Growing Community comes together for Alconbury Weald Summer Fete

Alconbury Weald’s growing community enjoyed a sun-soaked, fun-filled Summer Fete at Ermine Street Church Academy (ESCA) on Friday (29 June).  The school was adorned with bunting decorated by the community and included a wide variety of stalls and activities for all ages to enjoy; to connect new residents to local activities and groups and raise funds for the Friends of ESCA. Sporting activities at the Fete included jazzercize demonstrations (led by Alconbury Weald resident Dana Rowe), table tennis (with Huntingdon Table Tennis Club), rounders and tennis (with One Leisure Active Lifestyles), a soft play assault course (provided by Amazing Kids) and big garden games (run by volunteers from Fusion, Huntingdon’s Youth Club). The Fete opened with a performance by children from ESCA choir and Cambridgeshire Music Services provided a drumming workshop, while Rev Rob Paddison, Alconbury Weald’s new pioneer minister created prayer trees with fete-goers. Other activities included: Groundworks teaching people how to make bird-feeders; manicures and pedicures provided by local resident and owner of Kats Gel Lash, Katherine Sans-Facon; glitter tattoos and face painting sponsored by Morris Homes and Hopkins Homes; and candyfloss sponsored by Urban&Civic.  The team who run The Café also bought along their snack van, so revellers could enjoy a hot snack during the Fete. Janie Maltby from Friends of ESCA said:

“We formed in December and have organised a number of events, raising over £1,000 for the school.  The Summer Fete is our biggest event to date and we’re delighted to see so many people enjoying the wide range of activities in the plaza, school, playground and playing field. “So far, we have organised a story circle in the school grounds to provide a quiet reading area for the children and bought two friendship benches.  The friendship benches were the children’s idea and envoys from the different classes wrote to Friends of ESCA to request the benches, so that children who don’t have anyone to play with can sit on the bench and the other children will know they are looking for a friend to play with. “We are also planning to use some of the funds raised to buy planters to put in the playground and create zones for the different classes to enjoy.” AIbram Patients Group, a voluntary group that helps patients registered at Alconbury and Brampton surgery to get to medical appointments – including to the doctor, hospital and optician – was at the fete to raise funds and appeal for more drivers. Anyone interested in volunteering, or with need of their service, should visit www.alconburybramptonsurgery.co.uk. Police community support officers also attend local community events so local children get to know them and see that they are friendly and approachable.  They brought a police car to the Summer Fete, chatted with the children and let them put on the sirens. Stephanie Burton, Community Development at Urban&Civic, said:

“It’s been great working with the Friends of ESCA to organise the Summer Fete, which grows year on year, as Alconbury Weald grows and evolves. It’s really important to bring together a range of activities not only to have a great time, but to connect people with their neighbours at Alconbury Weald and across the local area, so people can enjoy this great place to live.”

Ermine Street Church AcademyAlconbury Doctors surgery