Archive for month: June, 2026

 news from across Cambridgeshire

Share your views in our Quality of life survey

We are inviting residents to take part in our Quality of Life survey and share their views on life in Cambridgeshire and the issues that matter most to them and their communities.

Residents will be asked about a range of topics, including life and community, transport, health and wellbeing, children and young people, and perceptions of the council and its services.

The results will help inform council discussions and priorities for the years ahead.

The survey is open to all residents and will remain open into the summer and close on Wednesday 5 August 2026.

Get Activated this summer

Roads, transport and travel

Locals invited to co-design Mill Road this summer

Residents are being asked to help co-design their future Mill Road, as a long-term project to consider streetscape changes begins this summer.

Improvements could include more places to sit, planters, crossings, parking, new trees and greenery, changes to lighting, additional art, and more provision for shop deliveries and active travel.

A range of public drop-in sessions will be held at local venues in late June and July, providing residents the opportunity to share their thoughts:

• Tuesday 30 June, 12pm to 3pm at St Philip’s Church, 185 Mill Road, Cambridge CB1 3AN.
• Saturday 4 July, 10.30am to 5pm at The Old School Hall (St Barnabas Centre), St Barnabas Church, Mill Road, Cambridge CB1 2BD.
• Thursday 16 July, 4.30pm to 7.30pm at St Philip’s Church, 185 Mill Road, Cambridge CB1 3AN.
• Wednesday 22 July, 4.30pm to 7.30pm at Mill Road Community Centre, 6 Hazell Street, Cambridge CB1 2GN.

Further information about the project can be found at www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/millroadcodesign.

Busway safety improvements progress

Safer sustainable travel is being delivered on the Guided Busway and significant progress has been made to deliver essential safety improvements over the last year – with installation of safety fencing to the southern part of the Busway almost complete.

Next week (Tuesday 30 June), councillors on Cambridgeshire County Council’s Highways and Transport committee will be asked to endorse the continued delivery of the safety works on the northern section of the Busway, to ensure the continuing use of the innovative transport route and ongoing compliance with health and safety legislation.

You can keep up to date with the safety improvement works taking place along the Busway via our newsletter. Previous copies of the newsletter can be found on our website, along with more information on these improvements.

Free family cycle training sessions

This summer, we will be offering free cycle training sessions to help families across Cambridgeshire develop the skills, confidence and road awareness needed to enjoy cycling together.

From beginner sessions for children to adult confidence training, the programme is designed to support safer journeys and healthier lifestyles and are perfect for beginners or families wanting to get more active this summer.

• Improve road safety awareness
• Build cycling confidence
• Support healthier travel choices
• Gain practical skills for everyday journeys

Sessions are available across Cambridgeshire.

Children, education and families

Be water smart and enjoy water safely this summer

Being next to water can help children be happier and healthier, but it’s important that they know how to stay safe. Spending a short time talking about water safety as a family can make a big difference. 

The Be Water Smart campaign is here to help you. It shares practical advice and useful resources to ensure your family has the right skills and knowledge to stay safe in and around water this summer. 

For more information visit www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/be-water-smart and follow along on social media using the hashtag #BeWaterSmart.

Summer Holiday Activities and Food programme helps children in Cambridgeshire stay active and healthy

The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme will return this summer, offering funded holiday scheme places and nutritious meals for eligible school-ages children across Cambridgeshire from Tuesday 21 July to Friday 28 August.

HAF provides primary and secondary aged children with access to healthy food, fun activities and enriching experiences throughout the school holidays.

Eligibility vouches were emailed or sent by text to all families in receipt of benefit-related free school meals on Monday 8 June, providing 64 hours of free access to a local HAF-registered scheme during the summer period.

The scheme is now open for applications.

Public Health

Blood pressure monitor loan scheme

Blood pressure monitors are now available to borrow from libraries across Cambridgeshire.

Around 1 in 12 adults in Cambridgeshire are estimated to have high blood pressure without experiencing any obvious signs of symptoms. That’s equivalent to around 45,000 to 50,000 residents living with an undiagnosed condition.

High blood pressure increases risk of cardiovascular disease, and but can often be lowered through simple lifestyle changes. The new loan scheme helps residents to check and understand their blood pressure, while empowering them to make informed choices about their health.

The blood pressure monitors are available to loan from all our 33 libraries and three mobile libraries. Any library member aged 18 or over can borrow a monitor for three weeks (or five weeks from our mobile library). It’s free, and you don’t need a GP referral.

To borrow a monitor, simply visit your local library and speak to a member of staff. Please bring your library card. If you are not yet a library member, you can join at the library or online.

Communities

Support for Armed Forces community reaffirmed with

Covenant signature

Cambridgeshire County Council has restated its commitment to fair treatment for serving personnel, veterans and their families when accessing public services.

