries, Patrick Barlow’s adaptation of Hitchcock’s classic thriller is whirling into Cambridge as part of its tenth anniversary tour.

The comedy play is an Olivier Award winner adapted by Patrick Barlow from Alfred Hitchcock’s spy novel and an original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon.

The story follows the adventures of Richard Hannay as he encounters murder, doublecrossing secret agents and devastatingly beautiful women. In it, four actors step up to the daunting task of playing a gob-smacking 139 roles in just 100 minutes.

Catch what The Telegraph calls a ‘dizzyingly entertaining’ show at the Cambridge Arts Theatre from Monday 25 January. Tickets start at £18. www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

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© Eric Richmond

BÉKÁSSY HUNGARIAN

Art Exhibition

NEW YEAR, NEW SEASON

at West Road Concert Hall January 2016 sees a host of world class performers ushering in the new year with a range of outstanding music at West Road Concert Hall.

On 19 January, celebrated and pioneering ensemble the Britten Sinfonia follows with a lunchtime sojourn from baroque to contemporary music, the programme includes two arias from Bach and the world premiere of This Lunar Beauty by Grammy-nominated composer Anna Clyne.

Timothy Redmond commences his tenth season as principal conductor and artistic director for the Cambridge Philharmonic Orchestra on 23 January, which will be performing two family concerts at 2pm and 4pm as part of the UK’s Roald Dahl 100 celebrations. On 24 January the Sampson Orchestra presents Romance and Revolution at 7.30pm. The

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concert will feature Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, Sibelius’ Violin Concerto and Shostakovich’s Symphony No.5.

The month is set to end on a high note with the Endellion String Quartet, now in its 36th year, described by the new Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2000) as ‘arguably the finest quartet in Britain’.

On 27 January at 7.30pm, Watkinson, de Souza, Jackson and Waterman will be performing music by Haydn, Beethoven and Dvořák. There will also be a guest appearance by the pianist Gülsin Onay.

Since 1464 and the presentation of one of the world’s first firmly authenticated Bachelor of music degrees to Henry Abyngdon, Cambridge has had a prestigious and lively relationship with music. In 2016 at West Road this history is set both to continue and thrive. www.westroad.org

The Michaelhouse Centre in St Michael’s church is hosting a group exhibition of Hungarian art this winter, collected by the Cicelle Golden Triangle Arts Society.

The exhibition was opened by award-winning Hungarian poet György Gömöri in November and includes work by several Hungarian artists, including the poet Ferenc Békássy. Békássy read history at King’s College Cambridge from 1911 and his contemporaries included John Maynard Keynes and James Strachey. He was killed in the First World War at the age of 22, and his name was later added to a memorial in the Memorial Chapel for King’s College alumni who were killed.

The exhibition runs until 2 January at the Michaelhouse Centre and is free to attend. www.michaelhouse.org.uk

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Byard Art

OWN ART SCHEME

From 28 January to 21 February local independent gallery Byard Art will be showcasing work as part of the Arts Council’s ‘Own Art’ scheme. The idea behind Own Art is to make art more accessible, and easier to own, by letting you spread the cost of your purchase with an interest free loan.

Until recently loans were spread over ten months and ran up to £2,500. The new Own Art 20 scheme will offer up to £25,000 as a loan, spread over up to 20 months. Works which are part of both schemes will be shown and available to buy at Byard Art. Artists on display will differ in price and medium, so there’ll be lots to choose between, and the Byard Art team will be on hand to provide any advice you might need. According to gallery manager Netta de La Cour, “Byard has been an Own Art member gallery for over ten years and actively encourages new buyers of contemporary art and craft by providing friendly customer service and advice and we are thrilled to be part of this pilot.”

Whether you’re an art aficionado, just curious or totally new to the whole thing, it’s well worth a look. www.byardart.co.uk

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BYARD ART 28 JAN - 21 FEB

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The Shahnameh:

THE EPIC BOOK OF KINGS Acclaimed performance storyteller Xanthe Gresham-Knight performs episodes from the ancient Persian Epic Book of Kings accompanied by Kurdish Iranian musician Arash Moradi.

Gresham-Knight brings exhilaration, energy, poetry and humour to this sweeping ancient history of Iran. The Shahnameh was written between 977 and 1010 by the poet Firdawsi and contains stories of creation up to the seventh century, including tales of the epic hero Rostam and historical figures like Alexander the Great. Originally commissioned by the British Museum, this collection of stories from The Shahnameh has expanded thanks to honorariums from the Smithsonian, Iran Heritage, Asia House and the Magic of Persia. The Independent calls it ‘magical’.

Xanthe Gresham-Knight and Arash Moradi will perform The Shahnameh at Cambridge Junction on 30 January at 7.30pm. Tickets from £10. www.junction.co.uk

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BRIGHT CLUB Six years ago in London a regular comedy night was born, one that asked academics to leave their libraries, stand up and entertain the public.

Since then, Bright Club has spawned offshoots across the country, one of which is Cambridge’s own regular night at the Portland Arms. As you’d expect, with Cambridge’s abundance of nerdy talent and rich pool of academics to rope into being stand-up comedians for the night, Bright Club has been a roaring success in our city, and it kicks off its 2016 run on 7 January.

It’s not restricted to comedy though. Blending music, art, new writing, science and performance, these gigs always offer totally engaging nights, in which anything that can happen on a stage will happen.

From students to world-class academics, it’s a night for the nerds that mustn’t be missed.

Bright Club kicks off at 8pm on 7 January at the Portland Arms. Ticket prices TBC. cambridge.brightclub.org

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THE GARDEN in

TYPHOID MARY After its inaugural production at the ADC Theatre back in July, Cambridge Youth Musical Theatre company is bringing the world premier of Geoff Page’s Typhoid Mary to Corpus Playrooms.

The production is a ‘darkly comic’ new chamber musical which is inspired by the true story of domestic cook and unwitting assassin Mary Mallon. Irish-born Mallon lived from 1869 to 1938 and was the first person in the United States identified as an asymptomatic carrier of typhoid fever. She is presumed to have infected 51 people, three of whom died, over the course of her career as a cook.

The book, music and lyrics are all

by Geoff Page, part-time composer, musical director for Cambridge Youth Musical Theatre and head of Music at Cambourne Village College.

Typhoid Mary plays 5-9 January, 7.45pm. Tickets from £5. www.corpusplayroom.com

European Union

CHAMBER ORCHESTRA The European Union Chamber Orchestra returns to the Cambridge Corn Exchange on 5 February to perform the third part of the Cambridge Classical Concert Series.

The orchestra will be directed by HansPeter Hofmann, and will feature harpist Catrin Finch and flautist Fiona Slominska playing music by Bach, Mozart, Debussy and Haydn. There will be a talk held at Heffers Bookshop before the concert at 6pm which is free to ticket holders. The Series kicked off in October last year with the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra. Adult tickets start at £28.50. www.cornex.co.uk

Eamonn Dougan

SAFFRON HALL TICKETS £20 30 JAN

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Pop over to the National Trust’s Peckover House and Garden near Wisbech this month for a stroll around its impressive two-acre Victorian gardens.

Between 16 January and 21 February, the garden will be open to the public from midday until 4pm, offering guests a chance to explore its many hidden corners, paths and exotic touches.

Warming soups and hot drinks will be available to fuel your promenade, and there will also be the opportunity to attend a free conservation talk in the House, built circa 1722, at 2pm.

Booking is advisable to the conservation talk in the house as spaces are limited.

Assistance dogs are welcome. Ticket prices from £5. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/peckoverhouse-and-garden

SINGING DAY WITH

CORPUS PLAYROOMS 5-9 JAN

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winter

Associate conductor of The Sixteen and founding director of Britten Sinfonia Voices, Eamonn Dougan has been invited by the Saffron Walden Choral Society to lead a day long workshop for all levels of singers at Saffron Hall.

Eamonn Dougan is a passionate teacher of choral music and ensemble performance. He is visiting professor to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London where he teaches ensemble singing, directs the Guildhall Consort, and he has also recently accepted the position of music director for the Thomas Tallis Society. Using pieces from four different eras by Tallis, Purcell, Monteverdi, Schubert and James MacMillon, Eamonn will help to develop a host of skills that are essential to choral singing.

30 January, 10am. Tickets £20. www.saffronhall.com

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movies

WORDS ZENA TOSCANI

NIGHT AT THE

Zena Toscani from Pro Moviemaker magazine takes a look at January’s cinema offerings

chance to see some films six weeks or so after their mainstream release but also offer enhanced cinema-going experiences with industry Q&A sessions Back to the Future day, James Bond, following many films. Last month local Star Wars – there’s no denying that cinematographer Andy Hollis took to 2015 was a great year for movie buffs, the stage to answer questions on his but fear not, 2016 is looking pretty hot latest film Under Milk Wood, which is too, with a great January line-up to actually the UK’s bid for the foreign kick-off the action. language Oscar (it was simultaneously With awards season just around the filmed in English and Welsh). If you’re corner, you’ll find yourself spoilt for interested in finding out more about choice with quality movies this month. it check out my interview with Andy Many studios hold back the release in the Spring issue of Pro Moviemaker date of prominent films until December magazine, out 4 February. or January to make sure they’re fresh While we’re on the subject of in the mind of those voting in the enhanced cinema-going experiences, Academy Awards, BAFTAs and the don’t miss the Arts Picturehouse’s like. The official Oscar nominees aren’t Screen Arts line-up for January with released until Thursday 14 January so highlights including the Bolshoi Ballet: until that point you’ll have to search The Taming of the Shrew on 24 January for other avenues to help narrow down and NT Live: Les Liaisons Dangereuses the vast array of choices. Last month’s on 28 January.

Moët British Independent Film Awards Top tip: If you’d like to get a steer (BIFA) are a good starting point, with on whether or not a film has been well received by the critics but don’t want to risk spoilers, check out www.metacritic.

Saffron Screen often offers com. This site aggregates all critic reviews to give enhanced cinema-going experiences a film a mark out of 100 so you can quickly gauge like industry Q&A sessions whether or not something has bombed or is a runaway films like Ex Machina, Brooklyn, Room success. It’s worth searching for some and The Lobster among the winners – of your favourite films first though, just though you might have to venture out to see how in-line your tastes are with of the city to catch some of these. the critics’!

Smaller cinemas like Saffron Screen www.promoviemaker.net not only provide locals with a second Twitter: @ProMoviemaker

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WORDS GABRIELLE WATTS

SAFFRON

Opera Group In 2013, Francis Lambert and Paul Garland made an agreement with Michael Thorne. One Die Meistersinger later and Saffron Walden was the birthplace of an internationally acclaimed opera group. With guest soloists who’ve sung across the world, the group punches well above its musical weight in scope, mastery and ambition.

On 17 January they will be performing Das Rheingold at Saffron Hall. It strikes the opening note of Wagner’s Ring Cycle, a series of four operas which will be performed in concert by the group over the course of the next two years. The series will be led by Professor Thorne, vice chancellor of Anglia Ruskin University, and if the success of Die Meistersinger is anything to go by, we’re in for something rather special.

Like Die Meistersinger, it’s a challenge, and though an afternoon performance and in concert, not staged, it’ll bring Saffron Hall the largest orchestra it has ever seen.

This will include over 100 musicians, seven harps and four Wagner tubas. Also, what Francis Lambert calls “the obligatory” anvils, “which are never anvils at all and are usually lengths of iron or steel tuned to three octaves of F”. In all, 15 soloists will be involved, most of them established international singers.

In November 2013, the Saffron Walden Choral Society were the very first performers

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in Saffron Hall, where they sang Verdi’s Requiem before its official opening.

Professor Thorne heard it and was so enraptured by the acoustics that he vowed to perform Wagner there. Paul Garland and Francis helped organise his first effort which, Francis says “modestly, turned out to be Die Meistersinger!” The pair were thereafter introduced to Wagnerian soprano Elaine McKrill, who became their casting advisor.

Francis points out that in opera the Group are essentially locally providing a music genre that no one else does. He feels, justly, that they “have certainly achieved our aim of producing top-quality performances… we have also achieved our aims of local involvement and the use of new talent. What we have not achieved yet is a loyal audience following, but we know it will take time for the word to spread”.

The praise has been flooding in for the group, with Michael Tanner of Opera Magazine saying he could “hardly believe it”, and Jim Pritchard, former chair of the Wagner Society, describing Die Meistersinger as “something I felt lucky to hear, and will never forget”. In response Francis said: “it’s certainly a spur and tells us we are doing something right. Importantly it confirms that the formula we have for soloists, orchestra and chorus works at the highest level.”

Asked about the Group’s plans, Francis is looking towards a road less travelled.

“There is no point putting on a concert performance of Carmen locally,” he points-

• Das Rheingold premiered in Munich in 1869 • It follows a dwarf who steals enchanted gold and forges a mysterious and powerful ring which thereafter alters the course of the universe • The Ring Cycle consists of four operas • It inspired J R R Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings • It was based on a 13th-century German poem, Nibelungenlied • The Wagner Society has fasttracked Donald Thomson for top-level coaching in the role of Fafner • He is a member of the Mastersingers Company • Soloists performing with Saffron Opera Group have been involved with the Royal, New York Metropolitan and Washington National Operas

out, “when a fully-staged performance can be seen in nearby London or an even more nearby cinema very frequently.”

Whilst the group has a strong focus on including local talent, the involvement of professional musicians, wherever they might hail from, means those in both orchestra and chorus “get a huge kick out of doing something they would otherwise get no chance to do and certainly not with such eminent soloists.”

And what of plans for the future? “We are working on a rolling five-year plan,” says Francis. “Above all we strive to be accessible.

And this goes for all those who work with us as well as our audience. We are a very happy ship.”

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r © Louisa Taylo

ARTS & CULTURE

t’s January, time to start anew.

Start afresh. “Ring out the old, ring in the new”, as Lord Tennyson put it. It’s also totally fine to just carry on snuggling up and hibernating – Jean-Paul Sartre did once say that January is the perfect month to read poetry. So crack open Hollie McNish’s book of poems, Cherry Pie (featuring illustrations

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launched online shop, featuring DIY interactive poem kits from Abi Palmer, at www.shindiggig.com.

