The Knife Angel, made from over 100,000 seized blades, was created by the British Ironwork Centre to highlight the negative effects of violent behaviour and the need for change.

Councillor Anna Bailey, Leader of East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “We hope the Knife Angel’s presence will spark conversations of knife crime and the devasting consequences on individuals, families and communities.

“The East Cambs Community Safety Partnership brings together partners to protect the local community from crime. Their work with schools in our district to raise awareness of knife crime and the implications is much respected and is replicated in other areas.

“The arrival of the Knife Angel during Knife Crime Awareness Week is an opportunity for a powerful message, highlighting the work happening every day to keep our young people safe. Impactful interventions from the CSP, police, youth professionals, parents, carers and communities can come together to create real change in young lives.”

Throughout the sculpture’s stay there is a heavy emphasis on education, with the East Cambs CSP working with local schools to facilitate visits, workshops and programmes supporting prevention and early intervention.

Lis Every, Chair of the East Cambs CSP said: “The students will gain a great deal from participating in these sessions and I know the CSP will continue to build upon their strong foundation with the heightened awareness of the Knife Angel.

“We are grateful that knife crime in Cambridgeshire is low compared to the national level, however, no one should underestimate the impact it has.”

The stunning sculpture will be located on Palace Green, opposite Ely Cathedral, from 20 May until 17 June. Fully accessible to the public throughout its stay, the sculpture is free to attend, seven days a week.

Anna added: “The sculpture has been on tour since 2018 and we are extremely proud to be the host for its first visit to Cambridgeshire; we would encourage everyone to visit while it is here and use this as a catalyst to start those difficult but essential conversations.”

The visit coincides with a knife amnesty, with the police encouraging people to surrender weapons safely, helping to prevent further harm.

Visitors attending the Knife Angel can find information for parking and toilets on the council’s website: https://eastcambs.gov.uk/services/parking-open-spaces-and-toilets/parking-travel-and-tourism

The post Knife Angel Sharpens Focus on Knife Crime in Ely appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

County to welcome “powerful” knife monument

Cambridgeshire is set to host a 27-foot-tall monument created to raise awareness of knife crime and its devastating impact on individuals, families and communities.

The nationally recognised Knife Angel will be at Palace Green, in Ely, opposite the Ely Cathedral from 20 May to 17 June.

It will be free to attend, open seven days a week and accessible to the public throughout its stay.

The opening ceremony on 20 May will see speakers including High Sheriff Frances Burkitt, Police and Crime Commissioner Darryl Preston, Chief Constable Simon Megicks, Chief Fire Officer Matthew Warren and knife crime campaigner and spoken word artist Quinton Green.

The Knife Angel was created by sculptor Alfie Bradley at the British Ironwork Centre. It has been crafted from more than 100,000 knives and blades confiscated by police forces across the UK and serves as a powerful symbol of the human cost of knife crime and violence.

This will be the sculpture’s first visit to Cambridgeshire, which will coincide with a knife amnesty, encouraging people to safely surrender weapons and helping to prevent further harm.

Throughout the Knife Angel’s stay, there will be a strong focus on education and engagement, particularly with young people. Secondary school visits are scheduled for 2, 9 and 16 June, with workshops and programmes taking place on those days to support prevention and early intervention.

The project is being delivered by Soham Town Rangers Football Club in collaboration with partners including the Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner, Cambridgeshire County Council, East Cambridgeshire District Council and Ely Cathedral.

National Lottery funding has largely covered the costs of the Knife Angel and local businesses have also contributed, with recovery firm, Manchetts, transporting the Angel and local community group, Men’s Shed in Soham, making the picket fence which will surround it.

Police and Crime Commissioner, Darryl Preston said: “I welcome the Knife Angel to Cambridgeshire. Its message of anti-violence is clear and moving. Whilst we may not have the scale of knife crime that is seen in some parts of the country, sadly Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are not immune to these issues. Hosting the Knife Angel will illustrate to communities, in Ely and across the wider county, the devastating effect of knife crime. It’s also an opportunity to engage our communities, particularly young people, to make them more aware of the risks and consequences of knife carrying. I will continue to work with partners to support their efforts to prevent serious violence.”

Superintendent Paul Rogerson said: “Knife crime is thankfully low in Cambridgeshire in comparison with national levels. However, every single incident leaves lasting harm on individuals, families and communities and the Knife Angel is a powerful reminder of the real human cost behind every blade. By bringing the sculpture to Cambridgeshire, alongside a knife amnesty, we want to encourage people to think twice, surrender weapons safely and have honest conversations about how we prevent violence before it happens.”

The project will also support East Anglian Air Ambulance, who will be holding a range of activities throughout the Knife Angel’s stay in Ely. These will include delivering CPR and defibrillator training, as well as holding collections and opportunities for the community to learn more about the charity’s lifesaving work.

Tammy Swiderski, Community Fundraising Lead at East Anglian Air Ambulance, said: “We are honoured to have been chosen as the benefiting charity for the Knife Angel’s visit to Ely. The installation is a powerful reminder of the impact of serious violence and the role we all play in preventing it. As a charity, we bring the hospital to the patient’s side in the fastest time possible for the most seriously ill and injured people in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, so this message deeply resonates with our crews. With no regular government funding, every mission is made possible by public support and working with local partners on events like this helps raise awareness of the importance of keeping this lifesaving service flying.”

The Knife Angel’s visit aims to spark conversations, educate communities about the consequences of carrying knives, and reinforce the message that violence can be prevented through collective action.

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Shaped by public feedback, this year’s festival will feature a range of new additions alongside the much loved atmosphere that has helped make it one of the village’s best loved annual events.

Visitors can look forward to more choice, more fun and more festival in 2026, including a bigger drinks offering, a broader food line up, more for children and teenagers, a skate park takeover, live music all weekend and a few more surprises.

Alongside the usual selection of beer, cider, gin, prosecco and Pimms, this year’s event will also introduce a keg bar, lagers, wine, long vodka drinks and cocktails.

The food offering is being expanded too, with a wider range of vendors aimed at reducing queues and offering more choice, including more gluten free and vegetarian options.

Younger visitors are set to benefit from more affordable children’s activities and a range of free attractions, including an art competition, treasure hunt, graffiti workshop and the popular Connections Bus, packed with board games, games consoles, crafts and more.

New for 2026 is a skate park takeover across the weekend, complete with a coach on hand to help festivalgoers learn new tricks or show off existing ones. Scooters and skateboards will both be welcome.

Live music will once again be a major part of the weekend, with a strong line up of bands, acts and musicians booked across the festival.

Pete Hawkins, on behalf of the Haddenham Beer Festival committee, said:

“Haddenham Beer Festival has always been about bringing people together for a fantastic weekend while raising money for local good causes. This year we’ve listened carefully to feedback and are building on everything people already love about the event. There will be more choice, more for families, more entertainment and the same brilliant community spirit that makes the festival so special.”

The festival has now raised more than £100,000 for local good causes, with more than £10,000 typically raised each year. Organisers say that success would not have been possible without the support of sponsors, volunteers and the wider local community.

This year’s key sponsors are David Clarke, Team Sprayers, Haddenham Lawn Care, Sid Bibby, CD Hood, Oakes & Watson and Masters. Businesses interested in sponsoring the event are encouraged to email Shelley at info@haddenham.beer.

Local charities and good causes hoping to receive a donation from Haddenham Beer Festival this year are invited to email Nick at info@haddenham.beer by 28 June 2026. Early applications are encouraged.

The committee is also calling for more volunteers to help make the weekend possible. Volunteers are needed behind the bar, on the BBQ, and to help with setup on Thursday 25 June and take-down on Monday 29 June. Anyone interested in getting involved is encouraged to email Suzie at info@haddenham.beer

Stall bookings are also now open for local businesses, charities and community groups wanting to showcase what they do to thousands of people across the weekend. Pitches cost £15 per day, with free pitches available for local charities and good causes. Anyone interested in booking a stall should email Alison at info@haddenham.beer

Further announcements about Haddenham Beer Festival 2026 will be made over the coming weeks.

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The Stained Glass Museum in Ely, Cambridgeshire, has been awarded Designated Status by Arts Council England, placing it among a select group of institutions whose collections are recognised as being of national significance. This prestigious accolade celebrates the exceptional range, quality, and importance of the museum’s collection, which spans more than 800 years of stained glass history.

Designated status has been awarded to the museum’s entire collection, including its collection of glass, preparatory designs and cartoons, and specialist tools and sample materials used to make stained glass, recognising it as one of the most significant collections of its kind in the country.

Founded in 1972, The Stained Glass Museum has spent more than five decades championing the artistic, technical and cultural importance of stained glass. This prestigious recognition acknowledges the museum’s leading role in using its collections to promote research, conservation and public engagement with this unique art form. Designated Status is granted to only a small number of non-national museums, galleries, libraries and archives across England and Wales. It is a mark of distinction that demonstrates how collections play a significant role in deepening our understanding of the world and our shared cultural heritage. This award acknowledges The Stained Glass
Museum’s proactive commitment to developing its collections, and its dedication to improving research and interpretation to further the understanding and enjoyment of stained glass for diverse audiences, both now and in the future.

Dr Jasmine Allen, Director and Curator at The Stained Glass Museum says: “Achieving Designated status is a real accomplishment for our team, and an important step towards achieving our vision for the museum to be ‘a national centre for the enjoyment and understanding of stained glass through storytelling, creativity and research’. It underlines the important role The Stained Glass Museum’s collections play in the public understanding of the history and development of stained glass in Britain – not only through our public gallery, learning, outreach and events programme, but also through research projects, partnerships, publications, conferences, and increasingly loans to other cultural institutions.”

Mark Hosea, Chair of the Board of Trustees of The Stained Glass Museum added: “We are delighted to have been awarded Designated Status by Arts Council England, recognizing the significance of the entire collection of The Stained Glass Museum. The strength and depth of the collection was fully acknowledged by the expert assessment panel who recognized its ‘comprehensive representation of stained glass as a national craft, including significant artworks, technological developments, and links to endangered craft skills’. We hope that this Designated Status will act as a foundation for future growth and help us to strengthen existing and develop new partnerships, secure further funding, and help facilitate and generate new research into stained glass as a living art form with a long and rich tradition in this country.”

Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England said: “The Stained Glass Museum’s Collection tells the story of British and international stained glass making over nine centuries. Alongside the beauty and expertise to be found in the panels on display, visitors can also track significant periods of change for society, and eventually see the world we live in reflected back at them. This expertly curated and cared-for museum is a significant addition to our network of designated collections. Congratulations to The Stained Glass Museum on this achievement, which recognises collections of national significance.”

© The Stained Glass Museum

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The apples, arranged by club member Chris Lee, were gathered by Rotarians Richard Tyler, Viv Doji, Richard Riley, Mike Axford, Kate Devine, Phil Smith, Lilian Umeakunne (who also took the photos), and Benard Arnold. They were joined by Caroline and Bill Hammill, making it a real community effort.

Once picked, members set to work peeling, stewing and bagging the apples ready for freezing. These will later be thawed, filled into individual trays, and topped with pre-cooked crumble to create the much-loved apple crumbles sold at the Fayre.

Ely’s Apple and Harvest Fayre (previously known as Apple Day) takes place on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th October 2025, from 10am to 4pm each day. Visitors can look forward to a true taste of Ely, with the famous Rotary apple crumbles at the heart of the celebrations.

Rosemary Westwell, on behalf of Ely Rotary Club, said:

“This annual tradition brings our members and the community together in such a positive way. It’s hard work, but the results are worth it when we see the smiles on people’s faces enjoying a slice of Ely’s autumn harvest.”

New members are always welcome to join the Rotary Club of Ely, although, as members joked, “it’s unlikely they’ll be asked to pick 100 kilos of apples more than once a year!”

For more information or to get involved, email info@rotaryclubofely.co.uk

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Stagecoach East has consistently delivered great value options for travel and, with the new fares, Adults can now get unlimited travel for less than the price of a high-street latte.

But customers should decide which ticket is best for them. This can often be a period-ticket, like a 28 Day MegaRider, which will now provide Adults with unlimited travel, in a Town Zone, for just £3.21 a day, or a 7-Day Megarider, which will offer the same for £3.71 per day. For Youth passengers, the daily prices will be just £2.25 and £2.61.

If you prefer to be more flexible, a Flexi 10 ticket, bought through the Stagecoach App, for Adults, in a Town Zone, is just £4.55 per day and Flexi 5’s £5.20. Again, for Youth passengers, the prices will be £3.22 and £3.68.

An Annual Student Pass will cost just from just £1.62 per day and children under five will travel for free.

All the information on tickets and fares is available on the Stagecoach App.

Stagecoach East will remain part of the government’s £3 fare cap meaning that you will never pay more than £3 for a single journey.

Darren Roe, Managing Director of Stagecoach East, said: “Traveling by bus will always provide outstanding value as a way to get out and about – as an adult, you can travel around all day for less than the price of a high-street coffee!

“But, I always try to encourage customers to compare the options available because you should never pay more than you need. Ask your driver for advice on the best value ticket for you.

“The Stagecoach App is a great way to compare ticket options and, if you ‘buy before you board’, it can also help to keep services to time – particularly during the busy periods.”

The full new price list, per day – offering unlimited travel from first bus to last:

Town Zones – Adult

DayRider £6.50

Flexi 5 £5.20

Flexi 10 £4.55

7 Day MegaRider £3.71

28 Day MegaRider £3.21

MegaRider Xtra £3.21

Small Group £9.50

Large Group £14

Town Zones – Youth

DayRider £4.60

Flexi 5 £3.68

Flexi 10 £3.22

7 Day MegaRider £2.63

28 Day MegaRider £2.25

Annual Student £1.62

Tiger Fares £1 for a single fare, with a Tiger Card – details at https://cambridgeshirepeterborough-ca.gov.uk/onepoundbusfare/.

Plus Zones – Adult

DayRider £10.50

Flexi 5 £8.40

Flexi 10 £7.35

7 Day MegaRider £6.00

28 Day MegaRider £5.00

MegaRider Xtra £5.00

Small Group £13.50

Large Group £22

Plus Zones – Youth

DayRider £7.50

Flexi 5 £6.00

Flexi 10 £5.25

7 Day MegaRider £4.29

28 Day MegaRider £3.50

Annual Student £1.99

Tiger Fares £1 for a single fare, with a Tiger Card – details at https://cambridgeshirepeterborough-ca.gov.uk/onepoundbusfare/.

— To find out more about local bus routes and services, and to track your local bus, you can download the Stagecoach Bus App from https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/national/stagecoachbusapp.

The post LOCAL BUS OPERATOR URGES PASSENGERS TO ‘NEVER PAY MORE THAN YOU NEED’ AFTER ANNOUNCING NEW GREAT VALUE FARES appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Stagecoach East’s drivers have an outstanding reputation for helping vulnerable customers, but not all specific needs are obvious or visible, so a Journey Assistance Card can give the information to make sure you get the extra assistance that you need. The cards read:

• Please be patient I am visually impaired
• Please give me time to sit in case I fall down
• Please speak slowly and face me to help me hear better
• Please count my change for me
• Please be patient I am deaf
• Please tell me when we reach my stop…
• Please speak slowly I am hard of hearing
• Please be patient I have a hidden disability
• Please be patient I have difficulty speaking
• Please scan my pass for me
• Please help me find a seat
• Please let me know when we get to…

If you are, or if you know, a bus passenger who would benefit from an Assistance Card, they can order them online and they are completely free. Just look up “Stagecoach Journey Assistance Cards” in a search engine, or else go to: https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/national/journey-assistance-cards

Darren Roe, Managing Director of Stagecoach East, said: “Our Drivers pride themselves on offering the best possible service, but we know that sometimes our customers can be nervous to explain what they need, so our Journey Assistance Cards can really help to make the journey that bit easier.

“Don’t forget: we’ve got you – get on board with an assistance card and we will give you the help you need to have an effortless and comfortable journey.”

To find out whether you are eligible for over-60’s bus pass and to apply for one, go to: https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/national/concessionary-travel-over-60s-bus-pass

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For just £29.50, The Ely Passport offers discounted entry to four of the city’s must-see attractions: Ely Cathedral, Ely Museum, The Stained-Glass Museum, and Oliver Cromwell’s House. With just one ticket, visitors gain access to an immersive experience of Ely’s extraordinary history, architecture, art and culture – all within a convenient 48-hour period.

The Passport has been created with both value and flexibility in mind. Whether you’re in the city for a day or a weekend, the 48-hour window allows ample time to explore each venue at your own pace, while still leaving room to enjoy Ely’s charming cafes, independent shops, riverside walks and welcoming pubs. Multiple entry to Ely Cathedral is also available, just in case you miss something and want to return during your stay.

“The Ely Passport is a fantastic way for visitors to experience the very best of our city in an easy, affordable and enjoyable way. By working together, our attractions are offering not just great value for money, but a joined-up visitor experience that encourages people to stay longer, explore more and discover everything Ely has to offer – from its heritage and culture to its shops, cafes and riverside walks.” Anna Bennett, Tourism Manager Visit Ely

The launch of the Ely Passport marks a milestone in collaborative tourism for the city. Ely Cathedral, Ely Museum, The Stained-Glass Museum and Oliver Cromwell’s House have worked closely together on the initiative, highlighting the power of partnership to enhance the visitor experience and support the local economy.

Each attraction offers a unique perspective on Ely’s rich and diverse story, from the awe-inspiring beauty of the Cathedral and the vibrant artistry of The Stained-Glass Museum to the engaging historical narratives found in Ely Museum and Oliver Cromwell’s House. Together, they provide a captivating picture of a city steeped in heritage and alive with culture.

The Ely Passport can be purchased at any of the participating attractions and is valid for 48 consecutive hours from the first use. It’s ideal for individuals, couples and families seeking a cost-effective way to discover the highlights of Ely without the hassle of multiple bookings.

With summer just around the corner, there’s never been a better time to discover, or rediscover, what Ely has to offer. The Ely Passport is your key to unlocking the best of the city on one simple, great-value ticket.

For more information, including pricing, opening times and where to buy the Ely Passport, please visit the links

To buy on-line  https://shorturl.at/YGwqo

To purchase in person: https://www.visitely.org.uk/the-ely-passport/

The post Explore More, Spend Less: Ely’s Top Attractions Join Forces to Launch the Money-Saving Ely Passport appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

As part of the redisplay, over a third of the museum’s gallery was rehung, with fourteen recently acquired acquisitions placed on display for the first time and the number of works by women artists in the gallery also increased by more than a third. 

Amongst the new stained glass exhibits that can now be seen are artworks by Arts and Crafts pioneer Christopher Whall, Scottish modernist Douglas Strachan and leading Irish expressionist Evie Hone, modern post war German craftsmen such as Johannes Schreiter and Joachim Klos, as well as contemporary painter Hughie O’Donoghue RA and glass artist Grace Ayson. Supplementing the new 20th and 21st century displays are some beautiful 17th century domestic and heraldic pieces, enhancing the museum’s chronological permanent gallery which includes examples from the medieval period through to the present day.

The museum closed for a week in November to enable the redisplay, which was generously funded by The Headley Trust. The works were carried out by the museum’s small team of staff with carpentry assistance from local firm Coulsons, and bespoke metal frames provided by Neil Wilton of The Stained Glass Display Company.

Earlier this week The Stained Glass Museum marked this significant milestone in its history with celebration events and were honoured to have in attendance HM Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire Mrs. Julie Spence OBE CStJ QPM, as well as the Mayor and Mayoress of Ely, alongside many Friends, volunteers and supporters of the museum.  Several artists and conservators who have designed, made or helped conserve works on display in the gallery were also in attendance. The Lord Lieutenant, Mrs. Spence, addressed attendees – and in her speech praised the efforts of the museum’s team and highlighted the museum’s importance and significance as a cultural asset.

The event also marked the official launch of an exciting new Collections Fund – and the ambition to reach £500,000 in gifts and pledges by 2029 to help care for and further develop these unique collections and ensure they are available for future generations.

The Stained Glass Museum’s collection has grown significantly in the last forty years since the museum first opened to the public. Since 2000 the collection has evolved to include many beautiful examples from a variety of secular and sacred buildings from across the United Kingdom, Europe and beyond. Many of these acquisitions were made possible with the support of the Art Fund, the V&A Purchase Fund, and many generous individual donations.

Jasmine Allen, Curator of The Stained Glass Museum says;

“This is the largest redisplay The Stained Glass Museum has undertaken since the present gallery opened in the south triforium of Ely Cathedral in 2000. We are really pleased to have been able to showcase some of the recent acquisitions we have made to enhance and diversify the collection. We now call on those who care about the future of this precious collection to consider donating or pledging to the new Collections Fund and play a part in ensuring its survival for the future!”

The Stained Glass Museum is delighted to have reopened its doors after a major redisplay of its 20th and 21st century collections. More works than ever before are now on display in the museum’s permanent gallery, located in the south triforium of Ely Cathedral.

As part of the redisplay, over a third of the museum’s gallery was rehung, with fourteen recently acquired acquisitions placed on display for the first time and the number of works by women artists in the gallery also increased by more than a third. 

Amongst the new stained glass exhibits that can now be seen are artworks by Arts and Crafts pioneer Christopher Whall, Scottish modernist Douglas Strachan and leading Irish expressionist Evie Hone, modern post war German craftsmen such as Johannes Schreiter and Joachim Klos, as well as contemporary painter Hughie O’Donoghue RA and glass artist Grace Ayson. Supplementing the new 20th and 21st century displays are some beautiful 17th century domestic and heraldic pieces, enhancing the museum’s chronological permanent gallery which includes examples from the medieval period through to the present day.

The museum closed for a week in November to enable the redisplay, which was generously funded by The Headley Trust. The works were carried out by the museum’s small team of staff with carpentry assistance from local firm Coulsons, and bespoke metal frames provided by Neil Wilton of The Stained Glass Display Company.

Earlier this week The Stained Glass Museum marked this significant milestone in its history with celebration events and were honoured to have in attendance HM Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire Mrs. Julie Spence OBE CStJ QPM, as well as the Mayor and Mayoress of Ely, alongside many Friends, volunteers and supporters of the museum.  Several artists and conservators who have designed, made or helped conserve works on display in the gallery were also in attendance. The Lord Lieutenant, Mrs. Spence, addressed attendees – and in her speech praised the efforts of the museum’s team and highlighted the museum’s importance and significance as a cultural asset.

The event also marked the official launch of an exciting new Collections Fund – and the ambition to reach £500,000 in gifts and pledges by 2029 to help care for and further develop these unique collections and ensure they are available for future generations.

The Stained Glass Museum’s collection has grown significantly in the last forty years since the museum first opened to the public. Since 2000 the collection has evolved to include many beautiful examples from a variety of secular and sacred buildings from across the United Kingdom, Europe and beyond. Many of these acquisitions were made possible with the support of the Art Fund, the V&A Purchase Fund, and many generous individual donations.

Jasmine Allen, Curator of The Stained Glass Museum says;

“This is the largest redisplay The Stained Glass Museum has undertaken since the present gallery opened in the south triforium of Ely Cathedral in 2000. We are really pleased to have been able to showcase some of the recent acquisitions we have made to enhance and diversify the collection. We now call on those who care about the future of this precious collection to consider donating or pledging to the new Collections Fund and play a part in ensuring its survival for the future!”

Images © The Stained Glass Museum

About The Stained Glass Museum

The Stained Glass Museum, the United Kingdom’s only museum dedicated to the art of stained glass, is housed in the south triforium of Ely Cathedral. The museum houses an internationally significant collection of windows spanning eight centuries, illustrating the development of the art from the medieval period to the present day. HM King Charles III is the museums Patron.

For more information on the museum’s new Collections Fund, please visit https://stainedglassmuseum.com/collectionsfund

The Stained Glass Museum, South Triforium, Ely Cathedral, Ely, CB7 4DL

For more information visit www.stainedglassmuseum.com

About The Headley Trust

The Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts run The Headley Trust for UK registered charities for projects in the following areas: arts and heritage UK, cathedrals and major churches, arts and heritage overseas, developing countries, education, and health and social welfare.Press Contact: For further information about this exhibition please contact 01353 660347 or email the Curator, Jasmine Allen curator@stainedglassmuseum.com

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Giant postcards, designed by children’s illustrator Ella Beech, share personal messages from nine animals who live in wetland habitats around the world.  Dotted across 1.4km of trail exploring part of our 1,300 acre wetland centre, those on the adventure trail at WWT Welney use a trail map to find the postcards and discover new wetlands and the animals that thrive within them. 

Created to offer an unforgettable experience, the postcard trail will encompass all corners and habitats of the WWT centre, so not only will explorers read what’s happening in wetlands across the globe, but see, up close and personal, the interesting species enjoying the summer months at WWT Welney. 

This includes close up views of our high flying summer visitors like swallows and house martins nesting and caring for chicks at our main hide. Watching mute and whooper swan families with their ‘ugly ducklings’ on the pools and waterways viewed from our hides and trails. Making contact with otherworldly creatures at our moth mornings (Tuesdays each week), spotting day flying moths and colourful butterflies whilst bug hunting throughout our wetlands. Getting eye to eye with dragonflies and damselflies, some of them daintily flying over the grasses and wildflowers, whilst others find a sunny spot to perch and await a mate.  The wealth of insect life is a vital part of the wetland ecosystem, both above the water’s surface and below. 

Families completing the trail will have a WWT Welney postcard, so they may share their amazing experience and what they’ve learnt about wildlife and nature with a loved one.

Emma Brand, Events & Marketing Officer at WWT Welney, said: “We love sharing the wonder of the wetlands with families and can’t wait to welcome them this summer for a truly memorable day out. The postcard trail offers a real opportunity for them to explore nature and learn more about wildlife, both here and around the world.  It’s a completely unique experience families simply won’t find anywhere else.” 

