Around Town Magazine Billericay July Edition 2016

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CONTENTS 12 John Baron

Political Update

16

A View from the Church

19

The Pension Doctor

28

Nature Notes

30

Martin Lewis

34

Rotary Club, Lions Club & Round Table

38

What’s On

40

Rev. Paul Carr

By Charlie Reading

18

EWT Volunteer Neil Sumner

27

Money Saving Expert

When and Where...

Around Town Sports

Edition 44NEW COME AND SEE OUR FABULOUS To advertise contact our Sales Team today, details SHOWROOM IN ROMFORD below. Booking deadline for our August edition is:

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Thursday 14th July (ILFORD IS NOW CLOSED) A12 Eastern Avenue (near North St), Romford RM5Town 3AL Tel: 01708 736700 Copyright 2016.

Around Billericay is an

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event, it was decided to stage in an open field on the opposite side of Barleylands Road. This allowed more space, flexibility and a better walk without stiles and road crossings.

John Baron Conservative Parliamentary MP for Basildon and Billericay

This year’s Fun Walk, held on 22nd May,was a great success with almost 2,500 people and 110 charities taking part. Due to the growing popularity of the

Service Ltd, Mr Barrie Stone and others.

A recurring feature of the walk is that corporate and individual sponsors donate money into a ‘Bonus Pot’, which is then distributed to the participating charities and projects, over and above what they raise themselves in sponsorship. The 2016 ‘Bonus Pot’ so far stands at around £40,000.

Thanks also go to the marshals and stall keepers, Hallmark Care Homes (for additionally the medals), Tesco, Abi’s Catering Services Ltd, Essex & Suffolk Water, Gateway 97.8, and the Private Ambulance Service (for additionally providing cover on the day). The walkers and our Town Crier did the event proud, and thanks also go to Barleylands for making the whole event possible. It was a great team effort all round.

Thanks go to the 2016 sponsors, which include: Swan Housing Association, c2c Rail Ltd, Butyl Products Ltd, Abellio Greater Anglia, Hallmark Care Homes, Selex ES Ltd, IFE Global Logistics, Private Ambulance

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hn Lennon seem to be everywhere this time of year: “So this is Christmas ne?” I’d like to change this slightly: “So this is Christmas and what will rate that Jesus was born to be our Saviour? It is, after all, what makes ating and, just like those amazing events in the summer, it can be life but only if you make the time to enjoy the celebration.

Billericay’ extend an invitation to worship s season. Why not put a date in your o miss out on the greatest Christmas

rr

Loneliness Is Bad For Your Health!

ricay & Little Burstead Team Ministry)

of the local Church Services over the Christmas period.

Emmanuel Church

Research has found that a lack of meaningful social interaction can be as bad for your health 2nd December - ‘Annual Toy Service’ at 10.30am as 15 cigarettes a day.

Those who are lonely are more likely to suffer from dementia, anxiety, December - ‘Carol Service by Candlelight’ at 7.00pm depression, obesity and more susceptible to 19th December - ‘Lunchtime Carol Service’ at 12.30pm disease and high blood pressure. All of us atheart Saint Mary Magdalen Church will have felt a bit lonely at times, but I’m talking ay 23rdabout December - ‘Family Nativity’ atwhere 10.30am the type of loneliness people speak no -one day after day, when: no one calls; no ristmastoEve ‘Christingle Service’ at 4.00pm one pops round; and no one seems to care.

‘Communion by Candlelight’ at 11.15pm The first Communion of Christmas.

It’s said that around 7.6 million people live by stmas themselves Day - ‘Family in Communion’ 10.00am the UK -atthis equates to over 3,000 people in Billericay. They can be found everywhere, in every avenue, in every close and on every street. Could one of these be living near to you? This poem was handed to a vicar when, after a lady asked him for help, he promised he would pray for her (and was instrumental in the setting up of the charity Shelter): I was hungry and you formed a humanities group to discuss my hunger.

I was imprisoned and you crept off quietly to your chapel and prayed for my release.

I was naked and in your mind you debated the morality of my appearance.

I was sick and you knelt and thanked God for your health.

I was homeless and you preached to me of the spiritual shelter of the love of God. I was lonely and you left me alone to pray for me.

You seem so holy, so close to God, but I am still very hungry - and lonely - and cold.