If the political landscape might feel full of gloom for some in 2016, performance, literature and art can be incendiary, vital, with those now glitterfilled mediums, cabaret and burlesque, originating as a form of satire. So it’s also absolutely fine to continue the festive trend of going to see out-there, technicolour theatre, full of glitter and psychedelic charm, to break you into the new year. NHS lovers, get thee to Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine’s Addenbrooke’s panto The Wizard of Obs, running from 26 to 30 January at the Mumford Theatre. Save Addenbrooke’s and slay the Wicked Witch of Westminster! by her fave artists and illustrators, such as Using your voice, the art of dissent Aurora Cacciapuoti), which includes poems will be one of the biggest trends not just inspired by advice from her grandparents, in contemporary art, but in our social including hit poem Mathematics. If you landscape this year. Diversity in the arts haven’t already come across Cambridgelooks set to be a hot topic throughout 2016, based Hollie’s lyrical brilliance, make this pushed onto the agenda by last month’s your number one poetry goal for 2016. You oversubscribed, packed-out conference at can order Cherry Pie on Amazon. If you the British Museum, Things To Do Before can, catch her at the Women of the World We Die. Hosted by Farnham Maltings and supported by Arts Council England South East, arts See out-there, technicolour theatre, full of professionals, directors and glitter and psychedelic charm performers from all over the UK came Festival (WOW) at Cambridge Junction, together to act on inclusivity in the arts. on 5 March, too – she’s brilliant. Meanwhile, When the vast majority of arts institutions for poetry lovers who are wanting a treat are led by white middle-class men, change for themselves, why not commission has never been needed more! But this isn’t Cambridge poet Fay Roberts to write you about ticking boxes, ‘it’s a matter of life and your very own poem? Fay is a gifted, fluent death’, urged Joe Baden, from Goldsmiths lyricist, foraging beauty from observation University’s Open Book project. Because and rhythm – you’ll certainly be in good as living costs soar, being forced to choose hands – see more at www.fayroberts.co.uk. between heating your flat and engaging Or watch out for SHINDIG’s soon-to-bewith the arts often impacts which voices are

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ARTS & CULTURE

heard in our society. In fact, that isn’t really a choice at all – it’s called oppression. Those interested in making the arts accessible to all should check national charity, Arts Emergency (patrons include Kate Tempest), who call for mentors to help kids from poorer backgrounds access careers in the arts – www.artsemergency.org.

Let the art of protest thrive. Let us be inspired by the struggles of others Cambridge might be one of the most affluent cities in the UK, but it has a long tradition of creative responses to political issues, home to the likes of the notorious War on Terror board game, dubbed ‘a game with attitude’ by The Independent – illustrated by Cambridge based, award-winning Tom Morgan-Jones (www.inkymess.com). So take a read of The Art of Protest this month, written by Cambridge designer and illustrator, Rebbeca Scambler, it’s an online archive of protest and dissent, stirring stuff indeed (www.artofprotest.com).

Rebecca is a shining example of putting your politics into creative action, building a successful freelance creative business while using her talents to support others and speak out on issues that she cares about. “We must not turn against each other at a time when we should be coming together in support and solidarity. Let the art of protest thrive. Let us be inspired by the struggles of others,” she says. She’s designed sites and branding for many of the city’s fave artists, too – including the wonderful Katherina Klug. So if you’re itching to make 2016 your year to do something, exploring any or all of these artists and groups will inspire.

There’s nothing like seeing a gutsy woman take on taboo issues with sidesplitting gusto to inspire you to speak out yourself, so make a beeline for comedian Tiff Stevenson at Cambridge Junction this Top left Comedian Tiff Stevenson is at the Cambridge Junction this month. Left Aurora Cacciapuoti’s illustration features in Hollie McNish’s Cherry Pie. Top right Cherry Pie, a book of poetry by Hollie McNish. Right Interactive poetry ‘alchemy’ box sets from Abi Palmer.

month on 22 January. Yummy mummies go at your own risk – she is hilarious, romping through issues such as the objectification of women and class (just don’t ask her for a babycino. Ever). Less than perfect mums (um, all of us?) can also cackle along with Scummy Mummies for fortnightly podcasts: razor-sharp, down-toearth comedy that excels in telling it like it is. Got to be better than listening to Helen and Rob’s downward spiral in The Archers, surely? Check www.scummymummies. com. Meanwhile, creative mamas in and around the city seeking kindred spirits will also be overjoyed to learn about #CamMamaCollective, from the folk who brought us the Cambridge branch of national creative parents network Mothers Meeting (‘a wunderkind’ - Vogue). This new network will be hosting seasonal events throughout 2016 to help mamas have creative time out for themselves. Can’t wait. Creatives can also connect with the likes of the Cambridge Creative Network

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to meet with now award winning Karen Jinks and Mandy Knapp, for a dose of inspirational chutzpah - check out www.cambridgecreativenetwork.co.uk So whatever your creative goal for 2016 is, good luck! Let your voice be heard. Get organised. Join others like you. Because as artist Yoko Ono says, ‘You change the world by being yourself’. Happy New Year, all.

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FAMILY

EXOTIC CAT SOCIETY Head to Tydd St Giles Community Centre in Wisbech for a family day with a feline difference. The Exotic Cat Society will hold its 15th Championship Cat Show for Exotic Shorthairs and there will also be stalls, a raffle, tombola, a cup of tea and snacks available to visitors. The show will be open from 12.30pm to 4.30pm on 9 January.

Tickets £1.50 for children and £2.50 for senior citizens. www.exoticcatsociety.co.uk

HORRIBLE CHRISTMAS See out the festive season with Terry Deary’s hair-raising romp through the history of Christmas. Horrible Christmas follows the story of the season: a young boy trying to save this most important of dates. From Victorian villains to medieval monks, the show’s all-star cast includes Charles Dickens, King Henry VIII and St Nicholas. Runs until 9 January at the Corn Exchange. Tickets £17 for children, £22.50 for adults. www.cornex.co.uk

THE ADDAMS FAMILY

ANIMAL CARER EXPERIENCE DAY Wood Green is offering children aged seven to 14 the opportunity to get hands-on at King’s Bush Farm in Godmanchester. Animal enthusiasts can get stuck in with a range of essential duties, from health-checking guinea pigs to making enrichment toys, dog training, feeding-time fun, cleaning out pets and visiting the vet. Participants will also receive a goody bag, certificate, lunch and £5 shop voucher. The day runs 10am-3pm and tickets are £75, including one free adult space. www.woodgreen.org.uk

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The Cambridge Theatre Company is proud to present an original musical comedy by Andrew Lippa. Directed by Emily Starr, the musical follows Wednesday Addams, princess of darkness and family darling, who has grown older and wiser and is now in love with a (gasp!) sweet, smart young man from a respectable family. It’s a truth made no less shocking by the fact that Wednesday and Gomez are keeping the existence of said gentleman from Morticia. Everything changes on the fateful night the Addams’ host a dinner for Wednesday’s boyfriend and his parents. The Addams Family will be at the ADC Theatre at 7.45pm, 5-9 January.

Tickets start at £9. www.adctheatre.com

LITTLE EXPLORERS

Story time gets wintry at The Polar Museum this month when children under five are invited to become Little Explorers. Local storyteller Marion Leeper leads these sessions which last just under an hour and are designed to open the museum to the wider public. Stories are both read and told (in case of demands to hear them again…) and the morning will include songs, activities and an adventure through the exhibits.

Takes place at The Polar Museum on 27 January from 10am. Booking is encouraged as places are limited.

Tickets are £1.50, one-year-olds and under go free. www.spri.cam.ac.uk

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MILL ROAD

Original pen and watercolour

by Naomi Davies, available for purchase at her website www.naomidaviesart.co.uk

WORDS GABRIELLE WATTS

Capturing the history of

Mill Road

Gabrielle Watts finds out more about the group on a mission to tell the fascinating stories behind one of Cambridge’s most lively neighbourhoods n October 2013, at the site of the road’s oldest surviving building, the Mill Road History Project was officially launched.

That building, now Ditchburn Place, was once the maternity hospital: a fitting location for the birth of what has been an ambitious, intricately detailed survey of Mill Road. From the people to the buildings, the project and its website, Capturing Cambridge, have captured the essence of what has made Mill Road the kaleidoscopic hub of local culture that it is today. Through this history they’ve sought to take a snap shot of the social history of Cambridge itself over the past two centuries, through the lens of the ever-fascinating Mill Road area. As local chef Denzel Gordon said at the launch, “if you don’t know Mill Road, you don’t know Cambridge.”

Among the group’s goals were creating a digital archive of photos, reports and memories, as well as raising awareness of local history in the community. Mill Road History Project’s umbrella charity is Mill Road Bridges, partly set up by Suzy Oakes, a community champion and one of

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the founders Mill Road Winter Fair. Other supporters have included Romsey Action, Friends of Mill Road Cemetery and PACT (Petersfield Area Community Trust), and most substantially, in the summer of 2013, a generous grant of almost £100,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

At the project’s core are the building reports – detailed investigations of the history of the buildings on Mill Road which are available to download from the Capturing Cambridge website, via a very neat interactive map. You’ll also find a variety of articles about Mill Road’s people and interviews with local residents, all of which help to build a fascinating picture of

doing this without, as is often the case, focusing on the University.

“I’m born and bred in Cambridge, so I’m one of those rare birds,” says Becky.

“And, for me, it’s really important that we remember that Cambridge town has a really interesting history as well, it’s not just all about the colleges. One of our committee members, Allan Brigham, does the Town not Gown tours, and I think it’s true of lots of the committee members that they’re really keen to show that there’s more to Cambridge than the colleges – there’s a wonderful rich history.

“It’s just all there,” says Becky, and she’s not wrong – the range of buildings Mill Road has seen over the years is staggering. Off the top of her head, she lists a workhouse, the Cambridge has a really interesting Labour club, the Conservative club, the first library in town, history, it’s not just the colleges Anglican churches, Methodist churches, Baptist churches and the way this vibrant part of Cambridge was a mosque. Then there’s the cement works, in times past. the railway and the railway workers, heavy Primarily, the project is geared towards industry in the iron foundry that was on the studying the history of Cambridge, but site of the city council depot; a hospital,

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MILL ROAD

KINEMA

Mrs Gilbey, the landlady of the White Swan pub for 30 years, and her son ©Mill Road History Soeciety

1881-82 The Sturton Town Liberal Hall Company 1882-85 Theatre Royal, Sturton Town 1885-1910 Salvation Army 1910-16 The Empire 1916-66 The Kinema 1997 – Demolished

a cemetery and a maternity hospital. As resident Wendy Maskell comments, “It was said that one could be born and die in Romsey Town and have everything one needed in between without ever leaving Mill Road.”

“I personally find the history of the workhouse absolutely fascinating,” says Becky, when asked which building she finds the most interesting. “The fact that it’s the oldest-surviving building on Mill Road. It’s had this really interesting life, going from being the union workhouse to the county infirmary, it was then the maternity hospital.

Ever since 1838 that site has been caring for people, and I think that really appeals to me.”

The community vote, however, goes to the Kinema, at the site of which (number 83 Mill Road) you’ll now find student housing and fast-food restaurants. ‘The Kinny’ began operating as a cinema from 11 December 1916, under the ownership of Alfred James Pointer. It was renowned as the home of the serial and Wild West films, and also affectionately known as ‘the fleapit’. It was also a favourite hang out of philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein in 1930s whilst he was a fellow of Trinity College.

“Above the Kinema, on top of Dales Brewery, was a large cup,” recalls Cambridge resident Fred Unwin. “When the sun shone it splayed out rays, and as a small boy I wasn’t going to an old, rough building, it was like our beacon to the Kinema, it was like a Mecca that all the poor kids were going to. I knew when I got inside I was going to see something I’d never see again.”

Mill Road hasn’t stopped, and has its history or its buildings

The Kinema ©Mill Road History Society

Since its inception, there have been a series of local events to bring the project’s work to the people of Cambridge, including showcasing their findings at the Mill Road Winter Fair last month. In Becky’s words, “if you’re going to do all this research and get people involved the most important thing is sharing it and letting people know. And not everyone uses websites, that’s why events are really great: older people can turn up, children can do activities and I think it’s that opportunity, sometimes people just want to meet you and tell you their memories.”

At the end of its term, the Mill Road History Project will become the Mill Road History Society, and the group hopes that their work will continue long beyond its original goals. Theoretically, the volunteers behind the project might step away from Mill Road’s buildings, its Olympic athletes and missionary doctors, its shopkeepers and students, its journalists, priests and politicians. But Mill Road hasn’t stopped, and neither neither has its history or its buildings.

It continues to shine a beacon of community spirit in

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Cambridge Union Workhouse and Maternity Hospital ©Cambridgeshire Collection

Cambridge and to thrive and evolve. What this project has done, so beautifully, is show us this place, and perhaps even ourselves as Cambridge residents, from a new angle. www.capturingcambridge.org

DITCHBURN PLACE 1838-1930 Workhouse 1930-39 Cambridge County Infirmary 1939-45 Wartime Emergency Hospital 1946-48 Midwifery Training School 1948-83 Maternity Hospital 1988-Present Ditchburn Place Major Rex Salisbury Woods, surgeon in charge of the Cambridge Infirmary, served in the First World War and represented Great Britain in the 1924 and 1928 Olympic Games in shotput.

He returned to active service in April 1943, and lived until 1986.

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FOOD DRINK A N D

GET THE INSIDE TRACK ON CAMBRIDGE’S FOODIE SCENE WITH EDITION’S MONTHLY SUPPLEMENT

ASK THE FOODIE

family recipes

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N E W

Y E A R,

new skill WORDS ANDREW WEBB

Not got round to making any New Year’s resolutions yet (bar the usual ‘drink less, exercise more’ ones)? Why not make 2016 the year you improve your food or drink knowledge? From bread making to butchery, here are some of our favourite courses, classes and experiences

Hot Numbers

Our love affair with real coffee shows no sign of slowing, but these days more and more of us want to know not only where it comes from, but how to make it properly.

Consequently, Hot Numbers offer a range of hour-long coffee workshops in their Trumpington Street branch.

“I’d say the most popular course is the filter brewing methods,” says barista Shaun Lynch, who along with Jonny Bescoby or owner Simon Fraser runs the courses.

Perfect for anyone who wishes to make great coffee at home “Filter coffee is one of the best methods to showcase the subtle and unique flavours of coffee,” he adds. The course also looks at syphon and AeroPress methods, and is perfect for anyone who wishes to make great coffee at home without costly espresso equipment. You can also see how to roast the beans, and the differences between those from Rwanda, Mexico, Kenya and Honduras.

If you want to unleash your inner artist and get creative with milk and chocolate,

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then sign up for the latte art course. This will see you master the steam wand of a commercial La Marzocco machine so you can produce a range of micro-foam milk styles. Milk temperature and its effect on the coffee are also covered, as well as best practice for pouring latte art and how to produce a range of designs. “We offer training suitable for complete beginners, coffee lovers and coffee connoisseurs, so something for everyone!” says Shaun. www.hotnumberscoffee.co.uk

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FOOD

The Cambridge Cookery School

We’re fortunate to have one of the best cookery schools in the UK in the city. The Cambridge Cookery School offers a huge range of courses, from bread making for beginners to an eight-week evening course on contemporary cooking.

