43 COMMUNITY COLUMNS

Star Shine Night Walk is back! Join in and make the streets of Cambridge glow green for Arthur Rank Hospice Charity.

Arthur Rank Hospice Charity’s is inviting you to join them for Star Shine Night Walk and make the streets glow green for hospice care on Saturday

21 May!

For the last two years Star Shine Night Walk has taken place virtually due to pandemic restrictions, but we are excited to share the news that it will take place in-person this year! The fundraising walk has long held a special place in the local community’s heart, with many returning year after year to walk in memory of loved ones.

The ‘glow’ of excitement has already begun, with a new start and finish venue confirmed as Cambridge Rugby Union Football Club, Volac Park on Grantchester Road. Walkers can look forward to a celebratory atmosphere and energy of a live 10km walk, with an 8pm start and a carefully mapped, accessible route around the iconic views and beautiful green spaces of Cambridge.

Angeline Liles, Events Officer, explains: “We are so excited that Star Shine Night Walk is back as a physical event this year! We hope you will have fun with the glow green theme as we light up the streets of our historic City! We are expecting an amazing atmosphere created by the energy and passion of everyone taking part, including our incredible volunteers who will be helping on the night. You can look forward to being cheered and encouraged every step of the way you ‘glow’!”

New for this year is the addition of a virtual option for those who live further afield or who wish to take part in the walk at a time and in a location to suit them. All participants receive a Star Shine Night Walk event pack including a reusable event t-shirt, support with sponsorship, and treats to keep them going around the route. Finishers can proudly claim their medal and those attending the event in-person will be rewarded once they cross the finishing line with an event bag.

Sign up in advance at arhc.org.uk/ssnw for £19.50 (adults) and £9.50 children under 16 (on the date of the event).

Arthur Rank Hospice Charity’s services are provided free of charge to those living with an advanced serious illness or other life-limiting condition and those who need end-of-life care. It will cost £10.5 million this year to operate services, with £3.52 million of this raised through donations, fundraising activities and trading. With the financial impact of the pandemic still being felt, events like Star Shine Night Walk – and the local community who support them – are more important than ever!

COMMUNITY CHAMPION AWARDS

FROM LUCY FRAZER MP I was pleased to recently visit and congratulate four staff members at Ely College and staff at Staploe Medical Centre, who were nominated for awards. This was a chance to thank them for their incredible work in keeping the school community safe over the last two years.

At Ely College, lead safeguarding officer, Lynn Riches and Welfare Officer Claire Lucas both conducted hundreds of ‘safe and well’ visits, delivering food parcels and ensuring that families

Adam Steels, the current Head of Sixth Form, was responsible for the set up and administration of asymptomatic testing. On top of this huge task, he also ensured that all the school’s arrangements were COVID compliant. The school’s COVID testing programme would not have been possible without Student Support Assistant Caroline Price, who ensured that testing volunteers were well-looked after and made the provision of the programme a success. Having met the team, I have no doubt that their work not only kept the school safe but also kept the community’s morale up through some very difficult times.

At Staploe Medical Centre, staff were nominated for an award by volunteer Julie Seabrook. Huge national schemes like the vaccination rollout would simply not have been possible without the work of people like Covid:19 Care coordinator Demet Sasioglu and Quality Manager Sally Graham, who provided individuals with the personalised service they needed. Ely PCN Manager Simon Randall focused on joined-up communication between the 6 practices in the area, alongside Clinical Manager Jackie Spruce who has helped to ensure the smooth running of services. And special thanks to Dr Anthony Gunstone and Dr Richard Brixley for continuing to provide excellent patient care.

Lucy Frazer M.P.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG, BUT HAVE YOU FOUND YOUR BOUNCE?

Spring is finally in the air, and, for some; it is in their step! Nights are drawing out and new beginnings are blossoming. Not least of all, for the members of Ely City WI and; as the time approaches for us to renew our WI membership, we are very much looking forward to new starts, new adventures, new projects and new friends. If the pandemic showed us nothing else, it showed how communities became stronger together. We are all familiar with the ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ iconic image which has become a popular moniker over time, and similarly; so has the Women’s Institute. The WI.

Inspiring women for over a century you can guarantee that everyone has heard of the WI. But do they know what it does? What it means? Who it’s for? With so much to look forward to,

Ely City WI want to continue to inspire our members and to reach out to our wider community too. We are justifiably proud of our WI and have members, of all ages and backgrounds who come together to have fun, make friends and make a difference.

With connections in and around the city, and our finger on the local pulse, Ely City WI is a welcoming group. With many exciting plans for the coming year, Ely City is at the helm of driving forward a supportive female network.

We cannot forget, though how the WI set out to give its members a voice and to be a force of good in the community. Since its formation, our ambitions have grown and there are many chances to be involved in the various campaigns, on a wide range of issues; which are spearheaded by our national organisation.