The Bible is clear about our responsibility to reach out to the lonely, widowed and orphaned. In Matthew 25 Jesus says that if we help someone else, it’s like directly serving him. Mother Teresa often said that she saw Jesus in others - just as I tried to do when I worked in the Prison Service.

www.billericaychurches.org

Churches in Billericay are perfectly positioned to help those who are lonely and they provide many excellent groups to enable people of all ages to meet with others, such as: Babies and Toddlers; Coffee Mornings; Midweek Break for the over 60’s; Café on the Common; Home Bible Study Groups; Mothers’ Union; Who Let The Dad’s Out? Dambusters; Ladies on Thursday; Community Choir; Family Time; Youth Groups; Street Pastors - the list just goes on! Church isn’t just confined to Sundays, we are pretty active Monday to Saturday too!

We were designed to live in community and to live in relationship with other people. We see this in the book of Genesis with Adam and Eve which is echoed throughout the Bible. The Christian understanding of Father, Son and Holy Spirit as the Trinity also shows us the importance of living in community. The church is one of the few organisations that offers true community including people of all ages, backgrounds and political persuasions. Recent reports suggest that churchgoing positively affects our physical health. Scientists studied 74,000 women over a 16-year period and found most regular churchgoers were 33% less likely to have died than those who never attended. So now we can say with authority, what we’ve known for ages: church is good for your health! And that’s on top of the eternal benefits! What’s not to like?

If loneliness is something you’re carrying at the moment, can I encourage you to ‘get out there’ because you are needed. Whether it’s meeting someone for a coffee, sharing a meal, getting involved with the Billericay Community Garden or joining a church based group. Don’t let age be a barrier: volunteer to help children read at school or support some of the excellent Uniformed Groups around town. Be brave!

People will welcome you with open arms and you can be sure that God won’t let you down.

With every blessing in Jesus’ precious name

revpacman.wordpress.com paul@billericaychurches.org @revPACman

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Pension Doctor

By Charlie Reading

The Best Income Strategy As you approach your retirement, you can use several strategies to boost your income. Most people make their way through their working life with little strategic planning for their retirement. They collect a series of different pensions and investments, each of which seem sensible at the time but often don’t take into account where they already are or where they are going. To be able to plan your retirement from a financial perspective, you first need to understand what is important to you. Only once you know what is important to you in the future can you ensure your finances can deliver exactly that.

The Wedding Car of Your Finances Most people move companies several times during their working life. Each one of these companies will probably give you a different pension, so by the time you get closer to retirement, you will have collected a diverse array of different schemes to your name, which you will drag behind you like a wedding car does cans and streamers. Even those of you who run your own businesses will often have the same as a result of previous jobs, previous financial advisers or encounters with your bank.

Some of the older pensions you might collect may have some quirky guarantees and features that you will want to keep. Guaranteed annuity rates, for example, are usually really valuable, so you’d want to keep most pensions that employ them. Many will offer to pay you an income of 10% or more of the capital when you get to retirement. You don’t want to let go of this feature.

Some pensions will have minimum growth guarantees which might be valuable too.

The important thing to do is to check. Ask the provider if you have these guarantees, and if not, you know you aren’t giving up valuable benefits by transferring.

Charges are important to assess, but only when assessed with the likely difference in growth can they be quantified. Whilst past performance is no guide to the future, over a five-year time frame or possibly longer, it can be a useful guide. Better, however, is to anticipate what a particular portfolio is likely to deliver in the future.

When it comes to charges, some of these older pensions do not make clear how much money they take off from likely future growth. The biggest culprits are ‘With Profit’ funds, where the company does not indicate the charges and often doesn’t tell you the underlying fund performance unless you do some serious probing.

This theory would also work if you could take your money out unaffected. However, the company can impose a penalty at any level the moment you want to take your money out. This situation is known as a ‘Market Value Adjustment’; if the fund administrators want to impose a 50% penalty on your money, they can. Avoid the smoke and mirrors of the ‘With Profit’ life company funds. It is much better to select an investment level of risk that is appropriate for you than to leave it all in the hands of a company whose sole purpose is to make money for shareholders!

Paying For No Advice Another question to ask when looking at in these older schemes is, ‘Are you still paying commission to some adviser you haven’t seen for years?’

If you are not getting an ongoing service from an adviser, then you should no longer be paying them. You should only be paying for advice and a service if you are getting it, and if you were promised an ongoing service that you aren’t getting, you should put a stop to it.

Consolidate For Clarity There are some important considerations to take into account with your old trail of pensions that you drag behind you like the cans behind a wedding car. My recommendation is that you seek the advice of an Independent Financial Planner with advanced pension qualifications because there can be other aspects of pensions that would affect this advice.