The postcard trail is part of an on-going programme of summer 2024 activities at WWT Welney that includes pond dipping, exploring nature with play, getting up close to insects whilst bug hunting, meeting otherworldly creatures at moth mornings and other activities. Families who want to get involved just need to pick up a trail map at the visitor centre.  More information about this activity and all the exciting and educational things to do at WWT Welney can be found at www.wwt.org.uk/welney

Participating in WWT Welney’s postcard trail is included with an admission ticket or is free to WWT members. 

The trail will run from Saturday 20th July until the end of the school summer holidays, full details can be found at https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/welney/whats-on/summer-postcard-trail-6 

Press release from WWT Welney Wetland Centre

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Curated by Visual Arts Advisor Jacquiline Creswell, the exhibition prompts reflection on the extent to which individuals may support each other and can be interpreted as an enquiry into one’s moral responsibility toward others. 

Sean Henry presents over 25 hand painted terracotta and bronze figures, which will populate the vacant plinths, tombs and niches situated throughout this ancient medieval Cathedral. 

His life like figures are of varying size from 38cm up to 3m in height, they capture the human form with compassion, depicting the emotions, struggles and joys that define us as human. Sean says ,“We don’t know who they are, and while the figures might seem familiar and, I hope, emotionally present, the ambiguity around their status is an important part of how and why we engage with them.”

Sean Henry’s work has been exhibited worldwide including Europe, Australasia and the US. Many of his sculptures have been installed in a number of locations across the globe from the Artic Circle in Norway to the South Island of New Zealand. Since 2015, his sculpture of Sir Tim Bernes Lee, founder of the World Wide Web, has been part of the permanent collection in the National Portrait Gallery. He has been represented by the Osborne Samuel Gallery in London since 1999.  

Am I My Brother’s Keeper runs from April 26th through to September 1st and is included in the Cathedral admission ticket. 

The exhibition will be formally opened by The Rt Hon Lucy Frazer KC MP, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in May. 

For further information and Cathedral admission tickets please visit www.elycathedral.org

Press release from Ely Cathedral

The post Ely Cathedral to Host Thought Provoking Exhibition by Celebrated Artist and Sculptor appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

You’ll find the event team at Cross Green from 10 am, Saturday 4th May as they prepare the annual parade. Our crown adorned eel will and volunteers, followed by a samba band and six morris and molly dance groups, the parade will depart at 10.30 am.  Once arrived at Jubilee Gardens, the samba band will continue to play!  This will be followed with a short speech from the Mayor of Ely, Cllr Chris Phillips as he officially opens the show and commemorate 50 Years of the city of ely council, and official city status. It is a time for all of us to celebrate what a fantastic city we have.

The City of Ely Council event (organised by Visit Ely) is sponsored by the ely riverside quarter restaurants, Grovemere Property and The Old Warehouse – and we are proud to say this year is bigger and better than ever. The environment agency in attendance with their elvers tank, eels to throw in our famous competition (not real!), and to eat – fresh from the seafood/fish stall.

Appearing in the arena on Eel Day (4th May) you can enjoy many dance displays and Sing Choirs!, face painting, small fairground and of course eel throwing and more. We will also be entertained by various acts selected from Ely Folk Festival line up, so please come and along and support.

Sunday and Monday (5th and 6th May) we move up to Palace and Cross Green to continue celebrating the city of Ely with a Food, Drink and Craft Fayre! There is a few returning delights and many new and exciting traders attending the 2024 celebration. This is chance to browse, taste, purchase (we hope!) and relax in the lovely surroundings! There will be musical entertainment on both areas for you to enjoy, so pitch up your deckchair and have fun! 

Anna Bennett, Tourism and Events Manager has quoted ‘Once again we bring you this fantastic three-day event, full of things to see and do. Please do and come for the whole weekend and celebrate Ely with us, there is plenty to see and do! We have great train links to Ely, and of course free parking, but do remember to plan your journey in advance to avoid disappointment.’

For a full list of traders attending and what’s on, please refer to our website: www.visitely.org.uk and our social media channels, Facebook/Twitter/Instagram.

If you have any questions regarding the event, please send an email to info@visitely.org.uk

Press release from Visit Ely

The post Celebrating 50 years of City Status – Eel Day Festival 2024 appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The acquisition was made possible thanks to funding from Art Fund and The Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund.

Beauty Tricks is a commentary on notions of beauty, body image and representation in modern society. It was made in 2017 by Pinkie Maclure (b. 1966), a contemporary Scottish multidisciplinary artist and musician based in Argyll, Scotland.  

The “beauty of stained glass allows you to talk about the ugly” – Pinkie Maclure

Maclure’s artworks explore a range of personal and contemporary social issues including addiction, insomnia, and humanity’s destructive nature often in relation to the environment. Beauty Tricks speaks to contemporary issues including body image, eating disorders and body dysmorphia, surgical modification, the cosmetic industry, fast fashion, capitalism and the environment.  

Beauty Tricks (2017) depicts a young blond-haired woman wearing a decorative pink dress and purple cloak. Her arms are outstretched in a pose deliberately mimicking an image of the Virgin Mary known as the Madonna of Mercy from an Italian Renaissance altarpiece. Yet this religious icon is transformed by Maclure into a contemporary image of a willing victim of the beauty and fashion industry, with a halo of Botox needles and scalpels, and her torso marked for plastic surgery. The vivid bright blue, pink, yellow and purple colour palette is an unusual combination in stained glass, but deliberately chosen by the artist to reference not only the Virgin Mary but also the so-called colours of femininity.  

Around this central image are various images, motifs and slogans associated with the construction and representation of beauty and knowledge, including a young woman shooting at a mirror, a grandma knitting barbie dolls, flowers in various stages of bloom, discarded beauty products, palm trees and snails (from which ingredients for some beauty products are derived). The artwork critiques the human and environmental impact of the beauty industry and the pressure women sometimes place on themselves and each other.  

Jasmine Allen, Director of the Museum said: ‘We are delighted to have acquired this contemporary stained glass artwork with the generous support of Art Fund and the Arts Council/V&A Purchase Grant Scheme. Beauty Tricks is a visually compelling and seductive work which continues the long-standing tradition of storytelling in stained glass, and explores themes of beauty, judgement and self-worth, inviting us to reflect on a range of issues. It is a wonderful addition to our growing collection.’

Beauty Tricks was made in 2017 for an exhibition entitled Art of Glass, held at the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, and presented in partnership with The National Centre for Craft & Design, 6 April – 16 September 2018. It was shortlisted for the John Ruskin Prize and featured in their ‘Agents of Change; exhibition in Manchester in 2019. Beauty Tricks was also exhibited as part of Pinkie Maclure’s solo show at the CCA, Glasgow, 17 June – 9 September 2023.

Beauty Tricks is now on display in the main gallery of The Stained Glass Museum, inside Ely Cathedral. Standard admission to the museum is £6.00 for adults, accompanied under 16s are free. Tickets are valid as annual admission passes for one year from date of entry. Entry is free for National Art Pass holders.  

Press release from The Stained Glass Museum

The post ‘Beauty Tricks’ – Stained Glass Museum Acquires New Contemporary Artwork by Artist  Pinkie Maclure appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

To celebrate this migratory miracle, the wetland site is putting on a range of events to allow people to get closer to the swans and witness what is widely believed to be one of the season’s most spectacular events in UK nature.

Whooper swans from Iceland far outnumber the much rarer Bewick’s swans from Arctic Russia, but this is one of the few places where these winter travellers can be seen side by side along with our native mute swans. After spending their summers in the far north, pairs who have successfully bred have now shown their cygnets the migration for the first time.

Along with daily commented swan feeds, there will also be weekend events where visitors can watch these beautiful birds in a very special setting.

On Saturday and Sunday evenings, the site is hosting Floodlit Swan Feeds where, from the comfort of a warm hide, people can witness the birds flying in at dusk to have their last meal of the day. And on selected dates throughout winter, early risers can watch the birds waking up on the wetlands with one of the reserve’s wardens.

The events are a perfect pre and post-Christmas experience and a fantastic opportunity to leave the screens at home and explore the wildlife on your doorstep, taking in the sights and sounds of migratory birds arriving from distant lands.

Whilst the swans are the stars of the show, there is so much more to enjoy. From flocks of red-headed pochard ducks, to shoals of wading birds like godwits and plovers and the captivating views of birds of prey with harriers and owls. Take a walk with a guide to encounter charismatic hares and deer that also call these wetlands home. Not forgetting the landscape itself with huge skies, expanse of reed beds and the glorious trees which change from day to day during the winter months.

Emma Brand, Events and Marketing Officer said: “Winter is such an incredible time for the wetlands at WWT Welney. Thousands of birds arriving for winter mean it is the busiest time of year for numbers of wildlife.

“The daily coming and going of swans as they fly out to fields and return to roost is a familiar routine for the people living and working around the Ouse Washes landscape. Sharing this spectacle with visitors is a huge part of the work the staff and volunteers enjoy most about this time of year.”

Welney is open daily 10am-4pm Monday to Friday, 10am-7.30pm Saturday and Sundays for winter. Only closing on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. 

Dates for the diary (wwt.org.uk/welney/whats-on/):

Swans awake morning events:
Sat 16, Sun 17 December
Sat 20, Sun 21 January
Sat 3, Sun 4 February
Sat 17, Sun 18 February

Swan feeds:
1 November – 29 February, 12noon & 3.30pm daily
4 November – 25 February, 6.30pm on Saturdays & Sunday only.

Find out more: wwt.org.uk/welney

Press release from WWT Welney Wetland Centre

The post Swan Spectacle Makes for a Wild Winter at WWT Welney appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Ely Museum is delighted to announce the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund for their project to increase access to their historic collections and to develop and grow the exhibitions and events that they hold for the community. 

Faced with growing operational costs and the cost of living crisis, Ely Museum has planned an ambitious new strategy to explore the current historic collections and the stories behind them. This will allow people to learn more about their local heritage and for the museum to hold a variety of fun and interesting opportunities for local people and families to explore their interests, ensuring heritage is preserved and shared for generations to come. 

A blacksmith’s bellows, an accordion, a sailor’s collar and the clock from the public rooms: museum staff are really looking forward exploring what stories these objects tell us about Ely’s past. As part of the research and organisation of the stored collection, the museum also anticipates being able to actively collect items to better represent and tell the stories of our diverse communities.

Elie Hughes, Curator at Ely Museum says:

“We’re really excited to have the opportunity to share our collection more widely with local people and visitors and are planning all sorts of great events over the next couple of years. We are very thankful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players for their support”

As well as working on the collection, Ely Museum will be undertaking a Green Audit to create a path to net zero carbon emissions and will be exploring ways to operate in a more sustainable way. 

Press release from Ely Museum

The post Ely Museum receives grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to develop collections, events and new exhibitions appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The wetland site will be opening its doors at 6.30am on Sunday, September 24 to celebrate the success of Project Godwit, which has been a labour of love for the team at WWT who have worked in partnership with the RSPB, local communities and nature enthusiasts to reverse the decline of the bird. 

Proving the power of partnership working, which involved over 2000 local residents and schoolchildren who were given the title of Godwit Guardians, the project released 206 black-tailed godwits and the event will be a celebration of the work with a free open day that includes nature talks, off-road safaris and a range of family activities. 

“We’ve worked incredibly hard throughout the project and the success seen is testament to the effort put in by people from both organisations involved,” said WWT Project Manager Eric Heath.

“The shared expertise and skills this partnership brought together has given black-tailed godwits a lifeline. But it is clear that one thing we need to do is restore more of the wetland habitat they need to breed and survive over the long term. 

 “This is why we are working with farmers, landowners, local communities and others to create bigger, better and more connected wetlands to help the godwits and many other species thrive.”

As well as rearing and releasing birds, the project has enhanced wet grassland habitat providing the right conditions for godwits to breed, examined the threats the birds face, followed the fortunes of individually marked godwits as they travel between England and west Africa using sightings sent in by members of the public, and trialled other conservation techniques to increase the survival of eggs and chicks. 

Breeding success in the wild, however, remains too low to support a stable population. The UK’s breeding black-tailed godwits are struggling like many other wading birds due to loss of habitat, unfavourable land management, unsustainable predation rates and the impacts of climate change. 

So, to help secure the future of the black-tailed godwit population in the UK, a 10 year action plan will be launched at the WWT Welney godwit open day, that will guide future work helping this species to thrive in the future. 

Hannah Phillips, RSPB Area Manager said: “When over 80% of the UK’s breeding Black-tailed Godwits bred in just two locations – Ouse Washes and Nene Washes, and those breeding pairs were critically low in number, we knew we had to do something to help.  Enabled by a range of conservation activities delivered in partnership with WWT, the project has helped to shore up this vulnerable bird’s future. We are pleased to be able to celebrate this success, but this is not the end, it is just the beginning, as we now jointly look to build on the work done and put in place an action plan to guide the next 10 years of conservation work for the Black-tailed Godwit in England.” 

WWT Centre Manager, Leigh Marshall said of the event: “This is a fantastic opportunity to experience wetlands and find out more about one of the most unique species of birds in the Fens. 

“The teams of staff and volunteers who have been championing black-tailed godwits across the Ouse Washes and Nene Washes have dedicated their lives to working for these birds, the habitats they rely on and the communities involved in the wider landscape.  

“These special birds and their story is so inspiring, to know that they travel from Africa to breed here each summer, arriving at healthy wet grasslands to raise the next generation, in turn who will return for decades to come.

“Black-tailed godwits only spend part of their year in the Fens, but the habitat is home for thousands of species year-round. We hope that people from local communities will come and see what we are all about and enjoy the range of activities, talks, walks and access we are putting on for this special occasion.”

The celebration event is a last opportunity to engage with Project Godwit, but also a fantastic chance to get inspired about wetlands and the future of black-tailed godwit conservation. 

Full details of the Project Godwit celebration event at WWT Welney can be found here:
https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/welney/whats-on/wetland-celebration-open-day 

Project Godwit is a partnership between the RSPB and WWT with major funding from the EU LIFE Nature Programme, the HSBC 150th Anniversary Fund, Natural England, the Montague-Panton Animal Welfare Trust and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, through the Back from the Brink programme. 

Press release from WWT Welney Wetland Centre

The post Conservation Charity Celebrates Regional Revival of Rare Wading Bird with Free Event appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

 www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting

Press release from Visit Ely

The post Heritage Open Days 2023 appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Oliver Cromwell’s House today, announced it has been recognised by TripAdvisor as a 2023 Travelers’ Choice award winner for a Visitor Attraction. 

The coveted award celebrates businesses that have consistently received great traveler reviews on TripAdvisor over the last 12 months, placing these winners among the 10% of all listings on TripAdvisor globally. Anna Bennett, Manager said “We are delighted to be awarded this award and recognition for being one of the key attractions in Ely.

The Historic House, once the home to the Cromwell family prides itself on telling the story of Oliver’s journey, through family life, politics, power, and religion which led him to be one of the greatest leaders and military men of all time. We have specific tours for families, groups, and adults available, with a tourist information desk for visitors, and a delightful souvenir and local craft shop.”

“Congratulations to the 2023 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice winners,” said John Boris, Chief Growth Officer at Tripadvisor. “The travel resurgence we’ve seen throughout the past year has even further heightened the competition. Earning a Travelers’ Choice Award demonstrates that you have provided great experiences to those who matter most: your guests. With changing expectations, continued labor shortages, and rising costs, this is no easy feat, and I am continually impressed with the hospitality industry’s resilience and ability to adapt. Cheers to another successful year!” 

Check out all the reviews, and discover more about Oliver Cromwell’s House https://rb.gy/ihttps://rb.gy/iwyyk

Press release from Visit Ely

The post Oliver Cromwell’s House is Recognised as Tripadvisor® 2023 Travelers’ Choice® Award Winner   appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Just as many of us are finishing our day and thinking about turning in for the night, there are a range of mammals, birds and insects who are stirring and about to make the most of the darkness.

Bats experience the world in a totally different way to us, emerging from roosts after the sun goes down and making the most of the hours we are not naturally equipped to explore. Eight of the 18 UK species of bat have been recorded at Welney and by using specialist equipment during bat and barn owl evenings we can listen in on the different calls the bats are making. Bat detectors pick up the echolocation used to navigate the skies in their search of prey, and turn it into sound patterns that we can hear. The skies are at their busiest August and September as young bats have taken to the skies, females desert old nursery sites and adults to try find suitable mates before winter.  A clear evening out in the Fens means you can enjoy seeing the silhouettes of the bats flying as well as listening to their calls.

All our species of bat are insectivores, and some of their diet is many up of the thousands of species of moth found in the UK. Over 800 of the larger species of moths display a huge range of shapes, colours and sizes dispelling the myth that they are brown and boring when compared to butterflies.  By using light and scent methods to attract the moths, a range of species can be explored and marvelled at throughout the evening.  Some species do have fantastical names like the setaceous hebrew character, whist others describe what you see like the red underwing. 

Owls are the classic bird of the night, and we are fortunate in the Fens to have the beautiful barn owl as a resident species. Experiencing these ghostly forms swoop by is incredibly special and no wonder that they are one of the UK’s most popular birds.  During the summer months, any owlets that have been fed successfully are at the point of taking their first flights out across the open landscape. Whilst the sight of them is a stunning addition to the evening sky, the sound of them is less endearing as they make spooky shrieks, squeals and wheezes. 

Emma Brand, Events and Marketing Officer said:

“All nocturnal wildlife is fascinating and strange to us because these creatures use totally different ways navigating their world and finding the food they need to survive.

“These evening events are a fantastic way to start exploring for night-time wildlife with guides on hand to help point out the sights and sounds of these incredible creatures. 

“Wetlands provide resource rich areas where many species can exist together, add to that our fantastic Fenland skies with minimal light pollution and you are in for a real treat. The wider scoundscape of an evening at Welney makes the most of your senses with crickets strumming, daytime birds coming in to roost and the movement of deer or nearby cattle through the vegetation.”

There are just a few spaces remaining on the bat & barn owl evenings coming up this season.  Booking is essential through the website, £15 per adult, £7 per child. 

Dates available:

Sat 12th August, 8.30-10.30pm

Sat 16th September, 7.30-9.30pm

Find out more: wwt.org.uk/welney

Press release from WWT Welney Wetland Centre

Images credits: Bat detectors in use WWT, Pipistrelle bats in a bat box WWT, Barn owl Nick Bowman, Swallow prominent moth Kim Tarsey, Red underwing showing camouflage Kim Tarsey, Red underwing with underwing visible John Marrow. 

The post Experience Incredible Wildlife on a Night Time Adventure appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

As summer temperatures look set to soar, the charity has launched its Mini-wetlands campaign in a bid to provide a host of creatures with places to live, as well and feed, drink and cool down from.

Hoping to help reverse the devastating decline in biodiversity, WWT is urging everyone to create their own wetlands that can fit into any outside area, no matter how small or how built up an area is.

New research, launched this month, shows that people are keen to help, with over half of the population currently gardening to attract more wildlife. However, one in three of these nature-lovers are missing out on one of the single most effective ways to help nature because they feel they don’t have enough space to create a small wetland like a pond.

But with a creative approach, even the smallest spaces can be used to provide a haven for wildlife. To help as many people as possible create mini-wetlands, WWT has created a series of guides and how-to videos showing how anyone, for less than £20, can upcycle an old washing up bowl or pot, add pond plants and have a mini-wetland with the potential to attract frogs, dragonflies and even bats to a garden or balcony – the perfect project for the summer holidays.

And for more inspiration, WWT’s Wetland Centre in East Anglia is holding pond dipping sessions across the summer holidays to encourage people find out more about the insects, animals and birds that benefit from having a water source nearby, while also providing visitors with expert advice on how to make their own wetland at home.

Leigh Marshall, Centre Manager at WWT Welney, said: “Nature needs all the help we can provide at the moment and one of the best ways of helping at home is by creating a mini-wetland. Wetlands support more life than any other habitat on Earth and it’s something we can all get involved in.

“People automatically think that means they need a big space to create a pond but there are so many options for small areas, like buckets and balcony ponds, that can be so beneficial for countless species, from beetles through to birds.

“And not only is it great for the species you help, having your own wetland also provides a fascinating insight into a world we don’t often see.”

The charity is also encouraging people to get together with neighbours and community groups in East Anglia to create networks of mini-wetlands to help water-loving species move around the region.

WWT’s mini-wetland advice pages cover everything from where to create your mini-wetland, which type would suit you and your space best and tips on how to fund larger community projects.

WWT Welney Wetland Centre is open seven days a week from 10am to 4pm. To find out more about special pond dipping sessions and what else is on throughout the holidays visit https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/welney

Press release from WWT Welney Wetland Centre

The post National Charity Calls for East Anglian Nature Lovers to Create Watery Havens for Wildlife appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The calibre of staff and volunteers was also very high, leading to a nomination in the Welcome Accolade for a second year running. 

WWT Welney balances conservation as a working wetland site in the heart of the Fens, with providing incredible experiences for visitors to connect with the landscape and the wildlife. Throughout the seasons the team work to bring visitors closer to fantastic wildlife spectacles, and tell the story of these wetlands, their history and how we can all play a part in helping nature now. 

Accessibility for visitors to enjoy as much of the site as possible is a key part of the provision made at WWT Welney. The fact that the café and gift shop have also been recognised and scored highly, reflects the whole experience to be had on a day out exploring the Welney Fens.

Centre Manager, Leigh Marshall at WWT Welney said: “A massive congratulations to everyone within the team at Welney for continued hard work, dedication and support. It’s really positive and great to see as our summer audit being judged as comparable to our swan season, with both ends of the year show casing wetland conservation.”

Feedback from the visit was outstanding with the marker saying: “Wildfowl and Wetland Trust – Welney continues to offer an excellent visitor experience for all ages and levels of interest. As well as the wide variety of birds and wildlife regularly sighted at Welney, other positive aspects include the excellent shop and the very good café.”

The summer season at Welney features a more varied cast of species as wildflowers and insects join the bird and mammal species adding to the sights and sounds of our wetlands. Access is also increased for visitors with the summer walk, tansy trail and Lady Fen walk being accessible in addition to the hides and viewpoints along the footpaths. Out of hours events such as bat & barn owl evenings offer a chance to explore more summer wildlife, taking in nocturnal species including moths, bats and owls. 

Press release from WWT Welney

The post WWT Welney Top Score by Visit England as a Great Experience appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

It’s a destination to be explored, a naturally immersive experience to be enjoyed; a place where sophisticated shopping, inclusive hospitality and untamed nature meet. Mark your calendars for an unmatched retail experience, where the service is second to none. 

A Day-Trip To Remember

Ben’s Yard redefines a traditional shopping and leisure experience. A champion of local businesses and quintessentially British brands, the Ben’s Yard retailers offer everything from meticulously curated homewares to independent British fashion.

In need of rest and relaxation? On-site hairdressing services take care of your hair, while the Ben’s Yard Restaurant (modern British and international classics) and the Ben’s Yard Café (nutritious salads, snacks and sandwiches) offer inclusive but memorable hospitality. With an enclosed outdoor terrace, even the notorious British weather won’t put a dampener on a day out at Ben’s Yard.

But, it’s more than just shopping and outstanding hospitality – Ben’s Yard is a sensory and holistic experience. Guests will be able to explore the wildlife trails meandering through woodland, fenland and wildflower meadows and catch a glimpse of a Buzzard, Lapwing or Roe Deer. A thoughtfully created two-kilometre stretch designed especially for wheelchairs, bikes and buggies makes this experience accessible for all. And, if the children still have energy, they can run and climb in the enchanting Ely Cathedral-inspired adventure playground. 

Make a Date in the Diary

With a commitment to local businesses, Ben’s Yard is more than just a destination – it’s a lifestyle. So, put a date in the diary; lace up your walking shoes, slip on wellies or dress up to celebrate a special occasion, and get ready to spend quality time with loved ones eating, shopping and being at one with nature.  Prepare for a unique, immersive experience – at Ben’s Yard, there is something for everyone.

Press release from Ben’s Yard

The post Ben’s Yard Opens 30th June 2023: Discover Shopping, Hospitality and Untamed Nature appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Throughout the partnership, “Drawn to Water: Quentin Blake at WWT”, WWT Welney will run three seasonal trails with guides using selected little seen before illustrations of watery nature from Quentin Blake to help inspire visitors to view the wonder of wetland nature in a different way.

Each of the trails, Spring/Summer, Autumn, and Winter, will highlight the amazing nature that arrives each season, showcasing new life, sparkling water and visiting birds, helping everyone experience nature in new, unexpected ways through Quentin Blake’s work. These trails will run alongside a range of art and illustration activities to inspire all ages and abilities, helping everyone experience nature in new, unexpected ways. Experience spring/summer seasonal treasures from swallows joining you in the hides to wildflowers coming out in bloom, all highlighted by the Quentin Blake trail.  

Commenting on the partnership Quentin Blake said: “I am delighted to be sharing my pictures with WWT sites and their visitors through the Drawn to Water experience. This project appealed to me because I have a lifelong fascination of drawing wetland wildlife, especially birds.

“I can’t quite explain why but it may be because like us, they are on two legs and have expressive gestures. The drawings you will see are from my own personal archive, and many have rarely been seen in public before.

“Through Drawn to Water I hope that seeing my artwork in places where these creatures are thriving will allow new audiences to enjoy wetland wildlife as much as I do, perhaps prompting a few people to pick up a pen, pencil or even a quill and do their own drawing.”

