Cambridge Edition September

Cambridge SEPTEMBER 2014

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

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CONTENTS

SEPTEMBER 2014

Welcome

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43

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

61 • RESTAURANT REVIEW Jennifer Shelton stops by at fine dining hotspot Graffiti at Hotel Felix

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

62-63 • LISTINGS Your complete what’s on diary for the month of September

13 • MUSIC BLOG Gigs guaranteed to get your toes tapping and hips wiggling this month 14-15 • CAMBRIDGE SOUND Editor Nicola catches up with homegrown heroes Alt-J

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

There’s loads happening event-wise this month but my top pick is the Giant Sundowner on 27 September. Yep, they’re actually hosting a music festival at Gog Magogs and I can’t wait! With a glorious setting, great music and yummy food (naturally), it looks set to be a brilliant party – and a nice alternative to your usual night on the Cambridge tiles. There’s also the always fascinating university-organised Open Cambridge to check out, which offers up a rare chance to take a peek into some of our city’s most interesting and beautiful spaces, many of which are usually off limits to the general public. Explore Cambridge’s hidden underground nuclear bunker or dine in style in Corpus Christi’s majestic dining hall – find out more on page 32. We’ve also interviewed not one but three music legends this month: Motown superstar Martha Reeves, Cockney charmers Chas & Dave and Mercury Prize winners Alt-J (our musical tastes are nothing if not varied here on Team Edition!). September also sees the return of our annual education special, a bumper supplement packed with information on Cambridge’s schools and adult learning opportunities (starts on page 75). I hope you enjoy the issue – see you next month!

NICOLA FOLEY, EDITOR

69 • INDIE OF THE MONTH We pay a visit to Green Street’s newest addition, the lovely Catesby’s

17-29 • ARTS & CULTURE What’s on at Cambridge’s wonderful museums, galleries and theatres

75-92 • EDUCATION SPECIAL Cambridge Edition’s 2014 education special, bringing you information, opinion and expert advice on learning in our area

31 • MARTHA REEVES INTERVIEW We catch up with the Motown sensation ahead of her Cambridge gig this month

97-100 • BUSINESS We speak to local experts for tips on hiring the best staff for your business

32-33 • OPEN CAMBRIDGE Explore the hidden away treasures of Cambridge University

103-105 • FASHION Transitional wardrobe essentials and our top style picks from local indies

35 • DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL The annual boat race on the Cam is almost upon us – here’s what’s in store

107-109 • BEAUTY The latest from the local beauty scene and an interview with skincare guru, Dr Murad

36-37 • CHAS & DAVE INTERVIEW Jennifer Shelton has a chin wag with one half of the loveable Cockney duo

111 • FITNESS We try our hand at the exhilarating sport of wakeboarding with Hannam’s Wake Hub

41 • FAMILY What to do with the little (and not so little) ones this September 43-50 • FOOD NEWS Bringing you the latest new openings, food news and dates for your diaries 52-54 • RECIPES Some Mexican treats and an easy-peasy but oh-so-impressive pancake tower 57 • FOOD COLUMN Alex Rushmer turns food burning into a precise and delicious science

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COVER ART The piece of art featured on this month’s cover is ‘St Johns Swan’ by Rachel Hutchins, a local artist who specialises in textile designs and hosts regular drawing and block printing classes in Cambridge. www.rachelhutchins.com

EDITORIAL

CONTRIBUTORS

Editor Nicola Foley 01223 499459 nicolafoley@bright-publishing.com Features editor Jennifer Shelton 01223 499463 jennifershelton@bright-publishing.com Sub editors Lisa Clatworthy & Hannah Bealey

Alex Rushmer, Daisy Dickinson, Jordan Worland, Ruthie Collins, Charlotte Phillips, Charlotte Abrahams

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

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

PUBLISHING DIRECTORS Andy Brogden & Matt Pluck 01223 499450

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

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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thingsthistomonth do WRITEON

COME SEE US AT THE DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL! The usually peaceful banks of the River Cam will be transformed on 6 September when 48 teams take to the water for the Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival. The exuberant event takes place towards Fen Ditton in aid of East Anglian Children’s Hospices (EACH). There’ll be lots happening on the banks too, which Team Edition will be getting involved with, so do come and say hello! Turn to page 35 for more info. www.dragonboatfestivals.co.uk

CAMBRIDGE FILM FESTIVAL

ELIZABETHAN PAGEANT You can always rely on Cambridge to come up with wild and wonderful events, and this month is no different. We’re particularly giddy at the idea of seeing the Elizabethan Pageant, taking place in the city centre on 13 September: a glittering procession featuring music and costumed characters, including Good Queen Bess herself. It commences at Great St Mary’s Church at 1.30pm, with other Tudor-themed activities and crafts going on throughout the day as part of Open Cambridge. Hold onto your heads!

ELY HERITAGE WEEKEND Discover the historic treasures of Ely at its Heritage Weekend, taking place 12-14 September. Some of the most beautiful buildings – including many which are rarely accessible to the public – will open their doors to the public free of charge, including Oliver Cromwell’s House, Ely Museum and the Cathedral itself. www.visitely.org.uk

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Got a good idea for a play? Entries are being taken for a number of original drama scripts to be performed in WRiTEON’s First Stage festival starting in October.

WRiTEON is a collective of writers, actors and directors including professionals, former professionals, aspiring professionals and amateurs. It’s aimed at helping writers see their work translate from page to stage and to offer experience to directors and actors in working with new writing.

To enter, send in your script (10-30 minutes long) by 20 September. More details can be found online. Good luck! www.writeon.org.uk

Renowned for its diverse programme, from documentaries and short films to the latest mainstream releases, the Cambridge Film Festival is becoming one of the largest of its kind in the world, and it continues this September. Don’t miss Before I Go To Sleep, starring Nicole Kidman and adapted from the novel by S J Watson; documentary film 20,000 Days On Earth; and Tommy Lee Jones in The Homesman. Then there’s the ever-popular Surprise Film on 7 September… Visit the Edition website for more recommendations, then get booking at www. cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk

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NIGHTLIFE

MAGIC NUMBERS The Magic Numbers first found fame with their cheery indie sound back in 2005, offering up catchy hits like Love Me Like You and Forever Lost and earning a Mercury Prize nomination for their selftitled debut album. Their follow-up LP, Those the Brokes, was released the year after to widespread critical acclaim for the group, whose most recent full album was released in 2010.

The band, a four-piece, is comprised of two pairs of talented siblings from Ealing in London: Romeo and Michele Stodart, and Angela and Sean Gannon, who have been playing and performing together for around 15 years.

They stop by Cambridge Junction on 20 September to revisit their back catalogue and showcase new material, including their recently unveiled single Roy Orbison.

Tickets are £16 and doors open at 7pm. www.junction.co.uk

SOPHIE ELLIS BEXTOR The pouting, polished dance floor queen is making an appearance at Cambridge Junction this month in support of her recently released Wanderlust album. Audience members will no doubt be treated to renditions from her noughties disco days, including Murder on the Dancefloor, Take Me Home and her collaboration with Spiller, the monster hit Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love), which reached number one in countries all over the globe back in the summer of 2000.

But Bextor’s latest offering, her fifth studio album to date, represents a different musical direction – showcasing songs inspired by her time travelling around Russia and with a more subdued, soulful sound. The album was co-written and produced by the Mercury prizenominated Ed Harcourt, who adds a grittier, more grown-up feel to the songs, whilst still showing off Bextor’s silky voice.

Sophie Ellis Bextor plays at Cambridge Junction on Wednesday 24 September (doors 7pm). Tickets £21. www.junction.co.uk

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NIGHTLIFE

CHAS & DAVE

HONEYBLOOD Female grunge duo Honeyblood have been causing a stir with their self-titled first album, lauded by numerous critics as one of the best debuts of the year. Hailing from Glasgow, the pair offer up catchy melodies with a rough-around-the-edges sound, propelled along by the gorgeous vocals of frontwoman Stina. With a surfy but lo-fi, gritty vibe, they’ve drawn comparisons to the likes of California-based girl group Best Coast. They play The Portland Arms on 24 September, tickets are £7. www.theportlandarms.co.uk

Cool it ain’t, but we can’t resist the Cockney charm of Chas & Dave, who come to Cambridge this month for a gig at the Corn Exchange.

The duo have been friends since the early 60s and are celebrating 50 years of writing and performing songs together by releasing their first original album in 27 years, That’s What Happens. Featuring a mixture of classic rock ’n’ roll songs and new renditions of their own ‘Rockney’ classics, the show also includes guest appearances from the likes of Jools Holland and (randomly) Hugh Laurie.

The lovable pair will also be wheeling out their hits from yesteryear including Snooker Loopy, Gertcha, Ain’t No Pleasing You and of course, Rabbit, and you can guarantee it’ll be a good old fashioned Cockney knees-up. Chas and Dave play the Corn Exchange on 24 September. Tickets £27-£29, 7.30pm start. www.cornex.co.uk

CREATIVE CABARET Bored of your usual Cambridge night out and fancy sampling something a little different? We recommend checking out the Creative Cabaret, which returns this month for another varied evening of arts and entertainment right in the heart of the city.

Taking place on Friday 26 September at The University Centre (located at Granta Place), the event combines live music, comedy, literature and dance to create a unique fusion of performance arts, accompanied by delicious food and wine served to your table.

On the line-up for the September event are award-winning local poet Martin Figura, comedy double-act Twisted Loaf, internationally acclaimed mime artists, and an academic who will explain how to design the perfect paper aeroplane.

Rounding off the evening’s entertainment will be Cambridge based jazz-funk band The 3rd Eyebrow.

Doors are at 7pm, and acts begin at 7.45pm. Tickets cost £18 each in advance or 6 for the price of 5 via the Creative Cabaret website. www.creativecabaretcambridge.co.uk

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NIGHTLIFE

now

booking

INALA 4 October, Corn Exchange, £22-£25 Next month at the Corn Exchange catch INALA – A Zulu Ballet, which comes to Cambridge on 4 October.

Featuring dancers from the Royal Ballet and music from African legends Ladysmith Black Mambazo, this unique artistic collaboration offers an uplifting and beautiful live storytelling experience. www.cornex.co.uk

JIMMY CARR 8 November, Corn Exchange, £25 The most prolific man in comedy is back in Cambridge for one night only in November, performing his brand new stand-up show.

Funny Business promises witty and incisive musings on the human condition and, of course, lots of wincingly inappropriate gags. www.cornex.co.uk

JUNCTION SEASON LAUNCH NIGHT Now a regular fixture on Cambridge Junction’s calendar, the new season launch night is a chance to get a taste of what’s in store at the venue over the coming months, neatly compressed into one diverse evening of entertainment. On the line-up for the autumn showcase, taking place on 4 September, is music from Mark ‘Booga’ Fowell, plus a live coding performance from Meta-eX featuring Dr Sam Aaron, the man responsible for creating Sonic Pi coding software for the Cambridge-born Raspberry Pi micro-computers.

Stopgap Dance Company’s Nadenh Poan will also perform a new piece, and there will be an appearance from Cambridge University’s Dr. Tristan Bekinschtein, the scientific collaborator on Fiction by David Rosenberg and Glen Neath.

Cambridge Junction’s staff will offer talks on their upcoming programme, plus there’ll be some tasty food to sample from Steak & Honour and Jack’s Gelato and drinks from the local Moonshine Brewery.

The event kicks off at 7.30pm and is free to attend (advance booking is required). www.junction.co.uk

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STEPHEN K AMOS 25 October, Cambridge Junction, £18 Fresh from sell-out tours of Australia and New Zealand, feel-good comedy maestro Stephen K Amos is back on tour with his new show Welcome To My World, which arrives in Cambridge next month. www.junction.co.uk

SIMON AMSTELL 11 March, Junction, £22 Fast-forwarding right the way to spring 2014, comedian and actor Simon Amstell stops by in Cambridge with his new international tour, To Be Free. This time around, he’s getting deep and delving into themes of joy, love, death, success and regret. www.junction.co.uk

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NIGHTLIFE

JOHN BISHOP

JASON MRAZ Grammy award winning singersongwriter Jason Mraz will stop by at Cambridge Corn Exchange this month as part of a tour to promote his new album, YES! His fifth studio album to date, this latest offering sees the San Diegobased performer teaming up with folkrock girl band Raining Jane to create a completely acoustic set of tracks with a more intimate sound.

It still has the same upbeat Mraz charm though – featuring the feel-good lyrics and vintage guitars and happygo-lucky vibe which has won him fans across the globe since he first burst onto the scene back in 2002.

It’s been an illustrious rise for Mraz, who started out on the coffee scene circuit in his home town, before releasing his debut album Waiting for My Rocket to Come which featured the hit single The Remedy (I Won’t Worry).

His most famous track of all though, is the irresistibly sunshiney I’m Yours, the first single on his third album, We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. A global hit, it earned Mraz two Grammy nominations and hit the number one spot everywhere from Israel to Italy, staying in the Billboard Hot 100 in the US for a staggering 76 weeks.

You can catch him doing his thing on Saturday 27 September at 7.30pm.

Tickets are £37.50. www.cornex.co.uk

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As John Bishop approached his 40th birthday he began performing stand-up as a means of combating the loneliness he’d sunk into after the collapse of his marriage. He quit the day job (working for a pharmaceuticals company) and threw himself into a career in comedy. Within just three years, Bishop was playing an endless cycle of sold-out arenas and had become a household name and a regular fixture on prime-time TV. It’s a pretty amazing story, and one which the Liverpudlian comic recently chronicled in his autobiography, How Did This All Happen?

Drawing on tales from his working class roots and humdrum marital woes (he was reunited with his wife a few years after their split), Bishop is known for his winning, everyman style – even now he’s a bonafide A-lister – as well as his risqué gags.

He’s stopping by in Cambridge on 25 September to try out new material ahead of his autumn UK arena shows.

Tickets are £22.50; 8pm start. www.cornex.co.uk

ROBIN INCE: IN AND OUT OF HIS MIND Particle physics might not sound like much of a laugh, but, along with quantum mechanics and Darwinism, it’s a topic which frequently finds its way into the stand-up of comedian and allround brainiac Robin Ince.

Made famous by The Infinite Monkey Cage, his radio show with pop star turned physicist Brian Cox, Ince is preparing to get your grey matter working once again with In And Out Of His Mind, which comes to Cambridge on 26 September.

Part stand-up comedy, part science lecture, this new show rattles through Freud, Jung, Laing and Milgram on a whistlestop tour of the last 100 years of psychiatry, psychology and skew-whiff brain dabblings. Tickets are £15 and the show starts at 8pm. 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 t’s a busy month for live music in Cambridge, and we start with the news that Frank Turner – a man who has almost certainly played every music venue in Cambridge over the years – performs at the Corn Exchange on the 16th.

A singer/songwriter from Winchester, Turner has released five EPs and five studio albums, including his latest, the critically acclaimed Tape Deck Heart. To date he has played over 1500 solo shows across the world, including a sold-out gig at Wembley Arena and the 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony. On the same date, Tom Hickox, who is considered one of the best original lyricists this country has produced in recent years, brings his sombre, elegant melodies to The Portland Arms.

FAMY approach their songwriting with a unique formula. Pairing haunting echodrenched gang vocals and a loose sense of natural reverb, they carve out a sense of mystic and wonder. They bring their leftfield pop to The Portland Arms on the 28th.

Steven James Adams releases his debut solo album, House Music this month and to coincide with its launch, he plays The Portland Arms on 3 September. Adams started out in 2001 as frontman and principal songwriter in the much-lauded Broken Family Band – who released seven albums over the course of eight years – and more recently released two albums with his band Singing Adams.

Tenebrous Liar bring their heavy stoner rock instrumentals with tortured lyricism to Cambridge this month, playing St Philip’s Church on the 6th. The band is led by Steve Gullick who is known for his music photography, and is returning to Cambridge after his last visit in 2012. Also on the bill are indie-shoegaze gems Holden Girls; it’ll be their first Cambridge show in over a year and they will undoubtedly be bringing some new material. Completing the night are the swirling, dreamy pop outfit Seeds and Bones.

Singer-songwriter and multiinstrumentalist Ben Montague plays the Cambridge Junction J2 on the 6th. Montague is in his second spell as performer, having originally not been offered a record deal despite numerous radio plays with singles Haunted and Broken in 2010. A chance encounter in a petrol station led to Montague getting a second chance at music; expect accessible songs with a pop-rock crossover.

London-based punk rock troubadour Rob Lynch will release his debut album All These Nights In Bars Will Somehow Save My Soul on 22 September. To coincide with the album’s release, Lynch plays The Portland Arms on 9 September.

Once dismissed around their native Nottingham as ‘two skip rats with a laptop’, Sleaford Mods have knocked all their detractors clear out of the way over the last 12 months. The mounting hysteria surrounding their 2013 album Austerity Dogs spread like wildfire and saw them

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topping many ‘end of year’ lists worldwide.

Now Sleaford Mods mark the release of their follow-up LP, Divide And Exit, with a series of shows around the country, including one at The Portland Arms on 11 September, and the brilliant Pete Um is supporting on the night.

Thomas Truax is an American songwriter, performer and inventor of experimental musical instruments who first came to prominence as part of the New York ‘anti-folk’ scene of the early 90s.

Truax’s most recent album Trolls, Girls and Lullabies, released earlier this year, is a weird and wonderful assortment: a punky mix of folk, lullaby and rock music, all done in the inimitably strange Truax style. He plays The Portland Arms on 12 September.

Remember The Magic Numbers?

After a bit of a break the four-piece band are back with a new album. Alias is the Mercury Prize nominees’ fourth album to date and is filled with the band’s signature vocal harmonies but with a darker, electrifying atmosphere that captures on record the infectious energy of their live performances. The band bring said infectious energy to the Cambridge Junction on 20 September.

Tell us about your gig at www.slatethedisco.com

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CAMBRIDGE SOUND

WORDS NICOLA FOLEY

THE CAMBRIDGE

SOUND

#4 ALT-J The most famous band to emerge from Cambridge in recent history, Alt-J wrote their Mercury prize-winning debut album, An Awesome Wave, whilst living together in the city. On the dole and sharing a tiny two-bedroom house, they spent their days obsessively labouring over the tracks that were to make them famous, interspersed with the odd pint at their favourite watering hole, The Maypole. It’s a period of time remembered fondly by the band, says drummer Thom Green when I catch up with him in between rehearsals for their latest UK tour.

“Cambridge had just what we needed, it had a lot of space and a lot of inspiration,” he says. “Being in a city like Cambridge, with all the colleges and all the history and the architecture – it was all really appealing. I miss Cambridge a lot. It was such an amazing place to live – and with what we were doing at that time, we knew we were onto something and we were writing our music and finishing the album. I’ve got a lot of really good memories of that time.”

Once the first album came out, success, fame and critical acclaim arrived quickly.

Their interesting, impossible to classify sound – which skips between genres and blends delicate melodies and highbrow lyrics with folk sensibilities, trip hop influences and shuddering bass lines – could have easily left them on the margins of the big time. But instead, they became a surprise hit, exploding onto the scene and earning themselves the Mercury Prize, an Ivor Novello and over a million album sales, all within a matter of months.

“Winning the Mercury Prize… it sort of gives you this ticket,” reflects Thom. “It’s like people see that and think, they must be good, I’m gonna check them out. It definitely had a big impact, it changed everything.”

When interviewing Thom in spring last year, just before Alt-J’s homecoming gig at the Corn Exchange, I remember being struck by how bewildered he’d seemed by the idea of his celebrity. Over a year on, has he grown used to the lifestyle associated with being part of a world famous band?

“It’s hard because I still don’t really feel that comfortable like, say, walking into a room and everybody knowing that I’m in Alt-J,” he says. “Physically, I feel

uncomfortable, and I don’t think I’ll ever really get used to that.

“A lot of the things we do – the press and the meet-and-greets, things like that – I know that it’s beneficial and it’s a good thing to do,” he continues. “But I also know that we’re doing it because we have to play the game, you know, we wouldn’t choose to do a lot of that stuff. We only do that because we know it helps sell the album. And it’s hard. I think it’s one of the things I just wanna be in control of – I want our music and our album and our band to be seen in the right way. I don’t want to compromise my own sanity to make other people happy.”