Either way, assuming you don’t give up valuable benefits or increase the charges more Eliminate Smoke and Mirrors than the likely investment improvement, There are a whole variety of ways that older-style it is a good financial planning exercise pensions can charge you. There can be initial charges, to consolidate your pensions into one exit charges, different units where higher charges are centralised solution. This allows you to imposed on some but not others, ongoing charges, manage your pension with much greater charges, flat charges and switching charges, to Bestadmin Income Strategy flexibility and clarity. name but a few. As you can see, it can be complicated to compare the charges of one pension to another.

That’s why you, or a Financial to simplify ou approach your retirement, youAdviser, can useneed several strategies Charlie Reading was recently rated by the Sunday Telegraph as one of the process. First look at the effect the charges have on oost your income.

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Nature Notes Written by Neil Sumner

Neilsumner123@aol.com twitter.com/neilsumner123 What about the wildlife? That’s a question we often hear in the face of planning applications.

National guidelines state that a development should aim for no net loss of wildlife (biodiversity) and possibly achieve a net gain. Often this is only possible if you look beyond the development site.

It may have little in the way of resident wildlife but may be used by some species to move to and from a local nature reserve. Or it may have some important species but protecting and improving neighbouring land may compensate for the loss.

We really need to know about the wider area: the important habitats and corridors so that the impact of a planning application can be assessed and we hope, mitigated.

Then there is the contentious issue that some sites identified for possible development are on Green Belt land, designated to prevent urban sprawl and protect the landscape, not just for wildlife. One such area I looked at recently had some pleasant surprises: farmland birds, owls and Brown Hare. In one special moment a Yellow Wagtail ventured from the field margins to collect insects on the edge of a cricket pitch. But not all Green Belt sites have this diversity and interest. A large arable field, for example, may have less wildlife than can be found in a nearby housing estate.

Conversely there are many ‘Brownfield’ sites, areas of current or former industrial land, that are good for wildlife. According to the RSPB, 15% of all the scarce invertebrates in the UK have been recorded on Brownfield sites. Some of us local naturalists are currently surveying a National Grid site near Rayleigh. We have found Bullfinches, bats, newts, wintering flocks of thrushes, summering singing warblers and learnt of sightings of Adders and Barn Owls. Many nature reserves have been created from Brownfield sites, including Thurrock Thameside Nature Park and Canvey Wick.

Wherever the wildlife habitat, in July there is a kind of hush as the birdsong fades. It is a time for insects, when bees and hoverflies buzz around plants and flowers which may also be adorned with spiders webs. Butterflies peak and in grassland we can enjoy of the flutterings of many of our commonest, including Meadow Browns and Ringlets and the bright orange Gatekeeper.

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COUPLES PERKS Love is…a financial advantage! I’ve been swamped with successes after my last column on the marriage tax allowance, which gives many couples a free £212. And it got me thinking…what are theother financial boons to being in a relationship you can make work for you?

You can pass on your inheritance tax allowance

So I’ve pulled together key twosome perks. With some you need to be married, but most allow anyone to, ahem, do it together.

Yet, there’s never tax on what you leave to your spouse if they live in the UK, and if you die, their allowance rises by the amount you didn’t leave to others. So if you left them everything, they could leave £650k tax-free. Also if you die, ISAs can be passed over and stay ISAs too.

Must be married or civil partners For my first batch of tips, cohabiting doesn’t do it, only marriage (including civil partners) counts.

One of you a non-taxpayer, the other paying basic 20% tax? FREE £212 3 million couples are missing out on an easy, but under-publicised, tax break launched last April.

It lets the non-taxpayer give £1,060 of their tax-free allowance to the taxpayer. This means £1,060 of income they were taxed on at 20% is now tax-free - a £212/year gain.

After my last column on it, a rather flattering Debbie emailed: “Easy, we’ve a backdated refund and saving of £200+/yr. Who needs to win the lottery when you’ve Martin Lewis?”

To do it, the non-taxpayer just needs to register atwww.gov.uk/marriage-allowance. Apply now for this tax year, and you get it for every year going forward.

Full service breakdown cover, £42 for two AutoAidBreakdown.co.uk gives home start and onward travel for £42/year – a corking deal.

Yet this covers any car you drive, and any your spouse drives too, at no extra cost. It’s a pay and reclaim policy, so a recovery operator is sent out, and you pay them, then send your receipts in to get the cost back.

