Around Town Magazine Rayleigh March Edition 2018

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CONTENTS 11

Essex's Leading Blind, Awning & Interior from the Church Shutter Specialists for 12 ARev’dView David Oxtoby over 100 Years

08

Mark Francois Political Update

14

James Blower

17

Nature Notes

The Savings Guru

01277 809047

EWT Volunteer Neil Sumner

18

Recipe

22

Your Yoga

25

Rotary Club / Lions Club

20

01702 46

21

Perfect Pancakes

Tree Pose

Organisations Around Town

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Front cover picture by: John Haywood - JH Photography @jh.photohtaphy.jh JH Photography

Copyright 2018. Around Town Rayleigh is an independent magazine and does not endorse the products or services that appear in the magazine.

Opinions expressed in Around Town do not necessarily represent those of the editors of Around Town Magazines. Around Town Magazines are published by Black Square Print Media Ltd produced by Black Square Litho Ltd.

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7

that they would be prepared to pay a little bit more on the policing precept of their council tax, in return for more police officers in the county.

mark francois conservative Parliamentary mP for rayleigh & Wickford

It is not often, in my experience, that people volunteer to pay higher taxes but I have had quite a number of constituents tell me 4362_17x9.qxd

19/10/2017

15:03

Accordingly, along with other like-minded Essex MPs, I lobbied the Policing Minister, Nick Hurd MP, to allow Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to increase their policing precepts to a level that would allow them to take on more officers in their respective forces.

I am pleased to say that these representations were successful and the Home Office have recently announced that PCC’s will be allowed to increase their policing precepts by £1 a month or £12 a

year in order to pay for more police.

In Essex, our PCC, Roger Hurst, has taken full advantage of this opportunity and has announced that increasing the precept by £12 a year will enable him to recruit and deploy an extra 150 police officers across the county.

Once these extra officers are in service, Essex Police will back to 3,000 officers, where it was several years ago.

As an Essex MP (and as my older brother served as a police officer for many years), I am pleased to have played a part in helping to provide this reinforcement for our local police force, which the PCC has assured me will mainly be devoted to local policing.

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Rev’d David Oxtoby

In the depth of the snow we experience at the end of February I was privileged to conduct the funeral of a special person from our community, the funeral itself was not unusual, other than the challenge of snow and ice, but what was marvellous; at the graveside a beautiful Robin kept us company, hopping confidently among the mourners and around the graveside. It’s in moments like that, we can pause and reflect, considering the works and wonders of God’s mighty hand in creation. We can of course declare the presence of a Robin as nothing unusual, or we can allow ourselves to say “what an interesting co-incidence, this Robin being so bold and present with us, maybe, just maybe this is God’s subtle way of announcing His presence.” It is all too easy to dismiss the day to day co-incidences, as simply that, coincidences, rather than allowing ourselves to wonder and imagine that God might just be speaking to us in a still small voice. We are educated to think scientifically and rationally, but since when did God ever fit in our nice neat boxes? What if God is speaking to us in the coincidences and small details of everyday life, and we keep missing it as we rush from one thing to the next?

It’s an interesting time we have were on the one hand people are so busy they have little time to enjoy the here and now, and on the other hand we have many struggling with isolation; not seeing another person from one day to the next, what

a dichotomy. What if we paused, looked around our own neighbourhoods, and noticed the lonely and isolated, the hurt and lost, and took just 10 minutes out of the day to see how they are; imagine the difference it would make to that person, that a neighbour, a stranger maybe, took time out to notice them and check they were ok.

A number of years ago, I helped out with a hot soup lunch delivery project, where anyone could order some hot soup, bread-roll, and piece of cake to be delivered, and the driver would do their rounds, stopping just for a few mins to help the customer get ready for lunch, and natter about the day or the weather. The project was incredibly popular, not because of the food, or it being a simple hot meal, but because of the human interaction, a few simple minutes of someone’s time was more important than the soup and cake.

The following short passage from the Gospel of Matthew seems fitting…

34-36 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why: I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.’

“Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’

37-40

Every blessing, Rev’d David.

Parish Office 01268 742151 info@parishofrayleigh.org.uk

www.parishofrayleigh.org.uk

Should I consider saving in a Cash ISA

(Individual Savings Account)?

I’m regularly asked about Cash ISAs and whether they are still worth using as a savings account.

These questions always increase in March and April as the end of the tax year approaches and the start of a new one is on the horizon. So, let’s look a bit closer at them this month and see whether they should be something you consider for your savings.