Emma Brand at WWT Welney said: The design of this trail is so that people can have a very personal connection to the highlights of each season.  Whether it be through sight, sound or the feeling of being in these handpicked locations, our wetlands will provide inspiration for art or a chance to slow yourself down and connect with the flow of the natural world.

Press release from WWT Welney Wetland Centre

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The Stained Glass Museum is celebrating its ties to the British monarchy by opening to visitors for free all day on Coronation Day, Saturday 6 May.

To commemorate His Majesty King Charles III’s Coronation, visitors will be able to explore the museum’s permanent gallery of stained glass windows, many of which have a royal connection.

With stunning examples of stained glass windows from the medieval to the modern from across the UK and Europe, there is something for everyone to enjoy, whether your preference is for the traditional, modern or both!

The Stained Glass Museum will be open 10am until 5pm on Saturday 6 May. Ely Cathedral is also open all day for free and will be showing the Coronation ceremony in the nave on the big screen. Families can also enjoy a special free Coronation trail to explore the Cathedral and the museum.

The Stained Glass Museum and Royal Patronage

The Stained Glass Museum is located on an upper level of Ely Cathedral, and has a strong association with King Charles III. In his role as the former Prince of Wales, His Royal Highness had the role of Patron of The Stained Glass Museum. He has visited the museum twice, once in 2000 to reopen the new gallery, and most recently he made a special visit in November 2018 to mark the museum’s 40th birthday.

The Stained Glass Museum’s Royal portraits

The museum’s collection contains several stained glass windows with direct connections to the British monarchy for visitors to explore too.

Royal portraits in the museum’s collection include a large and glowing 18th century painted glass portrait of King George III (reign 1760-1820) in his Coronation robes, today on loan to The Stained Glass Museum from the Royal Collection. Once housed in the royal residence of Windsor Castle, this portrait was a major feature in the King’s Dining Room. King George III is depicted seated in the Coronation Chair at Westminster Abbey, wearing robes of State and holding the sceptre.

This is the same Coronation Chair that King Charles III will sit on in Westminster Abbey during the Coronation Ceremony on 6 May. The Chair has been used at the coronation ceremony since Edward II’s Coronation ceremony in 1308 and for Crowning of monarchs since at least 1399 when Henry IV was crowned whilst seated in the Chair.

Another portrait on display at the museum, by the artist Hugh Arnold, depicts Queen Victoria (reign 1837-1901) and her successor Edward VII (reign 1901-1910). Until the reign of the late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Victoria was the longest reigning British monarch. In this window she is shown in her Coronation robes carrying her sceptre and wearing the Order of the Garter. Edward VII is shown in his Knight of the Garter robes and holding the crown.

The Stained Glass Museum’s permanent gallery displays over 130 windows from its collection, from medieval to modern, so there is much to explore. We look forward to welcoming visitors to celebrate this occasion with us.

Press release from The Stained Glass Museum

All photos © The Stained Glass Museum

The post The Stained Glass Museum Celebrates The Coronation of its Patron, the Former Prince of Wales, with Free Open Day appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Featuring some of the most delicious food vendors from across the region, there will be something for everyone at Foodie Friday with a fantastic food and drink line-up alongside live music from local artists from 4pm-8:30pm.

Julia Davis, of Ely Markets, said: “We are very excited about the return of Foodie Friday this year, it is a great place to meet with friends and family whilst trying out all the fantastic independent food traders that will be on offer.”

Foodie Friday has an eclectic menu of flavours to try, with everything from meat, veggie or sweet waffles from Waffle + Co, salt beef beigls and savoury momos to authentic Spanish paella from Azahar Foods and vegan choices from Samu Kitchen. There’s also fresh wood fired Pizza and luscious cakes and puddings, all accompanied by a tipple of choice from one of the many drink vendors available onsite.

Following the launch event, the next ‘Foodie Friday’ is scheduled for April 28th.

For the full line-up and regular updates, follow Ely Markets on social media or check out the website at www.elymarkets.co.uk

Press release from Ely Markets

The post ‘Foodie Friday’ Returns at Ely Markets this weekend – Don’t Miss Out! appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

This year is special for two reasons. For the first time since before the pandemic, the Food, Drink and Craft Fayre is returning to being a two-day event, meaning that for three whole days Ely is celebrating!  The invaluable City of Ely Estates team are at the ready to hang the bunting and our shops have been briefed to decorate their windows with all things regal!

Not only are we celebrating Eels but also the Coronation of King Charles III by theming the entire weekend around this historic moment. Even the Eel will have a crown as it parades down Ely High Street!

Ely’s Coronation Eel Day will take place on Saturday 29th April beginning with the Eel Parade which will depart from Cross Green at 10.30am, the parade will wiggle its way down Forehill, via the Riverside before arriving at Jubilee Gardens for 11am to begin the festivities.

Once the parade arrives, it’s participants will be greeted by a wonderful range of food and drink sellers, crafters, community groups and more! There is also a full programme of entertainment in our Eel Arena too, right though until 4pm.

Once Saturday’s excitement finishes, it’s time to look to the Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday. The incredible range of sights and smells, tastes and experiences await you.  The Coronation Food, Drink and Craft Fayre will take place on Palace Green and St Mary’s Green.  With over 70 traders offering a huge range of street food, artisan produce and incredible craft, the excitement to see this event return to its traditional two-day nature is truly lifting. 

Our final event to round off the Coronation is the Beacon Lighting which takes place on St. Mary’s Green May 6th from 7pm. We are working with St Mary’s Church we can mark this historical moment.

Anna Bennett, Tourism and Town Centre Manager, said “We are thrilled to bring the Eel Festival weekend back to its much-loved three-day format. It’s been an incredible journey bringing this much-loved event back to its full form. With musical entertainment over all three days, wonderful street food, remarkable traders and that fabulous atmosphere that has made these events such a big part of the Ely calendar, this promises to be a jewel in the crown of the year!”

Anna further commented ‘We would also like to thank all our sponsors for supporting these community events, without them the events, and the support of the City of Ely Council, these memorable occasions would not go ahead’  

Our sponsors for 2023 are Urban Fresh Ely, The Cutter Inn, Riverside Bar and Kitchen, Grovemere Property, Lovewell Blake and Warren Access.

Ely’s Coronation Eel Day takes place on Saturday 29th April 2023 from 11am until 5pm on Jubilee Gardens

Followed by Ely’s Coronation Food, Drink and Craft Fayre taking place on Palace Green and St Mary’s Green from 10.30am until 5,30pm on April 30th and May 1st 2023.

Further information is available at www.visitely.org.uk and our social media channels.

Press release from Visit Ely

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The new go-to destination is halfway between London and Norfolk, making it the perfect stop-over for Londoners heading out of the city. With universal access, Ben’s Yard plays host to retailers including local businesses and great British brands. On the estate will also be the signature Ben’s Yard Café serving modern British and international classics, with contemporary botanical interiors and dishes created using seasonal and locally produced food. 

Ben’s Yard retailers include:

Freda & Bert The team behind the Manor Gift Shop will be opening a new exclusive shop called Freda and Bert. The new store will be the ideal place to secure the perfect unique gift including scented candles, unusual gadgets, men’s grooming products, colourful children’s wooden toys, charming stationery alongside beautiful cards and gift bags.

Love Lane by Abi A haven for discovering beautiful, timeless homewares. Love Lane by Abi’s philosophy is to offer an elegant, simply styled range which can transform a house into a home. Their inspiring workshops include topics such as interior styling, where the team will be encouraging, guiding and increasing their customers’ knowledge and confidence in home development.

Something about Rose The long established brand Something about Rose will bring their unique take on women’s wear and offer a different and fantastic personal shopping experience. Visit the store for everything from wardrobe updates and advice, to outfits for events and holiday pieces. Products include fashion, footwear, beachwear, accessories, jewellery and ladies gifting.

Spoke and Motor  Spoke and Motor sell high quality electric bikes for people who want to enjoy the outdoors on two wheels. They give a supportive and personal service so that you end up with the right bike for you.

Thatch & Roses This gorgeous independent florist will be offering everything from retail floristry, funeral, wedding and event flowers to floristry workshops at Ben’s Yard. Their shop will also offer a selection of botanically related accessories with a focus on locally sourced and handcrafted items.

The Hair Company  This independent salon is a British hairdressing business awards finalist which provides passion, experience and a chance to escape from daily routines. Visitors can relax and unwind in the comfortable Ben’s Yard Salon, whilst the friendly team delivers an exceptional experience. Stylists will consult, combine and create, taking clients on a journey of transformation so that they can step out feeling confident and beautiful.

Ben’s Yard Café Ben’s Yard Cafe offers relaxed yet sophisticated all day dining with an eclectic menu. The cafe-restaurant is open seven days a week, welcoming all ages, offering something for everyone whether in heels or wellies, pulling up a barstool or slouching into a comfy armchair. Delicious dishes on the menu include their flavoursome Roast Chicken Breast (Lemon & Thyme Roast Chicken Breast, Jumbo Cous Cous Tabbouleh, Sumac, Harissa Yoghurt) and the tasty Seared Seabass with ingredients grown at Ben’s Yard (Warm Pea, Bacon & Stuntney Estate Potato Salad, Rocket Pea & Herb Sauce). 

Ben’s Yard Larder: For those looking to grab and go, Ben’s Yard Larder will be the ultimate one stop shop, selling food to go and food gifting items, as well as luxury, seasonal and novelty food favourites. 

With more retailers to be revealed, Ben’s Yard will be the perfect destination for visitors to  spoil themselves, find that perfect gift and explore new experiences.

Those who enjoy the outdoors will be able to take full advantage of an iconic Ely Cathedral themed playground and a multi-acre event space with marked trails through woodland, fenland and wildflower meadows, all beautifully landscaped on the idyllic 2,500 acre Stuntney Estate. 

Ben’s Yard seamlessly combines their shopping experience with nature as visitors are able to take full advantage of the stunning Stuntney Estate whilst doing some serious retail therapy from sustainable and local retailers.

Press release from Ben’s Yard

The post Ben’s Yard: Visit Local British Businesses at New Retail Village appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

East Cambridgeshire District Council has teamed up with Visit Ely and the City of Ely Council to install 13 digital information points which go live in June.

They’ll use smart touchscreen technology – linked to the free public wifi and a dedicated Visit Ely app – to benefit residents, tourists, businesses, and the environment.

As well as navigating people through the beautiful city using web mapping platforms like Google Maps, users will be able to easily search for the latest information on local shops and businesses.

Details of key events will be available to view at a glance and, if push notifications are requested, businesses can use the app to offer discounts and promotions.

Interesting facts and information will be uploaded by Visit Ely, enabling people to follow new historical routes around the city centre.

And a gamification feature will provide an element of fun with treasure hunts and quizzes.

The new technology is being installed by East Cambridgeshire District Council with a £240,000 grant from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority designed to help boost the local economy.

Once the digital signs and the accompanying mobile apps for Android and Apple are up and running they will be officially handed over to Visit Ely, which is managed by the City of Ely Council.

Cllr Anna Bailey, leader of East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “We are delighted to be part of this amazing Medieval Meets Modern project which uses the latest smart technology to help showcase and promote our historic city.

“Research shows that many people who visit Ely tend to do so for one thing – such as visit the Cathedral, attend Ely Markets, or walk along the riverbank – and then go home again. Yet there is so much more to our beautiful city.

“This new technology is easy to use and also fully accessible to people who do not have mobile phones or tablets.

“Visitors will be able to use it to explore all areas of the city and find out more about the businesses and services we have on offer, while finding out more about our rich cultural heritage.”

Anna Bennett, manager of Visit Ely, which is part of the City of Ely Council, said: “We are delighted to support and manage the “Medieval meets modern” project which enhances and highlights both those very words!

“The team, which is based at the Tourist Information Centre, is very proud as we move forward into modern times to enhance and expand every visitor experience and, of course, benefit our local community at the same time.”

The signs, which have been located in collaboration with the Conservation officer, will be available for public use in June. The supporting app is currently being pre-loaded with essential information about the city but it is expected this will increase over time.

If the app is successful it has the potential to extend the boundary to include other areas of the district.

Help us shape Ely’s new app

Would you like to have the opportunity to be one of the first users to tell us how you would like the app to be shaped?

We’re asking local residents – those who really know and love Ely – to help create content for the new app.

In particular we are encouraging local shops and businesses to submit information about their premises.

You may also have ideas about information that can be included on the app, for example such as highlighting where defibrillators are located or where to access disabled toilets.

It may be that you know an interesting fact or have an exciting story you want to share.

Or it may be that you are a keen local photographer and would like to share some of your images.

Whatever your ideas, please get in touch to discuss how we can make them a reality.

Email: app@visitely.org.uk

Where possible we will use the information to enhance the app for the benefit of all members of the community.

Press release from East Cambridgeshire District Council

The post Medieval Meets Modern appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Commissioned by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) and originally unveiled in Bristol on 2nd February 2023, the mural highlights this year’s World Wetland Day theme of wetland restoration.

Members of the public can interact with the mural by standing on the jetty, sitting in the boat or snapping a photo as they plant a shoot in the saltmarsh, symbolising the regeneration of wetlands.

It shows a degraded wetland transforming into a flourishing habitat, filled with thriving wildlife and highlighting the incredible potential of wetlands to capture carbon, clean our water, protect us from flooding, provide a home to wildlife and boost our health and wellbeing.

A staggering 45% of people in the UK do not know what a wetland is [i] and this large-scale artwork by 3D Joe and Max is designed to help significantly increase the number of people aware of these types of habitat and the challenges they face. 

WWT Campaigns Manager Laura Williams said: “Hundreds of people took their photo with the mural on World Wetlands Day, learning more about the amazing powers of wetlands to tackle the nature, biodiversity and health and wellbeing crises and we are very excited to be able to take this on tour to other places – from cathedrals to shopping centres and conferences to visitor centres.”

This stop on the tour was made possible thanks to a collaboration between WWT and the Church Commissioners – members of the Blue Recovery Leaders Group, a diverse range of organisations championing wetlands. The mural will also visit other Church Commissioner sites this month, including the Hyde Park Estate in London on 1st March and Metrocentre in Newcastle on 10th March.

The Very Revd Mark Bonney, Dean of Ely said: ‘We are delighted to be engaging with the WWT 3D mural. Wetlands are a significant part of the landscape and environment of the area in which the Cathedral is situated. As together we look to meet the challenges of climate change goals their recovery and sustainability has an important part to play.’

WWT Welney Centre Manager Leigh Marshall said: ‘We are thrilled to be bringing our interactive wetland mural to Ely.  At Welney we witness how vital wetlands are for vulnerable species and human wellbeing.  Creating new wetlands like Lady Fen after centuries of wetland loss is essential for wildlife and people, and we know from experience how quickly wetlands can recover, when given the chance.’

Featuring iconic British species like curlew and kingfishers, otters and dragonflies, this mural is a vision of Britain’s ‘blue recovery’. This is a possible future if Britain chooses to revive its lost wetland ecosystems and invest in creating more wetlands.  You can visit the mural at Ely Cathedral 10am-4pm Saturday 4th March or 12.30-4pm Sunday 5th March. 

As the mural tours the UK, WWT is calling upon government, business and wider society to help restore and create 100,000 hectares of wetlands in the UK to combat the climate, nature and wellbeing crises.

You can show your support by signing the Wetlands Can! campaign pledge.

Key facts:

• The most recent research shows that the UK has lost around 75% of its wetlands in the last 300 years – half the wetlands in Europe have been lost in the same time period. (Nature)

• Coastal wetlands like the saltmarshes at WWT Steart Marshes store more carbon per hectare than other habitats such as forests. Steart Marshes is burying organic carbon at a rate of approximately 70 tonnes of carbon dioxide (equivalent) per hectare (per year)[ii].

• 22,000 hectares of restored saltmarsh would mean an extra 1.5 megatons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year would be captured and stored [2] This is equivalent to taking 770,000 cars off the road for one year. 

• Wetlands are among the most biologically diverse places on earth. Every year 200 new species are discovered in freshwater wetlands and 40% of the world’s plants and animals depend on wetlands.

1. According to 2022 research data by NFP Synergy CAM

2. Rapid carbon accumulation at a saltmarsh restored by managed realignment far exceeds carbon in site construction.  Mossman HL, Dunk RM et al. BioRxiv preprint server. 19 October 2021

Website: https://www.wwt.org.uk/world-wetlands-day/picture-this-thriving-wetlands/

Press release from WWT Welney Wetland Centre

The post Giant 3D Wetland Mural to Visit Ely Cathedral on UK Tour appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Close to local amenities, yet delightfully rural and secluded, it is perfect for holidays, business travel, family and friend celebration weekends and mini-breaks.

Dog, wheelchair and child-friendly, Gravel Farm Cottages range from a cosy one-bed to a large and contemporary ‘celebration’ eco-house sleeping ten, in superking beds and can be booked together sleeping a total of eighteen. All four cottages offer supreme comfort and luxury with high-quality mattresses, stylish bathrooms, fully equipped kitchens and light and airy interiors along with excellent levels of cleanliness and care all delivered at good value.

Nestled alongside the River Great Ouse with wonderful views across the wildly tamed Fenland landscape, acres of private space for dog-walking and birdwatching as well as instant access to the river for fishing and other activities, there is no need to leave!

Renewably powered and heated by the latest solar and air technology, the four cottages come fully equipped inside and out each with their own secure private garden, high-speed internet connection, a dedicated workspace for home-working and a brand-new hot tub for hire. Offering you a relaxing home-from-home, Gravel Farm is an ideal base from which you can explore and access the Ely area as well as the rest of Cambridgeshire.

For more information and booking information (including longer term and work travel related rental discounts), please visit our website at www.gravelfarm.co.uk, call Davina on 07723 016 965 or email her at davina@gravelfarm.co.uk.

Gravel Farm Cottages, Gravel Farm, Newmarket Road, Stretham, Ely, CB6 3LJ

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This half term the bird hides have become hideouts with activities available to take part in and the enthusiastic team at Welney on hand to help you discover the joy of birdwatching.  All the family can enjoy spotting birds from hides and viewpoints, taking inspiration from birds and getting creative as well as having fun making things to look after your birds at home.  Experts on wetland nature will be on hand to help you discover many of the birds that flock to the centre from around the world in the colder months.

Families will be able to borrow binoculars and telescopes to see wildlife up close from the comfort of a bird hide from Sat 11th – Sun 19th February. Families with young children can collect an explorer backpack complete with binoculars, winter birds spotter sheet and id chart to introduce the hobby of birdwatching.  Parents, adults and older children can collect a winter bird spotter sheet which has more detail on the species, and hire binoculars from the gift shop.

As well as The Big Hideout there’s lots of other wild and wonderful activities for the whole family to discover this winter such as our at the commentated feeds – lookout for swans and diving ducks – trails to find out more about winter wildlife, relax to the soothing sights of flocks of waders and the opportunity to warm up with a hot drink.

Commentated swan feeds are at 12noon and 3.30pm daily with additional 6.30pm floodlit feeds on Saturdays and Sundays.  The Big Hideout activities are available everyday of half term with some special activities taking place on specific days. 

These are:

• Mon 13th Feb – Truck tours at 11am and 2pm
• Tues 14th Feb – Paint a bird box at 10.30am and 1.30pm
• Wed 15th Feb – Be part of the weekly bird log with the reserve team
• Sat 18th Feb – Storytelling and book signing by Rachel Lawston, author of Mia Makes a Meadow and Finn’s Garden Friends

Emma Brand at WWT Welney said, ‘Welney is the perfect place to discover incredible winter wetland wildlife and it’s amazing what you can see when you hide in the right place. We’ve turned our bird hides into Hideouts for February half term to welcome families and help them experience the joy of bird watching, get away from screens and soak up the wild this winter. Take a peek at birdlife like you’re never seen it and enjoy the awe-inspiring spectacle of thousands of winter birds or have fun in our pond room with creative ways to share your love of birds with building bird feeders, planting sunflowers and more. Whatever you choose to do, it’s a great way to discover something new, have fun and make memories.’

Families can share their adventures by using #WWTBigHideOut to show off their best photos and experiences. To find out more about what’s happening at WWT Welney this February half term visit https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/welney/whats-on/the-big-hideout-3

Press release from WWT Welney Wetland Centre

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Countless resolutions are made to kick off each new year, as we promise ourselves we’ll learn or try something new. At Ely Museum this spring, there are lots of opportunities to do just that!

With a programme of evening talks and craft workshops, ideal for beginners and for those with more experience under their belts alike, there is lots to enjoy.

Inspired by the museum’s newest temporary exhibition “Burial of a Princes? Treasures from a Saxon Cemetery in Ely” join us for three expert talks this spring. From finding out more about what we can learn from skeletons, the of role women and their use of botanics to hearing from an archaeologist who worked on the excavation this exhibition is based on.

Taking place in the museum’s beautiful Aedwen Room, these evening talks will be the perfect opportunity to find out more about Ely’s Saxon past, especially in this anniversary year as we commemorate the 1350th anniversary of Etheldreda founding the religious house in Ely, that later became Ely Cathedral.

Also this spring, enjoy three hands on, practical workshops exploring three traditional crafts: willow weaving, calligraphy and Coptic book binding. Each workshop is taught in a small group, and suitable for all skill levels. Leave each workshop with your new creation, or skill in tow and enjoy
ticking off ‘tried something new’ from your resolution list!

Emily Allen, Community Engagement Officer at Ely Museum says; “We’re really excited to be bringing this programme of talks and workshops to Ely this spring! With some really interesting talks lined up, given by fantastic speakers, plus some brilliant hands-on workshops where you’ll be able to make something to be really proud of, there’s lots of fun to be had.”

Tickets are already selling fast, so do book online early to avoid disappointment at
www.elymuseum.org.uk/whatson, our first workshop is on the 11th February, where you can enjoy making a willow birdfeeder at this half-day workshop.

Dates for the diary:

11th February 2023 – Half Day Willow Birdfeeder Workshop.

11th March 2023 – Full Day Modern Calligraphy Workshop

13th March 2023 – Botanical Women: An Evening Talk by Katie Childs

11th April 2023 – Bringing Skeletons Out Of The Closet, What We Can Learn About Life From
Death: An Evening Talk by Dr Trish Biers

8th May 2023 – Burial of a Princess? Excavations at Westfield, Ely: An Evening Talk by Dr Sam Lucy

17th June 2023 – Full Day Coptic Book Binding Workshop

Press release from Ely Museum

Photo credit: Ely Museum

The post Spring Programme of Talks and Workshops Announced appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Over 13 centuries ago in the south-west corner of Ely, a young woman was buried. Who was she,  and was she a princess? 

It wasn’t until, on a cold winter’s day in 2006, the grave was discovered, adorned with beautiful  treasures. 

Archaeologists discovered an inhumation cemetery from the Anglo-Saxon period, located between the A10 bypass and Witchford Road, to the south-west of Ely city centre. 

One of the graves contained the skeleton of a young female, buried with gold, silver and other precious items. Could she have been a Princess? 

This exciting discovery was made by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit, who had been brought in by Taylor Woodrow Developments Ltd to excavate the site in Ely, in advance of a housing  development. Following the excavation, the finds were cleaned, recorded and conserved and archaeologists published a report on the site, exploring its significance. Later this spring, Ely Museum will host a talk by Dr Sam Lucy who played a key part in the publication of these reports. 

The site has been dated to the late seventh century, which brings it intriguingly close to 673AD, the date when Etheldreda founded the religious house in Ely, that later became Ely Cathedral.

Elie Hughes, Curator at Ely Museum said,“Ely Museum is excited to now be able to display the grave goods from the two female burials for  the first time. The exhibition will showcase the stunning objects and explore what they can tell us about who these people were and how they may have related to Etheldreda.” 

The exhibition runs from 21st January – 18th June 2023 and admission is included with a museum ticket or annual pass. Alongside the exhibition, there will be a series of talks and events for the whole family to enjoy. 

Press release from Ely Museum

The post Burial of a Princess Exhibition at Ely Museum appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Hana Loftus from HAT Projects said; “The Civic Trust Awards are rigorously judged through in-person visits, and set a high bar for projects that genuinely contribute to their communities. We are thrilled that the Museum project is a finalist and the hard work of all the team is recognised in this way.”

Since re-opening last year the museum building has provided a welcoming and inspiring space for everyone to engage with heritage and enjoy the collections. The museum also offers great facilities, with a room available to hire.

Civic Trust Awards are given to projects that make an outstanding contribution to the quality and appearance of the built environment. Award level schemes demonstrate excellence in architecture or design, whilst being sustainable, accessible and providing a positive civic contribution.

The Selwyn Goldsmith Awards are selected by a specially convened panel of universal design experts, seeking to celebrate environments or buildings that are responsive, flexible, welcoming, easy to use and occupy; allowing all to use with dignity and equality, aiming to promote and applaud “those schemes which have gone beyond the building regulations, putting people at the heart of the project and showing exemplar design.”

Press release from Ely Museum

The post Ely Museum is Selected as a Regional Finalist for a Civic Trust Awards appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Families can test their bravery as they explore the eek!citing and mysterious world of wetland nature  this October half term at Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust WWT Welney Centre in Norfolk.

From the feathered and furred to the slimy and scaly, there are some truly weird and wonderful creatures that call wetlands home – and all are ready and waiting to be discovered by visitors as they make their way round the sites keeping eyes peeled and ears pricked for a truly exciting eek!sperience.

With spooky interactive activities and a scary trail to follow, visitors to WWT Welney this October are being dared to put their hands into an eel box, grab a photo op with a bat or listen out for toads.

There’s also plenty more for the whole family to discover across our site this Autumn, whether they’re looking for a fright or not – such as taking a relaxing walk along the summer trail; fishing out wild wonders and uncovering underwater life in our ponds; or taking a closer look at what owls have eaten by dissecting owl pellets.