A joint policy can also be cheaper than two single policies with the AA and RAC. e.g., a joint RAC basic policy is £80, but a single is £50 per person. Go towww.mse.me/breakdown for more.

While not a nice thought, when you die everyone can leave an ‘estate’ (all property, savings, valuables) worth up to £325k without inheritance tax coming off it.

LOVE IS… 33% OFF TRAIN FARES For ALL couples - married or not These work for all couples (and sometimes even just friends), but most need a trusting financial relationship.

Get a £6,000 boost toward your first home together If you’re a first-time buyer, save in a Help to Buy ISA and you’ll get a 25% bonus on top towards a mortgage deposit, up to a maximum £3,000. And if you’re buying together, get one each, so that’s a maximum £6,000. If one of you has owned before, the one who hasn’t can still get one.

You’re allowed to save £1,200 in month one and £200/month after. Even if you’re buying soon, it can still be worth it, as Laurence emailed: “Thanks to MSE, me and my partner both opened Help to Buy ISAs in December. Now we’re buying, we’ve got the min £1,600 each, and will get a total £800 bonus.” For my full guide to whether it’s right for you, and all the best buys go towww.mse.me/helptobuyisa.

Get a YEAR’S 2for1 cinema together for £2ish Those darling TV meerkats (or annoying little pests depending on your view) run a promotion

where, if you become a Comparethemarket.com customer, you get access to 2for1 cinema tickets on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for a year.

Yet it isn’t always your best deal. So here’s a trick. Get yourself a one day, UK-only travel insurance policy and even if you choose not to travel, technically you qualify. The cheapest I’ve found them at is £2. And then you’re due the 2for1s.

Together, you can save up to £60,000 tax-free at 3% interest Easily the best-paying savings vehicle for a decent whack is thewww.Santander.co.uk 123 bank account. It pays 3% interest if you’ve £3,000 to £20,000.

On your own you can only have one account, but couples can have THREE - one each, one joint, covering up to £60,000. Plus, from 6th April, the new personal savings allowance means tax-free interest for most people.

The account does have a £5/mth fee, but for most that’s covered by the cashback it pays on bills. As Andy emailed: “Took your advice. Got a Santander 123 joint account then opened individual accounts for my wife and me. Estimate I’ve generated £2.5k per year. RESULT.” You need to ensure you pay £500/mth in to each, and set up two direct debits set up (if necessary, you could do £1/mth to a charity). For more tricks to max your interest, seewww.mse. me/topsavings Love is... 33% off train fares The Two Together Railcard gives the two people

martin L E W IS Money Saving Expert

named on the card a third off fares if travelling together (after 9.30am weekdays). It’s £30, so spend more than £45 each, even on one journey, and you save.

If you have kids and buy tickets for them, the Family & Friends Railcard is an alternative. It gets you a third off train tickets for up to four adults when travelling together with up to four children aged 5-15 getting 60% off. Buy both atwww.railcard.co.uk.

Unmarried? Your partner has no status under law - if you die they may not get the house or even the kids Just a warning before I go. Even if you’ve been together 37 years and have 6 kids, if you die will-less, in some circumstances your partner may have no rights over the home. So it’s worth checking out if you’re in that situation.

Plus, unmarried fathers may not automatically have ‘parental responsibility’ if the mother dies, unless the right forms have been filled in.

(Fathers may have this if they were put on the birth certificate since 2003.) Check atwww.gov. uk/parental-rights-responsibilities Martin Lewis is the Founder & Editor in Chief of Money Saving Expert. To join the 10 million people who get his Martin’s Money Tips weekly email, go to www.moneysavingexpert.com/tips

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MAYFLOWER ROTARY CLUB IT’S SummerFest time. Billericay Mayflower Rotarians are gearing up to organise the town’s major outdoor summer event at Sun Corner on Sunday July 10. The six hour programme of entertainment starts at 11am. A wide range of attractions are aimed for all the family. Displays in the main arena will alternate between performances by talented music groups and singers on stage. Local organisations will be opening a wide range of craft stalls and sideshows alongside a whole raft of visiting attractions. For the first time at the popular annual event a new continental market will offer a wide range of goods alongside the tried and trusted regular crowd pleasers. Gleaming reminders of yesteryear will again provide a major attraction with a classic and sports car display brought by the MG Car Club.

Children’s attractions will include a kiddies fun fair and, for the first time, donkey rides. Refreshment will again be to the fore with hot food and a hog roast plus soft drinks and a Pimms and beer tent.

