The doll, one of a pair of twins painted on rocks by Ely College teacher Fleur Patten, was hidden at Ely Station on Friday morning.

Greater Anglia train dispatcher Jessika Ransome told Spotted in Ely that station staff had found the rock on platform 1 and taken a selfie with the Russian doll, posting it on the national Love on the Rocks Facebook page, before hiding her on platforms two and three.
“It was so much fun. I wish we could find more.”
Later that day James Parr posted a picture of the same matryoshka on the train to King’s Cross!
Fleur said: “I was at the station and I thought it would be a good place to drop a rock. I wasn’t really thinking about where it would go, I just thought it would bring some joy to a commuter.
“It was heart warming to see that the station staff had spotted the matryoshka doll and gone to the trouble of posting it on the Love on the Rocks Facebook page… I hope she finds her fortune!”

The twin matryoshka, hidden at St Mary’s Surgery on the same morning, has also been found.
“I hope that she brought a smile to someone too. But anyone can bring joy with a dropped rock. Really all that is needed is a felt tip pen smile to make someone’s day.”
Rock dropping is the latest craze to sweep the nation.
The Spotted in Ely Rocks Facebook group, launched today, has created an avalanche of fans already.

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Figures supplied to us by police today show that between April and September, 53 thefts were reported to police – up from 21 during the same period last year.

Ely has been hit the hardest, followed by Littleport, with both towns being particularly targeted at or near railway stations, crime reduction officer Sue Loaker said.
“Unfortunately many cycles stolen were not secured with a lock or the lock was of a poor quality.”
East Cambridgeshire policing teams are working with British Transport Police to tackle the problem.

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East Cambridgeshire District Council served the injunction last Wednesday (September 13), meaning that owner Linda Watson can only use her land for equine purposes.

Ms Watson had earlier told Metro that she planned to sell the 2.5 acre plot to travellers so that they could “ruin the village”.
Erecting or siting additional buildings, caravans or mobile homes is now a criminal offence, as is laying piping or excavating or importing material onto the land.
In a statement the council said it had served the injunction as “it is believed beyond reasonable doubt that the owner of the site had intentions to use the land for purposes other than those permitted”.

ECDC Director of operations Jo Brooks said: “We have worked hard to challenge the reputation the sector has for hindering rather than helping people with applications for development.
“In our district there is no barrier to building for people who follow the rules and comply with planning policy. We are proud of being a facilitator for growth and will continue to be so.”
A “firm but fair” policy ensured that “swift action” would be taken against people who didn’t follow due process, she added.
“Those who flout regulations or fail to follow the rules and planning policy are not treated leniently.
“After all, we have a duty to enforce where it is considered reasonable and proportionate and uphold national planning regulations and guidance.”
ECDC planning manager Rebecca Saunt said there was “no excuse” not to follow procedures.
“The process of applying for planning permission is not difficult or expensive – in fact, we have worked hard to make it extremely easy and efficient.”
The council says it has “one of the most efficient” planning services in the UK.
From September 1, 2016 to August 31, 2017, 82 per cent of applications were given the green light.

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Former Norwich City professional and Canaries Hall of Fame entrant, Adam Drury was on hand for a Q&A session with the boys from the College before the formal proceeding of launching the hub took place.
The left back enjoyed 11 years at the Canaries after being a Norwich academy student himself. Drury claims he has no regrets during his career despite being offered many chances to “chase the money” and advised those who plan a career in football to continually learn both in and after school. “Always adapt and don’t be afraid to ask questions” was the advice from Drury.
Drury who played 361 games for Norwich, 9 for Leeds and 178 for Peterborough was never sent off, won the league twice and was named “Player of the Year” for the Canaries, and so this record stands him in good stead as he now performs duties as a coach.
Alex Kaufman, the RDP Development Officer for Cambridgeshire commented on the partnership: “We are delighted to officially confirm the Norwich City FC RDP partnership with Ely College & Bishop Laney Sixth Form, and with the Colleges ownership through CMAT, we have already seen a clear increase in the opportunity provided for the young people of the school and the surrounding areas. We will continue to provide Ely College & Bishop Laney Sixth Form programmes and projects that will support the growth of their pupils in sport, further education and careers and look forward to working closely with the head teacher, Richard Spencer and his team of dedicated staff”.

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A planning application has been submitted to East Cambridgeshire District Council for budget supermarket chain Lidl, bargain store B&M and DIY chain Wickes to eventually be established on 10.69 hectares of land at Octagon Business Park, near Angel Drove.

Supermarket giant Tesco had initially planned to move to the site but pulled out in 2015 after suffering financial losses. Healy Investments has now applied to develop the land, saying it would create the equivalent of 604 full-time jobs.
The application includes 313 car parks, 18 disabled parking spaces and 66 cycle parks.
It includes a new, stand alone Lidl store, which would take up 29,790 square foot over two floors, as well as a 20,000 square foot, one floor building housing B&M.

The third proposed unit is a 26,000 square foot, two-floor building housing DIY store Wickes.
The application seeks approval for 50,000 square foot of office units.
The Ely Southern Bypass, currently under construction and due to be completed in 2018, would be located directly to the south of the site, with the nearest bus stop being at Tesco, about 600 metres to the northeast.

In 2001 planning permission was granted to turn the site into a business park.
The most recent planning application approved on the site was granted in 2013, for Tesco to develop a superstore.
The site is located on the southern edge of Ely and consists of lowland agricultural fields.

Healy Investments’ application states: “The introduction of the By-Pass into this setting creates an urban edge to southern extent of Ely which will separate Ely from the adjoining Fenland character present to the south.
“When viewed from the northern aspect and the urban edge of Ely the By-Pass will provide an urbanising backdrop to the proposed development.”
The applicant adds that by planting trees and adding landscaping to the site, the setting would be enhanced, “creating an appropriate interface between the proposals and the surrounding fenland character”.
The application can be viewed here.

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Members of the public have until April 25 to submit objections, representations and letters of support, following a number of public consultation events across the county in June and September.

Following the meetings, four level crossings were removed from the project, including Adelaide, Wicken Road and Munceys crossings in East Cambridgeshire and Barrington Road crossing at Foxton.
Network Rail hopes its reforms will make the railways safer by removing the point where people can come into contact with trains.
The agency said: “The closures will also help improve efficiency and reliability. Their closure will facilitate potential future developments for faster and more frequent services.”
If agreed by the government, the closures will take place from late 2018.
The crossings earmarked for closure or modification include West River Bridge, Second Drove, Coffue Drove, Furlong Drove, two crossings in Prickwillow, Leonards, Newmarket Bridge, Wells Engine, Cross Keys, Clayway, Poplar Drove, Willow Row/Willow Road, Black Horse Drove, Chittering and Littleport Station.
As well as carrying out public consultations, Network Rail held meetings with Southeast Cambridgeshire MP Lucy Frazer, South Cambridgeshire MP Heidi Allen, county and district councillors, Natural England, the Environment Agency, Historic England and Highways England.
Copies of the applications and supporting documents are available to view and download here.

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The award ceremony, held at Portcullis House, Westminster, last week, recognised the impact of Harry’s work at Ely College and its library.

Hosted by the School Library Association and the School Libraries Group and attended by bestselling author Cathy Cassidy, as well as literary organisations and publishers, the event recognised the contributions of pupils who help out in their school libraries.
Ely College principal Richard Spencer said: “The work that student librarians do at the College is invaluable and enriches not only the library but also each student’s personal development. We are incredibly proud of Harry for getting to the final of this nationwide competition – it is an incredible achievement.”
Mr Spencer also thanked the college’s other “incredibly dedicated” student librarians as well as learning resource centre manager Anne Shaw.
Although Harry didn’t win, making the finals was a massive honour, recognising hours of volunteering at Ely College library.
Each finalist was championed by an author. Harry’s champion was Tamsyn Murray, who gave a supporting speech about Harry.
The event was attended by 20 successful authors who presented the finalists with personal signed copies of their latest books.
Judging panel chair Barbara Band said: “Week after week many students support the libraries in their schools by giving of their time and effort.
“Sadly, this is too often unrecognised and unrewarded. Yet these students are not only helping to create a lively and effective library that responds to the needs of its users, they are also gaining valuable skills and experience in the process. This award was created to recognise that work and also to highlight the unique synergy that occurs when a pupil becomes a library assistant.
“Pupil library assistants are a valuable element in the running of school libraries – giving service to the school but also gaining skills and confidence from the work they do in the library, which ultimately feeds back into their academic achievement and their motivation.”

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Yesterday afternoon the CCG’s governing body endorsed the business case for the first phase of the project, which has been approved by its clinical executive committee.

Campaigner Emma Watson told Spotted in Ely: “I’m very pleased that the CCG confirm approval has now been granted to proceed with the pilot phase of the development of a Local Urgent Care Service hub at the Princess of Wales from this spring.