WWT Welney’s Marketing & Events Officer, Emma Brand: “For a half term experience with a difference, our eek! weeks event gives families the chance to connect with nature and enjoy a fantastic, fun wildlife learning experience.

“Autumn is such a special time to visit Welney and the interactive eek! weeks trail and nature-based activities on offer are a brilliant way for children to get outdoors and use all their senses to explore and connect to nature this half term”.

The eek! weeks interactive trail is included as part of the centre admission price (free for WWT members and under 4’s).

To find out more about the eek! weeks event at Welney, visit https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/welney/whats-on/eek-week-7.

Press release from WWT Welney Wetland Centre

The post Calling all eek!splorers: Half Term at WWT Welney Wetland Centre appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

October 8th will see many stalls including Street food, cider, hand crafted delights, apple crumbles, pies and more!

Taking place on the iconic Palace Green from 10am, this free festival of fun and flavours celebrates the long and rich history of the orchards and harvest in Ely and surrounding areas.  

With activities including the much loved and fiercely competitive “Longest Apple Peel” competition, the riotously funny Apple and Spoon race and so much more, this is a truly family friendly event.

To make is even more fun this year, we have special guest appearances from the cast of ‘Cinderella’ the much loved KD Theatre Panto that kicks off 9th December 2022 – and to tempt you into booking your tickets!

Once again the day is made possible by the sponsorship of Watergull Orchards, who have supported the Apple Day in Ely for many years, providing prizes and much more to make sure the event continues to bear fruit.

Anna Bennett, Manager of Visit Ely said of this year’s event “We were thrilled to see the huge reaction the event received last year, making it extra special as we co-ordinate the event with Ely Cathedral’s Harvest Festival, so we can’t wait to see what 2022 brings. This is truly one of our favourite events of the year.“

Press release from Visit Ely

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Ely Museum is continuing, for the third summer, to share the creative fun, and our love of the fens, with children across East Cambridgeshire with our creative ‘Museum From Home’ packs for the foodbank again.

Initially begun in 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic as the museum delivered online activities and virtual school visits, the museum quickly realised for those with squeezed household budgets, craft materials were probably not top of the shopping list, and that’s where we could help!

Whilst the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 were challenge for everyone, as the cost of living continues to rise, some households are hit harder than others, and the need for foodbanks is greater than ever.

Thanks to funding from Cambridgeshire County Council, the museum is able to provide these fun packs to the foodbank which are filled with activities to enjoy all summer and can be handed out with their usual food parcels.

These themed activity packs include all the things a family needed to have fun, whether they are making some insect and nature themed crafts, or trying one of our fun activities or scavenger hunts.

We are especially pleased this year, thanks to the funding we received from Cambridgeshire County Council to also be able to include a free annual pass to the museum in the packs, so families can enjoy free visits to the museum all year!

Emily Allen, Community Engagement Officer at Ely Museum, said “We are delighted to be working with Ely Foodbank again this summer to provide these new craft packs, inspired by the collection at Ely Museum and the fens. We hope the packs will be enjoyed by families across Ely this summer and beyond with their free admission ticket. A big thank you to Cambridgeshire County Council for their support in making these possible”

To find out more about Ely Museum, which was recently shortlisted for a national ‘Family Friendly Museum’ award, and is filled with exciting, interactive galleries and fun for all ages, visit: http://www.elymuseum.org.uk.

To find out what donations the Ely Foodbank are most in need of at the current time, please visit: https://ely.foodbank.org.uk/ and donate where possible.

Press release from Ely Museum

The post Ely Museum Provides Ely Foodbank with Craft and Activity Packs to Spark <br>Creativity this Summer appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Ely Brick Show was created by father and child duo Duncan and Kayla, who sought to bring the magic of Lego shows to Ely. This is its third year – the first year was hugely popular and raised £1500 for the charity Ely Christians Against Poverty. The pandemic resulted in a virtual show in 2021, which showcased a wide variety of builds. This year, Duncan, Kayla and a team of over 20 enthusiasts will be bringing the magic back in-person with a much larger show than before! 

From Star Wars and Harry Potter to Great Ball Contraptions and Flying Saucer Cafe, there will be a plethora of creative builds to view, conjured from the imaginations of these talented creators.

Extras that add to the show include a Spot the Minifig competition, speed build, special guests from a Galaxy far far away and Lego and Duplo play area.

For advance tickets from £2, and more information go to http://www.elybrickshow.co.uk

and don’t forget to follow Ely Brick Show on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/elybrickshow

Press release from Ely Brick Show

The post The Ely Brick Show is Back for 2022 appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The fabulous summer of hats continues at Ely Museum! 

Have you ever looked at a fascinator in a shop and thought, ‘I quite like this, but fancy it in a different colour’? Or perhaps you’ve wondered ‘how do they make that’? 

Children aged 7 – 12 can book on to our ‘Craft your own Cap’ workshop on Thursday 18th August. Have a go at decorating two different kinds of hats and wear them home. 

Ely Museum is working with Mill House Millinery to offer a programme of hat related events. Adults who fancy making their own headwear can come along to two workshops on making fascinators. ‘Make a Pick and Mix Straw Fascinator’ is on 10th August, 7 – 9.30pm, and ‘Make a Vintage Style Felt Fascinator’ on 7th September. 

Over the course of 2 ½ hours you will be guided through making your own fascinator. Learn how to make three different shapes, a curl, a twist and a flower out of straw-like sinamay on 10th August. Or learn about felt shaping, and the additions of ribbon, flowers, feathers and trims on 7th September. Use the skills you’ve learned and the pieces you’ve made to create something unique to you.

Before you start your own creation, you’ll be able to try on some examples, so you can pick out what suits you. Do you like clean simple lines in one colour, or a more freeform mix and riot of colour? Do you prefer one big statement piece or something smaller and understated? 

If creating your hat seems too ambitious or you are interested in the process of hat making, come along to Susan’s talk on 14th September and learn about how she got into hat making and all about the various materials and techniques that can be involved in making a hat. 

Ely Museum Curator, Elie Hughes, says, “If you’ve been inspired by trying on the many hats in our exhibition then we have lots of opportunities for you to learn more about hat making and have a go at making your own.” 

Fun for the whole family at Ely Museum this summer, with the Hold On To Your Hat! Exhibition running from To find out more about visiting the museum, please visit www.elymuseum.org.uk

Press release from Ely Museum

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From craft workshops to dressing up, Victorian fun to marvellous mosaics, there’s loads of family fun to be had at Ely Museum. Family tickets cost just £12 and you can visit as many times as you like for a year! 

Our drop in holiday craft activities are taking place on Thursday 4th and Thursday 11th August. Running from 11am – 3pm, let your creativity run free with Stomping Stegosaurs (4th) and Buzzing Bugs (11th). Craft tickets are £3 per child with an admission ticket or annual pass. 

Get even more crafty with our Marvellous Mosaics on Thursday 25th August: pre-book a ticket to learn about the ancient Roman art of creating pictures from tiles and make a real ceramic mosaic tile to take home with you. 

Magnificent hats are a bit of a theme at Ely Museum this summer, with our family-friendly exhibition Hold On To Your Hat!, running until 18th September. As well as adding to our dressing up with extra hats to try on and pose, the exhibition features hats from the collection and historic photographs of local people in amazing hats. Try your hand at making your own hats too – Craft Your Own Cap is a pre-booked children’s craft session on Thursday 18th August at 11am where each child will leave with two different decorated hats. Adults can turn their hands to hat making too with our two fascinator workshops on the evenings on 10 August and 7th September, see our website for more details. 

If you like to see history in action, come along to our Living History Day on Saturday 13th August to learn more about life in the Victorian times. 

Sara Adderson, Assistant Curator at Ely Museum says; “This summer holiday is a great time to visit Ely Museum. Your ticket allows you as many visits as you want at a bargain price and we have loads of activities to do. Try our trails and Explorer Kit, peek in the windows in the cases, dress up, hear stories, play with our veg and don’t forget to check out the mammoths on the floor.”

Newly shortlisted in the Best Small Museum category for the national Family Friendly Museum Award run by the charity Kids in Museums, Ely Museum is an ideal place for a family day out in Ely.  The galleries are designed to be interactive, colourful and fun and there’s things to see and do for everyone from babies to grandparents. To find out more about visiting the museum, please visit www.elymuseum.org.uk

Press release from Ely Museum

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Fun for the whole family at Ely Museum this summer, with the Hold On To Your Hat!  Exhibition running from 16th July to 18th September 2022. Alongside a fantastic range of historic hats from work and play, there are fun hats to try on and pose with, fascinating hat facts to learn, and glimpses of past Ely residents in resplendent headgear to see. 

The exhibition brings a bit of quirky entertainment to a visit to the museum and is great for all ages. Newly shortlisted in the Best Small Museum category for the national Family Friendly Museum Award run by the charity Kids in Museums, Ely Museum is an ideal place for a family day out in Ely. 

Find out what a chef’s hat has to do with cooking eggs, how hats are made, and even what sort of hat you might have to wear if you were at school or working in Ely during the last century.

Sara Adderson, Assistant Curator at Ely Museum says; “This light-hearted and fun exhibition has a bit of something for everyone, including a sculptural contemporary silk hat by East Anglian milliner Susan Widlake of Mill House Millinery. Hats were an important part of anyone’s outfit, whether that was formal, informal or part of a uniform. Alongside being interesting pieces, they tell us a lot about the lives of the people who wore them.  There’s also the chance to try on lots of different hats and strike a pose!”

Across the school summer holidays there will numerous activities for families at Ely Museum, including the popular craft events. On Thursday 18th August, children can make two hats and decorate them at the ‘Craft your own cap’ workshop. Pre-booking is required and can be done via the museum website. 

August will also feature the opportunity for adults to have a go at hat making, with two artisan craft workshops for adults, taught by Susan Widlake of Mill House Millinery. Make your own felt fascinator or a sinamay sculpture to take home and wear.

The permanent galleries at Ely Museum tell the story of the lives of the people of Ely and the surrounding fens from prehistory to the modern day. Hands-on objects, dressing up, activities and trails make Ely Museum a fun visit for the whole family. 

Look out for children’s crafts and a fantastic Victorian themed living history day this August too.

To find out more about visiting the museum, please visit www.elymuseum.org.uk

Press release from Ely Museum

Photo Credit: Ely Museum

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Every year, Tripadvisor celebrates attractions that consistently deliver amazing experiences with a Travellers’ Choice Award—and this year Ely Cathedral is named amongst them as well as being acknowledged as one of the top 10% of attractions worldwide.

The award celebrates businesses that have received great traveler reviews from travellers around the globe on Tripadvisor over the last 12 months. As challenging as the past year was, Ely Cathedral stood out by consistently delivering positive experiences and a warm welcome. 

Sally Porter, Visitor Experience Manager at Ely Cathedral is delighted with the news. “The team here should all be very proud of this achievement. The Cathedral welcomes around 150,000 visitors a year and while this does not make us major attraction in terms of numbers, we do offer a warm welcome alongside unusual and interesting experiences for visitors in the form of face to face tours, innovative events and fascinating exhibitions.  Everyone who comes to the Cathedral, whether as a visitor, pilgrim or worshipper, helps us secure the heritage and legacy of this building to be enjoyed by future generations.” 

“Congratulations to the 2022 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Winners,” said Kanika Soni, Chief Commercial Officer at Tripadvisor. “The Travelers’ Choice Awards recognize the best in tourism and hospitality, according to those who matter most: your guests. Ranking among the Travelers’ Choice winners is always tough – but never more so than this year as we emerge from the pandemic. Whether it’s using new technology, implementing safety measures, or hiring outstanding staff, I’m impressed by the steps you’ve taken to meet travelers’ new demands. You’ve adapted brilliantly in the face of adversity.” 

Tickets for all events, tours and activities taking place at Ely Cathedral can be booked online, in advance from the Cathedral website: http://www.elycathedral.org. 

Press release from Ely Cathedral

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Following the success of Crowns and Gowns I, this follow up exhibition showcases even more fabulous costumes and jewels from major movies and TV, filmed on location in some of the UK’s most notable Cathedrals.

This visually exciting exhibition can be seen in Ely’s majestic Lady Chapel from the end of June until mid August. It showcases iconic dresses and outfits from well known productions including The Young Victoria, Wolf Hall, The Spanish Princess, The Other Boleyn Girl, The King’s Speech, Macbeth and The Crown.

These films bought globally recognised, award winning actors to UK Cathedrals including Cate Blanchett, Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman, Emily Blunt, Jenna Coleman, Tom Holland, Claire Foy, Damien Lewis, Michael Fassbender and Colin Firth.

Joss Palmer, Event Manager at Ely Cathedral says “We have been very fortunate to have Ely used as a location numerous times.  Several other UK Cathedrals such as Wells, Lincoln, Gloucester and York Minster have also provided authentic and truly stunning locations for the film industry. These films contribute greatly to the profile of our majestic Cathedrals both as places of worship and heritage sites which we hope to acknowledge and celebrate in this exhibition.”

Crowns and Gowns II runs from 30th June until 11th August. It will be open every day from 10am (Mon-Sat) and from 12.30 (Sun).

The exhibition is included in the Cathedral admission ticket which should be purchased in advance online. 

On Sundays, when there are no visitor charges for the Cathedral, there will be a £4 entry fee to access the Lady Chapel where the exhibition will be located.

Visitors are asked to check the website for any changes in opening times and ticket details. 

Press release from Ely Cathedral

Support Ely Cathedral here.

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Festival spokesperson Fionnuala Lennon said ‘We’re rolling up our sleeves now to get the new site ready for our first visitors on 8th July. The new festival site will provide a wonderful green backdrop to a great weekend of music, dance and fun. We’ve got a wonderful line-up of national and local folk and roots musicians, lots of activities and fun for younger visitors, and the colourful morris dance procession through the centre of Ely on Saturday morning. There is something for all members of the family to enjoy.’

This is the 36th Ely Folk Festival. The stellar line-up includes Lindisfarne, the Sharon Shannon Trio, Holy Moly and The Crackers, De Temps Antan, Heidi Talbot and Boo Hewerdine, Big Joe Bone, Steamchicken, and Gabriel Moreno and The Quivering Poets.

In addition to 10 concerts over the weekend, the festival will host three Ceilidhs, Morris Dance displays, children’s activities, workshops, a real ale bar and a food and craft trader area. 

The new festival site is located along the A142 Soham Road near Stuntney. A shuttle bus will connect the site to Ely Rail Station and the city centre. Camping is available on the site for weekend visitors.

Festival tickets are still available with adult weekend tickets costing £107 (concessions apply); and tickets available for individual days starting at £30 for an adult ticket for Friday.

Tickets can be bought in advance via the festival website www.elyfolkfestival.co.uk and will be available at the box office on the site itself from 13.00 on Friday 8th July. The Festival is dog friendly.

Press release from Ely Folk Festival

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It includes a variety of events for everyone to enjoy. Highlights include professional theatre company Impromptu Shakespeare, who present an improvised Shakespeare play in The Maltings on Thursday 23rd June and the ‘Jubilee Jamboree’ family day in Jubilee Gardens on Saturday 25th June. This is a free day of music, theatre and art, with food vans. 

The committee, working with Babylon Arts, are pleased to have received a grant from the Let’s Create Jubilee Fund from Arts Council England through Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, to support parts of the festival, including a ceramic Lion Trail across the city, documenting the reign of Elizabeth II and #PictureEly, a day of art on the market square.

The charitable organisation’s Chief Executive, Claire Somerville said “We’re pleased to be working with Ely Arts Festival to help create new opportunities for arts and culture across Ely, in celebration of the Queen’s Jubilee.”

There will also be a series of concerts taking place in the historic Sessions House from rising star musicians from the Royal College of Music and Guildhall School of Music. 

Artistic Director and Chair of Ely Arts Festival, Chris Parsons said “We’re really excited for this year’s programme of events and activities, and we hope that there’s something for everyone to enjoy! Our aim is to make the festival accessible and bring lots of high quality arts to Ely. The festival wouldn’t be possible without our sponsors, Lovewell Blake, Poets House, Bovingdons and East Cambridgeshire District Council, as well as collaborating with many wonderful organisations across the city. We look forward to welcoming you from Friday 17th June to Friday 1st July for an exciting two weeks of events.”

The festival culminates with ‘The Carnival of the Animals’, a community celebration in Ely Cathedral on Friday 1st July. It will feature 300 local school children singing animal-themed music, including medleys from The Lion King and Jungle Book and music by Saint Saëns, Mancini with a live orchestra and professional soloists. The concert will begin with a colourful carnival parade down the nave with school children wearing animal head-dresses created in workshops provided by the festival. The recently debuted ‘Eel-izabeth’ will also take part in the parade, giving residents another opportunity to view the new Jubilee inspired eel after the Eel Parade on Sunday 5th June. 

To find out more information about the Ely Arts Festival’s 2022 programme and how to book for events visit: www.elyartsfestival.org

Press release from Babylon ARTS  

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The exhibition explores the ‘Power of Stitch’, pursuing their own areas of interest, with a deliberate focus on stitch to interpret their creative journey.

Two years in the making, the group have been inspired by the English textile artist and embroiderer, Constance Howard who said, “You do not need to know hundreds of stitches, but you need to use the ones you know well.” The group has produced an exciting body of work that relies on the most fundamental of textile techniques – stitch.

EAST member Melinda Berkovitz said “EAST are delighted to showcase their exhibition in the beautiful setting of Babylon Arts Gallery.  Each artist pursues her own themes whilst celebrating the simplest of techniques, stitch! There is something for everyone to enjoy.”

Alongside the exhibition, members of the group are offering a series of talks and workshops, which encourage others to try stitch as a medium. The sessions are suitable for beginners, experts and anything in between. Stitch your own textile heart in memory of a loved one or as decoration, learn how to wrap and embellish a rock, or join qualified historical researcher, Janette Bright for a glass of wine and learn about ‘The Rise and Fall of the Tambour Hook’. To find out more, visit the Babylon ARTS website (www.babylonarts.org.uk). 

Claire Somerville said “Planning for this exhibition began just before the pandemic, and it’s been well worth the wait. The EAST members demonstrate the variety that stitch has to offer. I would highly encourage people to attend the workshops and talks on offer to give it a try for yourself!”

The ‘Power of Stitch’ exhibition is on until 4pm on Sunday 19th June. Babylon Gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday, 12pm to 4pm with free entry.

Press release from Babylon ARTS

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The rain subsided just as the Eel Parade started from Ely Cathedral at 10.30am and wiggled its way down the High Street and Forehill to the river, where it came to a stop in Jubilee Gardens, where Visit Ely had organised food stalls and entertainment. 

Babylon ARTS commissioned artist Cary Outis to create the eel, with help from Year 5 pupils at Littleport Community Primary School. Over two days in May, 60 pupils got to work tie-dyeing three sections of five metres of cotton muslin to make up the body of the eel. 

Chief Executive of Babylon ARTS, Claire Somerville said “We would like to say a big thank you to Cary and the Kingfisher and Nightjar classes and their teachers at Littleport Primary School for all their help in making our new carnival eel.”

The students also used tie-dyeing on thicker cotton, which was used to create individual flags that the students proudly waved as part of the parade procession. The creation of ‘Eel-izabeth’ was thanks to funding from Arts Council England’s Jubliee Fund through Cambridgeshire Community Foundation.

Tourism and Town Centres Manager Anna Bennett said, “Eel-izabeth is the perfect example of co-working, partners coming together to create a lasting monument to the wonderful Platinum Jubilee Celebrations here in the City of Ely. What better than this beautiful Eel to celebrate the return of the Eel Parade after three years? Truly a moment that will live on in many memories.”

Eel-izabeth will make another appearance at The Carnival of Animals on Friday 1st July, an event which marks the end of Ely Arts Festival 2022. For more information, visit www.elyartsfestival.org.

Press release from Babylon ARTS

Photo credit: Babylon Arts and Spotted in Ely

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Designed by Bottisham school pupil Toby Milner, aged 14, the intricate walkways have been planted up with more than 5000 native hornbeam saplings.

A junior maze, aimed at younger children, has also been planted using the layout created by seven-year-old Jonathan Peeling, from Ely.

The smaller maze features wooden carved animals – an idea suggested by four-year-old Astrid McIntosh, from Ely and lovingly brought to life by Witchford-based chainsaw artist Lisa Langley.

They include a heron, a dragonfly, a hare and a frog, representing the wildlife it is possible to find in and around Ely Country Park.

The competition to design two new Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Tree Mazes was organised by East Cambridgeshire District Council as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy Project.

The trees in each maze will be logged on the Queen’s Green Canopy website, along with the hundreds of other trees planted or supplied by the Council during the Jubilee year.

Hornbeam is A-rated when it comes to storing carbon, and when fully grown it is expected to lock-in hundreds of kilograms of carbon, helping to support the Council’s aim to become net carbon zero, and increase biodiversity across the district.

Officially opening the maze, Councillor Alan Sharp, Chairman of East Cambridgeshire District Council said: “I am delighted to open the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Tree Mazes and especially pleased Toby and Jonathan could join us for the opening ceremony and to explore the new mazes for the first time. I am sure if Her Majesty was here then she would enjoy exploring the mazes too.”

The mazes will be officially opened to the public from Monday, 30th May and are free to explore.

Press release from East Cambridgeshire District Council

Photo credit: James Pearson

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The dress is an exact copy of the original, was famously worn by Claire Foy at Ely Cathedral for the sumptuous Netflix drama, The Crown. In 2020, the dress was also the headline exhibit as part of our popular Crowns and Gowns exhibition which attracted over 15,000 visitors.

In addition to the dress, there is a stunning array of floral tributes by the Cathedral’s Flower Guild and other local flower clubs. Each impressive display represents key events, interests and pursuits in the Queen’s life including her 1947 wedding, the Commonwealth, her love of horses, racing and the countryside, The Royal Yacht Britannia and of course, a floral tribute illustrating her service as Queen to the United Kingdom of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

The Cathedral will be extending visitor opening times, with additional activities including a guided Cathedral Tour followed by a celebratory ‘Jubilee Afternoon Tea’ with a glass of fizz at the Almonry Restaurant in the Cathedral grounds. 

Ely’s famous Octagon Tower will be lit red, white and blue for the duration of the bank holiday weekend as part of the commemorations. And there will be a special Service of Thanksgiving for HM The Queen at 10.30am on Sunday 5th June with music performed by the Choir. Everyone is welcome. 

For further information, and to book tours and tea tickets, please visit: www.elycathedral.org

Press release from Ely Cathedral

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Music will be in plentiful supply, with more than 20 Bands performing over two stages throughout the Festival, and a Neon DJ event on the Friday night.

The event is family friendly, with Fairyland Trust running activities for children Saturday and Sunday and Eco friendly stalls will provide ticket holders with refreshments and shopping opportunities.

There will be many other activities throughout the weekend including Willow Weaving, Carol Banks Jewellery demo, Wellness Sessions, Family Yoga Sessions, Grow Your Own demo, Mandolin Workshop, Children Activity Spot, Storyteller, RSPB activities stall and Face Painting and Hair Braiding, there really is something for everyone to enjoy!

Day tickets and Camping Tickets are available; the campsite consists of a wildflower grassy field with a beautiful pond, surrounded by colourful nectar mixes, and over 3 acres of newly planted trees and hedges.

There are also many pretty rural walks nearby, the walk to Ely along the River Great Ouse is particularly beautiful, with amazing views of Ely Cathedral. 

The Festival sites on a small hill within the 12 acre field of the campsite with amazing sunsets and Ely Cathedral as a backdrop – it’s a perfect setting!

For Camping or Day tickets visit the website: https://www.madhattersfestival.co.uk/

Press release from Mad Hatters Campsite and Music Festival

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On Friday 3rd June, there will be a special Platinum Jubilee Celebration Market, and all the regular markets will take place as usual on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

The Platinum Jubilee Celebration Market is on Friday 3rd June, 9am-4pm. There will be a range of free entertainment on the main Market Place, including a performance by local choir SING! at 10am and 12 noon and the Stumpy Oak Ceilidh Band from 1.30-3.45pm. There will also be spontaneous walkabout street theatre by the Hocus Pocus Theatre Company throughout the afternoon.

Re-Imagine Resource Centre will be hosting a free ‘Eco-Hatters’ pop-up craft event all day for children to make a special Jubilee hat and take a commemorative selfie. 4th Dimension Dance will be performing a showcase of dance at 11am and Steve Tucker, a local airbrush artist, will also be in residence with his special customised Jubilee motorbike.

“The Platinum Jubilee is all about making memories,” says Julia Davis of Ely Markets. “Our special celebration on Friday 3rd June is a chance for the whole community to gather together and enjoy a day to remember. Come and dance with our ceilidh band, Stumpy Oak – or why not sit back and enjoy the show from one of our new deckchairs? Children will love our free ‘Eco Hatters’ craft pop-up where you can decorate a wonderful hat to wear over the weekend!”

There will be plenty of seating available on the main Market Place and lots of delicious food and drinks to choose from – including wood-fired pizza, locally brewed beer, picnic fare, cakes and more.

In addition to the entertainment on the main square, there will also be craft stalls and local artisan food on Market Street and Dolphin Lane. “We’ve got a lovely selection of craft and food stalls booked for our Jubilee Celebration Market,” says Julia Davis. “Many of our talented regular traders will be showcasing unique new products and we’ve also got enough delicious foodie options to keep the whole family happy. While you browse our stalls, look out for the special walkabout street entertainment from Hocus Pocus Theatre and artist Steve Tucker, who will be custom spray-painting his motorbike with a special Jubilee design live at the market!”