Essex Army Cadet Force Corps of Drum will provide a talented start to the arena events at 11.30. followed at hourly intervals

by Dance Steps Academy, a return by the drum corps with Bailar Dance, a Phoenix Dog Display and a finale of classic cars.

Stage events begin at 11am with Below Sea Level and followed later by Keeley Smith, For The Love of Bob, Laura Hawes, Fusion Actz and ending with the popular local group Cockney Treble.

Mayflower Rotarians are already working on organising the town’s other major outdoor event, the Christmas Market on December 4 when 20,000 people will be expected for the all day Sunday event. Meanwhile tickets are still available for a charity dance at The Burstead Golf Club on October 15. Just part of a programme that brings in many £thousands each year for good causes local, nationally and overseas.

Find out how you can become involved in a busy club that meets at The Burstead each week. Members enjoy a full social programme as they work to improve the lives of others. Details on www.mayflowerrotary.org or contact secretary@mayflowerrotary.org

BILLERICAY LIONS CLUB

At the time of writing the Lions Club of Billericay are in the final stages of preparation for one of our major fund raising activities and a particularly rewarding community services event.

The 7thBillericay Beer Festival held from June 24th to 26th has been on track to be our best ever with a high level of enthusiasm from our sponsors, Lions Club members and the residents of Billericay and surrounding areas. Thanks goes to our 27 wonderful sponsors who have made this event possible. We look forward to reporting back from the festival next month.

Working closely with the Billericay arm of the Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline, a charity providing holidays for children affected by the aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster, the club has also been preparing to host 12 children residing in the Billericay area on a day out at Adventure Island including mealson June 30th. It has always been rewarding for us Lions to experience the delight this brings to children who have to live with such adversity.

On the social side our ongoing events have included a very enjoyable Charter Lunch at Orsett Hall in late May to celebrate the end of the Lionistic year, and we are looking forward to a club dinner in late June followed by a summer barbecue in July.

For details on all Lion’s events please visit our website www.billericaylions.com or telephone 0845 833 9849, and follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/billericay.lions.

Billericay Round Table’s summer is shaping up to be another sizzler. In early June, the lads headed south of the river to join with Dartford members for an evening of mountain biking around Cyclopark in Gravesend;oneof the largest purpose-built facilities in Europe with plenty of high-speed, tricky trails to offer. By luck rather than skill, no one crashed out too seriously so the group were able to relax and enjoy a post-eventcurry and a well-earned drink together.

Talking of drinks, this year’s Lions Billericay Beer Festival featured two of our very own, specially brewed kegs of beer – “Rusty’s Revenge” (Blonde) and “A Tilley the Hun” (Mild). Our good friends at Billericay Brewing Company came up trumps again with the tasty tipples which we donated to the charity event. We are already looking forward to testing next year’s batch!

To round off June, it was back to the Cricket club for a re-run of last year’s themed-match – English Gents vs RoW. This is always a great opportunity to mix our fondness of dressing up in silly costumes with a bit of serious, sporting competition; if only the quality of play matched the high stakes of pride involved! Always a good laugh this one and we were extremely pleased to welcome along two new fellas who contacted us about getting involved in our club.

The sun is out now and we’re off to visit our fellow European Round Table members on a long weekend of culture and fun in Berlin. Following this, on the 23rd July, we are throwing a special, Hawaiian-themed afternoon BBQ and evening Disco at the Red Lion on the High street. This will be a great opportunity to meet the team and have a bit of fun with us. If you fancy coming to this, or any other event, please check our details (www.facebook. com/billericayroundtable and www.billericayroundtable.co.uk) and contact us on domore@billericayroundtable.co.uk.

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St. Luke’s Hospice

Your Hospice - Caring for you when and where you need it most.

Venue: Lake Meadows, Billericay Date: Sunday 7th August 2016 Time: 11.30am Contact Kerry Chambers on 01268 524 973 or Email kerry@stlukeshospice.co.uk www.stlukeshospice.com

BabyNatal Developmental Baby Massage and Sensory Play Suitable from birth, 5 week courses, specially designed to support your baby’s, development, remaining baby-led & flexible.

Stage One (birth—12 weeks) developmental baby massage and gentle movement to support your baby through their ‘fourth trimester’.

Stage Two (12 weeks—8 months) playful and sensory rich, alongside baby massage we also enjoy song, Makaton sign and traditional rhymes.