“I’m waiting to hear further details as to the changes we’ll see on the ground, and how soon we’ll see them.”
Southeast Cambridgeshire MP Lucy Frazer also welcomed the news, saying she would continue to be “actively engaged” in the process as the project evolves.
She paid tribute to Ely residents for preventing the imminent closure of the city’s MIU, giving a special mention to Ms Watson, former mayor Lis Every and county councillor Anna Bailey, as well as those who signed petitions and took part in Spotted in Ely’s #MIUselfies video campaign.
On January 30, Spotted in Ely broke the news that people power had paid off, with plans to pilot urgent care hubs in Ely, Wisbech and Doddington this spring.
Long-term aims include integrating “currently fragmented” services into the hubs, standardising opening times and increasing and strengthening links with Accident & Emergency services, ambulatory care (where patients receive hospital treatment without needing to be admitted), and other acute specialities such as orthopaedics.
Other future aims include supporting GPs to offer “a wide variety of services for their patients”, making the “most efficient use of resources” and developing “local but cost effective solutions for the rural geography”.
The CCG said it hoped to “widen the scope of patients who can be dealt with as a one-stop service and offer an alternative for patients who might otherwise opt for A&E due to difficulties accessing general practise.”
The new model has been developed together with primary care providers, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, the community and mental health services, the CCG said, adding that public pressure had helped health bosses make their decision to turn MIUs into urgent care hubs.
Since Northeast Cambridgeshire MP Steve Barclay first leaked news to the media about secret plans to close the three MIUs in the East Cambridgeshire and Fenland area, Spotted in Ely has run a campaign to #saveourminorinjuriesunit.

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The high-achieving year eight students, all part of the college’s Brilliant Club, stunned academics at UEA by not only completing the demanding programme but also achieving maths problems usually set for students three years older!

The Ely College students were participating in a scholars programme aimed at giving secondary school pupils an insight into university learning.
They were given a number of tasks which, if completed, allowed them to ‘graduate’.
All twelve students graduated with half of the students graduating with first class honours for the work that they conducted on the day under the supervision of University of Cambridge PhD tutor, Emma Hildyard.
Tanya Batchford, a science teacher at Ely College, said: “It is really important to the College that we provide wider opportunities for our students and encourage them to have high aspirations.
“This programme, in conjunction with UEA, is brilliant as it allows us to inspire some of those students who had previously not considered university as a career option.
“It has been a pleasure watching them grow in confidence, particularly those who were hesitant but then graduated with a first class honours later that day.
“The confidence and skills that the students developed during the day will be invaluable as they continue their education.”
The scholars programme aims to give students a taste of what to expect from the top universities in the country.
The students got to work in small groups with their PhD tutor, who guided them through the project which was beyond what is usually expected of their age range.
The students successfully completed maths problems usually set for Year 11 students.
They were also able to experience day-to-day university life within the programme, visiting the university’s halls of residence and touring the campus.
Click here to find out more about opportunities available for students at Ely College.

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PLEDGES are a set of challenges that students are expected to complete during the course of their time at the college.

By completing certain sets of challenges, students can achieve bronze, silver and gold awards in each PLEDGE category and work towards their futures.
On Friday – the first in a series of four PLEDGES and Futures days – activities were focused around the subject of ‘Making Healthy Choices’.
This allowed students to gain a deeper and more meaningful insight into healthy eating, fitness, relationships, mental health and more.

Principal, Richard Spencer, said: “PLEDGES were introduced at the college in October and are a vital part of the positive changes that we bring to all schools in the CMAT family.
“Similar to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, PLEDGES help students develop character and responsibility that can be taken into their adult life.
“They encourage students to get involved with the wider experiences the College has to offer them.”
Year 8 student, Aaron Humer, said: “I really enjoyed PLEDGES Day because everyone took part and helped each other.
“There was loads of teamwork and you could have fun with your friends as well as learning.”
For those in Years 7 and 8, activities included a mini enterprise activity making healthy living pop up books, as well as health surveys and fitness sessions.

Meanwhile, those in Years 9 and 10 were treated to a series of talks and a drama production by The Upfront Theatre company.
They were then joined by Year 11s in the afternoon for an exam stress busting workshop.

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Coaches visiting the city will no longer be able to use the long stay parking spaces near the city centre and will instead be urged to use a new coach parking facility near Witchford.

The first phase of archeological work has been completed, and while no significant items were found during the investigation, the site will continue to be monitored throughout the building work.
“To ensure public safety, some of the car spaces adjacent to Barton Road will remain closed off to the public, though we are seeking to minimise the fenced off spaces,” Phil Rose, head of development at Palace Green Homes, told nearby residents in a letter dated January 3.
In the letter, Mr Rose said the main car park would be reconfigured to create additional car spaces and a new short stay drop off and pick up point would be established for coaches.
Depending on the weather, this is due to be completed by January 22.
Five existing coach parking bays at the front of the site will remain until building contractors start construction of the housing site next month.
“After this point, there will no longer be a long stay coach parking facility at Barton Road.”
Instead coaches would be able to use the new coach parking facility at Lancaster Way Business Park in Witchford.
Last year East Cambridgeshire District Council’s planning committee gave the green light to develop six new homes and five apartments on Barton Road by four votes to two with the chairman abstaining.
The proposal to build housing in this conservation area has proved controversial, with over 150 objections submitted to ECDC.
It was also slated by the City of Ely Council.
The matter was passed onto Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid, but the decision was shortly after handed back to ECDC, following new government guidelines that give local authorities more powers over local assets.
The development is due to be finished by March 2018.
It is thought the local authority could earn up to £1.75 million from the project which will help towards the cost of the build of the new leisure centre.

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Chris Clements, 40, was travelling in a wheelchair close to the road at about 2.25pm last Wednesday (January 5) when he was involved in a collision with a silver Peugeot Partner on the B1052 near Brinkley.

He was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge but sadly died the following morning as a result of his injuries, surrounded by his family and close friends.
In a statement today, his family said: “Our wonderful Chris, a cherished son, father of three sons, brother, uncle and true friend to so many was a truly amazing person, so very much loved by us all and whose courage, determination and his desire to make a difference was an inspiration to all who knew him.
“Chris will be fondly remembered by all who were lucky enough to have been a part of his life.
“As a child, and continuing into his adult years Chris was a vibrant, cheeky, mischievous and larger-than-life character.
“He made the most of the opportunities he had and strived to be the best he could be at all he pursued; fatherhood, mechanics, engineering, mountain biking, black belt in karate and motor bike riding to name but a few.
“Chris had a wicked personality and sense of humour which shone through.
“Any memory people have of Chris will almost certainly have fun and laughter at the core.”
In 2006 Chris, of Beech Croft, sustained a spinal cord injury which left him tetraplegic and a permanent wheelchair user.
His family said: “Chris chose to rebuild his life by doing things differently, never giving up, viewing everything as a challenge that he would overcome however long it took or however hard it was going to be.
“Chris was a believer that no matter what life presented, you dealt with it and that is exactly what he did.
“Chris was a well-known, popular and familiar figure in the vicinity of the village of Brinkley where he lived, often to be seen in his wheelchair exercising his dog Elsa, which he was doing at the time of the accident. Chris was a pillar of strength for us all and his tenacity in the face of adversity was truly commendable.”
His family thanked the East Anglian Air Ambulance,  paramedics and police who attended Chris at the scene and the nurses, doctors and consultants of Addenbrooke’s Hospital Accident & Emergency department and the Neurosciences Critical Care Unit (NCCU), who provided “excellent and compassionate end of life care”.

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That’s the message from residents, terrified to venture outside since their neighbourhoods have been plunged into darkness as part of a cost saving plan by Cambridgeshire County Council.

As reported by Spotted in Ely, the council has reversed its unpopular policy of turn street lights off at night, following a massive outcry.
The decision to keep lights on overnight and return them to their full power has been welcomed by Arran Selhi, who heads Get Your A:Run, a popular Ely based club that often runs in the evenings.
“Thank you! My running club are SO happy with this decision! Thank you!” She said, of the council’s u-turn on dimming and turning off lights.
In April, the council decided to switch off many of its street lights between 2am and 6am on residential roads and footpaths not located on main traffic routes.
All street lights across the county were dimmed as part of the policy. The only exception was in Cambridge, where night time lighting was paid for by a Cambridge City Council grant. As a result, street lighting within the city boundary was not subject to the lighting restrictions.
On its website, the county council said it had had to make “further financial savings to the annual street lighting energy costs which are required as a result of funding reductions from central government.”
This would not lead to a reduction in council tax but would “protect other front line services of most need and may help to reduce any future council tax increases”, the county council added.
However, it has since found the money to turn the lights back on, following a massive public outcry, and contractors Balfour Beatty have been tasked with ensuring streets are relit during the night.
While many people have welcomed the decision to restore night time lighting, some areas are suffering from “black spots” as a result of old street lights being removed in the area, according to Facebook group Ely New Developments.
A considerable number of Spotted in Ely followers have said they feel unsafe walking in their neighbourhoods because of these black spots, naming Upton Place, Parsons Lane, the Highfields Estate and Mill Pit Furlong as being particularly dangerous.
“Parts of Littleport are a disgrace. Lighting has been removed in several areas where the footpath is uneven and dangerous,” Julia said.
Debbie wrote that she didn’t feel safe working in the evenings and arriving at her Littleport home shrouded in darkness.
In Ely, residents have named West End, Fieldside, St Ovin’s Green, The Vineyards, Cromwell Road and parts of New Barns Road as major black spots.
Tracy wrote: “Black hole of Calcutta on Mulberry way before Aspen Close. They took the light away now can’t see a thing between the junctions.”
Meanwhile dog walkers, shift workers and other pedestrians have expressed their fear of walking along Dunstan Street and Merivale Way, due to the darkness.
One New Barns Road resident said: “I don’t feel safe leaving my house at night because it is pitch black.”
Meanwhile Christine said it was “very difficult” to lock up the Guide and Scout Halls on St John’s Road because the area was so badly lit.
City of Ely Councillor Alison Whelan, representing Ely North Ward, said she was aware of “at least one injury on Annesdale as a result of the lighting policy.”
Linda said: “It’s so dark on Annesdale you cant see where the edge of the pavement is when there are leaves on the ground. Victoria Street is a narrow street with cars parked on one side and narrow pavements so people wanting to walk side by side have to walk on the road.
“Cars use it as a rat run and go down it at speed with their wing mirrors hanging over the pavement.
“One street light is now just a stump because something hit it.”
Soham was “very dark at night and in the morning,” Caroline said.
“Especially when some of us work shifts and have to walk our dogs with a head torch on feels very unnerving. You can’t see one foot in front of the other!”