As well as the Platinum Jubilee Celebration Market on Friday 3 June, Ely Market will be running its usual weekly markets on Thursday 2nd June, Saturday 4th June and Sunday 5th June. Visitors can stock up on treats for the weekend – or relax with a cup of coffee and some street food. There will be special Jubilee extras at these markets too, including a performance by the Isle of Ely School of Irish Dancing on Sunday at 12 noon.

“Whatever day you decide to visit, we’ll have something special to make your weekend memorable” says Julia Davis. “Whether it’s relaxing in one of our new deckchairs, finding the perfect commemorative souvenir, dancing with your friends or enjoying some street food in the sunshine, we can help you make the whole Jubilee weekend one to remember!”

Dates for your diary:
Thursday 2nd June: Charter Market, 8.30am-3.30pm
Friday 3rd June: Platinum Jubilee Market Celebration, 9am-4pm
Saturday 4th June: Craft, Food & Vintage Market, 8.30am-3.30pm
Sunday 5th June: Sunday Market, 9am-4pm

Friday 3rd June: Platinum Jubilee MarketCelebration
Schedule:
10am: SING! Choir
11am: 4th Dimension Dance Showcase
12 noon: SING! Choir
1.30-3.45pm: Stumpy Oak Ceilidh plus live walkabout theatre by Hocus Pocusfrom 11.30am

Press release from Ely Markets

The post Ely Markets’ Big Jubilee Weekend appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The planning, preparation and work behind the scenes has been in the making since 2021 and members have been busing crocheting, making pom poms, creating bunting and constructing foam flower decorations to name but a few.  What better way than to make their mark in Ely, paying homage to the WI’s most prestigious member; than to decorate many of the public spaces?

One member commented that they are “absolutely over the moon with the effort and hard work that our ladies have given to this project”.  Declaring that it is “our best yet and will have such a great impact on the community who will be joining in with many of the celebrations taking place in Ely over the Jubilee Weekend”.

Sessions House and Palace Green in Ely are just a few of the locations that have been ‘craft-bombed’ in red, white and blue.  One member commented that “Her Majesty is very special; she has dedicated the whole of her life to this country, and this is our way of saying that we appreciate what she has done over the past 70 years”.

In-keeping with the Platinum theme, Members have been on ‘sparkling form’ fashioning the craft pieces either as individual projects or in small groups.  “To be able to do something in our wider community is fantastic and to honour the monarch who is the longest still-serving sovereign in the world; even better!”.

One of the most eye-catching pieces is the wonderful Union Jack Flag displayed outside Sessions House in Lynn Road.  This particular work of art took a whopping five months and comprises of over 650 individually knitted flowers.  Creator, President Sheila Willson gathered donated wool and fabric to bring her design to life and says that “it has been a real labour of love.  I have lost count of the number of stitches and late nights, but I am so pleased in how it has come together and how it looks, exactly as I had imagined”.

Many of our members are seasoned celebrators of all things Jubilee!  Having lived in or around the local area they will have been a part of the community marking the occasions in 1977, 2002 and 2012 for the Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilees of The Queen.  However, this festivity brings with it refreshed hope, joy and happiness and will be a powerful symbol of celebration for so many.

The Jubilee Craft Bomb will be on display until 17th June and you can view them at the Old Courthouse, the Market Square, Palace Green and Jubilee Gardens.  Why not see just how creative Ely City WI are? 

If this inspires you, then perhaps you would like to get involved? 

You can visit our website: https://wielycity.wixsite.com/home or find us on Facebook just search Ely City WI).  You can also email us at elycitywi@yahoo.com

Press release from Ely City WI

The post Ely City WI Celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The Orangery, for which plans were approved in March 2020, blends seamlessly with the beauty of the existing building, being predominantly made of glass framed by English oak. Whilst the build has taken slightly longer than anticipated, due mainly to the Covid 19 pandemic, it has very much been worth the wait, as explained by Alison Morbey, Owner and project leader at The Old Hall;

‘We’re so excited that our Orangery is now completed, with it we’ve made a selection of other improvements, including extending our downstairs cloakrooms and creating a new, disability access path from the front of the house to our terraces and pavilion area. 

We hope that the addition of the Orangery will give our wedding couples extra choices about where to say their vows, as well as providing an alternative event space for parties and celebrations. Every part of the house is special in its own way, but unobstructed Cathedral views really do give our Orangery something unique. We’re also excited to use the space to expand our availability for Sunday lunches and afternoon teas. 

Alongside this, we’re very aware that many offices have closed their doors in favour of home-working since the pandemic and the Orangery will give us an opportunity for us to offer an exclusive, alternative corporate space for use by businesses.

This extra availability and opportunity to further diversify has allowed us to increase our staff, creating additional jobs, further supporting our community.’

Every part of the Orangery has been designed exquisitely by Alison herself, it boasts fabric lined walls to enhance the acoustics, with a bespoke handcrafted oak leaf chandelier and the sofas have been designed to accommodate privacy and comfort. Alongside all of the wonderful features, the most spectacular feature of the space remains the floor to ceiling windows, framing the unobstructed countryside and Cathedral views. 

Since the pandemic, The Old Hall have increased their offering to include reservation only evening dinners, afternoon teas, Sunday lunches and breakfasts to both guests and non-residents. They hope the addition of the Orangery will increase the availability of these, giving more choice locally and boosting visitors to the area.

Billy Balaam, Head Chef adds; ‘We’re delighted to be opening the new Orangery. The floor to ceiling glass gives an impressive view of the Cathedral and we’re excited to offer a menu to match. We’ll feature heritage favourites, modern takes and a constantly changing selection of dishes. British staples such as guinea fowl or spring lamb will star alongside enhanced traditional sides like our liquorice baked leeks. 

Our breakfasts are a great start to any day with a fresh buffet available alongside our cooked to order menu. Afternoon teas here are always delicious, our cakes and sweet treats are all made in house. Our carrot cake is a show stopper, it’s made from a traditional family recipe is second to none. We keep our afternoon teas fresh and seasonal to give our guests variety. We hope to welcome you soon.’

All dining at the old hall is exclusively reservation only and guests are encouraged to enjoy the house and grounds on their visit. Please check the ‘what’s on’ section of the website for dining availability www.theoldhallely.co.uk.

Press release from The Old Hall Ely

The post The Old Hall Ely Extends Jacobean Country Hotel and Events Venue with the addition of Orangery Restaurant and Event Space appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

From 19th April to 11.59pm on 2nd May, customers can save up to 50% off selected advance tickets on thousands of journeys across the whole of the UK including the Greater Anglia network.

Customers can now travel to destinations including London, Cambridge, Southend, Colchester, Ipswich and Norwich from just £3 one-way. Railcard customers will also be able to save an additional 1/3 off a discounted ticket, providing the railcard discount is eligible on the chosen journey.

Rail sale prices on the Greater Anglia network are:

• Norwich to London Liverpool Street – £5
• Cambridge to London Liverpool Street – £4
• Sheringham/Great Yarmouth/Lowestoft to London Liverpool Street – £6
• Ipswich to London Liverpool Street – £5
• Colchester to Norwich – £4
• Southend Victoria to London Liverpool Street – £3

Tickets must be for travel between 25th April until 27th May 2022, and they must be bought a minimum of one day before the date of travel. Tickets are available to buy online only.

Martin Moran, Greater Anglia’s Commercial, Customer Services and Train Presentation Director, said: “Customers travelling across East Anglia can now save up to 50% on advance tickets. There is only a limited number and when they’re gone, they’re gone.

“The Great British Rail Sale is a great opportunity for people to explore all East Anglia has to offer – there is so much to see and do. Take a trip to London to soak up the sights, visit one of the many wonderful coastal destinations or explore a new town or city.

“There are even more savings to be had with a railcard. Railcard customers will be able to save an additional 1/3 off a discounted ticket providing the railcard discount is eligible on the chosen journey.”

Great British Rail Sale tickets are valid only on the date and train shown on the ticket or for the journey and train company booked. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis but are not limited to one per person.

Visit nationalrail.co.uk/railsale or www.greateranglia.co.ukto see what discounts are available.

Press release from Greater Anglia

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East Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridgeshire County Council are working on a joint initiative to renovate the area which runs alongside Ely Cathedral’s Cross Green and is backed onto by a number of High Street businesses.

The work is being funded by a grant from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority’s Market Town Programme Fund and a contribution from County Highways.

It will include lighting up the mature lime trees which line the walkway to make the area safer in the evening, refurbishing the existing uneven York stone pathway and adding new seating areas.

Businesses that use the area will also be encouraged to store unsightly commercial wheelie bins in a bin store, which is also being improved with new doors and lighting.

Councillor Julia Huffer, Chair of the Operational Services Committee at East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “Since the start of the COVID pandemic, outdoor dining has become increasingly popular, with three businesses now using the area for this purpose.

“Historically the pathway has been used by businesses to store their commercial wheelie bins, but we hope the new improvements to the area, combined with an upgrade to the existing bin store, will transform it into a pleasant place for residents and visitors to enjoy.”

To ensure the project is as environmentally friendly as possible, all of the original pavers will be lifted and cleaned, and as many as possible will be reused. A new section of pavers will be laid around the arched Sacrist’s Gate area, leading to the High Street.

The existing streetlights will be repainted and new benches and bins will be installed, along with new solar lighting within the bin store.

The works are scheduled for eight weeks, during which time the footpath will be closed with limited or no access.

The project, which sits within a Conversation area has received support and backing from Ely Cathedral. Surveys have also been carried out to ensure no bats or trees are harmed during the process or affected by the up lighting of the trees.

The poorly lit area has been a source of continued concern for many organisations including City of Ely Council, the Ely Society and Ely Perspective.

Press release from East Cambridgeshire District Council

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His guided tours, which last about an hour show some of the oil paintings he has been making over the last fifty years. All his pictures have their starting point in family life and although he is using his family for inspiration he views the theme as universal.

‘Visitors often say I am talking about their family ‘ says Ted. ‘ and as I often use objects instead of people in the paintings,  the images don’t become too personal.

The tour ends in his studio to see his latest work in progress. The current painting is about a dream he had during Lockdown, escaping with his family from the pandemic. The tours usually take place on Sundays at 2pm and booking is essential at least 24 hours before the visit.

Ted usually takes six people at a time and more details about booking are on his website  www.tedconeysfamilyportraits.co.uk

Press release from Ted Coney’s Family Portraits

The post Local Pop-Up Gallery Set to Reopen appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Wednesday’s Board (30th March) is being asked by Mayor Dr Nik Johnson to approve £330,000 for the cycleway proposal, received under the Combined Authority’s Market Towns Programme.  The bid is in the 8th tranche of proposals received, with £13.1 million already shared out by the Combined Authority among the eleven market towns.

If approved, the cycleway will plug into the National Cycle Network, and deliver a year-round connection between Soham’s brand new railway station, its town centre, and the village of Wicken with its unique wetland nature reserve.

With the station, funded by the Combined Authority and opened in December by Mayor Dr Nik Johnson, now fully operational, the proposed cycleway connecting Wicken with a vibrant Soham High Street, is  expected to encourage visitors, boosting covid-recovery and high street spending.

Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Dr Nik Johnson said:

“This inspired application from Soham has the support of East Cambridgeshire District Council who may also match-fund the project if our Board gives the requested Combined Authority grant.

“It’s fantastic to see councils cooperating on an initiative that ticks so many boxes – helping both high street recovery and public health, joining up active travel with public transport, and protecting our environment by cutting the need for car journeys to the wetland site.

“This project will create a safer and shorter route for people to get out on their bikes in the fresh air, a year-round path along which students from Wicken could cycle to school, away from the very busy A1123.”

Wicken Fen is one of Europe’s most important wetlands, a rich eco-system supporting abundant and diverse plant and animal life.  There are more than 9,000 species, including a priceless array of plants, birds and dragonflies. Wicken Fen is part of the National Trust and currently has some 65,000 visitors a year. It is estimated that 90% of all visitors to Wicken arrive by car.

The total cost of the proposal is £655,000 and Soham Town Council’s bid to the Market Town Fund of £330,000 represents around half the cost.  If the Combined Authority Board grants the money,  Soham Town Council may be able to apply separately to East Cambridgeshire District Council for matched funding to support the project and bridge the gap.

If the grants are awarded, work could start on the project in the next few months with anticipated completion in 2024.

In another Market Towns Programme item, the Board will also be asked to approve the request to extend funding timeline for remaining programme item, the Board will also be asked to approve the request to extend funding timeline for remaining programme budgets for Huntingdonshire (£802,150 for the towns of Huntingdon and St Ives) and East Cambridgeshire (£1m for the town of Littleport).

Press release from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority

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The new poster boards and large posters – which display images of the city’s attractions such as the cathedral, waterways and town centre – have been funded by the Hereward Community Rail Partnership (CRP), Community Rail Network and Visit Ely.

The images portray the scenic highlights of the city for people arriving at the station.

With Ely station often used as an interchange by many, the Hereward Line CRP also wanted to let people know what they were missing just a stone’s throw from the station – and encourage them to come back and discover the historic city.

Beverley Bishop, Hereward Line Community Rail Partnership Officer, said, “Visiting Ely by rail is so easy and there is so much to discover, but it’s a bit of a well-kept secret.

“The Ely – Peterborough rail line provides access to wide-open Fen, East Anglia’s famous big skies and offers tourists the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Anglo-Saxon hero and legend, Hereward the Wake. The line is graced with two beautiful cathedrals at each end – Ely and Peterborough, and in between, historic market towns and villages. And, of course, we mustn’t forget the nature reserves, cycling routes, narrow boating and traditional festivals that can all be experienced here.

“It’s a voyage of discovery and we hope to see tourists returning in greater numbers this year, making use of the convenient rail links, which have been improved with the arrival of Greater Anglia’s brand-new trains.”

Anna Bennett, Tourism and Town Centre Manager for Visit Ely, said, “We are thrilled to see these magnificent posters, promoting the main attractions in our City. Ely has thousands of visitors every year, and the station posters are a great boost to our Tourism footfall, especially after the pandemic as we try to re-coup. 

“Here at Oliver Cromwell’s House Tourism Centre, we actively promote travel by train as Ely is so well connected with other major cities, therefore being able to highlight our attractions is a great joy. Thanks to all those involved.”

Wendy Otter, Transport Development Manager, Fenland District Council, said, “It’s easy to reach Ely by train and there is so much to discover along our line. We are working to upgrade stations and improve connections between the Fenland towns and other regional centres to ensure that visiting by rail is an attractive alternative to the car for more sustainable journeys.”

Alan Neville, Greater Anglia’s Customer and Community Engagement Manager, said, “It’s great to see people coming back to rail and feeling confident to travel and these posters will help even further.

“Visiting by train is a great way to discover the region in comfort and is better for the environment, helping to reduce pollution and congestion in our tourist hotspots, towns and villages. Along with our great value tickets, visiting by rail is an attractive alternative to the car for more sustainable journeys.”

Paul Webster, Community Rail Network’s Support and Development Manager, said, “Using the railway network to see Britain’s stunning scenic landscapes, visit historic towns, discover hidden heritage sites and to connect with walking and cycling activities is such a great and sustainable way to travel. We are pleased to support this project through our Small Grants Fund which has really made a visual impact at the station and will inspire more people to spend time exploring Ely and to take a journey along the scenic Hereward line.”

Press release from Greater Anglia

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Wilhelmina Geddes was an important figure in the Irish Arts and Crafts movement and 20th century British stained glass revival. She worked at the two leading Arts and Crafts cooperative stained glass studios in Britain in the early 20th century, An Túr Gloine (Tower of Glass) in Dublin (founded 1903) and The Glass House (Lowndes and Drury) in London (founded 1906). She was amongst the first generation of women stained glass artists who benefitted from professional training, achieving recognition  in their own right, and whose careers benefitted from increased commissions in the periods after the First and Second World Wars. 

The Faith, Hope and Charity window was designed and cartooned in 1955 and turned out to be Geddes’ final commission. The window was made to Geddes’ designs shortly after her death by friend and colleague at The Glass House, Charles F. Blakeman (1907-1989) in 1956. In the same year the three-light window was installed in the north aisle of St Paul’s  Church, Battersea. In 1972 St Paul’s Church was united with nearby St Peter’s and Geddes’ Faith, Hope and Charity window was blocked and boarded up. The window was removed  when the church was sold for mixed development and converted into private residencies and a nursery, c.2015. 

Dr Jasmine Allen, Director and Curator at The Stained Glass Museum says; “Geddes’ stained glass works are rarely available to acquire, and her output was relatively  small. We are delighted to have acquired this window, which depicts the three theological virtues, Faith, Hope and Charity (Love), for The Stained Glass Museum’s permanent  collection. It is an excellent addition to the museum’s collection of Arts & Crafts windows designed by women artists. As Geddes’ final commission it is also an important example of her later work, and an interesting treatment of this subject.” 

According to Christian theology and philosophy, the three theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity (Love) are associated with salvation resulting from the grace of God. There is a long tradition in Christian art of depicting vices and virtues and these subjects are prominent  in medieval stained glass. From the 18th century onwards, the virtues of Faith, Hope and  Charity were especially popular moralising subjects and appear as female allegories in both  religious paintings and stained glass windows.  

Geddes was a modern artist with spiritual vision, and her unique interpretation of this popular subject is full of symbolism and theological meaning, whilst holding true to tradition. Geddes’ window depicts three seated female figures representing Faith, Hope and Charity, one in  each light. The figures all bear what have become known as Geddes’ hallmark stylistic features – strong necks, arched eyebrows and flared nostrils, long straight noses and large eyes. The window is made using very high quality streaky and flashed glass, with strong use of the pinks, reds, and purples favoured by Geddes. The three virtues are all shown with colourful angel wings, a halo inscribed with their virtue, wearing traditional robes, hair tied up and symbolic floral headband. Above and below the virtues are representations of biblical scenes which provide an illustration of the virtue depicted.  

The window was purchased with support from the Art Fund and Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund. 

Press release from The Stained Glass Museum

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On July 3rd we will return with all the usual stalls, fun fairs and arena entertainment. We are planning a special show. The ever-popular Raft races will also be back.

Now is the time to get a team and build your raft. The more rafts the merrier. This year’s theme is The Queen/ Royalty. There are trophies to be won.  

Rotary Aquafest is a free entry event, to thank the people of Ely for their support over the years, so come and join in the fun. Any profits that are made will go to local charities and good causes.  

For more information, please visit our website or look us up on Facebook. 

Press release from Ely Rotary Club

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East Cambridgeshire District Council is taking part in a new Local Heritage Listing project for Cambridgeshire, along with the county council, and four other district councils.

It’s an opportunity to help capture what makes East Cambridgeshire unique – whether it’s a war memorial, a telephone box or a beautiful country cottage.

Many such sites are valued by local people and contribute positively to the county’s character and identity, but fall outside the national listing process.

It means they often have little or no protection, and over time can be lost.

The aim of the project is to identify where they exist on a new website https://local-heritage-list.org.uk/cambridgeshire so what is significant about them can be recorded. 

By adding these heritage assets to Local Heritage Lists their local importance will be officially recognised in the planning process. If a planning application is made that affects one of the assets on the list, the local planning authority will have to take this into account when considering the application. While this does not provide the same degree of protection that is given to nationally listed buildings or structures, it should help to preserve the character and heritage of our local area.

Sites that already exist on the Buildings of Local Interest register in East Cambridgeshire include the old Lloyds Bank in Littleport, the Round House in Little Thetford and the Georgian cottages in Aldreth.

Cllr Lis Every, Heritage Champion at East Cambridgeshire District Council, said:

“We are extremely lucky to live in an area that is rich in history and has lots of impressive buildings, parks, gardens, landmarks and structures which are important to local communities.

“This is about capturing what makes East Cambridgeshire special and helping to keep it that way to help preserve what we love about our district now, and for the future.

“I would encourage anyone who thinks an asset is worth preserving to visit the website where they will be able to make a nomination, comment on an existing application or even volunteer their time to help with the process.”

The Cambridgeshire project is one of 22 funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (now the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) which invited councils in England to create pilot projects for Local Heritage Lists in their areas.

Nominations made on the website will be considered by an assessment panel of local project volunteers and heritage professionals to check they satisfy the criteria for selection.

Selected assets will then be taken forward by the individual district councils for adoption onto a Local List. Once adopted these lists will be published on the project website and each of the district council’s websites.

For more information and ways to get involved visit https://local-heritage-list.org.uk/cambridgeshire or email Project Officer jessica.johnston@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Press release from East Cambridgeshire District Council

The post Residents Asked to Identify Assets that Make East Cambs Special appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Oliver Cromwell’s House was assessed under Visit England’s Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme and signified by the Quality Rose Marque before being highlighted in a list of special attractions.

The Visit England assessor said the accolade was testament to the “high standards achieved” and the attraction “was truly deserving of recognition”

Since its last assessment, the attraction, which also houses the Tourist Information Centre, has made further improvements and is under new Management since 2019.  The attraction now has a new and improved audio trail which appeals to both adults and families, original artefacts on loan from the Cromwell Museum in Huntingdon and many new and exciting tours and talks highlighting the historic content of this iconic building.

Manager, Anna Bennett said: “Oliver Cromwell House is a superb place to visit and fully deserves to be awarded the Visit England’s Hidden Gem award. The team provide an excellent service, both knowledgeable on history, and tourist information, I am very proud of them all, especially as we’ve been through such a challenging time facing lockdown and a downturn in visitor numbers”

She continues “The House is the only surviving residence of Oliver Cromwell, other than Hampton Court, and therefore is of significant historic interest.  I am very pleased that the experts at Visit England have recognised the huge lengths that the team have gone to in order to continue to add value to the visitor’s experience.

“Tourism is vital to East Cambridgeshire and accolades such as these continue to drive our district’s reputation even higher as a key tourist destination.”
 
The Hidden Gem award is awarded to attractions across the UK which offer innovative, interesting or unique tourist experiences.

Press release from Visit Ely

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The report, issued this week, states that in 2019, England’s 42 Anglican cathedrals contributed £235m to their local economies. They provided 6,065 jobs full time equivalent jobs and volunteering posts for 15,400 people who gave 906,000 hours of their time. Collectively, they welcomed more than 14.6 million visits, 308,000 by schoolchildren for educational events, and 9.5m from tourists. 

In the same year, England’s Cathedrals hosted a rich programme of arts, music, heritage and culture – amounting to 9,580 events equivalent to two every three days – as well as providing the venues for film shoots such as The Crown, Doctor Who and Avengers: Endgame. 

The report also emphasises the roles Cathedral play socially, responding to local need by running foodbanks, support groups for the more vulnerable, the unemployed, the homeless, outreach activities in schools, residential homes and hospitals, parent and toddler groups, and community cafes.  

Over two thirds of cathedrals are part of the A Rocha Eco Church programme, including Ely who achieved their Silver status, towards helping the Church of England achieve its carbon reduction targets by 2030.

In 2019 Ely Cathedral welcomed over 200,000 visitors, 9000 school children. The building also provided a venue for over 40 concerts and recitals, hosted an original Banksy, put on a month long Science Festival which included the spectacular installation of Luke Jerram’s Moon, accommodated a special exhibition by The Embroiders’ Guild and accommodated several TV crews including Salvage Hunters.  

The Very Revd Mark Bonney, Dean of Ely said “We whole heartedly welcome this report which highlights the relevance of Cathedrals, both as places of worship and reflection, in addition to their role within the community.  We all have a responsibility to support the social and economic progress in our regions, but that can be hard to measure.  It is encouraging that the data shows the meaningful contribution Cathedrals make, and how much we have all evolved since the last report in 2014″.

The report also collected evidence on the impact of COVID-19 – which saw Government mandated closures and restrictions on gatherings – reveals visitor numbers slumped by 75 per cent compared to 2019, visitor spend was down proportionately, and over 70 per cent of cathedral staff were furloughed. 

The research continues, stating that the fall in visitor numbers has had a significant effect on cathedrals’ income levels, particularly those cathedrals more dependent on the visitor economy.  It also found a significant fall in cathedrals’ average non-visitor income, driven by a reduction of almost 80% in income generated from the use of cathedral facilities. Closure and restrictions on congregation size also meant fewer people attended services in the cathedral leading, inevitably, to a drop in congregational giving.

On the positive side, the research also found that COVID-19 had given rise to new pastoral and creative opportunities. While 75 percent of cathedrals’ existing social projects stopped due to closures and restrictions, new services like social support groups developed.  In addition Cathedral’s welcomed the opportunity to live stream services online and each Cathedral, on average, provided two Sunday services and six midweek services. Ely fully embraced digital worship which resulted in a congregation that more than quadrupled by accumulating an online worshipping community from people all over the world. 

About The Economic and Social Impact of Cathedrals in England

The Economic and Social Impact of Cathedrals in England was produced by independent research consultancy, Ecorys, for The Association of English Cathedrals to show how cathedrals use their assets to promote mission and well-being. This latest research builds on previous studies of 2004 and 2014 and continues to prove that cathedrals successfully provide a multitude of community focussed services alongside worship. It enables cathedrals to demonstrate their social and economic impact as good stewards of their buildings, their history, their musical and spiritual inheritance, and, as good servants of their communities, to the wider church, local and national government, and other stakeholders.

Image – Ely Cathedral Image Library.  

Press release from Ely Cathedral

Donate to Ely Cathedral

The post England’s Cathedrals Matter: New Research Reveals Cathedrals’ Considerable Contribution to their Local Economies and Communities appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Earlier this summer, The Stained Glass Museum was thrilled to announce a new major acquisition by American artist Kehinde Wiley. Wiley (b. 1977) is an established and celebrated visual artist, best known for his portraits that place black men and women in traditional settings of original historical, religious or mythological portraits. Saint Adelaide (2014) is the first stained glass artwork by Kehinde Wiley to enter a public art collection in the world.

