Both of these were originally posted, separately, on my socials

Town vs Gown: on Experience Cambridge

LinkedIn post

🏠 vs 🧑‍🎓 : on Experience Cambridge CIC
As many of my connections here, I’ve studied at University of Cambridge, enjoyed exclusive access to college gardens and formal dinners at Christ’s College Cambridge, and worked at Cambridge Biomedical Campus as well as Babraham Research Campus. I think we often see Cambridge as this magic university and science place. And it is, of course. But it is also so much more than that.
Cambridge was here before the scholars came in 13th century. And they came because Cambridge had something to offer – great transport networks and thriving markets and fairs, among other things. Throughout the centuries, the town vs gown story has developed, and I’m not sure we’ve been the “good guys” most of the time.

Today, with ever expanding science and business parks, Cambridge city is famously also one of the most unequal cities in the UK. It’s hard enough finding a place to live as a postdoc (you normally have to do a houseshare unless you have a partner you’re living with), and with more and more high-paying tech jobs, people outside the “knowledge industry” are left in a very precarious position.
Homelessness is massive in Cambridge. Employment opportunities is one of the best ways for people to get out of homelessness, restore their dignity and improve their mental health.

That is why I’m so proud of Elliot Harris and the project he has just launched, with support from Cambridge City Council (incl. the new leader of the council, Cameron Holloway) and The National Lottery Community Fund, partnering with Jimmy’s Cambridge, Wintercomfort for the Homeless and Cyrenians: Experience Cambridge CIC is a social enterprise that runs tours and other activities in Cambridge while providing employment opportunities to people with lived experience of homelessness. The first tour is covering the city centre, and its 2000-year history from the perspective of townspeople. I know for certain it’s going to have great storytelling and accurate fascinating history (oh the number of interesting historic facts I’ve heard in recent weeks, incl. lots of town & gown), as well as being impactful beyond tourist experience. People in Cambridge and those ever visiting – book your spots now! (link)

7-year anniversary: Cambridge Refugee Week

Facebook post (NB not planning to use Facebook after June)

Exactly 7 years ago (minus two days, but also on a Friday), @Catharine Walston picked me up from the LMB to drive to Calais as part of CamCRAG convoy: this was my first trip to volunteer there, and the first time I met Catharine and Tom. Catharine later became CamCRAG & CRRC chair (basically the godmother of refugees in Cambridge), as well as a dear friend. I don’t even know how many convoys I’ve been to since (a dozen? more? none recently though), and this April Catharine and I went to Lviv together, while Elliot and Tom went there in 2023 and several times since.

A couple of weeks after that first convoy in 2018, literally on the the world refugee day, Elliot and I got together. Cheesy, but we’ve come quite a long way! And I mean both my relationships and CamCRAG, unfortunately not so much the authorities in France or the UK, which if anything have gone even more backwards into the dark ages.

So, on 19th, 20th & 21st of June 2025 join us to explore the history of migration in Cambridge and to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the grassroots refugee charities in Cambridge. (for anyone keeping track: yes, I got involved 3-years late).

Places for the tours are limited and going quickly, so book yours now.

Thursday tour we’re doing with both Elliot and Karam, Friday it is just Elliot and I, and Saturday it is Karam and I, while Elliot is busy with his own tours at Experience Cambridge.

We’re doing it to raise awareness, to explore the old and the new history of our city (which, unlike the country, does hold up to being a City of Sanctuary), to fundraise for CamCRAG and CRRC, to promote Experience Cambridge, to celebrate Karam passing his PhD viva, and to have fun. What else would you do on a 7-year anniversary?!