The Cambs Times and Wisbech Standard is looking back on the year of 2025, where we have celebrated the community, shared your stories and kept you up to date with the latest news across Fenland - here we look at the headlines of July, August, and September.
JULY
A storage facility part of a multi-million-pound development officially opened in Wisbech at the start of this month.
The town's mayor, Cllr Janet Tanfield, was at the opening of Cinch in Cromwell Road to perform the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Cinch is located on what is known as the Century Place development, a £7million project completed by Urban Associates.
The self-storage business is located next to a newly opened Starbucks on the site, which was previously a redundant horticultural nursery.
Starbucks officially opened on the site the week before.
There was good and bad news for an arson-hit club in Wisbech. The Wisbech and District Ex-Services Club finally reopened its doors after being closed for 18 months after being badly damaged in an arson attack.
Volunteers had worked tirelessly and organised a fundraiser to help pay for the repairs, but within just days of it reopening, arsonists struck again.
Fortunately, the repairs had included strong window glass, which proved a good move as the culprits were unable to break through it, meaning this time the damage was limited.
It was a sad month for bingo players when the then operators of the bingo hall at the Empire Theatre in Wisbech announced it was to close with almost immediate effect, due to falling numbers.
Staff and customers had only a few days' warning, and then it was closed - but there was good news later in the year when a new operator came forward to take it on.
In Chatteris, it was the sale of cars from one of the town's main car parks that was troubling councillors.
The issue was raised at their monthly meeting, and councillors were left frustrated after being told there was nothing they could do about the problem.
The issue of cars being sold from Furrowfields car park in Chatteris was raised by Cllr Sharon Selman, who was chairing the meeting in the absence of mayor Linda Ashley.
She said there were at least 30 cars in the car park with for sale signs on them.
She said it caused problems when the annual Midsummer Festival was held the month before, and residents had been asked to keep it clear.
Cllr Selman said: "There are about 30 cars in the car park for sale. Some of the cars were removed for the festival, but a lot were still there."
"Basically there's a chap running a business from the car park."
Cllr Peter Murphy pointed out that as long as the cars were taxed and insured, they could be left in the car park.
He said letters had been sent to Fenland District Council about the situation over the years, but the message was always there was nothing they could do.
A green-fingered group who wanted to set up a community orchard in a Fenland town came up with an alternative idea after failing to find a suitable site.
The March Community Orchard Group had spent nearly two years trying to secure land in the town to plant an orchard of apple, pear, and plum trees for all to enjoy.
However, despite identifying a site off North Drive that adjoins the existing park, the group was unable to secure it for the project.
So they had come up with the idea of the March Front Garden Project.
The project was launched earlier in the month and by mid-July had already seen 14 or 15 people sign up for a free apple, pear, or plum tree to plant and nurture on behalf of the community.
AUGUST
In August, the positive side of Wisbech was the subject of a video produced by a church leader keen to defend his town after it was ranked the worst in Cambridgeshire by a YouTuber.
Wisbech came out as top in a video highlighting the "worst" in the county by YouTuber Turd Towns, who spent over a week filming in different places in Cambridgeshire.
Chatteris also featured at number three in the list, which also included Huntingdon, Littleport, and Peterborough.
Turdy, as he calls himself, did not hold back when it came to Wisbech ending his video of the town with the conclusion: "There is nothing good to say about it".
But Matt McChlery, leader of King's Church, an evangelical church in the town, has come out fighting with a video of his own highlighting all the positives of the town he lives and works in.
Matt, who also works at the Ferry Project, said his biggest gripe with the Turd Towns video was that final statement: "there's nothing good to say about it".
He said: "That is simply not true, there is plenty of good in Wisbech. It's easy to make a video highlighting all the negatives about a place, quoting statistics and deprivation indices.
"What Turd Towns says about crime and other facts is true, I can't deny that. I am not looking through rose-coloured spectacles."
He continued: "The negative voices get amplified because of the absence of the positive voices, plus the conversation is always on the negative side, but there is a plus side to be had, there is hope in Wisbech."
"I truly believe there is a silent majority that actually loves our town and the people within it, like I do. But by keeping our positive comments quiet, we inadvertently amplify the negative ones."
Water or the lack of it was the big issue at Chatteris Town Council in August.
Supply to local allotments was temporarily turned off after councillors heard plot holders had been "abusing" the system.
Councillors made the decision at their monthly meeting after town clerk Joanna Melton highlighted issues with the way the water was being used.
The council's financial officer, Angela Papworth, warned that the council could not afford a massive water bill as the funds were not in the budget to pay for one.
Mrs Melton suggested that water permits might be the way forward after describing how the situation had almost come to "fisticuffs" between plot holders and members of the allotment association committee.
Mrs Melton said the problems had been heightened due to the ongoing dry weather and that some plot holders had been attaching hosepipes to the standpipes.
She said: "The rate they have been using water means we are going to be faced with an enormous bill.
"I have been trying to explain the situation to the plot holders, and the association has also tried to encourage people to be more frugal with the way they are using water.
"The situation has gotten out of hand, and it has almost come to fisticuffs at times. I have warned that we will be considering issuing water permits to try to cover the extra costs, and that hasn't gone down well with some of the tenants."
August was the month when the hundreds of flags of St George appeared in towns across Fenland, roundabouts even had the George cross painted on them including one in March.
In response, Fenland District Council said it supported the "patriotic flying" of the England flag across its towns and villages.
It came after Birmingham City Council was criticised after it removed around 200 banners -both England (St George's) and Union Jacks.
Fenland council leader Cllr Chris Boden, said: "In Fenland, we welcome, support and encourage the patriotic flying of our nation’s flags.
"The Union Flag and the Cross of St George represent our shared history, heritage and national pride and, if flown in a safe and appropriate manner, it can create a real sense of civic pride and unity.
"Flags are flown at our council buildings and in our town centres on key national days and special occasions, and they will continue to be – and we’re proud to see others flying them with pride too.”
SEPTEMBER
This month, a business owner found himself more than £4,700 out of pocket after failing to provide mandatory fire safety information.
Geraldo Zilli was found to be in breach of fire safety law following legal proceedings initiated in 2024 and an appeal at Huntingdon Law Courts in July.
He was accused of failing to provide information required to evaluate compliance with fire safety regulations.
This refusal meant fire officers were unable to complete an inspection of his business, Vibrating Equipment Limited, Mount Pleasant Road, in Wisbech.
Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service pursued the prosecution of Mr Zilli after repeated requests for information under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
A Fenland schoolgirl was set for the big screen with the upcoming release of the second part of the hugely successful Wicked movie.
It was three years since Lily Baker, 11, spent time at Elstree Studios filming alongside the cast of 'Wicked: For Good', which includes Arianna Grande, Jonathan Bailey, and Cynthia Erivo, but her family was greatly looking forward to seeing the final product.
Lily, a pupil at the Thomas Clarkson Academy in Wisbech, was one of six girls, part of the Gals' Brigade featured in the film, who got to sing alongside Arianna for the film's opening number, 'Everyday More Wicked'.
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