Cambridge Edition October

Cambridge OCTOBER 2014

Cambridgeshire’s quality lifestyle magazine www.cambsedition.co.uk

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FESTIVAL OF IDEAS CAMBRIDGE CITY ART FAIR

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CONTENTS

OCTOBER 2014

15 38

45

5 • FIVE THINGS TO DO Our pick of the best things to do in Cambridge this month

45 • INDIE OF THE MONTH We pay a visit to King Street’s well-loved café, Afternoon Tease

7-10 • NIGHTLIFE Going out? Here’s what’s happening at Cambridge’s comedy clubs, bars and live music venues

49-55 • FOOD NEWS Bringing you the latest new openings, food news and dates for your diaries

13 • MUSIC BLOG Gigs guaranteed to get your toes tapping and hips wiggling this month

57 • FOOD COLUMN Alex Rushmer pays homage to the most prolific party dip of all: hummus

15 • CAMBRIDGE SOUND Tom Kruczynski catches up with Mercury Music prize nominee and local lad Nick Mulvey

59 • RESTAURANT REVIEW Nicola Foley falls for the charms of Hinxton’s hidden gem, the Red Lion

17-24 • ARTS & CULTURE What’s on at Cambridge’s wonderful museums, galleries and theatres

60-61 • LISTINGS Your complete what’s on diary for the month of October

26-28 • GET CRAFTY As the nights draw in, we’ve got some top ideas for some new craft projects

62 • COMMUNITY News and charitable goings-on in your neighbourhood

32-33 • FESTIVAL OF IDEAS Get inspired at this annual universityorganised event, which features more than 250 talks, debates and more 34-36 • CAMBRIDGE CITY ART FAIR We look at what’s in store for the second outing of this event, which offers a chance to purchase modern and contemporary art and sculpture from all over the world 38-39 • CURATING CAMBRIDGE We’ve got the low-down on the five week long celebration of culture in our city, which kicks off this month 41 • FAMILY A special Halloween edition of our family page, packed with ideas for ghoulish fun with your little ones 42-43 • GRANTCHESTER INTERVIEW We catch up with leading man from the new Grantchester series, James Norton

71-76 • WEDDING SPECIAL Cambridge Edition’s autumn weddings special, packed with inspiring ideas for your big day 79-90 • EDUCATION As open days season descends, we’ve got a guide to making the most of these events 93-96 • BUSINESS We visit the Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning as it celebrates a decade of teaching the tycoons of tomorrow 99-102 • FASHION Autumn wardrobe essentials and our top style picks from local indies 104-105 • BEAUTY New season = a crop of new beauty trends to experiment with. We review the catwalks for the hottest looks for AW14

Welcome

The dazzlingly clever and creative population of our fair city is being showcased at a clutch of great events this month, including one of my annual highlights, the unfailingly brilliant Festival of Ideas. I defy you to flick through the vast programme of enlightening, entertaining and educational talks, debates, film screenings and workshops without finding at least one that takes your fancy – find out more on page 32. Curating Cambridge kicks off its five week long celebration of our city’s culture this month too, offering fascinating display of “our city, our stories, our stuff”, in which Cambridge itself becomes the museum exhibit. October also sees the return of the second annual Cambridge City Art Fair, which Edition is a proud partner of. Pay a visit to The Guildhall from 9-12 of October and you’ll be greeted with a collection of some of the finest works in the world, created by artists both local and international – turn to page 34 for a preview.

In celebration of its tenth anniversary, I also paid a visit to the Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning this month: a fascinating hotbed of enterprise that’s been feeding into our city’s thriving ecosystem of innovation for a decade – turn to page 93 to read all about it. See you next month!

NICOLA FOLEY, EDITOR

COVER ART The artwork featured on this month’s cover is by our own features editor, Jennifer Shelton. This lino print is inspired by the sights and sounds of the Cambridge countryside at night.

EDITORIAL Editor Nicola Foley 01223 499459 nicolafoley@bright-publishing.com Features editor Jennifer Shelton 01223 499463 jennifershelton@bright-publishing.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Alex Rushmer, Angelina Villa-Clarke, Charlotte Griffiths, Daisy Dickinson, Jordan Worland, Ruthie Collins, Charlotte Phillips, Tom Kruczynski, Heidi White

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Sub editors Lisa Clatworthy & Hannah Bealey

Designer Emily Stowe 01223 499450 emilystowe@bright-publishing.com

ADVERTISING

Ad production Lucy Woolcomb 01223 499468 lucywoolcomb@bright-publishing.com

Senior sales executive Claire McGrath 01223 499461 clairemcgrath@bright-publishing.com

PUBLISHING DIRECTORS

Sales executive Lauren Widdowson 01223 499451 laurenwiddowson@bright-publishing. com

Andy Brogden & Matt Pluck 01223 499450

www.bright-publishing.com

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

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NEON MOON Anstey Hall will be the setting for a burlesque extravaganza on 11 October, when the impossibly glamorous Neon Moon Club hosts Carousel, an evening of daring and decadent entertainment and dining (7pm-12.30am, tickets £50).

Featuring fireworks, magicians, dancers and exotic artistes from around the world, as well as plenty more surprises (including, we’re told, some celebrity guests), the event will also include a huge food court. It is being held in aid of Mane Chance Sanctuary, where abandoned and abused horses from all over the UK are rehabilitated and nurtured back to health. Keep an eye out for the Neon Moon Halloween event too, which will take place at The Guildhall on 1 November. www.theneonmoonclub.com

JUDY’S AFFORDABLE VINTAGE FAIR

Always a popular event and just in time to help you stock up your autumn wardrobe, Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair hits Cambridge once again this month, offering 45 fabulous traders and designer-makers from across the country under one roof.

Taking place on 4 October at The Guildhall, the event will feature fashion and accessories from the roaring 20s onwards, as well as collectibles, homeware and jewellery. To help set the mood, there will also be a vintage tea party, complete with gorgeous vintage crockery and plenty of cupcakes. The organisers pride themselves on offering quality vintage goods without the hefty price tag you all-too-often pay – and entry is just £2. Happy shopping! www.judysvintagefair.co.uk

KINDAHAPPY FEST The Missing Sock, Stow-Cum-Quay’s quirky pub, will host a festival with a difference on 11 October, offering a packed day of entertainment, activities and general fun, all based around a theme of kindness.

The event begins with a networking breakfast for social entrepreneurs and those hoping to set up a social enterprise, continuing with inspiring talks from speakers from all walks of life. There will also be live music from Will Robert, Alice Walker and more, as well as yoga, t’ai chi, open mic areas and an alternative market. It runs 10am-12am and costs £13 for the full day. All proceeds go towards funding respite care for carers. www.facebook.com/kindahappy

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CHECK OUT RELEVANT RECORDS Vinyl junkies, listen up! At the end of this month, a brand new independent record store will open its doors on Mill Road, providing a place for likeminded music fans to hang out, chat, listen to tunes and snap up great records, both new and second-hand.

Located at 260 Mill Road, Relevant Records is the brainchild of Andy Powell, who’s finally fulfilling a lifelong dream of opening up his own music shop. The store will also house a café so you can have a coffee and soak up the atmosphere while you peruse the varied collection of vinyl.

Twitter: @Relevant_Cambs

PINK MARTINI Described as a hybrid of a 1930s Cuban dance orchestra, a classical chamber music ensemble, a Brazilian marching street band and Japanese film noir, Pink Martini hit the Corn Exchange on 29 October.

Known for their entertaining performances, this Oregon-based 12-piece orchestra plays a wildly diverse array of tunes and always draws a mixed crowd, equally at home in smoky bars and on concert stages. They’ll be joined on the night by special guests The von Trapps – the real life great grandchildren of Maria and Georg von Trapp! Tickets start at £26.50, starts at 7.30pm. www.cornex.co.uk

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NIGHTLIFE

JOHNNY MARR Guitarist and Morrissey’s co-writer in The Smiths, Johnny Marr is a stone cold rock legend in the eyes of many music fans. With classic hits like This Charming Man, Panic, How Soon is Now, Bigmouth Strikes Again and the immortal There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, The Smiths are regarded as one of the most influential British guitar groups of all time.

After the break-up of the band, Marr continued to produce boundary-pushing music, collaborating with some of the most exciting artists on the scene.

Together with New Order singer and guitarist Bernard Sumner he had a foray into alternative dance music in the group Electronic, as well as earning critical acclaim as a member of rock band Modest Mouse and, later, The Cribs. His latest offering, 2013’s Messenger, was released to a rapturous reception, with NME honouring him with their ‘Godlike Genius’ award in the same year, commenting that ‘never has anyone been so utterly deserving of the title.’

Johnny Marr plays Cambridge Corn Exchange on 21 October at 7.30pm, tickets cost £26.50. www.cornex.co.uk

BUZZCOCKS On the first day of the month, the legendary Buzzcocks hit Cambridge for a gig at Cambridge Junction. One third of punk’s holy trinity, alongside the Sex Pistols and The Clash, Buzzcocks have been thrilling audiences now for over 30 years, cementing their place in the canon of great British music.

They’ve got a vast back catalogue to draw upon, with highlights including Harmony in my Head, What Do I Get, and of course, the anthemic track which has become their calling card, Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve).

The gig takes place at 7pm on 1 October at Cambridge Junction. Tickets are £21 in advance. www.junction.co.uk

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NIGHTLIFE

SHINDIG Shadows, songs and stories congregate to kick off a dark trio of SHINDIG shows, each staged three weeks apart. After surprising audiences for Romsey Art Festival and keeping them awake at Night Watch, the multimedia night returns to get right down to business.

Recounting stories from the dusty, obscure corners of colonial times, The Doomed Bird of Providence explore early Australian history through brooding, dramatic music heavily indebted to Jacques Brel, Scott Walker and the English Folk Revival. They come armed with accordion, ukulele, bass and violin; singer Mark Kluzek tells folk tales.

Russell J Turner tells stories, too.

A born poet, his words are laced with a grit and black humour earned through hard-lived experiences. His tales take new forms this evening – backed by the talents of local musicians Toby Peters (guitar) and Gaze is Ghost (harmonium).

The witching hour begins 8pm, 25 October, £5.50. www.wegottickets.com/ event/288103

ALEXFEST If you're mourning the end of festival season, don't panic: Cambridge Pub The Alex is providing us with another chance to party, festival style, at its brilliant sounding brand new event, Alexfest.

Since relaunching this summer, the Gwydir Street drinking and dining spot has picked up many fans for its delicious gourmet burgers and scrumptious roasts, cask ales, ciders and hip vibe. The decision to hold a festival started as a way to boost the pub’s profile, but has exploded into a full four-day event featuring 20 local bands, a festival-inspired menu and some fun decorative touches.

“We’ll have the main stage out in the garden, with a marquee, and we will have an acoustic stage in the back room of the pub,” says proprietor Ed Barker. “And, because every good festival needs a field, we’ll be turfing over half the pub. We’re going to keep it quite relaxed; there’ll be places for people to chill and have a dance, and we will pop some hay bales out in the garden.”

Non-stop live music will be provided by the likes of local bands Fred’s House and The Hot Lights. “We’ve also got the support of the Lennox Children’s Cancer fund and we’ll be raising money for them. And the whole thing is sponsored by Cambridge 105, so the event will be broadcast over local radio.

“The Alex kitchen will be open so we’ll be doing our burgers as part of a reduced, festivalinspired menu. We’ve also got Braising Saddles, Inder’s Kitchen and the Curly Kale café coming to do pop-ups over the weekend so there’ll be lots of other food options as well.”

Alex runs from 12 noon onwards, 9-12 October. Follow @TheAlexCB1 for more info.

GREGORY PORTER Hailed by the Wall Street Journal as the new ‘king of jazz’, Brooklynbased singer Gregory Porter has been causing quite a stir in the world of soul, drawing comparisons to the likes of Nat Cole and Marvin Gaye for his incredible vocals and captivating live performances.

His second album, Be Good, achieved chart success around the world, whilst 2013’s Liquid Spirit earned him this year’s Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album. Catch him at the Corn Exchange on 31 October at 7.30pm, tickets start at £25. www.cornex.co.uk

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NIGHTLIFE

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booking

NEON MOON HALLOWEEN SHOW 1 November, The Guildhall, £28.50 You’ll need to get in quick if you want to be part of the infamous Neon Moon Burlesque & Cabaret Club’s Halloween shindig, as it’s bound to be a sell-out. Expect incredible costumes, inspired entertainment and plenty of surprises…

THE KOOKS

COMEDY HIGHLIGHTS There’s a crop of great comedians in town this month, kicking off with Jon Richardson at Cambridge Corn Exchange on 5 October (£22, 8pm). Best known as a team captain on TV’s 8 Out Of 10 Cats, he’s bringing his Nidiot tour to town, which offers a hilarious chronicle of his fraught attempts to become more easy-going. Next up is Simon Brodkin, who performs at Cambridge Junction on 13 October (£18.50, 8pm). Famous for his character Lee Nelson – a diamond geezer full of ‘qwalitee’ jokes, he’s sure to offer lots of cringe-making audience interaction and lovable chav banter. Rounding off the trio on 25 October is the ever-eloquent, ever-hilarious Stephen K Amos, with his Welcome to my World show at Cambridge Junction (£18, 8pm).

BOOMSLANG One of Cambridge’s favourite club nights, Boomslang celebrates its tenth birthday this month and they’re marking the occasion in style with a huge party at Cambridge Junction on 11 October.

Heading the line-up is king of the multigenre cut and paste, Jaguar Skills, joined

by Kove, Jackwob, and a host of others.

It runs 10pm right the way through to 6am and tickets are £20. Stay tuned for the next Boomslang event headed our way too, when Cambridge Junction will host hip hop legend Grandmaster Flash on 7 November. www.junction.co.uk

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18 November, Corn Exchange, £22 Brighton based rockers The Kooks play the Corn Exchange next month in support of their latest album, Listen. Expect new material plus renditions of noughties indie classics like Naïve, She Moves in her Own Way and Ooh La.

RODRIGO Y GABRIELA 1 December, Corn Exchange, from £27.50 Fresh from playing the main stage at Glastonbury, Mexican acoustic duo Rodrigo y Gabriela are back in the UK in the autumn for a string of shows including Cambridge Corn Exchange in December.

MARK WATSON 31 January, Corn Exchange, £17.50 Following a run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, multi award-winning comedian Mark Watson will be embarking on a huge national tour this autumn, marking his ten-year anniversary in comedy. Catch his show Flaws at the Corn Exchange in January.

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NIGHTLIFE

WILKINSON

JUNGLE Jungle is not, as the name suggests, an old school drum and bass outfit, but a funked out, psychedelic electro duo who like to shroud themselves in mystery.

One of the most hyped urban acts of the year, the band – which has been nominated for this year’s Mercury Prize – originally consisted of ‘J’ and ‘T’: a pair of childhood friends from Shepherd’s Bush. They kept their identities hidden at first, choosing not to appear in the videos for their early singles – instead, The Heat featured incredible roller skating routines from the High Rollaz skate crew and Platoon showcased the jaw-dropping talents of six-year-old breakdancer, Terra. Both went viral and the public and the critics went nuts for Jungle’s hypnotic, 1970s inspired grooves. The duo has now acquired a handful of new members, classing themselves these days as an ‘art collective’. They’ve also been selling out venues left, right and centre and we reckon this has the potential to be one of the most interesting gigs of the year in Cambridge. Catch them doing their thing on Tuesday 28 October at 7pm, tickets are £13.50. www.junction.co.uk

DJ and producer Matt Wilkinson has been making his presence known on the UK electronic music scene over the past 12 months, releasing some of the world’s biggest club hits and collaborating with the likes of Katy B and Wretch 32.

Going by the stage name Wilkinson, the London artist has been putting drum and bass on the map as a genre, DJing around the world and garnering over a million singles downloads – as well as enjoying chart success with raver anthems Afterglow and Too Close.

He plays Cambridge Junction on Saturday 25 October (8pm-12am) with support from Etherwood and Toyboy & Robin. Tickets are £13 in advance. www.junction.co.uk

EDDI READER Sure to delight local folk fans, Scottish songstress Eddi Reader pays a visit to Cambridge this month for a gig at Cambridge Junction on 20 October. Known for her crystalline voice, Reader had a colourful ascent to stardom: cutting her teeth busking around her home town of Glasgow before heading off on the road around Europe with circus and performance artists. She harmonised with fellow Scot Annie Lennox on the Eurythmics tour and was part of punk outfit Gang of Four too, before becoming a household name as lead vocalist with the short-lived but warmly remembered Fairground Attraction.

Topping the charts with the irresistibly catchy single Perfect, the parent album First of a Million Kisses also reached number one. Since then she’s earned an MBE for services to singing, as well as building up a diverse body of work including seven solo albums and a number of collaborations – including a long-term working relationship with Cambridge songwriter Boo Hewerdine.

Eddi plays Cambridge Junction on 20 October (7pm) and tickets are £21. www.junction.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 ctober is a colossus month for live music in Cambridge, featuring critically acclaimed names, breakthrough acts of the year, returning favourites and a very special home town show.

Our first tip for October is a mysterious duo whose Mercury Prize nominated album was one of the year’s most anticipated debut records. Jungle is based around a core musical duo of lifelong friends known simply as J and T, who expand to a thrilling seven-piece live, and make mesmeric, kaleidoscopic modern soul that’s unmistakably born in the UK but has true global appeal (their Platoon video has already racked up more than four million views). The album was met with widespread critical acclaim when released in the summer and Jungle’s show at the Cambridge Junction on 28 October is not to be missed.

New Jersey’s hazy indie rockers Real Estate play the J2 at Cambridge Junction on the 20th. Earlier this year Real Estate released their third album, Atlas. The most collaborative Real Estate record to date and one of the most acclaimed albums of the year, Atlas was written by Martin Courtney, Matt Mondanile, Alex Bleeker and Jackson Pollis while cruising through the Arizona desert and during a press conference in Madrid, in a practice room in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and in an attic in the band’s home town of Ridgewood, New Jersey.

The Real Estate show on the 20th is given extra appeal by Canadian fuzz-pop quintet Alvvays being confirmed as the support act. Alvvays take the template laid out by the likes of Scottish stalwarts Teenage Fanclub, The Vaselines and Belle and Sebastian and fuse it with a strong sense of self and a unique personality.

Celebrating the success of their debut album, Eagulls have announced details of their biggest UK headline tour to date, throughout October and into November, featuring a date at Cambridge’s The

Portland Arms on 7 October. The punk rock quintet’s critically acclaimed eponymous debut album was recorded in Leeds between touring and their full-time deadend jobs and is bursting at the seams with barely concealed bile and rage.

Every time Dry The River play Cambridge you can guarantee that it’ll be euphoric and quickly sold out and we expect their Cambridge Junction show on 3 October to be no different. The show ties in with the release of their second album, Alarms in the Heart in August. This latest album is bold, expansive, confident and cohesive – an undeniable step up in both diversity and volume from their critically acclaimed debut, Shallow Bed. Electronically inclined art-pop quartet Hundred Waters have announced their return to European shores with a 20-date headline tour this autumn. The UK leg of the tour includes a show here in Cambridge, at

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The Portland Arms on 21 October. The band released their sophomore record earlier this year and it was a triumph which featured increased attention to complex rhythms and lush textures buoyed by Nicole Miglis’s breathtaking, virtuosic vocals.

Also on the 21st, living legend and creator of some of the greatest guitar riffs of all time, Johnny Marr, returns to Cambridge.