“All classes start with tea or coffee and a slice of home baked cake, or a glass of bubbly and canapés if it’s an evening

from bread making for beginners to contemporary cooking course,” says MD Tine Roche, who founded the school in 2008 with her business partner Liz Young. Their stunning teaching kitchen is kitted out with the latest Neff touch-control ovens and hobs, luxury Scandinaviandesigned cookware, top quality knives and stylish KitchenAid machines.

Fans of Bake Off will enjoy courses such as Breads of Spain and North Africa, Perfect Tarts and Sourdough Sunday. If you’ve never made bread before, then start with their Beginners’ Bread course. You’ll be in safe hands as Tine and Liz are trained Cordon Bleu master bakers.

If you fancy something more spicy, then the hugely popular Curries of the World sees you make curries from a range of different cultures; from classic Indian dishes to Thai green curry, Malaysian beef rendang and Vietnamese vegetable curry.

The seasonally driven Winter Fish course uses a range of fabulously fresh fish from Billingsgate and runs through how to gut, fillet and cook a round fish such as mackerel, a flat fish such as plaice and a larger fish for baking whole, such as sea trout. You’ll also learn to make classic fish sauces including hollandaise, remoulade and tartare sauce from scratch. “The class culminates in a

five-course meal with wine which is shared by all, and creates a supper-club type atmosphere,” Tine adds.

Finally, if you’d like to sample the dolce vita and venture abroad, then their Italian Truffle Trip or Cooking in Italy trip is for you. www.cambridgecookeryschool.com

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FOOD

Cambridge Wine Academy

After a successful musical career in the 1980s, Steve Covington went from rocker to rioja and worked in the wine trade for more than 20 years. In 2013, he moved to Cambridge and founded the Cambridge Wine Academy. Today he offers a range of courses and events to suit every interest and budget, with classes held

confidence to make better wine choices at Cambridge Wine Merchants’ Cherry Hinton branch.

“We look at major grape varieties, storing and serving wine correctly, and take a systematic approach to tasting.

Also, food and wine paring is a big part of what you’ll learn,” says Steve.

So who’s the typical customer? “As well as drinks industry people we get a lot of members of the public who just want to broaden their horizons. It’s popular with couples too, as well as students looking for something interesting to add to their CV.” If you’re only able to do a course in the evening and don’t fancy the pressure of an exam, Steve’s launching a five-week Beginner’s Wine Appreciation course in February, aimed at making sense of

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wine and giving you more confidence to make better wine choices in bars, shops and restaurants.

Finally, if you just want to explore a particular region or variety, then Steve’s ‘wine tours’ are a good start. February’s tasting is a journey around the regions of Spain and includes some really unusual examples such as the light, fragrant albarino and the intense, earthy, blackberry scented priorat to name but two – tapas are included as well. March sees a similar themed tour, but this time of Italy, so check the Cambridge Wine Merchants website (www.cambridgewine. com) for more details. www.cambridgewine academy.com

Gog magog Hills Farm Shop and Butchery Fancy learning the art of butchery? The Gog Magog Hills Farm Shop is running two pork butchery courses in February, with more scheduled later in the year. The aim is to break down the barrier between the butcher and the customer so that

you more actively enjoy the shopping, preparation and cooking processes. Or, in the words of one happy customer, “the course gave a great overview of how the cuts fit together and how to find them on the pig. The organisers, staff and other guests made it a very enjoyable evening.”

Classes are small and begin with a talk about the animal you’ll be working with.

Key points to remember are its breed, age and how it was raised. This is followed by a look at different joints and ways to cook them. You’ll then don a butcher’s apron

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FOOD

and be shown the tools of the trade: safety gloves, boning knives, cleavers and saws. Working in pairs you’ll both break down a side of pork into specific cuts, separating the prime roasting joints, chops and trim left over for making sausages, before boning out and stuffing the shoulder, which you’ll get to take home. After you’ve done all that, your hard work is rewarded with a delicious pork supper and a glass of local beer or wine.

Finally, if smoking, grilling and barbecues are more your thing, then their Big Green Egg (a brilliant barbecue much loved by chefs) courses are excellent, showing how to make the most of this cooking method. www.gogmagoghills.com

Lord Conrad,s Brewery If you’re a fan of real ale, home brewing or just like beer in general, then why not spend a day working in the Lord Conrad’s Brewery with owner Jon Neale? Jon produces a wide range of beers, from the light, fresh-tasting Stubble Burner, to the dark, chocolatey Conkerwood.

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“As far as I know we’re the only brewery in the UK to offer a whole day,” says Jon. The day starts at 9am and follows the whole brewing process from start to finish, weighing out ingredients and understanding each of their properties and the role they play in the finished product. During the downtime between each brewing stage there’s the chance to talk about things such as bottling methods and the all-important naming and label design. The day ends with a complete clean down of the unit, and a well-earned bottle of beer.

Jon also offers one- to two-hour tours and sample tastings of his brews, as well as cheese and beer pairing. www.lordconradsbrewery.co.uk

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FOOD

Birgit,s Patisserie Birgit Berry grew up in her native Austria baking at her mother’s side. “We Austrians always like to bake,” she says. This led her to establish Birgit’s Patisserie in 2013, offering a range of fun, intimate baking courses from her family home in Hemingford Abbots.

There’s a range of courses on offer; the bread one includes sourdough, as well as continental breads such as focaccia, ciabatta and brioche. The Family Baking course meanwhile is aimed at a parent and child (5-15 years old) who want to learn how to make simple breads such as a crusty basic loaf, pizza and banana bread. There’s

Birgit can tailor a session just for you and a friend also the Alternative Flour Baking course which looks at how to bake breads and cakes with the variety of non-wheat flours such as chestnut or rice flour – perfect for those with an intolerance or sensitivity to gluten.

Because classes are small, if you’ve a particular style of baking or subject you want to specifically work on, Birgit can tailor a session just for you and a friend. “I had a whole family coming from Nottingham for a lady’s 50th,” she says, “and they wanted to focus on afternoon tea items such as scones.”

Pastries and fresh coffee are provided on arrival, and lunch in the splendid dining room is also included.

This time of year it’s often something warming like soup, which gives way to lighter dishes and salads in the summer. “I did have one lady say ‘can I move in?’, the lunches are so good,” Birgit tells me. www.birgitspatisserie.co.uk

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COMPETITION

WORTH UP TO

£290!

WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO A BREAD-MAKING COURSE AT CAMBRIDGE COOKERY SCHOOL! If the previous pages have got you in the mood to learn a new foodie skill this year, you’re in luck as we’ve teamed up with Cambridge Cookery School to give away a pair of tickets to one of their hugely popular bread making courses.

Taking place at the school’s sleek, stateof-the-art kitchens, there are courses on offer for a range of abilities, all of which include plenty of expert guidance, goodies to take home with you and delicious treats to try while you’re there.

The winner can choose between the Beginners’ Bread session, which tackles the basics of creating a perfect loaf, guiding you through different types of yeast and flour, as well as the secrets of rising, shaping and proving, or Sourdough Sunday. In this session you’ll learn to master the mysteries of this increasingly fashionable type of bread under the watchful eye of skilled artisan bakers. If you fancy stretching yourself, you might like to select the Croissants and Classic French Pastry Class which covers pain au chocolat,

brioche and baguettes Viennoise and more, or perhaps you’d like to join master baker Clare Bermingham’s class on breads of Spain, the Middle East and North Africa? Whichever our lucky winner chooses, they’ll come away with the knowledge to help transform them into confident bread makers – truly a life skill which keeps on giving.

To be in with a chance of winning, head to the Cambridge Edition website. www.cambsedition.co.uk

Cambridge Cookery School & Café, School House, Harrison Drive, CB2 8HQ Download the Cambridge Cookery School app, and find us on social media @ccookeryschool SIGN UP TO THE EDIT NEWSLETTER AT CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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ccafe_

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FOOD

FOOD NEWS A MONTHLY ROUND-UP OF GASTRONOMIC GOINGS-ON IN CAMBRIDGE AND THE SURROUNDING AREA

WINE TASTING AT ST JOHN’S CHOP HOUSE The International Wine Challenge’s ‘Wine Educator of the Year’, Wine Unearthed will host their first event of 2016 at St John’s Chop House.

The World of Wine experience day will take place on 16 January and will include a three course food and wine matching lunch. 15 wines will be available to taste, from both the old and new world, with white wine in the morning and red for the afternoon.

Beginners are very welcome, and teaching will include the mechanics of wine tasting (ie. what’s the reason behind all the swirling and sniffing), and how region, climate and winemaking affect what you get in each bottle. The day starts around 10.30am. Tickets from £79. www.wineunearthed.co.uk

WINE WEDNESDAYS Yes, it may be January, month of abstention, but detoxing is dull. Instead, treat yourself to an evening of excellent wine in the sumptuous setting of Hotel du Vin on Trumpington Street. Oft overlooked by locals as a spot for a couple of drinks (which is a travesty, its downstairs bar is delightful), this luxurious hotel hosts Wine Wednesdays on the first Wednesday of each month, offering a chance to learn more about wine in a relaxed and friendly environment. On 6 January, explore the World of Pinot Noir, tasting a selection of this classic grape variety from around the world, or head down on 3 February to discover more about the mysterious world of Food and Wine Matching. The sessions cost £20 per person and begin at 6pm. www.hotelduvin.com

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FOOD

BURNS NIGHT FEASTING Och aye the noo! Monday 25 January hails the arrival of Burns Night: a celebration of Scotland’s great poet Robbie Burns. We may be a long way from the highlands, but if you want to enjoy the food and fun that this annual event brings, you’ve got some great options in Cambridge.

As it does every year, Trumpington Street restaurant Loch Fyne Seafood & Grill will be celebrating with a special menu. Guests are advised to book well in advance as tickets sell out fast, but other details are kept firmly under wraps. Contact the restaurant to whet your appetite and find out more.

If you’re looking for something a bit more energetic, check out the Burns Night Charity Ceilidh at ARM1 Atrium on 23 January.

Raising money for Unicef UK’s Syria Winter Appeal, this popular event on Fulbourn Road returns with live music and expert caller Alison Giles. There’ll be a licensed bar with real ale, a wee dram and soft drinks on sale, and a raffle with a bottle of whiskey included in the prizes. Plus, you get a complimentary taste of haggis. Tickets start at £5, and under 14s go free.

Finally, if you’re less about the jumping up and down and the poetry, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society will be holding a tasting in Burns’ honour on 22 January. On offer will be an exclusive first taste of five specially selected single-cask single malts, plus a traditional dinner of neeps, tatties and haggis. Bottles will be available to purchase on the night, which starts at 7pm in The Gonville Hotel. Tickets for guests start at £44, book in advance to avoid missing out.

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STEAK & HONOUR AT NOVI In one of the most inspired foodie collaborations Cambridge has seen in a while, Steak & Honour has teamed up with Novi on Regent Street to offer punters a heavenly combo of gourmet burgers and gorgeous botanical cocktails, served up in an oh-so-stylish setting.

Heroes of the local street food scene, Steak & Honour are serving up their classic menu as well as some tempting additions including the One For Ella (a juicy beef patty with smoky bacon and burger sauce, served in a brioche bun), and the new veggie option The Pulse – a bean burger with beetroot pickle, seaweed mayo and American cheese.

They’re also offering a dreamy dessert or two.

Wash it down with some of Novi’s artfully mixed tipples – our favourites are the Fair Trade (vanilla vodka, Fair Café, Mozart white chocolate) and the Tickled Pink (rhubarb vodka, rhubarb syrup, fresh lemon juice, lemonade and citrus tincture). Steak & Honour will be flipping at Novi until the end of January, MondayFriday, 5.30-10pm. Alas this match made in heaven is not permanent, but Novi will be letting another local foodie enterprise loose in their kitchen very soon: stay tuned to Cambridge Edition for more information. novicambridge.co.uk

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ASK THE FOODIE

HEIDI WHITE AKA THE MOVING FOODIE ANSWERS ' ' YOUR BURNING QUESTIONS ON THE CAMBRIDGE FOOD SCENE locally produced and allotment-grown goodness into the most delicious and beautiful cakes and savouries possible.

I’m looking forward to the return of the PREDICTIONS FOR CAMBRIDGE Cambridge supper club this year. Yep, it FOOD AND DRINK IN ? did quietly slip off the radar somewhat in recent months. I’m talking the original, authentic supper club experience of Happy New Year! Here’s to another foodie booking in advance, waiting for the menu one in 2016… Dedicated Cambridge release, and then rocking up at the secret foodies out there will be pleased to hear location to enjoy a proper feast. In my that the trend for local, independent opinion, the best supper clubs see the food and drink is set to continue this cook’s home transformed into a (tiny) year – at pace. There’s an unwaveringly pop-up restaurant. Rumour has it there huge appetite and support for the many are at least two ‘hosted at home’ supper food and drink openings; steadfast new clubs in 2016; one featuring fine dining food favourites are still going strong; and and one true Indian home cooking. we’re seeing local success stories like Our beloved street food scene is still Hot Numbers expanding within very much on the up in Cambridge. the city. In 2016, I want to see My street food venture, established food businesses foodPark, is growing further who have been serving this year with still more Got a question for the our community for years new traders setting up Moving Foodie? Tweet us brought to the fore, too, and creating innovative at @cambsedition or like Les Ward’s empire of street food menus, new @TheMovingFoodie village greengrocers and and revamped vans on the using the tag: fantastic Arbury butchers, way, and new pitches and #askthefoodie The Art of Meat. events coming up around the The local food and drink festival city. I’m particularly looking forward which helps celebrate this amazing local to a jam-packed summer of monthly scene, Eat Cambridge, is back again foodPark NIGHT MARKETs and some in May (7-22 May 2016) and will be a intriguing collaborations with other local fantastic and thorough showcase of all independent businesses in 2016. The that’s good, new and growing in the local onset of the street food residency is on food and drink scene. People’s interest in the cards, too. Whilst not new – Craig at shopping and eating truly local products The Free Press pub has championed a isn’t waning either; this year will see rotating line-up of street food chefs at the growth of some inspiring schemes the pub’s kitchen – some great city centre to hand-pick and deliver the best local venues are now embracing this trend, like food and drink direct to your door, such Novi with its Steak & Honour residency. as Cambridge Artisan’s gift hampers.

Enjoy! Look out for my tips on what’s Look out for newbie producer/pop-up hot in the Cambridge food scene, every ‘allotment’ too, who are intent on turning month in Cambridge Edition.

Q. WHAT ARE YOUR

2016

GET SET FOR EAT CAMBRIDGE

2016!

