Spells of extreme heat are becoming more common. While many of us enjoy warmer weather, it’s important to stay safe and be aware of the health risks.
Cambridge is vulnerable to the ‘heat island’ effect, where urban areas get hotter than the surrounding rural areas.
If you need to go out in hot weather, try to stay in the shade. Keep hydrated and take a water bottle, which you can refill at many places around the city.
We encourage you to follow the government’s guidance about staying safe in hot weather [GOV.UK]. The NHS provides useful information about how to cope in hot weather [NHS] and sunscreen and sun safety [NHS].
- See also hot weather support for homeless people.
Where to shelter from the heat
We manage more than 80 parks and playgrounds and nature reserves around the city. Most of these have many large trees, beneath which you’ll find shade and relatively cooler air.
You can also visit some of our community centres if you’re caught outside during extreme heat. You can refill your bottle and rest, although the centres are often not much cooler than outside. You can stop in at:
Elsewhere around the city, you can use libraries [Cambridgeshire County Council] and some churches as cool spaces to shelter from the heat.
Remember that you can contact us online or by phone and do not need to visit our customer service centre in person. You’ll find contact details at the bottom of each page about our services.
Staying safe while swimming
During periods of high temperatures, it can be tempting to go for a swim in open water, but this can be more dangerous than you think. You might encounter hidden hazards or experience cold water shock [Royal Life Saving Society].
If you plan to go swimming, make sure you know how to float [RNLI] if you get in trouble – this can help you to rest and recover before calling for help.
If you see someone struggling or drowning, call 999.
There are safer alternatives to open-water swimming. If you want to cool off in cool water, visit Jesus Green Lido or our free-to-use outdoor swimming pools and splashpads. Please remember to use sunscreen and drink plenty when you’re out.
The government’s guidance about staying safe in hot weather [GOV.UK] includes information about swimming safely.
