Author Archives: Cambridge Town Owl

The question is: How do organisers find enough suitable people without resorting to ‘the usual social media callouts’? You can read the write-up in the Cambridge Independent here, and the various links in the Cambridge 105 tweets from their stage on the day below Above – Cambridge 105 at the Strawberry Fair where they haveContinue reading “A full-on Strawberry Fair and Arbury Carnival – but Cambridge’s events need more volunteers to continue”

Photo and mosaic by @MelanieMosaics – It was on my list of things to follow-up before I ended up in hospital in December 2021. I’ve been a consistent moaner and critic of many-a-piece of public art in Cambridge. Some of you might think with good reason. Others may think grey is wonderful. I’m just pullingContinue reading “Community public art that inspires”

Policies going around in historical circles again? I’ve been trying to shake off this latest bout of fatigue with little success – the end of the block to the nearest convenience store is about as far as I can go at the moment. Hence spending much time digitising very old books and pamphlets from myContinue reading “Northern Powerhouse and Levelling up? Sounds like the ‘Northern Counter-Magnet’ of 1964”

I found a copy in Rock Road Library and had a look. While there are some hopeful signs, it also exposes a much-needed culture change across The University of Cambridge and its member and associated institutions. You can read it online here. Not the first CAM Magazine The first one was an attempt at aContinue reading “What does Cambridge University’s alumni magazine reveal about our divided city?”

(I’m deliberately ignoring the national news announcement today for this post). This could be a positive test for how ‘up for it’ Cambridgeshire & Peterborough are for a combination of grassroots participative democracy and community action. But…and it’s a very big “But”. You can read the short article by Gemma Gardner of the Cambridge IndependentContinue reading ““Mayor Dr Nik Johnson asks *You* to help secure funding for active travel””

Outside the online Political exchanges, that is. Because for followers of what counts as political debate on social media, there were the two inevitable extremes. The first was somewhere along the lines of: “Oh hasn’t she done wonderfully well over these 70 perfect years? Why not do away with all of the politicians and goContinue reading ““So how was your Platty-Joobz?””

Image from Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi I can’t recall ever being taught about the importance of cultures, morals, and ethics from a personal perspective from GCSEs through to post-graduate education. Was this just my own personal experience or is this something that cut across my entire age cohort and is now reflective of the toxicContinue reading ““I didn’t know we had a British Institute for Adult Education!””

The cutback comes at a time when our local democracy needs more, not less scrutiny & publicity. You can read the news item here. With Cambridge City, and South Cambridgeshire District Councils now having ‘super-majorities, the need to maintain higher levels of scrutiny from established broadcasters is all the more important. Cambridge people, the cityContinue reading “BBC blow to scrutinising local democracy in Cambridgeshire & West Anglia”

Case study: The City of York The New Local Think Tank published a report on York recently. “Telling your Story of Council and Place” You can read it if you are a member – sign up here, but no longer being a member of any library or institution, I have no access. But you canContinue reading “What can Cambridge (& southern Cambridgeshire) learn from other cities as it continues to grow?”

Using Cambridge as an example given my limited mobility these days… Cambridge City Council has advertised a number of events at https://www.cambridgelive.org.uk/city-events …one of the biggest [independently organised] of which is the Strawberry Fair, which attracts thousands of people – esp young people, from all over the region. And they need more volunteers! Take theContinue reading “Cambridgeshire’s councils must ensure summer community events (eg The Strawberry Fair) include outreach stalls – esp for consultations”