Community updates across Cambridge
RHS show garden to find permanent home in Cambridge
A show garden that turns rainfall into music is heading to RHS Sandringham Flower Show this July – and when the show closes, it will come home to Eddington.
The Rhythm of Rainwater, designed by Anthony Purdy of AP Design Studio, is a Grow Forward Garden at the RHS Sandringham Flower Show (22-26 July 2026). Highlighting the importance of rainwater harvesting, the garden places seven aluminium dipping tanks at its heart, along with a gentle rill, steel tongue drum and underwater hydrophones to transform the rain into an immersive, musical experience.
Following the show, key elements of the garden will be relocated to a new vinyl bar in Eddington, where they will form a permanent green courtyard.
Born in Cambridgeshire, Anthony Purdy has strong roots in the area. “The idea that the garden will carry on giving – that people in Cambridge will sit within it and hear the sound of water – is what makes this project feel complete,” he said.
New workshops create safe space for women
Floribunda, a new nonprofit supporting women recovering from sexual violence, has officially launched its free floristry workshops designed to foster connection, creativity and long-term healing.
Workshops will initially run from July to September as part of a pilot scheme, offering 12 places at each of the seven planned dates this summer across Cambridgeshire.
Built on the belief that your recovery doesn’t end when crisis support concludes, Floribunda creates safe, welcoming spaces where women can come together and rebuild confidence through the therapeutic process of working with flowers. Women can also participate in wellbeing sessions designed to regulate the nervous system, which is directly impacted by distressing experiences.
“Recovery is often a long and complex journey,” said Lynn Morgan MBE, who leads the advisory board supporting Floribunda’s founder Kirsten Corrigan. “Many women tell us that one of the most powerful moments in their healing process is realising they are not alone.”
Women interested in attending workshops this summer, as well as organisations looking at partnership opportunities, can learn more at floribunda.org
Look at them go!
Runners in this year’s TCS London Marathon have broken an all-time record for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust – raising a staggering £85,000 with just 19 runners! Each runner signed up for the 26.2-mile challenge as a way of thanking hospital staff for the care that they or a loved one received.
Education leader recognised with national award
A senior figure in the UK’s education sector, Ruth Fenton, has received national recognition through Acquisition International’s 2026 Influential Businesswoman Awards, where she was named language education industry veteran of the year (UK) and received the leadership dedication & resilience award.
Ruth (pictured with CATS Global Schools’ Robert Niu, Tim Zhou and Polly Tzortzi) is the founder and director of Stafford House Study Holidays, an international education organisation founded in 1994 that delivers English language study programmes for young people across 45 nationalities in Cambridge, Canterbury, London, San Francisco and Boston.
The award recognises Ruth’s contribution to the language education sector and her commitment to delivering positive learning outcomes for students from around the world.
Cambridge couple honoured for services to the community
Husband-and-wife team Rob and Lynne Kerrison, founders of local education business Tutor Doctor Cambridge, recently attended a Royal Garden Party hosted by the King and Queen – celebrating those who have made outstanding contributions to their communities through volunteering, charitable work and public service.
Their invitation came as a surprise, after Rob was secretly nominated by one of their education consultants in recognition of the impact he and his wife have made across Cambridgeshire.
Rob and Lynne launched Tutor Doctor in 2010 with a vision of providing personalised, one-to-one educational support that focused not only on grades but also on confidence, wellbeing and helping children rediscover a love for learning. Today, they work with a team of more than 200 tutors delivering close to 20,000 hours of tuition each year for students across Cambridgeshire.
News in brief
Circular success
Aiming to make conversations around sustainability, biodiversity and circular living more engaging and accessible, Grand Arcade’s Let’s Go Circular campaign has celebrated its fifth year with record crowds. Bringing everything from upcycling workshops to a giant animatronic bee, the event welcomed 747,994 visitors over its run (16 May to 7 June), as well as seeing a total of 76 hours of workshops booked and 460m² of flower seeds sown!
Food for all
Cambridge City Foodbank has launched its Summer Appeal, inviting people and businesses to support families struggling to afford essentials through food donations and financial contributions. You can find donation bins in most local supermarkets or visit cambridgecity.foodbank.org.uk. Meanwhile, Abbey People, which runs Barnwell Basket, has launched a £40,000 fundraising appeal, seeking to build a base of regular monthly donors and support its longer-term ambition of creating an affordable community shop. abbeypeople.org.uk
Dancing on air
Community-driven dance school 4D Dance CIC welcomed a record-breaking crowd to its family festival, 4DFest 2026, at Cambridge’s Willow Grange Farm on 24 May. “What truly made the day unforgettable was the overwhelming amount of love and support filling the space. To see 650 young people shining on a professional stage in front of 2,000 roaring spectators is exactly why we do what we do,” said Sara Ford, principal and creative director of 4D Dance CIC.
Lido love
The Friends of Jesus Green Lido Charity has been officially launched to help protect and champion the long-term future of Jesus Green Lido, formalising the work of the volunteer group with the same name (established in the 80s). In its first major fundraising campaign, the charity is hoping to raise £150k to install a large, bespoke sauna to support swimmer wellbeing and enhance the pool’s all-year-round amenities. Supporters can donate via the charity’s website: jesusgreenlido.org/donate
Double victory
Rangeford Villages’ Cambridge later living community, Strawberry Fields, has received two prestigious honours at the Care Home Awards in Birmingham, securing the best new retirement living development award and the best retirement living development with care provision award. “Winning both categories is a testament to the dedication of our entire team and our vision of creating vibrant retirement communities where people can truly enjoy later life with confidence, comfort and support,” said Wesley Ridgway, village manager at Strawberry Fields.