Marr’s Corn Exchange show coincides with the release of his second solo album Playland earlier in the month.

October also sees the return of The Subways to Cambridge. Welwyn Garden City’s finest play The Portland Arms on the 29th. The band has recently completed work on their fourth album, so expect some new ones to be road-tested alongside their better-known tracks.

West Country folk singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Seth Lakeman returns to Cambridge to play the Corn Exchange on 22 October. Lakeman is touring his latest album, Word of Mouth, an album on which he unearthed hidden histories and unsung heroes to commemorate in song from in and around his native Devon and Cornwall.

Nick Mulvey plays a home town show this month, and he has much to celebrate on his return to Cambridge Junction on the 17th. 2014 has seen Mulvey’s mesmerising debut album met with widespread acclaim and a Mercury Prize nomination, and this summer has seen him filling festival tents to bursting point, commanding huge audiences everywhere from Glastonbury’s Pyramid stage to Green Man and Bestival.

Finally, we end with a mention for this year’s Oxjam event. Taking place on Saturday 18 October, Oxjam Cambridge has a whole host of local acts covering a wide variety of different genres playing across five venues along Hills Road and Regent Street in the heart of town, with all profits from the event going to Oxfam.

Tell us about your gig at www.slatethedisco.com

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CAMBRIDGE SOUND

WORDS TOM KRUCZYNSKI

THE CAMBRIDGE

SOUND

#5 NICK MULVEY When Nick Mulvey last played in Cambridge (a low-key gig at the United Emmanuel Reform Church last November), it seemed that both artist and audience were aware that the next year would be a big one – but neither could have guessed precisely how extraordinary it would turn out to be.

Mulvey’s debut album First Mind went straight into the top ten, his single Cucurucu was playlisted on Radio 1 and hit the top 40, he performed on the revered Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury and within days of our interview, First Mind was nominated for the Mercury Prize. That’s not to say his sudden ascent has been a result of good luck: this is an artist who has spent years working hard and honing his craft.

Remarkably, this is also not the first time Mulvey has been nominated for a Mercury Prize. The band he helped form whilst studying at SOAS, Portico Quartet, achieved widespread acclaim, and their debut album Knee-deep in the North Sea was nominated for the prestigious prize in 2008. But what must’ve seemed like a huge gamble, leaving an established and successful group to go it alone as a solo singer-songwriter, certainly seems to be paying off.

“I really just needed to keep changing to keep being creative,” he says when we caught up with him en route to Bestival, “When you set your life up to depend on your creativity, it really takes you deeply into thinking about where it comes from, and how can I sustain it? I was tired of playing the hang drum and wanted to play guitar again and write songs and sing and write the lyrics. I knew from my experiences with Portico Quartet that it takes a bit of time. I was 22 at that point and I knew that if I didn’t get on it, then I’d miss the boat.”

Growing up in Cambridge, Mulvey was playing music from an early age; first kitchen pans, then onto a full drum kit before exploring the piano and guitar. His first live performances were at the Folk Club at The

Portland Arms and the band he formed at Long Road Sixth Form College, The Cunning Stunts, played their early shows at The Man on The Moon.

“I was always playing and it was all very seamless: the transition to loving music like that to it being professionally a part of my life was also very seamless. I started Portico Quartet and we were doing all the things that are the profession before we even realised we were doing it.”

From early this year it was easy to see the groundswell building up around Mulvey, but it was the single Cucurucu that catapulted him into the mainstream. The song is based on a poem by D.H. Lawrence, in which a child sits under a piano, experiencing his mother playing and singing. This seemingly esoteric composition evidently resonated with listeners, in no small part due to the care and affection given to the songwriting and the fact that Mulvey’s music defies singersongwriter clichés, with an end result that both comforts and challenges the listener.

“People are really up for interesting music, interesting writing, and unusual writing,” he muses when asked about the feedback he’s had to Cucurucu. “People actually responded really well to that song, that really does something, not just more music about being in the club. The words ‘yearning to belong’, I know that mattered to me so I can only hope that it mattered to other people, that they could resonate with it and get their own meaning out of it.”

With a full band, a home crowd and a considerable buzz currently surrounding him, Mulvey’s gig at Cambridge Junction this month looks set to be very different, but no less special, than last year’s show.

“I hope that every gig in Cambridge will always be that special and that each one will naturally surpass the other,” says Nick. “To someone who hasn’t seen my performance since last November it should be a real transition and that really excites me.”

Nick Mulvey plays Cambridge Junction on 17 October, 7pm, £13.50. 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

ART UNEQUALLED Ely residents and anyone with an eye for art can get their cultural fix at Art Unequalled, a diverse exhibition taking place at The Maltings. Returning for its fourth year this October, it will showcase the work of artists and makers from all over Europe, from sculptors and jewellers to painters and photographers. There will also be a chance to see some of the artists in action, plus a professional storyteller to entertain all ages. Drinks, snacks and lunches will also be available.

Art Unequalled runs 18 and 19 October, 10.30am-5pm. Entry is £2 for adults, £1 for concessions, and children under 15 go free. www.artunequalled.co.uk

JOHN CLEESE French taunter, silly walker and irritable hotelier, the legendary John Cleese pays a visit to our city this month as part of his latest one-man show, currently on tour.

The comedy giant (literally: he was already 6ft tall by the age of 13) is known and loved for his performances in Monty Python, Fawlty Towers and films from A Fish Called Wanda to Shrek. This year, Cleese released a new book, So, Anyway, tales from which he’ll be sharing in what’s sure to be a night of laughter, absurdity and dry, ever-soEnglish humour.

It will be somewhat of a homecoming for Cleese, who as a younger man read law here at Downing College and joined Footlights, where he met writing partner and fellow Python, Graham Chapman.

Join him at Cambridge Arts Theatre, 19 October, 7.45pm. Tickets £25. www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA This October, take your seat for the opening concert of the Cambridge Classical Concert Series at Cambridge Corn Exchange on 17 October.

Fabien Gabel conducts and the soloist is Natasha Paremski, who will display her astonishing virtuosic skills to Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Schumann’s passionate Manfred Overture and Brahms’ Symphony No. 2, flowing with warmth and optimism, are also on the bill, plus short new compositions composed by music students from Cambridge.

The Cambridge Classical Concert Series has become increasingly popular in recent years; regularly playing to packed houses and attracting newcomers as well as traditional concert goers. Tickets from £28.50 (£12.50 students and under 16s). www.cornex.co.uk

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ARTS & CULTURE

JANE AUSTEN AT HOME Escape into the genteel world of Jane Austen in a dramatised celebration of her works, taking place at Stapleford Granary, 2 October. Crucial in the popularisation of the modern novel, Austen has given us some of literature’s most beloved stories, heroes and heroines. But far from a writer of whimsical romance, the author herself was known for her sharp wit, sensible and satirical philosophies and often black sense of humour – but always warm-heartedness.

In this costumed performance, Emerald O’Hanrahan will bring to life Austen’s letters, memoirs, poetry and novels, shedding more light on the lady herself, as well as the manners and attitudes of the late 18th century world she inhabited.

Stapleford Granary is a traditional barn set at the edge of Stapleford village, dedicated to the performance and development of the arts.

Starts 7.30pm; tickets £6-£12. www.staplefordgranary.org.uk

ALL MY SONS Arthur Miller’s post-war study of family life and public responsibility is adapted for the stage this autumn, showing at the ADC Theatre, 14-18 October.

In suburban Connecticut, 1948, a family comes to terms with the idea that one of their boys, Larry, will never return from war.

Tensions slowly rise and secrets unravel as the true story comes to light. Set over 24 hours, All My Sons has been likened to a modern Greek tragedy as well as a critique of the myth of the American Dream.

See it at the ADC Theatre, 7.45pm; tickets £7-£12. www.adctheatre.com

ALED JONES From boy wonder to household name, Aled Jones continues to bring us world-class music in his latest live show, Songs of Hope & Inspiration, coming to Cambridge Corn Exchange on 8 October.

The singer, actor, broadcaster and presenter – and part-time dancer – will be joined by talented musicians to perform a concert of songs from Jones’s 27 years in the public eye. In the programme there’ll be a mix of classics and popular favourites, each with a story to tell.

It starts at 7.30pm; tickets cost £27.50-£30. www.cornex.co.uk

MICHAEL PALIN There’s a chance to see another Python this month as Michael Palin – actor, explorer and writer extraordinaire – stops off at Cambridge Corn Exchange as part of his first ever oneman theatre tour.

Palin started out as a presenter for pop show Now!, next joining university chum Terry Gilliam on The Frost Report before Monty Python exploded onto the cultural scene in 1969.

After the series ended in 1974, Palin continued writing for TV and acting in both comedy and serious dramas (did you know he once appeared in Home And Away as an English surfer with a fear of sharks?).

Post-Python, he is probably best known for his travel documentaries which have seen him trek from pole to pole, cross the world’s largest desert and mingle with peoples from the furthest-flung corners of the globe.

This show, Travelling to Work, will look back over his 25 years spent exploring the globe plus nearly 50 years in entertainment. Expect enlightening tales of wondrous worlds, amusing cock-ups, comedy capers and much, much more. 3 October, 7.30pm; tickets £32. www.cornex.co.uk

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ARTS & CULTURE

1984

GWEN RAVERAT AT KETTLE’S YARD

One of the most evocative set of numbers in modern culture, 1984 spawned many of today’s concepts, phrases and ideas, from Big Brother to the notorious Room 101.

Written by George Orwell in 1948, it imagines Great Britain in a future consumed by war and government surveillance. Independent thinking is forbidden, falling in love is illegal and history is rewritten to support the party line – something that Winston Smith dreams of overthrowing…

This critically acclaimed adaptation by Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan transfers Orwell’s ideas to the stage in what has been described by The Times as a ‘chilling, ingenious’ piece of drama which remains as relevant today as it ever was.

1984 runs at Cambridge Arts Theatre between 21 and 25 October, 7.45pm (2.30pm Thursday & Saturday matinees). A pre-show talk also takes place on the Wednesday at 6.30pm. Tickets from £15. www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

The homely exhibition space at Kettle’s Yard is currently filled with atmospheric wood engravings by celebrated artist Gwen Raverat, featuring intricately detailed depictions of local scenes.

Gwen was brought up in Cambridge in the 1880s, the daughter of Sir George Howard Darwin and granddaughter of Charles Darwin. Together with her French husband she was an active member of the famed Bloomsbury Group until their move to France. As well as her skilful woodcuts, she received acclaim as the author of Period Piece: A Cambridge Childhood and was a key part of the 20th century wood engraving revival in Britain.

The exhibition runs at Kettle’s Yard until 23 November; opening times 11.30am-5pm, Tuesdays to Sundays. www.kettlesyard.co.uk

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ENGLISH TOURING OPERA Cambridge gets its annual visit from the never-knowingly upstaged ETO this month as it puts on two great operas. On 22 October, the comedy director behind One Man, Two Guvnors gets behind Haydn’s Life on the Moon – one of his most popular and accessible operas. A kind of 18th century science fiction, it sees a would-be astronomer dupe an old miser into believing he has flown to the moon. Then, on 23 and 24 October, be dazzled by Handel’s Ottone, a romantic story taking place in royal courts, at sea and in dramatic caves. Expect lavish costumes and breathtaking arias, sung in English.

The operas start at 7.30pm; tickets from £12, with student tickets and multiple-buy options on offer. www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

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ARTS & CULTURE

THE ARTS

CULTURE INTERVIEW

PERFECT NONSENSE What ho! Bertie Wooster and his sidekick Jeeves are taking to the stage – Jennifer Shelton chats to the men behind the myths ambridge theatregoers are in for a week of jocular japes this month as the Olivier Awardwinning Perfect Nonsense transfers to Cambridge Arts Theatre from the West End. Starring John Gordon Sinclair (Gregory’s Girl) and James Lance (Teachers), the show invites us into the wonderful Wodehousian world of cheery gentleman of leisure Bertie Wooster and his impeccable valet, Jeeves.

Called on to play matchmaker during a country house weekend, Bertie manages to land himself in a series of scrapes which only his cunning companion can resolve.

Expect larks, liberal smatterings of “What ho!”s and, of course, loaded dollops of “Very good, sir”.

John Gordon Sinclair, stepping into the shiny shoes and bowler hat as Jeeves, says it’s the humour of P. G Wodehouse’s writing and the scriptwriters’ deft interpretation which have ensured the play’s immense success.

“Bobby Goodale, our writer, and director Sean Foley have done a great job.

If you’re a Wodehouse fan you won’t be disappointed. All the characters and classic Wodehouse lines that litter the books are there, then they’ve added an extra element which makes it sort of like Wodehousemeets-Monty Python.”

P. G Wodehouse wrote over 70 novels and 200 short stories, with Bertie and Jeeves first appearing in 1915.

“The characters are very human,” adds James Lance (pictured), playing perennial bumbler Bertie. “Wodehouse has written a perfect double act.

I think that old adage that opposites attract is very true in this case. You couldn’t get much further apart than Bertie and Jeeves, but there’s a strange kind of synergy that occurs when they’re together.”

Many will remember the duo as played

by Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. Both James and John are staunch fans of the

series, but were able to come at the roles in their own ways.

“It’s first-class TV,” James enthuses.

“In a way, because of those wonderful performances everyone, including myself, already has an idea of how Bertie should be. So I was a bit daunted by that initially.

But then I started to read the novels and really investigate Bertie as a character.

And inevitably my performance of him can only be my own, in the same way as Hugh Laurie’s can only be his.”

"There are certain things you can’t escape with Jeeves," says John, “like the way he speaks. But because we’re playing lots of different characters it gives a lot more scope for playing around.”

The show sees John and James joined

by Robert Goodale in portraying an entire cast of characters, from the imposing Aunt Dahlia to Bertie’s old school chums Gussie

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Fink-Nottle and ‘Stiffy’ Bing.

Described in the books as a young gentleman with a ‘distinctive blend of airy nonchalance and refined gormlessness’, or simply a ‘fathead’, Bertie nonetheless carries endearing qualities in abundance, not least his affection for his pals.

“The interesting thing about Bertie is that he’s an orphan,” says James.

“He’s been buffeted between nannies and aunts, Eton and Cambridge, and so latched on to friends: his job is helping his friends out. And of course Jeeves fills that paternal, almost maternal, role.

“I’ve fallen in love with Bertie,” James admits, “he’s such a fun character. He’s a big kid, really. In that sense I’ve been able to revisit that childlike nature in myself. It’s really fun to be uncomplicated and as much in the moment as Bertie is.”

Jeeves, meanwhile, remains as mysterious as Bertie is transparent.

“He’s a kind of omnipresent, godlike figure,” John considers. “He’s this fount of knowledge, he knows all these different languages and he can do and solve anything. Still there’s so much you don’t know about Jeeves.”

He jokes: “I think of him as sitting in this tiny little one-bedroom flat in Covent Garden, quite slovenly,” laughs John. “With a wee vodka and a fag. But no, he’s too pure for that.”

Jeeves and Wooster continue that rather British tradition of servants outwitting their masters, which dates back as far as Shakespeare’s ‘fools’.

John agrees: “It’s a play on the class system. You have these toffs who think they’re vastly superior and run the world, but in actual fact they don’t. I think that appeals.”

Perfect Nonsense, Cambridge Arts Theatre, 6-11 October.

Tickets from £15. www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

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ARTS & CULTURE

SILENT PARTNERS Unexpected, humorous and sometimes shocking, a new exhibition at Cambridge’s Fitzwilliam Museum is set to expose the mystery of the artist’s mannequin. Jennifer Shelton speaks to curator Jane Munro about this secret of the studio

he Black Brunswicker by John Millais is a painting I’ve seen many times before, but only now am I learning one of its biggest secrets. The tender scene shows a soldier departing for battle while his sweetheart begs him to stay. The young woman is Charles Dickens’s daughter, Kate, and the private is a real soldier, chosen by the artist for his good looks. But the two were probably never in such a clinch.

Jane Munro, curator of a new exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum, explains.

“Propriety dictated that two unacquainted members of opposite sexes could not assume so intimate a pose in real life, so the models sat at different times and a mannequin was called in, leaving the Life Guard to embrace a (presumably stuffed) lay figure, while his fair lady, Miss Dickens, ‘leant on the bosom of a man of wood’.”

Silent Partners: Artist and Mannequin from Function to Fetish opens at the museum on 14 October, running until January when it transfers to Paris.

Visitors will be able to view life-size

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mannequins and dolls – many works of art in themselves – and over 180 artworks; some comical, some unsettling, but all of which reveal the fascinating, untold story of the studio dummy.

“The mannequin was a common figure in the studios of painters and sculptors from the Renaissance onwards,” Jane explains. “It was used to study perspective,

arrange compositions, rehearse the fall of light and shade and, especially, to paint drapery and clothing. The mannequin was also a way of sparing living models from endless hours straining to maintain a pose.

“The 19th century was a turning point.

Mannequin making became a profession in its own right and Paris became a leading centre of production. Competition was fierce to create and perfect the ‘naturalistic’ mannequin, one that was life-size, with an articulated skeleton that could move in realistic ways, and an exterior finish that was painted and padded to look – sometimes eerily – human.”

The closeness to human form was not lost on some artists, and there are stories of dummies being used for less-thanwholesome pursuits...

“Oskar Kokoschka’s doll was created under his artistic direction, in the image of his great muse and ex-lover, Alma Mahler, with whom he fell passionately in love in 1912. Their affair ended two years later, and after the war he discovered Alma had remarried. To console himself he commissioned a life-sized doll, modelled on Alma, intended to allow him to always have the woman of his dreams by his side. Her role was as sexual substitute or fetish, and he featured it in a number of his paintings. He finally beheaded the doll at a party.”

Summing up the allure of these lifelike but lifeless figures, Jane explains: “The mannequins exercise a fascination as replicas of ourselves. We try to ‘read’ them as fellow human beings but constantly fail because they lack key ‘signals’ to read, such as movement and facial expression, but still suggest that there is something of a life within.”

She continues, “Artists understood this and, as the exhibition will show, came to exploit this in a range of imaginative, playful and sometimes troubling ways.” www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

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ARTS & CULTURE

BYARD ART New works by artist Beckie Reed will go on display at Byard Art this month, revealing her unique technique and interpretation of the natural world.

Beckie, who lives in East Anglia, studied fine art painting at Loughborough University and has been developing her own style of painting since graduating in 2004. To create her atmospheric works of art, Beckie combines different techniques and processes, building up layers and merging abstract with detail. High-gloss black enamel tree trunks vie for attention against delicate, dappled light and precise, detailed pathways.

Her latest work will be available to view at the gallery from 9 October. www.byardart.co.uk

THE FULL MONTY

THE TRIALS OF OSCAR WILDE

Hailed as a ‘rip-roaring adaptation’ of the 1997 film, original writer Simon Beaufoy has been attracting great praise for the stage version of this modern British classic. Set in the downtrodden steelworker communities of Sheffield, six out-of-work average Joes leave their comfort zone way behind to put on a live striptease act to earn some money. Featuring catchy tunes from Hot Chocolate, Tom Jones and Donna Summer, it proved the feel-good hit of the 90s – now watch them go The Full Monty live on stage!

Showing at Cambridge Arts Theatre 13-18 October, 7.45pm (2.30pm Thurs & Sat matinee). Tickets from £15. www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

Adored, imprisoned and remembered for his brilliant wit, the monumental rise and catastrophic fall of Oscar Wilde remains one of the dizziest in show business history.