It’s a sentiment that has added poignancy in the wake of the departure of band member Gwil Sainsbury earlier this year, who Thom says had been unhappy for some time, struggling to deal with the ‘falseness’ of the music industry. A sad time for the band, no doubt, but Thom maintains that he never feared for the future of Alt-J. “I was worried that it would affect the other two and they would worry… But I didn’t worry about the music at all,” he says. “I knew that we could do it without Gwil. You know, it might sound bad but Gwil’s role was very much that he’d add

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CAMBRIDGE SOUND

things and make it more interesting. We knew we had the skill to do that, we could do it ourselves… It never dawned on us that the band would end or anything like that.”

They seem to have weathered the storm in their own quiet way, putting their heads down and writing new material for their hotly anticipated new album, This is All Yours, which is released this month, coinciding with their latest UK tour.

After the phenomenal buzz surrounding An Awesome Wave, it’s fair to say that expectations are pretty high. The first single to be released was Hunger of the Pine, a bold choice perhaps since it demonstrated a drastically different sound for the band.

Beginning with an ominous repetitive bleeping, the song gradually layers and builds with brass elements and flickering, distorted synths, carried along by lead singer Joe Newman’s distinctive vocal.

With its ambient electronica vibe it might be more of a slow burner than an instant hit, but nonetheless it’s a track you feel compelled to listen to again and again, drawing you in with its moody, atmospheric edge. The most eyebrowraising thing about the track though is the female vocalist, whose “I’m a female rebel” lyric loops throughout the song, cutting defiantly though the misty melody. It’s none other than controversy-courting twerk queen Miley Cyrus – but out of the context of her saccharine pop, the sample sounds hauntingly beautiful and oddly perfect for the track.

“She was following me on Twitter and I knew that she liked the band, so I asked her if she wanted a remix,” explains Thom when asked how this unlikely collaboration came about. “It’s hard to remember exactly how it happened because it was so organic, but from what I remember, we were messing around in the studio, Joe was playing a guitar riff and I was building the track, adding the synth, drums and the brass sound, and then I put the Miley Cyrus sample in there and it just worked, it was the same key, the same tempo… What she’s saying kind of worked as well. For me, Hunger of the Pine is the most important track on the album.”

The next single to be released to an eager public was the brash, rocky, Left Hand Free; again showing the band exploring a completely different sound. It was written, says Thom, in under 20 minutes from start to finish (a far cry from the painstakingly intricate song crafting of early Alt-J) and was originally a “bit of a joke”.

“Left Hand Free is different from everything we’ve done,” laughs Thom.

“Joe had that main guitar riff, which we just found quite funny. It’s so unlike us, so unlike Joe. He would often play it during sound checks and stuff and do this little dance just to make us laugh. One day Gus asked him if he had any more of that and Joe just kind of made it up and went with it, then I started to play a beat to it.

It’s almost like we’re playing characters!

It’s very simple and straightforward, but I think it works.”

As with every band who release a hugely successful first album, there’s been talk of Alt-J suffering from a touch of the dreaded ‘difficult second album’ syndrome, but the band (while “a little bit

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nervous about the reaction”) are pretty sure that they’ve produced something that will blow their detractors out of the water.

“I’m really confident in what we’ve done,” says Thom. “I love it, I think it’s good and I trust my judgement, and the reaction that we’ve had from the tracks we’ve put out so far has been really good. I think people will love it. I’m more excited than anything.”

This is All Yours is released on 22 September and is available to preorder on iTunes now. www.altjband.com

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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

HAY FEVER A delicious comedy centred round an unconventional family, Noël Coward’s Hay Fever is bound to be a hot ticket this month.

Hailed as ‘comedy perfection’ by the Daily Telegraph, it stars Felicity Kendal, who shot to fame in the 1970s as Barbara in The Good Life and has gone on to delight audiences on stage and screen – not to mention

taking a turn on the Strictly Come Dancing dance floor in 2010.

In Hay Fever, she plays the recently retired Judith, one-time darling of the London stage, wife to David, an egocentric novelist, and mother of two bohemian grown-up children, Simon and Sorel. When each member of the family invites a guest to their rural retreat, the unassuming visitors are thrown into a living melodrama.

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Misjudged meetings, secret seductions and scandalous revelations proliferate during one outrageous weekend.

Hay Fever is in situ at the Cambridge Arts Theatre, 29 September until 4 October, 7.45pm (2.30pm Thurs & Sat matinee). Tickets from £15. There’s also a free post-show talk on 1 October. www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

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ARTS & CULTURE

BLOOD BROTHERS Willy Russell’s epic musical about two brothers separated at birth returns to Cambridge Arts Theatre this September, promising laughter, drama and possibly a few tears. When a debt-ridden mother of seven discovers she’s pregnant again, this time with twins, she makes the heartwrenching decision to leave one of the babies with her employer.

Raised on different sides of the tracks in late 1960s Liverpool, the boys become fast friends, unaware of their shared history. But as they grow up, life throws many trials their way.

It’s in town 2-6 September (7.45pm; 2.30pm Thurs & Sat matinee), featuring rousing songs such as Bright New Day and Tell Me It’s Not True. Tickets from £15. www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

SALOMÉ & SATELLITE Q&A WITH AL PACINO Take your seats for a live satellite Q&A with Al Pacino, chaired by Stephen Fry at the BFI, and being broadcast to Picturehouses around the country, including Cambridge’s Arts Picturehouse. Promising to be a rare insight into the minds of one of the world’s greatest actors, it takes place on 21 September, 4pm.

The Q&A follows a screening of Salomé, the play directed by and starring Pacino. At a birthday feast for King Herod (Al Pacino), his stepdaughter, Princess Salomé, discovers the imprisoned John the Baptist and is immediately infatuated with him. Rebuffed by the prisoner, Salomé entices her lecherous stepfather with the promise of completing the erotic Dance of the Seven Veils, if he will grant her one wish. He agrees to any wish in order to have his desire sated. Following the dance, Salomé demands the head of John the Baptist. Herod offers her anything but that, but she refuses to back down.

Pacino fans will also be treated to a screening of Wilde Salomé, a documentary investigating the origins of this once-banned play by Oscar Wilde. Tickets are £13-£15. www.picturehouses.co.uk

IMS PRUSSIA COVE AUTUMN TOUR Enjoy an evening of music by Beethoven, Martinů and Mendelssohn this month at West Road Concert Hall, performed by IMS Prussia Cove.

Pekka Kuusisto, the exuberant Finnish violinist, will be leading an ensemble of young rising stars, including the renowned British cellist David Waterman, known in Cambridge through his residency with the Endellion String Quartet. They’ll be performing string quintets as well as a contrasting and not regularly heard Martinů string quartet at West Road Concert Hall, 30 September, 7.30pm.

Tickets are £5-£17.50. www.westroad.org

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ARTS & CULTURE

CAMBRIDGE CITY ART FAIR Everyone knows about Cambridge’s brilliance in the scientific arenas, but its arts scene is no less accomplished as the second Cambridge City Art Fair is set to prove.

Taking place at the splendid Cambridge Guildhall in October (get the 9-12th in your diaries now), it promises to present an easily digestible slice of the contemporary art world, highlighting the best UK and international artists working today. With this, there’ll also be classic pieces from both the 18th and 19th centuries, from landscape paintings to sculptures and everything in between.

So whether you like to be challenged, inspired or delighted by your art, you’re sure to find something that grabs you.

Works will also be available to buy.

Local artists, such as the worldrenowned sculptor Laurence Broderick and Littleport-based John Lyons, will be represented at the fair, alongside established UK artists such as Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst and Sir Peter Blake, as well as with hundreds of others from around the world.

Free talks and presentations will be open to the public: details of which will be announced nearer the time.

Cambridge Edition is a media partner for the fair, so keep an eye on our website for updates and make sure you pick up October’s issue for the full rundown of both events and exhibitors. www.cambridgeartfair.com

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Take one boy, one girl, a pinch of disdain, a liberal sprinkling of wit and some seriously meddlesome friends: and there’s your recipe for romance.

Shakespeare’s sparkling comedy Much Ado About Nothing gets the ADC autumn season off to a sumptuous start, performed by the Cambridge American Stage Tour.

Old sparring partners Beatrice and Benedick delight in nothing more than winding each other up, but while both protest they don’t want to marry (and certainly not each other!), their companions have other ideas.

Meanwhile, Hero and Claudio follow a much more conventional course, falling in love and preparing to wed – but thanks to the scheming Don John their simple romance finds itself taking a more complex turn than could ever have been expected.

Book your seat for Tuesday 2 September, when the live music and verbal gymnastics from this superb line-up of actors kick off at 7.45pm.

Tickets £9-£12. www.adctheatre.com

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CAMBRIDGE ARTS THEATRE:

NEW SEASON PREVIEW As leaves fall and the barbecue is packed away, don’t feel glum: theatre season is coming into its own, and this year’s crop is ripening up nicely. Cambridge Arts Theatre has announced its autumn programme, promising its usual array of shows of the highest calibre. Getting things off to a rip-roaring start is Perfect Nonsense, the spectacularly successful stage tribute to P G Wodehouse’s immortal characters, Jeeves and Wooster. It comes direct from the West End, starring James Lance (I’m Alan Partridge, Teachers) as the blundering Bertie Wooster and John Gordon Sinclair (Gregory’s Girl) as his trusty gentleman’s gentleman, Jeeves. Look out for our interview with Lance in October’s Cambridge Edition. It’s here 6-11 October (7.45pm, 2.30pm Thurs and Sat; £15-£35).

Another crowd-pleasing cert, The Full Monty runs from 13 to 18 October, featuring larger-than-life characters and stonking songs from Donna Summer, Hot Chocolate and Tom Jones. You’ve seen the film – six down-on-their-luck Sheffield steelworkers decide to face their fears and put on a male strip show – now catch the real thing live on stage! The critics loved it, with the Sunday Times writing: ‘TERRIFIC – Simon Beaufoy’s rip-roaring adaptation of his classic film opened to rave reviews’ (7.30pm, and 2.30pm Thurs and Sat; £15-£35).

After the long-awaited Python reunion this summer you’d think John Cleese might have earned a cup of tea and a sit down.

Not so! He’s getting straight back out there with An Evening With John Cleese, coming to the Arts Theatre on 19 October.

Self-described as ‘the most senile member of Monty Python’, Cleese will be chatting about his life, career and his new book, So, Anyway (7.45pm; £25).

One of the most iconic literary masterpieces of the 20th century, George Orwell’s 1984 is re-examined in this radical new stage play, 21-25 October. The Guardian hailed it as a ‘superbly handled multimedia exploration that never lets the audience off the hook’ and it’s had five-star reviews across the board (7.45pm, and 2.30pm Thurs and Sat; £15-£27).

Treat yourself to a helping of quality opera as ETO brings a trio of sumptuous productions our way. It starts on 21 October with the Ann Murray Gala (8pm; £25-£50), then see Haydn’s spirited Life on the Moon

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on 22 October (7.30pm; £12-£36) followed

by Handel’s heady, romantic Ottone on 23 and 24 October (7.30pm; £12-£36).

The Birmingham Stage Company’s Horrible Histories continue to delight audiences of all ages, and they’re back with a bang, squelch and an ‘off with their heads!’ from 28 October to 1 November. In Barmy Britain, take an interactive journey back in time to meet some of history’s grizzliest characters, from Boudicca to Dick Turpin (times online; £12.50-£17.50).

There’s more costumed larks to be had in English Touring Theatre’s Twelfth Night, showing 4-8 November. When a shipwreck separates twins Viola and Sebastian, a drama of disguise and misplaced affections ensues (£15-£27).

A highlight of the season is the awardwinning adaptation of Harper Lee’s enchanting To Kill A Mockingbird, 17-22 November. Transporting us to America’s hot, fractious Deep South in the 1930s, as seen through the eyes of six year-old Scout, it’s a story of prejudice, justice, courage and integrity. It comes direct from

London’s Regent Park Theatre (7.30pm, and 2.30pm on Thurs and Sat; £15-£30).

Go west next for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, in town 2529 November. The Cambridge Operatic Society’s big winter showstopper, it features toe-tappin’ songs such as Oh What a Beautiful Morning, People Will Say We’re In Love and Oklahoma! (7.30pm, and 2.30pm Thurs and Sat; £15-£25).

Then round off the year with the Arts Theatre’s traditional pantomime, always a glittering, grandiose affair. This year the usual cast are reuniting for Aladdin, a story of genies, evil sorcerers – and the immortal Widow Twankey. It runs 4 December until 11 January; see online for tickets and times. www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

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ARTS & CULTURE

LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA The curtain opens on Saffron Hall’s 2014-15 season this month, heralded by the powerful forces of the London Philharmonic Orchestra with principal conductor Vladimir Jurowski and celebrated tenor, Ian Bostridge. In seven years as principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Jurowski has forged a dynamic and inspirational bond with his world-class players, and they bring their fire to two symphonies – Mozart’s Symphony No.32 and Brahms’ Symphony No.4 Universally acclaimed Ian Bostridge No.4. performs Vaughan Williams’ haunting 1924 song-cycle On Wenlock Edge.

It’s on 21 September, 7.30pm. Go online for details of all this season’s concerts. www.saffronhall.com

ONE MAN STAR WARS The brains behind the comedy spoof One Man Lord of the Rings is back with a new show: One Man Star Wars Trilogy.

On 27 September, in a galaxy very close by actually, Charles Ross will be playing all the characters, flying all the ships and fighting all the lightsabre duels in this zany, hyper-speed take on the story of Luke, Leia, Vader and co. If you’ve seen all the films, bought the costumes and named your first-born Skywalker, waste no time in joining fellow nerds for this epic, intergalactic extravaganza.

Starts 7.30pm; tickets £8.50-£12.50, at the Mumford Theatre. Cue theme tune… www.anglia.ac.uk

JAZZ & BRASS IN THE PARKS DAYTONA West End wonder Maureen Lipman stars in the critically acclaimed Daytona from 22 to 27 September: a play steeped in mystery, humour and with not one but two love stories at its heart. Joe and Elli share a love of ballroom dancing and are practising their routines for the next big competition. Despite constant bickering, the love they have shared for nearly 50 years is clear. Then one night, out of the blue, Joe’s long-lost brother Billy bursts back into their lives with an extraordinary story to tell…

The Olivier Award-winning Lipman, whose extensive CV includes Oklahoma! and A Little Night Music, is joined by Oliver Cotton and Harry Shearer, known to millions as the voice of many of the characters in The Simpsons.

Catch Daytona at the Arts Theatre, 7.45pm (2.30pm Thurs & Sat). Tickets £15-£35. www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

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We’re hoping for some balmy, late-summer weather for the final concert in the Jazz and Brass in the Parks series, which has been keeping picnickers and shoppers entertained over selected Sundays this summer. Return to the grounds of the Cambridge Folk Festival at Cherry Hinton Hall to hear CSD Brass belt out some feelgood sounds on 7 September. Best of all, it’s totally free – just bring yourselves and your favourite food, drinks and people.

Drop by between 3pm and 5pm. www.cambridgesummerinthecity.co.uk

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ARTS & CULTURE

RORY MCGRATH & PHILIP POPE Comedian and Cambridge resident Rory McGrath, perhaps best known for his comic turns in Three Men in a Boat and Who Dares Wins, rejoins musical chum Philip Pope for another music-meets-stand-up show. In Bridge Over Troubled Lager, the pair, who should really know better, will be acting up and presenting a collection of silly stories and songs inspired by their love of 60s music.

Rory began his comedy career writing and performing at Cambridge Footlights, before landing a string of unskilled labouring jobs – finally becoming a house writer for BBC Radio. Philip, a composer, impressionist and actor, wrote many of the songs for Not The Nine O’Clock News and Spitting Image. They met at BBC Radio’s light entertainment department and made a bit of a splash at the Edinburgh Festival last year with Dark Side of the Moob.

Expect lots more witty, silly fun at Cambridge Junction, 11 September, 8pm (tickets £13). www.junction.co.uk

ROYSTON ARTS FESTIVAL Hop over the Hertfordshire border for the Royston Arts Festival, taking place 19-28 September. A theme of heroes and villains runs through this year’s festival, starting with the creation of a town trail depicting some of Royston’s most famous historic characters, from witches to war heroes. Ceramic plaques will adorn the town’s many historic buildings – see how many you can chalk off. Another highlight will be the return to Royston of its most famous musical hero, the world-renowned trumpet player Alison Balsom, who will be sharing stories about her rise to classical stardom at a one-off ‘in conversation with’ event at her old school, Greneway, on 27 September (3pm; £10-£12).

Other events include a Comedy Night at the Picture Palace featuring Scotland's funniest newcomer Iain Stirling, described by GQ as ‘One of the best joke writers on the circuit’, and Letchworth's own Howard Read (20 September, 8pm; £10-£12).

Meanwhile Meridian School students have been busy coming up with a storytelling show for children, using skills learned at a National Theatre puppetry workshop. See the results at Tannery Drift School on 20 September, 2pm and 4pm. There will also be exhibitions and fringe events at Royston’s churches, the Town Hall and Town Museum. www.roystonartsfestival.org

NOT I/FOOTFALLS/ROCKABY A trio of plays by Samuel Beckett reaches Cambridge following a sold-out run at the Royal Court. The plays star Irish actress Lisa Dwan, who takes on the demanding role of Mouth in Not I, originally performed by Billie Whitelaw, who tutored Dwan for this production. It sees her disembodied mouth floating eight feet above the stage and delivering a stream-of-consciousness monologue.

Then, in Footfalls, a woman paces back and forth outside her dying mother’s room, and in Rockaby, perhaps the most famous of Beckett’s later works, a prematurely old woman in an evening gown sits on a rocking chair in an exploration of loneliness.

See this theatrical tour de force at Cambridge Arts Theatre, 9-13 September, 7.45pm (2.30pm Sat matinee). Tickets from £15. www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

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WIN!

We have a pair of tickets to give away to Not I/ Footfalls/Rockaby. Visit www.cambsedition.co.uk for your chance to win.

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ARTS & CULTURE

THE ARTS

CULTURE INTERVIEW

SCULPTING SUCCESS

From runaway rebel to international artist, Carol Peace returns to her home town hoping to inspire others local girl who ran away from home and endured having no job, no home and no money is returning to Cambridge as a fully-fledged, successful artist. Carol Peace grew up in Shudy Camps and developed her interest in art while studying at Long Road Sixth Form College in the 1980s. Here, she received encouragement and support from her art teachers, Val Cornish and Judith Grant, who went above and beyond to help Carol on her way to becoming an artist.

Still, the road to success proved far from smooth and, after finishing sixth form college, Carol entered a phase of rebellion, finally running away from her family and living rough in a Cambridge squat.

“There were lots of squats around Cambridge at that time so that’s where I ended up, hanging around with ‘undesirables’,” she recounts. There was no reason for her rebellion, she confesses: “I was just being a horrible teenager. I was vile.

“I remember my sister coming to see me once and I must have been looking a bit bedraggled and she was quite shocked. I was getting by, but the point when it gets a bit frightening is when you get ill. I think I had a fever or something, and I didn’t know where to go. In those sorts of environments, the people you’re with are all good fun when things are going well but as soon as they’re not, you’re on your own.

“It was going to art college that sorted me out,” Carol continues. “I remember bumping into my old art teacher who told me to apply for college. I think she then wrote a letter to help get me into college.”

Thanks to this letter of recommendation, Carol took up a place at the Winchester School of Art, earning a BA (Hons) in fine art sculpture. Today, Carol’s work is displayed in collections around the world and her Cambridge exhibition, entitled

Travel and running 18 September to 26 October at Byard Art, contains some of her most recent work, mainly figures cast in bronze and iron. Amongst these is Bird Bath in Bronze, and 20 per cent of its sale will go to the Big Issue Foundation.

“What’s interesting for me is that it can happen to anyone: it’s easy to fall into the wrong crowd or get into bad habits but then not get out of that cycle,” Carol reflects. “But because of Long Road and because of my parents I didn’t slip too far.

I was lucky.”

This will be a poignant homecoming for Carol, who now lives in Bristol, and has hardly visited her home town in the last 25 years. “I don’t get back to Cambridge much; my folks lived there for a while but they’ve now moved to Dorset, so it’ll be nice to finally return.”

Carol will also give a talk at Long Road Sixth Form College as a thank you to her teachers and in hope of inspiring another generation of artists.

