Griff Rhys Jones, President of Civic Voice – and a renowned comedian, actor, TV presenter and author – is coming to Cambridge on Thursday 11 October and as part of his visit will speak at a special event hosted by local charity Cambridge Past, Present & Future (CambridgePPF).
At an exclusive, ticket-only talk at the Mill Lane Lecture Theatres, Griff will share his passionate views about the built environment and its impact on quality of life. He will also talk about recent changes in national planning policy; the green belt; his work for Civic Voice; and how civic societies (such as CambridgePPF) can encourage people to engage with their local community and get involved in decision making to help shape the future of the urban environment.
Griff – a passionate champion of architecture – was appointed President of Civic Voice in 2010. Civic Voice believes that everyone has the right to live somewhere they feel proud of and represents societies across England that strive to make places more attractive, enjoyable and distinctive.
As a graduate of Emmanuel College, Griff is very familiar with Cambridge and is well aware of the local growth agenda and pressures on the city’s surroundings. Last year he was one of more than 800 individuals who signed a petition opposing the extension of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel along the river corridor.
The evening event will follow a private tour of the city’s historic centre and new station quarter, which will allow Griff to assess the scale of recent and ongoing local developments.
Griff said: "It was wandering around the streets of Cambridge in the seventies, often in the company of opinionated and mouthy fellow undergraduates, that helped shape my appreciation of good urban environment. Cambridge, like any city, is a lot more than the sum of its show-pieces, or a means to efficiently market nick-nacks or exploit tourists. I hope we can debate and discuss why it is still one of the most exciting places to be in Britain and, crucially, how it can remain so."
Robin Pellew, Chairman of CambridgePPF, said: “We are delighted to welcome Griff Rhys Jones to Cambridge for this special event. His visit is extremely timely. The growth agenda is dominating local news headlines, there is increasing pressure on the green belt, and the first round of council consultations about how the city might evolve over the coming decades have just concluded. This is an essential event for the many people across Cambridge who are campaigning to keep it special. We look forward to a lively evening and to sharing thoughts and ideas with Griff in his role as president of Civic Voice.”
Event details:
Location: Event to be held at Mill Lane Lecture Theatres in central Cambridge.
Address: 8 Mill Lane, Cambridge CB2 1RX.
Tickets: Free to members of CambridgePPF (bring your card), £5 non-members. Payment accepted on the door.
PLEASE NOTE ADVANCE BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL: e-mail planning@cambridgeppf.org or call Lorna on: 01223 243830 x 201
Car parking: Available at Lion Yard Car Park (charges apply).
Cycle parking: At nearby railings.
Public transport: Bus services to city see: http://tinyurl.com/cd8zujy (10 mins from bus station / 20 mins from train station)
Disabled access: For disabled parking contact custodian on: 01223 338275. Lecture room and WC fully accessible. Infra-red hearing enhancement system on site.