Background ISAs were introduced in 1999 as a replacement for PEPs (which were used for shares) and TESSAs (which were used for cash savings).

Initially the overall allowance was £7,000 with a maximum of £3,000 being allowed for cash. For nine years, this remained the case until we saw a £600 increase in the cash allowance in 2008.

2011 saw the introduction of the Junior ISA for children and in 2014 we saw a huge increase in the ISA allowance with £15,000 being permitted within an ISA and it being possible to hold the entire amount in cash. Last year, this increased to £20,000 and the allowance will be maintained at this amount for 2018/19 tax year which starts on 6th April.

What is the difference between Cash ISAs and ordinary savings accounts?

Fundamentally, there’s very little differences in the actual account itself. A cash ISA is not dissimilar to an ordinary savings account, it’s just got a tax wrapper around it which means you aren’t liable to pay tax on the interest you earn. Think of it like

14

a two chocolate bars, one still in the wrapper and one out of it – they are the same chocolate bar!

ISA instead of a traditional savings account.

However, there are exceptions and things to consider:

The main difference is the interest rates charged on the different accounts. In the early days of ISAs, there were some very competitive rates as providers fought for your cash ISA savings. In 2018, it is a very different situation with ordinary savings accounts often paying more than their cash ISA equivalents – sometimes considerably more.

1) Savings in a Cash ISA stay tax free year after year Anyone who has opened an ISA every tax year since 1999, and used the full allowance, has been able to shelter over £121,500 plus interest from the tax man and, in April, will be able to add another £20,000 to that allowance.

For example, the best one year fixed rate is 1.95% whereas the best one year ISA pays just 1.46%. Similarly, on a five-year fixed 2.52% can be found on a standard account whereas the best five year ISA is 2.25% by comparison.

Personal Savings Allowance In 2016, the government introduced a Personal Savings Allowance which means that basic rate tax payers can earn £1,000 in savings interest before needing to pay tax and higher rate tax payers can earn £500 before paying tax. As a result, banks pay interest without any tax deduced now whereas previously you had to fill in a special form for this to be done or tax would automatically be deducted.

This means a basic rate tax payer could have £75,000 in the top paying instant savings account (1.30% from RCI Bank) and not pay any tax on the interest.

So, are cash ISAs pointless now?

Well, not exactly. For many people, there will be little or no immediate financial benefit to open a Cash

2) You can now switch your cash ISA in to a stocks and shares ISA Until recently this wasn’t something you could do but some people will like the flexibility this allows and may want to hold cash for a period before investing.

3) The Personal Savings Allowance (PSA) could change There is no guarantee the PSA will be continue and the allowance could be cut or removed. Additional rate tax payers get no allowance.

Also, if interest rates rise, the value of the PSA will diminish too as smaller balances will then earn more interest and use the allowance up.

4) There will be accounts worth considering Nationwide have just launched a cash ISA with no notice required paying 1.30%, which is the same as the best standard paying account. Although only one withdrawal is allowed from the Nationwide account, whereas the non-ISA account from RCI Bank allows unlimited withdrawals, the Nationwide account may appeal to those who wish to secure their ISA

allowance in cash for the year.

5) Junior ISAs Junior ISAs come with their own allowance (£4,128 this year) and rates on them are very competitive. Coventry Building Society pay 3.50% and Nationwide pay 3.25% on instant access, which beat the best ordinary paying accounts for children with no restrictions.

6) Lifetime ISAs Lifetime ISAs, also known as LISAs, come with a £4,000 allowance within your overall ISA allowance of £20,000. So, if you invest £4,000 in a LISA, you can only put £16,000 in a cash ISA or stocks and shares ISA. LISAs are available for those aged 18 – 40 and you get a 25% bonus from the government each year on top of anything you save. So, if you save £4,000 you get £1,000 from the government. The bonus is paid every year until you are 50 years old.

LISAs are aimed at first time buyers saving a deposit to purchase a home and for those looking to save for retirement. They have been somewhat controversial because there was already a scheme in place (Help to buy) for first time buyers and pensions provide generous tax relief for savers with many financial advisors still considering this a better form of retirement saving.

There was little consultation from the government before LISAs and, as a result, there is only one provider of a cash LISA, Skipton Building Society. Skipton pay 0.75% interest. However, those saving for a home will find the 25% government bonus attractive and should certainly consider a LISA if they are saving for a deposit.