But was he a victim or the author of his own ruin?

On 6 October, the European Arts Company returns with a dramatisation of the trials of Oscar Wilde which saw the A Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest playwright persecuted for ‘gross indecency with other men’ at the height of his fame, eventually dying destitute at just 46.

Find out all that was said and done in court in 1895, using the original court records and starring John Gorick as a terse, poised Wilde.

It’s being performed at the Mumford Theatre, 7.30pm, with a free pre-show talk taking place at 6.30pm with Professor John Gardner, principal lecturer in English Literature at Anglia Ruskin University.

Tickets from £8.50. www.anglia.ac.uk

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Illustration by Louisa Taylo r

ARTS & CULTURE

ctober is utterly full of art happenings, relentless even.

Partially because of Curating Cambridge, partnered with the Festival Of Ideas, an ambitious new citywide collaborative initiative from Cambridge Museums that’s helping to shake off the dust a little from our city’s world famous heritage spots – making them home to innovative contemporary arts, all asking us what curating means to us, in the city.

I’ll be appearing in a short film to be screened at the festival, exploring what happens when makers and creatives push themselves out of their comfort zones.

Anyone who’s ever exhibited their first ever solo show will know the cycle of inspiration, dread, panic and euphoria inherent in the creative process as that exhibition opening date creeps closer and closer (‘Whyyyy am I doing this?’). But what about scientists and entrepreneurs? How do they also cope with taking risk? Are we all just a weeny bit masochistic, or plain old bonkers? As part of the film, I am leaping out of a plane to help me deal with my fear of heights (and raise money for the Art Salon), talking to artists and makers along the way about their own stories of risk.

Come and see the film – made by award winning Toby Peters, at Michaelhouse Café as part of a Cambridge Art Salon show Risky City: Makers Of Contemporary Cambridge, running from 20 October.

Watch out for Dante’s Paradise: Imagining The Divine, also at the festival on Saturday 25 October, featuring the likes of David Richardson, Alan Rogerson, Jill Fordham and Penny Hayes – with talks from Cambridge University scholars on Dante, a must-see for fans of dystopia. Or check the Women Of The World Festival (WOW) at Cambridge Junction, which features a cabaret from female artists across the city – I’ll be there talking about feminism and its challenges in modern day culture. Phew.

I’m also making a beeline for the wonderful Art Language Location (ALL), founded by Robert Good, who recently appeared in Sheffield offering live absolution to those who have confessed to failing to read or finish certain books.

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THE ART INSIDER

showca se s A rt of th e Brick this month, down Brick L a neN at ha n don't miss out on s Sa wa ya's creation

Find Anna Reali's work at Dante's Paradise at Curating Cambridge

Sound artist Phillip Cornett isn't one to be missed at ALL This year, the festival’s hub is Cambridge Waterstones – watch out for the launch party there – plus I’ve pencilled sound artist Phillip Cornett’s 38-minute sound loop, and multimedia installation Collective Non-Decision Making, In Two Parts appearing at Anglia Ruskin, on 25 October firmly in my diary. Cornett is definitely an artist to watch, with his edgy, clever, human-spirited sound art pieces. Be bewildered, but inspired.

Meanwhile, budding art collectors head for the second ever Cambridge City Art Fair 9-12 October – it’s packed with galleries from all over the UK, plus some of Cambridge’s leading galleries, such as Byart Art. This year Own Art present on how you can use this Arts Council funded scheme to get purchasing contemporary art from as little as £10 a month. Go. Schmooze at the pop up wine bar and gastro café. Buy. Eurgh, I hear you scream. Art isn’t all about buying! I agree (though it’s a time

old way to invest in artists and galleries) – it’s also about disturbing, exploring and shocking, that’s why I am heading to Silent Partners: Artist and Mannequin from Function to Fetish, at the Fitzwilliam Museum from 14 October, exploring the artist’s relationship to the mannequin throughout the ages. I am preparing myself to be slightly repulsed – watch out for Oskar Kokoschka’s custom-made love doll ‘fetisch’, in the shape of his ex, created to be worshipped and also eliminated (ah, how lovely).

Finally, leap on the train to London to check world famous lego sculptor Nathan Sawaya’s show Art Of The Brick, at Brick Lane’s Truman Brewery. It’s one the kids are guaranteed to love, so I’ll be there with family and friends, marvelling at these gargantuan, bright creations, feeling nostalgic about those days when all we really wanted in life was the latest Star Wars lego set – trying not to play with the bricks. Have a fabulous October, all.

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19/09/2014 16:37

CRAFT

Zena Toscani

WORDS JENNIFER SHELTON

With the nights drawing in and a chill in the air, now's the perfect time for cosy afternoons of crafting. Jennifer Shelton gets inspired for some new projects Summer may be great for barbecues, beaches and topping up your tan, but for me, autumn is the time of year I really look forward to. Warm, golden afternoons followed by crisp, cosy nights, autumn is an excuse to pull on a favourite jumper, take long country walks then snuggle down in front of the latest Sunday night drama. It’s also when a lot of us cast about for a new craft project, either with Christmas presents in mind, or because you can’t have too many scarves – ever.

Chunky wool in hand, I joined the first Meet & Make session of the year at Craft Days, Saffron Walden, to find out more

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about this community of crafters. Jane Shaw set up Craft Days three years ago. It’s a wondrous emporium of beads, buttons, fabrics and, above all, ideas: stop by for a ribbon and you’ll almost certainly leave with a full dress pattern, some papier mâché animals and plans to make a king-size quilt before winter is out.

Meet & Make evenings are held in the shop every other week, and a chance to bring along whatever you’re working on and have a natter with other local crafters (with tea and biscuits too, of course).

There’s a range of ages present here and the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed.

I’m sandwiched between two busy, chatty knitters, while Jane, opposite, knits a cosy cowl – like a tube scarf – for the shop window. “One ball of wool makes one scarf, and they’re great Christmas presents,” she says.

Jane uses largely British suppliers and buys in only natural materials where she can, including a new wool blend of alpaca and silk, which is proving popular.

Behind me sits an elegant lady in a beautiful blue and green patterned dress – which I learn, enviously, she has made herself. A dressmaker too, Jane teaches a range of classes at

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CRAFT

Dates for your diary…

8 October: MACHINE BASICS AT BACKSTITCH Hone your techniques and come away with a handmade scatter cushion at this beginner’s class at Backstitch, Burwash Manor.

Machines and materials are provided, but you’re welcome to bring your own. 10am-1pm, £35. www.burwashmanor.com 11 October: INTRODUCTION TO MAKING CLOTHES FOR CHILDREN, CALLYCO Learn how to follow a pattern, cut and stitch your fabric and create a beautiful garment for a little person in your life. At their lovely Cambridge shop, you’ll also learn seaming, hemming and shaping techniques, plus how to make a buttonhole. 10am-5pm, £70. www.callyco.com 15 October: M ROSENBERG TRAVELLING FABRIC SHOW M Rosenberg has been supplying material to the nation for over 50 years. At this roadshow, work your way through tabletops full of beautiful patterned materials, buttons, trimmings and other adornments. Trumpington Village Hall, 10am-4pm, free entry. www.trumpingtonvillagehall.co.uk Craft Days, including dressmaking, shirtmaking, crochet, needle felting and even bookbinding. There’s also a Get To Know Your Sewing Machine evening on 25 October, which sounds ideal for an eager novice like me.

The Meet & Make evening wraps up just after 9pm, and in the last three hours I’ve picked up tips and ideas, and got to know a room full of friendly, intelligent and creative women. Jane jokes that the class doubles as a support group, as everyone chats about their day and airs the odd office grievance.

These gatherings also helped one

admirable woman through a difficult illness; the knitting and sewing focusing her mind and the companionship of the group providing emotional support and a grounding sense of normality.

Whatever your motives, and whatever you’re making, getting together with other creative types over hot drinks, surrounded by beautiful colours and textures, isn’t a bad way to spend an October evening. My scarf, now a few rows closer to completion, might even be ready for that first real cold snap. Bring it on.

27 High Street, Saffron Walden, 01799 218429, www.craft-days.co.uk

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24 October: FESTIVE CROCHET, CRAFT DAYS Get a headstart on your Christmas crafting and come along to this crochet workshop in Saffron Walden. Learn how to make simple decorations for your tree and home.

Materials and hooks provided.

10am-1.30pm, £45. www.craft-days.co.uk

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CRAFT

A word with…

Vanessa Stone, cut paper artist Using just paper and a scalpel, Vanessa cuts shapes and lines which are layered from back to front to create her striking, colourful images

I’ve become known for my landscapes and townscapes. I grew up in the country, but I love the bustle of town, so I tend to flit between the two.

My work is about getting to the essence of something, like the cubists did, using bold shapes which come together to represent something in its simplest form.

My images have an arts & crafts feel, and because they’re quite bold people either love or hate them. I think they have quite an English sensibility.

I love coming to Cambridge, it’s always alive. There’s a lot of flair in the town.

I do a lot of Cambridge buildings, but some of them are quite difficult! They’re very intricate. And I really love the punts and bikes: the little things to do with everyday life.

Paper is a lovely material to use and something we have around us every day. I trained in textiles then after I had children I took a break. In around 2006 I started making stencils. I was aware of lots of cut paper artists and it was when Rob Ryan was getting more and more popular. With paper, you can get a very crisp, bold line.

Working backwards is a different type of skill, your brain has to work

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differently to most people’s. It’s like making lino prints in that it’s much more about what you’re cutting away.

I work from a studio at home. It’s small and very quiet: I go in there and nobody disturbs me. I find it hard to work with music, though I often listen to the radio.

Too much music tends to energise me and paper cutting is very ‘zen’ so you have to be quite still and calm.

I come from a family of craftspeople: ladies’ tailors, grooms, cobblers… people who worked with their hands. That’s what I love about my work. There’s lots of laser cutting around, but for me the important bit is the handmade element; the process of physically cutting the paper and feeling it with your hands.

I’d exhibited quite a lot with my textiles, then with the paper cutting I came to Cambridge and went into Byard Art with some work and amazingly they said they’d take some straight away! That doesn’t usually happen, so I think I was lucky.

I’ve got two big solo exhibitions taking place next year, one in Sailsbury and one in Kettering. Because I grew up in Sailsbury, to have a solo show there, in my home town, is wonderful. They’ll be the biggest exhibitions I’ve done: I feel that I’m going up a notch! www.vanessastone.net

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FESTIVAL OF IDEAS

FESTIVAL OF IDEAS

The Cambridge University organised festival returns for another packed schedule of inspiring events this month. Nicola Foley reviews what's in store yberbullying, climate conspiracies, feminism and racial politics are just some of the thoughtprovoking issues under the spotlight at this year’s Festival of Ideas, which returns to Cambridge from 20 October to 2 November.

Now in its seventh year, the event aims to celebrate arts, humanities and social sciences, offering up more than 250 fascinating events at venues across the city.

The rich programme includes lectures, film screenings, exhibitions, debates, comedy nights, family activities and more, this year exploring a central theme of ‘Identities’.

Before the festival kicks off, you can get to know Cambridge’s most vibrant street at a special event on 15 October, as the history of Mill Road is revealed through a series of talks at the Ross Street Community Centre.

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Also promising to bolster your knowledge of our ever-intriguing city is Cambridge Shorts on 20 October: a selection of short films showcasing the exciting research emerging from Cambridge University which features Alexander the Great, DNA origami and illuminated manuscripts, amongst plenty of other brilliantly brainy ideas.

Another highlight of week one is sure to be Hip Hop Psych, which will see West Road Concert Hall branching away from its usual classical performances with an exploration of mental illness through the beats and lyrics of hip hop.

On 22 October, discover what happens when you get a bestselling author, a futurist, a historian and an astrobiologist around a table in The Science of Fiction, which considers whether works of fiction can help predict the future.

The first seven days will also delve into the mechanics of sexual desire, the Orwellian tendencies of social media and

how archeology connects people across time and space.

WOW FESTIVAL Sunday 26 October marks the arrival of the Women of the World Festival, which will celebrate the achievements of women and girls through a series of enlightening events held at Cambridge Junction.

Discover what’s wrong with pink with neuroscientist Nickie Pasterski and Emma Moore from the Pink Stinks campaign as they explore the distinction between toys for girls and boys – and why we should care.

There’s also a workshop for women on reaching the top of your professional game without burning out, as well as a ‘speed mentoring’ session with expert advice from inspiring high-flying women.

During the afternoon in the foyer, take in a WOW Bite or two: a series of short talks, performances and readings covering everything from the role of women in

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FESTIVAL OF IDEAS

global peace and security to the challenges facing feminism in contemporary culture today. The day concludes with a cabaretbased show compèred by Fay Roberts which features a selection of spoken word, comedy, dance, burlesque and more.

WEEK TWO Week two gives an opportunity to explore multicultural Britain, considering faith, national identity and personal stories in events such as Nationalism 101: should we be afraid? This debate on 27 October encompasses the Arab Spring, the events in the Ukraine and Scottish/English tensions to consider what exactly about nationalism inspires such passion.

Fancy yourself as a budding curator?

Put your skills to the test in a digital workshop at the Museum of Classical Architecture which offers the chance to try your hand at producing your own interpretations of classical sculpture, or get involved with Exhibition in a Day!, where

you’ll draw inspiration from Kettles Yard to create your own artwork and curate an entire exhibition.

Spoken English in today’s Britain on 30 October will present fascinating new insights into our language from research at Lancaster University, which investigates everything from variations in region and age groups to the effect of technology on our lexicon.

The same evening, you can join Bright Club, the Cambridge group of science boffs turned stand-up comics at the Portland Arms, or get creative and help to build a Mexican Day of the Dead altar at the Museum of Archeology and Anthropology.

WEEK THREE Things show no sign of slowing down for the third and final week of the Festival of Ideas, which will serve up another jam-packed schedule of intriguing events.

Consider what our future might look like in Big Brother 2.0, which will explore issues of privacy and security in an era of digital

What happens when you get an author, a futurist, a historian and an astrobiologist around a table?

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surveillance, or discover how to reach your true potential in Young People: what is our identity; a lively discussion on creating the kind of world that we really want, on 1 November.

There’s also a film-making weekend at Kettle’s Yard to get stuck into (1-2 November), plus the chance to immerse yourself in the wacky and wonderful world of Steampunk at the Museum of Technology on 2 November, with a mask and shadow puppet-making workshop.

To really stretch the old grey matter, head along to What is Consciousness Made Of: an experiential journey into the workings of our minds with Dr Gareth Burr on 2 November, which will use a series of mindfulness practices and exercises to demonstrate the power we hold as co-creators of our own worlds.

The same evening, round off your festival with an evening of music courtesy of some of Cambridge’s most exciting young composers at West Road Concert Hall.

For the full programme, visit www.festivalofideas.cam.ac.uk

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18/09/2014 16:00

CITY ART FAIR

WORDS JENNIFER SHELTON

CAMBRIDGE CITY

IS A PROUD PARTNER OF THE CAMBRIDGE CITY ART FAIR

ART FAIR

The Cambridge City Art fair returns this month, bringing a diverse array of top quality artworks from around the world right to our doorstep et ready for round two of Cambridge’s City Art Fair this October, set to follow on from last year’s success and featuring a diverse range of top quality work from some of the most influential artists working today, including Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst and Sir Peter Blake.

They will present the very best from their personal portfolios alongside top artists from local galleries and dealers such as Byard Art, The Saffron Walden

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Gallery, Oriel Fine Art and Lynne Strover Gallery. As well as contemporary art, there will also be traditional pieces from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries available to view and buy – whether you’re an avid collector or looking for that one statement piece for your living room wall.

Cambridge City Art Fair takes place at The Guildhall 9-12 October and is a unique opportunity to see top quality art right here on our doorstep. Says Craig Kerrecoe, managing director at Red Dot Events: “Cambridge is an internationally significant

city and the perfect place to host the art fair. It sits right at the centre of the region and is a thriving hub of creativity and artistic activity.”

A series of talks will also take place, including a discussion with Laurence Broderick, the sculptor responsible for ‘The Bull’ in Birmingham, who will be talking about the inspiration behind his work (11 October, 3pm). Cambridge-based art dealer Marlo Gilbert of Blue Contemporary (www.bluecontemporary.com) and former director and curator for The William Merrill

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CITY ART FAIR

ARTIST PROFILE #1:

Chris Kendrick

Gallery in Los Angeles, will also be advising on how to buy art at 11am, on 11 and 12 October, and exhibiting some of her artists, many of which hail from the Americas.

“I was a dealer in Los Angeles for ten years, and when I moved to the UK two years ago I brought a lot of the artists I represented with me and started Blue Contemporary, launching last year at the City Art Fair,” she says.

“All of the artists are what are considered mid-career ascending, which means that they’re really well established in the US and

Figurative artist Chris Kendrick uses oil on canvas to create still lives in photographic detail from his studio in Norfolk. A former civil servant, he became a full-time artist in 2003 and exhibits regularly at the Saffron Walden Gallery. He will be showing a selection of new work at the Cambridge City Art Fair.

“I used to work in portraiture,” says Chris, “then started to introduce elements of still life into the portraits and found I was increasingly drawn to that. With a still life it’s just me, the canvas and the object, whereas with a model you have to chat to the person to put them at their ease. Plus an orange is easier to find – and it can’t walk away!

“I work in oils and each painting takes about 20-30 hours to complete – spread over about four or six weeks,” he continues. “With each application of paint I have to leave it to dry so I have about nine paintings on the go at any one time. I work a lot with spotlights and try to work from life as much as I can. I’ll start with the original fruit, say a pear, then once it begins to deteriorate I’ll replace it with an approximation in plasticine to give me the shape and shadows of the object. Then right at the end I’ll get in new pears for the colours and textures.”

Using these methods Chris is able to recreate, in exquisite detail, the nature of light reflecting on glass, the texture

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of a peach or the juicy glow of a peeled, backlit orange.

“It’s a question of analysing the work of the old masters and working out how they achieved those effects.”

Chris draws inspiration from 17th century artists such as Diego Velazquez and Dutch master Willem Kalf: a particular favourite.

“There’s some of his work in the National Gallery in London and it’s outstanding,” says Chris of Kalf. “One of his paintings is called ‘Still Life with Drinking Horn’ which has this immaculate, wonderful red lobster in the foreground. I could stand in front of it all day.”

On modern art, he says: “I’ve plenty of time for the Roscoes and Damien Hirsts: art is a broad church. It just happens that I tend to see the world in a more figurative way. To me the joy is in the technical challenge of trying to capture things like reflections in a glass or through liquid.”

He adds: “If someone looking at one of my paintings then goes back and looks at things in a slightly different way – what makes a wine glass a wine glass, or why light behaves in such a way – then that’s great. These are things we see every day but don’t necessarily take much notice of. Yet they define the world around us.” www.thesaffronwaldengallery.com

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CITY ART FAIR

they’re in good galleries. I have two artists who are in the Tate Modern and another in the Victoria and Albert Museum. They’re relatively unknown here, so the challenge for me is to introduce them to a brand new market and get them collectors here in the UK.” One of Marlo’s most intriguing artists is Luis Marzoratti, a painter and political cartoonist from Argentina. “His pieces, which look at first glance like lovely beach scenes, are actually politically charged. They represent how, in Argentina, you’re not free to speak your mind. It’s a veneer. So when he paints beach scenes with brollies, which show just silhouettes of the figures beneath, it’s describing how you have to be hidden there.”