We’re delighted to announce that Cambridge Edition will once again act as media partners for Cambridge’s biggest and most hotly anticipated foodie event: Eat Cambridge. Taking place 7-22 May, this year’s festival will once again feature a huge food and drink fair, as well as a busy line-up of fringe events including pop-up restaurants, wine tastings and lots more deliciousness which showcases the cream of Cambridge’s ever-more exciting foodie scene. Stay tuned to Cambridge Edition for all the news. www.eat-cambridge.co.uk

For more top tips on eating and drinking in Cambridge, visit Heidi’s blog www.movingfoodie.com

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RECIPES

Ely-based Michelle Alston writes The Last Food Blog, where she showcases recipes which prove that eating well needn’t mean time-consuming and expensive recipes. A trained dietary coach, she launched her blog with a goal of sharing knowledge, helping people to make healthier food choices and encouraging the use of great quality, local and seasonal ingredients. We love the gorgeous photography on her blog, and how achievable all the dishes seem! www.thelastfoodblog.com

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RECIPES

Spicy Baked Fish Tacos Time: 20 minutes prep, 20 minutes marinating, 20 minutes cooking

Ingredients:

4

Serves:

For the fish: • 300g cod, cut into strips • 1 lime, juiced • pinch of sea salt • black pepper, freshly ground • 80g plain flour • 2 medium eggs, whisked • 50g panko breadcrumbs • 50g polenta • ½tsp dried oregano • 1tsp cumin • ½tsp cayenne pepper • ¼tsp garlic salt (optional) • 1tbsp rapeseed oil For the red cabbage: • 200g red cabbage, thinly sliced • ½ lemon, juiced • pinch of sea salt For the coriander lime sauce: • 170g Greek yogurt • 1½tbsp fresh coriander, chopped • 1 clove garlic, minced • ½ lime, juiced • sea salt • black pepper For the tacos: • 8 wholegrain tortillas • 1 avocado, sliced • 3 spring onions, finely sliced • extra coriander leaves • extra lime wedges

Directions: 1. First, place the sliced red cabbage in a bowl, add the lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt, give it a stir and put it in the fridge until you need it.

2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.

3. Put the fish in a bowl, add the lime juice, a pinch of sea salt and a little freshly ground black pepper. Stir to make sure the fish has been covered in juice, then leave to marinate for about 20 minutes.

4. OK, now you need to set up a little workstation. You will need three bowls and a parchment paper-lined baking tray. In one bowl you will have the whisked eggs, in the second bowl the flour seasoned with a little sea salt and a little freshly ground black pepper, and in the third bowl will be the panko breadcrumbs mixed with the polenta, herbs and spices. Dip the fish pieces into the flour (one at a time) making sure the fish is completely covered, then dip the fish into the egg and finally into the bread/spice mixture. Place the fish on the baking tray, giving each piece a little bit of space. Drizzle with the oil and bake for 15-20 minutes, turning halfway through cooking.

5. Now for the sauce. Add the lime juice, chopped coriander and garlic to the yogurt and season with a little sea salt and ground black pepper.

6. When the fish is nearly ready heat the tortillas by putting them on a plate and popping them in the oven for about two minutes.

7. To assemble your tacos, start with the red cabbage, add a couple of slices of avocado, then add the fish and top with the yogurt sauce. Add extra coriander leaves and some chopped spring onion if you like, and serve with lime wedges.

Notes: If you have little ones who are not too keen on spicy food reduce the amount of cayenne pepper to ¼tsp and cumin to ½tsp. I use panko breadcrumbs as they give a crispier finish but you could also use regular breadcrumbs.

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RECIPES

Mushroom Tart Serves: 4 for dinner, 6 for lunch Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients: • 1 sheet of all butter puff pastry • 100g wild chanterelle mushrooms, wiped clean • 250g chestnut mushrooms, wiped clean and roughly sliced • 3 (120g) shallots, sliced • 1 egg, beaten • 1 large clove of garlic, minced • 2tsp olive oil • 25g butter • 1tbsp chopped parsley • 3 sprigs lemon thyme, or regular thyme • 50g Parmesan, or vegetarian alternative • sea salt • black pepper

4

Serves:

Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.

2. Roll out the pastry onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. With a sharp knife score the pastry about 1½cm along the inside edge of the pastry. Then, using a fork prick the pastry a few times. Leave in the fridge to chill.

3. Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat, add the shallots and sauté until they are really soft, this should take about 15–20 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

4. In a large saucepan melt the butter then add the mushrooms and cook for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, herbs, a pinch of sea salt and a little freshly ground black pepper and cook for another five minutes. When the mushrooms are cooked and there is no liquid left in the pan add the Parmesan and stir well.

5. Now spread the cooked shallots over the pastry, then spread the mushrooms over the shallots. Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg and place in the oven. Cook for 20 minutes.

6. Serve with more chopped parsley and a little grated Parmesan if you like.

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RECIPES

Sweet Potato & Broccoli Serves: Frittata Time: 40 minutes

4

If you’re looking for a quick, tasty and healthy lunch that will keep you going till dinner, then look no further. This sweet potato and broccoli frittata is great hot or cold, as well as served on its own or with a nice green salad. Super easy to make, it is ideal for lunch but also works perfectly for dinner. Any leftovers are great for an early autumn picnic or for your packed lunch.

My Grandmother always told me that if you have some eggs in your fridge you’ll never go hungry, and boy was she right. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve thrown together a tasty dinner or lunch by making a frittata. Using up leftovers or whatever’s hanging around in my fridge the day before shopping day, frittata has been a bit of a lifesaver for me and has become a regular in our house due to it being so quick and versatile.

I used sweet potatoes here but you could use any leftover potatoes, or even baby potatoes. You could also spice this up with some red chili flakes too. The options with frittatas are endless.

Ingredients: • 1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced • 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and sliced thinly • 1 clove of garlic, minced • 100g purple sprouting broccoli • 8 free-range eggs

• 150g feta, plus 20g more for crumbling over • 1tbsp thyme leaves • 1tbsp rapeseed oil • sea salt • black pepper, freshly ground

Directions: Notes: I used purple sprouting broccoli in this recipe but you could also use regular broccoli, just cut it into small pieces. I trimmed the woody stems off the broccoli. If you do this you can keep those stalks, chop them up and use them for making a home-made soup or vegetable casserole.

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.

2. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to the boil, add the sweet potato and cook for about ten minutes, until the sweet potato is tender. Remove from the heat, drain and set aside.

3. Break the eggs into a large bowl, beat and season, crumble in the feta, mix well then stir in the thyme leaves.

4. Heat a large skillet or ovenproof pan, add the oil, tilt the pan around so it is covered in the oil. Add the onion and cook over a medium heat until soft, about five minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another minute.

5. When the onions are cooked, turn down the heat then add the sweet potato to the pan, give it a little mix and then add the broccoli. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables, tilting the pan to make sure it is even.

6. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 20 minutes, checking it halfway through and giving it a little jiggle.

7. At this stage you can add that little bit of extra feta if you like, just crumble it over the top of the frittata.

8. Cut into wedges and serve with a green salad.

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RECIPES

Roasted Squash & Goat’s Cheese Salad Serves:

Time: 20 minutes prep, 25 minutes cooking

Ingredients: • 380g squash (I used coquina squash), peeled and sliced into wedges • 1tsp (heaped) sumac • 2tbsp olive oil • 1 medium red onion (180g), skin on and cut into wedges • 180g goat’s cheese • 1 bulb of garlic, halved width ways • 2tbsp pumpkin seeds • 40g dried cranberries • 40g hazelnuts, halved • 5 or 6 sage leaves • 1 head of winter cos lettuce For the dressing: • 5tbsp extra virgin olive oil • 1 large lemon, juiced • pinch of sea salt • pinch of freshly ground black pepper

4

Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.

2. Place the squash and red onion on a baking tray, add the sumac and olive oil and using your hands massage the vegetables with the oil and sumac. Add the garlic and sage and place in the middle of the oven to cook for 20 minutes.

3. While the squash is cooking make your dressing, add the oil, lemon, salt and pepper to a jar with a tight-fitting lid, give a good shake and set aside until you’re ready to use it.

4. Place the cranberries in a small bowl and cover with warm, recently boiled water.

Leave them to soak until the squash is ready.

Notes: Coquina squash is a sweet variety of butternut squash. You can find sumac in the spice aisle of most large supermarkets.

5. After 20 minutes, place the goat’s cheese on top of the squash so it doesn’t melt into the pan. Add the pumpkin seeds and cook for another 5 minutes.

6. On a serving plate arrange the lettuce leaves, top with everything from the baking tray, scatter over the hazelnuts and drained cranberries. Serve with the lemon dressing.

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NEWS

Welcome As a new year begins our city continues to thrive, with a host of new openings springing up around Cambridge – find out more over the page. This month, why not get your hands on one Cambridge BID’s free city guides, get inspired and go and check out Cambridge’s shopping centres, full of restaurants, cafés, entertainment and shops for you to explore.

What is the

Cambridge BID? Launched in April 2013, Cambridge Business Improvement District (BID) is funded by businesses and organisations in the city to deliver a range of projects and events that enhance and promote Cambridge, encouraging people to visit and enjoy our fabulous city.

Find out more at www.cambridgebid.co.uk Follow us on Twitter at @cambridgebid

Cambridge BID City Guides We have launched our new city guides which are designed to help you find your way around our beautiful city. With guides dedicated to Shopping, Day and Night and Markets, now there is no excuse for you not to explore the wonder that is Cambridge. Perfect handbag size, these guides are available to pick up for FREE in shopping centres, Park & Ride sites, hotels, restaurants and cafés, as well as a number of shops across Cambridge city centre.

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NEWS

Spotlight on…

Cambridge’s shopping centres With its colourful market, great collection of independent stores and array of top highstreet retailers in a compact, picturesque setting, Cambridge is a dream of a shopping destination. For some serious retail therapy, make your way to one of the city’s four shopping centres, starting with the sleek and modern Grand Arcade.

Shop premium brands like Ted Baker, Kurt Geiger and Swarovski, and if you need to refuel, pop upstairs to Ed’s Easy Diner or enjoy some authentic Italian food at the bright and contemporary Carluccio’s, just outside. There’s also high street favourites Topshop, Office, Warehouse and department store John Lewis to explore, all under one skylit roof.

Just next door, check out Lion Yard for popular fashion and accessories stores, plus sportswear and equipment, jewellery, cafés and more. The centre recently celebrated its 40th birthday and is home to some great spots for grabbing a mid-shopping bite to eat including Jamaica Blue, Millie’s Cookies, YO! Sushi and newer addition, the popular Hotel Chocolat Café.

A short hop away, over Christ’s Pieces park, you’ll find The Grafton – the city’s third shopping centre – which offers a large number of shops (including two department stores), cafés, restaurants and entertainment. Upstairs you’ll find the Vue Cinema, which boasts eight screens (two of which are 3D), shows all of the latest blockbusters and offers great deals for families, students and seniors, whilst the Great Court below often has fun activities for the kids to get involved with.

Located on the pedestrian route from the Grafton Centre to town, sandwiched between Christ’s and Emmanuel Colleges, the Christ’s Lane shopping area is home to firm favourites like H&M and Zara, as well as the cheerful Giraffe café and one of the city’s Starbucks branches.

‘a dream of a shopping destination’

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NEWS

Cambridge BID Monthly Newsletter Interested in finding out about all of the exciting things going on in Cambridge? Sign up to the Cambridge BID Monthly e-Newsletter.

Packed with fantastic information about what’s going on in our fabulous city, it’s the email you don’t mind landing in your inbox!

Be the first to hear about all the exciting events, offers, competitions and fantastic promotions that are happening in our city. www.cambridgebid.co.uk/signup

New Openings in Cambridge There’s been a crop of great new openings around Cambridge in recent months, from fun stationery store Smiggle at the Lion Yard to North Shoes and women’s fashion boutique Elegant Atelier, both on Rose Crescent. The city centre has also welcomed a new Cambridge Satchel Company store on St Mary’s Passage, offering a chance to buy the brand’s iconic bags in a lovely new premises (read more on page 77). Fitzroy Street, near the Grafton Centre, has been a hive of activity too, seeing the opening of Sicilian eaterie Aromi, as well as a new hair salon, Rush. It’s also now home to the new store from photography specialists Jessops, which offers a range of services and academy training courses in addition to its extensive selection of cameras and accessories.

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Window Competition Last month, Cambridge BID once again held a competition to select the best-dressed shop window in town, encouraging local independents to get creative over the Christmas period. It’s always a joy to admire the festive displays adorning windows around the city centre, with retailers going all out to impress passers by and lure in shoppers, and 2015 was no exception. Marked on originality, visual impact, festivity and overall coherence, a team of judges had the tough job of selecting an overall winner from a shortlist which included Ark, Millers Music, Podarok, Chocolat Chocolat and Bridges.

When I Was A Kid on Trinity Street was awarded third place, and Cambridge Toy Shop on Sussex Street took second. The crown, however, went to Cambridge Framing Centre, also on Sussex Street, who won praise for a lovely Advent calendar inspired display that incorporated their products. They chose to donate their £100 winnings to the local charity Wintercomfort, which supports people who are homeless or are at risk of losing their homes in Cambridge.

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COMMUNITY

Community news Local veteran TAKES

ON WORLD’S TOUGHEST ROWING CHALLENGE Former Irish Guardsman and Wisbech local Patrick Gallagher will be taking on what is considered to be the world’s toughest rowing race in the first all amputee crew to meet the challenge.

Gallagher and crew mates Light Dragoon Lce Cpl Cayle Royce, Flt Sgt Nigel Rogoff and Royal Marine Clr Sgt Lee Spence are taking part on behalf of Row2Recovery, a unique campaign which has raised more than £1 million for injured service personnel and their families. The team have already raised £9,195, and the final total will be divided between Help for Heroes, Blesma, Prince Harry’s Endeavour Fund and Row2Recovery. The race kicks off on 15 December from Gomera on the Canary Islands, and the team hope to reach the finish line, 3,000 miles away across the Atlantic ocean, in Antigua in late January. The crew will be rowing two hours on and two hours off, 24 hours a day in their 29ft boat, Legless. uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/Row2Recovery

MAKE A PLEDGE CAMPAIGN for

refugees

Cambridge Refugee Resettlement Campaign (CRRC), part of Citizens UK national campaign to help resettle refugees, is asking the people of Cambridge to Make a Pledge.

The idea behind Make a Pledge is to compile a database of people and pledges to plan for a coordinated resettlement programme. It is also intended to reassure the city council that there is ample grass roots commitment in our community to helping refugees in a practical way. Though it is possible to pledge money, you can provide skills, transport, goods, accommodation and much more, and the people of Cambridge have already begun offering their support.

To Make a Pledge, visit CRRC’s website. You can also show your support by tweeting with #CambridgeWelcomesRefugees. www.cambridgerefugees.org/pledge

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Congratulations MILL ROAD

Mill Road, with all its lovely indie shops and cafés, great pubs and thriving sense of community, is a favourite corner of Cambridge for many. But we’re not the only ones that think so – in fact, its brilliant reputation reached the rest of the country when it made the finals of the Great British High Street of the Year Awards.