2017 / 18

2018 / 19

ISA Allowance

£20,000

£20,000

Amount that can be held in a Cash ISA

£20,000

£20,000

Start of tax year

6th April 2017

6th April 2018

End of tax year

5th April 2018

5th April 2019

Junior ISA

£4,128

£4,260

Lifetime ISA

£4,000

£4,000

Personal Savings Allowance – basic rate tax

£1,000

£1,000

Personal Savings Allowance – higher rate tax

£500

£500

Personal Savings Allowance – additional rate tax

£0

£0

James Blower Founder Savings Guru Ltd

www.thesavings.guru hello@thesavings.guru @SavingsGuruUK

As always, this article will appear on our website, www.thesavings. guru, with links to all providers and accounts mentioned in the column. Have a great month and see you in April.

15

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Nature Notes Written by Neil Sumner

of Rayleigh

Creative, competitive, conscientious

PATIOS • DRIVEWAYS • FENCING • DECKING • PONDS PLANTING • TURFING • CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE

Neilsumner123@aol.com twitter.com/neilsumner123 The small spherical round objects were droppings and meant that Rabbits were back. In the last few years they have disappeared from many local sites due to the RHDV virus but this is one of a few local sites where they have reappeared.

In Mediaeval times, Rabbits were established in warrens, giving people a plentiful supply of food. Some of these warrens still exist in Essex, one example being on Heather Hills near Danbury. Today they are food for many of our native animals so their loss affects the overall diversity of wildlife. In some habitats, such as heathland, their grazing is useful to encourage rare plants and insects that prefer short grass and patches of bare ground.

Rabbit populations have always fluctuated, since myxsomatosis was introduced in the 1950s.

For some, Rabbits are a pest, causing damage to crops, gardens and animal grazing land. But we don’t want to lose them entirely. A walk in the countryside is always made more interesting if there are Rabbits.

Even more interesting to see than a Rabbit is a Brown Hare, which was introduced by the Romans for hunting and food. Through the 19th century Hares were alternately protected and hunted and their populations changed accordingly. You can identify a Brown Hare by its longer darker ears and larger hind legs. They have declined too, although more steadily. They don’t live in burrows but instead rely on long grass, stillness and camouflage to hide from predators, to which their young Leverets are particularly vulnerable. They live in farmland and need a variety of plants for year-round food so more intensive farming is a cause of their decline, as is increasing urbanisation. Hares are easier to see in winter and early spring when the fields are less dense. I was delighted to see three near Hanningfield recently, one chasing another around an open field and then ‘boxing’ which is apparently a female trying to stop the male mating with her.

They were indeed living up to the phrase ‘Mad as a March Hare’.

In some areas, Brown Hares are still shot for sport and food today. There is a story of a poacher carrying a dead hare from a shooting estate and being confronted by a gamekeeper. “Oi!” said the gamekeeper; “That doesn’t look like it’s your hare!”

The poacher quickly twisted the hare’s body and placed it on his head. “Quite right” he said, “it’s a wig”.

You can read more about our Brown Hares and Rabbits in Dobson and Tansley’s Mammals of Essex.

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RECIPE Perfect Pancakes Ingredients: 3 large eggs

125g plain flour

250ml milk

Unsalted butter

Pinch of sea salt

Method: 1. Crack the eggs straight into a blender, followed by the flour, milk and salt.

coated in butter, add 1 ladle of batter to the pan and tilt to spread around evenly.

2. Blitz until you get a smooth batter.

6. Cook for 1-2 minutes.

3. Leave it to stand in a bowl for 15 minutes.

7. Once golden underneath (you can check with a spatula), flip the pancake over and cook for another minute.

4. Gentle melt a knob of butter in a large non-stick pan.

5. Once the pan is warm and

8. Pile up and serve with your favourite toppings.

If you would like your recipe to appear in Around Town Magazines then contact our sales team on: 01277 658444 or email: sales@aroundtownmagazines.co.uk

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Allmakes&modelsofboilersserviced andrepaired Allmakes&modelsofboilersserviced andrepaired CondensingBoilersandWarmAirUnits andrepaired CondensingBoilersandWarmAirUnits andrepaired CondensingBoilersandWarmAirUnits AllworkundertakenLeaksUpgrades CondensingBoilersandWarmAirUnits AllworkundertakenLeaksUpgrades CondensingBoilersandWarmAirUnits AllworkundertakenLeaksUpgrades Installations AllworkundertakenLeaksUpgrades AllworkundertakenLeaksUpgrades Installations Installations NoCallOutCharge Installations NoCallOutCharge Installations NoCallOutCharge OAPdiscountsavailable NoCallOutCharge OAPdiscountsavailable NoCallOutCharge OAPdiscountsavailable Fullpublicliabilityinsurance OAPdiscountsavailable Fullpublicliabilityinsurance OAPdiscountsavailable Fullpublicliabilityinsurance  FullyQualifiedEngineers  Fullpublicliabilityinsurance  FullyQualifiedEngineers Fullpublicliabilityinsurance FullyQualifiedEngineers   FullyQualifiedEngineers   FullyQualifiedEngineers Aprofessionalfamilyrunbusiness Aprofessionalfamilyrunbusiness 