“I don’t know whether they’ll be interested,” she says humbly, “but I thought, if you’re just starting out, it might be nice to see what other people have done later on.”

Asked about her favourite piece in the exhibition, Carol names the sculpture of the figure in the boat, inspired by a trip to Barcelona. “A lot of pieces have stories behind them, and this one, which I’ve called Travel, sums up the exhibition and, in a way, my journey from aged 19 to aged 43. I think I’ve got it pretty sussed now; I just want to do more of the same. It’s not always easy being an artist, and you do spend a lot of time on your own, thinking. But I love it.” www.byardart.co.uk

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ARTS & CULTURE

CURATING CAMBRIDGE

STRUCTURE An exhibition of fine art, print and sculpture is taking place this month at the Alison Richard Building on West Road, Cambridge. A joint venture by Elizabeth Fraser, Charlotte Morrison, Elizabeth Walker and Jane Pryor, it explores structure and routine and how it affects our daily lives and who we are as people. The exhibition takes inspiration from music, language, the urban environment and relationships, and is presented singularly and in series, on the wall and in cabinets – enclosed and exposed. It runs until 26 September, 9-5pm weekdays; entry is free.

These four individual artists have exhibited around the UK, Europe and the US and they are actively involved in printmaking and glass communities. www.arbpublicart.wordpress.com

What is curating? Those in the know will tell you it means to select, organise and care for objects – but what does it mean to you? Maybe displaying seashells collected on holiday on a windowsill?

Planting a riot of colourful flowers in the garden? Or even programming a season of theatre performances?

Next month, join the Cambridge University Museums on a journey of exploration into the culture, community, passion, diversity, vision and individuality that makes Cambridge what it is. Curating Cambridge: our city, our stories, our stuff is presented in connection with the Festival of Ideas, cultural partners and community organisations, and Cambridge Edition is media partner for the event: look out for our feature in October’s magazine. www.curatingcambridge.org.uk

AMAZING GRACE The incredible story of John Newton, sailor, cleric and leading abolitionist, is played out on stage at the Mumford Theatre this month in Amazing Grace. Press-ganged into the navy at 19 and flogged for desertion, all the while miles away from the girl he loved, Newton felt he had nothing to live for. That was until, as master of a slave ship, he found himself pitched into a storm and facing death head on, setting in motion a series of events which would change the world forever.

Certain to be a powerful and moving story, Amazing Grace confronts the nature of freedom and humanity in a true-life story of love and grace prevailing over oppression. It starts at 7.30pm on 19 September; tickets £8/£10. www.anglia.ac.uk

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ARTS & CULTURE

WILDLIFE TRUST POETRY COMPETITION Some of the finest verse ever written has been inspired by nature. Artists and poets for hundreds of years have found their muse in the natural world, from the rural mysticism of John Clare to the romantic verse of Shelley and Keats; not forgetting Shakespeare, who mentions more than 50 bird species in his plays.

The Wildlife Trust BCN are calling for all poetic souls to enter their Cambridgeshire Wildlife Poetry Competition, inviting contributions of any description – from the humorous to the inventive and anything in between. There are three age categories: 11 years and under, 12-17 and 18 and above, with prizes to be won for each.

Judging the competition is Cambridgebased writer and Wildlife Trust Poet in Residence Rosie Johnston, who helped launch the competition earlier in the year.

The closing date is 12 September, with the winners announced on 2 October, National Poetry Day. Rosie says: “Poetry and wildlife share an ability to thrill and calm us, to help us pause in amazement at the beauty of the natural world. The Cambridgeshire Wildlife Trust has already helped me learn more than I ever thought I would about bats and dragonflies, and the delicate balance at work even in our back gardens. It’s very exciting that the Trust has chosen to let poetry reside among its excellent work and I’m honoured that they have chosen me to be their first Poet in Residence.”

Please submit entries to Cambourneevents@wildlifebcn.org or send to: Nature Poetry, The Wildlife Trust BCN, The Manor House, Broad Street, Great Cambourne Cambridgeshire CB23 6DH, including your name, address and age category. Entrants must live in Cambridgeshire.

CAMBRIDGE ORIGINAL PRINTMAKERS Home to the world’s oldest publishing house, and boasting three of the largest printmaking studios in the UK, it’s no wonder that an increasing number of printmakers are emerging from Cambridge and the surrounding area. These artists, who cover a diversity of subjects between them, will unite for a new independent exhibition aimed at inspiring others to take up this versatile art form.

Cambridge Original Printmakers will run from 27 September until 5 October at the historic Pitt Building, Trumpington Street. Here, you’ll be able to find out more about modern and ancient techniques in lino cutting, woodcutting, etching, lithography and more; witness printmaking demonstrations and talks and discover local artists.

41 printmakers will be showcasing their works, including internationally acclaimed artists Charlotte Cornish, Ross Loveday, Geri Waddington and Andy English. As well as established artists, it is hoped the exhibition will give a boost to new and emerging artists in the Cambridge area.

The exhibition is open 10.30am-5pm (until 1pm Sunday), and entry is free. www.cambridgeoriginalprintmakers.com

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ARTS & CULTURE

THE ART INSIDER

eptember is one of my fave times of year. In between actually managing to go on holiday, I’ll be starting a new wave of our Women Of Influence project, ‘Female Voices’ – in partnership with charity Romsey Mill.

This month we start working with live artist Phoebe Davies, bringing her feminist nail art to Cambridge. But before you lambast feminist nail art as a total contradiction – (or switch off because I am banging on about feminism again) check phoebedavies.tumblr.com to see how she works with teenage girls, splicing female role models with nail art, facilitating discussions on equality and feminist issues.

One of the UK’s leading live artists, we saw her art go viral when reported on by Stylist Magazine in 2012.

Why feminism? Last year, when we first started the project, some of the teenage girls we worked with had me totally flummoxed when they told me they had no idea what feminism was. No idea there is a worldwide movement combatting low pay, sexual harassment, violence against women. ‘Men do the harder jobs‚’ they said.

‘That’s why they are paid more.’ Reading this, you are probably only too aware of what The F Word means – but imagine you don’t: then imagine how your world might be different.

A pioneer of her time, Britain’s first professional female engraver Caroline Watson is exhibited at the Fitzwilliam Museum from 23 September. This late Georgian engraver was an inspiration – it’s fascinating to uncover new role models for modern day pioneers.

From 13 September, drop in to the house at Kettle’s Yard to check Gwen Raverat’s (Darwin’s granddaughter) wood engravings; she’s best known for writing and illustrating her book Period Piece: A Cambridge Childhood (on my reading list).

Largely responsible for starting a revival of wood carving in Britain at the turn of the 20th century, her work is a must-see for those captivated by our city’s heritage.

It will be part of Curating Cambridge – a citywide initiative from the University of Cambridge museums, celebrating the

gra b th e Usi ng na il a rt toyou ng er atte ntion of th e e Davie s is ge ne ration, Phoebflue nce a Wom a n Of In

Unearthed finishes its reign at the P21 gallery and visits St Peter's Church this month

A must-see for heritage fans: Gwen Raverat's engravings at Kettle's Yard stories of the city, also partnered with the Festival of Ideas. The closest I have come to engraving anything was at a rather reckless party many years ago: the words ‘bring back the peace sign’ on the wooden panels of a Cambridge venue, which I shall not name here (apologies) – so I am most intrigued by the accomplished skill that will be exhibited in these shows by such extraordinary women.

I’ll also be checking Syrian artist Issam Kourbaj’s new installation Unearthed: In Memoriam (exhibited at P21 gallery next to the British Library earlier this year) at St Peter’s Church – next to Kettle’s Yard – poignantly using multimedia works, painted hardcover books and camera obscura to represent the recently deceased in his country. I first saw Kourbaj’s work at a Changing Spaces exhibition in 2013: breathtaking, awful and beautiful in equal measures. Check Kourbaj’s work at www.

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issamkourbaj.co.uk, one of Cambridge’s most engaging international artists.

Contemporary art “does not change the world like weapons do”, as Ruth Catlow, founder of arts org Furtherfield once responded to the question ‘but can art really change things?’ when I was studying at Central St Martins. But it does create a space for human connection, understanding and social comment and a discourse of dissent (speaking out, dammit!). It can also inspire the gravity of peace – which, with so much happening in the world today, can increasingly feel anything but possible. What can we do?

In the words of Yoko Ono, whom I interviewed in 2009 for an exhibition celebrating World Peace Day (21 September): “For you to just be yourself helps us all.” Wise words indeed – so here’s wishing you all a peaceful September, with plenty of goodwill.

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INTERVIEW

oul fans are in for a treat this month when the eradefining Martha Reeves and the Vandellas come to town, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Motown classic Dancing in the Streets. Growing up in Detroit, Martha Reeves started out singing in church, and went on to turn out over a dozen million-selling singles and work with some of the biggest names in music.

Now, at 73 (and a great-grandmother), she continues to tour the world, wowing crowds at this year’s Secret Garden Party and taking to the stage at Cambridge Corn Exchange later this month.

Q: What got you into music?

A: Aged three, my older brothers and I won chocolate-covered candy singing at a talent contest Saturday evening at my family’s church. I was also taken by my godmother to a show featuring Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Peg Leg Bates, Eddie ‘Lockjaw’ Davis and Lena Horne. Lena was so beautiful and singing such a sad song in the rain: I wanted to be able to move people with my voice the way she moved me.

Q: You tour all over the world. How do you find the UK crowds?

A: I love audiences in the UK, they know all the words. They sing, dance and come to have a good time. My favourite place is on stage, whether it is an arena, a theatre or a small club.

I love audiences in the UK, they know all the words.

They sing, dance and come to have a good time Q: What do you miss most when you’re on the road?

A: I miss home and family, and being able to work in my garden and cook my own food. One of my songs, Home to You, is about being on the road. I wrote it when I was on tour in the UK more than 40 years ago. I had just had my baby. The words are: “Been on the road too long, gotta have you in my arms, can’t wait to get home to you.” People thought it was about missing a man, but it was about my son.

Q: Do you have a favourite song?

A: Your songs are like your children: all of them are special in their own way. Come and Get These Memories got us on the charts. Heat Wave gave us a Grammy nomination. Dancing in the Street put us in the Smithsonian. And Jimmy Mack is the one that everybody sings along to.

Q: How have you seen the music business change over the years?

A: The music business isn’t as much about music anymore. It’s videos, half-naked girls and beats. It’s not about how well you sing, interpret a song or how good the songs are. Motown songs are memorable – 50 years later, they are still fresh. We had real musicians who knew how to play behind

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singers and make spaces for voices. We were also blessed to have a genius like Berry Gordy [Motown Records founder] who could recognise talent and took the time to help develop us. He made 30 acts household names! He invested in us.

I believe that learning something new every day is the key to happiness and long life. I advise anyone who chooses a career in any field, especially entertainment, to get educated by learned professionals, and know all about your craft to succeed.

You can’t rely on auto-tunes and a skimpy wardrobe if you want to do this for 50 years.

Q: What can we expect from your Cambridge show?

A: A good time. We have a great band and we do a lot of songs that we only do in the UK. I have a couple of other surprises. I also always come out to meet with fans after the show which is important to me. I wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for the fans.

We ended our first Motown Revue of the UK in Portsmouth on 12 April 1965. Now here I am almost 50 years later! Let’s make some new memories.

Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Corn Exchange, 17 September, 7.30pm. Tickets £24.50-£28.50. www.cornex.co.uk

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OPEN CAMBRIDGE

OPEN CAMBRIDGE

Historical and architectural bicycle tour of Cambridge (12 Sept, 10am) A two-hour bicycle ride through 2000 years of Cambridge history, taking in sites of architectural and historical importance. Meet at The Guildhall, north door.

Newnham College’s Hidden Secret (12 Sept, 2pm) Founded in 1871, Newnham College

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remains dedicated to excellence in women’s education. Head gardener Tony Arnold will lead a guided tour of the beautiful gardens and explain the impact the First World War had on them.

Dine at Corpus (12 Sept, 7pm) Experience supping in one of Cambridge’s oldest dining halls. The evening will start with a sparkling pre-dinner drink followed by a three-course meal ending with coffee and a short talk about the college’s history by a special guest speaker. Tickets are £38 per person.

Wolfson College © Sir Cam

or many of us living and working in Cambridge, the university remains a somewhat mysterious presence, dominating the city centre yet keeping itself to itself, behind closed, gilded gates and high, imposing walls. But, for one weekend in September, any remaining town and gown divisions are broken down as Cambridge University opens its doors to the public, offering up its many treasures of literature, history, science and art to all.

Open Cambridge takes place 12-13 September, consisting of a series of events, talks and tours. Discover the beauty of the hidden college gardens, tiptoe into its many vast libraries or take your seat at an open lecture.

The weekend closes with Bridge The Gap on 14 September: a gentle, five-mile charity walk that takes you through city streets and college quads, taking in some of Cambridge’s most beautiful and less explored corners.

Now in its 13th year, the annual scenic walk raises money for the Arthur Rank Hospice and Press Relief.

Everyone can take part, and the route is wheelchair friendly.

Here are some of our highlights…

Photo by Ian Fyfe

Cambridge University throws open the gilded gates and lets the public in to its secrets for one weekend only

cooks, sign designers and painters in Cambridge for several generations.

Real Tennis Exhibition (12 Sept, 6.30pm) Love Wimbledon? Discover Real Tennis, which Cambridge folk were playing back in the days of Henry VIII.

The Wren Library (12 Sept, 10.30am) Completed in 1695 to the design of Christopher Wren, this grand library contains early Shakespeare editions, books from Sir Isaac Newton’s own library and AA Milne’s Winnie The Pooh manuscripts.

Discovering the Leach family, Museum of Cambridge (12 Sept, 7pm) A talk revealing the life of a remarkable Cambridge family who worked as college

The Bloomsbury Group in Cambridge, University Church (12 & 13 Sept, 11.30am) The influential Bloomsbury Group actually had its origins in Cambridge,

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College © Sir Cam

OPEN CAMBRIDGE

12-13 Top Walks – Great St Mary’s © Sir Cam

SEPTEMBER

Corpus Clock © Sir Cam

With buildings dating back to the 11th century, Cambridge has had time to build up an excellent stock of ghost stories

where many of its members studied.

This tour will reveal where the likes of Rupert Brooke, Virginia Woolf and EM Forster lived, studied and performed.

Sidney Sussex College tour (12 & 13 Sept, various times) Take in the fine halls and beautiful gardens of Oliver Cromwell’s alma mater – and even find out where his head is thought to have been buried!

Elizabethan pageant (13 Sept, 10am-6pm) Witness the spectacle of seeing costumed characters parade through the streets of Cambridge to celebrate the 450th anniversary of the monarch’s visit to the city. Drop in throughout the day to try out Tudor crafts, find out what a sackbut is, join the parade at 1pm and meet the Virgin Queen herself.

Cambridge Ghost Tour (13 Sept, 6.30pm) With buildings dating back to the 11th century, Cambridge has had a lot of time to build up an excellent stock of ghost stories.

Hear chilling tales on this atmospheric walk through the city’s historic streets.

Girtonians and the two World Wars, The Pitt Building (13 Sept, 1pm) While the men went to war, Girton College continued to educate young women throughout both World Wars. This talk reveals the contents of a survey that was taken in 1919 asking Girtonians about their personal experiences of the Great War, and other insights into women’s life on the home front.

Inside the Cold War Bunker (13 Sept, various times) In the 1960s the country was geared up for

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a nuclear war that never happened.

Discover the nuclear bunker buried deep beneath the County Council’s offices – now home to an array of archeological treasures.

Death and disease in Cambridge (13 Sept, 2.30pm) We probably think of Cambridge as a healthy city, but right up to the 20th century it had a reputation for the opposite. This guided tour reveals Cambridge’s history of plague and other grim outbreaks.

Open day at the Festival Theatre (13 Sept, 10am) Did you know there’s a hidden Georgian theatre down Newmarket Road? Explore this wondrous building, which is now part of the Cambridge Buddhist Centre.

For more information go online: www.opencambridge.cam.ac.uk

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DRAGON BOAT

IS A PROUD PARTNER OF THE DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL

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CAMBRIDGE

DRAGON BOAT 48 teams take to their boats this September to help fundraise for local charity EACH, and there’s a fun-filled day planned for all. On your marks, get set, go! ore than 700 people will take to the waters of the River Cam this month at the tenth spectacular Cambridge Dragon Boat Festival, which takes place on Saturday 6 September. The sell-out event will see 48 crews representing companies and organisations from throughout the region, racing 30-foot brightly painted Chinese dragon boats four at a time over

dragonboatfestivals.co.uk/cambridge

the 200-metre course at Fen Ditton, watched by several thousand spectators.

Races will take place every ten minutes between 10am and 5pm and at the end of the afternoon, trophies will be awarded to different categories: the winning crew, the second and third placed crews, the team that raises the most money for the Festival-nominated charity – East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices

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(EACH) – the top mixed crew and the best-dressed crew. The top fundraisers for EACH will also receive a prize meal at Las Iguanas in Cambridge.

Carol Lester of the Festival organisers Gable Events comments, “We have had an influx of new teams this year and are looking forward to another fantastic day, jam-packed with racing and entertainment. It is testament to the remarkable appeal of this challenge that it continues to inspire and enthuse the business community of Cambridge and surrounding areas in its tenth anniversary year. We are sure that teams and Festival visitors alike will have a great day.”

As well as races every ten minutes, there will be family activities on the bank to keep teams and spectators entertained, including children’s rides and inflatables, plus food stalls and other refreshments.

There will also be a spectacular fly-past by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight with a Spitfire and Hurricane at 2.30pm and a Dakota at 3pm (subject to operational and weather restrictions).

EACH supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk. They provide care and support wherever the family requires – in families’ own homes, in hospital or at one of their hospices in Milton, Ipswich and Quidenham. Karen Newton, fundraiser at EACH, comments: “The money raised through the generosity of the teams taking part in the Dragon Boat Festival is very important to us and will go towards the one-to-one nursing care and support that is so vital to life-threatened local children and their families.”

Entrance to the Festival is free for spectators and free parking is available nearby. Call Gable Events on 01780 470718 for more info or visit the website.

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INTERVIEW WORDS JENNIFER SHELTON

50 years of CHAS & DAVE Jennifer Shelton has a Dicky Bird with one half of British cult duo Chas & Dave ahead of their anniversary gig in Cambridge this month ot many people can claim to have had a 50year relationship with anything: a house, their teeth, a spouse… But for ‘rockney’ duo Chas & Dave five decades have flown faster than you can say ‘rabbit’.

It’s a partnership that’s spawned nine bestselling albums, an unmistakable musical sound – capturing the best of boogie-woogie, early rock ’n’ roll and East End pub banter – and a diverse legion of fans, among them many of today’s most prolific musicians.

They recorded at Abbey Road before The Beatles and earlier this year sold out the Albert Hall. Now, the musical mavericks are back with their first studio album in 27 years, That’s What Happens. And plenty has.

“It only seems like we’ve been together a few years. Time flies.” I’m on the phone to Chas Hodges, the slightly bushier of the two (“We answer to both,” he chuckles) ahead of the duo’s appearance at the Corn Exchange. Is it still just as great playing music today, I ask, as when you first started?

“Even more so really. We love performing. Because it’s honest music, that’ll always stay the same, but there’s always something extra going on behind which keeps it fresh. And whatever happens, be it the iPod, CDs or downloading, people will always want to go out and see a good show.”

Putting on a good show is something they do very well indeed. Their Albert Hall gig in April received a gushing four stars from

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the Evening Standard who praised their ‘preconception-shattering musicality’ as much as their ability to conjure a mass knees-up with classics The Sideboard Song and Gertcha.

“When we first started, we were asked what market we were aiming for, and we said, ‘What d’you mean ‘market’?’ We play music from the heart so it’s for everybody,” says Chas. “It goes right across the board from little kids to old-age pensioners.

That’s just how we like it.”

Chas and Dave were playing in different bands when they met in the early 1960s, but they soon bonded over their shared musical leanings.

“I’d started going out with this girl, who’s now my wife, Joan,” Chas explains.

“I was thumbing a lift home from hers, ’cause I’d missed the last bus, and a mate of mine pulled up in his car with one of his mates in the back. He said, ‘This is my bass player.’ I was a bass player too, so we struck up a friendship. We had almost identical taste in music: we both loved rock ’n’ roll, the blues and people like Hank Williams. But, unusually for our age, we also loved old music hall performers. When I decided to go on piano, that’s when we got together.”