Contact: yournatalway@ outlook.com or 07738572554 Belvedere Jazz & Music Club 13th July Zoe Francis & Jim Mullen Quintet 8pm -10:30pm. £10 20th July Dave Browning, Ted Beament & Jonathon Vinten 8pm -10:30pm. £10 27th July The Three Fivers + On Diva & Bill Yeomans’ Qrt. 8pm -10:30pm. £10 www.belvederejazz.co.uk or 07850 607075 Billericay Community Cinema BillericayCine is a Community Cinema: cinemas run locally

38

as a voluntary / not for-profit group by residents for the community.

England. All welcome.

Ticket prices are affordable too, with ticket to ‘Film Thursdays’ priced at £5, while the family films are just £3 per ticket or £7.50 for a family group. Tickets are available from Billericay Library and www.billericaycine.com

Billericay and District Philatelic Society Meets at The Fold, Laindon road, Billericay, at 7-30pm the Ist and 3rd Thursdays of the month (except August).

Billericay Horticultural Society “Fuschia Tips” Monday 18th July at 8pm in the Day Centre. Chantry Way a talk “Fuschia Tips” by Nick Dobson Visitors always welcome.

Refreshments available.

Billericay Society We meet third Wednesday of the month at the day centre in Billericay behind the chequers Pub in the High Street at 19,30 we normally have a guest speaker, members £1 guests £1.50.

We also so have monthly rambles which can be found on our Newsletter as shown on the Website.

The aims of the society is to oppose inappropriate developments, to conserve the towns heritage, safeguard access to the surrounding countryside, footpaths public rights of way, support projects for improving our town, we erect town signs and maintain them, and we are affiliated to campaign to protect rural

01277 631726

There is a varied programme of displays and speakers and set - to interest, both beginners and the more specialist collectors.

Visitors are always welcome, so come along and meet fellow collectors of a wide range of postal material.

Contact no. 01268 410258. or e-mail: rms.alexander@ googlemail.com Charity Lunch Charity Lunch on 9th July at the Billericay Methodist Church, Western Road.

From 12:30pm - 1:30pm A snack lunch and drink for £4 All welcome and there is no need to book. The proceeds this month are going towards new toilet facilities at the church and we are also supporting ‘toilet twinning’ a charity helping bring clean water and safe sanitation to the world’s poorest people.

Chelmsford & District Welsh Society Membership is open to anyone with Welsh origins or

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connections, or to anyone with an appreciation of Welsh heritage and traditions.

Visitors and guests are warmly welcomed to attend our meetings.

The Society’s monthly meeting is held in St Cedd’s Hall, Cathedral Chapter House, Chelmsford, CM1 1NX, and is usually on the fourth Thursday of every month.

The next meeting is on Thursday 22nd September at 7.30pm. All new members are welcome, come along to our meeting for a fun and sociable evening. We hold a variety of events, including a ‘Noson Lawen’, St David’s Day Dinner, Church Service, ‘Cymanfa Ganu’, and an annual concert featuring a Welsh Male voice choir, held at Chelmsford Cathedral.

Throughout the year there are also fund raising events such as coffee mornings, musical evenings and a Garden Party.

For more details please contact Gwenno on 07724144432 www.chelmsfordwelsh.org.uk www.facebook.com/ chelmsfordwelsh Great Burstead and South Green Village Council Great Burstead and South Green Village Council Sunday 28th August 12.30 to 4.30 Fun Day to be held on The Green, Southend Road, Billericay, CM112PR Free Entry Dog Show, Bouncy Castles, Childrens

Entertainment, Brass Band FC, Redwing Football Competition and various stalls website:greatbursteadsouthgr eenparishcouncil.gov.uk Greenway Ramblers The group meets at 10am every Tuesday (5-6 miles) and Sunday (longer walks of 10+ miles with a break for lunch) New members are welcome.

See our website at www. greenway ramblers.org.uk or phone Joe lawton on 01277 631119.

Rosebay (Billericay) W.I. We meet on the 4th Wednesday of the month at 1:30pm until 3:30pm at the Canon Roche Hotel, Laindon Road.

We also hold social events in-between meetings. Visitors/ new members are welcome.

Further details from Madge, please telephone 01277 623278 Wednesday 27th July: Talk The Essex Fire Service Soroptimist International Chelmsford & District Club Soroptimists aim is to improve the lives and status of women and girls through education, empowerment or enabling opportunities. See our stand in High Chelmer on July 16th 2016. Visit our website: www. sigbi.org/Chelmsford or if you would like more information on our club and work visit us on Facebook , email info@ chelmsfordsoroptimists.com or ring us on 07528 789991.