Aprofessionalfamilyrunbusiness Honestandreliablewithover20yearsexperience Aprofessionalfamilyrunbusiness Honestandreliablewithover20yearsexperience Aprofessionalfamilyrunbusiness Honestandreliablewithover20yearsexperience ..fromatapwashertoafullheatingsystemcall.. Honestandreliablewithover20yearsexperience ..fromatapwashertoafullheatingsystemcall.. Honestandreliablewithover20yearsexperience ..fromatapwashertoafullheatingsystemcall.. ..fromatapwashertoafullheatingsystemcall.. ..fromatapwashertoafullheatingsystemcall..

01702435400 01702435400 01702435400 01702 435400

• Tree Pruning • Shaping • Precision Felling • Thinning • Stump Grinding • Ground Maintenance • Dead Wooding

. Qualified . Licensed . Insured .

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Essex's Leading Blind, Awning & Interior Shutter Specialists for over 100 Years

01277 809047

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As a local company we offer a wide choice of Blinds, Shutters, Curtains & Patio Awnings, with competitive prices all year, plus FREE no obligation quotations.

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YOUR YOGA

ers to work on standing balances, to gain focus and n one foot.

Tree Pose

of

tch

Method: Tree pose is a great entry level pose for beginners to work on standing balances, to gain focus and clarity and practice breathing whilst balancing on one foot.

distraction. Keep a relaxed mind.

Starting with your feet together, place your right foot onto your inner thigh.

Lift your arms high and press your hands into prayer. Keep your shoulders relaxed here.

If you bring your awareness to the centre line of your body you will help your balance. Imagine a vertical line that runs directly through the centre of your head, neck and torso.

Find a spot in front of you that you can focus on and gaze at, without

Hold this pose for up to 10 breaths and then switch sides.

Don’t lean into your standing leg and keep your abdominals engaged.

If you would like your advert or editorial to appear in Around Town Magazines then contact our sales team on: 01277 658444 or email: sales@aroundtownmagazines.co.uk

BOB LEIGHTON’S PAINTING & DECORATING

Reliable Local Based Decorator for 30 Years

Quality Interior & Exterior Works Specialist in Wallpapering No Job is Too Small Fully Insured

For FREE Friendly Advice & A FREE Quotation Call

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23

The Flooring Store that Comes to Your Door

A.Clarke Carpets & Flooring

Supply and Fit: Carpets

Vinyl

Laminate

1000’s of samples to choose from to suit all budgets brought to you at your home or office.

Highly experienced fitters, guaranteed to beat any written quotation on like for like products by at least 10%.

Large selection of quality remnants available at our warehouse.

07718 063942 • www.aclarkecarpets.com Unit 7, Red Lion Business Centre, Latchingdon, CM3 6JH • clarky319@hotmail.com

• • • • • •

Hand Painted Kitchen Specialists Let us transform your old kitchen Home Decorations into a beautiful new living space Interior Decorating Exterior Decorating Wall Papering Commercial Decorating FOR A FREE NO OBLIGATION QUOTE CONTACT US

01268 526850

Paul: 07929304993

Colin: 07941705610

sales@topnotchpaintinganddecorating.co.uk

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ROTARY CLUB OF RAYLEIGH MILL The months of January and February, with their cold and windy weather, seem to be month when nothing very exciting happens but the Rotary Club of Rayleigh Mill managed to fit in a few very pleasant social events.

Monday 22nd January, our monthly social night, saw many of our members enjoy a pleasant evening at the Asiana Restaurant in Rayleigh High Street.

Monday 29th January was a 5th Monday in the month, a time when we invite our partners to our meeting, and on this occasion to listen to a very interesting and entertaining talk by Chris Campos, magician and member of the Magic Circle.