The awards are supported by the Future High Streets Forum, the Association of Town and City Management and the Department for Communities and Local Government. This year more than 230 high streets were entered into the seven categories. Competing high streets are assessed both by their success in the public vote (of which 170,000 were cast this year), and by scores from judges’ visits. Mill Road impressed the Great British High Street judges with its ambition and imagination, and made it into the final three of the City Location category against tough competition North Parade in Bradford and St Gile’s Street in Northampton. Results were announced on 30 November, and Mill Road just lost out to Northampton’s St Gile’s Street. Nonetheless, runner-up is no small feat against more than 200 competitors, and we’ve no doubt we’ll see Mill Road in the running again next year. thegreatbritishhighstreet.co.uk

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LISTINGS CHECK OUT LOCAL EVENTS ONLINE

cambsedition.co.uk

A ROUND-UP OF EVENTS IN AND AROUND CAMBRIDGESHIRE THIS JANUARY

4January ANIMAL CARER EXPERIENCE DAY Time: 10am Location: King’s Bush Farm Price: £75 per child Description: Children from seven to 14 can get hands-on with essential animal-carer duties. Runs 10am–3pm, and booking is essential. Ticket includes a free adult space. woodgreen.org.uk 5-9 JANUARY THE ADDAMS FAMILY Time: 7.45pm Location: ADC Theatre Price: £9-£14 Description: Everything changes when the Addams family host a dinner for Wednesday’s new, shockingly ‘normal’ boyfriend and his parents. An original story from Andrew Lippa. adctheatre.com

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Jan

11 JANUARY RUBY WAX: MINDFULNESS GUIDE FOR THE FRAZZLED Time: 12.30pm Location: Cambridge Union Society Price: £10 Description: Join the inimitable Ruby Wax as she talks about her new book at the Cambridge Union Society Chamber. Tickets entitle you to £3 off the book (usually £14.99), and Ruby will be signing copies after the talk. eventbrite.co.uk 11 JANUARY & 21 JANUARY HERBARIUM TOUR Time: 11am & 18.30pm Location: Sainsbury Laboratory Price: From £10 Description: Chief technician Christine Bartram leads a close-up tour of the University Herbarium, initiated by Darwin’s mentor Professor John Henslow. cambridgelivetrust.co.uk 12 JANUARY–1 MARCH WORLD OF WINE COURSE Time: 8pm Location: Cambridgeshire Wine School Price: £95 Description: A practical, flexible introduction to the world of wine, running one evening a week for eight weeks. cambridgeshirewineschool.com

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15January

BEATING THE BLUES Time: 7pm Location: The Portland Arms Price: £10-£12 Description: Sugabeat and The Suits will be performing to raise money for The Phoenix Trust, a social enterprise and charity based in Milton, which offers work experience and employability qualifications to people with learning difficulties. theportlandarms.co.uk 12 JANUARY WILLOW WEAVING WORKSHOP Time: 10am Location: Peckover House Price: £55 Description: Step-by-step instructions on willow weaving with all materials provided, make and take home your own handcrafted plant supports. nationaltrust.org.uk

21-23January CAMRA WINTER ALE FESTIVAL Time: Various Location: Cambridge University Social Club Price: £3 (£1 CAMRA members) Description: This is the 20th Cambridge Winter Ale Festival, CAMRA are proud to present Cambridge’s annual volunteer-run winter beer festival. cambridgebeerfestival.com

23 JANUARY ACADEMY OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS Time: 7.30pm Location: Saffron Hall Price: £14-£35 Description: The virtuoso chamber orchestra are joined by two of the world’s most acclaimed soloists, Joshua Bell and Steven Isserlis. They will be performing music by Beethoven, Schumann, Brahms and Dvořák. saffronhall.com 23 JANUARY CAMBRIDGE PHILHARMONIC – ROALD DAHL 100 Time: 2pm & 4pm Location: West Road Concert Hall Price: £12-£13.50 Description: This will be the first of 2016’s family concerts, which will be part of the Roald Dahl 100 celebrations. As such, they promise a variety of amazing musical adventures. cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

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28 Jan

LISTINGS

28January

REBECCA FERGUSON Time: 7.30pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: £25-£37.50 Description: Rebecca Ferguson is back, touring throughout the UK and showcasing smoky vocals on her third album Lady Sings the Blues. In the words of Terry Wogan: “Fantastic.

Wonderful. Sensational.” cornex.co.uk

28January

EFFORTLESS WINTER ENTERTAINING Time: 10am Location: Cambridge Cookery School Price: £135 Description: Effortless Entertaining classes are designed to inject confidence-boosting ideas, all geared to the season. Full recipe pack, lunch, wine, tea and coffee are included. cambridgecookeryschool.com 23 JANUARY NEW WORK IN OLD PLACES: CONTINUITY & CHANGE Time: 7pm Location: The Old Palace, Ely Price: £7 (free EDFAS members) Description: Local artist John Maddison designs new schemes for historic buildings; part of a series of talks. Call 01353 668438. elydfas.org.uk

26-30January THE WIZARD OF OBS Time: 7.30pm Location: Mumford Theatre Price: £7.50-£12 Description: This year’s Addenbrooke’s Charity Pantomime, produced and performed by Cambridge Clinical School of Medicine. anglia.ac.uk/mumford

27 JANUARY LESZEK BALCEROWICZ: THE FUTURE OF THE EUROZONE Time: 6pm Location: Old Divinity School Price: Free Description: Former Polish Finance Minister and President of the National Bank shares his views on the future of the Eurozone and on Poland’s potential entry into the monetary union. eventbrite.com 28 JANUARY LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES Time: 6.50pm Location: Saffron Screen Price: £9.50-£18 Description: Screening of the Donmar Warehouse’s highly anticipated production. Directed

by Josie Rourke, cast includes Elaine Cassidy, Janet McTeer and Dominic West. saffronscreen.com

30January WINTER YOGA RETREAT Time: 10.30am Location: Hartington Grove Meeting House Price: £75 Description: Get your body, mind and spirit ready for 2016 with this nourishing winter day retreat. The event includes a goody bag, vegan lunch and a yoga practice using exquisite essential oils to balance your emotions. rosannagordon.com

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29 JANUARY GLOBAL FOOD SAFARI – CENTRAL AMERICA Time: 7pm Location: Cambridge Cookery School Price: £45 Description: This third stop in a series of classes takes would-be chefs to Central America for some seriously zingy flavours. It’s bring your own alcohol, but the school also offers authentic beers and cocktails on arrival. cambridgecookeryschool.com

30 JANUARY SWCS SINGING DAY WITH EAMONN DOUGAN Time: 10am Location: Saffron Hall Price: £20 Description: Britten Sinfonia Voices’s Eamonn Dougan leads a day-long singing workshop for all levels and abilities, covering music from four different eras. saffronhall.com

29 JANUARY ANDY ZALTZMAN: SATIRIST FOR HIRE Time: 8pm Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £13 Description: You are invited to email your satirico-query tosatirisethis@satiristforhire.com, including the date of the show you’ll be attending and details of the issue/person/concept/thing you would like addressed. junction.co.uk

THE SHAHNAMEH: THE EPIC BOOK OF KINGS Time: 7.30pm Location: Junction Price: £10-£13 Description: Performance storyteller Xanthe Gresham Knight narrates from The Shahnameh, the ancient Persian Book of Kings, with Kurdish-Iranian musician Arash Moradi. junction.co.uk

30January

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FREE CAMBRIDGE

free things to do this January 1. UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE MUSEUMS The museums house 13 award-winning collections, which are open to the public for free. Lesser known highlights include an iguanodon dinosaur skeleton at Sedgwick, an extraordinary collection of beautiful astronomical instruments at the Whipple and the Polar Museum’s latest haunting exhibition on Ernest Shackleton, By Endurance We Conquer. Check the website for opening hours. www.cam.ac.uk/museums-and-collections

foot, it’s well worth a little wintry wander. lnr.cambridge.gov.uk 4. THE WREN LIBRARY Although Trinity College charges for visits, the famous Wren Library does not. The library is open to visitors from midday to 2pm Mondays to Fridays, and from 10.30am to 12.30pm on Saturdays during full term (which starts on 17 January). Amongst its treasures are books from Sir Isaac Newton’s personal library, the Capell collection of early Shakespeare Editions and A A Milne’s manuscripts of Winnie-the-Pooh. www.trin.cam.ac.uk 5. BYRON’S POOL This picturesque spot was once a favourite of the poet Lord Byron, after whom it has since been known. Look out for the weird and rare arched earthstar fungi and great spotted woodpeckers. The reserve is near Grantchester and open every day. There’s a car park nearby and a circular walk to follow once you’re there. lnr.cambridge.gov.uk

2. BRAMPTON WOOD The second largest woodland in our county, Brampton Wood is 900 years old. It’s looked after by the local Wildlife Trust, and is perfect for a wintry walk. Follow the wide rides and see how many species of tree you can spot: maybe you’ll find one of the two specimens of wild pear tree. Open every day, the wood is near Huntingdon and has a small car park. www.wildlifebcn.org 3. NINE WELLS Nine Wells, formed of several chalk springs, was the source for Hobson’s Conduit, which was built in the 17th century by Thomas Hobson to bring fresh water into Cambridge.

Visit the four active chalk springs, and the small 1.2 hectare copse of rolling woodland.

Near Great Shelford and accessible only on

6. HILTON MAZE AND MONUMENT One of only eight turf mazes surviving today, the Hilton Maze and Monument is the perfect spot for a day trip. Made in 1660 by Royalist William Sparrow to commemorate the Restoration of Charles II, it consists of a single winding track which coils into a seemingly endless labyrinth. hilton-village.com

8. PAXTON PITS NATURE RESERVE With 78 hectares of lakes, riverside, reedbed, and woodland, Paxton Pits is one of the best places in England to see wild otters. Three kilometres north of St Neots, the Reserve is open to visitors at all times, and the Visitor’s Centre opens on weekends. Follow the Heron or Meadow trail and keep an eye out for kingfishers, cormorants and flocks of tits.

Go online for a guide to what you might see. paxton-pits.org.uk 9. WANDLEBURY COUNTRY PARK It’s the city’s original country park and offers more than 40 hectares of mature woods, meadows and chalk grasslands. The park is open seven days a week from dawn till dusk.

Look out for Highland cattle, the Iron Age hillfort and the 15th century Tadlow Granary.

As January progresses, see if you can spot the first snowdrops of the season. www.cambridgeppf.org 10. RSPB FEN DRAYTON LAKES It used to be a gravel works, but now Fen Drayton Lakes is a wonderful complex of lakes and traditional riverside meadows to wander around and explore. At this time of year, look out for black-headed gulls and starling murmurations. Open every day, it’s also easy to get to, just hop on the Guided busway; it has its own stop. www.rspb.org.uk

7. THE COLLEGES Not all of the University colleges are free to visit, and not all are as pretty as King’s.

Of the free colleges, though, we’d highlight Magdalene, Pembroke and Christ’s.

Magdalene’s current Master is the former Archbishop Rowan Williams, Pembroke boasts a host of famous members, most

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recently the actor Tom Hiddleston, and John Milton is Christ’s second most-famous pupil, after naturalist Charles Darwin. Check online for further details. www.cam.ac.uk

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WELL-BEING

PURSUE HEALTH AND HAPPINESS OF MIND AND BODY IN 2016

WORDS CATHERINE CARR

WONDERS Time was when January would roll around and magazines would be full of articles urging us all to shape up after a month of calorie-laden celebrating. Back in those bad old days when fat-free was still a ‘thing’ and #AvoToast was not, the message was simple: lose weight, feel better. Now though, there’s something different in the air – which is less about punitive diets and more about the pursuit of individual well-being, with good health front and centre.

Put simply, well-being is defined as being ‘comfortable, healthy or happy’, but as the philosophers of old argued, to attain a true sense of well-being a person should also have a stock of inner resources to help them cope when things go pear-shaped. I like the sound of all of that, particularly if it means an end to joyless lettuce regimes.

So, if you fancy a bit of well-being in your life, read on. We’ve rounded up a few of Cambridge’s finest experts to help us all pursue health and happiness of mind and body in 2016.

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© Sieve Creative

WELL-BEING

OTHER EXERCISE OPTIONS FOR MAXIMUM WELL-BEING PARKFIT In various parks around Cambridge, classes for both sexes.

We all know exercising outside delivers hefty vitamin D and serotonin hits! www.parkfit.co.uk

© Sieve Creative

© Sieve Creative

PARK RUN A free timed 5K run at Milton Country Park every Saturday with lots of friendly people. Wellbeing galore to kick-start your weekend. Plus a great café! www.parkrun.org.uk/cambridge CROSS FIT Instead of becoming a gym rat, all alone and miserable with your iPod on shuffle, embrace Cross Fit instead – get involved at Stags and Does in Milton. Crossfit is all about being “fit not thin”, according to boss Duncan Boltt. “People really start to appreciate their bodies and the things it can do – it’s great to see someone manage a pull up or a handstand for the first time after three months of working towards it.” www.crossfitstagsanddoes.co.uk

SPECIAL OFFER FOR EDITION READERS

CAMBRIDGE BOOTCAMPS Founder of Cambridge Bootcamps, Charlie Wall knows a thing or two about wellbeing. A former psychiatric nurse, she set up the outdoor women only classes in 2009 to build up women’s physical strength but also their confidence (yep, that stock of inner resources that the Greeks banged on about). Her enthusiasm is infectious, and her mission is broader than weight loss. “Cambridge Bootcamps is about women realising how much they can achieve… I love seeing clients getting stronger and faster, sure… But when they get happier and healthier too? That’s the best!” she says.

Classes are dotted around the city and at various times of the day. CBC devotee Anna Marsden says, “I absolutely love the fun way the exercises are weaved into games and fun with the other girls. I’ve lost 18 inches since I started and I can’t picture a time when I wouldn’t want to be a bootcamper. I feel so much stronger physically, healthier mentally and happier socially!”

It’s not just slogging it out in the parks of Cambridge either, there’s a real sense of community amongst the bootcampers, with lots of online support that focuses on encouragement and nutrition advice. www.cambridgebootcamps.com

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To make it even easier for Cambridge Edition readers to take up Crossfit, you can take advantage of an exclusive £20 off the foundation course. Just use the promotion code CambridgeEdition£20, which takes the cost down to £45 for six weeks of coaching three times per week.

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WELL-BEING

PERSONAL TRAINING Jonas Zimnicki uses tough love to encourage clients to achieve amazing physical transformations and a state of mental well-being.

He says: “Looking repeatedly in the mirror won’t make you lose fat or gain muscle and using fad diets will not benefit your health or your body.