Their debut album, One Fing ’n’ Anuvver, was released in 1975 and celebrated their blue-collar East End roots with wryly wonderful songs sung, unusually, in their own accent. “I remember ringing up Dave

when I came back from America, when I was in another band, before we got together. And we’d been singing in an American accent. I felt a fool – I thought, hang on, this is wrong.”

By the mid 1980s their chirpy tunes about beer drinking, night shifts and getting in trouble with the missus were part of British culture, reviving old Cockney slang and sayings.

“Gertcha was our first Top 20 hit,” says Chas, “and something my granddad used to say.” He sings merrily: “When the kids are swinging on the gate… Gertcha! When the paperboy’s half an hour late…”

Contrary to popular myth, the pair didn’t write or sing the theme tune to Only Fools And Horses. They were asked, but they were busy in Australia promoting Ain’t No Pleasing You (their softer, more serious ballad). Nor, strictly speaking, are they true Cockneys: both were born in North London. Explains Chas: “I was brought up in Edmonton, but all my family came from the East End. They were all very witty people.”

Chas & Dave owe a great deal to Chas’s mum, Daisy, a pub piano player.

“She knew all the pop tunes of the 20s and 30s, and the not-so popular ones,” recalls Chas. “There wasn’t a song she didn’t know. She was a big influence on both me and Dave.

“She had a good ear for music but no one to teach her because her mum

We’d been singing in an American accent.

I thought, hang on, this is wrong

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INTERVIEW

couldn’t afford to send her to piano lessons. It was only when I started playing guitar at about 13 that I’d tell her she was playing in G or F… she had no idea. In the pubs, someone would start singing, and she’d just find that note and join in. So we helped each other out.”

Chas was raised by his mother after his dad committed suicide – the day before his fourth birthday. “She brought us up, me and my brother, by playing the piano.

So piano means a lot to me, it means happiness and also food on the table.”

Chas’s next teacher was king of the ivories Jerry Lee Lewis himself, with whom he toured as a session musician in 1963.

“My mum wanted me to be a piano player, but I weren’t particularly interested till I saw Jerry Lee Lewis. When I was about 13 he came to our town on tour. That was in 1958, then in 1963, when I was in The Outlaws, we got to go on tour as his backing band. He was my piano teacher. I remember watching him every night then trying it out afterwards. I just wanted to be like Jerry Lee.” Chas has since played with The Beatles (spontaneously, at Eric Clapton’s wedding)

Piano means a lot to me, it means happiness and also food on the table

Chas Hodges (left) and Dave Peacock (right)

and sat in for the bassist for Deep Purple.

When they came to record That’s What Happens, Chas and Dave hand-picked their favourite musicians to join them at Abbey Road – all of whom said yes.

“It was a great week, playing and having a good time,” says Chas. “We got some old friends on board: Albert Lee and JI Allison, who used to drum for Buddy Holly, Jools Holland, Hugh Laurie… We’re all like-minded musicians; someone would spark something off and we’d say, ‘OK, do that one!’ I think we did about two songs that we’d planned.”

Reflecting on his eventful career,

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Chas cites Ain’t No Pleasing You as his biggest personal achievement. “I wanted to write a serious song, sung in, for want of a better word, a Cockney accent. It’s probably our most popular song, and now when we play it on stage we stop singing in the second middle eight and people just belt it out.

Wherever we are in the country, they all know it,” he beams. “It’s great.”

Chas & Dave play at the Corn Exchange on 24 September (£27/£29). www.cornex.co.uk

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FAMILY

Once in a

BLUE MOON

Emily Brown

AND THE THING

An involving and imaginative show for three to six year olds and their families, Wriggle Dance Theatre’s Once in a Blue Moon brings magic and fun to Cambridge Junction on 21 September. It’s the moon’s birthday, and everyone’s invited to his party in the sky. The only trouble is – how do they get there? The show uses music, dance and plenty of audience interaction to create a theatrical experience aimed at inspiring a love of drama and stories from an early age.

There are two showings, one at 11.30am and one at 2.30pm. Tickets £6-£10. www.junction.co.uk

The creators of the monstrously popular Gruffalo stage show are back with a new show, based on a children’s book by Cressida Cowell and Neal Layton. Emily Brown and the Thing takes audiences on an adventure into dark woods, Whirling Wastes and beyond. Hearing something crying outside her window one night, Emily looks down to discover a Thing who can’t get to sleep. To help, Emily and her old grey rabbit set off on a night-time adventure to find the Thing’s cuddly, his bedtime milk and his medicine. Will that help him to finally settle down?

This musical show is aimed at everyone from three years and above. Catch it at Cambridge Junction, on 7 September, 11.30am and 2.30pm. Adult tickets are £10, £6 for children. www.junction.co.uk

Autumn FESTIVAL

Rejoice at the coming of autumn (crunchy leaves! Woolly scarves! Conkers!) at Milton Country Park’s Autumn Festival, taking place on 21 September. A celebration of local food, crafts and the countryside, there’ll be lots of stalls, demos and activities to take in, plus a dog show. Well, what are you waiting for? www.miltoncountrypark.org

AUDLEY END

Apple Festival

Autumn means apples, and Audley End House and Gardens will have them by the barrelful on 27 and 28 September at their annual Apple Festival.

From bobbing and weaving to trapping and tasting, there’ll be apple-y events to join in with, plus plenty of golden delicious treats to gobble up in the tea room. Then, see how Victorian cooks would have used apples, and meet the gardener to learn how he deals with pests in the orchard. There’ll also be falconry displays, pottery and archery to join in with, and music from a local folk band.

10am-6pm both days; £9.20-£15.40, English Heritage members go free. www.english-heritage.org.uk

Charlie and Lola

BBC’s charming cartoon duo Charlie and Lola are leaping out of the TV and onto the stage this month to embark on a brand new adventure. Charlie and Lola’s Extremely New Play comes to Cambridge Arts Theatre 18-21 September, and this time they’re bringing Sizzles the dog! Take a magical journey with them through the seasons, see what happens when Lola and her best friend Lotta promise to look after Sizzles, and follow Charlie and Marv on a Pirate Squidbones adventure!

This story about adventure, fun and surprises, with friendship at its heart, is brought to life by puppets, live action and music, and based on the much-loved books by Lauren Child and the popular TV series. It’s on at 10.30am (with some afternoon showings – check online). All tickets £12.50. www.cambridgeartstheatre.com

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FOOD

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

GOGS GIANT SUNDOWNER SEPTEMBER

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After a series of great events at The Shack this summer, we’re delighted to report that Gog Magogs will be rounding off the summer in spectacular style with a mini festival at their gorgeous site. Taking place on 27 September, the Giant Sundowner will follow the format of their popular Sundowner Sessions of this summer, with great music, drinks and delicious things to eat, but this time on a much bigger scale.

Kicking off at 6pm, guests can grab a drink and enjoy the sunset over the rolling Gog Magog hills, before partying right the way through to 2am with a host of great DJs and bands lined up to entertain the crowds.

“We're thrilled to have been joined by so many new faces as well as our existing customers during our first summer of Sundowner Sessions, and we’ve had so many requests from customers for more nights at The Shack,” says Charles Bradford, owner of Gogs. “This will be our closing party after a successful summer of events held here and we’re really excited about this one!”

Food-wise, there will be appearances from some of the stars of our area’s flourishing street food scene including gourmet burger purveyors Steak & Honour and Guerilla Kitchen, who’ll be serving up their delicious steamed pork buns, beef brisket and more tasty treats.

Fancy a tipple? Be sure to check out the fizz bar, and there’ll be a selection of top craft beers on offer too. The Spirited Mare crew will also be serving up imaginative cocktails from their equally imaginative bar (a fairy light bedecked, refashioned horsebox!), where you can enjoy boozy delights like their Lychee Caipirinhas and their Strawberry Mules.

In true festival style, the Giant Sundowner will run whatever the weather, but don’t be put off if it turns out to be a bit chilly on the night, as they will be lighting their oil drum fires and turning on the heaters in The Shack to keep you nice and toasty. Tickets are £20. www.gogmagoghills.com

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FOOD

THE BHANGRA BUS

INDIAN THALI AND WORLD WINES POP-UP Camb Events hosted their debut pop-up dining experience in Cambridge last month, and the response was so good that they’ve decided to follow up this September with a second offering that’s sure to tempt local foodies.

Taking place on Friday 19 September, this month’s event is dedicated to Indian thali and world wines, and will take place at Stickybeaks Café on Hobson Street.

The five-dish set menu is designed to take you on a journey of North and South Indian cuisine, pairing each of the dishes with perfectly matched wines from both the new and old worlds.

Reserve your place for £10 and enjoy a glass of Prosecco and canapés on arrival. It’s £15 for the set menu, and you can pick wines by the glass (from £2.75) or choose a flight of three for £10. thaliwinepopup.eventbrite.co.uk

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Allow us to introduce to you The Bhangra Bus: a super-cool new mobile vegetarian café which serves up home-made Indian cuisine from inside a converted American school bus. The enterprise is the brainchild of Robbie Cornell and Jo Howell, both from Cambridge, who had the idea when travelling in Central America, inspired by the Guatemalan local transport system, known as ‘chicken buses’.

“We were wondering what we were going to do with our lives, and we had this idea to buy a school bus,” explains Jo. “We went up to Florida and bought a bus in Tampa and had it shipped to the UK, and for the last year and a half, we’ve been converting it into a restaurant. We’ve done everything inside by hand – which has been a complete mission!”

It’s been worth the hard work and energy though – the interior of the bus has been transformed, using as many recycled materials as possible, into a funky, fully functioning café, with bars, tables and benches all made out of reclaimed pallets and scaffold planks.

“We are both vegetarian, so it was kind of obvious we were going to do some kind of vegetarian food,” says Jo. “And Rob has spent quite a lot of time over the last few years travelling and cooking in India. He cooks really amazing curries, so we thought, we’ll do what we’re good at and make vegetarian and vegan Indian food.”

On the menu you’ll find delicious, authentic dishes like paneer butter masala, mixed vegetable korma and Bombay aloo, as well as sides like crispy double-fried ‘Bombay wedges’ tossed in cumin and paprika – all freshly prepared on-site. There’s also a range of herbal teas on offer, plus chai masala and fair trade coffee.

Keep an eye out for The Bhangra Bus at events around Cambridge or get in touch to discuss private hire for events. www.bhangrabus.co.uk

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SHARING ROASTS AT THE ALEX The Alex on Gwydir Street, with its buzzy little beer garden, great craft ales and epic gourmet burgers, is quickly becoming one of our favourite watering holes, so we’re pleased to note that they’re now serving up their own take on that most hallowed of Sunday traditions: the roast dinner.

The emphasis here is on sociable dining, and you and your table will be presented with a huge cut of meat and a selection of sides. The menu changes frequently, but recent options include beer brined collar of pork with apple sauce and stuffing, and slow roasted shoulder of lamb with mint sauce. You’ll also be treated to delicious sides like duck fat roast potatoes, cauliflower and leek cheese and honey glazed carrots. There’s proper Yorkshire puds too, which come served with rich red onion gravy and cracked black pepper.

Veggies are brilliantly catered for too, with dishes including caramelised parsnip, walnut and sage nut roast and apple and walnut roast – with vegetarian potatoes and gravy also available.

There’s a range of delicious desserts on offer which changes with the seasons: as the weather starts to cool look out for hearty classics like crumbles and peach cobblers.

The Alex roast costs £12.50 for two courses and £15.50 for three, and kids under 12 eat half price. www.thealexcambridge.com

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MARCO PIERRE WHITE STEAKHOUSE & GRILL Have you been down to the DoubleTree recently? As well as boasting one of the best spots in the entire city for a riverside al fresco drink, the hotel has now added an exciting new dining experience to its offering.

The man behind the newly revamped restaurant is none other than celebrity chef extraordinaire Marco Pierre White (MPW), who is widely regarded as the ‘godfather of modern cooking’.

Aiming to bring Cambridge diners a touch of ‘affordable glamour’, the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill offers a menu that pays homage to simple and delicious British fare, served up in a stylish and luxurious setting. The menu celebrates local, seasonal produce and boasts an extensive selection of meat cuts including ribeye, sirloin, fillet and T-bone. There’s a heavenly range of sauces too, including truffle butter, Marmite butter and blue cheese sauce, and the triple cooked chips – fluffy on the inside and golden and crisp on the outside – are truly a thing of wonder.

Having sampled the steaks, we can vouch for the fact that they’re perfectly cooked and exquisitely juicy, and absolutely among the finest in the city. But, if you can’t be tempted, there’s a lovely range of fish dishes including fillet of sea bass with saffron, chorizo, lemon and chilli butter sauce, Wheeler’s of St James fish pie and garlic king prawns served with Provençal rice.

The starters are another masterclass in no-frills culinary perfection. Chunky calamari in a crispy, seasoned coating is joined by a gloriously gooey baked Camembert on the menu, which also offers British classics like pea and ham soup and piccalilli with potted duck.

When it comes to rounding off your meal, the indulgent dessert list includes a spectacularly boozy trifle (named Wally Ladd after one of MPW’s apprentices, who devised the recipe), bitter chocolate mousse and a nod to our local heritage with the Cambridge Burnt Cream. www.mpwsteakhousecambridge.co.uk

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FOOD

CARLUCCIO’S OPERA EVENING Indulge yourself this month with an evening of opera, wine and delicious Italian cuisine at Carluccio’s on Saturday 6 September. Guests will be treated to a relaxed aperitivo of chilled Prosecco and some tempting canapés on arrival (at 7pm), before sitting down to a threecourse feast of authentic Italian fare whilst an opera group serenade with well-loved arias and classics.

The menu kicks off with selezione di antipasti; a sumptuous tasting platter which includes home-made rabbit and truffle pâté, alongside radicchio, pear and walnut salad, and roasted Romano peppers with pesto, finocchiona salami and Gorgonzola cheese.

Next up, diners will enjoy boneless corn fed chicken leg stuffed with mushrooms and mascarpone, served with Parmigiano and thyme mashed potatoes.

For dessert it’s a sweet take on a Sicilian classic, with sweet risotto balls (arancini) cooked with cocoa and cinnamon and served with warm chocolate sauce.

The event costs £35 per person, including the aperitif. www.carluccios.com

CAMBRIDGE COOKERY SCHOOL After the summer hiatus, the autumn programme commences with gusto over at Cambridge Cookery School this month. Classes kick off on 12 September with a session covering everything you need to know to cook the perfect steak, from choosing a good value cut to whipping up a variety of mouth-watering sauces including Béarnaise and a red wine reduction. You’ll also learn how to make some favourite steak accompaniments: pommes dauphinoise and pommes boulangère, plus some simple but tasty salads and greens on the side.

Next up, on 14 September, discover how to master the notoriously tricky art of French pastry making in a five-hour course, which includes ‘foolproof’ croissants, pain au chocolat, brioche and baguettes Viennoise with a variety of fillings.

On 23 September, Seasonal Italian, one of the Cookery School’s most popular courses, makes a return, helping you transform seasonal British produce into healthy and delicious Italian classics. On the menu are red pepper and red onion crostini, pumpkin and sage focaccia, wild mushroom ravioli, aromatic sea bass and zuppa inglese – rounded off with a sit-down meal accompanied by a few glasses of wine.

Completing the month’s offerings on 27 September will be Effortless Autumn Entertaining; a class brimming over with ideas for lovely seasonal suppers.

Recipes include black fig, pear and blue cheese salad, filled organic chicken breasts with tarragon sauce, quick-cured Swedish salmon with celeriac puree and vanilla scented roasted pears. www.cambridgecookeryschool.com

INDIAN FOOD & WINE PAIRING EVENT Inders Kitchen, the award-winning purveyors of delicious home-cooked Indian cuisine, are teaming up with Cambridge Wine Merchants (CWM) this month to host a food and wine pairing spectacular.

Taking place on 2 September at CWM’s Bridge Street bar, the event will feature a series of authentic Indian delights served thali style (lots of small dishes), all freshly prepared and bursting with seasonal local ingredients.

Accompanying the food will be six carefully selected wines; mostly aromatic whites, but guests will also sample a great red or two.

The event costs £25 per person and begins at 7.30pm, though you’re welcome to arrive earlier and enjoy an aperitif to get you in the mood. www.cambridgewine.com

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FOOD

WORDS NICOLA FOLEY

TOP

6

BRUNCH SPOTS

OUR PICK OF THE BEST PLACES IN TOWN TO ENJOY THAT ALL IMPORTANT WEEKEND RITUAL

GARDEN KITCHEN

URBAN LARDER Café-shop Urban Larder on Mill Road’s Broadway is renowned for its great range of quality local food and gifts, delicious breakfasts and brunches and excellent gluten-free offerings. And with its cheery atmosphere and quirky, colourful interior, it’s a lovely spot to take a leisurely breakfast or lunch. You’re encouraged to go a bit DIY with your order and have a bit of whatever you fancy, but a typical brekkie might consist of mushrooms and coriander with tomatoes and French dressing, served on toast, or a free range scrambled duck egg with bacon on sourdough bread. In need of carbs? Opt for the bacon and sausage turnover or perhaps a chorizo pie or the authentic Cretan spanakopita. There’s also a range of smoothies, prepared using seasonal fruit, and plenty of delicious handmade cakes if you have a sweet tooth to sate.

Making a determined bid to be Mill Road’s best brunching spot is newcomer the Garden Kitchen, offering delicious coffees and a lovely range of home-made bites.

Fill your pot with a selection of granola, natural yoghurt, fresh fruit salad and berry compote, or indulge in freshly baked pastries, muffins and bacon rolls. On Saturdays, they offer all this plus an additional menu that includes dishes like blueberry and banana pancakes, waffles with crispy bacon and maple syrup, bacon and egg rolls and some amazingly tasty home-made Danishes. There’s only a handful of seats inside so you may not be able to dine in (though there is a bench to perch on out front too), but this is a great option for a takeaway bite to eat.

BACKSTREET BISTRO A long-standing haunt of Cambridge foodies in the know, you’ll find Backstreet Bistro tucked away on Sturton Street, off Mill Road. Petite, charming and consistently excellent with their grub, this place is a true local secret and well worth a look. Brunch is served on Saturdays 10.30am-2.30pm (till 12.30pm on Sundays) and can begin (if you so choose) with a Bloody Mary, a Bellini, a Buck’s Fizz or champagne. The full English is at the pricier end of the spectrum at £9.95, but it’s seriously generously sized and bursting with top quality ingredients. You’ll be treated to two own-recipe Greg Bigg’s sausages, sweet dry cured bacon, free range eggs, sautéed mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, black pudding and (the pièce de résistance in my opinion) the delicious potato fritters. Another favourite is the B-B-B Backstreet Brunch, a tasty mix of bangers, bacon and bubble and squeak, or opt for the buttered Manx kippers with poached eggs and wholemeal bread or a bowl of Scotch oats with a wee tot of whisky – the perfect warming brekkie on a cold day.

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FOOD

BLACK CAT CAFE A solid Mill Road favourite, the Black Cat Café has been delighting locals with its cakes and coffees (they lay a good claim to being the first place in Cambridge to serve up a flat white), since 2005, when it was founded with the goal of bringing a slice of Antipodean café culture to our city.

In our opinion though, it’s at brunch time that they really shine.

On the menu you’ll find delights like the Baghdad breakfast (eggs poached in cumin lemon butter with spiced lentils on toast), organic French toast served with bacon and maple syrup, and, of course, the hearty and delicious Black Cat Big Breakfast, which consists of sausages, bacon, mushrooms, tomato, poached or scrambled eggs, toast and homemade barbecue beans.

If the weather’s up to it, pull up a pew out the front and watch the world go by – there are few better spots in the city for people watching!

AFTERNOON TEASE Since opening back in October last year, Afternoon Tease on King Street has won the heart of many a local foodie, not least for being one of the few places in the centre of the city that serves up brilliant brunches. The menu is ever changing, but favourites which appear regularly include River Farm Smokery smoked salmon with free range scrambled eggs on Dovecote Bakery English muffins, sweetcorn fritters with halloumi, roasted cherry tomatoes and home-made basil and mint pesto, and the insanely good breakfast burrito. The coffees too are without doubt some of the best in town, and there’s a range of Kandula teas on offer. Fancy something a little stronger? We’re pleased to announce that Afternoon Tease have been honing their Bloody Mary recipe to perfection and will be relaunching it in the café from this month onwards – alongside a range of other tasty brunch tipples.