Since the club was founded in 1995 it has been a tradition that the President, at some point during the year entertains the members and their partners at a social gathering. Over the years this has taken various forms – Christmas parties, barbeques or smaller individual dinner parties but on this occasion Carl Watson, proprietor of Squires Coffee Shop, invited the members and their partners to the coffee shop on Sunday 18th February where they spent a cosy, friendly afternoon enjoying Carl (and Helen’s) sumptuous Afternoon Teas.

On Monday, 19th February 16 of our members attended Rotary Founders Night, hosted by the Rotary Club of Leigh-on-Sea, at Saxon Hall, where we joined the members of five local Rotary Clubs in celebrating the 113th anniversary of the founding of Rotary by Paul Harris in Chicago in 1905.

This has become an annual event which allows the members of our club to renew old acquaintances and make new friends among the other clubs.

The assembled company enjoyed an informative talk given by a representative of Mercy Ships the organisation that does outstanding work in providing life altering operations and medical care for people in some of the poorest parts of the world.

See more at www.mercyships.org.uk If you are interested in helping your local community and enhancing your social life read more about who we are and what we do www.rayleighmillrotary.org.uk

RAYLEIGH LIONS CLUB The Lions Club of Rayleigh is part of the International Association of Lions Clubs, and our primary aim is to raise and distribute funds within out local area.

The Lions Club Of Rayleigh was chartered in 1974 and serves the Rayleigh, Hockley, Hullbridge and Rochford areas. Our club is a Voluntary Service Organisation and a registered charity, we are always looking for people willing to help make their community a better place to live.

By visiting our website, you will be able to find out about the work of the international organisation of Lions and the Lions Club of Rayleigh in particular, including our activities and also details of forthcoming events, and who to contact for further information.

Our club meets on the 1st (business) & 3rd (social) Tuesdays in every month in Rayleigh.

Guests are always welcome. http://www.rayleighlions.org.uk PLEASE MENTION AROUND TOWN MAGAZINE WHEN RESPONDING TO ADVERTS

25

TRAVEL - IsLE of WIghT The

By Tim Saunders – www.travelwriter.biz A butterfly has a 12-week life cycle.

We learn this during a visit to Butterfly World at Newport on the Isle of Wight. It all starts with an egg, then the caterpillar, the chrysalis and then finally the adult butterfly; each a three week process. There are some magnificent butterflies and moths all under one roof. Next door Fountain World is home to a variety of koi fish, which don’t just make for an alternative investment – with some fetching upto £3,500 – but they can live for over 200 years.

We stay in a six-berth static caravan at Sunnycott Caravan Park near Cowes. Here there are 20 caravans on a three-quarter of an acre site. There’s a farm next door. When we wash up we watch the cows grazing. It’s really peaceful. Inside there’s a kitchen, a master bedroom and a second bedroom with two twin beds. A pull out sofa bed caters for additional guests. There’s a flat screen television. But the best part is the shower which provides a good reliable spray of warm water and the oversized shower tray acts as a bath, especially for the little ones, which they thoroughly enjoy.

“We’ve owned the site for 13 years,” says Jenny, who runs the site with her husband, Jim. At Mottistone Gardens we marvel at the well cared for gardens – the children love exploring the vegetable patch and seeing the variety of flowers.

At Bembridge Windmill apart from climbing to the top we grind oats to make flour and soak up the atmosphere. Henry gets stuck in and starts sweeping the floor. After the children let off steam, running around the outside of the windmill, we discover a countryside walk that takes in some of the island’s breathtaking scenery.

At the Needles the electric Model T Ford electric cars are the most popular with our children. It’s a joy to watch their happiness. They also like the swirling teacups. The Needles is also home to sweetmakers and glassmakers. We get to watch both in action. While watching how sweets are made little Henry starts to crawl through the legs of bystanders pushing one lady’s legs apart to make his way through. There are fits of giggles. In between this side show we learn that 6kg of sugar product makes 2,000 sweets and this is done in 20 minutes. We get to try some at the end. There’s a wonderful sweet shop. Then we watch glass being made and a steady hand is certainly a requirement. It’s a really challenging process that involves a great deal of care when working with such high temperatures. If time allows there’s an excellent restaurant in Marconi’s named after the great man who carried out his groundbreaking radio work here in the 19th century. There’s a 4D cinema and for dare devils the chair lift provides the best way to see The Needles.

We travel with Wightlink ferries from Portsmouth to Fishbourne. It is surprising how smooth and fast the 25-miles journey is covered. Our 9am sailing sees us arriving on the island before 10am. We stand on deck and wave goodbye to Portsmouth. This is little Henry’s (21mths) first trip on a ferry and he loves waving at the other boats and just savouring the experience. He’s only just mastered saying ‘boat’ and makes good use of this. The ferry is clean. It feels new and well maintained. On our return journey we are meant to board at 7pm and arrive 45 minutes prior to sailing, feeling quite exhausted after a fun packed few days. To our surprise we get on the 6pm sailing, which is great because our tired children would have found it difficult to wait for the later ferry.