I believe that I feel great because every day I put good food in my body and I am strengthening my body with exercise.” fitnesstrainingcambridge.com

DALE PINNOCK Home-grown nutrition expert (geddit!?) Dale Pinnock has earned himself the moniker ‘The Medicinal Chef’, for the way he uses food to improve health. The story goes that the boy from St Ives discovered the healing power of food as a teenager plagued with acne. After drugs failed to clear up his spots he borrowed a book on nutrition and hasn’t looked back. “My mum’s friend told me nothing will change on the outside unless you change what’s on the inside,” he says. Fast-forward to now and Dale has the kind of skin and teeth that would make someone from LA weep. “Well-being isn’t just the absence of disease, but the presence of vitality, stable energy levels, bright mood and zest for life.” For those wanting to take a baby step towards better eating, Dale recommends ditching the white carbs and adding oily fish and veg to your diet – all common sense, but a world away from what Dale calls ‘the low-fat scandal’ of the past.

His book The Power of Three is out this month. www.dalepinnock.com

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WELL-BEING

THE THERAPY ROOM CAMBRIDGE The Therapy Room in Cambridge is run by husband and wife team Damien and Angela, who both exude a calm contentment which is surely their best advert.

Tucked away in a quiet residential street in the north of the city, a team of fully qualified practitioners offer traditional medicine alongside complementary therapies to help clients improve their health and lifestyle. Damien explains their philosophy: “We believe in finding the cause of the problem rather than just treating the symptom and we consider physical, emotional and spiritual influences in the search for better health – true well-being.”

The practice was set up eight years ago and still holds to the vision of ‘treating the person not the problem’. Damien is evangelical about the idea of well-being but keen to stress that like most things in life, it can only be achieved through balance: “A healthy body may be achieved superficially but it may come at the cost of emotional (mind) disturbance (eg. body dysmorphia), and a disconnection from a person’s specific life meaning (spirit). Consideration of the whole person is vital for true well-being.”

Therapies offered include acupuncture, reiki, osteopathy and kinesiology. www.thetherapyroomcambridge.co.uk

OTHER PLACES IN CAMBRIDGE OFFERING THERAPIES TO TREAT PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS BEECHWOOD PRACTICE Therapists on hand to help with panic attacks, stress and OCD alongside sports massage, physio and much more. Based near Cambridge Railway station. www.thebeechwoodpractice.co.uk SALUS WELLNESS Complementary healthcare practitioners care for people of all ages, treating physical and psychological conditions. Near the Grafton Centre. www.salus-wellness.co.uk

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CLEAN EAT TREATS Local Katie Bavester was inspired to set up Clean Eat Treats after attending Cambridge Bootcamps and learning about nutrition. A better diet helped with debilitating ME symptoms, which had previously forced her to take nine months off work. Now a ‘clean eating’ advocate, Katie bakes healthy treats to satisfy her cravings for cake without letting her halo slip!

She is also very encouraging about the benefits of making small changes: “Decide on one thing you’re going to cut out from your diet, achieve that and then move on to the next thing. Changes in how you look and feel might come more slowly but our new year resolutions often fail when we change too much at once.

Start by giving up fizzy drinks or tweaking your breakfast to include protein.”

Clean Eat Treats trades at Impington Farmer’s Fayre (third Saturday of the month at Impington Village College 9am-12pm) and Katie also bakes to order. www.cleaneattreats.co.uk

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WELL-BEING

WORDS NICOLA FOLEY

CAMYOGA With branches in central Cambridge and Great Shelford, Camyoga offers classes that range from rigorous hot yoga to gentle, restorative yoga.

There’s a lot of ways to access what’s on offer, by joining as a member, purchasing class passes or joining a course. You can also download The Happiness App, which will let you access virtual lessons on how to learn and practise mindfulness, and give you the ability to book yoga classes on your phone. If you’re less than appsavvy, you can see what Camyoga has to offer online, where you’ll find both courses and a live stream every Friday at 6.30pm.

As a rule, Camyoga is about exploring and improving the connection between your mind and body. With the days still dark, long and grizzly, a little TLC might well do wonders. www.camyoga.co.uk

FULL CIRCLE FITNESS You’d be hard pushed to find a more encouraging gym environment than Full Circle Fitness in Dry Drayton – but that’s not to say they’re not serious about helping you get the results you want.

Led by friendly, motivating trainers, Full Circle Fitness take a holistic approach: helping you look at all aspects of your lifestyle to make the changes you want to see, be it a dramatic body makeover or simply getting healthier and boosting your energy levels and general positivity – it’s amazing what making the right changes can achieve.

If you fancy some hot and sweaty outdoor fun, check out the group bootcamp sessions, where you’ll flip tyres, make rope waves, throw medicine balls and more – all in the great outdoors (£59 per four-week block).

For serious results, a personal trainer is the way to go – but often the price can be prohibitive for many. Full Circle have a great solution with their VIP Programme, which offers semi-personal training sessions for groups of four people, meaning top-level coaching with a pro, personalised training programmes and a fully personalised fat loss nutrition plan from £169 a month.

If you’ve got a bit of weightlifting experience under your belt, try the Total Fitness programme (£99 per block), in which you’ll get stuck into fun and challenging group workouts, as well as getting nutrition advice. full-circle-fitness.co.uk

JAZZERCISE Combining dance moves and aerobic exercise, Jazzercise is the ultimate feel-good workout, and a great option for people looking to have fun while they get fit. Taking elements of resistance training, Pilates, yoga and even kickboxing, in addition to demanding dance moves, it’s fantastic cardio, great for improving muscle strength and can burn up to 800 calories per hour – all with lots of brilliant tunes to distract you from the burn.

“It’s very sociable too,” says Tina Chasse, who’s been teaching Jazzercise for 34 years, and currently holds classes across Cambridgeshire. “We get a really mixed group of people, lots of different ages – it’s great because it can be as gentle or as strenuous as you make it. It’s a self-paced programme.”

Tina currently offers classes in Cambridge, Longstanton, St Ives, Huntingdon and more. To make an enquiry, contact her on 01487 841811 or tina.jazzercise@btinternet.com or check out her Facebook page at facebook.com/jazzercisecambs. www.jazzercise.co.uk

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MALE BEAUTY

GROOMING FOR THE

GUYS © Ian Farrell ianfarrell.com/3cameras.com

WORDS DAISY DICKINSON

You don’t need to spend tons of money to get yourself looking like the best groomed guy in town – just a bit of know-how.

We roped in Krishan Parmar, our beardy co-worker, to take some hotly-tipped products through their paces.

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S U P E R S H AV E The Real Shaving Co keeps things simple with their three-step regime 1 . Step 1, exfoliate with their Daily Face Scrub (£3.99); then step 2, use the Traditional Shave Cream (£3.99) for an easy shave, before finishing with SPF15 Anti-Ageing Moisturiser (£4.99) to soothe and protect your skin. You don’t need to be clean shaven to benefit from steps 1 and 2 either. Pop to Waitrose or Sainsbury’s to get yours.

For Internet shoppers, mankind.co.uk is a one-stop-shop for grooming. One of Krishan’s favourite products from the site is Lock Stock and Barrel’s Argan Blend Shave Oil (£23.95) 2 , which combines argan and natural oils for the ultimate fast dry shave. “Perfect for a quick shave,” he says, “you don’t need a huge amount and the best thing is that because your face isn’t covered in foam, it takes the guesswork out of choosing the shaving line.”

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The beard continues to enjoy unprecedented levels of popularity, but there are a few things to remember if you want to keep your facial fuzz looking more hipster than hobo. Trims keep hairs healthy and encourage equal growth, but to keep things slick and conditioned invest in a good beard oil. Krishan tells me it’s not used nearly as often as it should be, and that it’s the best way to keep your beard looking, feeling and smelling amazing. His pick is Gentlemen’s Chuckaboo, The Bludger 3 (£10, preciousaboutmakeup.com). Stressedout guys, try The Sauce Box (£10) from the same range with soothing lavender oil to calm nerves – and itchiness.

With 30 years’ experience in the styling industry, Joseph Lanzante has developed his own luxurious range.

Krishan tried the Post Shave Lotion 4 (£14.95, josephlanzante.co.uk) and found it a cooling treat to prevent razor burn.

And finally, probably (definitely) the most awesome beard products out there are from Captain Fawcett. The must-have product to keep your beard as rad as Ricki Hall’s is the Beard Oil Private Stock 5 (£34, captainfawcett. com) – a spiffing blend of sweet almond, jojoba and vitamin E. And for gifting the bearded-boy in your life, opt for the Beard Oil & Folding Pocket Beard Comb Set 6 (£43.50) for keeping his fuzz beautifully buffed, or the Shaving Brush, Razor & Soap Gift Set 7 (£83) for everything his beard has ever wanted.

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BEAUTY & WELLNESS WORDS DAISY DICKINSON

BEAUT Y & WELLNESS

SKIN

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SAVIOURS WORDS DAISY DICKINSON

Festive celebrations are well and truly over. We ate, we drank, and we were very merry – all great, but it does nothing for our skin (or our waistlines!). You know the drill, January is here and it’s time to make resolutions, but rather than stressing over when you’re going to finally take up that gym membership, why not start with some simple TLC – treating your winter-whipped skin to some extra nourishment.

Just like your wardrobe and make-up, you should also reassess your skincare routine with the change in season, and consider how to care for the ill effects of winter wind and chills. Upping your hydration is the first step, and there are some beautiful products out there to help you.

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Winter can make normal skin sensitive and dry, so look for a gentle cleanser to keep your skin happy. Head to Lush in the Lion Yard and ask about their skincare range.

Ultrabland (£7.50, Lush) 1 is a simple and effective creamy cleanser made with almond oil, rose water, beeswax and honey.

It easily removes all traces of dirt and makeup, without stripping away your skin’s natural defences.

Skyn Iceland Pure Cloud Hot Cloth Cleanser (£22.50, Marks & Spencer) 2 is a hardworking all-in-one for gently but effectively removing dirt and make-up.

Made with soothing ingredients, it’s ideal for those a little sensitive.

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BEAUTY & WELLNESS

YES CHEF

© skinshop.co.uk

If you’re a keen cook, take a look around your kitchen to see what you can whip together to satisfy your skin’s hunger. Mix together sugar and oil, with a little of your favourite cleanser, and smooth over your face gently exfoliating away tired skin, or mash up bananas, oats and honey for a nourishing face mask. Use manuka honey for its antibacterial and healing properties.

Remember Angela Langford from Masterchef? You may not know that Angela also has a selfnamed skincare company offering natural skin treats. New to the collection is Rest & Regenerate (£39, angelalangford.com), a nourishing night balm made with avocado, macadamia and pumpkin. Smooth this on before bed and you’ll wake up to happy skin!

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H Y P E R H Y D R AT E D Skin looks better in the summer as we tend to drink more, exercise more and generally live more healthily. Come winter it’s easy to slip into a less-than-ideal routine, so make sure you’re drinking plenty of water, but also replacing lost hydration by upping your moisturising hit. Voya’s new Pearlesque (£52, voya.ie) 1 is an ultra-nourishing facial moisturiser containing rose of Jericho and algae extract with a scent of sweet orange essential oil.

If you’re braving the cold, head to Space.NK on Green Street and introduce yourself to the Oskia range. The Restoration Oil (£60, Space.NK) 2 does what it says on the tin and is packed with delicate ingredients to help MOT your skin and boost vitality. Add a couple of drops to clean skin to improve elasticity and hydration for a healthy, radiant complexion. For extra soothing power, try the Oskia Renaissance Mask (£48.50, Space.NK) 3 which carries calming rose and camomile.

I’m a huge Murad fan; any skin complaints have always been answered for me with a quick trip to the counter in John Lewis in the Grand Arcade. A favourite product is the Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture (£64, John Lewis). 4 Perfect for winter, this ultra-rich, unscented cream can be used morning and night. It’s intense enough to offer eight hours of moisture, without leaving skin greasy. For those getting more sun exposure, try the Perfecting Day Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30 (£39, John Lewis) 5 which contains powerful antioxidants to protect the skin from aging and radical damage.

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EYES WIDE They say eyes are the windows to your soul, so make sure they’re in tip-top condition with a decent eye cream. Pop along to Debenhams in the Grafton Centre and pick up a pot of Clinique All About Eyes (£26.50, Debenhams) 1 . This lightweight gel formula is a godsend for keeping dryness away, but if those late nights have got the better of you give Skinshop’s Dry Eye Concealer (£11.95, skinshop.co.uk) 2 a go. Dare I say it but this actually replaces my cult favourite YSL Touché Éclat for its effectiveness in covering a multitude of skin sins; bags, veins, dryness and redness are all covered while also being calmed and treated with an illuminating hint.

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HOW TO A P P LY EYE CREAM When you’re tired the body produces cortisol which increases the volume of blood in your body and can cause increased darkness under the eyes. To help drain this away tap your eye cream under your eyes without rubbing and roll your index finger from side to side across the area, working from inner to outer eye.

TA K E C O N T R O L Don’t know where to start? Skyn Iceland offers a Winter Rehab Kit (£40, Marks & Spencers) 1 which is your first aid for winter worries.

Made up of the most comforting and nourishing formulas, the products are designed to hydrate, replenish, and revitalise skin stressed by harsh winter weather and includes face wash, cream cleanser, Arctic elixir serum, firming eye gels and an Icelandic Relief Eye Pen. For those looking to achieve spa results at home, the hand-held PMD Personal Microderm (£150, personalmicroderm.co.uk) 2 delivers incredible skin-purifying results similar to microdermabrasion treatments offered in spas, and for sensitive skin, the most effective athome treatment I’ve found that doesn’t irritate is Murad’s Intensive-C Radiance Peel (£49.50, John Lewis) 3 , a fruity cream product that makes skin look brighter immediately after use.

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FASHION NEWS

Check out our top picks this month from some of our favourite local independent fashion boutiques

FAUX FUR SCARF £45 ARK, PEAS HILL

CAMBRIDGE SATCHEL COMPANY OPENS NEW STORE Founded by local lady Julie Deane in 2008, the Cambridge Satchel Co has become a bona fide global phenomenon. Lovingly handmade in the UK, these sought-after bags are sold in over 100 countries, with collections ranging from the iconic original satchel to equally stylish backpacks, clutch bags and more. Cambridge Satchel Co is a darling of the fashion world nowadays, collaborating with the likes of Comme des Garçons and Vivienne Westwood, and appearing on the arm of high-profile fashion bloggers.