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Cambridge Black Watch crew commander Jeff Whitlam, 40, will be joining colleagues Myles Strickland, 23, James Ball, 35, Chloe Housden, 26, and Dom Mould, 29 as they perform on Diversity Presents Steal The Show, which is being broadcast on ITV at 7pm.

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Fire crews from Ely and Cambridge were called to Lark Bank just before 6pm to rescue the woman and her dog after they became trapped in four-and-a-half metre deep water.

A specialist team of firefighters trained in water and animal rescues wore dry suits to enter the water using a nine-metre ladder to access the sluice gate.
They also threw a line and life jacket down to the dog’s owner after she had climbed down into the sluice to try and rescue the Collie dog.
Station Commander Paul Clarke said: “The owner had been walking her dog and there was a shot and the dog got spooked and ran off.
“She had been looking for it for hours before she found it in the sluice.
“She then climbed down into the sluice gate to be with her dog before getting stuck.”
He added: “We understand how precious animals are but the owner had put themselves in extreme danger.
“With sluice gates you don’t know when they are going to activate.
“If the level of water had have crept up it might have activated the sluice gates and if that had happened she could have been dragged into the mechanism.
“We have to emphasise to owners the dangers of trying to rescue their animals. If your pets are in danger then please call the fire service.”
Crews returned to their station by about 9pm.

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Carpenter Craig Fishpoole, 30, of Sutton, was an on-call firefighter for eight years at Cottenham and Sutton Fire Stations, while Linton supermarket assistant Richard Gethin, 20, was an on-call firefighter at his local station.

Both men will be based at Ely Fire Station for the next year and are among over 20 new whole-time recruits across Cambridgeshire.
The new recruits include Coco Chambers, 28, of Witcham, who used to work at an equine hospital in Newmarket, and will be based at Stanground Fire Station in Peterborough.
Personal trainer and rugby player David Bainsfair, 25, from Ely, will be joining Cambridge Fire Station.
The firefighters will begin their operational careers across the county with Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) following an intensive 11-week training course.
During training the new recruits are put through their paces, learning how to deal with an array of emergency situations including fires, rescues from water and road traffic collisions.
Their training culminated on Thursday (December 8) with a demonstration and pass out parade at Cardiff Gate, where the course had been delivered in partnership with South Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
Chief Fire Officer Chris Strickland said: “We are excited to welcome this cohort of new firefighters to CFRS to begin what is hopefully a great career with the fire service.
“There are many challenges that a firefighter in a modern fire and rescue service must face. As well as the physical challenges at operational incidents, they must also work closely and engage with communities to deliver lifesaving advice.
“The role of a firefighter has changed and this diverse group of people from different backgrounds and all walks of life shows just how wide the appeal is to become a firefighter and deliver the valuable work we do in the community.
“We wish this group of firefighters the best of luck and hope they enjoy helping us to make Cambridgeshire a safer place.”
Station Commander Matthew Murdoch, from CFRS’s Training Centre, added: “These 20 new firefighters have been put through their paces in a challenging training course and it is a real achievement for them and our training staff that they got through the selection process and intensive course.
“I wish every individual in this group of firefighters all the very best in the career that lies ahead of them knowing CFRS and the talented staff we have here will support them to become truly great firefighters.”

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Ely Liberal Democrats plan to raise the issue during a meeting with Cambridgeshire County Council tomorrow (Tuesday).

In October, Spotted in Ely broke the news that some of Ely’s steepest and busiest routes, including Back Hill, will NOT be gritted this year, following a controversial decision by the council to slash its budget, employing a third less gritters than last year.
The area in front of Ely Cathedral known as The Gallery, regularly used by tour buses and coaches, is also excluded from the county’s gritting map, as are West Fen Road, Silver Street, Barton Road, Brays Lane and Stuntney village. School routes such as St John’s Road have also been dropped from the list.
The map above, provided by Ely city councillor Alison Whelan shows the areas that will be gritted this year marked in red. The blue lines show routes that were gritted last year but have been given the slip this year.
Ely Liberal Democrats recently launched a petition, aimed at changing the council’s mind.
“Gritting the road outside a school or along a bus route is a pretty basic and important job for the council,” said local campaigner Christine Whelan. “We hope we can change the council’s new policy before it does too much harm.”
Soham Road, the main road through Stuntney, will cease to be gritted under plans from the Conservative-led Council. If enough people complain, I hope we can change the council’s plans,” Ms Whelan added.
“Gritting these rural roads is important,” said Queen Adelaide resident Rupert Moss-Eccardt, “Branch Bank is hazardous enough as it is and the council has a duty to make it safer.”
Failing to grit routes such as West Fen Road and Back Hill would pose major risks to pedestrians and cyclists as well as to motor vehicle users, the petition says.
In October Cambridgeshire County Council announced that it would be sending out 26 gritters across Cambridgeshire – a third less than the previous winter, which was relatively mild.
Villages left ungritted this winter will include Mepal, Witcham and Wardy Hill, together with the road from Little Downham to Pymoor via California and Pymoor Lane, and Church Lane and the eastern half of Sutton High Street.

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They also got to learn about a super sonic, jet and rocket fueled racing car that’s being developed with the hope of eventually breaking land speed records.

As part of a series of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) days across all year groups at the college, Year 7 students were challenged to work in teams to design, build and test their own wind turbines.
The thrilling session allowed them to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of wind energy using their design technology, maths, science and engineering skills, as well as a fascinating talk by Mike Ford, engineer on the Bloodhound Super Sonic Car Team.
The Bloodhound SSC’s goal is to develop a jet and rocket powered vehicle that can match or exceed 1000 miles an hour, achieving a new world land speed record.

The STEM project at Ely College is part of a collaboration between the secondary school and national educational charity the Engineering Development Trust, as well as partners from The Bloodhound Project.
Working together they hope to give students an insight into STEM careers.
Through tasters, projects and placements, Ely College pupils will learn more about local employers and local industry.
Combinations of visits, talks, ‘hands-on’ projects and mentoring by engineers and scientists will allow the young people to see STEM subjects being used in practice and give them a taste of working in these industries.

Sam Craven, Science Curriculum Leader, said of these STEM partnerships, “Ely College is committed to ensuring that our students are prepared for the world of work, that they understand the careers that can be available for them and, particularly in the case of STEM careers, the skills and qualification they will need.
“We work with organisations like the EDT and The Smallpeice Trust to connect with local industry and provide our young people with opportunities that enable them to apply theory into practical experiences, helping them to understand that working hard during education can lead to a rewarding career further down the line.”
EDT has a proven track record of success, with 30,000 young people being reached across the UK annually through their programmes. Students who have taken part have then gone on to experience success in STEM-related industries and beyond.

EDT education officer Michelle James, who led the session, praised the behaviour of Ely College students, saying they had got behind the project and asked challenging questions about future energy sources.
“We are delighted to be working with Ely College in providing their students with the opportunity to participate in activities that will raise their awareness of STEM careers in local industry.
“It’s important for young people to be aware of the future opportunities available to them whilst they are still in education, so that they can make informed decisions about their study options. Giving them an insight into STEM careers and into local industry at a young age can help to raise aspirations and give them hands-on experiences that will help them throughout their studies and into their future careers.”
Earlier this year, the college joined Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust. CMAT says it has a strong track record in improving achievement and attainment in the region and is committed to improving the quality of education and life in the county of Cambridgeshire.

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The Lemon Tree Deli is replacing the highly successful Allgoods of Ely, which shut its doors in Market Place in September, after owner Tracy Allgood decided to prioritise her work-life balance.

On Allgoods’ Facebook page this week, Tracy wrote: “After a very long time waiting for solicitors to do their thing, I’m thrilled to say that we’ve transferred our lease and that Debbie and Adrian will be opening the Lemon Tree Deli Cafe this Saturday.
“Please do like their page and support them as you supported me.”
The Lemon Tree Deli is a family owned deli cafe, stocking homemade produce as well as locally sourced items, including a large selection of local and international cheeses, charcuterie, locally sourced pies, crisps, soft drinks, beer, cider, wines, homemade cakes and chutneys and deli style sandwiches.