Other artists displaying include Donna McGinnis, whose Northern California landscapes are reminiscent of the Fens; James Shilaimon and Steven Larson.

“I think Cambridge has an amazing arts scene. There is a vast amount of culture and appreciation for culture and the arts, which is why the City Art Fair has done so well here,” Marlo says.

Cambridge City Art Fair, Cambridge Guildhall, 10-12 October.

Opening times: 10.30am8.30pm (Fri); 10.30am6.30pm (Sat); 10.30am5pm (Sun).

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ARTIST PROFILE #2:

Sonia Villiers Acrylics painter Sonia Villiers is inspired

by Cambridge scenes and springtime colours. Her work can be found regularly at Cambridge’s Primevera gallery.

“My style evolved from looking at paintings ancient and modern and trying to figure out what made a painting special or exciting. I am always trying to paint in a looser way without losing the detail, and I always use colour to create light and shade, never grey or black. Some of my favourite artists are Caravaggio, Picasso, Stanley Spencer, Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon, Psillos and Michalopoulos – to name a few.”

Constantly on the lookout for her next inspiration (“A glint of light through a tree, or a lively pedestrian...”), Sonia is rarely without her camera.

“I take tons of photos – often the same scene over and over from slightly different angles. I started doing wonky buildings to make the composition really come alive.”

Sonia’s striking depiction of King’s College featured on Cambridge Edition’s April cover and it’s a city she returns to again and again for inspiration: “I love the colleges and the bicycles – but also the pedestrianisation, the hustle and bustle, the vitality of the students and tourists, and the colourful paraphernalia of modern living – bags, shoes, hair, clothes, posters. A painting must enhance reality and offer the audience an alternative perspective on a familiar scene.”

She adds: “I’ve been painting my whole life, but only full-time for 12 years.

I attend life drawing classes too, which is so important if you want to be any kind of artist.”

What she loves most about the job is “putting your heart and soul into a piece of work and waiting for the reaction; feeling excited about the next project; staying up all night to finish a painting, and seeing the work of my students.” www.primaverauk.com

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CURATING CAMBRIDGE

Get to know your city a little better this month as Curating Cambridge descends for a five week long celebration of culture and creativity urating Cambridge launches this month as part of the Festival of Ideas, Cambridge’s festival of culture and learning which runs in association with Cambridge University every autumn. Cambridge is home to eight museums displaying artefacts from delicate 18th century telescopes and navigational instruments to Egyptian mummies, dinosaur skeletons and Captain Scott’s polar diaries. There might be some you haven’t visited yet – and now’s the time to get exploring.

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Running until 23 November, Curating Cambridge will take the form of exhibitions, workshops, music, talks and performances for all ages. At the Fitzwilliam Museum, Silent Partners: Artist & Mannequin from Function to Fetish (14 October until 25 January 2015) reveals the surreal and fascinating purposes of the artist’s mannequin, and at Kettle’s Yard visitors can follow the work of video artists Nina Pope and Karen Guthrie in a specially constructed gallery cinema, until 23 November.

At The Polar Museum, visitors will be invited to contribute to the curatorial process using innovative touchscreen technology in the exhibition The Thing Is… An object on loan from each of the other University of Cambridge Museums and the Botanic Garden will be paired with an item from The Polar Museum’s collections, raising questions about the nature of curating, collecting and the stories objects can tell us (until 20 December).

At the same time, an intervention in the main gallery, called The Polar Muse,

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CURATING CAMBRIDGE

IS A PROUD PARTNER OF CURATING CAMBRIDGE

Curating Cambridge is a fantastic opportunity for local people looking for fun on their doorstep examines how poetry can help create alternative interpretations of some of the museum’s objects.

There’s a chance to see inside a former nuclear bunker at the Castle Hill Open Day on 18 October. Find out about the Norman origins of Cambridge Castle, visit the Museum of Cambridge’s vintage tea room or take a CAMRA tour of Cambridge’s best pubs.

In the Grand Arcade, the Museum of Water (1-2 November 2014), presented

by Cambridge Junction and previously on display at Somerset House in London, will ask people to ponder this precious liquid and how we use it.

Publicly donated water will be on display in lit cabinets, and if all that water makes you thirsty, in celebration of our ready access to fresh water in the UK, grab a drink at Water Bar, a free pop-up bar serving only tap water!

There’s plenty for families including a two-day extravaganza during half term when The Campsite takes over Christ’s Pieces (25-26 October). A pop-up venue with a difference, this collection of vintage campervans, caravans and tents will become venues for theatre, music, poetry and art installations.

Hear a story in a vintage campervan, relax and play some camping games or discover live music in a 1980s caravan!

“Curating Cambridge is a fantastic opportunity for visitors to the city, and for local people looking for fun on their doorstep, to question, discover and explore all that this vibrant city has to offer,” comments Heather Lane, keeper of collections at The Polar Museum and chair of the Cambridge Museums Steering Group.

“Working with cultural organisations and community groups, the University of Cambridge Museums are able to offer a wide-ranging programme that celebrates everything that makes Cambridge a great place to be – the people, the tales and the triumphs.” www.curatingcambridge.org.uk

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FAMILY

Halloween special ScaresVille,

KENTWELL HALL

REBRANDING

Beelzebub

Be prepared for the unexpected, the chilling and the plain weird with master storyteller Tim Ralphs, who’s making an appearance at Cambridge’s CB2 Café fresh from his success at the Edinburgh Festival.

His show, Rebranding Beelzebub, reimagines traditional stories about the devil in new and unexpected settings.

Darkly humorous, this is one for big kids only. Takes place 22 October, 8-10pm; tickets £8/£6. www.timralphs.com

Horrible Histories

Enjoyable whatever the time of year, the Horrible Histories stage show returns with grisly tales from our own eccentric isle in Barmy Britain. Meet a cast of larger-than-life characters from The Vikings and Queen Boudicca to Henry VIII and Dick Turpin. Funny, interactive and a little bit wild, Horrible Histories bring the past to life like never before.

This brand new show features live action, incredible 3D effects and heaps of silliness you’d never find in your average history lesson! www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

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Possibly the most fantastically frightening event in the East of England, Scaresville returns to Kentwell Hall for another year of live scaring from 10 October. Running over selected nights until 1 November, it sees an entire haunted village constructed in the grounds of the Elizabethan Hall. Guests then set off for an hour of adrenalinefuelled excitement as they journey through dark rooms, forests and open farmland, all the while hoping to avoid the ‘scarers’.

Scaresville is strictly for over 14s, but little terrors are invited to Scaresville’s Little Monster, an event involving Halloween fun in the house and grounds. Dress up in your best Halloween outfit for double the fun. www.scaresville.co.uk

Pick your own PUMPKINS

What would Halloween be without pumpkins? 31 October wouldn’t be the same without a pumpkin lantern grinning from your window ledge, casting spooky shadows. Get outside and choose your own at The Pumpkin Patch, Undley, where you’ll find fields full of these gigantic gourds.

There’s also a Maize Maze to get lost in, archery, donkey rides, face painting, craft stalls and pumpkin carving, plus pumpkininspired snacks. The Pumpkin Patch is open Saturdays and Sundays in October, 10am6pm. £3.50 per child, £5 adult. www.pumpkinpatchundley.blogspot.co.uk

SPOOKY STORIES AT

Audley End

Are you brave enough to endure chilling tales narrated in a spooky setting? At the magnificent Audley End House, actors will be delving into the famous fables of the Brothers Grimm and revealing the terrifying truth behind those bedtime stories you thought you knew. Come in your best Halloween costume and bring your favourite teddy to hide behind…

Runs 11am-4pm, 27-31 October; £15.40 adults, £9.20 children. www.english-heritage.org.uk

19/09/2014 11:43

INTERVIEW WORDS JENNIFER SHELTON

As Grantchester prepares to get its own TV series, Jennifer Shelton grabs a word with leading man James Norton to talk Cambridge, dog collars and turning detective… t’s not often a sleepy English village wakes up one morning to find it’s turned into a TV set overnight. In April 2014, that’s exactly what happened in the picturesque village of Grantchester, set to appear in a huge ITV drama series of the same name. Based on the Sidney Chambers books by James Runcie, it stars Happy Valley actor James Norton as Sidney, a handsome, crime-fighting 1950s clergyman. With the first episode about to air, like James, we’re rather excited.

“I’ve seen rough cuts and it looks great. It’s always hard to watch stuff

you’re in,” laughs James, “particularly this, as Sidney’s in practically every scene so there’s nowhere to hide! And if it all goes badly wrong we’ll know who’s to blame…”

This latest venture is rather a departure for James, who recently brought chilling conviction to the role of charming psychopath Tommy in Happy Valley: the polar opposite to sensitive, caring Sidney, a young clergyman still finding his place in the world – and who seems to attract trouble rather than create it.

“He’s such a rich and textured character,” says James. “It’s been a dream job. We got the script last autumn and it was the kind of script you read and your heart sings.

“Because it’s set in the 50s there’s a lot that’s held back, a lot of subtext. Plus the trauma of war that Sidney has experienced, his alcoholism and messed-up romantic relationships... And yet he has his faith and this wonderful positive outlook on life. So there’s loads you can get your teeth into as an actor.”

He adds: “Funnily enough I studied theology in Cambridge and so did Sidney, so I was quick to drop that in at the first audition! I had a very happy three years in Cambridge and loved cycling around, punting and coming to Grantchester…

That’s why it was such a special job for me.

Cambridge was a home from home for a

Cambridge was a home from home for a long time so it was a real pleasure coming back

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Image Dave Gunn

INTERVIEW

long time so it was a real pleasure coming back to it.”

James and the cast, which includes Robson Green (Waterloo Road) as Inspector Keating and Tessa Peake-Jones (Only Fools and Horses) as Sidney’s indestructable housekeeper, spent several days filming scenes at some of the most iconic locations in Grantchester, Cambridge and London.

“We shot in King’s Parade, King’s Quad, a lot around Grantchester and up and down the Cam. The people of Grantchester were so welcoming and happy to have us, as was Cambridge. There were some really special moments, like closing off the whole of King’s Parade to get a big establishing shot, where the shop fronts and the cars were all from the period and there were about 100 extras all in period dress… I remember thinking, ten years ago I was cycling down here on a rickety old bicycle as a student and now I’m cycling down as Sidney Chambers in a telly drama.”

There’s been much muttering about Grantchester becoming Cambridge’s answer to Morse, but for James it’s the characters and psychology of these stories which sets them apart.

“Morse was wonderful in its own way, but what makes our murder mysteries

10 years ago I was cycling down here as a student, now I’m cycling down as Sidney Chambers in a telly drama slightly different is that there’s less of the whodunnit and more ‘whydunnit’. The crimes themselves are always crimes of passion. There’s less nitty-gritty and more about the reasons why: be it love, prejudice or jealousy.

“Then there’s the over-arching narratives which continue all through the series. It’s more about the people and the time, and hopefully that will stand us apart.”

Series one loosely follows the plot of book one, Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death, which sees our hero investigate a suspicious suicide, a scandalous jewellery theft and an art forgery which puts a close friend in the most sinister of dangers.

“Whilst being very warm and set in a beautiful 1950s village it’s by no means sugary,” warns James. “It tells the 50s very much as it was, when England was a damaged country. There were problems with rationing, prejudice against gay people and problems of race.”

Being set in the 1950s, when the local vicar popping round for tea was quite the norm, also gives Sidney a more prominent role in the community. It’s an unusual

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occupation for a heart-throb hero, especially one with such crime-fighting tendencies, but one suspects that’s all part of the appeal.

“Most of the time I was in the same black suit and dog collar – it got pretty comfortable!” James admits. “I had to do lots of running and fighting, and though it’s an unlikely costume for a crime-fighting protagonist, it works.”

If the kind heart, tortured soul and heroism wasn’t enough, Sidney also comes complete with a gorgeous Labrador puppy, Dickens, in tow.

“The problem with Dickens is that everyone’s going to be looking at him and not the rest of us,” laughs James.

“He was a total joy. There were meant to be three Dickens but he grew so quickly that we only needed one. They even called him Dickens so he answers to that now. He’s eaten his body weight in sausages over the last few months but we love him to bits.”

Grantchester starts this month on ITV. www.itvmedia.co.uk

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INDIE OF THE MONTH WORDS JENNIFER SHELTON

INDEPENDENT OF THE MONTH

Afternoon Tease

It may have only been open a year but this great little café is already one of the city's favourites. Jennifer Shelton pays a visit to the delightful Afternoon Tease oung woman ditches her nine to five and follows her dream to set up a café. It sounds like a chicklit plot, but for Jo Kruczynska, owner of Afternoon Tease, it’s reality. “It’s such a cliché,” laughs Jo. “I worked as an illustrator in Cambridge for two years, decided I didn’t want to do that, then went travelling. I loved the cafés in Australia – they just served good food, good coffee and good cakes, simply, in nice environments. And they were so friendly. I thought, I like baking, I like cooking, I like being around people...”

With the café in mind Jo started a blog, then a supper club – the popular Platelickers Anonymous – on returning to Cambridge.

“A lot of people think you can just open a café but there’s so much prep to do. I started my blog with the idea of building up my repertoire. ” By now famed in Cambridge for her dreamy lemon drizzles and heavenly chocolate Guinness cakes, Jo found her premises in King Street and opened in October last year.

“That first day was a nightmare, I was a wreck!” she admits. “I was so tired, I’d baked through the night and if anyone spoke to me I cried! But that day was one of our busiest on record – we ran out of cake.”

Today Afternoon Tease is unfailingly stocked with home-made sweet treats, light lunches and seriously good coffee and tea.

Jo says: “We always have chocolate Guinness cake and carrot cake, and not a day goes by when someone doesn’t buy a brownie. The gluten free options are popular too. Elsewhere I use seasonal fruits and for winter we move into ginger cakes, rhubarb, that kind of thing. The lunch menu changes twice weekly, then we have brunch on weekends.”

At this point, Jo is summoned to the kitchen by a bell – her lime and coconut cakes are ready. Are they her own recipe?

“I love trying new recipes, then I tweak them,” she explains. “I made bacon jam recently, which uses treacle-cured bacon, simmered with sugar, onions, and maple

syrup, like chutney. It’s just delicious.”

Clearly passionate about her work, asking Jo to name her favourite recipe feels like asking someone to pick their favourite child. “People ask for my recommendations and I end up pointing at everything! I would never put a cake on the counter that I didn’t like, and if I’m the slightest bit worried that a cake is dry I take it off.”

Like most of us, Jo has fond memories of her grandparents’ baking. “My grannies always had cake in a tin somewhere. I remember making my granddad a Victoria sponge for his birthday once, then trying out new cakes. Now I bake all the time.”

Though Great British Bake Off season is in full swing, Jo confesses a dirty secret: she isn’t a fan. “It’s style over substance, which is why I don’t like cupcakes or really over-iced wedding cakes. There’s a skill to doing that, but I think the quality of the cake suffers. I liked Norman because he wasn’t trying to overcomplicate everything.”

She considered entering the show but decided it wasn’t for her. “I got to the screen test stage then thought, hang on, what am I doing? I hate having my picture taken!”

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Instead of pursuing fame and fortune, Jo is more interested in encouraging people to support independent businesses, ensuring Cambridge retains its individuality. The indie scene has flourished in recent years, though Jo says a common goal prevents rivalry.

“We’re getting there, and people are starting to seek out independents now. I have a great relationship with the other independents in town; if we can get people out of Costa and Starbucks then there are plenty of people in Cambridge to make us all successful.”

It’s clear Jo has found her calling: her loyal client base – not to mention stylish café and delicious food – is the proof, pardon the pun, in the pudding.

“We get some really nice feedback and it makes my day when I overhear someone saying something lovely. It’s a lot of hard work, and the hours are long. I’m often here 6am-7pm, six days a week. But the good definitely outweighs the bad. And no, I never get sick of cake!”

13 King Street, Cambridge CB1 1LH www.afternoontease.co.uk

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FOOD

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

SHEENE MILL AWARDED TWO AA ROSETTES

CAMBRIDGE COOKERY SCHOOL CLASSES

In another piece of excellent news for Cambridgeshire’s dining scene, The Sheene Mill has been awarded two AA Rosettes for the quality of their food and service. Located in Melbourn, this elegant restaurant and wedding venue is housed within an impressive 16th century mill, boasting a picturesque riverside location and landscaped gardens.

It’s their exceptional culinary offering which has been nudging them into the spotlight recently though, with head chef Ivor Morgan devising a menu bursting with seasonal, locally sourced produce. Small plates include rock oyster beignets with chili and parsley salsa, and Scottish Highland fillet of venison carpaccio served with pear remoulade and beetroot sourdough.

For the main event, you can feast on dishes such as slow-cooked Gloucestershire belly of pork with braised puy lentils, sautéed wild mushrooms, black pudding bonbon and wilted spinach, or Barbary duck breast with duck leg croustillant, rosemary dauphinoise potato, honey glazed carrots, curly kale and red wine jus. Sweets meanwhile range from the classic (brownie, tiramisu or chocolate fondant) to the innovative – we love the sound of the butternut squash mousse with goat’s cheese ice cream and pancetta croquant. www.thesheenemill.com

If you fancy honing your kitchen skills this month, make a beeline for Cambridge Cookery School, where they’re planning a varied programme of classes for October.

Get saucy on the 2nd, in a session which covers everything from pesto, red wine jus and hollandaise, right the way through to delicious sweet sauces such as crème anglaise (10am-2pm, £110).

Perhaps you fancy mastering the tricky art of pastry making? Head down on 25 October and you’ll have all your pressing questions answered (Why is chilling so important? Is blind baking necessary?

To prick or not to prick?), to make sure your tarts, quiches and other pastries are perfect every time (10am-2pm, £125).

There’s also knife skills on the 14th, Middle Eastern Delights on the 16th and not one but two ‘Gentleman’s Relish’ sessions aimed especially at men looking to brush up on their culinary skills.

On the 30th, take your little ones along to the Holiday Baking Session, where budding young chefs will create goodies including scones and handmade whipped cream and pizza pinwheels (suitable for ages 7-12 years, 10am-12.30pm, £40). www.cambridgecookeryschool.com

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FOOD

ASK THE FOODIE

HEIDI WHITE AKA THE MOVING FOODIE ANSWERS YOUR ' ' BURNING QUESTIONS ON THE CAMBRIDGE FOOD SCENE Q: I’M ON A BUDGET ; WHERE CAN I FIND A GOOD LUNCH FOR UNDER A TENNER? It’s that time of year: overspending on summer hols, student loans already starting to dwindle, and the start of the dreaded run up to saving for Christmas.

The purse strings may be tight, but that doesn’t mean your rumbling tummy should go without. A great lunch doesn’t have to be expensive, especially if you don’t mind trying something new, eating on the go, or teaming up with a friend to share.

A favourite fast, filling lunch option is to go for dumplings or gyoza.

Hidden away by the Grafton Centre, Café Oriental on Burleigh Street and Zhonghua Traditional Snacks on Norfolk Street both serve a delicious selection of filled, steamed and fried oriental dumplings, with a chillispiked dipping sauce that will revive any miserable Monday lunchtime.

12 dumplings come in at less than

a tenner, saving some pennies for a refreshing green tea on the side.

