Torn between a hummingbird top and a stripy dress, the Pymoor resident eventually went for the latter, enticed by its bright colours and bold patterns.

Mum Vicki Fickling said the unusual range offered inside the new shop was refreshing, with brands such as Frugi, known for its vibrant, organic cotton prints.
“That’s why I buy Frugi – it’s not just pink and blue.”
Based on Ely High Street, at the site of where Handmade Hotspot used to be, Little Roos is the brainchild of Downham Market grandparents Margaret and Mike Rooney.
Margaret said she saw a gap in the market and decided Ely needed a range of “good quality, branded clothing”, catering for babies and children.
“We’ve got nine grandchildren and we all love Frugi.”

The couple, who have a boat at Ely Riverside, said the city’s shoppers wanted more choice when it came to children’s clothes.
Unicorn skater dresses, seaside prints and super stripes are all the rage – with all the colours of the rainbow represented.
The brand Cut4Cloth was launched in 2004 when its founders couldn’t find clothes big enough to fit over their baby’s cloth nappies.
They launched a range of clothes from their living room and eventually grew the business, renaming it Frugi (Latin for “fruits of the earth) in 2008. 
The clothes are designed to be ecological, durable and practical – while being bright and colourful at the same time.

The award-winning brand’s headquarters are now based at an organic farm in Cornwall – but you don’t have to travel that far (or shop online) to shop Frugi anymore.
Little Roos also stocks Emile et Rose, Hatley, Petit Bateau and Angel and Rocket.

For more information, including opening hours, click here.

The post Fed up with just pink and blue? Get to Little Roos! appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Lucy at 35 celebrated its grand opening at midday today – and within minutes the cafe was full of foodies curious to try out its colourful cuisine.

Any stereotypes of vegan food being bland or boring were quickly shattered, with dishes ranging from three bean chilli to chickpea, squash and sweet potato curry.
Not to mention the tantalising cookies, brownies and cakes – a work of wizardry, containing neither eggs, butter nor flour.

Minutes before the launch, Spotted in Ely caught up with chef Lucy Andrew, of Little Downham, and Ely businesswoman Caroline Bailey, the forces behind Lucy at 35.

Caroline said: “We are very excited and we are very proud to be bringing a dedicated vegan and gluten free cafe to Ely.
“I’ve known Ely for 40 years. Absolutely there’s been a change. Ely’s a really special city and I think it will really embrace a healthy eating lifestyle.”
Lucy, who’d been prepping dishes into the early hours, admitted having last minute jitters about the grand opening.
“Nerves are good – it shows you care a lot.”

Lucy – who herself has followed a gluten free diet for almost a decade – needn’t have worried.
The healthy, unusual dishes she’d dreamt up were an instant hit on a busy Saturday.
The old stereotype of vegans living on tofu and lentils has gone – and “if it hasn’t, it definitely will be kicked into touch”, Caroline said.
“Vegan food has a beautiful range. It’s delicious and healthy – a rainbow of colours.”
Lucy at 35 opened today at Spa Ely, 35 Forehill. For more information click here.

The post Ely's first vegan cafe a big hit appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

As the UK prepares to ban plastic straws, cotton buds and other single use plastics from next year, East Cambridgeshire District Council is hoping to take a lead in reducing waste.

Across the UK over 8 billion plastic straws are chucked away each year, while cotton buds flushed down the toilet are one of the biggest causes of marine pollution, and often end up being eaten by wildlife.
Last night ECDC agreed to endorse the government’s 25 year environmental plan.
Cllr Anna Bailey, who tabled the motion, said: “If all the plastic bottles that are not collected for recycling in the UK each year were placed end to end, they would go around the world 31 times.
“That is a huge amount of plastic which is damaging our seas and eco-systems. It is clear that wide-scale change is required across the whole of society to reduce our reliance on plastics, keep the plastics we do use in the economy for as long as possible and  to keep all plastic out of our oceans and seas.”
ECDC and its trading companies plan to eliminate “unnecessary and problematic” plastic packaging within the council and ensure the rest is reusable, recyclable or compostable.
Other aims are to make recycling easier within East Cambridgeshire and encourage businesses to increase recycled content in any plastic packaging they use.
The council has pledged to “impassion and enable” residents and businesses to “play their part” in cutting down on plastic packaging waste and litter.
Cllr Bill Hunt said the purge on plastics was the “start of a great journey”, adding that council staff and members would be “relentless” in their efforts to achieve their goals.
During the debate Ely Markets was singled out for special mention in its work to tackle the problem.
[fbvideo link=”https://www.facebook.com/SpottedInEly/videos/1855824034448371/” width=”500″ height=”400″ onlyvideo=”1″]
The Ely Markets team has recognised changing shopping habits, with people increasingly buying smaller amounts, more flexibly, more often and has responded by introducing new mini-markets on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The team also actively encourages people to bring their own reusable shopping bags, coffee cups and containers.
Cllr Richard Hobbs said “Traders are happy to weigh fruit and veg directly into people’s own shopping bags and we are seeing more and more people arriving at Ely Markets with their own reusable coffee cup and containers.”
Since the 5p charge for plastic bags came into effect, their use has plummeted by an astonishing 90% – meaning that 9 billion fewer bags are in circulation.

The post Plastic purge declared in East Cambs appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Bi-annual vegan fairs are already drawing foodies from far and wide to Ely – and now, the city’s celebrating the launch of its first, dedicated vegan and gluten free cafe.