It will serve breakfast, lunch, drinks and coffee, providing outdoor seating and a takeaway and delivery service.
“We take great pride in delivering a friendly and personal service to all our customers.”
Meanwhile Hand Crafted Cupcakes will be opening their doors the public for the first time on Saturday, selling a range of Christmas themed cupcakes from 10.30am to 1pm.

Owner Laura Abraham has been baked exquisite celebration cakes as Hand Crafted Cupcakes on a made to order basis for the past couple of years, operating from a dedicated cake kitchen at 38 Market Street.

The business’s Facebook page says: “We have been in Ely baking personalised special occasion cakes to order since 2014.
“Personalised cakes to order are still the main focus of the business, but people keep asking when we’ll open as a cupcake shop. So now we’re trying it!
“So please do come along and support us, try a cake, buy a cake, or just to come and have a look!
“We look forward to seeing you on Saturday.”

There will be samples to try and free balloons for the first 50 children to come into the shop to celebrate its opening.
The Lemon Tree Deli is looking for a part time assistant to work from 10am to 3pm on a Friday. Extra hours may be available. No experience necessary as full training will be given.
To apply please send your CV to debk7@btinternet.com

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Ely resident Alan Brown, the Head of Emergency Planning and Resilience at Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, said the county is in a ‘significantly robust position’ in the event of a large-scale emergency, when he retired this week.

Alan has served nearly 30 years, working in a variety of roles, but spent his last year focusing on emergency planning in conjunction with partner organisations and other blue light networks such as police and ambulance.
“The local resilience forum was set up in 2004 so we have been working with other organisations for some time, looking at how we would cope in the event of a large-scale emergency. But when my role as Head of Emergency Planning and Resilience was created last year, it allowed me to really help push the forum forward, with my colleagues.”
Amongst the various large-scale emergency scenarios Alan looked at were plane and train crashes as well as such issues as what would happen in the event of an outbreak of pandemic flu or fuel shortages.
A saxophonist with the City of Ely Military Band and a keen pilot, Alan said having spent a year working on various scenarios, he was confident Cambridgeshire would cope in the event of a large-scale emergency.
“I am really pleased the service has been able to move emergency planning forward quite significantly in the last year. If there was an emergency, all the plans we would generally need are in place and as a community I would say we are in a significantly robust position to operate.”
Alan didn’t join the fire service until he was 29 years old, having studied food technology at the start of his career.
He worked as a product manager for a potato packing company before joining CFRS as an on-call firefighter in Whittlesey for two months. He then became a wholetime firefighter working across various watches in Cambridge.
During his time with the Service, Alan has also worked as a station commander at Ely Fire Station as well as a training commander at the Training Centre in Huntingdon, introducing officer training days to refresh essential skills.
Alan, 58, also worked as a District Commander in the Peterborough district for 18 months, running the fire stations and supporting the crime reduction partnerships in the local community. His last role prior to Head of Emergency Planning and Resilience was running Operational Support.
Some of his larger projects included looking at how Government plans to introduce a Regional Fire Control would work. Although this system was never introduced, Alan said the work he and his colleagues did on this made the process of combining Cambridgeshire’s control room with Suffolk’s much easier.
Chief Fire Officer Chris Strickland described Alan as “one of the most hardworking people” he had worked with.
Chris said: “His focus on the Service has been absolute and he has been a great person to work with. He is always very willing. I knew if I asked him to do something it would be done and it would be done well. He has been a pleasure to work with.”
Alan concluded: “I had a really great career. I can honestly say the number of days that I woke up during the whole twenty-nine-and-a-half years where I didn’t fancy coming to work, I can literally count on one hand.
“I think the enduring memory for me is the people. They are incredibly motivated to support the community and that I found to be very inspiring.”
Alan plans to make the most of his retirement. He has a share in a microlight so is keen to do more flying.

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Angela’s love of ceramics began whilst teaching in the early 70’s and she furthered her studies in 1984 at the University of East Anglia under the direction of Peter Lane, the ceramist and author, who became her tutor and mentor. She was introduced to bone china in 1991 by Sasha Wardell and fell in love with this seductive medium. In 1995 Angela went to live in Perth Western Australia with her late husband was very supportive of her work. In 1997 she gained a BA Hons at the University of Tasmania in Hobart, studying with Les Blakeborough, whose porcelain she greatly admired. That was followed by a move to Melbourne where she completed a Graduate Scholarship for MA Research at Monash University. These opportunities afforded her the chance to develop her work in bone china and she pioneered the use of bone china paper clay, resulting in Honourable Mentions in International competitions in Japan and Korea.


The bright sunlight in Western Australia and its effect upon the landscape, made a great impact on Angela and influenced the development of her work. On returning to Perth, she set up her own studio. An Australian Crafts Council Grant enabled her to collaborate with a lighting designer for a year so as to research the translucency of bone china, which has become the driving force in her work today, as can be seen in her new series Sculptural Light, which is a complete diversion from earlier work and her most adventurous to date.

These large-scale sculptural pieces have been hand built using bone china paperclay, a medium Angela has researched and developed since 1997. Observations of nature in its many forms have been inspirational to her. These include the study of exotic plants in Indonesia and marine life in Australia, and more recently coastlines around the UK. 

It had always been a dream of Angela’s to run her own gallery and when after ten years she returned to England in 2006 things fell into place. She took over the gallery in Ely from Ronald Pile, previous owner of Primavera in Cambridge. Ronald has proved to be a great friend and guide over many years and Angela is delighted that he will be in the gallery on Saturday 3rd December 12-2pm to open the exhibition.


For the first few years of running the gallery, Angela showed the work of many international, national and local artists. In recent years Angela has concentrated on her own practice and only opens the Studio and gallery twice a year and by appointment. This has given her the freedom to develop her work, now culminating in the stunning new ‘Sculptural Light’ series.
Alongside the sculptural pieces, a new range of objects ‘Symphony in Black and White’. These are complemented by invited guest artist Vilokini Gail Abbott’s new monochrome prints exploring the transitions and thresholds between states and liminal places. Also returning is popular local painter Melanie Max with her atmospheric landscapes in oils.
We are pleased to introduce two new jewellers this year:  Abi Cochran’s silver work whose recurring theme is rivers running through rocky valleys, and the unique sculptural pieces by Alison Kramarchuk who knits together silver and copper wire. We are also pleased to feature the ever-popular seasonal brooches crocheted from copper wire by Tina Ashdown.
Angela is indebted to her apprentice Louise Barr without whose help and dedication over the past few years she could not have accomplished so much.


Looking to the future, Angela has recently been invited to serve on the Advisory Team of International Paperclay Exhibition Project in the USA, which will tour museums and galleries worldwide. This will greatly increase the understanding and appreciation of paperclay work and encourage more ceramicists to explore the medium.


Open weekends: 
 Dec 3-4 & 10-11 
10.30am-5pm
Angela Mellor Studio & Gallery at: 38A St Mary’s Street, Ely, CB7 4ES,  www.angelamellor.com

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The Ely primary is gearing up for its Christmas Fair next Saturday, which for the first time will be selling homemade mulled wine and fresh soup on top of its regular refreshments.

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At FatFace Ely, they’re using the week leading up to Black Friday to do something amazing.

There will be no flash sales, no pushing or shoving, no queuing up throughout the night to get a bargain.
Instead the company is donating a percentage of all its sales throughout the week to its chosen charity this year – which is lifesaving Magpas.
FatFace crew member Michelle Brown, whose eight-year-old son Xander is a prolific fundraiser for Magpas, suggested the air ambulance, which receives no government funding and has so far been dispatched 1084 times this year.
Michelle said: “Last year FatFace donated to Highfields School, this year it’s Magpas. It’s the company’s answer to Black Friday.”
Manager Dee Sykes added: “If anyone purchases anything in store this week, a certain percentage goes to charity.”
In addition, every customer who makes a purchase gets a token which they can put inside either a Magpas collection box or a FatFace Foundation box, which supports hundreds of local causes. Both will receive donations depending on how many tokens they receive.
The Ely store is also running a competition to guess the name of a fox soft toy, which costs £1 per go.
All proceeds go to Magpas, with the winner announced on Monday next week.
Last year FatFace took the decision not to take part in the discounting phenomenon ‘Black Friday’.
In a press statement, the company said: “This decision was taken as we felt strongly that discounting was not a sustainable model for UK retailers and that it wasn’t great for customers.”
FatFace decided to “make a statement against the discounting epidemic” but launching its Thanks for Giving campaign, which is about donating to good causes instead.
As a result almost £200,000 was donated to the FatFace Foundation nationally and this money was distributed to charities within communities where FatFace trades.
FatFace hopes to build on that total during this year’s Thanks for Giving campaign, which runs from today (November 21) until November 28, which includes the Black Friday weekend.
“FatFace believe passionately that the retail industry can act as a force for good.  Through the unique and innovative ‘Thanks for Giving’ initiative we are committed to making a difference to people and communities.”