On Thursday 25 June, councillors attending a meeting of the Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion committee agreed to formally sign the Armed Forces Covenant, bolstering the support provided through the 2011 Armed Forces Community Covenant, making a public declaration of support for and commitment to the Armed Forces community.

The new pledge strengthens the council’s organisation-wide approach to ensuring the Armed Forces community faces no disadvantage when accessing public services. It also reflects the council’s strategic vision to enable full, healthy lives for all and ensure fairness and opportunity wherever possible.

Youth Trailblazer Initiative: Supporting vulnerable young adults across Cambridgeshire

The Youth Impact Programmes (YIP) team at Cambridgeshire County Council is delivering a second year of the Youth Trailblazer Initiative, funded by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA), to support vulnerable 18 to 21-year-olds across the county who are at risk of or long-term NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training).

The team work alongside young people facing complex challenges including trauma, SEND and care experience, helping them build confidence, develop skills and take positive steps into education, employment and training.

As one of just eight national pilot areas, this work is also helping shape how support for young people is delivered nationally in the future.

In this short video, hear from Lucy Nethsingha, Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council about the incredible work of the team and the difference they are making for young people across Cambridgeshire.

The offer is available across all districts in Cambridgeshire, and the team welcomes referrals from partners working with young people who would benefit from targeted support. For more information or to discuss referrals, please contact .

Planning remembrance events

Organisations considering holding a remembrance event should begin planning well in advance, taking into account factors such as venue arrangements, road closures, stewarding, risk assessments, accessibility, and coordination with local partners and emergency services where appropriate.

Cambridgeshire County Council is committed to supporting remembrance events across the county. The remembrance toolkit has been developed to support organisations throughout the planning process. It provides practical guidance, templates, and links to useful resources to aid event planning and delivery.

New Cambridgeshire Skills brochure now available

The new Cambridgeshire Skills adult learning brochure for 2026/27 is now available, offering residents across the county a wide range of opportunities to learn, gain skills and build confidence.

The brochure showcases courses designed to support adults (19+) at every stage, from English, Maths, ESOL and digital skills through to employability and community learning.

Printed copies of the brochure will be distributed across our library network and key community locations from the end of June. If you would like some copies of the brochure for your community spaces, please contact .

Knife Angel’s visit to Ely concludes after a powerful month of awareness and education

The month-long visit of the 27-foot Knife Angel sculpture to Ely has now come to an end, marking a significant period of reflection, learning and community engagement across Cambridgeshire.

The sculpture, created using over 100,000 surrendered blades, stood on Palace Green from 20 May to 17 June and throughout its stay served as a powerful reminder of the consequences of knife crime and the importance of prevention, education and collective action.

The Communities Service at Cambridgeshire County Council is proud to have supported this project, and in this short blog the team reflect on working alongside partners to ensure the Knife Angel’s impact reached residents of all ages.

Libraries, archives and culture

Summer Reading Challenge

The Summer Reading Challenge returns to Cambridgeshire Libraries this summer! Sign-up opens on Saturday 4 July – it’s free and open to pre-school and primary school-aged children of all reading abilities.

The theme for 2026 is Read to the Beat – an adventure in stories, music and sound. Children are invited to read six books over the holidays, collecting rewards along the way – they will also receive a certificate and medal when they complete the challenge.

Celebrating the refurbished Cambourne Library

Earlier this month, the newly refurbished Cambourne Library hosted a celebration event to showcase the expanded space and new services on offer.

The celebration showcased the £500,000 investment in Cambourne Library, through developer contributions due to Cambourne’s growth. The redevelopment has increased the size of the library by a third and includes a new community meeting room available for hire, a new children’s library and over £15,000 of new book stock.

Cambourne library has also introduced Open+, meaning those aged 16 or older, with a library membership, can access the library at specific times outside of its regular opening hours.

The library in Cambourne also provides a welcoming space for families and young children, offering a regular programme of activities such as rhyme times and craft sessions.

Celebrating 90 years of Rock Road Library

Rock Road Library, the oldest purpose-built library in Cambridgeshire, recently celebrated 90 years of serving the community, having first opened its doors in 1936.

The anniversary was marked with a birthday celebration, organised in partnership with the Friends of Rock Road Library, a local charitable group. Visitors enjoyed a wide range of activities and entertainment throughout the day, alongside a visit from Dilly the Dinosaur, the library services’ mascot.

Alongside its core lending service, Rock Road library hosts a range of activities and events including story and rhymetime, writing club, textile club and scrabble club. Through the Open+ service, library members can access the library at specific times outside of its regular opening hours, providing greater flexibility.

For enquiries about Cambridgeshire Matters, please contact .