Following the success of our #MuseumLates earlier this summer too, the museum is delighted to bring them back this August & September to continue the celebration of our new acquisition, and offer a great ‘after hours’ opportunity to explore the beautiful Stained Glass Museum and see this fantastic new panel. 

Tickets for the event are free but must be prebooked via https://stained-glass-museum.arttickets.org.uk/stained-glass-museum/2021-08-17-museum-lates-kehinde-wiley

Saint Adelaide is a striking larger-than-life stained glass portrait of a young black man. The artwork is a major addition to the Stained Glass Museum’s collection of contemporary stained glass, and has been purchased for the museum’s permanent collection with the help of Art Fund and Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund and Arts Council England/SHARE Museums East Acquisitions Fund. 

Saint Adelaide is one of a series of Wiley’s freestanding stained glass panels depicting contemporary portraits of young black residents of Brooklyn, New York, and one of the first stained glass works to be made to Wiley’s designs by stained glass artisans in the Czech Republic. These contemporary stained glass panels mimic the form, pose, positioning and framing of carefully-selected historic stained glass windows, placing contemporary portraits of black men in the place of traditional saints. 

The museum has been delighted by the response to the panel from visitors so far free evening events are a chance to visit the museum and see the panel in person.  Additionally, Director and Curator of the Museum will be on hand to answer any questions.

Director and Curator of the Museum Jasmine Allen, added, “We had a great time earlier this summer, opening up the museum after hours for our #MuseumLate events and are pleased to announce more dates. Ahead of Wiley’s first exhibition in the UK at the National Gallery this winter, this is a brilliant opportunity to see his work locally in Ely. In a simple but powerful way Wiley’s art addresses the representation of young black men in contemporary culture and challenges the conventions of western art, and we want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to see it.”

#MuseumLates take place on Tuesday 17th August, Wednesday 8th and 15th September. Entry is free but for pre-booked tickets only. Tickets are bookable for timed entry slots at regular intervals between 4 – 5pm and 6:30 – 7:30pm. https://stained-glass-museum.arttickets.org.uk/

Press release from The Stained Glass Museum

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The contest, which is organised by Isle of Ely Produce with the help of over 30 local potato farmers, sees teams racing to the Market Place and back to the end of the High Street, near Ely Cathedral.

The race, which requires each competitor to run with a bag of potatoes on his or her back, is said to be the only city centre street potato race in the world.

Oliver Boutwood, director of Isle of Ely Produce, said: “It has been a difficult decision – but more than 1,000 people line the streets, and with the course being narrow, we couldn’t see a way of running the race safely for competitors and spectators alike, especially if new measures come in”

The race fits in nicely with the company’s campaign which highlights the journey the Fens potato makes from field all the way to the chip shop and in 2019 they even gave away free chips. It also brings agriculture into the city, and people love to watch the races.

The event was to coincide with Ely Cathedral’s Harvest Festival and usually features a school’s race.

The races will be back in 2022 with organiser Austen Dack promising a bumper day including a brand-new race on the day! He added, “Spotted in Ely have done so much for this race over the years, with Mark and Alison providing a live link from the races across the world which have been seen by over 20,000 people! With Mark’s passing we wanted to mark his commitment to Ely and these races, by naming a heat after him on the day.”

Oliver Boutwood said “This is a small way to show our appreciation for the continued support from the Spotted in Ely team and their commitment to Ely and our unique event.”

Press release from Isle of Ely Produce

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In it’s twelfth year, the exhibition includes artworks in a variety of mediums from over 200 children and young people from eleven schools across East Cambridgeshire, with drawings, paintings, textiles, photography, ceramics and multi-media work. The exhibition is supported by Tindalls Ltd and Ely Hereward Rotary Club, with funding from Postcode Neighbourhood Trust, a grant-giving charity funded entirely by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. 

The schools involved are; Downham Feoffees Primary Academy, Weatheralls Primary School in Soham, Littleport Community Primary School, Ely College, Kings Ely, Lantern Primary, Witchford Village College, Rackham C. of E. Primary School in Witchford, Littleport & East Cambs Academy, Bottisham Village College and Wilburton Primary School. 

Ely Hereward Rotary Club President, Christine Gascoigne announced the awards in the online ceremony via YouTube alongside Babylon ARTS’ Chief Executive Claire Somerville. This year’s winners received vouchers for art materials, donated by Tindalls Ltd and Ely Hereward Rotary Club.

The winners were:
Isaac H (Lantern Primary School);
Francesca R (Rackham C of E Primary School);
Bethany H (Littleport Community Primary School);
Esme S (Littleport Community Primary School);
Martha P (Rackham C of E Primary School);
Caitlyn V (Littleport Community Primary School);
Annabel H (Littleport Community Primary School);
Ajay C (Lantern Primary School);
Elodie B (Littleport Community Primary School);
Madeleine C (Bottisham Village College);
Tia H (Littleport and East Cambs Academy);
Lucy B (Witchford Village College);
Maria A (Ely College);
Haya H (Bottisham Village College);
Eleanor S (Witchford Village College);
Christina D (Kings Ely);
Katherine W (Kings Ely);
Molly W (Kings Ely).

The Curator’s Prize was awarded to Suzanna S (Bottisham Village College). 

Claire said “Congratulations to all of the prize-winners and everyone who has work exhibited this year. We’re so proud to host the East Cambridgeshire Schools’ Art Exhibition at Babylon Gallery and are always impressed by the level of creativity and talent by the young artists in the district.”

 A recording of the awards ceremony is available to watch on the Babylon ARTS website www.babylonarts.org.uk and available to watch below.

The East Cambridgeshire Schools’ Art Exhibition is on now at Babylon Gallery until 1st August, open Tuesday to Sunday, 12pm to 4pm with free entry.

Press release from Babylon Arts

The post East Cambridgeshire Schools’ Art Exhibition Award Winners Announced appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Ely’s patriotic ‘Ellie’ and friends’ will be on the East Lawn of Ely Cathedral, Saturday July 17th From 10 am until 4 pm. The Fayre opens at 10 am with Ely’s Town Crier,
Ely Mayor Cllr Austen and Cllr Arnold her consort to greet visitors. A small arena of events will be going on throughout the day, with everything from Eel Throwing (not real eels, just stuffed toys!)  Can you beat the World record of over 17 metres? 

There will be entertainment from KD Theatre, Living History actors, local folk music, stalls, crafts, food, and drink and more!

Come and celebrate with us, entrance from Ely High Street (Sacrist Gate) and exit Cathedral South towards Cherry Hill Park.

This will be a great family day out and a chance to commemorate Ely’s very own traditional event that has taken place in for many years – it is going to be quirkier than ever! Support your local businesses by popping the date in your diary as many will be there.

Anna Bennett, Tourism and Town Centre Manager quoted “We are very much looking forward to bringing this day back to Ely, after months of nothing! We are also eternally grateful to various local businesses that are sponsoring this event and other events planned for this year!

Ely’s Eel Fayre Entertainment Programme

10.00 am Town Crier opens event
10.15 am Littleport Riot Morris Dancers
10.45 am Tony Pearson – Piper
11.30 am KD HONK!
12.00 pm Josh Aitken – Musician
12.45 pm KD HONK!
1.15 pm Littleport Riot Morris Dancers
2.00 pm Elysian Belly Dancers
2.45 pm KD Academy
3.15 pm Tony Pearson – Piper
4.00 pm Eel Throwing Competition Winner announced

Press release from Visit Ely

The post Ely’s Eel Fayre 2021 appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Committee spokesperson Fionnuala Lennon admitted that it was a huge undertaking – ‘We really wanted to make Ely Folk Festival happen this year if it was at all feasible and we’ve worked really hard with council advisors to put in place the plans needed to make it a covid-safe. We’ve effectively made it an outdoor festival – replacing the two big marquees we normally have with two outdoor stages, so it will be a different experience from previous festivals. But, the festival will still have the great range of top class folk and roots music acts and local bands that it is renowned for.’

A stellar line-up of British folk acts will grace the two outdoor stages on the festival site at Ely Outdoor Centre including Show of Hands, The Young’uns, Noble Jacks, Martyn Joseph, Elvis Fontenot, Merry Hell, Midnight Skyracer, The Mardlers, Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage and lots more.

The Friday night Local Bands Showcase will feature a range of talented East Anglian musicians including Fred’s House, The Finn Collinson Band, Kelvin Davis & The Gravy Train.

With workshops, music sessions, children’s entertainment, a traders area, and a real ale bar, there will be lots going on at Ely Folk Festival 2021 – and it’s a dog-friendly festival too. Ticket prices start at £27 for Friday evening tickets to £83 for a weekend ticket. Concessions are available and children under 12 are free. 

More details about the 2021 festival including how to book tickets and the covid-safe measures being out in place are available at www.elyfolkfestival.co.uk. 

Press release from Ely Folk Festival

The post Countdown to Ely Folk Festival 2021 appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Annie Brown: “I relocated to the edge of the Cambridgeshire Fens in 2003 and taught myself to needle-felt, developing blending techniques, and using unconventional materials. After an inspirational visit to Woolfest, Cumbria, hand-dyeing the wool became part of my practice. With my stockman husband, I’ve started a wool only flock of rare breed sheep, giving me a constant supply of different textures and natural colours.” Annie continues; “I’ve always been inspired by the landscape and the nature within it, its transience, and the beauty of its imperfections. Through this, I provide her audience with a moment of stillness and tranquility.” 

Ruth E Blundell: “I’ve lived most of my life in the Fens. I believe passionately in the importance of creativity for each and every one of us – in whatever form this may take – as a means of self-expression and exploration of our inner worlds and the outer world. Landscape and wildlife have been a constant source of inspiration for my art. Regular visits to art galleries and museums in the U.K. and further afield has also informed my artwork, as has my participation in various art-making groups.” 

Di Cope: “I live and work in the Fen-edge village of Burwell, in rural Cambridgeshire. I paint in a realistic style and take inspiration from the landscape of my daily surroundings; painting things that make me happy. I hope the viewer of my paintings can find themselves briefly transported to a peaceful land of eternal summer.” Di continues; “The East Anglia of my work is fresh, fertile and verdant; often depicting the big skies the area is famous for, and still, tranquil but living waterways. I’m always drawn to nature’s form seen in trees, and wildflowers growing as and where they will, I hope that my paintings lift the spirits.” 

Annie Neild: “I grew up in rural Cumbria, creating art inspired by nature from an early age. I now live with my family in Cambridgeshire and have grown to love the Fens, which offer a stark contrast to the countryside of my childhood and inspired me to begin making art again several years ago. I enjoy experimenting with a variety of textile media; most recently wet felting and hand embroidery. I also draw with archival ink pens and acrylic inks on calico. The light and lines of the Fenland landscape inform my work – the ever-changing skies, layers and blocks of colour, and the imprint made on the land by man continue to fascinate and provoke a creative response.” 

Running until 11th July, visitors will see paintings on canvas and paper, felted works and drawings on fabric. Edge of the Fens offers a variety of perspectives on the unique landscape of the local area. For more information visit www.babylonarts.org.uk.

Press release from Babylon ARTS

The post Living on the Edge – Babylon Gallery hosts the work of four artists inspired by the Fens appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The sculpture is made up of around 100 glass feathers, each one has been individually hot sculpted and hung from the bones of the wings, which have been forged in iron by artist Ryan Harms.

The wings represent what the Cathedrals are for many:  strength, freedom, protection and spirituality.

Layne Rowe, the artist, installed the exhibit himself. “I want these glass wings to be a symbol of freedom, unity, strength and power. A focus for people of all faiths and none, to remember the loss of loved ones and contemplate the effects of the pandemic. Surrounded by the magnificent architecture at Ely Cathedral, the light projected through the vast window of the Lady Chapel, really brings the wings to life”.

It is hoped this project will reach out to many audiences and help highlight the awareness of Covid and the impact it has had.  The pandemic has affected everyone in some way and the emotional connection the public have to the virus will foster a very personal experience for everyone who sees it.

The huge majestic wings are on display in the Lady Chapel and create an awe-inspiring visual experience. They have been  installed it in such a way that the public will have the opportunity to take pictures of each other  in front of the wings, to make them look like angels.

The installation will be on display at Ely Cathedral from now until 16th August 2021.

For further information, including visitor tickets and opening times, please visit www.elycathedral.org

Press release from Ely Cathedral

 Artist Layne Rowe and Jocelyn Palmer, Events Manger at Ely Cathedral, in front of the installation. Solace in the Lady Chapel at Ely Cathedral

To donate to Ely Cathedral visit: https://www.elycathedral.org/support-us/make-a-gift

The post Stunning Glass Sculpture, Solace, Temporarily Installed at Ely Cathedral as a Reflective Memorial to the Pandemic appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The event is organised by Karen Merrison who runs the social media pages, Fascinating Fens.  The idea is to showcase the fens area over a weekend during the summer, and this year there are plenty of events for the public to enjoy.  Karen said “We have a bigger range of events this year, and it’s great that people can attend in person as opposed to last year.  I want to thank everyone who has come forward and offered to be part of our programme which offers plenty of variety across the fens area.  We also want to make it an interactive event so over the weekend, people can get involved on social media by sending images and anything else fen related by using the hashtag #CelebrateTheFens.”

The highlights of the weekend include open days at Wisbech Castle and Crowland Abbey.  Meanwhile, you can enjoy walking tours at places such as Chatteris Little Acre Pocket Park, Kings Lynn River and Shakespeare Guildhall Theatre, Great Fen nature walk, as well as the Fen Edge Trail at Thorney.  The Babylon Gallery in Ely is hosting an exhibition titled ‘Edge of the Fens’ which offers different perspectives on the landscape of the Fens and Fen Speak are encouraging people to get involved with poetry. There are also virtual activities such as competitions, virtual tours, printable colouring sheets for bunting making and links to self-guided walks. Local schools, libraries and community groups are also getting involved.

The event will be opened by author and archaeologist, Francis Pryor who will be speaking at a Fen Folks Friday online event on Friday evening.  Anyone wishing to register for this, and who wants more information on the Celebrate the Fens event should visit www.fascinatingfens.com.  The same website also has information on how to submit pictures for the 2022 fenland calendar.

Some late additions at Wicken Fen which has Dragonfly Safari’s and guided bird walks, and Ely Museum and Denny Abbey are doing some Family Fen activities check out www.fascinatingfens.com for more information across the weekend.

Press release from Fascinating Fens

The post Time to Celebrate the Fens appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Last month, The Stained Glass Museum was thrilled to announce a new major acquisition by American artist Kehinde Wiley. Wiley (b.1977) is an established and celebrated visual artist, best known for his portraits that place black men and women in traditional settings of original historical, religious or mythological portraits. Saint Adelaide (2014) is the first stained glass artwork by Kehinde Wiley to enter a public art collection in the world.

To celebrate our new acquisition, the museum is delighted to be hosting two free #MuseumLates in June.  #MuseumLates are a great opportunity to explore the beautiful Stained Glass Museum and see this fantastic new panel, all after hours! 

Tickets for the event are free but must be pre-booked via https://stained-glass-museum.arttickets.org.uk/ 

Saint Adelaide is a striking larger-than-life stained glass portrait of a young black man standing proud within a gothic frame, measuring over 2.5m high and 1m wide. The artwork is a major addition to the Stained Glass Museum’s collection of contemporary stained glass, and has been purchased for the museum’s permanent collection with the help of Art Fund and Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund and Arts Council England/SHARE Museums East Acquisitions Fund. 

Saint Adelaide is one of a series of Wiley’s freestanding stained glass panels depicting contemporary portraits of young black residents of Brooklyn, NY, and one of the first stained glass works to be made to Wiley’s designs by stained glass artisans in the Czech Republic. These contemporary stained glass panels mimic the form, pose, positioning and framing of carefully-selected historic stained glass windows, placing contemporary portraits of black men in the place of traditional saints. 

The museum has been delighted by the response to the panel from visitors so far free evening events are a chance to visit the museum and see the panel in person.  Additionally, Director and Curator of the Museum will be on hand to answer any questions.

Director and Curator of the Museum Jasmine Allen, added, “We’re excited to open the museum for two special #MuseumLates this month.  In a simple but powerful way Wiley’s art addresses the representation of young black men in contemporary culture and challenges the conventions of western art. ‘Saint Adelaide’ is also the museum’s first acquisition by a known queer black artist. As cultural institutions in the UK are rightly beginning to confront our colonial past and its legacy today, this acquisition enables us to explore and question attitudes towards race, gender and religion in stained glass. I hope our visitors agree that it is a positive and powerful artwork.”

As only a handful of Wiley’s artworks can be seen in the UK, and ahead of The National Gallery’s exhibition of Wiley’s works in Autumn 2021, this is a great opportunity to see such a fantastic piece of work locally.

#MuseumLates take place on Monday 21st June and Monday 28th June.  Tickets, which must be pre-booked, are available from 4-5pm and from 6:30-7:30pm to allow for Evensong to take place in Ely Cathedral.

Funding Acknowledgments Saint Adelaide has been acquired with the support of Art Fund, the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, SHARE Museums East/Arts Council England Acquisitions Grant.

Press release from The Stained Glass Museum

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Like many major attractions, Ely has been awarded  ‘Good To Go’ status which is the Visit Britain’s industry standard and means they have taken all the necessary steps to help ensure people’s safety in line with latest Government and Public Health guidance. It is a signal to anyone wishing to visit that they can be confident that every opportunity possible is taken to ensure visitors wellbeing.

Sally Porter, Visitor Experience Manager is very pleased with the response. “The weather may not have been very welcoming to start with but we have been really encouraged by the steady flow of  visitors. It is not our usual intake for this time of year but these are not usual times.  We completely understand the public’s concerns around  Covid-19 and have worked hard to create a safe and welcoming space.  We are lucky the building is so specious and naturally generates such a calm and spiritual environment.  Last week we were also able to restart the ever popular guided Tower Tours alongside some other exciting new specialist tour packages”. 

The first of the specialist tours is ‘The Victorian Cathedral’ on June 11th. This tour will transport you back to 1871, at the height of the Victorian restoration, bringing to life the personalities of those involved  including the Dean, the clergy, architects, painters and metal workers, all of who helped create the Cathedral we recognise today.  Further information and booking details about all the Specialist Tours, Tower Tours and the Monastic Tours with Tea is available on the website.

Throughout  July the Cathedral will have on display a globally acclaimed work of art, Gaia. Created by Luke Jerram, this installation is a 7 meter replica of planet Earth, which will be suspended from high above Ely’s nave to awe and inspire. Gaia  is part of a larger exhibition,  ‘Heaven & Earth – The World in our Hands’’ which aims to address some of the very real issues affecting our world in the form of lectures and Ely’s first ever ‘Green Fair’.

Tickets for all events and activities taking place at Ely Cathedral plus visitor entry, must be booked online, in advance from the Cathedral website www.elycathedral.org. 

Press release from Ely Cathedral

Donate to Ely Cathedral

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Formed of new and existing works created by artists from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds and communities, the exhibition responds to the powerful declaration, ‘I. Matter’ and its recent complex iterations.

The exhibition will feature work by painters, printmakers, sculptors, digital artists and photographers including; Anthony Shintai, Eddie Saint-Jean, Jaffar Aly, James Chen-Wishart, Jay Morally, Kinnari Saraiya, Manuel Hechavarria, Parham Ghalamdar, Rayhan Miah, Roy Joseph Butler, Hana Sadrai, Suchi Chidambaram, Suman Gujral, Teakster and Thomas Soyemi.

Back in September 2020, Young Curator Olu Taiwo proposed the idea of offering artists, who have felt excluded in any way, a platform to share their art works and stories. He explains: “The ‘I Matter’ exhibition provides a platform to tell their stories of why they matter.

We had a fantastic response to the call-out with over 100 artists getting in touch, however it emphasised the need for more opportunities for artists from ethnic minority backgrounds to have their voices heard. I’m looking to continue to help to facilitate these opportunities after my residency at Babylon ARTS has ended.”

Olu continues: “This exhibition and my time as a Young Curator, has helped to build the beginnings of a community of talented artists, and I’ve made friendships that I know will continue well into the future.”

Due to the large number of artist submissions, Olu has also decided to host an online exhibition of a wider selection of work by the artists who applied. This online exhibition will be featured on the Babylon ARTS’ website which will run alongside the I Matter exhibition from Friday 28th May.

I Matter will launch on Friday 28th May and end on Sunday 13th June. The Babylon Gallery’s opening times have been extended to Monday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm for the duration of the I Matter exhibition. Entry to the Babylon Gallery is free.

I Matter is funded by Arts Council England, in partnership with Wysing Arts Centre, Kettles Yard, G’s Fresh and The East of England Co-Op.

Press release from Babylon ARTS

The post Lincolnshire Based Artist and Young Curator Launches ‘I Matter’ a New Exhibition Featuring Work by Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Artists appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Run by a voluntary committee, the festival has been brought together despite the uncertainties of Covid, to provide residents and visitors to Ely with a vibrant programme of arts and cultural events and activities over a two-week period. 

People are invited to make a donation to the crowdfunding campaign and will be rewarded with tokens of appreciation ranging from public thanks, to poetry books, to annual membership of the festival. 

Chris Parsons, chairperson of Ely Arts Festival explains: ‘We’re really excited to be launching the festival again in 2021 but we need your help to support the events we are putting on. This is a great opportunity to support engaging, accessible and family friendly arts activities in Ely and the surrounding area, please do consider making a small donation or even sharing the page on social media to get our campaign as far and wide as possible! We hope to see lots of people at our events in June.”

People can find out more about the festival events and the crowdfunding campaign on www.elyartsfestival.org.

Press release from Bablyon ARTS

The post Crowdfunding Campaign Launched to make Ely Arts Festival 2021 Shine! appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

They’ve come together to hold an Eco-Festival in the countryside just outside Ely, on the weekend of 18th – 20th June.

The event will be one of the first large scale gatherings in the East of England following the majority of coronavirus restrictions being lifted on May 17th.

Hundreds of people are expected to attend, both locals and tourists, as demand for tickets has already been high. 

Organiser Claire Murray, who runs the Mad Hatter’s campsite, which will be the venue, said, “We’ve all been starved of human contact and fun for so long. This is the moment to mark the return to normal life with family, friends, and the rest of society. 

‘I can’t wait to see people smiling and enjoying themselves again. I’m particularly looking forward to the bands, and doing some dancing!”

The event is designed to appeal to people of all ages, so no one is excluded from the celebration of finally beating Covid.  

It features live bands, building a giant bug hotel, delicious vegan food cooking demonstrations, a kids’ disco, outdoor cinema, a storyteller, a magician, a Mad Hatter’s tea party, a range of stalls, and beware of your valuables… a pickpocket! (But don’t worry, he gives his ill gotten gains back.) 

The government has said it wants the UK to have a “summer of fun” following the bleak days of the pandemic.

“I’m very much up for that,” Claire says, “And I know so many others are as well. It’s time to return to normal and enjoy life.” 

A key feature of the Eco-Festival is that it’s designed to offer environmentally friendly entertainments and activities, with a range of eco-alternatives for every lifestyle. 

For example, it will showcase how to repair clothes and repurpose electrical items, instead of throwing them away, and use products such as beeswax wraps instead of cling film around the home. 

Florists Martha Waterhouse and Sharon Hellyer are exhibiting at the festival. Both grow their flowers, including dahlias, zinnias, cornflowers, in an environmentally friendly way just outside Ely.

They want to demonstrate how people can have beautiful flowers about the house without the need for mass-production and shipping from overseas.

“The festival is a great opportunity to meet like-minded people, and restart our businesses,” Martha says. 

“Everything has been so quiet during coronavirus, with no events like weddings, and this offers a great chance to get going again. It will also be wonderful to socialise with people once more. We have really missed that.”

Claire adds, “As well as being one big party, we want to make people think about how they can live more environmentally friendly lives in future. It’s not as hard as some believe, and could be an eye opener for many. The festival is all part of building a better future after coronavirus.’

The event will also raise money for a range of charities attending the festival, along with the Addenbrooke’s Hospital Trust, in recognition of the work of the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic. 

The festival will follow all current coronavirus precautions.  If any new Covid restrictions are imposed, and the festival has to be postponed, it will be held next year with all tickets carried over. 

For more information, email Claire on clairemurray50@gmail.com or call 01353 676233. 

Press release from Mad Hatters Campsite

Photos: Claire Murray. Martha (in field of flowers) and the Festival Site

The post Kicking Back from Covid With Environmentally Friendly Festival Fun appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The redevelopment scheme saw a complete stripping back of the building’s inside, removing modern walls and finishes to reveal original features and expose many areas and parts of the building which had been hidden from view in modern times. The new design boasts large, flowing open spaces, studded with the building’s original windows which bring in plenty of natural light, making the exhibition areas bright and airy throughout.

To the rear, the original Vernon Cross room has been repurposed to provide staff offices and facilities, storage and a new atrium with stairs and a lift, providing all important access for those with mobility needs, as well as pushchairs etc. Above this area is a fantastic new multi-purpose space, The Aedwen Room, which will host education workshops, community events and is available for private hire.

The exhibits are arranged with downstairs covering the pre-drainage fens and prehistory, with the upstairs displays covering the area following the extensive drainage works, which began in the 1630s. The new exhibits are laid out chronologically, taking you on a journey through Ely’s history all the way up to modern times. The downstairs exhibit features a fun design on the floor with images and symbols related to the nearby displays and creates a fantastic trail through the exhibit. The design is engaging and considered, with slick presentation and plenty of easy to digest material for all audiences. The displays are interspersed with multimedia content and tactile “touch and feel” materials throughout, sure to entertain children and help them to connect with the history in a visceral way.