HOTEL DU VIN If you fancy seriously indulging, head to Hotel du Vin on Trumpington Street, where they’ve taken the traditional concept of brunch and evolved it into a decadent fourcourse mid-morning feast.

Served in the hotel’s elegant bistro, Sunday Brunch begins with a soup course, followed by the arrival of a lavish French Market Table which boasts fresh seafood, charcuterie, pâtés, rillettes and a selection of salads, vegetables and freshly baked artisan breads. Next up (yes, there’s more), diners are treated to Sunday lunch favourites, such as the Roast du Vin, steak frites or the bistro burger, before ending the meal with a dessert (options include crème brûlée and profiteroles). Brunch costs £24.95 per person – a total bargain when you consider how much you’re getting for your money – and it’s served each Sunday from 12pm. Cocktails, including Bloody Mary, Bucks Fizz and Bellini, are also on offer, priced separately.

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FOOD

DINE AT CORPUS

CATESBY’S CAFE Last month we discovered a delightful new café hidden away in Green Street. If you’ve not yet ventured into Catesby’s, the new independent homeware shop opposite Bill’s, do – and once you’ve shopped, make sure to wander upstairs for a sit-down in their light, airy café, serving real coffee and home-made cakes (the chocolate brownie being possibly one of the best in town!).

Catesby’s is run by Neil and Jonathon, who share a passion for quality pieces for the home, many of which have a contemporary Scandinavian influence. This same integrity is evident in the café, which opened in June this year: a beautiful, calming space within this 17th century character building. Here you’ll find delicious cakes and slices by Chocolicious, thick wedges of coffee and walnut cake and gluten-free cherry and almond tart by Biscotti de Debora, while the coffee is a special blend created by Cambridge favourites, Hot Numbers.

“We felt that there was an opportunity to do something really quality and something that celebrated local producers,” says Neil. “We wanted to make it a simple, relaxed place to be.” www.catesbys.co.uk

As part of the Open Cambridge weekend this month, members of the public have the opportunity to enjoy dinner in one of the most spectacular venues in Cambridge, Corpus Christi’s lavish 19th century dining hall.

Taking place on Friday 12 September, the event begins at 7.30pm with a glass of fizz and a chance to soak up the impressive surroundings, followed by a delicious three-course meal, and ends with coffee and a talk on the College’s history by a special guest speaker.

The menu includes seared sea bass with cannellini beans, chorizo and bouillabaisse sauce, or asparagus, broad bean and mint risotto for main course, and summer berries with whipped vanilla crémeux, strawberry gel and raspberry foam for dessert.

The evening costs £38 per person. www.opencambridge.cam.ac.uk

BOURN BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL Following the success of last year’s event, the Bourn Beer & Cider Festival returns this month, offering a day of top tipples, great food and live music in a splendidly rustic rural setting. Taking place on 20 September at Manor Farm, the festival features a huge selection of the finest local ales and ciders, as well as a barbecue and a hog roast.

There’s live music all day too, with some great bands and solo artists playing a variety of folk, blues and rock. The line-up includes local favourites Fred’s House, Daniel Nestlerode and Toy Sparrows, and headliners Junkyard Preachers, who’ll play the final set.

There’ll be lots to keep little ones entertained too, with bouncy castles, inflatables, soft toys and a face painter, and best of all, it’s all in aid of a great cause: the NSPCC. The event takes place from 12 noon until 11pm and entry costs £4 (under 18s go free). www.facebook.com/manorfarmbourn

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EATING IN

TROUT & SEA BASS CEVICHE

IN NEED OF SOME CULINARY INSPIRATION FOR ENTERTAINING? TRY THIS TRIO OF TASTY AND SIMPLE-TO-MAKE MEXICAN NUMBERS

A great, fresh tasting summery canapé tossed with a citrus, coriander and chilli dressing, delicious served on crisp spicy tortillas. Simply spoon the shredded lettuce and ceviche on to the tortillas and arrange on a serving platter.

INGREDIENTS 200g or 2 sea bass fillets, skinned, pin boned and diced 300g or 2 trout fillets, skinned, pin boned and diced 2 limes, grated rind and juice 2tbsp olive oil 2 red grapefruit 1 red chilli, halved, deseeded and finely chopped 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced Salt and freshly ground black pepper 4tbsp fresh chopped coriander leaves 160g pack of Manomasa Chipotle and Lime Tortilla Chips 2 little gem lettuces, finely shredded

METHOD Preparation: 25 minutes Chill: 1 hour Serves: 4-6

This month’s recipes are courtesy of Manomasa, who make a range of tortilla chips, ‘born in the backstreets of Mexico’, and pay tribute to the original tortilla chip – the totopo – using traditional Mexican techniques to create authentic tortillas, combined with exciting and original global flavours and ingredients. www.manomasa.co.uk

1. Add the diced sea bass and trout to a shallow china or glass dish. Sprinkle with the lime rind then drizzle over the lime juice and oil.

2. Cut a slice off the top and bottom of each grapefruit then cut the rest of the peel and pith away with a small serrated knife. Cut between the membrane to release the segments then squeeze the juice from the membrane over the fish. Roughly chop the segments and add them to the fish with the chilli and the red onion.

Season with salt and pepper and gently stir together.

3. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for about an hour or until the sea bass is bright white and the trout an opaque pink or it looks ‘cooked’.

4. Sprinkle the chopped coriander over the ceviche and stir together gently.

Allow to come to room temperature for 15-20 minutes.

5. Arrange the tortillas on a large platter; sprinkle a little lettuce on the top of each then spoon over the ceviche. Serve immediately or the tortilla chips will soften, with extra lime wedges and a little coarse sea salt if you’d like.

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EATING IN

Preparation: 15 minutes Serves: 4

SMOKY ROASTED PUMPKIN TOPPED TORTILLAS Roast pumpkin with sweet potato, fennel seeds, hot smoky paprika and garlic for a tasty tortilla topper, all finished off with a tiny spoonful of cooling Greek yoghurt and tangy onion, tomato and avocado salsa.

INGREDIENTS 350g peeled, deseeded pumpkin or butternut squash (weighed after preparation), cut into one-inch cubes 300g or one large sweet potato, peeled, cut into one-inch cubes 3tbsp olive oil 2tsp fennel seeds, roughly crushed 1tsp smoked hot paprika 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper

TO SERVE 1 red onion, finely chopped 1 large tomato, finely chopped 2tbsp fresh finely chopped coriander 1 small avocado, halved, stoned, diced 1 lime, grated rind and juice 200g 0% fat Greek yoghurt 160g pack of Manomasa Tomatillo Tortilla Chips

Preparation: 30 minutes Cook: 30 minutes Serves: 4-6

MINTED BEETROOT & FETA DIP

If you have a food processor or stick blender this vibrant coloured dip can be blitzed together in minutes.

Beetroot is packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fibre, energyboosting natural sugars and body building protein – no wonder it is regarded as a superfood.

INGREDIENTS 250g pack cooked beetroot in natural juices 1.5tsp harissa spice paste 1tsp red wine vinegar Salt and freshly ground black pepper 110g feta cheese, drained, crumbled 3 stems fresh mint 4tbsp 0% fat Greek yoghurt 1/2 pomegranate, seeds removed 160g pack of Manomasa White Cheddar Tortilla Chips

METHOD METHOD 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Add the pumpkin or butternut squash and sweet potato to a roasting tin. Drizzle over the oil then sprinkle with the fennel seeds, the hot smoked paprika and the garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Gently toss the vegetables with the spice mixture to combine them then roast for 30 minutes, turning once, until softened and browned.

2. While the vegetables roast, mix the onion, tomato, coriander, avocado, lime rind and juice together to make the salsa then spoon into a bowl. Spoon the yoghurt into a separate bowl. Separate the tortillas and arrange on a large platter.

3. Mash the roasted vegetables, still in the roasting tin, with a handheld masher.

Spoon the hot pumpkin mix over the tortillas, top with a small spoonful of yoghurt then a spoonful of the salsa and serve immediately while the roasted veg is still hot.

COOK’S TIP Smoked paprika has the most wonderful flavour and can be bought as mild or hot paprika with the same kind of heat as chilli powder; if you don’t have any in the cupboard then use the same amount of chilli powder instead.

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1. Drain the beetroot juices into a processor or stick blender cup.

Roughly chop the beetroot and add to the juices then blitz with the harissa, vinegar and a little salt and pepper until it’s a coarse puree.

2. Reserve one quarter of the feta and a few tiny mint leaves for garnish. Strip the remaining leaves from the stems and add them and the feta to the beetroot with the yoghurt. Blend again until smooth.

3. Spoon the dip into a bowl, garnish with the remaining feta, reserved mint leaves and pomegranate seeds.

Serve with the tortilla chips for dunking.

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EATING IN

PANCAKE TOWER DELICIOUSLY DECADENT BUT EASY-PEASY TO MAKE IMPRESS YOUR GUESTS , WITH THIS ALICE IN WONDERLAND STYLE DESSERT

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

400ml whipping cream 4tbsp lemon curd Handful of fresh raspberries and blueberries, or any seasonal fruits, such as redcurrants Handful of edible petals (optional); buy them online: www.souschef.co.uk 2 packets Genesis Crafty Big Original Pancakes

1. Whip the cream until smooth and velvety.

2. Marble the lemon curd through the whipped cream.

3. Layer the Genesis Crafty pancakes with the cream and seasonal fruits, dividing the cream and fruits evenly between the layers. Top with edible flowers for a showstopper dessert or afternoon tea treat!

This month’s pudding recipe comes to us courtesy of Genesis Crafty, a family run bakery established in 1968.

You can pick up their delicious handmade creations at Waitrose, Ocado and Sainsbury’s.

Find out more at www.genesiscrafty. com

This is a wonderful cheat recipe when you want to wow your friends but have no time to bake!

Recipe created for Genesis Crafty by Coralie Grassin of Teatime in Wonderland teatimeinwonderland.co.uk.

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FOOD

WORDS ALEX RUSHMER

DO YOU SMELL BURNING? IF YOU THINK BURNED EQUALS INEDIBLE THINK AGAIN. ALEX RUSHMER GIVES , A LESSON IN THE ART OF CONTROLLED BURNING he line between ‘caramelised’ and ‘burnt’ can be an agonisingly fine one. An extra few seconds in the pan or an inopportune phone call just before yanking a tray out of the oven can result in that woefully familiar acrid smell and telltale puffs of smoke coming from the direction of what was, until recently, dinner. A neatly concise, if slightly general, rhyming rule we apply in the kitchen goes along the lines of ‘When it’s brown it’s cooked, when it’s black it’s f…’, well, you get the idea.

An enthusiastically burnished steak is a thing of delicious beauty, especially when

cooked with exquisitely browned butter.

The same piece of meat if furnished with blackened edges takes on an unpleasant and overriding bitterness. A loaf of bread, if taken far enough in an oven that is hot enough, develops an incredibly complex array of flavours but can quickly turn inedible if left for just a minute too long.

The chemical processes are exactly the same in both situations, and indeed apply near universally across the vast array of ingredients that we bake, roast, sauté, fry or otherwise heat up in a way that doesn’t use water – the action and effect that an increase in temperature has on residual and

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component sugars or other carbohydrates present in whatever it is you are cooking.

Failure to apply enough heat (or the right amount of heat for an insufficient amount of time) will result in insufficient browning and a lack of flavour. Too much heat for too long takes the process the other way and results in what we recognise as burnt and the resultant acridity and bitterness.

Successful cookery is a balancing act between these two extremes and the mark of a good cook is one who understands this elementary, but difficult to master, principle.

As always though, there are exceptions that prove the rule. Occasionally a controlled level of burning is desirable and can bring a pleasing charred flavour and extra depth to a dish that might otherwise lack dimension.

Barbecue is one such example and I’ve known more than a few acquaintances in my time who refuse to accept that a piece of bread is toasted unless it is the colour of charcoal – something I’m willing to accept as long as it doesn’t result in black specks in the butter.

This controlled burning is a technique that I’ve become quite fond of in my own kitchen too. A red pepper ketchup that has accompanied a number of fish dishes starts with the enthusiastic blackening of peppers over a gas flame which results in a glorious sweet smokiness in the finished sauce. In my version of braised lettuce and peas, currently sitting alongside a roasted lamb rump, the cut side of a little gem lettuce is seasoned, brushed with rapeseed oil and then placed in a smoking hot, dry pan to really draw out some dark sweetness before being cooked with the peas in butter and stock and lightened with lemon juice right at the end. Equally, I’ve discovered that cucumber, especially when pickled, takes on a stunning array of complex flavours if charred in a similar way.

The possibilities are vast, plus it gives you a great excuse if you do leave those roasted vegetables in the oven a fraction too long.

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EATING OUT

WORDS JENNIFER SHELTON

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Hotel Felix

The sophisticated yet relaxed Graffiti Restaurant at Hotel Felix serves up a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds, finds Jennifer Shelton

outique hotel, wedding venue and upmarket restaurant, Hotel Felix may be one of Cambridge’s bestkept secrets. Hidden away in gorgeous grounds near Girton, the Victorian villa – named after a dog statue in the courtyard by the hotel’s dog-loving proprietors – is the perfect off-thebeaten-track escape. I made the trip (just 15 minutes by bike from the city centre, or there’s free parking for motorists) one late summer Sunday evening, taking a seat on the terrace overlooking the beautiful manicured lawns to soak up the last of the sun. Sipping champagne (a glass of Old Speckled Hen for my guy), we perused the menu at our leisure before moving through to the stylish Graffiti Restaurant.

For a Sunday night it was surprisingly full – a mixture of hotel guests and diners

Smart and stylish, Hotel Felix is blessed with both atmosphere and top-quality cuisine in the know. The muted dove greys and purples of the walls create a relaxed yet sophisticated atmosphere, with modern artistic flourishes in amongst the period features, striking the right balance between past and present.

The pleasingly modern menu promises a range of British and French-inspired dishes, with mains ranging from £13 to around the £25 mark. Our starters, the roulade of Norfolk chicken and Parma ham and grilled mackerel with pain d’épices and beetroot, demonstrated head chef Ashley Bennett’s passion for seasonal cooking and composing dishes which are just as much a feast for the eyes as the palate. The rich meats of the roulade were accompanied by the caramelised flavour of roast leek and gow choi (chives), while the unusual onion ‘ash’ proved a delicious discovery.

For the main event, I’d plumped for a duck special, which came with zingy orange couscous, a beetroot and blackberry jus, stem broccoli and creamy layered potato, garnished with delicate borage flowers for colour. The meat was meltingly tender and the fat crisp – and the portion size just right. Next to me,

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my partner tucked into squab pigeon with spring onion puree, roast radish, crushed ratte potatoes and apple dressing.

Another beautifully executed dish with well-married flavours.

The dessert options were all light, traditional favourites: think panna cotta, rhubarb cheesecake and sorbets. A sucker for anything chocolatey, I opted for chocolate pavé with raspberries and white chocolate ice cream. The raspberries were dried and the chocolate dense and cool, like ganache, and the presentation once again was faultless. My partner chose the salt-baked pineapple, a summery, tropical dish though simple.

Coffee was served with petit fours, which we polished off before jumping back on our bikes to head for home (virtuously working off some of that pud).

Smart and stylish, Hotel Felix is blessed with both atmosphere and top-quality cuisine. Its secret garden setting makes it a perfect romantic destination for dinner or a short break – a delight to discover.

Hotel Felix, Whitehouse Lane, Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0LF www.hotelfelix.co.uk

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LISTINGS

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

5 September

MITCH BENN IS THE 37TH BEATLE Time: 8pm Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £16 Description: Lots of people are described as ‘the fifth Beatle’, but as Benn points out, they can’t all be. This comedy show inspired by his love of the fab four has been described by Chortle as for ‘anyone who likes music, hates Simon Cowell and who likes learning new things’. junction.co.uk

6 September

MADE TO MEASURE Time: 1.45pm Location: The Sheep Shop Price: £25 Description: Need help making knitted garments that fit and flatter? Not So Granny takes you through how to avoid common mistakes at this small, friendly class. sheepshopcambridge.co.uk

6-7 September

ABOVE AND BELOW STAIRS Time: 10am-6pm Location: Audley End House Price: £9.20-£15.40 (free for members) Description: Discover the English Heritage mansion as it was in its heyday, with costumed cooks in the kitchen, nursemaids organising the children and stable hands grooming the horses. english-heritage.org.uk

9, 15, 17 & 29

September SHIRE HORSE CARRIAGE RIDES Time: 11.30am Location: Wimpole Hall Price: £50 Description: Jump aboard a traditional carriage pulled by a magnificent shire horse and explore the Wimpole estate in style. Rides last around 45 minutes and carriages hold a up to four people. Be quick though – they’re booking up fast! nationaltrust.org.uk

9-13 September

ASSASSINS Time: 7.45pm Location: ADC Theatre Price: £9-£14 Description: A most American of musicals, Assassins reveals the stories of nine individuals across history who have attempted to assassinate a president. adctheatre.com TOOT: BE HERE NOW Time: 7.30pm Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £6/£10 Description: An irreverent but tender look at how music influences our lives, set to a soundtrack of 90s classics.

Think suspect dancing and angsty shoegazing, and that song you just can’t forget. junction.co.uk

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SPARTAN RACE Time: Heats start at 10am Location: Milton Country Park Price: £65 Description: Race through mud, over obstacles and round the lakes in this 5k race with a difference! Competitors come away with a medal, Spartan T-shirt and plenty of stories to tell.

Registration ends 1 September. uk.spartanrace.com

SEPT

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11 September

RORY MCGRATH & PHILIP POPE Time: 8pm Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £13 Description: Combining Rory’s comedy and writing talents with Philip’s musical prowess, their show, Bridge Over Troubled Lager, offers an evening of witty comedy and song. junction.co.uk

14 September

STOURBRIDGE FAIR Time: 12-4pm Location: The Leper Chapel Price: Free Description: Stalls and entertainment with a medieval flavour, held at what’s thought to be Cambridge’s oldest building (built 1125). leper-chapel.24to24-hosting. co.uk

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DANNY BHOY Time: 8pm Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £16 Description: The new show from the global comedy superstar, whose natural wit and gift for storytelling has brought him a massive following. junction.co.uk

SEPT

15 September

THE QUEEN EXTRAVAGANZA Time: 7.30pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: £27 Description: Produced by Queen drummer Roger Taylor, this huge tribute show is for fans new and established. Featuring all the classics, from Crazy Little Thing Called Love and Radio Ga Ga to Bohemian Rhapsody. cornex.co.uk

10 SEPT

13-14

September FOOD & GARDEN PRODUCE FESTIVAL Time: 10am-5pm Location: Parker’s Piece Price: Free entry Description: Wander round the stalls on Parker’s Piece and pick up some great bits and pieces for your kitchen and garden.

Featuring home-grown fruit and veg, cakes and cooking demonstrations. oakleighfairs.co.uk

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE Time: 7pm Location: Haverhill Arts Centre Price: £10-£15 Description: A live broadcast of the Young Vic’s fastest-ever selling production, starring Gillian Anderson as the troubled, faded southern belle Blanche DuBois in Tennessee Williams’s timeless masterpiece. haverhillartscentre. co.uk

16 SEPT

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LISTINGS

IMAGES FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Feeling brave? Take part in the Spartan Race, if you dare. For a safer bet, see Rory McGrath and Philip Pope at Cambridge Junction. If you can’t stop your toe tapping, watch TOOT as they look into the influence of music on the 10th.

17 September

CLARE BALDING Time: 7.30pm Location: The Octagon, Ely Cathedral Price: £10 Description: The respected broadcaster and presenter, who has been at the heart of British sports coverage for many years, discusses her new book, Walking Home, about her love of the English countryside. toppingbooks.co.uk

20 September

EAST ANGLIA CHAMBER ORCHESTRA Time: 7.30pm Location: West Road Concert Hall Price: £10-£20 Description: A chance to see our region’s premier orchestra in action, with conductor and violinist Andrew Watkinson of the Endellion String Quartet.