So, why not start this season by coming along as a visitor to one or two of our meetings to see what we’re all about? We would love to meet you. You can visit our website: https://wielycity.wixsite. com/home or find us on Facebook (just search Ely City WI). or email us at elycitywi@yahoo.com

EAST ANGLIAN AIR AMBULANCE OUR AIR AMBULANCE

For EAAA, 2021 will always be remembered as a ‘milestone year’ as it was the year during which we moved into Helimed House our new Norwich HQ, started flying 24/7 and started carrying blood on board every mission. As we progress, as a charity at the forefront of pre-hospital emergency care, we maintain a necessarily sizeable operation to provide exceptional levels of support for every one of our patients, both pre-hospital and through aftercare. To do this, we need to raise £15million annually to deliver and develop our 24/7 service by air and by road. EAAA thanks each and everyone immensely for the part played in ensuring that our doctor and critical care paramedic teams can be there to deliver that advanced prehospital care, whenever needed. There are many volunteering opportunities at EAAA, often interacting with the general public - its invariably good fun and always rewarding.

For 2022 we have scheduled many exciting fundraising events, the success of which will depend upon volunteer help, so there is always lots of scope to help out. From Trek 24 to hiking 24miles or kilometres plus many more, there are events to appeal to many – why not participate ( by contacting EAAA website ) or signing up to become a much valued volunteer. We really do need YOUR help. Go online today – please. Help make the difference for people like us who, perhaps through no fault of their own, urgently need the help of EAAA – NOW. Every other year, I award The Etheldreda Medal to people across the Diocese whose service to the community (which might be as ‘local’ as their extended family but could be as extensive as a national or international concern) is both ‘generous’ and ‘outstanding’.

I am looking for exceptional people whose good works haven’t yet been recognised; those who might (in partnership with others) come close to being nominated for a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. For many people this will be about the duration and persistence of their good works, for others it may relate to a short but extraordinary act of kindness or course of conduct.

Nominations for the 2022 awards need to be submitted by 26 May 2022. These will then be reviewed by a panel of volunteers appointed by me to identify suitable recipients. Most of the awards will be presented publicly at a special service at Ely Cathedral on 15 October 2022.

I hope you will help me with this project, either by making a nomination yourself, or by encouraging others to do so. The Nomination Form (and details of the procedure and some fictional examples of the kind of people to whom I wish to make the award) is available below.

If you have any questions, or need any further information, please contact the Convener of the Etheldreda Medal Award Selection Panel, The Revd Canon James Reveley, on 01353 660302 or (preferably) by emailing him on J.Reveley@elycathedral.org heading up your message ‘Etheldreda Medal Award’.

Michael White ELY CATHEDRAL CELEBRATE NATIONAL VOLUNTEERS' WEEK IN JUNE

As National Volunteers’ Week returns in early June it is a perfect opportunity for organisations across the country to celebrate the work of their marvellous volunteers. Here at Ely Cathedral, we are no different.

It goes without saying that the past 24 months has been challenging. Both professionally and personally we have all had to adapt to so many changes in our working patterns and ways of life. However, amidst all the uncertainty, obstacles, and complications, the volunteers have continued to support us in countless different ways, and for that, we are truly grateful. As an organization we recognize that we simply could not operate without them. With over twenty different roles across the entire organisation, we are indebted to their time, skills, and enthusiasm. Moreover, they help maintain and enhance the beauty of our building and support the community's daily life, worship, welcome, and outreach to visitors.

On Wednesday 1 June, we will be releasing a short video by the Dean (The Very Rev’d Mark Bonney) to kickstart the celebrations. To see this, and to check out more information about the potential ways you could get involved, please visit our website and social media channels nearer the time.

www.elycathedral.org

JOIN US AS WE CELEBRATE HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN'S PLATINUM JUBILEE FROM 2nd - 5th JUNE

This special anniversary marks 70 years since The Queen's accession to the throne in 1952.

To mark this occasion we will be exhibiting the official replica of her Coronation dress, commissioned by Harrods in 2012 to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee. This dress 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.

There will be a special floral tribute to The Queen in the form of several impressive displays interpreting key events, interests and pursuits in her life. These will include:

• The 1947 Royal Wedding • The Queen’s devotion to 'The

Commonwealth' • Her love of 'Horses, Racing and the

Countryside' • A nautically themed display featuring

‘The Royal Yacht Britannia’ • A floral tribute illustrating her service as Queen to the United Kingdom of

England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales • We will be extending visitor opening times, with additional tours including a guided Cathedral Tour followed by a celebratory 'Champagne Jubilee

Afternoon Tea’ at the Almonry.

All tours will be available to book online in advance from 30th April, the Octagon Tower will also be lit red, white and blue overnight as part of the commemorations and a special Service of Thanksgiving will take place at 10.30am on Sunday 5th June.