Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, UK
info@capitalofthefens.org.uk

Hidden Gems, Culture Focus

Promoting local organisations, projects and people

(Articles previously printed in the Fenland Citizen)

Growing Your Own

Thankyou to everyone who responded to the last column, Asta was very pleased to see new people join Walsoken Walking Library, it’s fantastic to see the response of all those participating and enjoying reading and sharing. Thankyou to Gorefield Primary, Peckover Primary and Marshland High School for their support, too! There’s a merry band of …

Mary Christmas!

Half term and Halloween are fast approaching, and you’ll find a fabulous selection of events going on in our hidden gems. Just a couple here to get you started, search online or at the library and get your diaries filled up this Autumn. Museums at Night is a national event and Wisbech and Fenland Museum …

Everyone an Artist, Everyone a Scientist

Three columns in one this week! Firstly, Fun Palaces – an ongoing campaign for cultural democracy, with an annual weekend of action every October. “The campaign promotes culture at the heart of community and community at the heart of culture. The combination of arts, craft, science, tech, digital, heritage and sports activities, led by local …

Market Place Update!

A month or so ago I wrote about pubs in the Market Place, and shops too. I got some wrong (though thought I was correct at the time, having done some research!) After chatting to members of the Wisbech Heritage Forum (on Facebook) I corrected myself, which is how research into any part of history …

Cheers!

Elgood’s Brewery is often referred to as a “Hidden Gem”, so appropriate that I write about it here! It’s easy to find, you could walk from town, or drive – they have a car park – you’ll be able to carry home all your fresh, local produce! Go along North Brink, beside the river, follow …

Wisbech Shopping Variety

As a market town Wisbech has always been a central place to shop for the townspeople and the surrounding villages, and presumably also to sell – I’m enjoying reading stories of strawberry picking at this time of year, and I wonder if they were sold locally as well as taken away to sell in larger …

Promoting Wisbech’s Independent Shops

A while ago a young reporter from Cambridge came to Wisbech and recorded his thoughts – mostly negative ones – as a Facebook video stream. I responded to him there and then, but it pushed me to get all these columns I’ve been writing off the printed page and onto the internet so I can …

February 2019

I hope you’re all aware of Thomas Clarkson and his brother and what they did to end slavery. Also of Octavia Hill, who started the National Trust and supported or started many other organisations to help bring about a more equal society. Then there’s William Godwin, the “first modern proponent of anarchism” and part of …

Centre of Heritage

As readers may already have noticed, I’m as keen on heritage places as I am about community groups and indie retailers. I think combining these are what makes a place vibrant. The history of a place and its buildings are a great resource for understanding the local area and so feeling a part of it. …

photo of the Lions at the Rose Fair

Take Pride in the Lions…

This week I’ve finally got round to getting more detailed information about one of the fundraising groups you’ll have seen around town. The Lions are represented on the Christmas Fayre Steering Group, so I see them each month for that, but I wanted to find out more about the work they do locally and how …