Street food is massively popular at the moment, and rightly so; it is freshly made to order, tastes great, and represents restaurant quality at affordable prices. Eat on the go at the city’s street food market, foodPark, on a Thursday and Friday lunchtime on Station Road and pick up a bargain from Inder’s Kitchen’s Kati roll menu (a huge hand-rolled bread roll packed with spiced veggie or meat fillings for around £4.50); or feast on Irie Man’s Caribbean lunch box of jerk BBQ or curry with rice and peas and all the trimmings for £5.

There are some local gems to be discovered if you’re on the hunt for big portions. The Urban Shed on King Street sells delicious paninis, big enough to share and affordable to eat alone if you’re really hungry! They’re huge, generously filled, and just £4.75.

If you’re up for eating al fresco, grab a friend and choose a selection of fantastic fresh salads, pies and soups from Garden Kitchen café on Mill Road and make your own, very good value, picnic lunch.

Meal deals, be gone.

For more top tips on eating and drinking in Cambridge, visit Heidi’s blog www.movingfoodie.com Got a question for the Moving Foodie? Tweet us at @cambsedition or @TheMovingFoodie and hashtag #askthefoodie

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DINING IN THE DARK For a foodie experience with a difference this month, head to Dining in the Dark on 29 October, 7pm.

Taking place in the glorious setting of Westminster College, the event features a slap up three-course meal, which – and here's the interesting bit – diners consume wearing a blindfold. There’s also a competition for guests to try and guess the ingredients of their ‘blind’ dishes, providing an entertaining evening which also demonstrates to guests a sense of just how important our sight is in the enjoyment of food.

Tickets for the event are on sale now, costing £39.50, with proceeds going towards fundraising for Cam Sight, a fantastic local charity which works to support blind and partially sighted people in our area.

On the menu at this unique event will be dishes including braised beef, served with pomme purée, roasted baby carrots, mini white cabbages, horseradish and red wine jus and millefeuilles of butternut squash served with spinach, provolone cheese, poached duck egg, almond cream and beetroot crisp. There will also be a selection of top wines, and dinner ends with coffees and mints. www.camsight.org.uk

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FOOD

GHOULLISH GASTRONOMY AT THE VARSITY Explore the eerie history of Cambridge and enjoy a spooky supper this month at the Varsity Hotel’s Halloween event on Friday 31 October. The fun begins with a guided tour of the most ghoulish corners of our historic city, its antiquated lanes and ancient architecture, where guests will be regaled with strange tales from Cambridge’s past.

Then, as dusk descends, the tour party will return to the Varsity’s in-house restaurant, the River Bar Steakhouse, for a feast prepared by head chef Angus Martin.

The menu sounds brilliant, with dishes like ‘black death salmon with spinach and rarebit crusted potatoes’ and a devilish dessert in the shape of the ‘tombstone slab brownie’. As ever, there will also be a selection of inventive cocktails and top quality wine on offer too.

Both hotel guests and locals are welcome at the event, and tickets are £40. The first of the evening’s tours will begin at 6.30pm, followed by dinner at 7.30pm, and the second tour will commence at 8.30pm. For more information, visit the Varsity website. www.thevarsityhotel.co.uk

CAFFE SICILIA PIZZERIA OPENS Now with branches on Hills Road and Regent Street, the family-run Caffé Sicilia is becoming one of Cambridge’s best-loved independent eateries. As well as great Italian coffee, they serve up a delicious range of pastries and home-made cakes, plus Sicilian savoury favourites like arancini (fried risotto balls), and parmigiana – a traditional bake made with layers of aubergine, mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce.

We’re delighted to announce that they’ve now added a pizzeria to their Hills Road branch, and will be serving up a range of authentic delicious pizzas for delivery, pick-up or eating in.

Handmade on site by two specialist Italian pizza chefs, the pizzas are loaded with top quality ingredients and created using a pizza dough that matures over 72 hours to make it as light and tasty as possible.

Popular choices include the Siciliana, a classic combination of tomato, oregano, anchovies and capers, and the Diavola; a fiery concoction of tomato, mozzarella, chilli flakes, chilli rings, chilli oil, spicy salami and spicy sausage. There’s also the Regina (cherry tomatoes, Parma ham, Parmigiano reggiano cheese and rocket salad), and the veggie friendly Verdure Grigliate Pizza, topped with grilled aubergines, peppers and courgettes.

If you’ve got little ones in tow, they’re sure to adore the kids’ range, which includes pizzas shaped like bunnies, fish and octopuses! www.caffesicilia.co.uk

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FOOD

FESTIVE FOODIE HOTSPOTS Forgive us for mentioning Christmas in October, but if you’re in charge of planning your work Christmas party, you’d best get in quick if you want to secure one of Cambridgeshire’s top foodie spots for a night out. Fortunately, there’s lots of options for a delectable dinner for you and your colleagues, whether you’re after a traditional roast turkey and Christmas pud affair or something a bit different.

Add a little Italian flavour to proceedings at Regent Street eaterie De Luca, where they’ll be serving up a delicious menu that features dishes including chorizo arancini stuffed with fontina cheese or baked turkey escalope stuffed with sausage meat and apple, served with roasted baby potatoes, pancetta and baby spinach. The Christmas menu at De Luca starts at £30 per head for a three-course meal with options to increase it to a five-course feast, crackers included.

For a slap-up dinner in a stylish riverside setting, check out the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel, where prices start at £35 including entertainment, or for some out of town indulgence in a fantastically festive setting, take a trip out to the cosy King Bill in Heydon.

Back in the city centre and King Street favourite d’Arry’s, with its relaxed atmosphere, excellent food and amazing wine selection, is a top bet – and they’ll be offering a party menu available throughout December.

For more details on these and other top Christmas party destinations, stay tuned to the next issue of Edition.

GET BOOKING

CHAMPAGNE MASTERCLASS An especially indulgent tasting evening at Cambridge Wine Merchant’s Bridge Street branch this month in the shape of a champagne masterclass on 13 October. An absolute must for fans of the fizzy stuff and those who are keen to learn more about it, the evening will take you through a flight of champagne, exploring both vintage and nonvintage styles and pitching big names against small family-owned houses. The evening will be hosted by CWM chairman Brett Turner, a Chevalier in the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne, and there will also be champagne themed food to nibble on as well. The event begins at 7.30pm and costs £25 per person. www.cambridgewine.com

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FOOD

THE COCK: COUNTY DINING PUB OF THE YEAR After the phenomenally successful launch of Smokeworks this summer comes another piece of excellent news for the Cambscuisine restaurant group, as their outpost in Hemingford Grey, The Cock, has just been named as the County Dining Pub of the Year for Cambridgeshire.

The prestigious accolade has been awarded by the new edition of pub goers’ bible, The Good Pub Guide 2015 – with The Cock’s innovative foodie offering and great service highly praised by the judges.

Take a trip out to the cosy pub and you’ll be treated to a fantastic modern British menu bursting with seasonal, fresh produce, as well as local real ales and top quality wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon area of France. www.cambscuisine.com

FIVE GUYS TO OPEN IN CAMBRIDGE Exciting news for local burger fans this month as cult American fast food joint Five Guys is set to open a branch at Cambridge Leisure Park mid October.

Established by the Murrell family in Washington DC in 1986, Five Guys now has more than 1200 outlets globally, though only recently has it started making its way onto our shores – already winning a huge following for its top notch burgers, hot dogs and hand cut fries.

One of the things that makes Five Guys such a hit is that all burgers are fully customisable, with add-ons including jalapeño peppers, relish and steak sauce – in fact, there are over 250,000 possible ways to order a burger at Five Guys!

The accolades have been rolling in for the ‘Guys’, with Time Out magazine giving them the title of best burger in New York, and The Londoner describing their burgers as ‘heaven in a brown paper bag’. In other words, they’re a cut above your average fast food outfit and bound to be your next guilty pleasure… www.fiveguys.co.uk

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FOOD

BREAD & MEAT Whilst we were sad to see Benets Café shut its doors, we’re pleased to report that no.4 Bene’t Street will soon be open for business again once more, this time as Bread & Meat, a new venture by local couple Simon and Michelle Cheney. Due to open its doors within the next few weeks, this new eaterie will be offering a small but perfectly formed menu featuring hot roast meat sandwiches, top quality soups and delicious salads. With vintage-inspired décor and a prime location in what’s quickly becoming Cambridge’s foodie quarter, we reckon this exciting new indie is destined for great things. Stay tuned to the next issue of Cambridge Edition for more details. Search Bread & Meat on Facebook to keep an eye on their progress.

CAMBRIDGE FOOD SWAP Fancy helping to tackle the problem of food wastage and meeting people in your local community whilst picking up lots of tasty things to eat? Check out Cambridge Food Swap, a group which gathers to share home-made, home-grown or foraged goods with one another. Swaps allow direct trades to take place between guests – for example, you might exchange a loaf of home-made bread for a jar of jam and half a dozen eggs – but crucially, no money changes hands at all, your currency is your produce.

There is always a huge diversity of goods, with recent offerings including lavender-infused vodka, marmalades, marshmallows, cookies, bundled fresh herbs, sausages, limoncello, home-made pasta, bags of pecans, pierogies and pies.

You name it, somebody will bring it!

It’s not all about swapping though, attendees are encouraged to have a good natter, exchange ideas for recipes, and get help from and offer help to others.

To find out when the next events are, keep an eye on the Cambridge Food Swap website. cambridgeukfoodswap.wordpress.com

APPLE DAY AT BURWASH MANOR Burwash Manor in Barton will once again host its annual celebration of all things apple this month, offering a fun packed day of food, drink and family activities. Taking place on 11 October from 9am onwards, the Apple Day begins with a vintage ploughing match and hedge laying competition, and there will be plenty of other apple-based games and stalls to enjoy, including one from Meldreth’s Cam Valley Orchards, who will be selling and discussing their heritage apple varieties.

The Food Hall will also be a hive of activity, with the talented Ursula Ferrigno cooking up a host of apple inspired treats, and when you need to whet your whistle, pop along to the juice and cider tent. There will also be music from Sawston Steel Band, a miniature steam train, traditional fairground rides, archery, falconry and willow and basket weaving, and even some less traditional crafts such as chainsaw sculpting. The little ones will be kept entertained too, with face painting, tractor rides and Jezo the Magician. £3 per adult, children under 12 go free. All profits go to the Sick Children’s Trust. www.burwashmanor.com

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FOOD

““WHEN WHEN DID THAT HUMMUS HAPPEN? THERE’S A RESTAURANT DOWN THE ROAD THAT’S ALL THEY DO. THAT ISN’T A , MEAL IT’S A SIDE ORDER INNIT? PROPER , , JUST THAT’S LIKE HAVING A RESTAURANT FLOGGING TOMATO KETCHUP” KARL PILKINGTON ON THE MIDDLE EAST’S MOST POPULAR AND

WORDS ALEX RUSHMER

DELICIOUS CONTRIBUTION TO WORLD CUISINE.

CHICK-PL EASE: THE RISE AND RISE OF HUMMUS ALEX RUSHMER CONSIDERS THE STRATOSPHERIC ASCENT OF OUR NATION'S FAVOURITE DIP ard as it may be to believe, prior to the 1980s, hummus was as alien to English palates as kimchi was until six months ago. When Waitrose (who else?) first introduced the dip to their shelves almost 30 years ago it remained the preserve of vegans and aged hippies who needed a readily available source of protein that didn’t used to have a face.

It trundled on as a specialty item for some years until the turn of the millennium when the great hummus explosion took place and it became a staple item nestled in the nation’s shopping basket alongside a sliced white loaf, semi-skimmed milk and a six-pack of Müller Fruit Corners. This shows no sign of abating and recent figures suggest that over 40% of the country’s fridges have a pot of the stuff stowed away, ready to be dipped into with a breadstick, toasted pitta or adventurous finger.

Whilst the specific origins of the dish have been lost to the annals of history, we can be certain that hummus is a dip born of the Levant, the cradle of civilisation, where it continues to thrive as a staple food throughout the Middle East.

The first written reference to hummus is in a 13th century Egyptian cookbook although tahini and garlic – now seen as essential ingredients – are both omitted from this 800-year-old version with spices, pickled lemons and vinegar providing a punchy zip and bang.

Since then the whole of the Middle East, from Turkey to Israel, has taken hummus to the heart of their national cuisine with little or no variation from the basic recipe of cooked chickpeas, tahini, lemon and garlic aside from perhaps a whisper of cumin or a light dusting of paprika.

Here, we have been a little less strict with our approach to bastardising the

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recipe to suit our own magpie approach to the foods of the world. On a recent visit to a local supermarket I was able to count no less than 20 variations on the theme including piri-piri and Moroccan spiced flavours (this despite the fact that on a recent trip to Marrakech, the closest I came to a pot of hummus was in the departure lounge of Heathrow airport).

Whilst this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I’m of the opinion that the original is still the best and it regularly provides a quick lunch, mid-afternoon snack or even part of an elaborate mezze on a Monday night. If you’ve never made your own you really should give it a try – it’s cheap, filling and just about the most delicious thing you can do with a chickpea.

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EATING OUT

WORDS NICOLA FOLEY

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Red Lion, Hinxton

This month, Edition takes a trip out to Hinxton's hidden gem and discovers top quality, hearty food in a delightful country setting inding an excellent country pub is always a treat, especially at this time of year – after all, a glass of wine and some hearty grub by a roaring log fire is one of life’s greatest pleasures come autumn.

Happily, we knew we were on to a good thing as soon as we stepped through the doors of the award-winning Red Lion, a smart little pub-restaurant in the village of Hinxton, located around eight miles south of Cambridge.

Dating back to the 16th century, this historic building exudes rustic charm, with cosy chesterfield sofas, exposed beams and an elegant dining room. The menu is divided into pub classics – such as beer battered fish and chips and steak and ale pie – and à la carte, which offers up a selection of more refined dishes at the fine dining end of the spectrum.

After much deliberation, I opted to begin my meal with the pork starter, and was pleased as punch with my choice.

Beautifully presented, the dish consisted of strips of crispy pork with a sesame coating, perched on a bed of crunchy and flavour-packed Asian-style slaw, drizzled in a delicious soy and sweet chilli dressing and topped with fresh coriander.

Over on the other side of the table, my dining partner was equally delighted with his selection of the gnocchi, which again was artfully presented and full of bold flavours. Soft and doughy with a crispy outer shell, the ricotta, lemon and herb dumplings were matched with confit tomatoes and broad beans along with a drizzle of truffle dressing – an inspired combination which gorgeously complemented the gnocchi.

Onto the mains, and I decided to celebrate the arrival of game season by going for the whole oven roasted pigeon, which was a lesson in top quality, hearty, country fare. Tender and with a delicate, slightly nutty flavour, the bird was perfectly cooked and served with a generous helping of pearl barley, wilted seasonal greens and a juniper jus.

Our top dish of the night however was my dining partner’s main; the pan seared rump of lamb. The meat, deliciously juicy and succulent, was accompanied by a creamy potato puree, fine beans, tomato chutney and a rich and sweet tomato jus.

It was ideal autumnal comfort food and a total hit.

Though we were completely stuffed by the time the dessert menus were passed

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to us, there was no way I was missing out on the sweet treats on offer, and I plumped for the utterly heavenly chocolate brownie, which arrived slathered in warm chocolate sauce. My dining partner meanwhile went for a French classic: the delectable tarte Tatin, which was loaded with caramelised apples and served with a luscious salted caramel sauce and a generous scoop of ice cream.

We left the Red Lion delighted with our new discovery and looking forward to enjoying cosy feasts there in the future. The food is uncomplex but delicious, and the service fantastically attentive. Well worth the trip out of town for.

32 High Street, Hinxton CB10 1QY, 01799 530601, www.redlionhinxton.co.uk

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LISTINGS

WHAT S ON A ROUND-UP OF EVENTS IN AND AROUND CAMBRIDGESHIRE FOR OCTOBER

1

BUZZCOCKS Time: 7pm doors Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £21 Description: The punk rockers return to treat their fans to an energetic show filled with hits such as Singles Going Steady and Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve?). junction.co.uk

OCT

1 October

REDUCED SHAKESPEARE Time: 7.30pm Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £14-£16 Description: See the complete works of Shakespeare performed before your very eyes by this crazy comedy troupe. Described as ‘stupendous, anchorless joy!’ by The Times. junction.co.uk

3 October

MICHAEL PALIN Time: 7.30pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: £32 Description: The writer, actor, Python and adventurer brings his new show, Travelling To Work, our way for an evening of humorous and inspiring stories. cornex.co.uk

4 October

FRIENDSHIP CONCERT Time: 7.30pm Location: Emmanuel United Reformed Church Price: Free Description: Choral music from Schubert, Mendelssohn and Schumann by Germany’s Chamber Choir ‘Cantelia’, then madrigals, Tudor anthems and Romantic partsongs by Cambridgeshire’s ‘Cantores’ chamber choir. melbourncambridge.co.uk

4 October

INALA: A ZULU BALLET Time: 7.30pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: £22-£25 Description: The Grammy Award-winning Ladysmith Black Mambazo join dancers from the Royal ballet for a striking performance of music and dance. cornex.co.uk

8

October ALED JONES Time: 7.30pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: £27.50-£30 Description: The household name presents an evening of soaring music and stories from his 27year career to delight all tastes, performed live by world-class musicians. cornex.co.uk

8

October MOONLIT WALK Time: 9pm Location: Wandlebury Country Park Price: £3 suggested donation Description: Take a guided walk around the wooded country park under the enchanting light of the moon. Listen for the noises of night creatures and learn more about the park – and remember to wrap up warm! cambridgeppf.org

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10 October

13 October

11 October

14 October

LEVEL 42 Time: 7.30pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: £27 Description: The global superstars take to the stage to perform songs from their extensive, catchy back catalogue, including Lessons in Love and Running in the Family. cornex.co.uk MURDER MYSTERY EVENING Time: 6pm Location: Wimpole Hall Price: £45 Description: Help solve a dastardly crime over a threecourse buffet in the opulent setting of Wimpole Hall. A unique opportunity to have this grand house to yourself. nationaltrust.org.uk

11 October

WINTER FISH Time: 10am-2pm Location: Cambridge Cookery School Price: £135 Description: Hone your fishfilleting skills and learn how to prepare delicious fish dishes. cambridgecookeryschool.com

LEE NELSON Time: 8pm Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £18.50 Description: Comedy chav Lee Nelson hitches up his trousers and swaggers to Cambridge this month for ‘qualitee’ jokes and top bants. junction.co.uk FATAL CONSEQUENCES Time: Various Location: Fitzwilliam Museum Price: Free Description: See a series of etchings by Jake and Dinos Chapman, adapted from Goya’s The Disasters of War. The exhibition runs until February at the Shiba Gallery. fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk

14

October FOOTLIGHTS SMOKER Time: 11pm Location: ADC Theatre Price: £6/£7 Description: An hour of non-stop sketches, stand-up, monologues and humorous songs by the Cambridge Footlights members. adctheatre.com

13-18

THE FULL MONTY Time: 7.45pm (& 2.30pm Thurs and Sat) Location: Arts Theatre Price: £15-£35 Description: You’ve seen the film, loved the music: now watch The Full Monty take to the stage. This cheeky, feel-good show comes direct from London’s West End. cambridgeartstheatre.com

OCT

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LISTINGS

IMAGES FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Seth Lakeman brings his folksy vibe to Cambridge on 22 October, then catch The South on 31 October. If it’s debates and workshops you’re after, try the Women of the World Festival at Cambridge Junction.

