Successful Eddington event Sustainable YOU held as part of the University’s Open Cambridge festival.

Hundreds of residents and community members enjoyed a free family friendly day called Sustainable YOU at Eddington on Saturday 9 September. A range of activities from local charities, individuals and organisations offered tips, giveaways and expertise to help residents consider greener ways of living.

Biky Wan, Eddington’s Marketing Manager commented: “Eddington has been built with sustainability at its heart, and as part of our placemaking programme we created this event to help residents and the wider community to think about how small personal choices and actions can contribute to living more sustainably, using Eddington Square and Storey’s Field Centre as a meeting point for community ideas, social exchange and fun. On behalf of the event organisers and hosts, we would like to thank everyone for joining us on a glorious day in the neighbourhood and hope many ideas and initiatives about sustainability will come about that help residents, the community and planet.”

In line with this year’s Open Cambridge theme of Creativity Unwrapped, Cambridge Curiosity and Imagination installed an immersive community art exhibition and workshop called Rooted in Nature in the main hall of Storey’s Field Centre. Participants were invited to think about their favourite trees and explore the Fantastical Forest artworks made by local children with mesmerising birdsong completing the experience. A team from the Crop Science Centre with microscopes and plant samples allowed visitors to look in detail at organisms and cells which in turn inspired the creative minds to make a collective artwork using waterpaints made from the juices of plants, vegetables and berries.

In Eddington Square, a pedal powered buskers stage provided entertainment from local musicians with the public powering the battery for the sound amplification. Folk artist Melody Causton, indie singer-songwriter Luke James Williams and a funky band by Colonel Spankys Love Ensemble treated the crowd with a varied music programme. Stalls from local businesses and organisations including Green Blue You, Harvest, Cambridge Sustainable Food and Transition Cambridge also shared information and promoted products under the sustainability theme.

Another highlight of the event was an exclusive preview of the new Universal electric bus that Whippet will be launched at the end of September under their new look and service. Children and their grown-ups sat in the driver’s seat, explored the new technology and features of the e-bus, and won various prizes, raising awareness of the bus service as a sustainable and important mode of transport in the city.

In Storey’s Field Centre, Professor Shailaja Fennell from the Department of Land Economy gave an inspiring talk called “Be the Change you want to see” sharing insights from COP and policy to regional heritage and local impact initiatives such as foraging walks and recipe swaps, with interactive discussions about what communities can develop for the benefit of local people.

The event promoted the principles of sustainable living which is at the heart of the Eddington development and was part of the University’s Open Cambridge festival. The team acknowledges the contributions of all the event hosts, event organiser Splendid Events, Portal Estate Management, and the public who came along for a brilliant community day.

Visit our instagram profile for highlights from the day.