“Nourish to flourish” is the motto of Lucy at 35, a cafe promising “healthy, wholesome and delicious” plant based foods, based at Spa Ely.

Lucy at 35 is the brainchild of chef Lucy Andrew, from Little Downham, and Ely businesswoman Caroline Bailey.
Caroline had a “light bulb moment” after becoming frustrated at the lack of places to eat out when she found out she was gluten intolerant late last year.
“I decided to offer vegan food at 35 Forehill, to create it as a health and wellbeing lifestyle venue, catering for people’s health and beauty needs, both inside and out.”
The grand launch of Lucy at 35 will coincide with Spa Ely’s 12th anniversary – a double celebration.
Caroline said: “Our food is not aimed just at vegans, but people who want to try delicious, new flavours that are plant based.”

Lucy’s tantalising dishes include falafel, mint yogurt, rocket, pickled red onion and toasted sesame seed wraps, white truffle and mushroom risotto, Thai vegetable and peanut noodles or a vegan twist on mac ’n’ cheese, featuring butternut squash and nutritional yeast.
For those with a sweet tooth, desserts include dark chocolate, caramel and sea salt bark and sweet potato brownie with dark chocolate frosting.
Lucy, 24, said: “The wonderful thing about these dishes is the purity of them. I believe we need to ‘nourish to flourish’, that this comes from within us and what we eat.
“We will serve gorgeous rainbow coloured foods packed with pure nutrients that are shown to have many health benefits, can increase energy and give you a glowing skin, as well as being very satisfying on the pallet.”

She herself adopted a gluten free lifestyle at the age of 15 after her former partner was diagnosed as coeliac. She found it difficult to return to her previous diet, becoming very bloated after re-introducing foods she had eliminated, such as pasta, bread and biscuits.
Lucy said: “Lots of my family and friends now follow a gluten free or vegan lifestyle. We share recipes and tips, which is fun as it can lead to trying new recipes that I haven’t tried before.”
The cafe will have a strong environmental ethos. Lucy plans to use the freshest, seasonal ingredients where possible and make her best effort to source locally.
It will also serve take-away foods in recyclable and compostable containers.
Lucy at 35 will open at Spa Ely, 35 Forehill, on April 21. For more information click here.
The Vegan & Vintage Fair will take place on May 6-7 (Bank Holiday Weekend). For more details click here. 

The post Ely's first vegan cafe opens this month appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Shoppers will be encouraged to bring refillable cups and reusable bags in a bid to reduce their carbon footprints.

Julia Davis, of Ely Markets, hopes the new mini markets will also help residents cut down on food waste and packaging by buying little and often from local traders.
“If people in Ely choose to make a few small changes to the way they shop then together we can make a big difference.
“Remember your shopping bags on market days and bring along a re-usable coffee cup too. We’d love to see people start bringing their own containers for cakes and pastries.”
The first mini market will be launched on April 3 – with subsequent mini markets trading between 8.30am and 3.30pm every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, selling essentials such as fruit and vegetables, coffee, cheese and bread.

These new, smaller markets will complement larger, well-established markets on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Julia said: “Our new mini markets give you the chance to get more of what you want, when you want it. They’ll make everyday shopping easier and will encourage people to shop locally and support small producers…
“It’s perfect for when you’re popping into town on your lunch break, or after you’ve dropped the kids off at school. And once you’ve finished your shopping Silver Oak Coffee will be there to keep you supplied with delicious locally-roasted coffee”.
Buying little and often from a local market isn’t just convenient – it also reduces food waste and cuts down on packaging while supporting the local economy.
“We want our markets to lead the way in helping local residents to take a more thoughtful approach to their shopping.”
According to Greenpeace, an estimated 12.7 million tonnes of plastic end up in our oceans year year – the equivalent of a truck load of rubbish each minute.
In a further bid to encourage environmentally friendly shopping, the new mini markets will join the #PlasticFreeFriday movement on social media, with prizes given out on a regular basis, including re-usable coffee cups, bags and containers.
On Wednesday, April 4, there will be a special launch day to coincide with the Easter school holiday, promising extra stalls, activities and the chance to meet Michael Recycle, Ely’s local eco-hero, and to win an Ely Markets “Bring Your Own” goody bag.

The post New mini markets "a more thoughtful approach" to shopping appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The eight-year-old Weatheralls Primary School pupil’s simple but shocking video about the lethal effects of global warming has already become a massive hit online.
Animal-lover and environmentalist Megan spent a while thinking about how to send a message to the world about the effect that climate change was having on polar bears.
Father Gavin Jones said it took her just one day to complete the project, using a smartphone, Plasticine, paper – and the odd help from Dad.
 

Gavin said: “She has been planning to make posters and distribute them but then just started planning this video after getting a bit of software on her iPad.
“I took her to Ely to buy the things she needed and the next day she began at 9am and didn’t stop till it was done except for dinner.
“She did it all herself, including setting and designing the scenes a couple of days before and every now again she asked to take the odd photo or two.”
“I was gobsmacked when I saw the finished video and she even added the music herself. I couldn’t wait to get it on YouTube and then tweet it everywhere including to Barack Obama, Greenpeace and many other celebrities..”
Proud teacher Julia Stead could not wait to call everyone, including Spotted in Ely, to get as much publicity as possible for this video.
The video, promoting environmental charity Greenpeace, shows the plight of a mummy and baby polar bear, left fighting for their lives after their iceberg homes have melted into the ocean.
 

The post Soham Schoolgirl's poignant polar bear video will leave a lump in your throat appeared first on Spotted in Ely.