Interactive exhibits, fun for all ages, are location throughout the exhibits. These include audio boxes and a fruit and veg stand. A series of 4 fun leaflet-based trails are also available from reception, sure to provide even more entertainment for the little ones. The Wise Woman’s Hut on the ground floor offers a place to sit and watch local fen folk tales brought to life through 3 wonderful animations, with authentic fen accent narration throughout, whilst upstairs you can listen to the stories of 5 local people who were imprisoned at the Old Gaol, inside what was originally the Debtors’ Jail.

The exhibition covers a wide range of subjects from dinosaurs, fossils and creation of early tools (including a fascinating video about the making of flint tools) to peat digging, fen lifestyles and drainage, Ely’s military history, trade, local culture and more. The final stop on the upper floor is “The Hub”. This area contains seating and touch-screen terminals where you can search through the museum’s catalogue of artefacts, many of which are not on current display. There is also a wealth of old and some more recent historical photographs on a variety of subjects, including many of Ely itself. The terminals also feature a selection of videos, many of which link to items/themes around the museum (you are directed to these as you go around) and are complemented by a range of books and reading materials.

Of course no museum visit would be complete without a visit to the gift shop and Ely Museums’ does not disappoint. There is a fantastic range of gifts, books and other mementos with something for all ages and tastes, from gemstones to paper-craft dinosaur kits, books by local authors, jewellery, keyrings and much more besides.

Ely has always had a strong offering for tourists, visitors and residents alike with Ely Cathedral, The Stained Glass Museum and Oliver Cromwell’s House – the new Ely Museum adds a modern, enjoyable and top-class fourth attraction and truly has done Ely proud.

Visit Ely Museum’s website now to book your tickets!

You can also watch our facebook live streamed tour (27 minutes) from opening day, Fri 21st May, 2021
with Emily, Ely Museum’s Community Engagement Officer

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The Stained Glass Museum is thrilled to announce a new major acquisition by  American artist Kehinde Wiley. Wiley (b. 1977) is an established and celebrated visual artist, best known for his portraits that place black men and women in traditional settings of original historical, religious or mythological portraits.  Saint Adelaide (2014) is the first stained glass artwork by Kehinde Wiley to enter a public art collection in the world. 

Saint Adelaide is a striking larger-than-life stained glass portrait of a young black  man standing proud within a gothic frame, measuring over 2.5m high and 1m wide. The artwork is a major addition to the Stained Glass Museum’s collection of  contemporary stained glass, and has been purchased for the museum’s permanent  collection with the help of Art Fund and Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant  Fund and Arts Council England/SHARE Museums East Acquisitions Fund. 

Saint Adelaide is one of a series of Wiley’s freestanding stained glass panels  depicting contemporary portraits of young black residents of Brooklyn, NY, and one  of the first stained glass works to be made to Wiley’s designs. These contemporary stained glass panels mimic the form, pose, positioning and framing of carefully selected historic stained glass windows, placing contemporary portraits of black men  in the place of traditional saints.  

The title and subject for Saint Adelaide (2014) were inspired by a 19th century  stained glass window designed by the French painter Ingres for the Royal Chapel of Saint Ferdinand (or Notre-Dame de la Compassion) in Paris, and made by the Royal  manufactory at Sevres around 1843. In place of the Holy Roman Empress Adelaide  (931-999) is Brooklyn model Mark Shavers, who has appeared as a sitter in several  of Wiley’s works. Shavers is shown holding Adelaide’s recognizable attributes, a  sceptre and crown, against a decorative blue background underneath an ornamental  gothic frame and decorative border. 

Director and Curator of the Museum Jasmine Allen, commented, “Since I first saw Wiley’s stained glass portraits at an exhibition in Paris in 2016, I have wanted to  acquire a panel for the museum’s permanent collection. In a simple but powerful way  Wiley’s art addresses the representation of young black men in contemporary culture and challenges the conventions of western art. ‘Saint Adelaide’ is also the museum’s first acquisition by a known queer black artist. As cultural institutions in the UK are  rightly beginning to confront our colonial past and its legacy today, this acquisition  enables us to explore and question attitudes towards race, gender and religion in stained glass. I hope our visitors agree that it is a positive and powerful artwork.” 

Following the success of Wiley’s freestanding stained glass portraits made between  2014 and 2016, he recently completed his first site-specific stained glass artwork – a  stained glass ceiling commissioned for a railway station in New York, installed in January 2021. Only a handful of Wiley’s artworks can be seen in the UK, and The National Gallery, London, will host an exhibition of Wiley’s works in Autumn 2021. 

Saint Adelaide is now on permanent display in the main gallery of The Stained Glass Museum, located on an upper level of Ely Cathedral. The Stained Glass Museum reopens on Tuesday 18th May. Standard admission to the museum is £4.50 for adults,  children are free. Entry is free for National Art Pass holders.  

Funding Acknowledgments Saint Adelaide has been acquired with the support of Art Fund, the Arts Council  England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, SHARE Museums East/Arts Council England Acquisitions Grant.

Press release from The Stained Glass Museum

Images: Kehinde Wiley, Saint Adelaide (2014), stained glass panel in aluminium frame, 251.3cm x 115.7cm, The Stained Glass Museum (ELYGM 2021:1) © Kehinde Wiley

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The Wigeon café will also be re-starting indoor seating, giving visitors the full wetland centre experience for the first time since last summer. At Welney, this includes four hides, in particular our main observatory, alongside the many outdoor wildlife viewing points.  Social distancing and other guidelines to keep everyone safe will be observed across the site in all areas, including inside the hides.

Bookings for Welney can be made on the centre’s website www.wwt.org.uk/welney. As numbers on site are still being restricted for a crowd-free experience, all visitors are asked to pre-book tickets including those who visit for free such as members, children under four, and carers.

Leigh Marshall, Centre Manager for Welney said: “We know how important the hides are to so many of our visitors and we can’t wait for people to return to them.

“As spring turns to summer, this is a fantastic time of the year to spot birds including black-tailed godwit, bittern and sedge warbler, as well as other wildlife like dragonflies, damselflies and wildflowers.  Our hides provide views over our pools, in addition to the variety of opportunities our footpaths and screens already give.

“We have traditional wooden hides looking out onto pools and close to reeds, the larger main hide with comfortable seating and panoramic views of the Washes. The addition of hides means more chances for everyone to view wildlife how they feel comfortable, including families, photographers, keen bird-watchers or just anyone wanting to escape from the unpredictable British weather.” 

The hides are particularly loved by photographers who use them to capture intimate wildlife moments including courtship rituals, feeding young and preening. The water-side hides offer a variety of shot levels and close up opportunities.

Welney’s Wigeon café, which will also re-open on 17 May, offers a selection of tasty hot and cold food, snacks, cakes, drinks and ice-cream to help fuel visitors on their wetland adventure.

To find out more and book tickets please visit wwt.org.uk/welney

Press release from WWT Welney Wetland Centre

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Ely Museum is delighted to announce that we reopen to the public on Friday 21^st May!

Our much awaited reopening means we can now begin to share our amazing new museum with visitors and normality can begin to return.   You can now book your tickets to visit the museum from our website too!

From exciting galleries and interactive exhibitions to facilities like a lift, toilets and a new education space, Ely Museum offers a fun, engaging trip for the whole family. With some objects on display for the first time and beautiful new displays for our favourites too, objects such as the East Cambridgeshire Gold Torc can really shine.

In September 2019, Ely Museum closed its doors for what we anticipated would be a 13 month closure. As we know, 2020 did not pan out as expected, and our redevelopment was delayed by lockdowns, restrictions and the most unforeseen circumstances we could have imagined.

Lockdown was spent transforming the Old Gaol into a museum fit for a 21^st century audience, whilst also restoring the beautiful historic features of the gaol.

The museum tells the story of Ely and the surrounding Fens and the people who lived here, the new galleries allow us to tell those stories for all ages too.  Whether you want to learn about the Romans whilst handling real Roman pottery or dressing up in a toga, whether you prefer to learn about the Fens by seeing the objects and enjoying videos or if you prefer to research further in our research hub, there is something for all at Ely Museum.

Elie Hughes, Curator at Ely Museum says;

“We are so excited to finally be able to welcome visitors back into the museum. We hope that everyone will really enjoy visiting the museum and finding out about the fascinating local landscape and the stories of the people who have lived here.”

Anne Jenkins, Director England Midlands and East, National Lottery Heritage Fund says; 

“It is wonderful that, thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to support Ely Museum during the pandemic to ensure that these amazing services are preserved for years to come, meaning that local people and visitors can learn more about Ely’s rich heritage. We wish them a very successful reopening”.

To find out more about visiting the museum, and to book your timed tickets, please visit www.elymuseum.org.uk

Please note: Our reopening plans are dependent on the lockdown easing.  Should the lockdown roadmap change, our plans may be delayed.

Whilst covid-19 restrictions remain in place, the museum will operate under a limited capacity and with restrictions and safety precautions in place.

Press release from Ely Museum

Photograph copyright: Ely Museum

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After the enforced break in 2020 due to Covid, a new volunteer committee has formed to bring together arts and cultural events and activities to celebrate how the creative ‘spirit of the Fens’ has endured through this challenging time.

Ely Arts Festival will take place between 12th and 27th June; including a range of events organized by local groups and the festival committee. Opening the festival period, Britten Sinfonia will be presenting Surround Sound: Ely Playlist at Ely Cathedral on Saturday 12th June.

19th June, will see the Festival’s title event: Spirit of the Fens, bringing together live music from the Lantivet Duo; with recorded performances from local school and community choirs and a unique view over Ely from drone footage accompanied by music.

On 26th June the Festival will present Jubilee Jamboree – A free family day of drop-in craft activities, a teddy bears’ picnic with ‘Shake-Rattle and Roll’ and music from the bandstand in Jubilee Gardens.

On the final day of the festival, Sunday 27th June, Babylon ARTS are bringing Lamphouse Theatre to Jubilee Gardens with two, free performances of their Suitcase Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet show, suitable for all the family.

This is just a taste of some of the events taking place, the full programme including: live comedy at St Mary’s Church from The Library Presents; Fen Speak online open-mic poetry night and family fun at Ely Museum is on elyartsfestival.org.

Festival Committee Chairperson, Chris Parsons explains what’s been happening in the lead-up to this event: “We are delighted to present a refreshed and relaunched Ely Arts Festival this 2021! A small team of volunteers have been working tirelessly to bring an exciting series of wide-ranging events that are accessible, engaging and feature a range of different art forms. To ensure the safety of all our audience members, all COVID requirements will be adhered to.

“We believe that the arts are needed more than ever before to bring communities back together to enjoy the vibrant arts scene of East Cambridgeshire. We are especially keen to engage with families and young people and we hope that our festival offers something for everyone! Whether it’s enjoying a children’s Teddy Bears Tea Picnic concert in Jubilee Gardens, being part of the ‘Fen Stitch Together’ quilt or enjoying an afternoon of outdoor Shakespeare; we’re determined to showcase the wealth of local creativity this area has to offer. The festival will also shine a light on some amazing projects that have taken place during lockdown from local groups who showed that the arts didn’t stop! We want to celebrate the enduring, creative spirit of the fens.”

Chris goes on to state: “We want to take this opportunity of relaunching the festival to thank members of the original festival committee who worked tirelessly to organise the event each year; particularly former chairperson Shelia Friend-Smith and former treasurer Jackie Moakes. Without their determination over many years of involvement, the festival wouldn’t be here today.”

The Ely Arts Festival 2021 is sponsored by Lovewell Blake Chartered Accountants, Busy Bee Recruitment, Poet’s House and Silver Oak Coffee. The Festival Committee will also be launching a crowdfunding campaign in the coming weeks, so watch out for more details in how you can support the arts in the local area.

Everyone is invited to enjoy this years’ festival, with opportunities for all ages. Indeed, people can begin now, by participating in the ‘Fen Stitch Together’ community quilt project, led by festival committee member and artist Louise Beale. Everyone is welcome to contribute to a quilt project that would act as a memorial to the shared positive experiences of the pandemic.

Louise Beale, a local artist, will work with local schools to give children an opportunity to make their own textiles square to be included on the quilt. Find out more here:
https://www.elyartsfestival.org/whats-on/fen-stitch-together.

Press release from Babylon ARTS

The post Ely Will Be Celebrating the Spirit of the Fens, with Refreshed Arts Festival this June appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Visitors are able to find out what is currently available and to get tickets on Welney’s website: [wwt.org.uk/Welney].  To keep everyone safe and socially distanced, Welney is managing numbers by asking every person who visits the centre to pre-book their tickets, including those who visit for free such as members, children under four and carers.

Spring is an amazing time to discover wetland wildlife whether it is exploring our footpaths and summer walk listening for species like sedge warbler, sitting and viewing tree sparrows eat from our feeders, or overlooking the vast grasslands and pools as migrant waders breed, kingfishers feed and marsh harriers fly overhead. Check out our latest sightings and seasonal wildlife highlights on the website for hints and tips to really make the most of your experience.

We are ready to welcome you back to our bright and airy visitor centre which is the gateway to your day out around our wetlands.  Toilets and gift shop are open from Monday 12th April, as well as a takeaway offer from our café.  We have footpaths with more viewing points than ever before, and there will the option to use the hides in a safe way hopefully by 17th May.  Explore the trails and even enjoy pond dipping once more to fully connect with the wildlife that calls Welney home. 

Leigh Marshall centre manager at WWT Welney says “We cannot wait to welcome everyone back to our stunning wetlands which are currently bursting with spring wildlife delights such as black-tailed godwits, yellow wagtails and the first insects of spring. We’ve hugely missed our visitors, and we look forward to sharing our wetlands and the wildlife with others!

As a conservation charity, we are incredibly grateful for the public’s support through these challenging times, it has meant the world to us.  Thanks to local peoples’ and supporters’ generosity we have been able to carry on caring for our wildlife and our wetlands even when we’ve been closed.  Re-opening Welney on 12th April felt like a significant milestone towards a more secure future, and a brilliant way to thank everyone for sticking by us.”

To keep everyone safe, there will be daily limits on the number of visitors to Welney, but at the moment there are plenty of spaces. 

To help you make the most of your visit, here’s the main things you need to know:

Open 10am – 4pm (last admission is at 3pm)

ALL visitors must pre-book a ticket online.

Hides are closed for now, but there are lots of viewing screens and platforms to view wildlife – see our where to see wildlife blog post for further details https://bit.ly/3sgAaJj .

We are serving a selection of hot and cold takeaway drinks and snacks from our cafe – contactless payments only please.

Our gift shop is open – contactless payments only please.

Toilets are available and cleaned regularly.

Pond dipping stations are open.

We have been accredited with the ‘Good To Go’ award, meaning we’re doing everything we can to keep everyone safe during a visit to us.

Check out our website for everything you’ll need to know: https://bit.ly/3tjX5Vh

Press release from WWT Welney Wetland Centre

The post WWT Welney Wetland Centre re-opened on 12th April 2021 appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The award will support Ely Museum as it prepares to re-open to the public, following a Heritage Lottery Fund redevelopment which began in summer 2019

Ely Museum in Cambridgeshire has received a grant of £27,644 from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help the organisation recover and reopen. 

More than £300 million has been awarded to thousands of cultural organisations across the country including Ely Museum in the latest round of support from the Culture Recovery Fund, the Culture Secretary announced today.

The grant will be used to support Ely Museum as it prepares to reopen to the public following a £2.2m redevelopment project which began in September 2019.  With brand new engaging and interactive exhibits and new education facilities, this brilliant new space will provide fun for all the family.

Over £800 million in grants and loans has already been awarded to support almost 3,800 cinemas, performance venues, museums, heritage sites and other cultural organisations dealing with the immediate challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

The second round of awards made today will help organisations to look ahead to the spring and summer and plan for reopening and recovery. After months of closures and cancellations to contain the virus and save lives, this funding will be a much-needed helping hand for organisations transitioning back to normal in the months ahead. 

Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, said:

“Our record breaking Culture Recovery Fund has already helped thousands of culture and heritage organisations across the country survive the biggest crisis they’ve ever faced.
Now we’re staying by their side as they prepare to welcome the public back through their doors – helping our cultural gems plan for reopening and thrive in the better times ahead.”

Curator at Ely Museum, Elie Hughes, said:

“We are delighted to have received a Culture Recovery Fund grant at Ely Museum which will assist us in the much anticipated reopening of Ely Museum, following our exciting redevelopment program.   The pandemic has caused several unavoidable delays in the project, but we look forward to opening soon and welcoming people back to our brilliant new museum”

Sir Nicholas Serota, Chair, Arts Council England, said:

“Investing in a thriving cultural sector at the heart of communities is a vital part of helping the whole country to recover from the pandemic. These grants will help to re-open theatres, concert halls, and museums and will give artists and companies the opportunity to begin making new work.  

We are grateful to the Government for this support and for recognising the paramount importance of culture to our sense of belonging and identity as individuals and as a society.”

The funding awarded today is from a £400 million pot which was held back last year to ensure the Culture Recovery Fund could continue to help organisations in need as the public health picture changed. The funding has been awarded by Arts Council England, as well as Historic England and National Lottery Heritage Fund and the British Film Institute.

Press release from Ely Museum

The post Ely Museum to receive £27,644 from second round of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The first few black-tailed godwits have arrived back in the Fens during the last week, after spending their winter further south in West Africa. As these birds claim territories, find mates and start nesting the team will begin monitoring these precious birds. For a technique known as head-starting, the team will identify pairs that can donate their first clutch of eggs (under license) to be reared and released as part of the project.

There are fewer than 60 pairs of godwits breeding in the UK, and in recent years they have struggled to hatch and raise their chicks in safety. Over three-quarters of the UK population can be found in and around the Nene and Ouse Washes in the Fens, making these wetlands vital to the future of the species. Whilst habitat creation and management is improving these sites for godwits – an extra helping hand is needed to get the population on the path to recovery. 

Thanks to the efforts of the Project Godwit partnership, head-starting is being used to boost the numbers of chicks surviving to fledge to levels 4 times that seen in the wild. Their numbers at the Ouse Washes are still low but have grown significantly since the project began, from just three pairs in 2017 to 17 pairs last year, and pairs are breeding for the first time on newly created wetlands in the Fens. In the region as a whole, numbers have also risen each year since the project began and 2021 could see the largest population since the 1970s.

The use of head-starting at the same time as monitoring, habitat management and trialling other conservation techniques, is giving the species the best chance at a future in the UK. Protecting and improving the quality of wetlands as well as reducing threats for godwits, brings benefits for a range of other wading birds too. 

This spring we are hoping that we will be able to welcome visitors back to WWT Welney to see for themselves how the breeding season progresses, with all of our safety measures in place. 

Project Godwit is a partnership between the RSPB and WWT with major funding from the EU LIFE Nature Programme, the HSBC 150th Anniversary Fund, Natural England, the Montague-Panton Animal Welfare Trust and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, through the Back from the Brink programme. 

Press release from WWT Welney Wetland Centre

The post Egg-cellent Conservation Project Helps Rare Birds this Easter appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

We’re aware that given the challenges that groups and organisations have faced due to Covid, there may be limitations on the activities you can run or the type of work that you could present. We hope that this years’ festival will provide an opportunity to celebrate some of what has been taking place through the last year and pave the way to bigger and broader festivals in years to come.

In the meantime, if you do have an idea or a firm plan for an event or activity you would like to run this year, please do submit it using the online form by the end of Sunday 11th April.

We plan to review the submissions, talk to you or gather more information about your plans and then make a public announcement about the 2021 festival. For a taste of the events being organised by the festival committee, see below.

As a reminder the dates for this years’ festival are: Saturday 12th June to Sunday 27th June 2021. 

We’re looking for arts events and activities that will take place in Ely or the surrounding villages, during the dates above. Consideration will need to be given to Covid regulations and safety guidance when planning and delivering the event/activity.

Submit your event or activity here: https://www.elyartsfestival.org/be-part-of-the-festival/event-submission-form

Fen Stitch Together – Do more of what makes you happy quilt!
Take part in a large ‘communal quilt’ by sending in completed sewn square (15cm x 15cm) to The Babylon Gallery in Ely. The artwork will weave together positive stories of hope, new found hobbies and experiences and events that you are looking forward to and will be presented at the Spirit of the Fens event on 19th June.

Spirit of the Fens – Saturday 19th June, Ely Cathedral
The Spirit of the Fens event will bring communities together both live and virtually at Ely Cathedral. It will celebrate the creativity that has continued to blossom throughout the Covid pandemic across Ely and the surrounding villages. Featuring live music to accompany dramatic drone footage of Ely Cathedral and the fens and virtual ‘lockdown’ projects from local choirs, dance groups, schools and artists. More info to come!

Saturday 26th June
We plan a family drop-in event in Jubilee Gardens, featuring music and craft activities.

Press release from Ely Arts Festival 2021

The post Call for Contributors – Deadline Extended appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT), the conservation charity which runs Welney Wetland Centre, in partnership with leading mental health charity the Mental Health Foundation (MHF), have created a  guide to help people improve their mental health and wellbeing  by getting out and connecting with winter wetland nature.

Launched tomorrow on World Wetland Day (Tues 2nd February) The booklet entitled ‘Wetlands and Wellbeing: A Guide for Winter’ includes practical tips, ideas and inspiration to help people get the most out of their local wetlands during the long ‘locked down’ winter months. Wetlands can be dramatic and changeable, wild, watery and full of life and during winter there’s no better place to enjoy nature. There are also creative ideas on expressing a love for nature through writing, music and art.

There’s something special about water, with its power to inspire and calm us. *Research shows that spending time in ‘blue’, watery places in particular, can bring higher benefits than green spaces in improving how you are feeling, reducing both negative thoughts and levels of stress.  This year in particular, people have been connecting with nature in new and interesting ways and realising how vital it is for their mental health and wellbeing.

Jolie Goodman from the MHF said:

“For millions of people, myself included, access to nature has been an essential way to manage the impact of life in lockdown on our mental health. This guide is an opportunity to ensure that more people can experience the benefits of the natural world for their wellbeing. This is echoed in the choice of Nature as the theme for Mental Health Awareness Week this May”.

Hannah Clifford from WWT added:

“We hope the guide will inspire people to connect with wetlands and ‘blue’ spaces in more meaningful ways. Making a deep emotional connection with nature is more beneficial than exposure alone”.

“The guide helps boost this emotional connection by giving practical tips, such as photographing spectacular ice patterns on frozen waters, getting your waterproofs on and jumping in puddles or listening to the trickling of a meandering stream”.

 “Our WWT wetland centres are ideal places to take in the fresh air and appreciate what the great outdoors have to offer, but with our centres currently closed we want to inspire people to experience their local streams, ponds, lakes and other watery places and if that isn’t possible, give them ideas to bring the outside in, through creativity”. 

The booklet is available to download from WWT and is part of a dedicated online wetland wellbeing hub that people can access for more inspiration and ideas to improve their wellbeing through connecting with nature, in particular, ‘blue’ spaces. This is hub is regularly updated with new content and ideas.

For more info visit wwt.org.uk/wellbeing

Press release from WWT Welney Wetland Centre

The post On World Wetlands Day Charities Collaborate to Launch Wetlands and Wellbeing Guide appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

This time 50 years ago the Wildfowl Trust now known as the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) was donated 100 acres of land on the Ouse Washes in 1970. This was the mark of the second wetland reserve from the remarkable pioneer, Sir Peter Scott.

At 50 years old, Welney Wetland Centre would like to pay tribute to the Scott family, staff, volunteers, Friends of Welney and all the supporters that have worked so hard. Many have dedicated their lives  which is why we are where we are today, during this iconic celebration of 50 years.

To this day, we have connected with well over a million people to our site for nature conservation, helping people to have an understanding of wetlands and why they are so important in our lives, especially in these turbulent times.

Only this week, witnessing tens of thousands of birds returning from their Artic breeding grounds and the joy they bring, is just one example why WWT is here.

If we had to round up 50 years of successes, it would be take a very long time but here are just a few highlights….

Welcoming the Queen on two occasions to a swan feed where we lit up the area of water at night with a heated observatory to enjoy the deafening sound of hundreds of wild swans of both the Whooper and Bewick’s as they suddenly become tame to a wheelbarrow feed for everyone to enjoy.

Protecting over 1500 acres of grassland and enhancing wetland species making this a globally important site – and still finding new species to date.

Pushing boundaries by creating wetlands like Lady Fen and having an amazing Eco Visitor Centre where you can view the Fens and appreciate the iconic Fenland skies with a coffee in hand.

Finally, the positive energy and support shown by everyone when the Ouse Washes floods so badly and having to deal with the changing seasons from climate change.

Press release from WWT Welney Wetlands Centre

The post WWT Welney 50th Anniversary appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Oliver Cromwell’s House is one of 445 organisations across the country set to receive a lifesaving financial boost from the government thanks to the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. 

445 organisations will share £103 million, including Oliver Cromwell’s House to help restart vital reconstruction work and maintenance on cherished heritage sites, keeping venues open and supporting those working in the sector. Oliver Cromwell’s House Ely, part of the City of Ely Council was delighted to receive £25,000 which will be used to improve the Visitor’s experience.

This vital funding is from the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage and the Heritage Stimulus Fund – funded by Government and administered at arm’s length by Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Both funds are part of the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund which is designed to secure the future of Britain’s museums, galleries, theatres, independent cinemas, heritage sites and music venues with emergency grants and loans.