15 October

ONE MAN LORD OF THE RINGS Time: 7.30pm Location: Mumford Theatre Price: £8.50-£12.50 Description: Canadian actor Charles Ross has become a worldwide sensation for his kooky, condensed parodies of sci-fi favourites. See him play all the characters in the Tolkien trilogy in One Man Lord of the Rings. anglia.ac.uk

17 October

ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Time: 7.30pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: £28.50-£38.50 Description: Cambridge Corn Exchange's Orchestra in Residence opens the 2014/15 Cambridge Classical Concert Series in style with a concert conducted by Fabien Gabel. Includes Schumann, Rachmaninov and Brahms, with pianist Natasha Paremski. cornex.co.uk

18 & 19 October

OIL PAINTING WEEKEND Time: 10am-4pm Location: White House Arts Centre Price: £100 inc materials Description: Get your creative juices flowing at this relaxed painting weekend, led by tutor Denise Spalding. whitehousearts.co.uk

18 October

ELY APPLE FESTIVAL Time: 10am-4pm Location: Palace Green Price: Free Description: East Anglia’s biggest celebration of the Great British apple! With games, displays, folk music, an apple race and the ‘longest apple peel’ contest. visitely.org.uk

19

October CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY POPS ORCHESTRA Time: 8pm Location: West Road Price: £6-£10 Description: A Rogers and Hammerstein spectacular, featuring your favourite songs from the musicals performed by a full orchestra and singers. westroad.org

19

October JOHN CLEESE Time: 7.45pm Location: Arts Theatre Price: £25 Description: The comedy legend is back on the road with a new show, in which he’ll be regaling audiences with stories from his new book, So, Anyway. cambridgeartstheatre.com

20 October

EDDI READER Time: 7pm Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £21 Description: The musical marvel, who was awarded an MBE in 2006, returned with a new album, Love Is The Way, in 2009, and she’ll be performing in Cambridge this month. junction.co.uk

21-25 October

OEDIPUS AND ANTIGONE Time: 7.45pm Location: ADC Theatre Price: £7-£12 Description: An epic tale of truth, destiny, gods and family, this play by the Cambridge University Amateur Dramatic Club updates and combines the masterpieces of Aeschylus and Sophocles. adctheatre.com

22 October

SETH LAKEMAN Time: 7.30pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: £20.50-£25 Description: The folk favourite and fiddle virtuoso has a new album, Word of Mouth. He’s joined in Cambridge by his live band. cornex.co.uk

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26

22 OCT

NERINA PALLOT Time: 7pm doors Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £19.50 Description: The distinctivevoiced singer-songwriter heads on tour to showcase her new material. Nerina has set herself the challenge of releasing 12 EPs a year, with plans to release an album of fan favourites afterwards. junction.co.uk

22 October

THE SCIENCE OF FICTION Time: 7pm Location: Cambridge Science Centre Price: £3 suggested donation Description: Can fiction predict the future? Put your questions to best-selling author Alastair Reynolds, futurist Melissa Sterry, astrobiologist Lewis Dartnell and historian Melanie Keene. Part of the Festival of Ideas. cambridgesciencecentre.org

October WOW – WOMEN OF THE WORLD: CAMBRIDGE Time: 10am Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £3-£10 Description: The Southbank Centre’s Women of the World Festival comes to Cambridge for a day of debates, workshops and exciting activities exploring what it really means to be a woman. junction.co.uk

28

October CHAMPAGNE & SPARKLING WINE TASTING Time: 7pm Location: Cambridge Wine School Price: £30 Description: A decadent evening exploring six types of fizz, including an impressive sabrage demonstration. £10 extra to include a fish & chip supper. cambridgeshirewineschool.com GREGORY PORTER Time: 7.30pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: £25-£37.50 Description: One of the big sounds of 2014, Gregory Porter earned a Grammy nomination for his 2012 record, Be Good, and brings soul and spirit to today’s charts. cornex.co.uk

25 October

SING-A-LONG-A-SOUND OF MUSIC Time: 7pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: £17 Description: Cambridge Corn Exchange will be alive with the sound of music as fans of the film join together for a hearty Alpine singalong. Fancy dress is strongly encouraged – curtains, anyone? cornex.co.uk

31 October

31 OCT

THE SOUTH Time: 7pm doors Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £21 Description: Continuing the legacy of The Beautiful South, The South is made up of several original members of the band and will perform hits old and new. junction.co.uk

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NEWS

Communit y NEWS CONSERVATION VOLUNTEER DAY

Come and help the Cambridge Past, Present & Future Rangers get to work at Coton Countryside Reserve at the Conservation Volunteer Day, 18 October.

Covering more than 300 acres of pasture and agricultural land, the nature reserve at Coton is a haven for wildlife and offers panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. Just four miles out of Cambridge, it offers picturesque routes for walkers, cyclists, runners and horse riders.

Meet at the Martin Car Park at 11am.

Bring a packed lunch – teas and coffees will be provided. www.cambridgeppf.org

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BURY LANE FUN BARN! If you’re looking for a great family day out, we recommend a trip over to Bury Lane Fun Barn, which this month celebrates its first birthday. Located at Bury Lane Farm Shop in Melbourn near Royston, the barn offers plenty to keep little ones entertained for hours, from the huge wavy slide and farm-themed balance beams to the ball pool and horse shaped foam biff bags.

Once you’ve built up an appetite, there’s fresh, home-made food on offer, and the Fun Barn can host parties for between 10 and 25 children.

Find out more at the website. www.burylanefunbarn.co.uk

MARCH ON CANCER On Saturday 11 October, people will March On Cancer in 15 cities across the UK as part of a national event to help raise funds for Stand Up To Cancer, an annual fundraising campaign spearheaded by Cancer Research UK and Channel 4. The Cambridge march will begin at 7.30pm, with participants meeting at Queen’s Green, from where it will move on to the Backs and past The Guildhall and King’s College, amongst other famous Cambridge landmarks.

The march, which costs £5 to enter, is promising to be a moving and inspirational experience, taking participants on a journey to remember those lost to cancer and celebrate the research that has helped to save lives.

Find out more at the Stand Up To Cancer website. www.standuptocancer.org.uk

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KITCHENAID GETS BEHIND PAPWORTH TRUST’S CARE FOR CAKE APPEAL KitchenAid is showing its sweetest side by helping a disability charity to serve up a new cake-themed fundraising appeal. The company has donated an iconic Artisan 4.8L Stand Mixer worth £449 to Papworth Trust to help the charity spread the word about its Care for Cake appeal.

Care for Cake encourages people to hold or take part in a cake-themed fundraiser between 10 and 16 November to raise money to support disabled people. Papworth Trust is offering the public the chance to win the KitchenAid mixer by taking part in an online competition, with the last entries to be in by 15 October.

Papworth Trust’s Fundraising Manager Annette Angell says: “We are really grateful to KitchenAid for their generous donation which will help us to kick-start our Care for Cake appeal.

We’d like to encourage anyone who loves baking (or eating cake!) to get involved – what kind of fundraising event you hold is completely up to you. It can be as silly, creative or simple as you like; anything from a cake sale, bake-off, raffle or tea party.

All proceeds we raise will go towards supporting our services, which provide essential care and support to older and disabled people.” papworthtrust.org.uk/careforcake

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NEWS

CAMBRIDGE BID MONTHLY UPDATE

Welcome This month, delve into the past of Cambridge as shops across the city reveal the history of their premises in Our Cambridge Story, just one of the events taking place as part of Curating Cambridge. We shine a spotlight on Magdalene Street and, over the page, read all about Test Town 2014, an opportunity for young entrepreneurs in the city.

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 and encourage people to visit and enjoy our fabulous city.

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

Our Cambridge Story Ever wondered about the history of your favourite shop or pondered what was there before? This autumn find out with Our Cambridge Story, when organisations across the city, including Bridges CafĂŠ and Millers Music, will reveal their fascinating pasts through their window displays.

Taking place from 20 October to 23 November, the event is part of Curating Cambridge; a five-week celebration of culture and creativity in the city which Cambridge BID is a proud partner of.

Look out for distinctive neon green Curating Cambridge posters in shop fronts across the city or visit www. curatingcambridge.org.uk for the full list of those taking part and details of the stories they are sharing.

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NEWS

Spotlight on…

Magdalene Street From the hustle and bustle of Bridge Street past the bars and punters of Quayside, venturing down onto Magdalene Street is like stepping back in time, as the pavements narrow and colourful, historic shopfronts vie for your attention. Be sure to pop in for a pint at The Pickerel, one of Cambridge’s best-loved pubs, which serves up a great range of cask ales and traditional pub grub, and make time to admire the impressive Magdalene College, which dates back to 1428. For authentic Italian food meanwhile, stop by at the familyrun La Margherita, where you can feast on freshly made pizza, pasta and risotto, as well as a tempting selection of gelato.

If you’re in the mood for a little retail therapy, make a beeline for clothing retailer Bowns & Bis, where the rails are filled with pieces from top designers including Vivienne Westwood and Nicole Farhi, or pick up brands including Moschino Cheap & Chic and Max Mara down the road at Baska. Then, complete your new look with a trip to Della Kaur,

which stocks accessories and jewellery from designers from around the globe.

If you want to treat someone special, pay a visit to The Flower House, a quaint florist which will create beautiful, seasonal arrangements for all of life’s events.

Adding to Magdalene Street’s fantastic range of independent shops is The

Beaderie, where you’ll find a huge range of beads and stringing materials, including over 300 high-quality semi-precious stones and freshwater pearls, perfect for creating your own bespoke jewellery, whether you’re an experienced beader or just discovering the skill.

Sparkle & Shine Ball We are delighted to announce that Cambridge Edition will sponsor this year’s Sparkle & Shine Ball, which is set to take place at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel on 6 November.

This year’s event will raise funds for The Royal Anglian Benevolent Fund and will feature a drinks reception, a three-course meal, music and a charity auction.

A limited number of tickets are still available at £60 plus VAT per head.

For more information, email becky.burrell@cambridgebid.co.uk.

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NEWS

Test Town 2014

TestTown 2014 This October, Cambridge will play host to the thrilling final of the UK’s biggest entrepreneurial competition. TestTown 2014, developed by Carnegie UK Trust and supported by Cambridge BID, was designed to encourage young entrepreneurs up and down the country to help breathe new life into town centres and revitalise high streets across the UK. Competing for £10,000 startup funding and ongoing business mentoring support, nine finalists aged between 16 and 30 will descend upon Cambridge to set up pop-up shops from 10 to 11 October. Each of these has already made it through their regional heat, in Manchester, Middlesbrough, Rhyl, Kirkintilloch, Bury St Edmunds, Perth and Colerain respectively, with the final offering contestants the chance to showcase their work in a real life business setting using an empty shop on the high street.

Becky Burrell, Marketing and Commercial Manager at Cambridge BID, commented: “The TestTown national final will give some of the UK’s best young entrepreneurs a taste of

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doing business in Cambridge, a city with a worldwide reputation as a centre for new ideas and innovation.”

More than 450 people from across the country applied to take part in TestTown 2014, with contestants including pop-up fashion boutiques, cafés, 3D print shops and art galleries.

Existing Cambridge businesses should also benefit directly from the competition, with last year’s TestTown final generating more than £10,000 of additional consumer spending for the host town, and consumer footfall also doubling. The regional finals have already generated thousands of pounds of additional revenue for their hosts.

Jim Metcalfe, Carnegie UK Trust said: “This year we have travelled the length and breadth of Britain to uncover some of the sharpest young business talent the country has to offer. For too long we have seen our town centres decline; action has been taken

but the remedy has not been working.

It is time to prescribe a new course of treatment and that is exactly what TestTown aims to do.

“More than just a business competition, TestTown engages with young people to find out what would bring them to a modern town centre environment. We’ve had some amazing entries and even more great ideas for retail offerings that could make a big difference across the UK. “This is the reason we chose Cambridge for the final. This is about finding ideas that work across the UK in a wide range of environments with differing social backgrounds. All our finalists has seen their ideas succeed in their regional event, the proof of the pudding will be further success in a vibrant city like Cambridge.” www.testtown.org.uk

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WEDDINGS

WORDS JENNIFER SHELTON

WEDDINGS It’s one of the most special days of your life, so make sure your wedding is just perfect. We’ve rounded up the best of the best in Cambridge to help you as you plan your big day

THREE OF THE BEST… BRIDAL GOWNS One of the first things any bride-to-be is likely to do on their engagement (if not before!) is to look for her perfect dress.

Finding the right style for your shape and something that describes your personality is crucial: we’ve picked three of our favourites – all completely different – from local bridal boutiques. We hope they give you some inspiration…

THE TIA 5508

THE BRONWYN

THE ROSABELLA 68055

Show off your shape and shoulders in this curvaceous number, available from Honeys Bridal. The simple, timeless princess silhouette is paired with truly elegant detailing in lace, with soft ruching across the bust and a sweetheart neckline. It’s part of a collection by Benjamin Roberts.

Choose from ivory or white.

Visit the boutique at Longstanton Road, Oakington. www.honeysbridalandevents.com

This slimline dress in lace and tulle, by Maggie Sottero, harks back to the glamour of yesteryear and features a flattering V-neckline with cap sleeves. It’s available in all white, all ivory or ivory over light gold, and comes with a detachable satin ribbon belt. Not to mention that showstopping open back with button detail.

Available from Fleur de Lys Bridal, Market Place, Saffron Walden. www.fleurdelysbridal.co.uk

With its flattering A-line skirt, balanced by a scoop neckline in delicate lace, this gown by Ronald Joyce cinches in the waist, while sheer, lace sleeves add more than a touch of elegance. Choose between ivory and white, and shimmer on the dance floor in understated sparkly tulle.

Available at Mia Sposa, Homerton Street, Cambridge. www.miasposacambridge.co.uk

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WEDDINGS

SETTING THE SCENE Grand feast for 200 or intimate family gathering, choosing the right venue for you is crucial. Here are some you may or may not have discovered from around the local area

BEDFORD LODGE QUY MILL HOTEL & SPA The Best Western Plus Quy Mill Hotel is a luxurious, historic venue situated just outside of Cambridge in Stow cum Quy. It can accommodate smaller, intimate parties as well as large gatherings of up to 150 guests.

Have your ceremony in the Waterwheel Room for something truly unique, while the secluded riverside grounds make beautiful backdrops for your photographs.

The hotel also boasts awardwinning food, and you’ll receive a four-poster bedroom for you and your betrothed plus a dedicated wedding co-ordinator to help keep everything ticking along nicely. The free parking is a handy bonus, too. www.cambridgequymill.co.uk

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A beautiful Georgian villa, set in gorgeous grounds just outside Newmarket town centre, Bedford Lodge oozes elegance and class. The venue has just announced a £300,000 refurbishment of its Classics Suite, which will accommodate 180 guests. It’s set to be finished by next month.

Says chief executive Noel Byrne: “We are delighted to announce these major refurbishment plans and look forward to welcoming our guests into a completely modern and updated space. We are the only four-star hotel in Newmarket and feel this significant investment will continue to make us the Suffolk destination for weddings and conferences.” www.bedfordlodgehotel.co.uk

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WEDDINGS

WESTMINSTER COLLEGE

Harry Richards

If you’re looking for a touch of college sophistication, Westminster should be firmly on your list. Indoors, its historic, grand Dining Hall – think wood panelling and air of cosy opulence – seats up to 125. For more intimate gatherings, The Assembly Room, featuring a spectacular chandelier inspired by Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss, seats up to 25. Or have guests served drinks on the lawn while you have your photographs taken in the manicured gardens. There’s also the option of getting married in the chapel, allowing you to keep everything in one place. You’ll receive a personal event organiser, plus the best from the college’s talented chefs. www.westminster.cam.ac.uk

Harry Richards

Martin Beard

ISLAND HALL This exclusive venue in Godmanchester is home to Sir Christopher and Lady Linda Vane Percy and hosts only a handful of weddings each year. The property incorporates a splendid Georgian house, breathtaking ornamental gardens and its own picturesque island. Weddings are available for up to 80 guests in the main hall (180 in the marquee in summer), or sail out on boats to the island for a magical photo shoot like no other.

Inside, the richly-furnished saloon with open fireplace is perfect for up to 30 guests. You’re free to bring or source your own wine, free of corkage charges. www.islandhall.com

HOTEL FELIX Set in enchanting gardens away from the bustle of the city, Hotel Felix is a charming Victorian villa with stylish, twinkling interiors. They currently have a winter wedding offer in place at £99 per head for ceremonies held between 1 October-31 March. Includes a civil ceremony in the Atlas/Calypso Suite, private room hire, drinks reception, three-course meal with wine, DJ, evening buffet, bridal party accommodation and more. www.hotelfelix.co.uk

DOUBLETREE BY HILTON Say ‘I do’ at a glittering riverside ceremony in Cambridge’s historic centre. The hotel, occupying a leafy position by the Mill Lane punting station, can host up to 150 guests in its prestigious Granta Suite for the wedding breakfast and 190 for the evening reception.

There are smaller suites too, many overlooking the riverside gardens. In summer months, the beautiful garden gazebo comes into its own, and can be dressed in your choice of flowers and decorations. Accommodation can be provided for you and your guests so you won’t ever have to cut the party short. www.doubletreecambridge.com

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WEDDINGS

CENTRE PARKS Never mind expensive trips abroad, get together for a girly/lads weekend closer to home. Crash out at a cabin at Centre Parks, Elveden, and spend the day cycling, fencing, swimming or chilling, then bring out the booze, dares and party games at night… www.centerparcs.co.uk

HEN & STAG

IDEAS:

CAMBRIDGE COOKERY SCHOOL

Best men and maids of honour, we’ve done the hard work for you and come up with ten great ideas for your bezzie’s stag or hen do. Cocktail crazy or adrenaline junkie, Cambridge and the surrounding area has plenty to offer up

BURLESQUE DINING

WAKEBOARDING

Looking for a night out with great food and drink, an enchanting setting and entertainment to boot? Keep an eye on the Willow Tree, Bourn, which hosts regular burlesque supper clubs at their dreamy, vintage-inspired gastro pub venue. In summer, they also take group bookings for their tipi dining experience in the garden. www.thewillowtreebourn.com

Situated towards Ely, Hannam’s Wake Hub offers wakeboarding classes for complete beginners to pros and could be ideal if you’re looking for something a little different. Spend an action-filled afternoon watching your mates attempt to skim across the lake’s surface, strapped to a board, in a wetsuit – laughter guaranteed. www.hannamswakehub.com

WINE TASTING

SPA BREAK

Love wine? Find out more about it with Cambridge Wine School, who host stag and hen parties by request. Owner Mark will talk you through at least six quality wines and host a ‘who’s wine is it anyway?’ quiz. He can either come to you or arrange a private room at locations including the Royal Cambridge Hotel, Cambridge Brew House, 12A Club and Hotel Felix. www.cambridgeshirewineschool.com

You’re sure to score full marks from any stressed-out bride for suggesting a spa day of pre-wedding pampering and relaxation. Bedford Lodge runs a Bridal Shower day package for £98 per person (groups of 4-10), including a facial or massage, use of the hydrotherapy and heat experiences, and a two-course lunch per person. www.bedfordlodgehotelspa.co.uk

PUNTING It’s Cambridge, so punting should definitely be up for consideration.

Scudamore’s can take groups for chauffeured punts along the Backs, while you sit back with your strawberries and fizz.