They’ll be playing Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Mendelssohn. westroad.org

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21 September

CHARIOTS OF FIRE Time: 9.30am Location: Queens' Green Price: £135 per team Description: Register by 17 September to take part in this scenic, manageable (just 1.7 miles) and team-spirited relay race, raising money for the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity. Or come along and cheer everyone on. chariots-of-fire.co.uk

NELL BRYDEN Time: 8pm Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £16 Description: The New York singer-songwriter has spent the last year coming up with material for her third album, Wayfarer, which she’ll tour this autumn.

She experienced great success with her last single, All You Had, and recently supported Gary Barlow and Jools Holland. junction.co.uk CHAS & DAVE Time: 7.30pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: £27-29 Description: The ‘rockney’ duo celebrate 50 years of cracking tunes, including Gertcha, Rabbit and Ain’t No Pleasing You. Expect new ones too, from their latest album That’s What Happens. cornex.co.uk

SEPT

THE UKULELE ORCHESTRA OF GREAT BRITAIN Time: 7.30pm Location: Corn Exchange Price: £19.50-£27.50 Description: The world-famous orchestra with a twist returns with another entertaining, genremerging show. Ever wondered what Lady Gaga on the ukulele sounds like? cornex.co.uk SIGN UP TO THE EDIT NEWSLETTER AT CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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23 September

SOPHIE ELLIS BEXTOR Time: 7pm Location: Cambridge Junction Price: £21 Description: After dazzling on the Strictly Come Dancing dance floor the striking pop star has returned to her first love: music, releasing singles Young Blood and Love Is A Camera earlier this year. See her live in Cambridge for what’s sure to be a crowdpleasing show. junction.co.uk

SEPT

27 SEPT

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24 SEPT

WALK THE FENS Time: 10.30am Location: Anglesey Abbey Price: Free Description: Meet at the stately home in Lode for a sociable, scenic five-mile circular walk around the Fens, ending at the Abbey for lunch. Dogs on leads welcome. Bring your lunch or head to the café. nationaltrust.org.uk

September THE FIRST WORLD WAR UNCOVERED Time: 10am-4.30pm Location: IWM Duxford Price: £21.50 (adult) Description: Find out more about the Great War with special expert talks on the controversial Douglas Haig, the origins of the conflict and the role of medicine. Ticket price includes entry to the rest of the museum. iwm.org.uk

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September- October HAY FEVER Time: 7.45pm Location: Arts Theatre Price: £15-£35 Description: Star of The Good Life Felicity Kendal is in a glittering revival of Noël Coward’s Hay Fever. Unconventional, risqué and in constant competition for the spotlight, the Bliss family are what every respectable English family shouldn’t be. cambridgeartstheatre.com

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NEWS

Communit y NEWS ELY BAKE OFF

Ely bakers will be armed with whisks and mixing bowls on 21 September for the 2014 Ely Bake Off, in aid of the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity. Established by local businesswoman Maria Morgan, whose grandmother was cared for by the hospice, the competition will take place at Poets House hotel and is open to bakers of all abilities. Categories include ‘macarons and meringues’, ‘cakes and cupcakes’, ‘biscuits and cookies’, ‘sweet pastries’ and simply ‘chocolate’. There is also a Young Baker competition for the under 13s. www.facebook.com/ElyBakeOff

FOOD WITH HEART A charity cookbook, featuring recipes from the likes of David Cameron, David Hockney, Liz Hurley and Russell Brand, has been launched by estate agents Strutt & Parker.

The book, Food With Heart, contains recipes from 52 British celebrities, including Simon Cowell’s cottage pie and Gary Lineker’s favourite lasagne, accompanied by beautiful illustrations by Waitrose illustrator Louise Morgan. Proceeds will go to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, and the books can be bought from Strutt & Parker’s Hills Road office (suggested donation £10).

VILLAGE COLLEGE TO CREATE SENSORY ROOM Impington Village College is campaigning to create a sensory room for students who experience difficulty processing the world around them. The college has a number of students with a range of additional needs, including several with Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC). ASC is a lifelong disability that can affect individuals in different ways.

A sensory room would provide a therapeutic space for students to grow in confidence, learn and explore the world around them. The college needs to raise £30,000 – £5 will buy basic equipment and instruments, £20 buys colourchanging light bulbs, £50 pays for a ‘dark den’ accessories kit and £1,000 new windows.

This summer, Explorer Scouts Clement and Toby, aged 16, trekked 260km around the Isle of Skye to raise money for the cause, and staff held a bake sale.

If you think you can help, contact Sharonne Horlock on 01223 200403 or shorlock@ impington.cambs.sch.uk.

LA DANTE OPEN DAYS A cultural centre and language school, La Dante in Cambridge offers classes to help you brush up on your Italian or learn from scratch, as well as sociable events such as cookery classes and cinema screenings. Sound interesting? They’re hosting a series of Open Days this month on 4, 5 and 6 September (10am-5pm), when you can take part in taster classes, explore the library, find out about the La Dante philosophy of language learning and enjoy a proper Italian coffee.

Sessions are available for both children and adults, see the La Dante website for more details. www.ladante-in-cambridge.org

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INDIE OF THE MONTH

WORDS JENNIFER SHELTON

INDEPENDENT OF THE MONTH

CATESBY'S

Discover the art of original living at Green Street’s charming new home store and café osy woollen blankets, vintage apothecary jars, bee-emblazoned tumblers, perfume inspired by Siberian snow… Gorgeous items you could happily wake up to every day, and they’re all packed into Cambridge’s newest home accessories shop, Catesby’s. A delight to explore and housed in a 300-year-old building, Catesby’s opened this May, the project of Neil Honor and Jonathon Pegg, who wanted to provide customers with stylish, original items for their homes.

“We’ve had such a lovely response from so many people, saying this is just the sort of shop that Cambridge needs,” says Neil.

“Our look is quite European, with a neutral, tranquil palette. We especially like natural textures and objects with a story. We didn’t want to stock the sorts of things you’d throw away in a few years. I think it’s good to spend a little bit more on something you’re going to love forever.”

That might sound expensive, but Catesby’s has items ranging from enamel mugs for £3 and traditional French house numbers at £5 a pop, up to statement mirrors and larger furniture pieces with three-figure price tags.

“They’re items that would look as good in a medieval house as they would in a brand new city pad,” Neil adds.

The pair came to Cambridge from Norfolk, where they originally set up shop in the downstairs rooms of their seaside home back in 2011.

“My background is in PR and Jonathon’s is in retail,” says Neil. “I’d always had the idea of this shop in my head, but living (and working) in Paris, where I spent weekends trawling the flea markets and lifestyle boutiques, was the catalyst for setting it up.”

Returning from his year in France, Neil and Jonathon moved into a friend’s property in Norfolk: a huge, Georgian merchant’s house with grand panelled rooms, which became both their home and their business.

“After a while it began to take over,” Neil laughs, “and I’d find myself in my pyjamas in the shop at midnight, just tinkering. It was the shortest commute I’ve ever had, but it was a real challenge to switch off from work. If we took a day off, we could still hear people in the shop next door.”

After three years the couple decided that it was time to take the plunge and look for dedicated shop premises elsewhere.

They settled on Cambridge, where they had friends and which Jonathon knew from his college days. They now live in Oakington – a manageable commute from their beautiful old shop in Cambridge’s Green Street.

Full of character, the shop dates from the 1680s and was a bookbinders, then more recently a sheet music store. In short, it’s the perfect backdrop for their tasteful, timeless products. There’s now a stylish café too, serving locally produced food and specially roasted Hot Numbers coffee.

“Our instinct has always been to sell things that we love, and hope other people love them too,” says Neil. “William Morris had this great saying about never having anything in your house which you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. But in order to express your personality, you need originality as well.

And we’re always striving to be different from other shops. So our mantra, if you like, is ‘beautiful, useful and original’.

Catesby’s, 10 Green Street CB2 3JU, 01223 355444, www.catesbys.co.uk

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NEWS

CAMBRIDGE BID MONTHLY UPDATE

Welcome This month we shine our spotlight on the beautiful and historic Trinity Street, as well as looking forward to a host of great events in the city. We’re delighted to be partnering with Open Cambridge, which offers members of the public a chance to explore usually off-limits treasures, and we’ve also chosen a winner for our photo competition, see over the page.

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

Cambridge Has Talent Fancy performing at the Christmas Lights Big Switch On this year?

Cambridge BID are on the lookout for four acts to perform at the event – a great opportunity to get yourself noticed and enjoy the buzz of performing in front of thousands of people.

You will need to be an up-and-coming, non-professional act – either a band, a group, a choir or a dance group – based within a 25 mile radius of Cambridge. Groups or choirs can be no bigger than 20 people.

The competition is open to a wide range of ages, and the judges will pick four overall winners to perform on each of the four stages.

Last year’s winners were Music and Spies, a guitar-toting duo who cover Bruno Mars, Jessie J and the like; The One Boy Band aka Tom Korni; retro-styled pair The Songbirds and 17 year-old Matilda Perez, who describes her sound as soulful and folksy.

To get involved and be in with a chance of being shortlisted, please visit the Heart website (www.heart.co.uk/cambridge) and enter online. Entries will close on Friday 10 October and you will need to be available for both the live audition on Sunday 17 October and The Big Switch On Sunday 16 November. Good luck!

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NEWS

Spotlight on…

Trinity Street Pretty, historical Trinity Street is a must-visit for any good Cambridge tourist, and for locals in search of something unique from one of its many independent shops. Originally Cambridge’s High Street, it has been one of the main shopping areas for centuries, home to some of the city’s best-remembered enterprises like Bowes & Bowes the bookseller, Victorian publishers W Metcalfe and Son and traditional grocers Matthew and Son. Today, it is still home to the renowned Cambridge University Press Bookshop, plus other great independent shops. These include men’s fashion shop Dogfish, smart outfitters Anthony, Trinity Street Jewellers and Cambridge Contemporary Art. Here, you can browse beautiful handmade prints, sculptures, paintings and more – they also have a lovely selection of tasteful and original greetings cards, bound to impress anyone in your life with an artistic eye. Further down the road you’ll find Heffers, Cambridge’s favourite bookshop, and now part of Blackwells. This literary haven is always a joy to peruse; take a look at the staff recommendations for inspiration, and there’s a great shop downstairs selling fun gifts for book lovers. For more

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gifts, don’t miss Jacks on Trinity, which sells some wonderfully imaginative Cambridge-inspired pieces, and sister shop Giles & Co for that compulsory Cambridge University hoodie!

Fancy a bite to eat? There’s Italian fare on offer at Strada and fantastic fish and chips at Coast. You might also like to round off your retail therapy with a trip down to subterranean bar The Vaults, who are known for serving up great cocktails.

Trinity Street is bookended by St John’s College at one end and Gonville & Cauis at the other, with Trinity College in the middle. The latter was established in 1546 as a merger between the old Michaelhouse and King’s Hall colleges. Michaelhouse church still stands, now a popular and atmospheric café. Pop in for coffee and home-made cake, and don’t forget to look up at the stained glass window which reveals this lost college’s former coat of arms.

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NEWS

BID Photo Competition winner!

In July we asked you to Tweet us a pic of your favourite independent Cambridge shop for the chance to win a pair of Arts Picturehouse annual memberships. We had craft shops, cafes and all sorts, but as our winner we chose this fab snap by @Cambsphoto. Cycling is so much a part of the fabric of our great city, and lots of you expressed your appreciation of this little cycle and repairs shop on Laundress Lane. On Twitter, it had 13 retweets and 22 favourites – that’s a lot of bicycle love!

Chariots of Fire Over 20 years ago, inspired by the film Chariots of Fire, two friends, Bill Matthews and Lewis Isaacs, decided to hold a charity race in Cambridge.

That race, named Chariots of Fire, sets off from Queens’ Green every September, bringing local businesses together in a fantastic community sporting event.

The 1.7km relay race takes runners through some of Cambridge’s most beautiful streets, colleges and green spaces, and there’s always a great atmosphere at the start and finish line. It’s a race for everybody, from the serious runner to the guy in the Scooby Doo outfit who just wants to walk the route and have fun.

Says Becky Burrell of Cambridge BID: “Chariots of Fire is a great event for the city, and a wonderful way of bringing together local people and businesses.”

This year’s race takes place on 21 September, starting at 9.30am. Team leaders to register from 7.30am. www.chariots-of-fire.co.uk

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Open Cambridge Cambridge BID are partnering this year’s Open Cambridge, a weekend of events, talks, tours and more, inviting the people of Cambridge to discover more about their city. Every summer, Open Cambridge welcomes visitors through the doors of some of Cambridge’s most beautiful and intriguing places, many of which are rarely open to the public. These include libraries, colleges, hidden gardens – and even Cambridge Fire Station. This year over 90 events will take place, which you can find out about in the Open Cambridge programme (www.opencambridge.cam.ac.uk). Open Cambridge aims to celebrate the heritage, architecture, culture and prominent figures – both town and gown – which have helped shape the city we know and love today. It runs 12-14 September.

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Your guide to schools and adult learning opportunities in Cambridgeshire, packed with information, advice and expert opinion

Picture courtesy of BHS

PAGE SPECIAL

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A PROUD 400 YEARS OF TRADITION St Mary’s School, Cambridge, is no ordinary school. In fact, it offers an extraordinary environment, ethos and education based on a founding vision about education for girls which is over 400 years old. We have remained true to our Catholic foundation and, while we welcome girls from all denominations and faiths, a strong Christian framework firmly underpins our school, helping to build and protect the spiritual well-being of each individual student.

As part of a global network of over 200 Mary Ward schools worldwide, St Mary’s School, Cambridge, celebrated its 115th anniversary this year. As the only all-girls independent school in Cambridgeshire, our education of girls is unique and our standards are exceptional: we have achieved ‘excellence in every possible area of educational provision’, according to the findings of the 2014 Independent Schools Inspectorate.

Our single-sex environment leads to more diverse subject choices by our girls who are confident choosing physics alongside photography, chemistry alongside classical civilisation, and maths alongside French, because our young women know who they are, what motivates them and have their own ambitions to be creative and think outside boxes.

Confidence and self-belief, coupled with exceptional teaching in a very supportive environment from Reception through to Sixth Form, produces consistently very strong GCSE and A level examination results, including clear Value Added attainment.

We pride ourselves on our careers advice and work experience programme as well as opportunities for risk-taking and coping effectively with failure, prospects for enterprise and entrepreneurial endeavour, and leadership and public speaking roles in our Sixth Form.

All these structures support our young women to move confidently into the workplace and, ultimately, pass graciously beyond glass ceilings.

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BUILDING A COMMUNITY We are a community in which every girl can thrive and achieve academic excellence. We focus on fostering a love of life and learning, while growing the academic talents and spiritual well-being of each individual. Importantly, we do this in conjunction with our parents who work alongside our talented and dedicated teachers and support staff in building an ethos of mutual understanding and trust, respect and support, compassion and fun. Investing in the individual, we invite a variety of speakers, from musicians, storytellers to athletes, who inspire our girls with their drive, expertise and passion. Our community provides the support structure and environment for developing confidence, independence and leadership.

NURTURING A SENSE OF SELF At St Mary’s School, Cambridge, our small class sizes allow us to get to know each student, building relationships alongside developing academic prowess so that we gain a rounded view of the areas in which each girl excels, as well as those she finds more challenging. This insight enables us to develop your daughter’s individual learning journey, providing the right level of challenge and opportunity for her to hone and develop her learning, across our broad curriculum. Such individual support encourages the growth of girls’ self-esteem so that they can confidently and graciously look beyond themselves as they enter adulthood aspiring to be more and give more, not simply to do or have more.

FOSTERING A LOVE OF LEARNING We tailor our teaching and pastoral care specifically for our girls at St Mary’s School, Cambridge, taking account of the differences in their learning styles; playing to our students’ collaborative, problem-solving tendencies. Our curriculum is designed to nurture the needs and abilities of each student, enabling her to reach the highest level of personal achievement.

We are proud to offer textiles and food technology alongside computer science in our Technology Department and to offer dance alongside rowing in our Sports Department.

We would like the opportunity to show you around our school so that you can see for yourself the unique environment in which our students thrive and visit our dynamic Junior School, our exceptional Art Centre, tour our music and performing arts wing and hear about our sporting achievements.

St Mary’s School, Cambridge Bateman Street, Cambridge, CB2 1LY For more information about St Mary’s School, Cambridge, please visit www. stmaryscambridge.co.uk.

To book a place at any of our events or to arrange an individual tour of the school please contact the admissions team: admissions@ stmaryscambridge.co.uk Admissions: 01223 224167 Reception: 01223 353253

Comparing schools to find the best option for your daughter’s school career can be daunting. We are here to help you decide whether St Mary’s School, Cambridge is right for her. Visit us at one of our Open Days, Taster Workshops, or In Action Days.

To book your place, contact our admissions team on 01223 224167 or email admissions@stmaryscambridge.co.uk.

EVENT Junior School Open Morning Senior School Open Morning Sixth Form Open Evening Junior School Taster Workshop Senior School Taster Workshop for Year 7 entry (11+) Junior School In Action Day Senior School In Action Day Junior School In Action Day Senior School In Action Day Junior School Taster Workshop Senior School Taster Workshop for Year 7 entry (11+)

DATE Saturday 4 October 2014 Saturday 11 October 2014 Thursday 6 November 2014 Saturday 22 November 2014 Saturday 22 November 2014 Friday 13 February 2015 Friday 13 February 2015 Friday 1 May 2015 Friday 1 May 2015 Saturday 6 June 2015 Saturday 6 June 2015

Time 9.30am-12.30pm 9.30am-12.30pm 6.30-9pm 10am-12pm 9am-12pm 11am-12.30pm and 2-3.30pm 11am-12.30pm and 2-3.30pm 11am-12.30pm and 2-3.30pm 11am-12.30pm and 2-3.30pm 10am-12pm 9am-12pm

Please visit our website for more information or to book a place at any of our events: www.stmaryscambridge.co.uk.

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OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC STANDARDS St Faith’s has a reputation for outstanding academic standards; enabling each individual to achieve their best across a staggering breadth of subjects and activities. Academic excellence and Christian values shape our ethos. St Faith’s is part of The Leys and St Faith’s education foundation.

Inclusive in nature, valuing diversity, we welcome children from all religious and cultural backgrounds. St Faith’s offers small classes and teaching by subject specialists.

Over a third of our pupils gain scholarships to their senior schools of choice.

EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION St Faith's pre-eminent teachers bring out the best in pupils. Our latest inspection report commended our excellent and innovative teaching. The Good School Guide reported “a child-centred educational philosophy, turning out sparky individuals with high allround expectations and the skills to meet them. St Faith’s does well for all but can really extend those at the top, encouraging them to achieve at a national level.”

Recognised particularly for our excellent teaching of Spanish, science, maths and computer science, we are an associate school of the Spanish Embassy as well as the Royal Society and a lead school in the Department for Education’s Network of Teaching Excellence for Computer Science.

BROAD OPPORTUNITIES St Faith’s offers a diverse curriculum, regular use of local facilities, expertise and links with Cambridge University. Ten off-timetable enrichment days a year, a wide range of trips plus over 90 activities each week are offered.

SATURDAY 4 OCTOBER Open Morning SUNDAY 30 NOVEMBER Deadline for applications SATURDAY 17 JANUARY 2015 Assessment Day

EXCEPTIONAL FACILITIES As the largest prep school in Cambridge we have the best range of specialist teaching facilities, extensive sports facilities and wide open spaces to enjoy. Our foundation with The Leys also provides access to over 20 acres of sports playing fields, an indoor swimming pool and the wonderful new performance facilities in Great Hall.

We would be delighted to show you in person why we believe your child will thrive at St Faith’s. Call Anna Cornell, Registrar, on 01223 352073 to arrange a visit. Register for a tour on our next Open Morning, Saturday 4 October 2014. To register visit www.stfaiths.co.uk. Virtual tours and our new school video can also be found on our website. Follow us on Twitter for the latest news and updates @st_faiths

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22/08/2014 11:36

EDUCATION

WORDS CHARLOTTE PHILLIPS

Picture courtesy of BHS

With huge changes afoot for our country’s education system this year, Charlotte Phillips speaks to local schools to find out what’s in store inary for babies, cookery, debating and languages for the under 11s and higher standards all round are just some of the changes parents can expect to see at the start of the new school year.

It’s all down to Michael Gove, former secretary of state for education. He may be gone but he’s certainly not forgotten.