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The Ely primary was one of numerous schools across our district fundraising for the BBC’s annual Children in Need appeal.

Youngsters swapped their purple and yellow uniforms for bright spots and fluffy headbands, each making a voluntary £1 donation to the charity, which raises money to help children and young people across Britain each year.
So far Children in Need has raised a record £46.6 million nationwide.

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This week residents young and old dug out their polka dots, fluffy ears and Pudsey costumes to raise cash for the BBC’s annual Children in Need appeal.

Numerous events were held in schools, preschools, baby and toddler groups and workplaces across East Cambridgeshire.
At The Lantern Goslings Pre-School in Ely, children and staff went “green for Terry” to honour the memory of the late Sir Terry Wogan, the face behind Children in Need for many years.

Goslings manager Michelle Smith said: “There were so many leprechauns seen hopping around pre-school today, it was fantastic.”
Meanwhile Witcham baby and toddler group held a cake sale on Wednesday to raise money for Children in Need.


Thank you to everyone who’s submitted their fabulous photos for our Children in Need Gallery!

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Ok, so it’s only November – but tonight saw the launch of Ely Markets Festive Lates.

This new event is aimed at promoting local businesses and enticing shoppers into the city centre.
Entertained by Ely rockerbilly Jacen Bruce, shoppers were able to try lots of delicious street food, ranging from Thai to Sri Lanken and vegan, as well as gourmet cakes, mulled wine and espresso martinis.
A number of local businesses, including The Eel Catcher’s Daughter, the Card Factory, M&Co and the Wood Green Animal Shelter charity shop opened for extended hours tonight to take part in the special late night shopping promotion.
The first Festive Lates market coincided with the launch of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness 2016, Lighting up Ely Cathedral. Niki Brown, who was behind the initiative, had a stall at the market to raise awareness about pancreatic cancer.
Festive Lates will run from 4.30pm to 8.30pm every Thursday in the run up to Christmas.
Click here for more information.

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Between 5.30pm yesterday (November 14) and 5.30am this morning, Scott’s Farm Shop in Sutton Road, near the A142, was raided by thieves, who forced their way in.

Items stolen included a white transit van, registration WM52LBU, a large quantity of fruit and vegetables, equestrian equipment and tack.
The burglars left behind a small green wooden trailer.
Police are appealing for witnesses who may have noticed anything suspicious in the area at the time.
Detective Constable Simon Rampley said: “This burglary has had a significant impact on the business and local community.
“In addition to stealing items from the shop the offenders caused considerable damage to the building and other stock items inside.
“I’d urge anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area last night or who has been offered the items listed to contact us as soon as possible.”
Anyone with information regarding this incident should contact police on 101, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit https://crimestoppers-uk.org/

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With just over a week to go until Ely Festive Lates is launched, the team behind Ely Markets are gearing up for a series of events to get shoppers into the Christmas spirit and celebrate the rich diversity of local businesses.

Julia Davis, of Ely Markets, says: “We are really looking forward to the launch of the Ely Markets Festive Lates complementing our regular weekly markets.
“We know that our visitors will find loads of delicious food, unique gifts that support local businesses and a wonderful atmosphere!
“We are very proud of the traders on our Craft and Collectables market on a Saturday and this will be a great chance for more people to discover their products.
“The Ely Festive Lates are part of our special events on Ely Markets showcasing the diverse choice for all tastes we have all year round.”

The first Festive Late will take place on Thursday, November 17, with further late night markets running every Thursday from 4.30pm to 8.30pm in the run up to Christmas.
These family-friendly evenings will be bursting with street food, shopping and live music on the market square.
Join them for mulled wine, mince pies and the chance to buy incredible gifts from local makers.
There will be special festive guests for the children and a covered seating area to drink, eat and browse next to the Christmas tree.
Enjoy street food from Choux Stopper, I am Dumpling and more under the fairy lights while stocking up on perfect gifts from regular Ely Market traders such as Oriolo’s jewellery, Jo Clark Designs cards, prints and mugs and Buster and Lou’s gifts for the pet-lover in your life.
SilverOak coffee will be keeping everyone warm with their home-roasted coffees and luxurious hot chocolates – there’s even been talk of espresso martinis.
Click here for more information.

Interested in trading or performing? Contact markets@elymarkets.co.uk

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Home-Start Cambridgeshire, a charity supporting struggling families, is collecting gift donations at local beauty salon Pure Ely – and they’re hoping the whole community will get behind it.

Co-ordinator Charlotte Daleworth told Spotted in Ely: “Christmas can be a difficult time of the year for many families. It can be stressful.
“There’s the pressure that everyone has to have a wonderful time at Christmas but for some people that’s not a reality.”
Treetops soft play centre is donating its premises free of charge so that youngsters who have been supported by Home-Start for at least a year can enjoy a Christmas party.
Father Christmas will be handing out gifts – and that’s where Home-Start hopes the community will get involved.
“We are making an appeal for people to donate presents.
“It’s about spreading a bit of Christmas cheer for families who’ve found 2016 difficult.
“We want to put smiles on the faces of those children at Christmas.”

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Since taking up his post in the summer, Mr Spencer has been on a massive mission to win back the hearts and minds of the local community, making a raft of radical changes, recruiting staff and hoping to boost the morale of students, teachers and parents alike.

Last week the college launched its new Bishop Laney Sixth-Form College, a joint collaboration with Soham Village College, which will officially open in September 2017.
It will initially focus on professional and vocational qualifications in subjects such as business studies, media, sport, performing arts, catering, construction and hairdressing, with an emphasis on work experience and training.
The college hopes to offer A-Levels on its Downham Road site in 2018.
As neither Ely College nor Witchford or Soham Village Colleges currently offer A-Levels, sixth formers are having to travel into Cambridge and elsewhere to gain qualifications.
Mr Spencer said: “The average journey time for a child in East Cambridgeshire for a child over 16 is one and a half hours per day. For many it’s more than that.”
Bishop Laney Sixth-Form College is a relaunch of sixth-form provision in collaboration with Soham Village College, businesses, Cambridgeshire County Council and East Cambridgeshire District Council.
“We’ve got a hairdressing salon and professional kitchens and are currently advertising for new hairdressers and teachers. These are new and exciting times.”
Mr Spencer, who worked for Ofsted before becoming principal, is determined to lift Ely College out of special measures and raise academic and behavioural standards throughout the school.
He said: “We’ve raised the bar in terms of expectations. It’s about doing things 10 per cent more effectively.”
The college has introduced an optional sixth period after school, known as Session 6, where pupils can earn points for taking on extra activities. These can be charitable work, such as the Duke of Edinburgh Awards or taking part in the student council.
Students who can’t otherwise get home afterwards are provided with free mini bus transportation.
A group of year eight students will be visiting Cambridge University this year as part of a drive to encourage pupils to apply for higher and further education.
The college has restructured the school into four houses named after inspirational local figureheads – Scott, Franklin, Etheldreda and Turing – to encourage a family feel and provide healthy competition among the houses. Students have been provided with free house ties to give them a sense of identity and pride.
The school has also been on a major recruitment drive – especially in its mathematics department.
Mr Spencer said: “Maths was an area of real challenge. We’ve been working very hard to recruit.
“Back in April we had huge vacancies. We started the academic year in September with a fully staffed maths department.”
With Littleport College due to open in September 2017, this may impact on the number of students applying to Ely College.
However, Mr Spencer is hoping to convince parents and pupils alike that Ely College is a good choice.
The secondary school has been hosting open evenings, college tours and primary school roadshows to highlight improvements that have already been made and to talk about changes planned for the future.
“We are back in business and moving forward. We are trying to get as many parents through the doors as we can to show them what we are doing.”
The college, which is now run by Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust (CMAT), is looking at how it communicates with the community. It has revamped its newsletters and is looking at setting up a Facebook page.
There are currently about 1100 students at the college, which can cater for up to 1500.
Mr Spencer said: “It’s about the community having confidence in the college again.”

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At 4.37pm two crews from Cambridge and one from Newmarket were called to a home in The Coates to rescue a horse that had fallen into a private pool.

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Classes in years four to six at the Ely school donned a stunning array of pink garments, with some even dying their hair in different shades.

Youngsters taking part in the Wear It Pink day were asked for a £1 donation each, which would go towards helping people with breast cancer.

Every year, Wear It Pink raises around £2 million nationwide during Breast Cancer Awareness Month for Breast Cancer Now, the UK’s leading breast cancer charity.
This is the first time the Lantern School has taken part.

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Her small business, Shoenique – Life is Too Short for Boring Shoes, won the Grafton Centre’s Mumpreneur Award in Cambridge last year. Her EastEnders themed stilettos swept soap star Luisa Bradshaw-White off her feet at the London Gay Pride Awards. The West End was head over heels in love with the Wicked themed heels Jo designed for stage star Savannah Stevenson.

In between teaching at an Ely primary school, running Shoenique and looking after three-year-old daughter Millie, Jo’s created her own events company, Elysium Events. Her first event is Indulgence Boutique Evening at Ta Bouche on Ely’s Riverside on November 19, featuring the creme of local talent, with a stunning selection to boot. Shoe fanatic Tali Iserles chats to sole mate Jo about Indulgence Boutique, Shoenique and all things unique.

