Win: Free tickets to nine top Cambridge visitor destinations!

Resolved to fill the New Year with new experiences? Thanks to Great Days Out, you could take a local food tour, train to race a horse, feed a family of capybaras and much, much more. . . As a Christmas gift to Velvet readers, we’ve got 2025 tickets to nine of our area’s top visitor attractions to be won

Attraction: The Stained Glass Museum
You could win: Two adult entrance tickets plus a free guide
The only museum dedicated to the art of stained glass in the UK, Ely’s Stained Glass Museum boasts a nationally-significant collection of glasswork, associated designs, materials and tools which reveal the development of this unique art from the 13th century to present day. Located in the triforium of Ely Cathedral, the museum’s permanent gallery space houses a chronological display featuring stained glass from both the resident collection and partner organisations the V&A and the Royal Collection. Displayed at eye-level, visitors can experience this artform at close quarters.
stainedglassmuseum.com

Attraction: Saffron Walden Town Tours
You could win: Two tickets to a Hello Food Tours Saffron Walden Town Tour
Find out more about the historic town of Saffron Walden, either on a self-guided tour, using the free Town Trail leaflet available from the Tourist Information Centre, or by pre-booking a guided Hello Food Tours experience. The winner of this competition will join a food tour of the town centre, billed as a chance to “Meet the makers. Hear the history. Taste the town.” Say organisers: “Meet the passionate people behind the scenes in our shops and cafes as they share their food expertise and stories. Uncover the secrets of their local produce and indulge in their award winning creations made right here every day. . .”
visitsaffronwalden.gov.uk
hellofoodtours.com

Attraction: Kettle’s Yard
You could win: A pair of entrance tickets
The former home of Tate curator Jim Ede and his wife Helen, Kettle’s Yard - repository for a vast and unique collection of 20th century art - was left lock, stock and barrel to the University of Cambridge in the mid-1960s. Now one of the city’s best-loved visitor attractions, you could win a pair of tickets to relax in the calming space of the house and learn more about the many objects and artworks on display. Artists to discover include Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, Alfred Wallis, Christopher Wood and Lucie Rie.
kettlesyard.cam.ac.uk

Attraction: Shepreth Wildlife Park
You could win: A Capybara Experience for four people
Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Shepreth Wildlife Park has become one of East Anglia’s major attractions participating in European Endangered Breeding Programmes to help conserve species in the wild. It is committed to global conservation and has been raising awareness - and more than £650,000 - for conservation projects worldwide working alongside Shepreth Wildlife Conservation Charity (tickets for its winter Charity Ball are booking via the website now). The park is offering one lucky reader and up to three friends the unique opportunity to meet and feed the very popular family of capybaras known for their gentle nature. Experience the joy of feeding them bamboo, where you will be able to connect with these charming animals. Over 16-year-olds only.
sheprethwildlifepark.co.uk

Attraction: Discover Newmarket
You could win: Two adult admissions to the National Horseracing Museum and a Guided Newmarket Experience for two
Experience the Home of Horseracing with an exclusive guided Newmarket Experience and visit to the National Horseracing Museum, with Discover Newmarket. You’ll be able to visit the prestigious training grounds of these equine athletes, head to a trainer’s yard and see what life behind the scenes is like, explore the 500 acres of the National Stud, where you can learn about the history and heritage of this prestigious 500-acre site, whilst also seeing a star or two in the Stallion unit. Then visit the National Horseracing Museum, where you can explore the fabulous site, immerse yourself in the interactive displays, learn about the history of horseracing and even see what it takes to become a jockey with a ride on the racehorse simulator!
discovernewmarket.co.uk

Attraction: The Raptor Foundation
You could win: A Meet the Birds Experience
Home to around 170 birds of prey, the majority of which come from a rescue background, The Raptor Foundation has been a registered charity for more than 30 years. “Firstly, we rescue, rehabilitate and return injured native birds of prey back to the wild,” explain the team. “Secondly we look to protect and preserve birds of prey through education and conservation. We provide a stable forever home for birds and educate through entertaining, informative and welfare-conscious displays showing their amazing natural behaviours.” The prize experience includes: tea/coffee on arrival, a guided tour of the Centre and an introduction to falconry theory and handling of birds of prey, prior to taking part in a flying display. There are plenty of chances to take photographs.
raptorfoundation.org.uk

Attraction: Cambridge University Botanic Garden
You could win: A pair of admission tickets
Spanning 40 acres and some 8,000 plants - ranging from glasshouse exotics to towering specimen trees - Cambridge University Botanic Garden is an oasis at the heart of the city. Inviting all visitors to explore its sweeping lawns, artful borders, jungly glasshouses and wild areas, there are family-friendly trails to follow and a roster of special events running throughout the year, from crafting sessions to the current Winter Lights experience. Plus the onsite Garden Cafe serves some of Cambridge’s finest coffee, cakes, brunches and lunches. The winner of this prize will receive a pair of admission tickets to enjoy a delightful day at the garden.
botanic.cam.ac.uk

Attraction: The Cromwell Museum, Huntingdon
You could win: A pair of tickets to a guided walk
Located in the former Huntingdon Grammar School building where he was educated as a schoolboy, The Cromwell Museum is home to the best collection of items relating to the life and times of Oliver Cromwell on public display anywhere in the world. The collection comprises more than 800 items, including portraits, clothing, miniatures, arms and armour, historical documents, copies of his death masks and even his hat! The winner will join an entertaining and informative guided walk around Huntingdon, to find out more about what life was like here in the time of Oliver Cromwell, his connections to the town, royal visits, Civil War battles and even witch trials. . .
cromwellmuseum.org

Attraction: Henry Moore Studios & Gardens
You could win: A pair of annual tickets for the 2025 season
Known the world over for his monumental works of public art, star sculptor Henry Moore knew how to live. His daily commute was seconds. Under seventy acres of Hertfordshire sky he arranged seventy acres of studios, workshops, art and family home. Preserved for posterity, his house, workspaces and gardens are now open to the public. This prize is an invitation, say curators, “to visit and discover the fascinating world of one of the greatest artists of our time”.
henry-moore.org/studios-and-gardens/

Find out more about Great Days Out In and Around Cambridge, a group of 14 local visitor destinations, at greatdaysoutaroundcambridge.co.uk

WIN IT
For your chance to win one of these nine amazing prizes, click HERE and complete the simple online form using the keyword ‘GDO’. Entries must be submitted by midnight on December 31 2024 and the usual Ts and Cs apply. Open to over-16s only, one entry is permitted per person. Nine winners will be chosen and the prizes allocated via randomiser. All prize tickets must be used and experiences claimed by July 1 2025.