Welcome to the fourth community newsletter from Urban&Civic Urban&Civic is the Development Manager appointed by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) to take forward the development of the former Waterbeach Barracks and Airfield site. It has been a busy few months and we continue to work with strategic partners and the community to develop a shared vision for the future development of this site. In this edition, we provide an update on the Framework that will set out the high level principles and vision for the development, including celebrating the rich woodland and lakeside setting – shown above – and the Environmental Impact Assessment work we are starting to undertake. We are also promoting the next round of engagement and consultation, which will happen at the end of September/early October. There is also information about some of the community groups, classes and events now being held regularly at the Barracks. Summer 2016 Summer 2—3 Building strength and flexibility Since February, Waterbeach resident Kate D’Arcy has been holding weekly yoga classes for beginners. The classes are held on Mondays from 7-8pm in the community rooms at Waterbeach Barracks for men and women of all ages. Practising yoga has immediate short-term benefits like stress relief and feeling more flexible because you gently stretch many parts of the body In recent editions of the newsletter we have that do not get used or get overused and tense. featured some of the ways that the local Shoulders and backs are particularly vulnerable areas for those who sit down most of the day at community and activity groups have been a computer or do lots of driving. Research has making the most of the refurbished and shown that a weekly yoga routine can bring reopened facilities at Waterbeach Barracks. physical, psychological and spiritual wellbeing. People can sign up for a five-week block of In this edition we focus on cadet training classes or drop-in when they can make it – new and yoga classes. members are very welcome. Kate herself is training with the British Wheel of Yoga and explained: “Yoga is a great way to build core strength and increase flexibility, you Cadets enjoy training again also relax by moving through different positions, Cambridgeshire Army Cadets give young people The training area is also being used by junior improve your posture and combat aches and in the area access to fun, friendship, action and cadets for Pre Camp, to get them used to pains. Classes are designed for people who are adventure. Cadets are challenged to learn more, staying out in the field and taking part in field totally new to yoga as well as those with some do more and try more; inspiring them to aim high training exercises. Training will cover camping previous experience – everyone learns and and give them the skills, values and attitudes to and outdoor skills, including how to cook and develops at their own pace.” go further in life. take care of personal equipment. Kate also holds taster sessions to give people Following the reopening of some of the site for Lieutenant Heather Bradbury said: “Following new to yoga an opportunity to try it out before community use, the cadets are back training at the closure of the Barracks, the cadets struggled signing up to a class. Waterbeach Barracks and are making the most with training due to a lack of appropriate space of the facilities. in the local area. Having access to the Barracks’ The next five week block of classes will be held training area again has dramatically improved on 5, 12, 26 September and 10, 17 October. Some of the areas of cadet training that training and will help the cadets carry on with Sessions will continue to run weekly from suffered most after the closure of the Barracks their Army Proficiency certificates.” October to December. were field craft and navigation. The training area at Waterbeach Barracks has fantastic wooded In Cambridgeshire alone there are over 775 To find out more, register for a future taster areas where cadets can now practice harbour cadets (aged 12-17 years old) and 160 adult session or book a five-week block of classes, area drills and camp out. They can also use the volunteers (over 18 years old) with 29 please contact Kate on 07791 200984 or email area to support their navigational skills. detachments covering the whole of the county. [email protected] The cadets recently hosted an Eastern region If you are interested in joining Cambridgeshire cross-country event at Waterbeach Barracks, Army Cadets – as a cadet or adult volunteer – with over 150 cadets taking part, and more you can find more information on the Cadet events are planned over the summer. website: www.armycadets.com It’s great to be able to To find out more about hiring any of the use the area for these community facilities please contact Rebecca activities and training Britton (see back page for contact details). is now progressing at Next edition a faster pace. Badminton Club Lt Heather Bradbury Squash Courts 4—5 Running Festival raises over £1,800 for charity Over 350 people took part in the Waterbeach On behalf of the Playgroup, Jessica Kitt said: Toddler Playgroup’s first running festival at “We’d like to thank everyone who helped raise Waterbeach Barracks in May, raising over £1,800 funds for our charity and made this event so for the charity. much fun. The Barracks was the perfect setting and the Urban&Civic team’s help before, during Despite the chilly weather, spirits were high and and after the event was invaluable. We’re looking the event was a great success. As well as the forward to organising our next event soon.” running events, in which many runners beat their personal best times, people also enjoyed the Urban&Civic’s Rebecca Britton said: “It was food stalls and kids’ entertainment in the Festival great to see so many people having fun and raising Village, with many people making a day of it. money for such a good cause. There was a fantastic atmosphere for this family friendly event As well as individual medals for first, second and we look forward to opening up the Barracks and third place in the 5km and 10k races, there for more community events in the future.” was also a team prize of a free morning of sports coaching from Premier Sport for the winners of If you would like to find out more about the the 2km fun run – won by Waterbeach Community Playgroup and future events, please visit Primary School. www.waterbeachtoddlerplaygroup.org.uk For three weekends in July, a group of local Community events running alongside the artists took over the entrance area to the exhibition included the famous Waterbeach Barracks for Summer at the Beach, part of the Pop-up Café on the first weekend; an exhibition of Cambridge Open Studios events. Over 500 photographs and other memorabilia celebrating people came along to see, experience and get the people who make up the community; a paper involved in a range of artistic activities. aeroplane design and decoration workshop (with test flights) to acknowledge the role of the The event followed on from the phenomenally Barracks as an airbase in World War II and a successful pop-up exhibition two years ago sound environment installation including a called A Day at the Beach, organised by a group comfy sofa to sit on. of artists living and working in Waterbeach. Gideon Pain said: “It was great to be able to have This summer, eight local artists put on the the exhibitions up across the three weekends exhibition in the airy and spacious squash courts and to hold activities around them to bring so and the Community Room at Waterbeach many people and local artists together and to Barracks. The exhibition featured works from: celebrate the place we all live. Waterbeach has —Theo Gayer-Anderson (sculptor) quite an active artistic community and we hope —Francesco Connola (painter) we can build on A Day at the Beach and Summer —Chris Evans (painter) at the Beach and make this a regular event.” —Karen Lewis (milliner) —Gideon Pain (painter) Further information is available from —Tarryn Porter (illustrator + graphic artist) www.facebook.com/events/1223890947621242/ —Andrew Taylor (painter) www.camopenstudios.co.uk or Gideon Pain on —Richard Youell (photographer + sound artist). 07903 819195 or [email protected] ©sportsinfocus 6—7 Waterbeach Barracks and Airfield has a wealth of military heritage having been home to Royal Air Force and British Army personnel dedicated to serving and defending their country for over 60 years. This heavy bomber station was established at the start of the Second World War and at its peak operation was home to around Waterbeach Museum was set up by the Royal 1,100 service men and women. Engineers in 1985 to commemorate the men and women who served at RAF Waterbeach Station from its opening in 1941 until the Barracks closed in 2013. Find out about… THE ORIGINS AND EVOLUTION THE PEOPLE THE AIRCRAFT ≥ The men and women who lived and ≥ Vickers 415 Wellington – a standard Prior to the closure of the Barracks, the Museum was taken worked at the Station during World RAF twin-engined medium bomber; over by a group of villagers, who established a Trust to secure War II: the missions; the rationing the first plane to be used at the collection: Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum Trust. and hardships; the social events and Waterbeach Airfield. They packed up and safely stored all the photographs, activities that maintained wartime documents, artefacts and memorabilia until a new venue ≥ Avro 683 Lancaster – the best- morale.