Fabulous! www.scudamores.com

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Sophisticated tastes may run more to a day spent cooking and feasting (and drinking wine) at Cambridge Cookery School. At their huge, modern and super trendy kitchen off Hills Road, you’ll get to find out who’s a secret Nigella and who’s a complete stranger to the stove… www.cambridgecookeryschool.com

GO-APE Have your own treetop adventure at Thetford Forest and master wobbly bridges, zip wires and cargo nets.

Unleash your inner Tarzan or Jane and get to know your fellow stags/hens while swinging through the trees. Or if you’d prefer to stay on the ground, try a Segway forest trek. www.goape.co.uk

COCKTAIL MAKING Spend an evening making cocktails at one of Cambridge’s nightspots.

Book out the upstairs cocktail lounge at De Luca, or take a class from the bartender at La Raza. You'll discover some new concoctions and, best of all, you get to drink what you’ve made!

GO-KARTING A classic option for a sportier, more competitive bunch, go-karting is offered nearby at Cambridgeshire Kartsport, Caxton – which has both an indoor and outdoor track – and Red Lodge Karting towards Newmarket.

Check the websites for full details.

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WEDDINGS

ARRIVE IN STYLE Make a grand entrance in a beautiful vintage car or choose something a little different to get from A to B on your special day. Here are a few of our favourite ideas

MOVE DOWN THE BUS! Hop aboard a red, shiny Routemaster bus and get your whole party from the ceremony to the reception in one fell swoop. As classic a feature of British roads as the black cab, there’s something deeply romantic about these vintage buses, which provide the chance to indulge in a little nostalgia whilst chugging through the scenic Cambridge streets. www.route2hire.co.uk

A BICYCLE MADE FOR TWO What could be more ‘Cambridge’ than arriving at your venue by bike? Brides instantly imagining oily white dresses hiked up round your knees, fear not: hire a rickshaw from Outspoken Cycles and you and your beloved need only hop in the back and you’ll be transported to your happily ever after with eco-friendly ease. www.outspokendelivery.co.uk

DIARY DATES 11 October

THE MANOR BARN WEDDING FAIR Explore this beautiful, rural venue in Harlton (near Haslingfield) and get some ideas for flowers, catering and more. 10am-4pm, free entry. www.themanorbarn.com

CLASSIC CAR Take a ride back in time in a vintage motor, driven by your own professional chauffeur and tastefully decorated with ribbons and flowers, for a true luxury experience. Vintage Wedding Cars Cambridge have several classic cars for hire including the delightful Burnham (pictured), which dates from the 1920s.

Because it never hurts to add a little Gatsby glamour… www.vintageweddingcarscambridge. co.uk

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12 October

DOUBLETREE BY HILTON WEDDING SHOW See inside this riverside wedding venue and meet leading Cambridge exhibitors.

Wedding dress shows: 12.30pm & 2.30pm. Free parking, free admission. 11am-4pm. www.doubletreecambridge.com 6 November

THE QUY MILL HOTEL OPEN EVENING Find out more about what this lovely venue can offer at their Wedding Open Evening. Takes place 5-8pm. Free parking and free admission. www.cambridgequymill.co.uk

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Pictures courtesy of BHS

Your essential guide to schools & learning in Cambridgeshire

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EDUCATION

WORDS NIGEL HELLIWELL

DOES SIZE MATTER WHEN Nigel Helliwell, Head of St Faith’s, considers the much-debated issue of the effect of a school's size on meeting the needs of children

s the Head of the largest prep school in Cambridge, I often meet prospective parents after they have toured the School. ‘Wonderful facilities,’ they remark, which is good to hear but not in itself a major reason why St Faith’s is as popular as it is. ‘Outstanding opportunities’ they often go on to say, which better explains why children thrive here. But occasionally, I hear a touch of anxiety in their voices when discussing the size of the school, particularly from mothers of very young children joining at age four. Will the school be too big? Will my child get lost? How does the school care for each individual?

We are, as parents, protective. We want to know that our children will be nurtured and cared for at school, and this overwhelming desire is at its strongest when our children are at their most vulnerable – when they are very young.

I don’t often hear parents of teenagers doubting the size of senior schools.

They know that with size comes greater opportunities, a wider range of subjects, more after-school clubs, sports teams, musical groups and drama productions, probably more specialist teachers and almost certainly, better facilities and resources than a smaller school. Well, I would say that these factors are just as important for a six year old as they are for an adolescent.

Research has consistently shown that children learn at their quickest in their early

years. How inspirational is it, therefore, for a four year old to be taught a foreign language by a specialist, native speaker?

At St Faith’s, our youngest age groups also have lessons with specialist teachers, using specialist facilities, in music, sport, computing, and from the age of seven, art and design and technology. We know that without expert teaching at this young age and this exposure to such high class facilities, our children would not achieve the outstanding results they do (well over a third of our leavers gaining scholarships to senior schools each year, for example).

But how does a large prep school provide a caring and nurturing environment for a child? Well, that’s more to do with the ethos of the school, class sizes and the layout of the buildings than the total pupil roll.

It is important that the youngest age groups have their own ‘safe haven’ with classrooms, playground and lunchtimes separate from those of the older children.

Class sizes are vital too, despite what the politicians would like us to believe, and the ideal is between 16 and 20; large enough to produce a vibrant and stimulating atmosphere and small enough to focus on each individual.

Look out for the presence of teaching assistants in classes as this brings this staff-pupil ratio down considerably.

And crucially, if a school is to provide an environment where children are nurtured there must be an ethos of inclusivity.

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Prep schools should be vibrant places where children experience a vast range of opportunities and exciting challenges – 90 clubs are on offer each week at St Faith’s for example. Only then will they know what they are good at and what they might specialise in during their senior school years. As a school’s inspector, I see too many prep schools offering a limited curriculum to their youngest pupils with subjects like drama (great for building confidence) and design and technology (good for identifying future engineers) being taught poorly or not at all.

So in many ways, a large prep school which is doing its job well, looking after children and offering a vast array of opportunities, is just the place where each individual can thrive. In other words, the education usually offered by large prep schools is, contrary to the stereotypical views of some, more personalised. This means that the school is better equipped to meet the needs of the child rather than the child having to fit in with the limitations of the school. It is not surprising therefore, that larger prep schools are becoming increasingly popular and the average size in the UK has increased by over 100 pupils in the past 20 years.

When choosing a school, do look for a kind, caring and nurturing environment but don’t underestimate your child’s thirst for learning and ability to absorb the wonders of a large school, even at an early age.

Think big.

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EDUCATION

WORDS CHARLOTTE PHILLIPS

Picture courtesy of Friends’ School

With open day season in full swing, parents across the county are doing the rounds – but a little preparation for these events can go a long way, says Charlotte Phillips

ocal families in search of some first class entertainment could do a lot worse than turn up at one of our area’s schools this autumn. Drama and music are amongst the treats on offer. St Faith’s, a top-rated prep school, offers a spot of Shakespeare in its drama workshop, the chance to see how ceramic Udu drums are constructed as well as hands-on robotics and programming.

Admittedly, we’re not talking about an extended run followed by a West End transfer – though that’s not through any shortage of talent. Each performance tends to be a one-, or at most a two- or three-off. And you’ll normally have to sit through a spot of speechifying. But the content is so riveting that the venues

Friends School are often packed out (St Faith’s bill their headmaster’s talk as ‘not to be missed…’).

Yes, school open day season is here again and eager parents in search of the perfect establishment for their offspring are doing the rounds.

In an era of consumer-led demand with its focus on individually tailored communications, the continued existence of big, set-piece school events attended by parents en masse may seem to run counter to the spirit of the age.

But attendance figures speak for themselves. For today’s parents, open days continue to play a valuable role in helping families through the often tricky make-your-mind-up process – sometimes in record time.

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INFO: 11 October, 10am-12.30pm at Mount Pleasant Road, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 3EB DESCRIPTION: There is coffee and cake available in the marquee on the front lawn, with the head’s address taking place at 10am in the Assembly Hall for visitors to both the Junior and Senior Schools. Tours with students will take place, with tours of the boarding houses available.

Teachers are available to answer any questions with an opportunity to relax in the marquee, enjoy some refreshments and chat to the Head, Deputy Head, Bursar and current parents. www.friends.org.uk

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EDUCATION

The Perse INFO: • Sixth Form Open Evening: Tuesday 4 November 2014, 6.30pm – 9pm • Prep: Saturday 4 October 2014, 9.30am – 12pm • Nursery and Pre-Prep: Saturday 11 October, 9.30am –12.30pm DESCRIPTION: Guests at the autumn open events will enjoy a whole host of different activities demonstrating the breadth and quality of a Perse education. Take a tour with pupils or wander around the facilities, watch demonstrations, hear from the Head and put your questions to staff. No booking required. www.perse.co.uk

Picture courtesy of The Perse School

Visitors to St Mary’s School, Cambridge, “should be able to pick up the positive atmosphere within ten seconds,” believes headmistress Charlotte Avery.

“You will be able to see at a glance what facilities the school has, if it is a bright and lively environment, and you should also be able to pick up on the general atmosphere of the place, particularly if you talk to staff and pupils,” explains Anna Chaudhri, head of Friends’ School. “If the pupils show you round, as they do at Friends’ School, this is a great opportunity to find out a lot of things that may not be answered in the Head’s address. It is also the perfect time for your children to ask some questions too,” she says.

Dr Sarah Welch, the chair of the Independent Schools Association – and a head teacher herself – says that while there’s no doubt that schools will show themselves at their very best on open days – and who can blame them? – they will also often include activities that give a

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Picture courtesy of St Mary's School, Cambridge

taste of ordinary life there.

“What we try to do at our school is combine it with an enrichment day for the children so that it’s not an artificial ‘here’s one we made earlier’. Obviously, it’s an opportunity for us to freshen up displays and get the choir to sing but we combine it with the kind of everyday things the children do at school as well.”

That down to earth approach is also a feature of open days at St Francis’s College in Hertfordshire, when, twice a year, prospective parents get the chance to see the sorts of lessons that go on between Monday and Friday – but on a Saturday morning instead.

It’s worth the effort, say schools. As Dr Welch points out, parents these days are a discriminating bunch who start the school hunt earlier and spend far more time than they ever used to whittling down the options. The result is that open days now are part of a process that can take years and will also include individual tours

St Mary's School, Cambridge INFO: • Junior School Open Morning: Saturday 4 October, 9.30am12.30pm • Senior School Open Morning: Saturday 11 October, 9.30am12.30pm • Sixth Form Open Evening: Thursday 6 November, 6.30pm-9pm DESCRIPTION: The best way to find out about the St Mary’s Junior School, Senior School and Sixth Form is to visit the open days, which enable parents and their children to get a taste of life in the school, see the facilities, meet staff and ask questions (places can be booked in advance online). www.stmaryscambridge.co.uk

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EDUCATION

Picture courtesy of Stephen Perse Foundation

Stephen Perse Foundation of the school and, often, taster days for prospective pupils.

Take senior schools, where in the past it was common for parents to start looking round only when their child was just about to finish prep school. No longer. “Today, we get families coming round when the children are maybe in Year 4, and certainly

by Year 5 and Year 6. They do come round earlier,” says Sarah Welch.

What you’re looking for isn’t just a good school – but the one that suits your child.

“Children are all different,” points out Alison Wall, head of senior school at the Stephen Perse Foundation. “It shouldn’t be a surprise therefore to find that there is no ‘one size fits all’ in education. The right school is the school which seeks to understand and get the best out of every child. It is not the school that tries simply to mould them into their own model.”

You’ll find different but equally exciting ways of doing things. Open days at the Stephen Perse Foundation, for example,

exude innovation this autumn, from the library, dubbed the ‘cabinet of curiosities’ and featuring ‘amazing’ new technology on show there as well as traditional books and displays, to the school’s diamond formation where boys and girls are taught mainly in their own classes. It’s a combination of tradition and forward thinking that people travel miles to see first-hand, says the school.

At St Mary’s School, Cambridge, visitors can see everything from whizzy science experiments and classroom-based lessons to enthusiastic students demonstrating their skills in tent building and fire making.

The carefully constructed tour even comes with a desirable incentive where young visitors collect badges as they go round, pinning them on a lanyard they are given on arrival. “We want the students to have something to take home and enjoy beyond the open day,” explains Charlotte Avery.

Before drinking in all the excitement on offer, however, it pays to mug up on

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INFO: • Senior School open morning: Saturday 4 October, 9.30am12.30pm • Junior School and City Pre-prep open morning: Saturday 11 October, 9.30am-12.30pm • 6th Form College curriculum choices evening: Tuesday 21 October, 7pm8.30pm • 6th Form College open evening: Thursday 6 November, 6.30pm-9pm DESCRIPTION: The open mornings/ evenings are a great chance to experience the different aspects of life at the Stephen Perse Foundation schools. The format of these open events varies across each part of the school but the events includes student tours, presentations by the principle and students, dance displays, sports showcases and departmental activities for all ages. www.stephenperse.com

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EDUCATION

Picture courtesy of St Faith's School

CRC INFO: Friday 7 November (4.30pm7.30pm) and Saturday 8 November (9.30am-12.30pm) at Cambridge Regional College, Kings Hedges Road, Cambridge CB4 2QT DESCRIPTION: Visit the Cambridge Regional College Open Days to find out more about their range of full-time courses, apprenticeships and higher education. Cambridge Regional College is a great place to study, with experienced, highly qualified teachers and outstanding facilities. Visit the Open Days to talk to tutors and current students, have a go at lots of activities and get a feel for college life. Pre-register at www.camre.ac.uk

a school before you visit, advises Anna Chaudhri. If, for example, your child is already keen on a less mainstream subject, find out if it’s available in advance. “Parents should prepare their questions in advance – visit the school’s website and get a prospectus, so that they can make the most of the day,” she says.

And once you get there, while you’ll undoubtedly be impressed by the star qualify that you find on offer, it’s also worth keeping a detached perspective to make sure that, like a stick of rock, you’re getting the same quality, and consistency, all the way through.

Ed Elliott, head of the Perse School counsels keeping a close eye – and a close ear – on what’s being said by who and what’s on view.

“Listen to what the head, staff and pupils have to say about the school. In a good school they should all be singing from the same hymn sheet – if not quite the same notes. Be wary of schools where the head is saying one thing and pupils or staff something different.”

Similarly, beware apparent perfection, he counsels. “If it appears too good to be true it probably is. Quiz the school on how it deals with problems. Good schools are open about their weaknesses and are committed to continuous improvement.”

Given that you’re committing to five or seven years at a senior school, check out the school’s future plans and its finances (the recession may have had more of an impact than is immediately apparent). Some schools, including St Mary’s, Cambridge,

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St Faiths INFO: Saturday 4 October, 9am-12pm at St Faith’s school, Trumpington Road, Cambridge, CB2 8AG

Picture courtesy of St Francis's College

DESCRIPTION: St Faith’s Open Morning is an opportunity to meet the Headmaster and teachers of this innovative school. A pupil will tour will guide you around the dedicated Pre Prep space, arts and music classrooms, computer science suites, the fully-equipped science laboratories and more. There will also be a Spanish café and the opportunity to sample school lunch, plus the chance to see music and sports in action. Register for a tour online. www.stfaiths.co.uk

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Long Road Sixth Form College INFO: Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 November, 5-9pm at Long Road Sixth Form College, Long Road, Cambridge, CB2 8PX

Picture courtesy of The Perse School

EDUCATION

DESCRIPTION: The Open Evening provides an opportunity to visit all of the departments at Long Road Sixth Form College to talk to staff and current students about the courses on offer. It is also possible to discuss course combinations, travel, academic support and careers, as well as finding out about the enrichment programme. Speciallytrained peer mentors will help attendees find their way around the College, and you will be able to see all the excellent facilities on offer. www.longroad.ac.uk

will have a member of staff from the development team on hand to discuss projects that are in the pipeline. Also worth finding out is how the school manages staff recruitment and retention – essential at a time when teachers in some of the core subjects such as science and maths are in short supply.

“Check that teachers in shortage subjects are appropriately qualified and have not just been drafted in from another subject to fill gaps in the timetable,” says Ed Elliott.

And while parents need reassurance that their child’s academic potential will be recognised and nurtured, however, a happy school is about far more than glittering exam results. Good pastoral care is also of fundamental importance, he says.

“League tables don’t record the quality of pastoral care or the range of extra-curricular activities – both of which are central to a child’s enjoyment of school and the development of essential life skills such as emotional intelligence, resilience, teamwork and leadership.”

It’s a confident view shared by Sarah Welch at the Independent Schools Association. “It’s that impression, the atmosphere, the ethos of the school, whether the children seem generally happy to be there.” And that’s likely to be particularly noticeable if the open day happens at a weekend.

“Parents always say to me that if they’re this happy to be coming in on a Saturday, then it must be a happy place.”

Hills Road Sixth Form College INFO: Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 November, 5pm-9.15pm at Hills Road Sixth Form College, Cambridge, CB2 8PE.

Picture courtesy of Hills Road Sixth Form College

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DESCRIPTION: Hills Road Sixth Form College is strongly committed to providing students with a broad sixth form education characterised by academic excellence, outstanding learning experiences and extensive enrichment opportunities. Visit the Open Evenings in November to discover the opportunities for personal growth and development and understand why so many students made Hills Road their first choice for 16-19 education. No booking required. www.hillsroad.ac.uk

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EDUCATION

WORDS CHARLOTTE AVERY

Innovation and leadership – THE CONVERGENCE OF CREATIVITY AND SCIENCE

Charlotte Avery, Head of St Mary's School, Cambridge, discusses the importance of inspiring and celebrating creativity amongst youngsters

n Sir Ken Robinson’s interview for the first of BBC Radio 4’s The Educators series, he lamented that schools are inadvertently crushing creativity with a narrow curriculum which favours a ‘particular type of intelligence’, and league tables can be likened to the Eurovision Song Contest of education. Who better to talk about creativity? Sir Ken’s book Out of Our Minds is an inspiring read about learning to be creative and his TED Talks receive more hits on YouTube than Bill Gates’s or Bono’s.

The importance of creativity has never been more apparent. The great creative minds within major technology and engineering companies are driving innovations that could only have been dreamed of in the past.

In a country where the creative economy accounts for one in every 12 jobs, it is short-sighted educationally, politically and economically that many schools are simply unable to set an effective creative agenda and yet in the maintained sector in particular I know how challenging it can be to extend and encourage creativity through the curriculum.

By contrast, I delight that St Mary’s School, Cambridge, is not hampered by such restrictions and that our students have extraordinary levels of creativity in science, technology, engineering, language and literature, art and drama.

The media has been reporting on the introduction of the new computer science curriculum which aims to provide students with computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. This of course isn’t new to us: our first cohort of girls completed the GCSE course this summer gaining A* or A grades on a course established to meet their interest.

The tools that we use in school make access to these innovations possible and, through our science and technology curriculum, we are enabling our girls to

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apply their creativity to both theoretical and real life practical technical and engineering challenges. We are excited to be using iPads in both Year 8 and Year 9 this year, allowing students to engage with their learning in new and interesting ways.

One of our latest curriculum innovations is the introduction of the Creative Writing AS Level which girls are invited to take in their GCSE year. This course, together with our new creative writing scholarship, has been introduced in response to demand from our girls. The scholarship is for those students who demonstrate particular flair and passion for the written word and award holders are given every encouragement to develop their Creative Writing skills by entering competitions and submitting pieces for publications.