We’d love to hear from you!

St Edith’s Bridge Club We are a small, friendly and sociable Bridge Club, completely free of the hassle of some of the larger Clubs, and we are based in the centre of Billericay. New members / visitors are always welcome.

We meet at the WI Hall in St Edith’s Lane, CM12 9BU, at 7.25 for a 7.30 start on Wednesday evenings, EXCEPT, usually, not on the first Monday of the month. For more information please contact Alaric Cundy on 01277 622359.

The Fold, Billericay Arts Association WHERE IS THE FOLD? 72 Laindon Rd, Billericay, CM12 9LD Sensibly priced courses for adults and children from September 2016 to July 2017. Great savings made by becoming a member.

Interested? Visit our web site at www.baathefold.org.uk for course details. No internet?

Call or visit the Fold for brochure. Tel. 01277 659286.

Enrol at the Fold, Billericay, throughout July 2016 , between 10.00am and 2.00pm.

Saturday enrolment will also take place at the Fold on 3rd September 2016 between 10.00am and 12.00 noon...

Do come along!

If you would like to promote your club or event then please email a maximum of 70 words to:

admin@aroundtownmagazines.co.uk Please ensure that all contact details are included.

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EURO 2016 Not a crime of passion!

I say we sum up England’s performance up how an old Nan would. “Dear, oh dear. Oh well, life goes on, want a cup of tea!?”

But instead, of course every football fan becomes a preacher of hate toward everything to do with English Football. Every facebook status has something funny (kind of like those statuses) or something scathing about how footballers have no passion, are paid too much and aren’t trying.

However, I have to disagree with everyone who says it is a question of passion or effort. Those who know what it is like to get a taste of semi professional or professional football knows that effort and passion cannot come into question. Professional sports people would be competitive playing a game of Monopoly on Boxing day with the family, so to think they would not feel passionate and would not put in the effort is laughable.

Some people will say that Paul Ince and Terry Butcher played with more passion than a Jack Wilshere or a Wayne Rooney. Passion is something that cannot be measured and most certainly can be questioned, so why bother using it as an argument. It is impossible for professional players not to feel passionate, millions of fans across the nation cheering in unison making a town in a France feel like a home game in Wembley.

The other “p” word is a different story and it separates the world class players from the good players. Pressure has not been something that England players have been able to handle for years. Players will have bad games and that comes down to ability, however games like the Iceland game is completely down to pressure.

Going 2-1 down so quickly, every minute that ticked by made every player scared of want to making a mistake. The natural act of controlling the ball became a chore and something that every player was having to concentrate on and therefore making routine mishaps.

A 5 yard pass became difficult, so they stopped trying the harder passes and stopped trying to penetrate.

It was a on-going spiral and it was not pretty!

However, the media will have their jobs to do, and that job is to sell papers and what the people want is blood and to see the England team grovel. A huge mistake, but an inevitable one. These players are young, they aren’t going anywhere and no footballer was left at home that would have made a difference to this infamous crop of players. So crucifying them makes no logical sense. A bigger problem though, is that International football is now under threat more so than ever, as it is no longer the pinnacle of football.

The World Cup still has the appeal, but even the Euros and the South American Copa America is struggling to hold people’s attention, so by crucifying the players are we simply pushing them away from the International game?! Jack Wilshere, Delle Alli, etc will all go back to their clubs earning a crazy amount of money every week playing in the best league and in the best European competitions. Is playing for England attractive knowing what has happened since the team crashed out!?

If we want the England players to lose their passion, we are going the right way about it! It is very easy to retire from international football nowadays, perhaps younger retirements will happen. We have already seen the world’s best retiring in Lionel Messi and I expect these “people” (let’s not forget they are just people) may choose the easier life of club football.

Put the spotlight on your local sports team, contact Zaki Hasan, via email, zaki@aroundtownmagazines.co.uk

CALL NOW!