Jo first got her foot firmly wedged in the door three years ago, while on early maternity leave.
“I was stuck on the sofa and unable to move so made the most of the opportunity and threw myself into my sketching and painting. While I was painting a Les Miserables inspired piece, I caught sight of a dull pair of black shoes that I never wore due to them being so plain. I wondered if I could transfer my painting onto the shoes so started playing around with different techniques and mediums.
“My first pair of ‘Shoeniques’ were born and it has snowballed ever since from there.
“I now create not only painted designs but fabric and sculpted shoes as well.”
Jo’s background in the arts and degrees in business management and teaching come in useful when it comes to running Shoenique. Her initial designs were based around her passion of music and theatre, a theme that regularly appears throughout her work, including a pair of specially commissioned heels featuring musical notes, designed for soprano Laura Wright, the England Rugby team’s first official anthem singer.

She’s not limited to any particular theme – animal designs, city skylines and fairytales are just a few of the themes featured on Shoenique shoes and handbags.
Jo says: “Most of my designs are now bespoke commissions but I do take every opportunity to create standalone pieces for my own collections. I have an extremely full notepad and sketch books of designs that come to me randomly during the day and night!”
Selling shoes to the stars
In just three years, Shoenique has been taking the world by storm – one pair of heels (or flats) at a time.
Luisa Bradshaw-White, who plays Tina Carter in Eastenders, wore her soap styled stilettos at London Gay Pride, causing a massive stir.

Meanwhile West End star Savannah Stevenson, who played Glinda in Wicked, was delighted with her Wizard of Oz style Shoeniques. She and co-star Kerry Ellis autographed the heels, which were auctioned off, together with scripts and props for the show at a charity event, raising £350.

Mumpreneur
Winning the Grafton Centre’s Mumpreneur Award gave Shoenique a massive leg up, propelling the Stretham small business into a much larger arena. Members of the public proved to be head over heels in love with Shoenique, voting for it as their favourite Mumpreneur business.
The Mumpreneurs event was a special art and craft fair hosted by the Grafton Centre to showcase the work of talented, business minded mums across the region.
Jo says: “The Grafton Centre’s Mumpreneur Award was such an honour. I competed against so many other talented crafty mums who all had such inspirational stories and products! We all had market stalls in the centre at this special event and the winner was chosen based on sales gained during the event and the most interaction with customers via social media.
“The prize was a retail space in the main shopping centre which did wonders for my business, getting my shoes off of the internet and onto the high street.”
Her most unusual design requests include sculpted animal and periodic table shoes.
“I relish the challenge of coming up with a design that suits their specification but also that I feel stays true to my style.”
Shoe fetish
If you thought Imelda Marcos had a shoe fetish going on, it’s nothing compared to Jo’s.
“Oh my shoe fetish is ridiculous! Although, I don’t own as many pairs as you would probably imagine. Although I’m sure that my husband would disagree!
“I definitely wear my own custom shoes. Since having my daughter, I haven’t been able to wear the skyscraper heels that I used to so I design flats and wedges that I can wear comfortably but also with style.
“My current favourite pair that I wear at the moment are a 3d sculpted mermaid pair of ankle boots complete with sculpted octopus, mermaid tails and coral reef! My musical theatre pairs of flats that I wear, however, will always hold a special place in my heart!”
Her daughter, Millie, described as “three going on 13”, regularly helps out in the “shudio”, entertaining her mum with her singing and dancing.
Jo says: “As a working mum of a very busy three year old and as a primary school teacher at a school in Ely, I have to be extremely organised with dividing my time between the different roles.
“I thoroughly enjoy teaching and being a mummy but it is lovely to have a bit of light relief in the evenings to work in my ‘shudio’ and to get cracking on my designs. It is extremely therapeutic to pop on an audio book and paint my way through the evening!”
Her advice to other mumpreneurs hoping to get a foot in the door?
“Go for it! Yes it’s hard work, yes it is long hours, yes it can make you question your talent and worth but it gives you so much more than it takes. The opportunity to selfishly indulge yourself in something that you are truly passionate about is one worth grabbing with both hands!”
Indulgence Boutique Evening
Jo’s event management company, Elysium Events, will be hosting Indulgence Boutique Evening next month.
Jo says: “The idea behind this event is to showcase some of the amazing talent in the area, giving people the opportunity to see and purchase high end, up market services and products at a rather indulgent venue.
“There is already an abundance of art and craft fairs in the area which is fabulous, however often they don’t cater for the bespoke clothing, high end jewellery, and unique services market.
“We have some extremely talented jewellers, bag designers, chocolatiers, candle makers and beauty technicians (among others) attending the event.”
If “sumptuous stands, respondent with handmade goodies galore” are not enough to get you hot footing your way through the door, everyone attending will receive free mulled wine and mince pies.
Indulgence Boutique Evening will be taking place at Ta Bouche from 7pm on November 19.
For more information on Indulgence Boutique Evening click here.

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Next month Ely Markets are launching Ely Festive Lates – a chance for families to get into the Yuletide spirit while shopping from local makers, enjoying street food and live music on the Market Square.

Organisers are promising “special festive guests” for the kids and a covered seating area to drink, eat and browse next to the Christmas Tree.
Enjoy street food from Choux Stopper, I am Dumpling and more under the fairy lights while stocking up on perfect gifts from regular Ely Market traders such as Oriolo’s jewellery, Jo Clark Designs cards, prints and mugs and Buster and Lou’s gifts for the pet-lover in your life.
SilverOak coffee will be keeping everyone warm with their home-roasted coffees and luxurious hot chocolates – there’s even been talk of espresso martinis.

Julia Davis, of Ely Markets team, said: “We are really looking forward to the launch of the Ely Markets Festive Lates complementing our regular weekly markets.
“We know that our visitors will find loads of delicious food, unique gifts that support local businesses and a wonderful atmosphere!
“We are very proud of the traders on our Craft and Collectables market on a Saturday and this will be a great chance for more people to discover their products.
“The Ely Festive Lates are part of our special events on Ely Markets showcasing the diverse choice for all tastes we have all year round.”
The first Ely Festive Lates market runs on Thursday, November 17. It will also be running every Thursday evening after that in the run up to Christmas, from 4.30pm to 8.30pm.
Visit the Ely Markets Facebook page for more information or see our own Spotted in Ely event for Ely Festive Lates.
Interested in trading or performing? Contact markets@elymarkets.co.uk
And don’t forget that Ely’s first ever Vegan Market takes place from 9am on October 29.

The post Ely Festive Lates will get shoppers into Christmas spirit appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The Parliamentary petition, started by Carol Harley, has had 3482 signatures so far online. When you factor in the signatures put on paper, the number is closer to 9000, Ely campaigner Emma Watson says.

Many of the signatures have been gathered during market stall appearances the Save Ely’s Minor Injuries Unit campaign group has organised over recent months.

The group will be holding another stall at Ely Market this Saturday in a push to get the number of signatures over the 10,000 threshold – which legally means that the Government would have to respond to the petition.
Emma, who leads the group, says: “I would like to appeal to Ely area residents and visitors who have not yet signed the parliamentary petition online or on paper, to please do so.
“There has been such a passionate response from many signing the petition at the market stall that I need to point out that an individual can only sign the petition once, online or on paper – duplications will not count!”
Emma reiterates that although outpatient services have been secured for a year at the Princess of Wales and Doddington Hospitals, the three minor injuries units are still under threat of closure.
“We will continue to push for the retention of Ely’s MIU, and then for the enhancement of this essential facility to become a Health Hub for our fast-growing city.”
“I would like to thank each and every person who has shown their support for our invaluable Minor Injuries Unit: to those who have given their time to help gather signatures; are holding a copy of the paper petition forms in their shop or office; or who have added their signature to the petition.”
Anyone wishing to help out with future actions can contact the group’s Facebook page or contact Cllr Lis Every at Ely City Council, on (01353) 661 016.

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Sergeant Phil Priestly, of Ely Police Station, told Spotted in Ely that the best plan of action was to “empathise and be compassionate towards the victim”, rather than be drawn into an argument with the person responsible.

“By reaching out to the victim, you’re making them feel more secure. You’ll be showing that you don’t have any allegiances to the terrible views and opinions that are being expressed and it helps to calm that victim down and make them feel safer.”
Although witnesses may be tempted to record hate crimes on their phones, they should always put their own safety and the safety of the victim first, Sgt Priestly said.
He advised that victims and witnesses should report offences immediately to police, and that tackling hate crime was a priority for Cambridgeshire Constabulary.

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Over 1000 bales of stray were destroyed in the arson attack at a farm on Sutton Road, Haddenham, at about 8pm on Monday, August 15.

The victim is offering a £1000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the offender.
Police Inspector Dick Turner said: “This arson attack led to the loss of a large amount of straw with a very high value and we are keen to catch those involved.
“Crops and produce are a vital part of farming and we take the destruction of these items very seriously.”
Anyone with information should call the police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through their anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

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Yesterday police investigated a report of a man being assaulted by someone wearing a Halloween mask in Littleport.