433 organisations will receive a share of £67 million from the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage to help with costs for operating, reopening and recovery. This includes famous heritage sites across the country, from Wentworth Woodhouse in Yorkshire to Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, Blyth Tall Ship to the Severn Valley Railway, the International Bomber Command Centre in Lincolnshire to the Piecehall in Halifax. The funds will save sites that are a source of pride for communities across the country.

12 organisations, including English Heritage, Landmark Trust, Historic Royal Palaces and the Canal and River Trust, will receive £34 million from the Heritage Stimulus Fund to restart construction and maintenance on cherished heritage sites to preserve visitor attractions and protect livelihoods for some of the most vulnerable heritage specialists and contractors in the sector. 

The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) has also been awarded a grant from the Culture Recovery Fund through Historic England. The AHF will use the funding to support charities and social enterprises occupying historic buildings to develop new business plans and strategies for organisations affected by the pandemic.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “As a nation it is essential that we preserve our heritage and celebrate and learn from our past. This massive support package will protect our shared heritage for future generations, save jobs and help us prepare for a cultural bounceback post covid.”

Lucy Worsley, Chief Curator, Historic Royal Palaces, said: “There’s no truer way to experience the past than to walk in the footsteps of those who have lived it – that’s why preserving our built heritage is so important.  At Historic Royal Palaces, we care for six nationally significant buildings, opening them to the public and preserving them for future generations. Sadly, the pandemic meant that we had to stop some of our critical conservation work. The grant we have received from the Culture Recovery Fund will enable to this work to resume – so we can give some of Britain’s most historic buildings the care and attention they deserve, while supporting the specialist craftspeople who are vital for the future of our national heritage.  We are enormously grateful to the Government for this support.”

Anna Bennett, Tourism and Town Centre Manager, based at Cromwell House said: “We are truly delighted! The grant will make a considerable difference to our Visitor Experience. We are planning to use the funding to update our current tour experience by improving the audio-content and update our souvenir guides by providing in various languages including BSL. This will make the experience fully inclusive and of course to prepare for when we can welcome back our overseas visitors in the future. Since re-opening back in July, the house itself has received a steady flow of visitors, but due to restrictions, the experience is currently limited to anything interactive relating to historical facts/costumes. By improving our offering of a self-guided tour, our visitors can be fully immersed in 17th Century Life, and of course learn about the man that once lived in the house, Oliver Cromwell himself. We are very grateful to the Government for giving us this opportunity and of course the ability to update, improve and preserve our Heritage”

Duncan Wilson, Historic England’s Chief Executive said: “It is heartening to see grants, both large and small, from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund helping heritage sites and organisations across the country which have been hit hard by the effects of Covid-19. These grants range from giving skilled craft workers the chance to keep their trades alive to helping heritage organisations pay the bills, and to kick-starting repair works at our best-loved historic sites. The funding is an essential lifeline for our heritage and the people who work tirelessly to conserve it for us all, so that we can hand it on to future generations.”

Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive of the National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “It is absolutely right that investing in heritage should be a priority during this crisis and this support by Government is crucial.  Heritage creates jobs and economic prosperity, is a major driver for tourism and makes our towns, cities, and rural areas better places to live.  All of this is so important for our wellbeing and will be particularly vital when we start to emerge from this incredibly difficult time. 

“Our heritage is still facing a perilous future – we are not out of the woods yet.  But this hugely welcome funding from Government, and the money we continue to invest from the National Lottery, has undoubtedly stopped heritage and the organisations that care for it being permanently lost.”

Kate Mavor, Chief Executive of English Heritage, said: “This support for our nation’s heritage is fantastic news.  Over the last few months, our teams have been working hard to welcome visitors back safely to the great castles, stone circles, abbeys and historic houses in our care. This funding will help us invest to safeguard the historic fabric of these much-loved places, which everyone can learn from and enjoy.”

Press release from Visit Ely

The post Oliver Cromwell’s House receives lifeline grant from Government’s £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Ely Cathedral is one of 445 heritage organisations across the country set to receive a lifesaving financial boost from the government thanks to the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. 

445 organisations will share £103 million, to them help restart vital reconstruction work and maintenance on cherished heritage sites, keeping venues open and supporting those working in the sector. 

Ely Cathedral revenue streams were seriously impacted when they had to close their doors in March and this significant grant will help fund the day to day cost of keeping the Cathedral operational and maintained so it can continue to function as both a place of worship and significant heritage attraction.  

This vital funding is from the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage and the Heritage Stimulus Fund – funded by Government and administered at arms length by Historic England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Both funds are part of the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund which is designed to secure the future of Britain’s museums, galleries, theatres, independent cinemas, heritage sites and music venues with emergency grants and loans.

433 organisations will receive a share of £67 million from the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage to help with costs for operating, reopening and recovery. This includes famous heritage sites across the country, from Wentworth Woodhouse in Yorkshire to Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, Blyth Tall Ship to the Severn Valley Railway, the International Bomber Command Centre in Lincolnshire to the Piecehall in Halifax. The funds will save sites that are a source of pride for communities across the country.  12 organisations, including English Heritage, Landmark Trust, Historic Royal Palaces and the Canal and River Trust, will receive £34 million from the Heritage Stimulus Fund to restart construction and maintenance on cherished heritage sites to preserve visitor attractions and protect livelihoods for some of the most vulnerable heritage specialists and contractors in the sector. 

The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) has also been awarded a grant from the Culture Recovery Fund through Historic England. The AHF will use the funding to support charities and social enterprises occupying historic buildings to develop new business plans and strategies for organisations affected by the pandemic.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “As a nation it is essential that we preserve our heritage and celebrate and learn from our past. This massive support package will protect our shared heritage for future generations, save jobs and help us prepare for a cultural bounceback post covid.”

Lucy Worsley, Chief Curator, Historic Royal Palaces, said: “There’s no truer way to experience the past than to walk in the footsteps of those who have lived it – that’s why preserving our built heritage is so important. At Historic Royal Palaces, we care for six nationally significant buildings, opening them to the public and preserving them for future generations. Sadly, the pandemic meant that we had to stop some of our critical conservation work. The grant we have received from the Culture Recovery Fund will enable to this work to resume – so we can give some of Britain’s most historic buildings the care and attention they deserve, while supporting the specialist craftspeople who are vital for the future of our national heritage.  We are enormously grateful to the Government for this support.”

The Very Revd Mark Bonney, Dean of Ely said: “Like many of the UK’s heritage organisations who rely primarily on the visiting public to stay operational and maintained, we are hugely grateful for this funding which will enable us to sustain key areas of our Cathedral life, especially those that have a significant impact on the local community and the region’s economy. This grant will also help us to safeguard our revenue in the coming months and enable many thousands of people to appreciate and enjoy the wonderful cultural and religious life that Ely Cathedral exists to proclaim”.   

Duncan Wilson, Historic England’s Chief Executive said:  “It is heartening to see grants, both large and small, from the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund helping heritage sites and organisations across the country which have been hit hard by the effects of Covid-19. These grants range from giving skilled craft workers the chance to keep their trades alive to helping heritage organisations pay the bills, and to kick-starting repair works at our best-loved historic sites. The funding is an essential lifeline for our heritage and the people who work tirelessly to conserve it for us all, so that we can hand it on to future generations.”

Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive of the National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “It is absolutely right that investing in heritage should be a priority during this crisis and this support by Government is crucial.  Heritage creates jobs and economic prosperity, is a major driver for tourism and makes our towns, cities, and rural areas better places to live.  All of this is so important for our wellbeing and will be particularly vital when we start to emerge from this incredibly difficult time. 

“Our heritage is still facing a perilous future – we are not out of the woods yet.  But this hugely welcome funding from Government, and the money we continue to invest from the National Lottery, has undoubtedly stopped heritage and the organisations that care for it being permanently lost.”

Kate Mavor, Chief Executive of English Heritage, said: “This support for our nation’s heritage is fantastic news.  Over the last few months, our teams have been working hard to welcome visitors back safely to the great castles, stone circles, abbeys and historic houses in our care. This funding will help us invest to safeguard the historic fabric of these much-loved places, which everyone can learn from and enjoy.”

Press release from Ely Cathedral

The post Ely Cathedral receives lifeline grant from Government’s £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The Babylon Gallery, based in Ely celebrates the community’s creativity in an exhibition that brings together five projects that began in lockdown and have, over the period of five months, involved hundreds of people in creative activities and discussions.

During the course of lockdown, Babylon ARTS invited the community to get involved in various projects that enabled people of all ages to get creative in their homes and take part in activities that led to exhibitions both online and in the windows of Babylon Gallery.

The projects and the exhibition are supported by funding from Arts Council England and include: Comic Book Windows with local Manga Artist Irina Richards, Together In Isolation postcard project, portraits of key workers in photographer Regina Ray’s Chapter In Our Lives, clay models made by local residents as part of  Somewhere in Ely and The Library Presents’ Digital Quarantine Quilt. 

With postcards made by people from 6 months old, alongside work by professional artists; poetry that has been transformed into comic illustrations, photography that captures key workers who have supported us all through this time, pottery inspired by Ely and connection through quilting. 

Babylon ARTS’ Young Curators Olu Taiwo and Sid White-Jones have worked with Stuart Green to curate the exhibition and install all the artworks.

Artist, Irina Richards said “I feel fortunate to have been part of the Comic Book Windows project. It felt good to be able to work with Babylon Arts and the public – the response was fantastic. I especially enjoyed the poetry component of the project – the poems were full of sincerity and raw emotion. The project showed that despite the challenges and restrictions that the lockdown has brought about, the need for the arts and creativity is greater than ever.”

The poetry submitted by the public, for the Comic Book Windows project, has been incorporated into a booklet that will be available to take away for a donation to Babylon ARTS, throughout the duration of the exhibition (whilst stocks last!). The funds raised will go towards projects such as the ones showcased as part of the exhibition.

Chief Executive, Claire Somerville said “It’s our mission at Babylon ARTS to develop creativity and connect communities with arts and culture, and whilst this period of time has been, and continues to be, challenging, it’s also provided a wonderful opportunity for people to connect with or re-connect with their creative abilities.”

Claire continues “From craft to poetry writing; from pottery to photography – people have been expressing their thoughts, ideas, worries and joyful moments in creative ways and sharing them with us and the artists we’re working with and we hope that it inspires you, as it has us.”

All Together Now starts Friday 16th October and runs until Sunday 15th November. The Babylon Gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday, 12pm to 4pm with free entry. 

Press release from Babylon ARTS

The post Celebrating the Community’s Creativity Through Lockdown and Beyond in Exhibition entitled ‘All Together Now’ appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Apple Day is one of Ely’s best loved festivals and sadly this year, Visit Ely can’t deliver the whole event!

However what we are bringing to Ely is a ‘mini’ Apple Day, outside Oliver Cromwell’s House, Saturday October 17th from 10 am – 4pm.

This year, it maybe tiny in comparison, but we are still celebrating and have a variety of things to see and do! There is a really exciting competition to enter where you have to find all the apples, all hidden in our wonderful Ely independent shops, and be in with a chance of winning a whopping £30.00 voucher from Cutlacks! To find out more, come and see us on the day!

Our friends from Watergull Orchards are joining us for the day and will be supplying their wonderful Apple Juice and available to chat to visitors about all the different varieties of apples, which are also available to purchase! 

Ely museum are also joining in the celebrations with a superb Quiz and Wordsearch and more, so come along and pick up a copy!

Don’t forget to get your ‘peeling practice’ in, as we are running our hourly ‘longest peel’ competition, together with other free activities throughout the day.

Now in it’s 21st year, we must remember that Ely’s Apple Festival has established itself as one of the best, and longest running apple events in the region, and despite the current situation, let’s not forget this year, and still celebrate.

Anna Bennett, Visit Ely Event Manager said ‘The festival, over the many years, has provided the community with interest and intrigue whether you are interested in the either the educational, environmental aspect, or just want to come along, and have some fun!

For further information, please follow us on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram or call 01353 662062 www.visitely.org.uk

All our events are risk-assessed and COVID secure, we request all visitors check in using the new QR code and wear appropriate PPE

Press release from Visit Ely

The post Ely Apple Day 2020 appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Contemporary artist Amy Wormald is to present a new exhibition of paintings inspired by urban and rural landscapes within 20 miles of Ely. 

The exhibition entitled “20-mile radius” will take place at the Babylon Gallery from 29th September – 11th October.

Amy Wormald is a contemporary painter living in Ely whose colourful work is inspired by the Fens, construction and growth. The exhibition brings together a range of work including small studies of colour in nature, large canvases of building sites and roadworks, and a series of paintings showing fen skies and vibrant sunsets. Original framed works in oil and acrylic will be available to browse or buy. 

The exhibition was originally scheduled to take place in April but was postponed.

“I’m excited about finally showing my paintings in Ely!”  Says Amy Wormald,  “The exhibition was originally planned to take place in April but was postponed for obvious reasons. The work has been stacked up around my house just waiting for an audience.  I really hope people will pop into the gallery to take a peak. Babylon Gallery is in a location next to the river in Ely and everyone is welcome.”

Amy’s exhibition catalogue can be viewed on the Babylon Arts website. 

The ‘20 Mile Radius’ exhibition launches on 29th September until 11th October at the Babylon Gallery, open Tuesday to Sunday, 12pm to 4pm with free entry.

Press release from Babylon ARTS

The post Award-winning Artist to Present New Exhibition in Ely Inspired by Local Landscape appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

A prominent building and tourist attraction in East Cambridgeshire will shine green in a joint effort of support for the nation’s Recycle Week. 

For the first time, East Cambs Street Scene (ECSS), the trading company owned by the district council and responsible for providing recycling and waste services across the district, and Ely Cathedral have joined forces to celebrate WRAP’s Recycle Week campaign by lighting up the lantern of Ely Cathedral green for residents and visitors to see during the evenings of 21st and 27th September.

Ely Cathedral will join other well-known landmarks such as the London Eye and Blackpool Tower to mark the occasion.

Councillor David Ambrose Smith, chairman of the Operational Services Committee, said:

 “By partnering together, East Cambs Street Scene and Ely Cathedral have joined other landmarks across the nation to literally shine a light on such an important subject.

“It is the first instance this has happened and its timing couldn’t have been more perfect. This is a something light-hearted for all to enjoy.

“We hope that residents will look out for it and share it with friends and family alongside the message that we can all do our part to recycle.”

Rev’d Dr Jenny Gage, Minister for Social Justice at Ely Cathedral, said:

“Ely Cathedral is committed to safeguard the integrity of creation and renew the life on earth.  

“We believe that working in collaboration will help us achieve this as well as raise awareness.  

“The local council, the Cathedral and other influential organisations and businesses must come together to help sustain the earth.

“By using the world’s resources as if they are infinite, we are dishonouring God and his creation.

“We held an Environment Vigil to mark the start of Recycling Week and, through our commitment to recycle, reuse and reduce, we also demonstrate how our prayers and concerns are transformed into worthwhile actions.”

This year’s Recycle Week theme, ‘Thanking the nation: Together – We Recycle’, also looks to thank recycling and waste key workers who have carried on during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as acknowledge residents for their support and continued recycling efforts.

Councillor Julia Huffer, Waste Champion for East Cambridgeshire District Council, said:

“I am very proud of the resilience of our street scene team. Although they rightfully so made changes to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, the waste service to residents was not affected.

“I am also very thankful to our residents, who have not only shown their appreciation to ECSS operatives, but also continued to recycle throughout the pandemic.

“As a council we have a strong ambition to become a cleaner, greener East Cambridgeshire and it’s the efforts of all over the past few months which fills me with hope that together we can achieve this.”

For more information about Recycle Week visit: https://www.wrap.org.uk/content/recycle-week-2020

Press release from East Cambridgeshire District Council

The post East Cambs Landmark Joins London Eye and Blackpool Tower and Goes Green For Recycle Week appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Visit Ely are very excited this Ghostly Season, as they have conjured up some really amazing tours and walks.

New to the programme for 2020 we have a Witches and Witchcraft Tour, running every Thursday from October 1st!

Every Friday from October 2nd we have a real treat in store! Enjoy a spooky walk after dark down to the riverside, hop aboard the Liberty Belle and find out more creepy tales, and finish with a ‘Witches Brew’ Halloween cocktail at 11a Cocktail Bar, Ely.  

Every Saturday, from October 3rd, we have our legendary ‘Ghost Tours of Ely’ with new sightings and discoveries, you even may get to see a ghost or two!  

Running for four exclusive nights, we also have the Haunted House tours. Here you will learn all about ghostly sightings, noises and experiences recorded by staff and visitors over the years, and believe us, there’s been a few! Also, we have a special guest, Ghost Writer and one of the best every ghost tour guides, Margaret Haynes, author of ‘Haunted Ely’! You’ll be able to meet Margaret in person, purchase a copy (Haunted House Special Offer Price!) and get it signed too!

Our grand finale to the Ghostly Season is of course Halloween. This year it’s a big celebration as it’s the ‘Blue Moon’.

Saturday 31st we are have some really spooky activity lined up for you at Oliver Cromwell’s House plus a chance to purchase from our Halloween Mini-Market, and if you have been really brave you get a goody bag!

All events are COVID-19 Secure, are compliant with the latest legislation. Please check out www.visitely.org.uk or call 01353 662062 for more information.

Press release from Visit Ely

The post Ghost Tours and Walks Commence in Ely this October appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

This weekend sees the popular Heritage Open Days in Ely. Discover unique buildings and Ely’s historic past on Friday 11th , Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th September 2020. Visit Ely have come up with a completely COVID-19 secure and compliant programme!

Friday 11th September
11 am Ely Cathedral Monastic Tour
1:30 pm Ely Cathedral Monastic Tour
5 – 8 pm Twilight Opening Oliver Cromwell’s House
5 – 8 pm Drainage of the Fen film in the Tithe Office – each showing is limited to 10 people only

Saturday 12th September
10:30 am – 4:30 pm Meet The Roundheads! Drop in living History event on St Mary’s Green
11 am Ely Cathedral Monastic Tour
11:30 am Eel Heritage Walk (advanced booking only)
12 noon Tour and Tales of Ely’s Courtroom at Sessions House
(advanced booking only – face coverings must be worn)
1:30 pm Tour and Tales of Ely’s Courtroom at Sessions House
(advanced booking only – face coverings must be worn)
1:30 pm Ely Cathedral Monastic Tour
2 pm Exploring Ely’s Cemetery! (advanced booking only)

Sunday 13th September
11 am House Detectives (advanced booking only)
11:30 am Riverside Heritage Walk (advanced booking only)
1 pm Ely Architecture Walk (advanced booking only)
2:30 pm House Detectives (advanced booking only)
3 pm Architecture Walk (advanced booking only)

Places on tours are strictly limited, book your place at www.visitely.org.uk/whats-on
To book please visit: www.elycathedral.org/events/heritage-open-days-monastic-tours
Silver Street Cottages are not open this year due to the Covid-19, we’ve produced a guide that you can take away, ask at the Tourist Information Centre.

From Visit Ely

The post Ely Heritage Weekend 2020 appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The Stained Glass Museum is delighted to be reopening after a 5 month closure.

We are delighted to announce that The Stained Glass Museum will reopen to the public from Wednesday 5th August 2020 with a number of safety measures in place.

The Stained Glass Museum has acquired the Visit Britain ‘We’re Good to Go’ Industry Standard mark, which means that we have followed government and industry COVID-19 guidelines, have undertaken a rigorous Risk Assessment and have procedures in place to maintain cleanliness and aid social distancing.

In March 2020, like so many other organisations and charities, the Stained Glass Museum closed its doors to the thousands of visitors it welcomes each year losing up to 90% of its usual income.

Since the government announcement that museums and heritage sites could reopen, staff have been hard at work to make the necessary adjustments to begin welcoming visitors back from Wednesday 5th August.

The museum’s summer opening hours (during August) will be Wednesday-Saturday 10:30am-3.30pm.

Tickets for the museum will be available on the door in limited numbers.

Visitors who wish to visit Ely Cathedral and The Stained Glass Museum should pre-book a combined ticket online or on the phone from Ely Cathedral.

With a designated one-way route around the museum, enhanced cleaning and the removal of hands-on activities within the galleries, visitors can once again enjoy a safe, welcoming and enjoyable visit to the museum.

Visitors are encouraged to visit the museum’s website www.stainedglassmuseum.com to find out more about changes we have made to the museum, and any additional safety measures we have put in place.

Press release from The Stained Glass Museum

The post The Stained Glass Museum Reopens to the Public on Wednesday 5th August appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

On Wednesday 29th July, Ely Cathedral reopened its doors to visitors after over 130 days of closure.  

Over 250 visitors came through the doors on the first day to experience the Cathedral which has widely been acknowledged as one of the wonders of the medieval world. Nearly all areas are accessible to the public including Ely’s magnificent Lady Chapel. It is hoped Tower Tours and guided tours can resume as soon as it is safe to do so. 

Chris Flatman, Director of Operations said “It has been a long four months since the doors were closed as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak, and in accordance with the latest guidance from the Government and the Church of England, we are delighted to be re-opening for the Summer. The Cathedral team has been so excited at the prospect of opening doors and welcoming back visitors and everyone has been working hard to ensure there are plenty of safety measures in place as well as having staff and volunteers are on hand to make sure visitors have an enjoyable experience.“

Ely Cathedral has recently been awarded Visit England’s industry standard ‘We’re Good To Go!’ consumer mark. This is to reassure visitors that they adhere to Government and public health guidance, they have carried out a COVID-19 risk assessment, and have the required processes in place.

In order to comply with social distancing guidelines, visitors are being asked to book tickets in advance of their visit via www.elycathedral.org so the Cathedral can keep an eye the number of people accessing the building at any one time. 

We look forward to welcoming everyone back into the Cathedral.

New Visiting Opening Times: 10am to 4pm, Monday to Saturday 

Entrance will be via the West Door. (main entrance)
For further information about opening times and Cathedral admission please visit the website www.elycathedral.org or call the Box Office on 01353 660349

Press release from Ely Cathedral

Image – Timothy Selvage

The post Ely Cathedral is ‘Good to Go’ and re-opens to Visitors this week appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

At WWT Welney Wetland Centre the safety of our visitors, staff and volunteers is a priority and we are delighted to say that we have been accredited with the “We’re Good to Go” stamp of approval.

“We’re Good To Go” is a UK wide industry standard which has been developed in partnership with Visit England, Tourism Northern Ireland, Visit Scotland and Visit Wales.

Our accreditation means you can rest assured that we are doing everything to ensure we operate within the relevant government and public health guidance, and have carried out a coronavirus risk assessment. To help keep everyone safe and manage numbers on site we have introduced an online booking system. Everyone, whether a WWT member or not, must pre-book before visiting.

Since re-opening, visitors have been enjoying the wide open vistas of our Fenland wetlands.  The furthest reaches of the reserve are currently accessible, including the summer walk, dragonfly ponds and footpaths to all the hides.  Summer is the best time to appreciate the diversity of wildlife our wetlands are home to.  Wildflowers are in bloom, dragonflies, damselflies, bees and butterflies are on the wing, beetles, crickets and caterpillars are waiting to be found and summer birds are looking after the last few broods of young as autumn arrivals begin to drop in. 

Currently shared equipment areas are not in use, such as explorer backpacks and pond dipping (check back for further updates soon).  So download some wildlife guides on your phone before you visit to get the most out of your days’ exploration. 

Our gift shop, gallery and scooter hire are currently available, as well as a selection of cold drinks, ice creams and snacks from our Wigeon Café.  Every penny spent on site supports conservation of our wetland habitats and wildlife here in Norfolk. 

Welney Wetland Centre is open daily 9.30am – 4pm.

To find out more about what to expect and to book tickets, visit our website at https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/welney/bookings/

Press release from WWT Welney Wetland Centre

The post We’re Good To Go! appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The Stained Glass Museum is delighted to announce that His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has agreed to extend his role as Patron of The Stained Glass Museum for a further two years from May 2020.

His Royal Highness first became Patron of The Stained Glass Museum in 2008 during a major appeal when the museum relocated from the north to the south triforium within Ely
Cathedral. He has since renewed his Patronage several times and visited The Stained Glass Museum in November 2018 to celebrate its 40th anniversary of opening to the
public. It was a very memorable day for both the museum and the city of Ely.

The Museum’s Director and Curator Dr Jasmine Allen says ‘We are delighted that His Royal Highness, heir to the throne, has decided to extend his Patronage of The Stained Glass Museum for a further term. The news is most welcome during these difficult times whilst the museum remains closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. We are determined to weather this storm and welcome visitors once again when it is safe to do so.’

The Stained Glass Museum is the only museum dedicated to the art of stained glass in the UK. Housed in the south triforium of Ely Cathedral, the museum is home to an internationally significant collection of windows spanning eight centuries, illustrating the development of the art from the medieval period to the present day. Alongside its collection the museum hosts a range of events, creative workshops and a learning programme for schools and other educational groups.

Due to the current pandemic the museum closed to the public on 18th March and expects to lose thousands of pounds of expected income this year. Income derived from visitors –
through admissions, shop sales, events and workshops – accounts for 80 – 90% of the museum’s total income each year.

Press release from The Stained Glass Museum

The post His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales extends his Patronage of The<br>Stained Glass Museum for a further two years appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Have a go at trying to locate the missing treasure that is still said to be located within the medieval walls of Ely!

Download ‘Ely Pilgrim’s Lost Treasure’ for just £5 and send the location to us at info@visitely.org.uk
by May 10th and be in with a chance of winning one of three fantastic prizes! (on the poster below)

Just follow the link below:

/https://www.visitely.org.uk/whats-on/

Press release from Visit Ely

The post Is there really Hidden Treasure in Ely? Do you think you could find it… appeared first on Spotted in Ely.