Good news if you’re a fan of this local brand done good: they’ve just opened a new shop on St Mary’s Passage, offering a gorgeous selection of products in a lovely new premises. “Cambridge is our home and we felt we needed a larger space to showcase our extended range of products,” says Julie Deane OBE. “Being in the city centre, and so near my university is important to me – this is my dream space in a dream spot. I can’t believe how far we’ve come and am so looking forward to the next step in our journey!” www.cambridgesatchel.com

NEWNHAM CLOTHING

JAN SWEATER BY LOUCHE £35 LILAC ROSE, BRIDGE STREET

ESSKA HANYA SHOE £120 CUCKOO CLOTHING, ST MARY’S PASSAGE & BURWASH MANOR

We’ve fallen head over heels for the gorgeous new range of stylish and cosy hats, snoods, gloves and ponchos from new local company Newnham Designs. The emphasis is on top quality, ethically-sourced products, with the ranges offering a selection of timeless, effortlessly cool designs in premium Scottish wool and 100% cashmere.

“I believe artisan manufacturing is a breath of fresh air from multinational chains that dominate the shopping experience,” says founder Charlotte Huson, who spent time visiting small, family run companies around Scotland and Italy ahead of setting up her own venture. “My aim is to connect manufacturer and wearer in a way that no conglomerate could ever hope to achieve.

Newnham is about the world’s finest clothing, at a price that’s affordable”

NEW

OPENING

VISIT THE NEWNHAM DESIGNS WEBSITE TO VIEW AND PURCHASE THE FULL RANGE. newnhamclothing.com

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FASHION

70S

COSY

70S COWL TUNIC DRESS £38 OASIS, MARKET HILL & GRAFTON CENTRE

WISHLIST

WORKOUT

MOSCOW FLORAL LEGGINGS £34 ADIDAS ORIGINALS

G E BUYIN BECAUS R A E G ALL THE U’RE YO MEANS AY TO W F L HA IGHT? G FIT, R GETTIN

ADIDAS INFINITE SERIES SUPERNOVA SPORTS BRA, MULTI £33 JOHN LEWIS, GRAND ARCADE

CHIC

The 1970s trend has been all over the high street for the whole autumn/winter season, but with its shearling touches, cosy cowls, snug floppy hats and patterned dresses (perfect partners for knee-high boots and opaque tights), we reckon it’s exactly right for this time of year.

T-SHIRT £14.99 NEW LOOK, LION YARD

WORDS NICOLA FOLEY

SHORTS £12.99 NEW LOOK, LION YARD

ASOS COAT WITH 70S COLLAR £75 ASOS FAUX SHEARLING CAR COAT £78 TOPSHOP, GRAFTON CENTRE & GRAND ARCADE

FREE SPIN REVERSIBLE LEGGINGS £110 SWEATY BETTY, TRINITY STREET

STONE SUEDE SHEARLING TRIM GLOVES £14.99 NEW LOOK, LION YARD RUST WIDE BRIM FLOPPY HAT £15 MISS SELFRIDGE, LION YARD

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SEAMLESS YOGA TOP WITH A BRA £14.99 H&M, GRAFTON CENTRE & ST ANDREWS ST

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FASHION

WINTER

MINT TEXTURED COAT £95 OLIVER BONAS, SIDNEY STREET

MAX MARA WEEKEND ACID YELLOW COAT £369 HOUSE OF FRASER

All too often, dressing for the cold weather seems to mean blacks, navys and sludge tones. Why not add a zing of neon to your outfit – we guarantee it’ll brighten your mood this January. Oliver Bonas are the masters of tasteful touches of neon, so their branch on Sidney Street in town should be your first stop.

STORY OF LOLA FLUFFY FAUX FUR CREW NECK JUMPER £50 ASOS

GREY MAXI DRESS WITH NEON BY JADED LONDON £48 TOPSHOP, GRAFTON CENTRE & GRAND ARCADE

OMBRE STRIPE SCARF £29.50 NEON LUCIE SCARF £29.50 OLIVER BONAS, SIDNEY STREET

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FASHION

PRINTED T-SHIRT £17.99 ZARA, ST ANDREWS STREET

AUTOGRAPH POLO SHIRT £49.50 M&S, SIDNEY STREET

NAVY PALM CASUAL SHIRT £28 TOPMAN, GRAND ARCADE

CHARMING Forget the bright and breezy designs which adorn your clothing in summer, we’re loving the wintery prints on offer this season. Get the look in antique florals and folk patterns in moody hues

CARHARTT POPLIN FLANNEL SHIRT, DARK NAVY £75 JOHN LEWIS, GRAND ARCADE

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KENNETH COLE GALAXY PRINT SHIRT £65 HOUSE OF FRASER

FLORAL PRINT SHIRT £29.99 ZARA, ST ANDREWS STREET

AUTOGRAPH SUPIMA SHIRT £49.50 M&S, SIDNEY STREET

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BUSINESS

WORDS NICOLA FOLEY

Make your next conference the best yet – it’s easy when there’s a wonderful range of great facilities on your doorstep The pressure is on when it comes to choosing the right venue for your conference – after all, the reputation of your entire brand is at stake. There are endless choices, and even more questions.

What do you require from your location? Perhaps you’re searching for excellent travel links or access to great restaurants or nightspots in the evening so delegates can let off some steam? Or maybe you want to get employees out of the boardroom and into the fresh air and surrounded by woodland and clear blue sky? And then there’s the techy facilities: do you need all-singing, all-dancing AV equipment teamed with Apple AirPlay or will a simple paper flip chart suffice? Whatever your requirements, says Rose McDonald from local conference venue par excellence, Robinson College, you ought to start off by thinking hard about your objectives.

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“What’s the event for, who’s the audience and what are you trying to achieve?” she urges planners to consider. “Do you want anything to change when everyone goes back to their desks after the event? What’s the ‘feel’ or atmosphere you are looking for to give your audience? If you choose a particular location then try and put into context why the event is being held there.

From this select a number of venues to approach. Share your event objectives with them and see how they are going to rise to the challenge and help you so you maximise your return on event objectives.”

Luckily for us, Cambridge has more than its fair share of top venues, from futuristic, purpose-built conference and training centres to lavish, historic mansions, right the way through to small scale, comfortable meeting rooms in the city centre with all mod cons. Don’t start planning without reading our round-up.

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BUSINESS

featuring a data projector or LED display, speakers and both wireless and wired Internet connections. Larger rooms offer Apple AirPlay, while the suites and lecture theatre also offer integrated microphones. A number of the meeting rooms also offer dual projection, which allows clients to display feeds from two different sources at the same time.

“We don’t just offer complimentary Wi-Fi throughout,” explains Thierry Hachin, conference and technical services manager at The Møller Centre. “We understand technology and we understand that technology can make or break an event. My experienced in-house technical services team are always available to clients. We love working in close partnership with event organisers and their IT colleagues before an event to get all the preparation finished so that on the day the client can relax in the knowledge that everything is taken care of. On the day of the meeting or conference, my team are as discreet or ever-present as the client wants them to be, but they will always be on-hand.”

The centre has even developed its own web app

THE MØLLER CENTRE For state-of-the-art facilities, plenty of space and experienced staff that go the extra mile, this award-winning venue comes with a stellar reputation. Located at Churchill College on Storey's Way, the purpose-built Møller Centre offers exceptional conferencing facilities for both day and residential events. Established in 1992, the centre was funded by a donation from the A P Møller & Chastine Mc-Kinney Møller Foundation, a Danish institution established by shipping magnate A P Møller. His grand idea was to create a centre of excellence which would bring together business and academia, offering the highest standard of continuing education to international businesses wishing to develop their current and aspiring leaders.

Architecturally, it’s seriously impressive, centering on a large octagonal tower (complete with spacious roof terrace) and featuring stylish Scandinavian design touches throughout the bright and airy interior. There are 19 purpose designed meeting and training rooms inside, including the 100-delegate capacity lecture theatre with tiered seating, all of which are decked out with the latest gadgets. Technology is fully integrated, with all rooms

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19 MEETING AND TRAINING ROOMS AND A 100-CAPACITY LECTURE THEATRE to provide delegates with a completely paperless solution, delivered via the Møller’s stock of iPads.

For residential conferences, there are 92 en-suite bedrooms, all of which come with tea and coffee making facilities and study space. When it comes to refreshments for your delegates, you can choose between drinks in the second-floor Tower Lounge Bar or even pop up to the roof terrace, which boasts panoramic views of the city.

There’s also a rather cool circular restaurant on the ground floor, which serves up everything from fine dining to buffet fare. www.mollercentre.co.uk

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GREAT HALL AT THE LEYS Around two years ago, prestigious local independent school The Leys added state-of-the-art conference facilities to its 50-acre city centre campus. The impressive Great Hall, the school’s new science and performing arts centre, boasts an auditorium which can seat up to 337 delegates, as well as five supporting venues that can accommodate between 18 and 100 guests. One of the largest conference venues in central Cambridge, it’s a modern,

A MODERN, VERSATILE SPACE, PERFECT FOR CONFERENCES

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versatile space perfect for conferences, seminars, networking and exhibitions.

The Great Hall’s team, who are experienced in theatrical and corporate events, work hard to ensure that everything runs smoothly, from the dedicated technician (on hand to assist with AV/IT equipment and all other technical aspects), to organising excursions to enhance your delegates stay in Cambridge, such as dinner at Cambridge University colleges and chauffeured punting tours.

There’s complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the facility, as well as a range of AV/IT equipment, and all the meeting rooms also come equipped with notepads, pens, tent cards, water, cordial and sweets, as well as a stationery toolbox and a guest information folder.

Food and drink options are supplied by the in-house catering team, and the rest of The Leys campus affords opportunities for a range of team building activities, as well as a gym and swimming pool. Whilst there is no residential accommodation, the staff will work in partnership with local hotels and colleges to provide overnight packages. www.theleys.net/greathall

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BUSINESS

HILTON CAMBRIDGE CITY CENTRE Venues don’t come much more central than the smart, modern Hilton Cambridge City Centre on Downing Street. Now managed by the Hilton group, the hotel offers a range of conference facilities in a stylish, comfortable setting. There are seven meeting rooms, the largest of which can hold up to 200 people, and all feed into a large, bright atrium which can be used as a breakout area. A dedicated event manager will ensure that everything goes smoothly on the day, and all your presentation needs will be covered by the meeting room facilities, which include fully integrated LCD projector, screen and flip chart, in addition to the free Wi-Fi. The hotel has a good reputation for dining too, and your guests will be well looked after when it comes to refuelling.

Delegates can enjoy a working buffet lunch, as well as plenty of refreshments including fresh fruit, pastries, smoothies, cereal bars and more. Guests will also be able to take advantage of the on-site concierge valet parking.

If you’re looking for a residential conference, the hotel has 198 bedrooms, as well as a fitness room and restaurant. www.hilton.com

ANSTEY HALL For a venue with true wow factor, check out the spectacular Anstey Hall in Trumpington. A Grade I mansion with opulent interiors, rich with history, the venue is bound to impress guests from the word go. Offering conference seating for up to 300 delegates, there's also state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment to ensure your meeting goes smoothly, as well as plenty of free parking. If you’re after a residential business stay, Anstey Hall offers 22 charming bedrooms, whilst the experienced catering staff will work around your refreshment requirements, be it a formal sit-down meal, a business breakfast or a self-service buffet lunch. www.ansteyhall.com

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ROBINSON COLLEGE A modern venue that prides itself on its traditional values, Robinson College has more than 30 years’ experience in hosting successful conferences. It’s a picturesque, peaceful setting, surrounded by eight acres of woodland gardens just a short distance from the city centre.

In total, Robinson College boasts 23 meeting rooms, suitable for between two and 390 delegates. The rooms range from purpose-built auditoriums complete with the latest audiovisual facilities, to smaller meeting rooms and breakout areas for

WOOD GREEN Wood Green Animal Shelter in Godmanchester offers a range of well-equipped venues, whether you’re organising a large exhibition or a small, intimate meeting. The largest space is the Britten Arena, holding up to 3,000 people, which is one of the most popular indoor arenas in the Eastern region. Ideal for largescale conferences and shows, the arena offers 1625 square metres with gallery seating for 420 people. Full PA facilities are also available, as well as a choice of flooring surface and special lighting options.

There are also a range of meeting rooms, suitable for small groups right up to conferences of 300 delegates.

The staff are committed to getting all the details right, priding themselves on their efficient, friendly service and providing the extra touches which make the difference on the day. There’s an onsite catering team too, with a wide range of menu options that can be tailored for different dietary requirements. www.woodgreen.org.uk

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larger conferences. The newest addition, opened in September 2015, is the sleek and modern Crausaz Wordsworth Building, which offers both cabaret and classroom style set ups. There is complimentary Wi-Fi throughout, and the dedicated events team and in-house AV experts will be on hand to make sure everything happens exactly as it should. The college also boasts excellent residential facilities, with 280 study bedrooms that come with free Wi-Fi, ensuites and in many cases, private balconies.

The college also has a great reputation

MORE THAN 30 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE OF HOSTING SUCCESSFUL CONFERENCES for its quality culinary offerings, with an enthusiastic team of chefs creating exciting menus featuring lots of fresh and locally sourced ingredients, whether you’re after a banquet or a buffet.

“Here at Robinson College, we start with a client’s event objectives and build their event from there,” says Rose McDonald, head of sales at the College. “That’s how we can truly add value to the partnership and ultimately deliver an outstanding and memorable event as part of the same team.

Pre-event meetings with the operational team here ensure constant and vital communication and the generation of ideas and content.

“Cambridge is a world-renowned city,” she continues. “A recent report from the International Congress and Convention Association states Cambridge is celebrating jumping into the top five city list in the UK in the new rankings for their events.

We are passionate about Cambridge as a business destination and can draw upon a wider support network to help with organisational support outside of the venue, in addition to helping to build the content and programme if need be. We frequently work alongside other Cambridge colleges to offer an exciting mix of environments for learning for multisite events. Today’s event planners want to offer so much more than straight presentations; Cambridge has the venues, the outside space, the ambience, the technical ability, the people, the culture, the imagination and 800 years of experience to bring any event to life.” www.robinson.cam.ac.uk

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EDUCATION WORDS SUE FREESTONE

BRINGING THE WORLD

into the classroom

Sue Freestone, Principal of King’s Ely, discusses why teaching children foreign languages is a vital component of them becoming members of a global community e welcomed Sarah Schechter from Anglia Ruskin University to our morning assembly recently. She had come to present certificates to our merry band of young language leaders who help to teach younger students a wide range of modern foreign languages and carry high the torch of internationalism. The organisation Sarah was representing, Routes into Languages, works with government and is keen to drive home the message that the country needs linguists, the lack of whom is costing the nation upwards of £48 billion a year simply because the British do not speak foreign languages and seem to believe that everyone else speaks English.

The leaders are taught a range of teaching techniques and move on to prepare and teach two lessons to year seven students. They are linguistic ambassadors who also mentor fellow students, lead a year nine song competition and create pages on our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) for younger pupils.