After reviewing the alleged incident in detail, including comprehensive CCTV footage from the immediate area, police could find no evidence an attack had actually taken place.
Posting on the Policing East Cambridgeshire Facebook page, police said: “There has been a great deal of discussion on social media concerning the current ‘clown craze’.
“We have no evidence locally to suggest that these pranks present a risk to public safety.”
However, police are reminding people that any act involving threats or trying to frighten others may be enough to warrant public order criminal offences.
The “killer” clown trend started in America and involves people disguising themselves as clowns and scaring people. Some are seen to carry “weapons”.
Cambridgeshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Jason Ablewhite is asking people to refrain from taking part in clown pranks, following a rise in incidents in other parts of the country.
““Whilst those dressing up as clowns might see this as “just bit of fun” it is anything but.
“These individuals do not understand the consequences of their actions.
“People are being left traumatised and fearful that they could be assaulted. This is particularly true of children.”
On Monday a man dressed up as a clown was punched in Peterborough after trying to scare a passer-by.
Mr Ablewhite warned that anyone found to be “terrifying or threatening others” may be charged with committing a crime.
“This is not something anyone wants to see so I appeal to those involved not to take the risk.”

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Art Unequalled will feature a fabulous collection of arts and crafts from across the country, featuring the work of established contributors as well as some fresh faces.

It will include work by jewellery designers, sculptors, potters, wood turners, painters, printmakers, illustrators, glass artists, furniture makers, textile artists and stone carvers, with pieces to suit all budgets, organiser Sally Dunham says.
A sculptor with 18 years’ experience of exhibiting her work across the country, Sally was first inspired to launch her own art event in 2002, but her idea was only to become a reality nine years later.

Sally says: “Art Unequaled grew partly from frustration at the decline of some events that were letting in more and more bought in goods instead of handmade work, and partly from wanting to bring elements of the best shows to this area.”
Art Unequalled aimed to create a “friendly, relaxed and welcoming environment” for both the artists and craftsmen and women exhibiting and for the visitors attending. Other aims were to ensure that work was of the highest standard possible and to showcase a wide range of media to suit a range of budgets.

The first Art Unequalled exhibition took place at The Maltings in October 2011. Sally was delighted with the response received from exhibitors and visitors alike, impressed by the standard of work on display.
Since then, Art Unequalled has expanded to fill all of the rooms at The Maltings, including the upstairs gallery, with several exhibitors now also demonstrating some of their skills and techniques at their stand, giving visitors a real insight into the often lengthy processes involved.
Sally aims to continue to run Art Unequalled annually in Ely and hopes to launch a summer event in the future.
This year’s show takes place on October 22 and 23 at The Maltings in Ely.
For more information, see www.artunequalled.co.uk, email info@artunequalled.co.uk or call 07850 286566.

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Ely Community Against Hate will be holding a stall at Ely Market this Saturday to reassure people that Ely is a tolerant place that welcomes people of different nationalities.

Joel Higgs, one of the organisers, told Spotted in Ely that he and his friends were horrified by a BBC investigation that last week revealed that about 350 supporters of a white supremacist group had gathered in Haddenham last month. Police had been told the event was a fundraiser for legitimate charity Help for Heroes.
A video shows the far right group performing Nazi salutes while chanting “Sieg Heil”.
Joel said he and his friends were “all horrified” by the report, and decided to form Ely Community Against Hate as a response to the “hate fueled and negative” images depicted within it.
“We wanted to show that this kind of event is not representative of how people feel in this area.
“That kind of event works to increase intolerance, which our society really doesn’t need right now. We hope by arranging our Community Against Hate event, we can help promote tolerance.”
Also appalled by a recent spike in reported hate crime across the UK, Joel and his friends decided to act sooner, rather than later.
The group will be handing out leaflets and chatting to people at Ely Market from 10am to 4pm on Saturday.
For more information click here.

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With just 20 days to go until Bar-ology on Fore Hill opens its doors on October 28, owner Rob Gilkes says the main qualities he’s looking for are people who are “dedicated and passionate” – and in it for the long haul.

He and fiancée and manager Megan Snooks, a former cocktail waitress, will be teaching mixology – the art of mixing fancy drinks (think Tom Cruise in Cocktail) – as well as other skills needed to keep customers happy.
Bar-ology will be hiring 10 staff to cover a range of tasks, with job interviews taking place next week.
Rob, who has a background in the hospitality trade, as well as in marketing, says: “We want an enthusiastic and dedicated new team made up of confident, energetic, happy people.”
Applicants must be 16 or over and can be looking for part time and full-time roles.
Catering for over 300 customers, Bar-ology will feature the DJing skills of Marc Fuccio, who’s previously played in Cambridge, London and Ibiza, and the first jukebox with a photo booth in East Anglia.
The upstairs area will be available for private hire on certain days, and will include a personal bar.
As well as providing cocktails, Bar-ology will be serving tapas style mini meals as well as award-winning coffees, teas and hot chocolates, and Rob hopes it will prove popular with the entire community.
“We want to be a community hub, a place where people can meet and chat.
“We don’t want to be stereotyped – we are not another nightclub.
“We are a late night bar but also a meeting place for people in the day.”
A moveable ramp will be provided to enable wheelchair and buggy users to access the building, and Rob hopes people of all ages, including families, will use the building in the daytime.
“We will be big on our coffees and teas.”
They will be offering a range of award-winning flower teas with therapeutic benefits as well as aiming to serve “the best coffee in Ely.”
Megan hopes people will be impressed with the tapas style mini-meals on offer, adding: “We want to make it as affordable as possible.”
The couple plan to offer three mini-meals for £10, promising quality cuisine that doesn’t cost the earth.
Rob bought the venue just two months ago. It had been empty since Jar Jars shut down two-and-a-half-ago and is currently undergoing an extreme makeover before its grand opening later this month.
Bar-ology will be open seven days a week, with late openings on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
To apply for a job, please email your CV to rob@bar-ology.com.

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A source told Spotted in Ely today that parents of youngsters attending Busy Bees Pre-School in Grange Lane were asked to “collect their kids immediately” and that the facility would be shut “until at least half term” due to “unforeseen circumstances”.

A spokeswoman at the pre-school said: “There is nothing to be concerned about.
“It’s just a statutory requirement that we have to meet before we can re-open.”
She said Busy Bees had no further comment.
Registered in 1992, Busy Bees caters for a maximum of 40 children at a time.
The pre-school is normally open every day during term time, from 8.50am to 2.50pm.
It also offers a lunch club facility, taking both funded and unfunded children.
Late last year staff were praised by Ofsted for their hard work to turn the school around in a short space of time.
During their last Ofsted inspection in November 2015, they were graded “good” in all areas, just nine months after being told that the pre-school required improvement.

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For the first time, ghost hunters will be treated to an evening look around the 12th Century building, which has “a variety of visitors which frequently visit after dark,” organisers say.

Back by popular demand, the Ely Ghost Walks will once again lead people along narrow passageways and dimly lit streets while being regaled with tales of scandal, death and despair.
Be prepared to walk alongside ghostly figures, as sightings are guaranteed on this guided evening tour.
Tracey Harding, tourism and town centres manager at East Cambridgeshire District Council said: “Building on the popularity of our established ghost tours, we are delighted to offer a new tour around Oliver Cromwell’s House this October.
“So whether you brave the streets of haunted Ely or dare to visit Cromwell’s House, we guarantee a memorable experience this Halloween.”
Tickets for both spooktacular tours must be pre-booked and are now on sale for a variety of dates in October.
For bookings, please call 01353 662062 or email tic@eastcambs.gov.uk
You can also check out www.facebook.com/cromwellshouse or visit www.olivercromwellshouse.co.uk for more information.

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Polling stations are open until 10pm at three locations.

The four candidates battling it out for the parish council role are Mark Cooney (Spotted in Ely), Richard Morgan (no description at time of standing), Edward Carlsson Browne (Labour Party), and John Yates (Independent).
The by-election for the City Council in Ely North ward was called after Ely businessman Simon Pittock decided to step down.
With six councillors, the North Ward is Ely’s biggest.
Polling stations:
Ely Community Centre (Larkfields), High Barns, Ely, CB7 4SB
Portacabin in Davison Road, Davison Road, Ely, CB7 4FF
St Michael & All Angels Church, The Hamlet Chettisham, Ely, CB6 1SB
More information can be found on the East Cambridgeshire District Council website.