For good or ill, he has made waves, some tsunami-sized, which have crashed through the educational land (or should that be sea) scape.

“One of the things that [many] schools would agree on is that the speed with which changes are being pushed through is difficult,” says Dr Sarah Welch, chair of the Independent Schools Association and principal of Gosfield School in Essex.

“That’s always a problem because the knock-on effects on schools are huge.”

The national curriculum has been overhauled and exams made – generally speaking – harder. Here on in (depending, of course, on the thinking at Number 10), the focus is firmly on knowledge-based learning. The more knowledge children have, the greater their own personal capital, or so the theory goes – though, as one senior teacher points out “quite what they’re supposed to do with this knowledge isn’t clear.”

Inevitably, it can be a trying period for education professionals, points out Charlotte Avery, head of St Mary’s School in Cambridge.

“Frequent change is disruptive for teachers and for children, and we have seen many changes in recent years,” she comments. She points to the maintained

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sector where parents, faced with more choice than ever before, can be understandably confused.

“The changes that have resulted in this increased choice have also bred instability within schools and, with Gove’s past negative commentary about the teaching profession and children’s achievements, teacher demotivation has increased, resulting in some excellent teachers leaving the profession,” she explains.

Of course, not every development is down to Mr Gove. Even his sternest critics wouldn’t hold him personally accountable for the shifting demographics that have resulted in the rise and rise of the primary school population, leaving educational authorities (including ours) with little option but to bolt extra classrooms on to schools in an attempt to squeeze ever more pupils into sites often intended for far fewer.

While education chiefs wrestle with complex long division problems, pupils have plenty of their own, thanks to far-

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EDUCATION

reaching changes to just about every major subject, maths included.

Apparent to all at the start of the new academic year is a toughening up of academic expectations. Tougher GCSE marking is already in force, thinks Charlotte Avery, while stressing the impact of the tailored teaching approach at St Mary’s.

“We ensure that our girls are able to buck the national trend in subjects like science and maths, gaining a disproportionately large share of the top grades in all STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] subjects,” she says.

While not everyone agrees with the way Mr Gove tackled the problem, there has been a widespread acceptance that standards needed to rise. It won’t be happening all at once. Many of the new GCSEs won’t start to be taught in schools until 2015 and schools are already deep in preparation work. However, it’s essential for teachers to get well acquainted with the syllabi now so that they know what to cover in the GCSE years (normally years 10 and 11) and can plan lessons for younger pupils, too, so there is a logical progression from the start of senior school.

Junior and primary schools are also being required to rethink what they do. In

the state sector, they’ve got – quite literally – far more on their plate as the Liberal Democrats’ dream of free school meals becomes a reality from September. While it requires additional investment for schools which don’t currently have kitchens, head teachers, particularly those working in deprived areas, praise the move, citing research showing that a good, balanced lunch is one of the most dramatic ways of improving pupils’ academic performance.

But there’s more, far more. The government has looked east, taking inspiration from top-achieving countries such as China and South Korea. From this autumn, even four and five year olds in reception will be learning nuts and bolts computing, mastering binary along with their ABC. Maths gets harder, with fractions for the under sixes, mastery of times tables up to 12x12 expected to be the norm at an earlier age and algebra and long division on the menu in year 6.

As you’d expect, given the quality of their results, some schools in our area are well ahead of the game – with the plaudits to prove it. St Faith’s, for example, is endorsed by no less than the Royal Society in recognition of its first class maths and science teaching, being one of just 19 schools in the country to be awarded

From this autumn, even four and five year olds in reception will be learning nuts and bolts computing

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EDUCATION

The government has looked east, taking inspiration from top achieving schools in China and South Korea

Picture courtesy of BHS

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Associate status. One of the school’s strengths is its investment in specialist teaching. Spanish is such a big feature that you’ll hear it used just about everywhere, from lessons to the sports field.

And while even the smartest of reception teachers could be forgiven for paling at having to tackle computer programming, particularly when even tiny tots these days can seem precociously clued up on all matters technological, St Faith’s is very definitely not fazed.

The school employs a head of digital learning who isn’t just a teaching whizz but, handily, a computer programmer too, who redesigned the curriculum with lots of added computer science. “We do all sorts of fun things like robotics, animation and scratch programming where pupils make their own games,” says Jenny Broadway of St Faith’s.

At the Leys, meanwhile, iPads have been introduced into the classroom following a trial with year 8 pupils to make sure it genuinely added something to the learning experience, while the school is now running both ICT and computer science as GCSE options.

And they’re far from being alone in their level of preparedness. At St Francis’ College, an all girls’ school in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, head Dorothy McGinty,

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EDUCATION

who, as a parent at the school, combines a handy school gate as well as staffroom perspective, says staff at the school started planning for change months ago.

Decisions have been made, syllabi scrutinised and parents kept in touch with the school’s thinking. “We had a full curriculum review last year, knowing that all this was slowly going to be coming in,” she says. Though hard work – senior staff have spent the summer poring over the fine detail contained in exam boards’ new specifications – it means the school is au fait with the changes, and poised to make informed decisions.

Some changes, such as the move to the more demanding international GCSE (or IGCSE) for English Language and Literature, are already in place.

Others, such as the introduction of GCSE engineering, are being introduced now. As to rigour in subjects such as maths – bring it on, says Mrs McGinty. No wonder, given

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We hope that Nicola Morgan will take more counsel from the teaching profession, working with teachers that top set GCSE mathematicians at the school cover the current syllabus with such ease that to add a bit more of a challenge, they either take a second, related GCSE, such as statistics, or get started on sixth form work while they are still in year 11.

There’s still plenty to sort out, she points out. The future reduction in GCSE coursework is potentially concerning as, with increased emphasis on all or nothing end of syllabus exams, children – often girls, who tend to respond better to research and collaboration – may be at a disadvantage compared with those who take the slog of solo revision in their stride.

It’s going to take a while for the impact of these changes to become clear. What

isn’t in doubt is how much work has gone into ensuring that they are exceptionally well managed, the result of huge amounts of behind the scenes work by schools.

As to views on Nicola Morgan, Michael Gove’s successor as education secretary, there’s a feeling of optimism. “Unlike Gove, we hope that Nicola Morgan will take more counsel from the teaching profession, seeking advice and working with teachers to find solutions,” says Charlotte Avery.

“Following her appointment she said: ‘I look forward immensely to working alongside parents, teachers and schools to ensure we have world class schools and the skills that will get our young people great jobs.’ It sounds very encouraging.”

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SHOPPING BASKET MINI £4 TIGER STORES

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

riends’ School is a school with a difference: small, diverse, vibrant and located in the heart of Saffron Walden, just 20 minutes from Cambridge.

Friends’ is one of only seven schools in England based on a Quaker foundation and has a tradition of more than 300 years of enlightened education for both boys and girls. The school, however, welcomes students of all faiths, offering education for students aged 3-18 with boarding from age 11.

There are Senior and Junior schools on the same site, which allows for a seamless transition between Years 6 and 7, as well as Nursery and Reception. Moreover, sharing the site means that Senior pupils have opportunities to help out in the Junior School, and Junior pupils have access to specialist teaching in certain areas of the curriculum, such as modern languages and design technology, using the staff and facilities of the Senior School.

A superb new building has recently been constructed to house the Junior School complete with dedicated ‘early years’ facilities, outdoor classroom, art room, library, computer suite and assembly hall, which offers Friends’ youngest learners the best possible start. There is also a Forest school, which is used by all sections of the school, from the youngest to the biology A level students for their fieldwork.

Pastoral care at the school is excellent because the staff really get to know each pupil well and there is always a listening ear or a helping hand in both the day and boarding schools. There is also a medical centre, staffed by two qualified nurses.

The School has an excellent record of achievement at both GCSE and A level, with a wide choice of subject options available. There is an extensive programme of extracurricular and weekend activities for boarders and day pupils in the Senior School and many popular clubs for our younger pupils including swimming club, art and architecture and photography club. There is late stay provision until 6pm for both Nursery and Junior School pupils.

The School has a number of minibuses, two of which serve the Cambridge area with another taking students to and from Audley End station, Saffron Walden’s closest railway station.

OPEN MORNING Saturday 11 October 2014 10am-12.30pm WORKING OPEN MORNINGS Wednesday 11 March 2015, 9.30am Wednesday 20 May 2015, 9.30am ENTRANCE EXAM Saturday 31 January 2015

Visit Friends’ School on their next Open Morning or call Alison Stanbury on 01799 525351 or email admissions@friends.org.uk, or visit www.friends.org.uk for further information. You can be assured of a warm welcome.

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EDUCATION

Whether for self-improvement, career enhancement or fulfilling a simple thirst for knowledge, there’s a course on offer in our area to suit you, says Charlotte Phillips t’s proof of how high a value we place on education that though household expenditure reduced substantially during the recession, the numbers of adults choosing to engage in some form of learning since 2008 – the start of the financial crisis – has remained stable.

According to NIACE, the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education, just under two-fifths of all over-18s in 2014 have opted for self-improvement in one way, shape or form over the last three years, whether part- or full-time, home- or college-based, short- or long-term – a figure that has remained pretty much unchanged over the past six years.

Class, employment status, age and prior education all contribute significantly to your attitude, says NIACE. Professionals and demographic high-flyers are far more likely to embark on some form of learning, and this applies particularly to younger people. Hills Road College, for example, reports that around a third of its students are aged between 25 and 34.

“It’s a time in their lives where they maybe have a little bit of extra money and

Professionals and demographic high-flyers are far more likely to embark on some form of learning

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time and less responsibility,” says a Hills Road College spokesperson.

Motivation for going back to school, too, varies hugely, with work or careers-related reasons by far the most common, says NIACE, something confirmed by one of the most venerable education bodies in the UK – the Workers’ Educational Association.

“We’ve seen a significant increase in the number of people accessing subsidised courses aimed at improving functional

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EDUCATION

skills and employment prospects,” says local WEA organiser Tanis Paulin, who points out that while our city itself may have one of the UK’s lowest unemployment rates and a booming knowledge economy, there are pockets of deprivation elsewhere in the county.

Some students who had originally failed to engage with learning at school have turned their lives around. One local WEA student, illiterate when he left school, recently read his first book and is now taking a motor vehicle maintenance course, something that will transform his career prospects. “I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that learning to read has changed his life,” says Tanis.

Cost can, of course, be a factor. For those understandably concerned about the costs of funding, help is available, particularly for jobseekers, with new EU-funded support available for people needing additional help to boost skills and confidence, points out Wendy Wilkinson, who runs Solutions for Learning, an Ely-based education consultancy which specialises in apprenticeships and adults into work programmes.

Factors behind the decision to become an adult learner vary substantially, of course, from the possible impact of the Tour de France on Cambridge Regional College’s hugely popular bike maintenance course to the go it alone spirit that is driving increasing numbers of locals to opt for self-employment – and prepare by signing up to one of the college’s start your own business courses. That same diversity is evident elsewhere.

“We have always had people coming to us who had a house in France and an interest in French food and culture,” says Patricia Dalby, director of the Alliance Française de Cambridge, whose popular courses for adults range from diploma preparation to conversation classes, together with flexible, bespoke one- or two-to-one tuition. The biggest increase, however, has come from employees who realise that it’s no longer enough to speak just English – and are signing up in evergrowing numbers.

Colleges are also doing their best to ensure that their teaching styles match modern lifestyles. Madingley Hall, the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education, has changed its teaching format, with some part-time courses, for example, concentrated into a small number of day schools or weekends, making them more widely accessible.

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For some would-be students, cost is inevitably a stumbling block. Some government funding covering tuition and exam fees is, however, available. Hill Roads’ popular Access to Bioscience course – now in its second year – is covered by the 24+ loan scheme, paid back only when students earn over £21,000, as are A level courses in a range of subjects such as art and design, Spanish and psychology.

This emphasis is down in part to the government’s drive to ensure that the national workforce is honed and toned – in skills terms, at any rate – something recently emphasised by business secretary Vince Cable at a speech made at Cambridge University which stressed the need for continued investment in adult

vocational training and further education as part of the drive to upskill workers in every age range.

It’s a battle cry taken up with enthusiasm by our area’s colleges, who have responded with a range of courses designed to give locals the support they need to enhance their chances in the workplace and beyond.

Functional Maths and Functional English, also available as GCSEs, are on offer at Hills Road College, together with courses on mastering bookkeeping and accounting as well as website design and a stand-alone Saturday course, ‘Get that job!’ designed to teach candidates how best to show off their talents, including newly acquired qualifications, to potential bosses.

Cost can, of course, be a factor. For those concerned about the costs of funding, help is available

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EDUCATION

Image courtesy of Cambridge Regional College

The idea with the one-day courses is to give a taster so people can think about exploring a new subject Admittedly, there’s some regional variation when it comes to adult education participation rates. Surprisingly, perhaps, NIACE figures for our area, the east of England, are 33 per cent slightly lower, than the national average, while Yorkshire and Humberside, with over four in ten adults signing up for further courses, appear to be the places with the greatest thirst for knowledge.

According to local adult education providers, there’s certainly no sense that interest in acquiring new skills is on the wane. Anything but. Proof, were it needed, comes in the array of courses offered from this September.

Madingley Hall, the go-to place for a mind-bending array of courses – Introductory Babylonian, Astronomy through the Ages, and Music and Medicine in the 19th century are some of the more ‘unusual’ new weekend sessions on offer this year – is also introducing a new series of day schools in early 2015. Designed to give an introduction to different academic subjects, they range from the Literature of London to evolutionary biology courses, for people who might be thinking about further study.

Image courtesy of Hills Road College

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“It’s something that’s introductory and lower cost,” explains Paul Ireland from the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education.

“We have part-time one-year courses but it’s a big commitment to sign up for a year. The idea with the one-day courses is to give a taster so people can think about exploring a new subject.”

Other new part-time courses for 2014/15 at Madingley Hall include Undergraduate Certificates in Local History, Physical Sciences and Social Sciences; a Diploma in Evolutionary Biology; and an Advanced Diploma in International Development.

Variety is something of a feature elsewhere, too. “We have a huge range of adult courses at CRC from DIY and car maintenance to professional qualifications in engineering and accountancy,” confirms CRC assistant principal Laurence Wells.

Some courses, like dressmaking and painting at Hills Road, tap into the practical talents that abound in the area. While its recreational courses are popular across the board, take up is particularly high amongst 45 to 54 year olds, while a quarter of students enrolled on art and design courses are aged over 55.

At Madingley Hall, international development, archaeology and English literature are popular, with Reading Classical Greek weekends – catering for absolute beginners to advanced level – also attracting a strong following.

Interest in creative writing also continues to grow, says Paul Ireland.

“We’re running two Certificate courses in 2014/15, and one is already fully booked, with the other well on its way. We’re also expanding our short course programme, with specialist courses on travel writing, writing about science, writing for children, and so on.”

CRC, meanwhile, reports an upsurge of interest in upcycling and recycling and a resurgence in traditional skills, with new, all-ability classes in dressmaking as well as Knit Stitch Felt. “You can join CRC’s very own sewing bee,” points out a spokesperson. Other courses have perhaps more of a strictly cerebral feel such as the A2 Latin now on offer – for the first time – at Hills Road.

And the mind/body arena isn’t neglected either, with the college’s

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EDUCATION Images courtesy of Madingley Hall Image courtesy of Cambridge Regional College

Many colleges report that, once hooked on education, students tend to be in it for the long haul professional counselling courses, leading to professional qualifications, also proving hugely popular.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, many colleges report that, once hooked on education, students tend be in it for the long haul.

Madingley Hall sees many returners for its weekend language courses, especially Classical Greek and Advanced French.

“Some long-standing tutors have a very devoted following and certain history courses in particular will book up almost a year in advance,” reports Paul Ireland.

Other weekend students, in contrast, opt for a wide variety of different subjects.

“One of our regulars has attended courses on philosophy, local history and French art in the last couple of months,” he says.

The camaraderie can be a big factor, together with fringe benefits such as automatic membership of Hills Road Sports and Tennis Centre for adult education students.

What also helps are the fabulous facilities. Opt for Madingley Hall and there’s the undoubted wow factor provided by its knockout architecture and setting.

Cambridge Regional College, meanwhile, boasts a new £3,000,000 engineering department. Kitted out with standard fixtures and fittings, CRC’s

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CASE STUDY Kylie Doe decided to enrol on the Hills Road’s part-time Access to Bioscience course last September, combining her studies with her work as a laboratory assistant at MedImmune, one of the UK’s leading biotechnology organisations. “I was determined to make the most of this new course,” she says. “It made me want to learn more and more about the fascinating world of bioscience and has helped me to feel much more informed and confident about my abilities.” Now she has completed the course, Kylie’s next step will be to apply to regional universities and colleges either to study for a degree or undertake further training in the field of bioscience.

options for adult learners include 3D modelling and printing – a new starter course designed to explain some of the startling changes that are transforming the design and manufacturing process – as well as an introduction to robotics, giving students the chance to design and run their own software.

“We do find a lot of our students go on to take an advanced version of their last course,” confirms a Hills Road College spokesperson. It’s particularly true of courses in languages, art and design and counselling, where the natural sense of progression from beginner to advanced gives that immensely pleasing sense of progress and improvement.

At Madingley Hall, too, part-time Certificates and Diplomas offer a

progression route from Certificate (firstyear undergraduate level) through to Advanced Diploma (third-year) in several subjects. “A number of students choose to work their way up through the levels, and one has just been accepted on our new part-time Master’s in history, having started off with a weekend course on Victorian Britain back in 2010,” says Paul Ireland.

The bottom line is that in our area, nobody with the faintest flicker of interest in any subject, whether for work or pleasure, can claim that they couldn’t find a course to suit them nearby. Think of any subject, from bike maintenance to maths, evolutionary biology to English, and a few more obscure subjects in between, and the chances are that someone round here has just what you’re looking for.

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BUSINESS

WORDS CHARLOTTE PHILLIPS

RECRUITMENT SPECIAL This month, we speak to local experts for advice on the most effective methods of recruitment to help you find the right employees for your business s employers confirm, the jobs market in our area today is a very different proposition from just a few years ago.

“It runs with the economic cycle,” says Nigel Baldwin, human resources director at Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group. “If we were having this conversation in 2009 or 2010 I’d be telling you how easy it was, how there are 40 jobseekers for every role.

That’s not the case now.”

Start the number crunching and the figures pack a fair bit of shock and awe. On just one day over the summer, Adzuna, a

job ads search engine, listed 7,944 live jobs in our city, headed by engineering (1,350 jobs) with IT in second place (1,280 jobs), and the average salary a whisker ahead of the national figure of £34,311.

That extraordinary growth is something Nigel Baldwin knows all about. A quick information-pooling exercise at a recent dinner attended by ten HR heads, all from local firms, revealed that between them they knew of 2,500 vacancies in the area, something that, as he points out, is likely to have a sizeable impact. “It obviously has a knock-on effect on housing, transport, the

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whole infrastructure and that’s why people talk about Cambridge being a hothouse employment centre,” he points out.

“The market is moving at a high momentum with a lot of jobs out there now and not enough candidates,” confirms Sarah Flack, a director at recruitment firm Ann Pettengell.

As a consequence, companies have been compelled to take a close look at exactly how they engage with potential new recruits. While some have always been models of politeness

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and courtesy, it’s most certainly not the case universally.

In the old, pre-online days, that wasn’t so much of a problem. Today, to paraphrase the old song, it’s not what you say, it’s the way that you say it – something that’s down almost entirely to the rise and rise of social media that can see reputations made, or broken, in a flash.

While we’re more used to seeing its impact on celebrities – and how! – the impact on companies can be just as toxic. Do wrong by a potential recruit and you could end up regretting it – literally for years.

Katrina Collier, a speaker, trainer and writer on social media in recruitment who works with many leading companies in Cambridge, reports the case of a web developer with 200,000 followers, all in the same business.

“Someone said to him ‘why don’t you use this product?’ and his reply was, ‘I had a job interview with the company who manufacture it four years ago and they never bothered to come

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It’s not what you say, it’s the way you say it – something that’s down almost to the rise and rise of social media that can see reputations made, or broken back to me.’ The result? He has just told 200,000 people, ‘don’t use the product.’”

Are firms bothered? You bet. As a result, many are substantially rethinking their approach to recruitment in order to improve the candidate experience.