Our girls’ creative acumen and abilities will continue to grow as they build their careers, and become the next generation’s great enthusiasts and leaders. Our school community is extremely lucky to be home to many remarkable women who remind us daily that the ultimate purpose of education is to ‘do’ and to ‘give’ more, not to ‘have’ more. Examples include Louisa Reid who teaches English at the school.

A critically acclaimed author, she talks with the girls about her experiences

of being an author and the mechanics of getting books published. She is an exceptional role model and in this digital age provides a grounded reminder of the pleasure that the traditional printed word can bring.

We are also lucky to have an extremely proactive governing body which includes inspirational individuals like the newly appointed high sheriff of Cambridgeshire, Linda Fairbrother, who is also a member of our parent body. Inspired by the legend of The Last Englishman, Linda has commissioned a piece of music from composer Richard Brown, previously musical director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, which will be performed for the first time in Ely Cathedral in March 2015.

It is the work of role models like these women which inspires great creativity in our girls and so Sir Ken has nothing to fear at St Mary’s School, Cambridge!

While others may be ‘crushing’ it, we are investing heavily in celebrating and supporting creativity across the whole curriculum. The national obsession with league tables may have caused some to lose sight of the purpose of education but, within our own community, creativity lies at the very heart of what we hold dear for our students.

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BUSINESS

WORDS NICOLA FOLEY

OF THE CENTRE FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL LEARNING Nicola Foley looks back over a decade of achievement and enterprise at the University of Cambridge's entrepreneurship centre hat our city is an internationally renowned hotbed of enterprise and innovation is no secret.

Cambridge is a world leader in the fields of science and high technology, producing some 5,000 technology companies since 1960 and a staggering 68.9 patents per 100,000 of population annually (the UK average is 4.60). The city has been home to some of the UK’s most illustrious entrepreneurs, from Clive Sinclair to Mike Lynch, as well as producing a clutch

of firms at the forefront of the UK’s technology sector.

In addition to the continual influx of fresh talent from the university and a relatively small size (perfect for networking and fruitful chance encounters), what Cambridge also has working in its favour is a well-established entrepreneurial infrastructure.

Blazing the trail in 1960, Cambridge Consultants are now joined by a host of consultancy companies able to tend to the needs of new companies looking to take

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their products to market. Meanwhile the arrival of St John’s Innovation Centre in the 1980s and more recently the Future Business Centre offer not only bricks and mortar premises for start-up companies, but also a culture of resource-sharing and support, allowing them to act as thriving incubation centres for new businesses.

Feeding into and nurturing this bubbling ecosystem of innovation and successful start-ups in the city is the Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning

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BUSINESS

Central to CfEL’s ethos is that the best people to teach entrepreneurs are entrepreneurs themselves (CfEL), which this year celebrates its tenth anniversary.

Launched in 2003 with an aim of spreading the ‘spirit of enterprise’, the Centre is housed within Trumpington Street’s Judge Business School, one of the departments of the University of Cambridge’s School of Technology.

It was born as a result of the UK government, at the time under Gordon Brown, taking steps to stimulate entrepreneurship within universities; part of an evolution of policies that gradually migrated from focusing on SMEs to focusing on entrepreneurship.

The Cambridge response to the call for proposals resulted in setting up two institutions – the first centred around technology commercialisation, which grew out of the central admin of the university, and the second centring around teaching and training, which became CfEL. “What we wanted to do was create a portfolio of education that could inspire, inform and then help people implement their goals,” explains CfEL director, Dr Shailendra Vyakarnam MBA. “We recognise that the primary purpose for students to come to Cambridge is to study their chosen subject, so

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entrepreneurship has to sit on top of that as a route for careers, taking research ideas to market or simply to raise awareness.”

Central to CfEL’s ethos is that the best people to teach entrepreneurs are entrepreneurs themselves, a philosophy which has led to the establishment of a network of more than 350 experienced practitioners from the world of business, able to share their expertise and experiences through mentoring, lectures and providing feedback on students’ business plans and ideas.

“The best person to teach music is a musician, the best person to teach dance is a dancer and subjects like medicine, law and other professions are best taught by those in that profession,” says Dr Vyakarnam, when asked why this is such an important facet of CfEL’s approach.

“Entrepreneurship is no different in that it requires a mix of skills, knowledge, motivation and connections that are best offered by practitioners. Learning from those who have done it before has much greater credibility and there is potential to transfer tacit knowledge.

“Having said that, academic faculty play a very important role in defining the learning methods, syllubi, setting context and providing content and resources.

Without this balanced delivery the risk of having ‘practitioners only’ as a delivery method is that you get the ‘Frank Sinatra School of Enterprise’… I did it my way!’”

A belief sometimes bandied about in the business world is that entrepreneurial ability is not, in fact, a ‘skill’ which can be taught, rather that success comes through some combination of a great idea, a lot of hard work, a fair bit of luck and perhaps even the innate characteristics or traits of a

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BUSINESS

CASE STUDY #1 Michael Levens, alumnus of the Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship from CfEL and co-founder of Active Health Tech Pty Ltd (AHT)

specific individual.

“Maybe that is true,” muses Dr Vyakarnam when quizzed on the matter. “But it can be learnt and internalised depending on what the individual wants to do. There are some people for whom being an entrepreneur comes naturally, but for the vast majority there are three interlinked behaviours that need to come together.

“The entrepreneur needs the social skills to build teams, manage networks, time, presentations, negotiations and make sales.

Secondly, and importantly, they need selfawareness. Why is he or she doing this? What are the personal circumstances? Is the idea or opportunity big enough to get excited? With motivation the ‘radar’ is switched on and entrepreneurial ability kicks in!

“Finally, an entreprenuer needs business know-how. If you want to go into business – whatever it is – you need to know how it works. This means a window cleaner needs to know how to clean windows, find customers, charge the right amount of money, keep track of all this and ensure he or she pays the taxes and so on.”

Imbuing potential entrepreneurs with this know-how is central to the teaching at CfEL, which has a strong focus on practical learning and enabling individuals to develop their own ideas and build self-confidence, linking them

with business angels, academics, venture capitalist companies, development agencies, alumni communities and other institutions to equip them with the contacts and skills they need in order to progress their business idea into a commercial arena.

The programmes on offer at CfEL range from sessions of one evening per week through to a 12-month part-time postgraduate diploma, catering for everybody from postgraduate students considering their future career paths to senior-level managers in any given industry sector.

Enterprise Tuesday is a series of free evening lectures which aims to introduce participants – be they students, university staff or members of the local business community – to the world of enterprise, as well as encouraging individuals to pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions.

It’s a hugely popular initiative, attracting some 250 attendees per week, and has provided a blueprint for similar schemes at academic institutions and corporations around the country.

Another core programme at CfEL is Ignite: an intensive one-week training programme for aspiring tech entrepreneurs and corporate innovators which combines practical teaching

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I was an ATP tennis professional from 2003 until 2006 and gained a first class honours degree in IT from the University of Queensland. Following my sporting achievements, I always wanted to study an MBA with the aim of starting my own business.

I’m passionate about health, technology and challenging the status quo by using my skills and expertise to create innovative and useable solutions for real problems worth solving. Being a very practical person, I was looking for a good blend of theory and ‘learning by doing’ practice. However, the MBA courses available didn’t seem to focus on entrepreneurship or meet my needs in terms of learning about creating and running a business.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship offered the specific learning I wanted to further my entrepreneurial ambitions and at the highly reputable University of Cambridge. The successes and failures of being an entrepreneur are about testing something (an idea or concept, strategy, plan, a new target audience, etc.) to see if it works and if it does then great; if not then change and test again and again.

The Cambridge Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship equips you with a broad range of entrepreneurial skills from validating a concept to developing the business model and pitching the idea to understanding how to implement the business model and move it forward. I believe having these skills and developing in-depth knowledge helps build an entrepreneur’s confidence and accelerate the progression of their venture.

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BUSINESS

sessions with expert clinics, mentoring and advice from leading entrepreneurs – the goal being to transform a technology idea into a successful business.

Ignite, the next instalment of which takes place in July 2015, boasts some impressive stats, with over 170 technologybased business ideas created by the course’s alumni currently in operation, more than £120 million in funding raised for ventures and over 2500 jobs created between 2011 and 2013 alone.

The most comprehensive of the courses offered at CfEL is the year-long Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship, a highly practical programme designed specifically for entrepreneurs to enable new ventures through a relevant learning experience which covers everything from opportunity recognition and idea evaluation to managing the early stages of a new venture.

“CfEL has grown to become a significant player in Cambridge and more widely through building its portfolio of courses,” says Dr Vyakarnam when asked about the future aspirations of the Centre.

“We have to recognise though that there are two major changes taking place. The first is the role of the media: programmes such as Dragons Den mean that more people are getting informed via the media without having to engage in deeper learning. We have to be able to respond to that by building online versions of some of what we do.

“We also have to be able to reach out to bigger numbers. One of our experimental platforms that has now become a flagship is our Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship where some 60% is online, including the mentoring by entrepreneurs. This looks set to grow into a significant programme.

“The other direction on which we need to focus is to help provide education about entrepreneurship to more people within the University so that even more of the ideas can come to market via the Cambridge Judge Business School Accelerator,” he says.

One thing’s for sure: with over 300 business ventures already created by CfEL alumni and Cambridge itself continuing to flourish and provide a fertile breeding ground for new start-ups, the future of this innovative institution looks very bright.

Find out more online at the CfEL website: www.cfel.jbs.cam.ac.uk

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CASE STUDY #2

Ryan Windsor, alumnus of the Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship and founder of Windsor Investment Network

Starting and running many ventures throughout school, I set up my latest and most current venture at 18 – Windsor Properties – investing in the property market. I chose the Cambridge Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship course due to the very specific focus on entrepreneurship and the fantastic prospect of being taught by world-leading academics and practising business professionals at a world class institution.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship covers everything you need to successfully start or, in my case, grow a business. The content is split into four courses: Entrepreneurial Awareness and Skills; Opportunity Recognition and Idea Evaluation; Preparing and Implementing the Business Case; and Managing Early Stage Enterprise. Each course has a distinct learning outcome and includes practical tasks that can be applied to your personal enterprise project or business venture. I was able to apply my learning to my business straight away.

My experience is there are many benefits – educational, professional and personal. You’re part of the world-leading University of Cambridge and top-ranked Cambridge Judge Business School in a sophisticated ecosystem that supports and nurtures entrepreneurship. Studying on this course enables you to test ideas in a safe environment and learn from professionals, many of whom have experience in your business area and have been there and done it already. The main benefit is that you expand your network on a global scale and this can lead to other potential business projects. Alumni of the University of Cambridge and Cambridge Judge Business School are also offered ongoing opportunities to get involved in networking events.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship is part-time, practical and it’s a learning experience that keeps on giving. If you want to make your business a success and you’re willing to work hard and make the most of studying, you should definitely go for it. I’ve made a lot of progress with my business since graduating. We’re currently expanding the core business operations and looking to diversify into new areas with new partners.

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FASHION NEWS

PICKS FROM THE

Indies

Kit yourself out for autumn in these top style picks from local independent fashion boutiques

FRED PERRY CLOTHING POLKA DOT SHIRT £85 DOGFISH, TRINITY STREET, CAMBRIDGE

YERSE DOT SCARF £39 ANNA CLOTHING, HIGH STREET, SAFFRON WALDEN

FOR

CLARKS ORIGINALS DESERT SUEDE BOOT £85 DOGFISH, TRINITY STREET, CAMBRIDGE

BAUM UND PFERDGARTEN ETHENA DRESS £119 QUE SERA, BUCKDEN

CASCADE BEADED NECKLACE £18 ARK, ST MARY’S PASSAGE, CAMBRIDGE

LACE UP BOOT £95 MODISH, GREEN STREET, CAMBRIDGE

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BAUM UND PFERDGARTEN HOLLIES DRESS £259 QUE SERA, BUCKDEN

HOBBS AUTUMN FASHION SHOW AND CHARITY EVENING Chic womenswear retailer Hobbs will this month host a fashion show and charity evening in aid of Breakthrough Breast Cancer; the UK’s leading breast cancer charity. Taking place on 9 October at the Grand Arcade branch, the event will include a showcase of top style picks for the new season, with an exclusive 20% discount on all purchases on the night. There will also be some fab raffle prizes to snap up, plus complimentary drinks and nibbles.

Tickets are £5 and the event begins at 6.30pm. www.grandarcade.co.uk

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FASHION

WINTER Don’t banish your dusky pinks, pale yellows and powder blues just yet because this season’s catwalks were awash with pastels. Opt for touches of leather or fur, or step out head to toe in sorbet hues a la Marc Jacobs.

COAT £25 PRIMARK, BURLEIGH STREET, CAMBRIDGE

LIQUID METALLIC TOP £25 TOPSHOP, GRAND ARCADE AND GRAFTON CENTRE, CAMBRIDGE

SIRIUS SEQUINNED TROUSERS £140 FRENCH CONNECTION, MARKET HILL, CAMBRIDGE

FALDA STRUCTURED TULIP SKIRT £129 TED BAKER, GRAND ARCADE, CAMBRIDGE

AUTOGRAPH JACKET £129, AUTOGRAPH TOP £35, AUTOGRAPH SKIRT £199, SHOE £79 M&S, SIDNEY STREET, CAMBRIDGE RICHMOND SATCHEL £35 ACCESSORIZE, PETTY CURY, CAMBRIDGE

ALL THAT

glitters

Winter wardrobe essentials have been given a sparkly makeover this season courtesy of designers like Rodarte and Rochas. Get the look with some gorgeously glittery cropped trousers from French Connection or keep it subtle with a metallic top or pair of brogues.

MARC JACOBS AW2014

M&S COLLECTION JACKET £89, AUTOGRAPH JUMPER £79, PER UNA SPEZIALE SKIRT £65, M&S, SIDNEY STREET, CAMBRIDGE

ASOS FAUX FUR SWING JACKET £70 ASOS

RED HERRING TOP £32 DEBENHAMS, GRAFTON CENTRE, CAMBRIDGE

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FASHION

ESSENTIALS

Boys, get ready to greet the new season in style with these autumn wardrobe winners FRANKIE BROGUE £69.99 OFFICE, MARKET PASSAGE, CAMBRIDGE

HAMMOND & CO. SHIRT

BY PATRICK GRANT £38 DEBENHAMS, GRAFTON CENTRE, CAMBRIDGE

VIVIENNE WESTWOOD COAT £155, ARMY & NAVY CARDIGAN £45, HOWICK T-SHIRT £55 BOSS ORANGE INDIGO JEANS £60 CRIMINAL TARTAN MESSENGER BAG £354 HOUSE OF FRASER

SWEATER £35.99 ZARA, ST ANDREW’S STREET, CAMBRIDGE

JACKET WITH FAUX LEATHER COLLAR £29.99 ZARA, ST ANDREW’S STREET, CAMBRIDGE CHINLEY CREW NECK JUMPER £89 TED BAKER, GRAND ARCADE, CAMBRIDGE BLUE CHECKED SCARF £14 TOPMAN, GRAND ARCADE, CAMBRIDGE

STOMPER £89 DUNE, MARKET STREET, CAMBRIDGE

MULTICOLOUR PRINT CASUAL SHIRT £28 TOPMAN, GRAND ARCADE, CAMBRIDGE SIGN UP TO THE EDIT NEWSLETTER AT CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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BEAUTY WORDS DAISY DICKINSON & CHARLOTTE GRIFFITHS

AUTUMN WINTER ’14

TREND REPORT Versace AW14

Like all good English roses, we adore the cooler months. Tis the season for deepest plums, rich ruby reds and glistening golds that lift your spirits as the nights draw in. We’ve pored over the catwalk trends and chosen our favourites for this season, showing you how they can be adapted for everyday wear.

METALLICS

Dior AW14

One step shy of festive glitter is the metallic trend – a great way to add warm colour and sheen to your face that works on all skin tones and ages.

For gentle contouring try highlighting cheekbones, eyebrow arches and your Cupid’s bow to add definition to your face. Adding a little bronzer in the hollows of your cheeks – in a line from your lower ear, to mouth corner – will further sculpt. Go for a matte finish like Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil (£25, Debenhams). We love Benefit’s Watt’s Up (£24.50, Boots) for adding a soft focus glow to our visages, or for more those more advanced at contouring the Sleek MakeUP Face Form includes bronzer, highlighter and blusher in one handy kit (£9.99, Superdrug).

Popping a dab of pearlescent eyeshadow on the inner corner of your eyes will open them up – think Gossip Girl’s Serena. Bronzes and golds work marvellously on lids in autumn, and are exceptionally easy to apply when in cream form.

For a daytime metallic look, try this Pure Colour Envy Sculpting Palette from Estée Lauder (£40, Debenhams) – the two lighter tones work perfectly for subtle shadowing with a sheen – or these crème eyeshadows from Benefit which come in the cutest packaging and last for ages (£15.50, Boots).

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BEAUTY

DRAMATIC This look is all about big eyes and dark lips. Dark lips need a liner for perfect edging: we like Always Sharp,

by Smashbox in Ruby (£15, Boots). Try using just a lip liner to colour in your entire lip and cover it with a balm for a finish that lasts all day long. To turn up the drama, top your red lips with a strategically placed dark plum shade like Smashbox’s Be Legendary lipstick in Plum Scene (£16, Boots) to add contour, with a pop of coral to the centre for an ombre look – try Estée Lauder’s Pure Colour Envy lipstick in Fierce (£24, John Lewis).

False lashes come in handy for a shortcut to a seductive autumn look. We like The Kiss range (£4.49, Superdrug), or Benefit’s Big Spender false eyelashes for extra flutter (£12, Boots). If you need to tone down the drama for the day job, try a dark cat eye style liner with a dusting of metallic bronze on top for come-hither eyes that won’t scare off your co-workers. We like Barry M’s Dazzle dust in Chocolate (£4.49, Superdrug).

For those who can’t face fiddling with falsies, lashings of mascara will get you similar results. Try an aubergine shade for a subtler finish or deepest black for night. We love Too Faced Lash Injection mascara for thick lashes in an instant (£18, Debenhams).

If you find yourself at the airport seeking lastminute sun, we’ve found some exclusive deals from worlddutyfree.com like this Yves Saint Laurent palette (£40.95) to help you glow on the go, or these travelsized OPI polishes in this season’s colours (£15.95). To perfect that flick, you can find the eyeliner everyone’s been talking about – Benefit’s They’re Real Push-up liner, available as a super-duo with mascara for £28.90.

DARE TO BARE While your body might be concealed under cosy clothes, your face should be polished and radiant with power brows and perfectly moisturised lips to turn heads.

The trick here is a solid foundation: we love the traditional approach of a liquid paired with a powder.

Estée Lauder’s new Perfectionist Youth-Infusing foundation (£37, Boots) includes SPF25 and glides on beautifully, and to finish, we love Green People’s Pressed Mineral Powder for a talc-free approach with SPF15 (£20.95). For a one-step cheat, try Pur Minerals’ hardworking 4-in-1 Mineral Make-up (£24, M&S) in a compact; when used with their brush it offers impressive coverage.

Once your face is finished, get to work on those brows.

Not many who survived the tweezer-obsessed 90s have the full, thick brow on trend right now, but you can fake it. There are plenty of brow kits on the market, like Too Faced Brow Envy (£35, Debenhams) with two powder shades, setting wax and highlighter as well as stencils. Or, you could choose a non-metallic eyeshadow in a shade somewhere between your hair colour and brow colour and use an angled brush to fill in between the hairs and accentuate what you’ve already got.

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