King’s Ely is a school which believes in the transformative power of education and that, as members of a global community, language learning is key to the sharing of ideas, to mobility across borders and even the breaking down of ideological barriers.

Galileo Galilei, Pescara, Italy. Collaboratively, we are developing common digital resources which can be shared by schools across Europe in a Massive Online Open Course (MOOC).

So, if language is about international communication, language-learning strands at King’s Ely are manifold, and we’ve just been re-accredited with the British Council’s International School Award Language learning is key to the sharing of ideas for what they call our “fantastic” and the breaking down of ideological barriers international work. This is In September, we welcomed over because our pupils have been fostering 40 students and teachers from Spain, links with schools in France, Spain, Czech Germany, Italy, Finland, Sweden and Republic, Latvia, Poland, Greece as well as Poland to the school as part of Erasmus+, further afield in India and Réunion Island. the EU’s programme for education, As well as developing language skills, training, youth and sport. King’s Ely was students have worked on various crossselected as the only school in Britain to curricular projects and participated in the take part in this online learning project by eTwinning programme, gaining European the lead partner school, Liceo Scientifico Quality Certificates for their projects. In

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June pupils were awarded the prize for best “peer-to-peer learning” at the National eTwinning Conference.

British Council chief executive, Sir Ciarán Devane, said: “The school’s fantastic international work has rightfully earned it this prestigious award. The International School Award is a great chance for schools to demonstrate the important work they’re doing to bring the world into their classrooms. Adding an international dimension to children’s education ensures that they are truly global citizens and helps prepare them for successful future careers in an increasingly global economy.” Justine Greening, International Development Secretary added: “Young people must be at the heart of our work to create a safer and more prosperous world for everyone, and we need to ensure their voices are heard if we are to win the fight against global poverty. That is why I am delighted to celebrate the international work of King’s Ely and the energy and passion of the young people involved.”

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MAKE A CHANGE

make a positive

CHANGE FOR 2016 Why not commit to bettering yourself or doing something positive for your community? There are endless volunteering roles and adult learning opportunities in Cambridgeshire - here’s a taster

1. GO BACK TO SCHOOL Not everyone has sunny memories of their school days. In fact, for many, getting out of school was a bit like leaving the trenches, and a lot of people, we’ll bet, look back on it with a sigh of relief and good riddance. But as an increasing number of local people are discovering, learning later in life can be enriching, fun and even life-changing.

Whether to boost your career or help you along the way to another, gain new skills and knowledge, or simply indulge a hobby, there’s plenty on offer in and around Cambridge.

PARKSIDE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

CAMBRIDGE REGIONAL COLLEGE A great institution at which to study if you’re looking to boost your CV and skill set as an employee. Cambridge Regional College offers a variety of professional and technical qualifications, and apprenticeships taught by industry experts and accredited by major industry bodies including City & Guilds and CACHE. These qualifications can help you enter a field that you’re interested in, whether that’s hairdressing or cookery, or help you progress in the industry you’re in. To this end there’s a wide range of managerial and professional courses and qualifications on offer for people looking to climb the career ladder. There are things at the other end of the scale too, including free English and maths courses and low-cost higher education programmes, much lower than average university fees, starting at £3,500 a year. Finally, the college offers a selection of leisure courses, with a focus on DIY and practical skills, such as dressmaking, glass fusing, woodcraft and plumbing! www.camre.ac.uk

Supported by the city council, Skills Funding Agency and European Social Funds, Parkside runs classes on weekends, evenings and in the daytime throughout the week. You can enrol now, which is encouraged as spaces fill up fast. Ongoing courses cover many creative skills, including calligraphy, sugarcraft and upholstery. There’s computing lessons for the over 50s, and t’ai chi, yoga and psychology for anyone looking to improve their well-being. Like Cambridge Regional College, Parkside provides free and funded English and maths courses.

English as a foreign language lessons are available, but must be paid for. Languages on offer are Arabic, Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese and Spanish. Parkside also hosts day schools, the first of which will be on 6 February. Head along to learn boxercise, wedding floristry, how to make stained glass or car maintenance, whatever takes your interest. www.adult-education.parksidefederation.org.uk

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MAKE A CHANGE

MADINGLEY HALL

LA DANTE

The University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education offers a vibrant and diverse array of subjects and courses for both personal and professional development. There really is something for everyone here, from short non-credit courses to residential and summer-schools, part-time award-winning programmes, undergraduate certificates and master of studies degrees. These are by and large somewhat more academically focused than others, ranging from archaeology, philosophy, and history to literature and creative writing. This said programmes can also be career conscious, including qualifications in policing, teaching, medicine and criminology. Most of the classes are taught at the Institute’s HQ, the beautiful Madingley Hall, however they can also be found in central Cambridge and in London. Furthermore, there are a number of skills and qualifications offered online, for people who would like or need to work from home. International development, property investment and historic environment are just some of the subjects you can take – in fact, we’ll be surprised if you don’t find something that interests you! www.ice.cam.ac.uk

La Dante is a bilingual culture association, which is part of the international organisation La Società Dante Alighieri.

The centre’s aim is to promote knowledge and the enjoyment of Italian language and culture in Cambridge, and to bring together like-minded people who want to learn more about what Italy has to offer. To this end, La Dante offers a wide variety of very high-quality Italian courses, which cover a range of abilities and purposes. You can take part in casual adult classes or intensive learning programmes, or learn Italian for business. As well as the Italian classes themselves, La Dante runs a host of cultural events including Italian film screenings and lectures on Italian history and literature. It also caters to people whose first language isn’t English, offering academic English and English for law as well as more casual daily conversation skills.

Ladante-in-cambridge.org

THERE'S A DAZZLINGLY DIVERSE ARRAY OF COURSES ON OFFER IN CAMBRIDGE

HILLS ROAD Hills Road presents an assortment of recreational, academic or vocational subjects. Attendees can study part-time during the day or evenings, and sometimes on Saturdays. Most of the courses are for one term of ten weeks, and a few of the academic and vocational courses last for an academic year. The next enrolment evening is on Tuesday 5 January from 5.30pm where you can meet course supervisors and find out a little more about them and how it works. Courses start 18 January, and halfterm is 15-19 February. There is a seriously impressive series of courses which include book illustration, ceramics, creative textiles, jewellery making, ballroom dancing, Indian massage, wine appreciation and web design. There’s a huge range of languages on offer, too: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish and Russian. Finally, you can gain certified professional skills, including ESOL qualifications, counselling, proofreading and copy editing skills. www.hillsroad.ac.uk

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ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE FEATURE

FOR ASSESSMENT TESTS January is traditionally a time for fresh starts and exciting plans as we face the new year and all its possibilities. But for parents of children preparing for school entry assessments it can be stressful, with anxieties about performance on the day and subsequent outcomes threatening to overshadow what should be a happy time.

Avoiding anxiety, and helping children to feel relaxed and calm is arguably one of the most important elements of preparation.

Positioning the event as a visit rather than simply a test is a sensible approach, not least because it is a more accurate picture of the day itself. The right school is a place where the child will enjoy learning, and be able to grow and develop at their own pace, and it’s important to let that happen naturally.

The principle aim of an entry assessment is to gain a true reflection of each child’s ability and temperament, to ensure the best possible match between child and their future school. This is why at St Faith’s the emphasis is on creating an atmosphere on the day where children can both do their best and be themselves. The day starts with a warm welcome and a chance to find out a little about each child, their hobbies and interests.

As part of the St Faith’s assessment day, children are invited to complete various tests, including in English and maths, but also to be informally assessed by teachers. The work is carried out in small groups across various classrooms, with friendly and supportive

helps to extend vocabulary and fluency, but little and often is the smartest strategy whatever form the revision takes, particularly as it can help to keep pressure at bay.

Children should be reminded that this is an opportunity for them to show how well they can do, and that by preparing well and being relaxed they will give themselves the best chance of success. Working hard at regular classwork is the most important thing, and can help to make revision feel less daunting. There is no magic formula for effective revision, but finding a method that works best for the individual child is worth the time and effort. Some children find Careful assessment ensures every child mind-mapping a great tool, while others prefer to write has the attitude and ability to succeed lists or use post-it notes.

Depending on the age and test requirements, parents may like to help by Invariably even children who show a few testing recall of factual knowledge, or helping nerves on arrival are full of beaming smiles by with practice of time management. the time they leave, such is the emphasis on Parents can help their children stick to making the experience a positive one. their revision plan, but every bit as important As well as the emotional preparation that is to ensure plenty of time off for fun, treats enables children to arrive in a relaxed and and celebration over the festive season! happy frame of mind, keen and able to do their best, some parents may wonder how to www.stfaiths.co.uk make the best academic preparation.

Parents can find out from prospective schools exactly what is expected on the day, and the weeks and days preceding the assessment can of course include revision.

There is no substitute for daily reading, which teachers, instead of the more traditional approach of a large group in an imposing hall.

The purpose of these assessments is to offer places to children whose academic potential and approach matches the school’s requirements. Carefully managed assessments ensure that every child who comes to the school will have the attitude and ability to be successful, enjoying to the full the school’s range and standard of activities.

Academic ability is only part of the story, so typically the day will also include other activities and an opportunity to ask questions.

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MAKE A CHANGE

2. VOLUNTEERING VOLUNTEER FOR CAMBRIDGE FAIR After a successful inaugural event that saw more than 80 organizations represented and over 600 people through the doors, Volunteer for Cambridge is back. The event will take place on 30 January from 11am to 4pm in Cambridge Guildhall, and has been organized by Cambridge City Council and Cambridge Hub. This year, almost 100 organizations will be present providing information about themselves and offering ways for people to get involved. The event aims to get more people involved in volunteering, bring together organisations with shared aims, and break down the town and gown divide. As well as the stalls there will be talks, a kids activity area and healthy refreshments on hand. It promises to be a great, fun day and if you can spare a little time drop in to learn more about our community and the ways you can help. www.cambridgehub.org/volunteerfor-cambridge

ARTS AND LOCAL HERITAGE Get hands-on with gardening at the Farmland museum, or DIY at the Burwell. People person? The Museum of Cambridge and The Churches Conservation Trust are looking for event helpers and visitor welcome volunteers.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT Be a Community Champion for the Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service and serve to protect and support local people whilst receiving both training and experience.

Bring books to people unable to leave their homes with Cambridgeshire Libraries Library at Home service and meet new people on the way. If you want to get more fresh air and exercise, check out the You Can Hub CIC’s You Can Bike Too project and go on bike rides with people with and without physical disabilities. Finally, Riverside Housing has a number of ways in which you can help vulnerable local people. If you’re an experienced cook, help out at their ‘Come Dine With Us’ evenings; if you’re a fitness instructor, consider volunteering to induct and instruct on the gym facilities. You can also help as a mentor and befriender, or in an activities role, where you can assist in providing activities for vulnerable adults and people aged between 16 and 60.

If you’re creative, Heritage at Great St Mary’s is asking for arts and crafts volunteers help run activities for families, and if you prefer alone time, you can contribute to by studying local history and writing lesson plans and family activities from home.

YOUNG PEOPLE Work with young carers between the ages of eight and 18 with Centre 33’s Young Carers Project by providing support at meetings, outings and fortnightly youth groups. If you’re aged between 16 and 25, you can work with people around your age at Fulbourn Action for Youth. Adults of all ages can help out with the Cambridge District Scout groups and Cubs.

Volunteer as a leader, assistant leader, or helper at a pre-established group for one evening a week, or help to deliver scouting to an area in which there is not

currently a group. The 1st Oakington Scout and Cub groups in particular are currently looking for some assistant leaders.

THE ELDERLY Age UK Cambridgeshire has various positions on offer, from administrative roles as an Addenbrooke’s hospital volunteer to visiting scheme volunteer opportunities, in which volunteers are asked, essentially,

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MAKE A CHANGE

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW YOU CAN HELP OUR COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH AND LEARNING DIFFICULTIES

ANIMALS & OUTDOORS Dog lovers can help Guide Dogs East Anglia as puppy boarders, walkers and events helpers. Great for people who’d like a dog but can’t commit, being a puppy boarder means looking after a puppy for just a week or two. People interested in more can take on up to 15 months as a puppy walker, helping to train, develop and care for a guide dog puppy. Training provided!

If you prefer the outdoors we’d highlight the Cambridge National Trust volunteers, who perform voluntary conservation work on Sundays at National Trust properties. Or get involved with Cambridgeshire East’s Girl guiding woodland conservation effort at their outdoor activity centre.

to provide their company. The Abbeyfield Society Browns Field House is looking for people to provide time and activities to residents with dementia. Cambridgeshire Care Network is requesting short-term visitors and community group supporters.

They’re also asking people to get involved with village car schemes and as community navigators, helping find information on local activities and services. Finally, the Histon and Impington Community Minibus Ltd is looking for a keyboard player for their over 50s singing group.

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

If you’re interested in helping out in a hands-on way you can, at both Eddie’s and local mental health charity Make, Do and Mend, which is dedicated to helping people with arts and crafts. They’re currently looking for events assistants to help at stalls in local events, leaflet distributors, and workshop assistants and leaders to get stuck in with the arts and crafts side of things. Eddie’s is asking for a variety of people, from befrienders for young people aged between 15 and 25 as well as adults older than 25, to artwork helpers and gardening support workers.

as a gardener at the Mental Health Hospital if you’re a fan of the outdoors, or as a reception officer if you’re comfortable with administrative responsibilities. You can be a hospital trolley helper for the Royal Voluntary Service, selling confectioneries and toiletries in pairs on the wards, a café helper or a volunteer in the A & E department, where you’ll support patients waiting to be assessed and treated. If you’re creative, check out Radio Addenbrooke’s, which is always looking for presenters, request collectors and librarians.

For historians, Headway Cambridgeshire is currently looking for oral history volunteers to collect and archive research.

Cam Sight is calling for befrienders for adults with sight loss, volunteers for rural support groups and, unusually, tandem cyclists. They’re also looking for drivers, and a stamp group helper. Meanwhile Vision4Growth CIC is recruiting tennis coaching assistants to help at weekly training sessions. Cambridgeshire Hearing Help CIO is asking for support volunteers for group sessions, which is a great way to learn more for people looking to expand their knowledge and skill sets. In-depth training in hearing loss and hearing aids is provided.

ILLNESS AND MEDICINE

HOMELESSNESS Help out at Jimmy’s Night Shelter, which is currently looking for reception volunteers to take calls and assist with basic administration, or at Wintercomfort for the Homeless. Wintercomfort has a range of openings: they’re looking for a hairdresser to commit three to four hours once a month at their drop-in centre, an ESOL teacher to plan and teach regular classes, and mentors for volunteers at the Food4Food café. They also need a clothing store manager to help manage their stock of donated clothing and assist clients in finding suitable items.

Volunteer with Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust

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