01268 293440 07977 992211 Elm Farm, London Road, Crays Hill, Billericay, CM11 2UZ

All Digger Work - Drainage - Tarmacadam - Hand & Machine Lay - Hot Tar & Shingle/Resin Bonded Block Paving/Concrete - Council Vehicle Crossings Brick Work - White Lining Hot Thermo Plastic & Rubberized Traffic Paints RJB Construction & Lining are a well established family company based in Billericay. We provide a complete service including road reinstatement, driveways and lining work. All our employees are fully trained to high standards, eliminating the need for sub contractors meaning quality of product throughout. We are efficient, ambitious and hardworking and we pride ourselves on carrying out our work to the highest standard.

www.rjbconstructionandlining.co.uk

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Summer Showtime with Stephen Dunnett Thursday August 25th

Recognised by TripAdvisor We are proud to announce that La Toscana has been selected for the 2016 Certificate of Excellence reflecting the consistently great reviews from our customers on TripAdvisor

Menu Changes

Tony and the team have changed all the Set menus and the A La Carte menu to reflect the seasonal availability in the markets to ensure you, our valued customers, only experience the very freshest of produce

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We welcome back the ever popular Stephen Dunnett who will be singing a mix of our favourite songs from the 60’s thru to the present time. So sit back and enjoy or simply dance the night away £39.50 per person

Includes a fabulous 3-Course meal and unforgettable entertainment

Check our website for full details at www.latoscanabillericay.co.uk Book by telephone or call into the restaurant OLD BARN COURT, HIGH STREET, BILLERICAY, CM12 9BY TELEPHONE: 01277 630120

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the CSoaCh & ,h orSeS C ,B CM12 9lU hapel

treet

illeriCay

01277 622873

BILLERICAY’S PREMIER ALEHOUSE & EATERY

MAN G AL Express Charcoal Grill & Meze

2 COURSES FOR Mangal is the quintessential Turkish ocakbasi (open hooded grill, the mother of all BBQs)

£10

Opening Times:

Monday - Saturday 12am - 11pm Sunday 4pm - 11pm

Telephone orders welcome

Choose any main meal and a dessert from our set menu for just £10 per person.

01277 625577

Plus a free coffee per diner with this voucher!

1 Radford Way | Billericay | CM12 0AA

C TheCoachAndHorsesBillericay

USEFUL NUMBERS POLICE Billericay Police Station

01277 631212

HOSPITALS Brentwood Hospital Basildon Hospital Broomfield Hospital Essex Nuffield Hospital Mayflower House Queen’s Romford Southend Hospital St. John’s Spire Hartswood Hospital

01277 695000 01268 524900 01245 443673 08453 143350 01277 621130 08451 304204 01702 435555 01245 491149 01277 232525

HELPLINES Alcoholics Anonymous Childline DIAL Disability Helpline Drugline Essex Home Start

01245 256147 0800 11 11 01268 294400/1 01708 749151

(Helping families under stress) 01277 263325

In Focus

(family disabilities support)

Narcotics Anonymous NHS non-emergency Parentline Samaritans S. Essex Rape and Incest Crisis Centre Victim Support Essex Women’s Refuge

(Monday & Tuesday Evening 6-9pm)

BIRTH, DEATH MARRIAGES REGISTRATION

TAXIS Advanced Taxicall Billericay 01277 800001 Mayflower Cars 01277 624000 Swift Cars 01277 757473

CHEMISTS Boots the Chemist, Billericay Filmcroft Ltd, Billericay Lloyds Pharmacy, Billericay Moss Pharmacy, Billericay Shadforth M.W Billericay Shadforths Pharmacy, Billericay Shadforths Pharmacy Ingatestone

UTILITIES Anglian Water Electricity – Power Supply Problems Gas – Urgent Calls / Gas Escapes Minicom – Transco Thames Water (Supply or Wastewater Services) Three Valleys Water Water – Essex & Suffolk Water

0845 6037632 01277 233565 01277 221155

BLOOD TEST Booking Line

01277 655233 01277 624862 01277 622828 01277 653035 01277 622927 01277 652241 01277 352125 01268 242159

ROAD & TRAVEL UPDATES Essex Travel www.bbc.co.uk/travelnews/essex

01245 353575 01277 655352 111 0808 800 2222 08457 909090

COUNCILS Basildon Billericay Town Council Chelmsford Ingatestone Stock Parish Council

01268 533333 01277 625732 01245 606606 01277 353315 07757 114952

01375 380609 0845 4565995 01268 541140

TRANSPORT Bus Service Rail Service

0870 6082608 08457 484950

VETS Best Friends Veterinary Surgery House & Jackson Ingatestone Veterinary Centre Summerdale Veterinary Centre Vet Savers LIBRARIES Basildon Billericay Ingatestone Wickford

0345 145 145 0800 783 8838 0800 111999 0800 371787 0845 9200 800 0345 823 333 01245 491234

01277 651009 01277 655524 01277 353612 01277 631889 01277 652100 0845 603 7628 01277 624624 01277 354284 01268 561963

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