Cambridge Past, Present & Future works to keep Cambridge and its surroundings special by positively influencing planning developments, delivering environmental education and managing the green spaces and historic buildings in its care for the benefit of all.
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Cambridge Past, Present & Future provide a vital service to residents and employees of Cambridge so that they can access nature on their doorstep which is free to use and that is enhancing their quality of life and well-being. All the funds raised will go towards caring for and sharing nature and green spaces in Cambridge.
More Visitors
Since the start of the pandemic in early 2020 visitor numbers have approximately doubled at Wandlebury and Coton as people re-evaluated the importance of nature in their lives and their relationship with local green spaces . So many more people now want to access the outdoors regularly to improve their mental and physical health.
At the same time our income fell as, due to restrictions as we were unable to hold fundraising events, take private hire bookings and host school visits. Some income sources recovered such as car park and investment income but bookings for private hire and our ability to hold face to face fundraising events with donors remains limited.
Higher Costs
Over the last two years our costs have increased at all our sites due to higher visitor numbers as increased staff time, equipment and the rising cost of resources are needed to maintain paths due to higher footfall, repairing and replacing broken fences which are essential to ensure the safety of visitors and our grazing animals and maintaining our very popular picnics benches and BBQ areas.
We host heritage open days and monthly history, ecology or archaeology walks at our sites, which have ongoing conservation and maintenance requirements. Our green spaces and heritage sites across the Greater Cambridge area require constant care and maintenance to keep paths and fences, benches and gates in good order which are getting higher wear and tear from visitors. We also manage woodland through planting new trees, coppicing, maintaining hedges and throughout the Summer months there is a weekly grass cutting requirement followed by end of season haymaking.
We have a very small team of expert, hard-working and talented wardens who carry out all the work across our sites, supported by dedicated volunteers who attend weekly work parties throughout Autumn and Winter.
Here is a short film about Coton Countryside Reserve
Here is a short film about Wandlebury Country Park