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Campaigner Helen Wright gave the petition to Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) clinical chair Dr Gary Howsam during a public meeting at The Maltings.
Presenting the petition on behalf of its founder, Emma Watson, Ms Wright paid tribute to the “dedicated and, on some days, hardy group of volunteers” who manned a number of stalls on Ely’s marketplace to collect signatures.
“There was no need to persuade people to sign in support of the MIU continuing.
“Many parents, school staff, retail traders, and those who staff our GP practices and the Princess of Wales Hospital were among those who shook their heads as they signed and commented upon what they perceived to be the short-sightedness of such a proposition… a few used words which I am not going to repeat!
[fbvideo link=”https://www.facebook.com/SpottedInEly/videos/1248267818537332/” width=”500″ height=”400″ onlyvideo=”1″]
“Ely city residents, surrounding village populations and visitors alike are so very aware of the need for a facility which provides appropriate care in the locality. Those who manned the petition stall could recount large numbers of personal stories of attending the MIU.
“Members of our CCG, you have heard the enormous support for and reasoning against closure of the Ely MIU.”
Ms Wright told the CCG that she and other campaigners were “somewhat encouraged to hear of movements away from the closing of this vital, professional service which saves Addenbrookes A&E staff further overload and the stress of not being able to respond well to current demands on their facility.”
In the past, “when writing was in fashion”, an MP was asked to consider that each letter received represented the thoughts of many more constituents, “often up to 200 more”, she said.
“With this in mind I present this petition as representative of, may I suggest, the vast majority of Ely’s current 19,000 population, even with the future 6,000 residents predicted to be added as the city’s five year plan unfolds.”
Yesterday’s meeting was well attended, with Southeast Cambridgeshire MP Lucy Frazer among the dignitaries present.
During the meeting, the CCG presented six options regarding the future of threatened minor injuries units at Ely, Doddington and Wisbech:
1. Continue with existing services as before.
2. Close all MIUs and hand over their roles to primary care and local Accident and Emergency departments.
3. Reconfigure services in the Fens and East Cambridgeshire to create “an integrated local urgent care service”.
4. Close all but one of the MIUs in the Fens and East Cambridgeshires but develop this into an Urgent Care Centre, with additional responsibilities.
5. Close one of the MIUs and develop the remaining two into Urgent Care Centres.
6. Develop all MIUs into Urgent Care Centres.
The meeting was the second public forum held by the CCG in Ely, inviting people to have their say regarding the future of the three minor injuries units.
During the first meeting in August, Ely Mayor Ian Lindsay had argued that local health services should be expanded, rather than axed, to keep up with Ely’s population boom.
The meeting was called after a whistleblower leaked a secret document to Northeast Cambridgeshire MP Steve Barclay, recommending the closure of Minor Injury Units (MIUs) at Ely, Doddington and Wisbech.
The minor injuries unit at Ely’s Princess of Wales Hospital treats an average of 13,638 cases per year.
Although the local petition has been handed in, residents are urged to sign a second petition at https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/163267

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Members of a regional choir sang to holiday makers and church goers during a recent visit to Denmark – but it was their performance to refugees that moved them the most.
The 67 members of Sing! Choirs, made up of residents from Ely, Cambridge and Newmarket, boarded an early morning plane to Billund on August 24, after over a year of planning.
What followed was a feast of singing around Ribe, Ely’s twinned town in south-west Jutland, which has a population of 8168.
The Cambridgeshire choir sang together with local group Sing’n Swing, which led to many new friendships, Sing! Choirs director Kathryn Rowland said.
“An amazing choir of over 100 voices was formed and sang to a sell-out audience… A real ‘twinning’.
“Social media is full of happy pictures and stories.

Other venues included St Catherine’s church, Ribe Camping, where an audience of over 120 holiday makers came to listen and enjoy, and the Immigration and Refugee Centre in the nearby town of Hviding where the Sing! Choirs had an audience of over 80.
Kathryn said: “Of all the performances the one that will stay with me most is the one at the Immigration and Refugee Centre – words from the songs took on such different meanings when we sang here.
“Speaking to the refugees after and realising the small difference we had made in what are very complicated and desperate situations they are in.
“The images drawn by the children moved many choir members to tears.”
The Ribe trip was a massive success, with members already enquiring about future visits, Kathryn said.
“I loved Ribe – such a lovely place, we were so welcomed and I am so pleased that we have so many new Danish friends in a town that is celebrating 60 years of twinning with Ely.”

The visit followed a special performance by Sing! Choirs at The Maltings in Ely to celebrate the Ely-Ribe Twinning Committees’ celebration weekend in May 2015.
Sing! Choirs are always looking for more members. There are no auditions or need to read music. All you need is a love of singing.
For more information email kathryn@singchoirs.com or click here.

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From tomorrow (Saturday August 27) until Bank Holiday Monday (August 29), visitors to Ely Market can indulge in what the visiting continental market has to offer.
An array of food stalls will hold everything from freshly made paella, crepes and tartiflette to artisanal cheese, breads, olive oils and preserves. There will also be a variety of continental crafts available, including handmade Provençal soaps, amber jewellery, woodcarvings, objets d’art and fashion accessories.

On Saturday the continental market will be situated on Ely High Street alongside the weekly Craft and Collectables market and Farmers’ Market, on Market Place and Dolphin Lane.
It will then relocate to Ely Market Place alongside the weekly Sunday and bank holiday markets for Sunday and Monday. The market will be open from 10am until 4pm for all three days.

Emma Grima, Director of Corporate & Commercial Services, said: “The continental market brings a taste of summer to the city and complements our regular weekend Ely Markets perfectly. There’s something for all the family, whether you want to sample the delicious continental food or browse for a special gift.  The atmosphere is sure to be buzzing throughout the weekend and I hope residents and visitors alike take advantage of what Ely Markets have to offer.”
You’ll also find all your favourite Ely Markets stalls on the regular weekly Saturday Craft & Collectables Market, Farmers’ Market and Sunday Market alongside the Continental visitors this weekend.

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During the weekend’s heatwave, the service saw a surge in 999 calls. Over a 72 hour period (15^th-17^th July), the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) received an average 3,370 daily calls, compared to an average 3,075 daily calls in what was our busiest period this year at Easter.
One of the Trust’s area clinical leads Dan Phillips said: “We are all happy to have some warm and sunny weather and want everyone to make the most of it, but enjoy it and not end up needing to call 999. Our tips are especially helpful for people to share with family or friends who may not be online or who need some extra support in their care.”
The service suggests the following tips to stay safe in the sun:

• Wear loose, cool clothing, and a hat and sunglasses if you go outdoors
• Stay out of the sun between 11am and 3pm if you’ve vulnerable to the effects of heat
• Stay in touch with friends, neighbours, and relatives who may be less able to look after themselves
• Drink cool drinks regularly such as water and avoid excess caffeine and alcohol
• Wear sun cream

Remember that if you need medical help and it is not an emergency, please call 111, the NHS non-emergency help line which is open 24 hours a day or see your GP or pharmacist.
Dan added: “It is important to also be extra careful around open water. Every year we are called out to incidents where people need help in lakes, rivers, ponds, quarries and canals and need emergency medical care. One poor decision could lead to a serious situation.”
Open water can contain a number hazards including unseen debris, near freezing temperatures and vicious undercurrents. The cold water can also numb your arms and legs which could lead to hypothermia – a serious reduction in body temperature.
Twitter users can now follow #999summer and the NHS campaign #staywell for more information and inspiration.

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It’s been a busy time for the East Anglian Air Ambulance, with the helicopter called out nine times in the space of just four days.

On Thursday night, at about 11pm, the air ambulance was called to Little Downham, after a man in his 80s suffered a cardiac arrest. He was treated at the scene before being airlifted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.
Shortly after 6pm earlier that day, the EAAA was called to Cambridge to help a cyclist in his 60s whose bike had been involved in a car crash. He was extricated by Cambridge Fire Service and then treated by air ambulance medics. He was then taken by the East of England Ambulance Service to Addenbrooke’s.
On Friday, at 4.30pm, the rescue helicopter was sent to a road smash in Norwich. The team treated two patients in their 60s who were taken taken by land ambulance to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
The air ambulance was sent out again at 8.40pm, this time to Wisbech, after a man in his 40s suffered serious burns. The patient was treated at the scene before being transported by land ambulance to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn.
Three hours later, the team was called out to Newmarket, following a suspected hit and run. A man in his late 20s suffered serious injuries after being allegedly run over by a car. The driver then reportedly drove off. The EAAA treated the patient at the scene. He was then taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital by land ambulance. Police are investigating and calling for witnesses to come forward.
At 10.42am on Saturday the air ambulance was called out to Southery, north of Littleport, after a man in his 60s suffered exposure to smoke. He was treated on site before being airlifted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
At 3.43pm the helicopter was sent out to Leiston in Suffolk, to treat a man in his early 70s involved in a road crash. He was taken by land ambulance to Ipswich Hospital after being treated for his injuries.
At midday on Sunday air ambulance staff assisted a man in his 60s who came off his motorbike in Cambridge. He was then taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital by land ambulance.
And at 2.42pm that day they were called out to Norwich to treat a young boy who suffered a limb injury after falling in a playground. He was sedated and treated at the scene before being transferred by land ambulance to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

Since its launch in 2000 the East Anglian Air Ambulance has attended over 16,000 lifesaving missions. Its crew comprises specialist pre-hospital doctors and critical care paramedics, operating out of two high-tech helicopters from Norwich and Cambridge.

A registered charity, it is the first air ambulance in the country to attend helicopter emergency medical incidents in the hours of darkness to unknown and unlit sites.

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The land is close to the Tesco ‘Click and Collect’ depot at The Dock. Subject to obtaining planning approval, the Council is aiming to provide at least 100 new car parking spaces and a lit walkway linking the new carpark to the existing car parking facility at Angel Drove.

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