Tim saunders is an author, journalist and businessman. He meets celebrities, goes on holiday and road tests cars.

Basildon & District Rambling Club The group meets every Saturday at 2.00pm.

The Saturday walks are 4-5 miles with a rest halfway, we have some longer walks on other days. New members are welcome and membership is only £6 per year which includes all walks. See our website www.basildonanddistrictramblingclub.btck.co.uk for full details Belvedere Jazz & Music Club 4th April - ‘Spirit of Stephane Grappelli & Django Reinhardt’ – Mike Piggott Qrt. - 8pm -10:30pm.

11th April - The Jeff Hooper Big Band Admission by £20 ticket only 8pm -10:30pm.

18th April - Elaine Delmar + John Pearce Trio 8pm -10:30pm.

25th April - ‘Bennett to Buble’ Kevin Fitzsimmons Qnt. 8pm -10:30pm.

Admission £12.50 ~ Meals Available www.belvederejazz.co.uk Tel: 07850 607075 or email: belvederejazz@gmail.com The Chichester Hotel, Old London Road, Rawreth, SS11 8UE Chelmsford Jazz Club Cramphorn Theatre Chelmsford Doors open: 11.45am Gig starts: 12.15pm Advance booking: 01245 606505 £12 / £16 Sunday 15th April - The Humphrey Lyttelton Band: Tony Fisher (trumpet), Robert Fowler & Jimmy Hastings (reeds), Ray Wordsworth (trombone), Ted Beament (piano), John Rees Jones (bass), Adrian Macintosh (drums) Sunday 13th May - Clark Tracey Quintet: Clark Tracey (drums), Alexandra Ridout (trumpet), Sean Payne (alto), Elliott Sansom (piano) James Owston (bass)

If you would like to promote your club or event then please email a maximum of 70 words to admin@aroundtownmagazines.co.uk or fill in the form on our website www.aroundtownmagazines.co.uk Please ensure that all contact details are included.

USEFUL NUMBERS

BIRTH, DEATH MARRIAGES REGISTRATION

01268 361350 01268 361351

POLICE Rayleigh Police Station

0300 333 4444

HOSPITALS Brentwood Hospital Basildon Hospital Broomfield Hospital Essex Nuffield Hospital Queen’s Romford Southend Hospital Spire Hartswood Hospital

01277 695000 01268 524900 01245 443673 08453 143350 0845 1304204 01702 435555 01277 232525

HELPLINES Alcoholics Anonymous Childline DIAL Disability Helpline Drugline Essex 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

CHEMISTS Boots the Chemist, Rayleigh 01268 771883 Audley Mills, Rayleigh

01268 776479

Lloyds Pharmacy, Rayleigh

01268 771703

Grange Pharmacy, Rayleigh 01268 784192 Hambro, Rayleigh

01268 781623

Yardley Chemist

01268 743283

BLOOD TEST 01245 256147 0800 11 11 11 01268 294400/1 01708 749151 01245 353575 0300 9991212 111 0808 8002222 116 123 01375 380609 0845 4565995 01268 541140

Booking Line

01702 746511

ROAD & TRAVEL UPDATES Essex Travel www.bbc.co.uk/travelnews/essex COUNCILS Rochford District Council

01702 546366

Rayleigh Town Council

01268 741880

TRANSPORT Bus Service

0870 6082608

Rail Service

08457 484950

TAXIS Rayleigh Taxi Bestax Abba Cars Cab Call Cab 24/7

01268 531888 01268 777300 01268 771666 01268 777300 01268 778877

UTILITIES Anglian Water 0345 145145 Electricity – Power Supply Problems 0800 7838838 Gas – Urgent Calls / Gas Escapes 0800 111999 Minicom – Transco 0800 371787 Thames Water (Supply or Wastewater Services) 0845 9200800 Three Valleys Water 0345 823333 Water – Essex & Suffolk Water 01245 491234 VETS YourVets Vets4Pets Rochford Veterinary Surgery Downes Vets Medivet LIBRARIES Rayleigh

01268 745180 01268 772283 01702 545558 01268 776883 01702 413902

0845 603 7628

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27

Your Stove is waiting for you!

Photo for illustration purposes only