The Cambridge Virtual Community Centre, which launched last week, is a Facebook page, offering ideas and information for all Cambridge residents under a variety of themes:
- Older People – solutions for loneliness and long-term self-isolation, sharing local information, knowledge and skills.
- Arts and Culture – things to see and do online, including national and local creative content such as activities from Cambridge museums, galleries, venues and festivals.
- Mental Health and Wellbeing – positive activities to sustain healthy bodies and minds, as well as healthy relationships and lifestyles.
- Families, Children and Young People – advice and opportunities for parents and carers, ideas and activities, information about staying safe.
The Cambridge Virtual Community Centre will share content for all ages around all of the topics listed under a different theme each week.
Launching with the theme ‘Mental Health & Wellbeing: reducing stress and anxiety’, other weekly themes are set to include: ‘Technology for All’; ‘Making the most of limited resources at home’ and ‘Home Schooling Experiences & Support’.
In its online format, Cambridge Virtual Community Centre aims to offer the city’s residents everything they might expect to find in their local community centre.
Drawing on support from services across the council, visitors to the online page will find new content daily, which aims to support the community and keep up a sense of connection while people are forced to stay apart. The whole community is being invited to visit the online community centre, give feedback and suggest future themes.
Cllr Anna Smith, Executive Councillor for Communities, said: “Over the last few weeks, we have had to stay at home to stay safe, reduce the spread of Covid-19 and protect the NHS. This has sadly led to the temporary closure of most public venues, including our community centres.
“This is a time of uncertainty and worry for so many, and it’s important we find as many ways as we can to be there for our residents, even if those ways are different. In a time when we are having to do so much more online, I love the idea of creating a virtual community centre to bring people together, even though we are physically distanced.
“I would encourage residents across Cambridge to take a look at the new virtual community centre, where they will find a wealth of interesting and useful information and a great chance to connect with each other.”
All Cambridge residents are invited to join Cambridge Virtual Community Centre by ‘liking’ the page on Facebook. Search for Cambridge Virtual Community Centre or visit: https://www.facebook.com/cambridgevcc/