It’s not that the tried-and-tested methods are out of fashion. They’re still around, but made far fitter for purpose.

While recruiters and the recruited aren’t aware of it, much of the work carried out by good employment firms goes into intensive

behind the scenes research. When Ann Pettengell takes on a new client, for example, consultants scour the company’s website, checking out not just staff profiles and mission statements but the culture, too, to ensure that the only candidates they put forward are those who aren’t simply a match in terms of qualifications and experience but a good fit for the company’s values and character. Good candidates can be offered IT refresher courses to help boost their confidence and employability.

At Marshalls, interviews happen much faster and there is constant contact with candidates, with a lot of the aspects of the selection process starting earlier.

“Ahead of the interview we can do psychometric testing, for example, so we can have all the results ready,” explains Nigel Baldwin.

It’s a similar situation elsewhere, with candidates made oven-ready through painstaking guidance and frequent hand-holding. It’s all worthwhile though, says Sarah Flack, as it ensures that good candidates who might have been

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BUSINESS

WHY USE A RECRUITMENT CONSULTANCY? Richard DeNetto of Whitehill Pelham explains the benefits of turning to the experts to find the best person for your vacancy

overlooked at initial selection stage don’t slip through the net. One recent candidate she spoke to had several unexplained gaps on her CV. Instead of assuming she had something to hide, she spoke to her to find out the reason why.

“The gaps were quite legitimate but she was allowing someone to second-guess as to why she hadn’t been in employment. So it’s about making sure you’re not missing out on good candidates,” Sarah says.

Companies, meanwhile, face the same dilemmas as candidates. While they may feel they need to present their best scrubbed-up public face, they can’t afford to camouflage aspects of their culture that they fear might put people off.

Candidates these days won’t be fooled by gloss and spin, says Katrina Collier.

They’ll do their own research on the company – and they’ll want the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Posting a job on LinkedIn, Twitter or even Facebook is just part of the story you need to be telling, she explains. “The whole point of social media is that it’s social.

People want to see insights into your

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Engaging a recruitment company to help with the hiring of new staff will ensure you end up with a productive and highly motivated workforce. Calling in the experts can also prove an efficient use of time and resources, freeing up your staff to do what they do best, and a consultant will serve as an impartial third party, able to communicate freely with the candidate (potential employee) and the client (employer), ensuring the best person is identified for the role. A good consultant also looks after your brand reputation, ensuring all interviewees get a positive experience, whether they’re successful or not.

The major benefit of using a recruitment consultancy is that the client has access to the consultancy’s wide network of people who are actively and seriously looking for a new job. This is far quicker and more targeted than other methods. Our team works hard to develop strong networks within their disciplines to proactively identify new candidates, and once identified, an individual will be called in for an interview to identify their skills, achievements and motivations for work as well as confirming the information provided on their CV is true and accurate. A consultant also completes a number of legal and compliance tests with candidates such as sighting qualifications and right to work documentation.

We always meet our clients and work closely with them to ensure we really understand the aims and objectives of a position, company culture and their future plans – a job spec only tells you, at best, 50 per cent of what you need to know. It doesn’t tell you about the team, the company, why the job has been created and what the company is expecting the candidate to achieve in the first six or 12 months.

A recruitment company can assist in designing, developing and managing the interview for their clients to ensure the right candidate is identified and accepts the offer, as well as helping with on-boarding (the strategic process of introducing a new employee).

Once a position is at interview, we’ll take feedback from the candidate and discuss their thoughts on the role. The same with the client: seeing if they have any concerns or issues and where possible resolving them so the client avoids having an offer turned down.

If the candidate is successful, we keep in contact with both client and candidate for several months afterwards to make sure the person is settling in well. The last thing we want is a new employee dropping out at offer stage, or worse, being let go after six months. Our success rate is strong; our first-year retention on candidates we place is 97 per cent, and 94 per cent for two years.

We make sure we get that long-term investment.

WHITEHILL PELHAM’S TOP TIPS WHEN RECRUITING • Have a strong employer brand – what’s good about working for you.

• Define your recruitment strategy upfront including timelines.

• Identify and progress any internal candidates before going to market.

• Only involve relevant stakeholders in the interview process.

• Be quick: the market is moving fast.

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When all is said and done, there are times when the oldest approach of all – namely face to face contact – simply cannot be faulted

company; they want to know if you’re doing charity work as well as what you’re developing.”

The tricky balance for many companies, particularly if they’re tightly regulated, as is frequently the case round here, is balancing those tough operating requirements with the need to give away enough information to attract the top talent.

Good ways of getting a company’s message across, she says, include making the companies sound human.

“It may sound clichéd but it’s going back to people working together to create something amazing.”

Job ads on social media can be effective, she says, but only when they’re one part of the process, where companies market themselves on social media by sharing their brands, photos of their teams and projects and other social news. “That’s what attracts people,” she says. Play.com, one of our area’s major employers, does just that.

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Visit the Play.com website and you’ll find first-person descriptions of what different roles entail, teamed with a series of fun, informal pictures that portray life at the company as a world apart from traditional corporate stuffiness.

Savvy recruitment experts haven’t been slow to embrace the new ways of doing things, with impressive results. Marshalls, for example, now sources employees not just for itself but for other organisations round the world as well, part of a growing requirement for RPO (recruitment process outsourcing). Recently, for example, it helped to supply 100 new recruits to Ferrari in Italy.

With demand for many employees currently outstripping supply, companies with a solid grasp of both old and new recruitment techniques who are also prepared to embrace the zeitgeist are likely to be most successful at attracting engaged, committed employees who really want to be there. “From a company point of view, I’d say stop thinking about yourself,

it’s all about employees,” says Katrina Collier. “It’s not ‘we need x, y and z’ – they don’t really care. It’s about making them think ‘I want to work on that project. Bring me in’.”

But when all’s said and done, there are times when the oldest approach of all – namely face to face contact – simply cannot be faulted.

David Gill, managing director of St John’s Innovation Centre, where likeminded new companies operate side by side, says nothing beats real life, in the flesh chatting for introducing potential new additions to the workforce.

“It’s lovely to have social media and the like but nothing replaces either face to face or some of the socialisation.

Personal recommendation from people who trust and know you and what you’re trying to achieve does short-circuit the whole process. Theoretically we should all be using Skype and talking to people in Argentina. In reality, we quite like being 15 minutes away.”

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FASHION NEWS

KUUMAILMAPALLO JUMPER £79 NORD, SUSSEX STREET, CAMBRIDGE

CARHARTT QUILT T SHIRT £45 DOGFISH, TRINITY STREET, CAMBRIDGE

TACOMA STRAIGHT SHIRT £80 PETRUS, BRIDGE STREET, CAMBRIDGE

NIKE AIR MAX LIGHT WR £105 DOGFISH, TRINITY STREET, CAMBRIDGE

APSARA DRESS 14 SOLAR CLOUD BY SALONI £289 ANNA, HIGH STREET, SAFFRON WALDEN

PICKS FROM THE

Indies

Make the move from summer to autumn in style with these must-haves from our local fashion boutiques

HIGH GLAD JACKET £399.95 CUCKOO, ST MARY’S PASSAGE, CAMBRIDGE

VIVA VIDA SMALL AND LONG LEATHER SATCHEL £56 PODAROK, BENE’T STREET,CAMBRIDGE

CRUSHABLE HANDMADE FEDORA £95 LAIRD HATTERS, GREEN STREET, CAMBRIDGE ARCHE GETYKA NUIT SHOE £185 SUNDAES, GREEN STREET, CAMBRIDGE SUEDE ENVELOPE CLUTCH BAG £24 ARK, ST MARY’S PASSAGE, CAMBRIDGE

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FASHION

FOR HER

MIDI SKATER SKIRT £20 ASOS

WEAVE PRINTED TOP £25.99 ZARA, ST ANDREW’S STREET, CAMBRIDGE

AUTOGRAPH BROGUE £55 M&S, SIDNEY STREET, CAMBRIDGE LIGHT KNITS SLOUCHY GRUNGE RIBBED JUMPER £34 TOPSHOP, GRAFTON CENTRE & GRAND ARCADE, CAMBRIDGE

MARY PORTAS GREEN SUEDE TOP £79 HOUSE OF FRASER ORANGE LEOPARD PRINT SCARF £12 ASOS

FLORAL PRINT TOP £25.99 ZARA, ST ANDREW’S STREET, CAMBRIDGE

GIDDY UP ELASTIC SHOE BOOT £65 OFFICE, MARKET PASSAGE, CAMBRIDGE

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MONKI NIKA SCARF £18 ASOS

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FASHION

WORDS NICOLA FOLEY

TRANSITIONAL

WARDROBE STAPLES You don’t know whether you’ll be greeted with sunshine or torrential rain in September, but these hardworking, versatile and bang on trend fashion picks will keep you looking stylish whatever the weather

FOR HIM

RALPH LAUREN GREEN PHEASANT SHIRT £120 HOUSE OF FRASER

LONG SLEEVE T-SHIRT WITH RAW EDGE DOUBLE LAYER £12 ASOS

TEAL TWIST CREW NECK JUMPER £32 TOPMAN, GRAND ARCADE, CAMBRIDGE

MAINE BROGUE £105 DEBENHAMS, GRAFTON CENTRE, CAMBRIDGE

ALPINE HI TOP £120 OFFICE, MARKET PASSAGE, CAMBRIDGE

MAURICE SLIM-FIT TWILL JEANS £89 REISS, TRINITY STREET, CAMBRIDGE PRINTED CAP £15.99 ZARA, ST ANDREW’S STREET, CAMBRIDGE SIGN UP TO THE EDIT NEWSLETTER AT CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK

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BABCREW JUMPER £85 TED BAKER, GRAND ARCADE, CAMBRIDGE

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BEAUTY NEWS

BeautyNEWS ORGANIC BEAUTY WEEK

This month, why not go organic with your beauty regime? 8-14 September is Organic Beauty Week, part of the Small Changes, Big Differences campaign by the Soil Association. The aim is to increase awareness of organic health and beauty brands and their benefits.

One Cambridge store that’s all about organic products is Neal’s Yard in Rose Crescent. They point out that, since whatever you put on your skin ends up in your body (think of creams being absorbing, etc), we might as well feed our skin with something that’s natural and good for us. They stock a whole range of cosmetics, moisturisers, bath and hair products, men’s shaving products and mother and baby items.

Or, stop by L’Occitane in St Andrew’s Street which also specialises in products made from natural ingredients, namely flowers and traditional herbs. They do beautiful gift boxes too.

BLUSHING BRIDES AT BEDFORD LODGE The luxury spa at Bedford Lodge, Newmarket, has just launched a range of bridal makeup experiences, designed to get you looking radiant on your big day. Using the new make-up range Kissed by Mii, these include a make-up lesson and skin consultation (£45 for 50 minutes); bridal make-up, including a one-hour trial and one hour on the day (£95); bridesmaid or mother of the bride make-up (£40); or a 40-minute day or evening makeup session or makeover for any occasion (£35).

The Spa at Bedford Lodge is an indulgent escape, situated in a grand, Georgian property on the outskirts of town. Opened just last year, it offers up-to-date spa facilities and a calming, sophisticated environment in which to enjoy some well-earned ‘me time’.

Call 01638 676130 to book an appointment and let the experts bring out the best in you! www.bedfordlodgehotelspa.co.uk

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AUTUMN FACIAL TREATMENT As the nights draw in, the temperature begins to drop and autumn nears, skin can become dry and sensitive. Going from the cold outside to the warmth of the central heating inside means it’s more vulnerable and in need of nourishment, and the latest treatment on offer at The Boutique Wellness Spa (housed in the Lensfield Hotel) could be just the job.

SUNDÃRI’s Essential Healing Facial replenishes and cocoons your skin, and it’s suitable for even the most delicate skin. It uses neem, known in India as the ‘pharmacy tree’, as well as other organic plant extracts in combination with soothing oils to heal, hydrate and firm. Strength and balance is restored to sensitive or irritated skin and a youthful glow is regained.

Starting with a welcoming foot ritual and de-stressing back massage, to prepare you for your 70-minute journey into relaxation, the £65 treatment includes a deep cleanse and enzyme exfoliation to remove dry and dead skin cells, leaving the complexion brighter and smooth.

Next, a revitalising massage increases circulation to nourish and feed the skin. A purifying green tea mask then works whilst you enjoy a relaxing scalp massage and to complete your experience, skin is blanketed with an intensely nourishing and hydrating complex made up of neem, jojoba and geranium. www.theboutiquewellnessspa.co.uk

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BEAUTY WORDS DAISY DICKINSON

LIVING With a skincare counter and range of advanced treatments just launched at John Lewis in Cambridge, the experts at beauty brand Murad really know their stuff when it comes to making our skin as beautiful and healthy as it can be.

This month, Daisy Dickinson caught up with Dr Murad himself, who is considered to be one of the world’s foremost authorities on skin health, to find out more about his philosophy that cleaner living starts from within.

They’re floated about everywhere, but what is the biggest skincare myth?

There are a few, like you need to drink eight glasses of water a day for good skin and another is that eating chocolate gives you spots! Some skins may react to certain foods so if you feel that your skin reacts to chocolate it may be a trigger, however it’s not proven in the dermatology world to be a significant cause of blemishes. In fact, chocolate (dark chocolate in particular) is full of antioxidants!

What’s the best way to deal with spots? How should you cover them without clogging skin with make-up?

Don’t pick them! I know it’s tempting, but it can make them worse and lead to scarring. Try a spot treatment which

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Should we treat skin differently as we age?

If so, what are the key age brackets when we should make changes? When should we start using anti-ageing products?

Yes, because as we age our skin changes and we’ll need to adapt our treatments to our skin’s needs. For example, a teenager’s skin tends to be thicker and oilier so they may need products that will help balance skin and reduce oil.

When you reach your mid-twenties, you may begin to see the first signs of ageing so this is a great time to start using anti-

will speed the healing process. Our Blemish Treatment Concealer (£19) not only provides long-lasting coverage, but also works to treat the blemish – it heals as it conceals.

It’s often said that products which contain tea tree and witch hazel make oily skin worse, and the best thing to treat your skin with is oil; is this true?

This is actually a misconception; tea tree and witch hazel, when used in the right way, can be good for treating oily skin. The reason people might think they make oily skin worse is that in their pure form they can be quite drying and when the skin is dehydrated it can overproduce oil in an attempt to protect itself.

Oily skin will benefit from products that hydrate skin without being greasy or clogging pores. Try using our Oil-Control Mattifier SPF 15 (£37) to keep skin clear throughout the day. It is clinically proven to eliminate shine on contact and reduce excess oil by up to 78% for eight hours.

Image courtesy of Daisy Dickinson

If you’re pushed for time, what is the one skincare job you should practise?

Ideally, you should cleanse morning and night – but definitely at night to erase the day’s build-up of dirt and impurities. And take time to massage the cleanser into your skin before rinsing. However, the most important piece of advice I could give to anyone is to wear sunscreen every day. The most damaging rays from the sun are in fact in the UVA spectrum so it’s important to look for products with broad spectrum protection which protect against both the ageing UVA rays and the burning UVB rays. UVA rays are actually the same strength all year round and can even penetrate through clouds and through windows.

Plus, they can contribute to premature ageing, collagen degradation and even skin cancer.

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BEAUTY

ageing products. Exfoliating is a great way to start, as it will help slough off dulling dead skin cells to brighten the complexion and stimulate healthy turnover of cells. Also, investing in a really hydrating moisturiser is a good bet to plump skin and minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

In your thirties and forties you may start to see the cumulative impact of environmental ageing caused by daily exposure to the sun, smog, pollution and stress. These environmental ageing effects include sun spots, dullness and pigmentation issues. Ensure you’re wearing SPF protection every day to protect against

environmental damage, dullness and pigmentation.

As women approach the menopausal years they are dealing with the full court press from all three types of ageing: genetic ageing, environmental ageing and now hormonal ageing too. It’s everything they dealt with in their twenties and thirties with hormonal ageing coming into play; even women blessed with great genes will now start to see genetic and hormonal ageing.

Look for products that fight multiple signs of ageing in one step. You may want to target firmness, dehydration and breakouts all in one go.

Competition!

WIN A MURAD FACIAL AND PRODUCTS FOR TWO WORTH £400!

To celebrate the launch of the new Murad beauty counter at John Lewis in the Grand Arcade, we’ve teamed up with Murad to offer you the chance to win a pampering session for two.

Tried and tested by Daisy, the Murad Intensive Wrinkle Reducer Rapid Peel Facial is a relaxing treatment, which takes place in the serene on-site treatment rooms and combines several advanced dermatologist products, which are all supported by the range.

Daisy left with visibly ‘hey you look totally glowing!’ skin as well as feeling relaxed and refreshed.

The winner and their friend will both be treated to a Murad facial treatment and can then take home a full skincare regime based on their skin types – which will include cleanser, serum and a moisturiser. Perfect for a girly afternoon with your best friend, or even a his and hers relaxing treat. Closing date is 30 September 2014.

To enter

Simply visit the Members’ Area of our website cambsedition.co.uk T&Cs: The facial times are subject to availability, winners will receive three products which cannot be exchanged for cash.

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FITNESS

WORDS JENNIFER SHELTON

Jennifer Shelton gets to grips with wakeboarding at Hannam’s Wake Hub figure glides through the water then leaps, cutting a perfect arc through the wide fenland sky, before landing gracefully on the shining lake. Cheers and whoops erupt from the small party on the bank.

This is not me.

I am bobbing, cork-like, in the beginner’s lake nearby, two feet strapped to something akin to a snowboard, listening to instructions from Terry Hannam on how to wakeboard. I’ve just recovered from the hilarity of my graceless launch into the water, which involved much splashing and hooting as the chilly water found its way under my wetsuit, and am now in what can only be described as the birthing position, clutching the end of a rope, preparing to whizz out across the waiting deep.

Hannam’s Wake Hub, in the beautiful back of beyond near Ely, is run by brothers Ben and Terry, who set up these three purpose-built lakes two years ago. Having started out waterskiing, the pair then picked up wakeboarding as teenagers. It’s a dynamic sport, involving a board and a cable, which stretches overhead across

the water like a zip wire. It’s operated mechanically from the shore, so there’s no need for a boat.

I feel the line go taut and soon I’m up and away, skimming across the water before landing with a plop at the opposite end.

Faintly, I hear cheers from Terry and Ben – apparently not everyone gets upright, so to speak, on their first go. Still, I’m clearly a little way from jumps and tricks.

The rest of my beginner’s session goes surprisingly well. After mastering my positioning and stance, Terry teaches me a successful left turn – which involves more laughter and several face-fulls of water. By the time I emerge from the lake, mascara

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running down my cheeks, I feel thoroughly exhilarated and deeply entertained: I haven’t laughed this much in weeks. And apparently I’ve done really well. Who would’ve thunk it.

“I always say wakeboarding is 90 per cent confidence, 10 per cent skill,” says Ben. Terry agrees: “The people who don’t worry are the people who can do it. If someone hesitates when you suggest they’re ready for a backflip, they’re the ones who’ll hesitate when it comes to hitting that kicker.”

Ben and Terry, both respected coaches within the UK wakeboarding community, are clearly excellent teachers – they can also take you wakeskating (like skateboarding on water) and paddle boarding. All ages and abilities are welcome, from six years and up, and from complete beginners to pros wanting to make use of the impressive ramps and obstacles in the main lake.

A couple of lads are on this now. “Owen’s been our most interesting experience,” Ben says, gesturing to the figure confidently operating the line.

“He came down shortly after we’d opened and said he wanted to wakeboard, but it wasn’t until we got him changed that we realised he’s missing his leg from the knee down. But we didn’t treat him any differently; we’ve done some disabilities training and he has taken to wakeboarding faster than anybody. Last year he was rated about tenth in the UK.” Adds Terry: “We try and give people a really good experience so they go away and tell their friends. People don’t think it’s for them until they try it!”

01353 649683; hannamswakehub.com

• Price for a one-hour introductory course, including 20 minutes on the water, is £45 per person.

• Group bookings, including stag/hen dos and children’s parties, are available.

• Equipment provided includes wetsuit, helmet, life jacket and board. Just bring a swimsuit to wear underneath the wetsuit.

• Hannam’s Wake Hub is off the A10: heading towards Ely, turn right at the Lazy Otter pub and follow the blue arrows.

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