Shield Roller Garage Doors Would like to congratulate and thank Mr and Mrs Bonsall on being our 100th customer.
Shield Roller Garage Doors started trading in July last year and has gone from strength to strength. We are a small family run business offering what is often thought of as luxury electric insulated roller garage doors at extremely competitive prices. I would like to thank all customers over the last year for their business and will continue to strive to achieve the highest standards. For information on our door prices and to book a quote please call. Tel : 07401 375138 Email: Pictured is Director of the company Paul Smith shieldrollergaragedoors presenting Mr and Mrs Bonsall with a bottle of @virginmedia.com champagne and box of chocolates. Facebook: Shield Roller Garage Doors
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July 2017 12 24
Inside...
12 A Window on the Past
Time to go to Chapel...
20 Winner of Rugeley’s Cutest Pet
Congratulations to Patch!
24 Rugeley Welfare for Dogs
A forever home for Blu?
28 Win a Sophie Conran 24
Piece Cutlery Set Worth £155 from Arthur Price
30 Rugeley Charter Fair and Parade
In Pictures
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Welcome to CITYLIFE
Welcome to CITYLIFE in Rugeley, a monthly magazine bringing you our pick of the area’s news, events and stories. Each month CITYLIFE in Rugeley is delivered to 11,000 businesses and homes in Rugeley, Ravenhill, Etchinghill, Slitting Mill, Armitage, Handsacre, Colton, Hill Ridware and Hamstall Ridware, completely free of charge; bringing you the best that the area has to offer. Each issue features heritage stories exploring the rich history of our area, plus competitions, interviews and the latest in fashion and style. Got a story or charity event you want to share with our readership? Think you’ve snapped an image that captures the spirit of the region? We want to hear from you!
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CITYLIFE Contacts Editor - Joss Musgrove Knibb 07833 735048
josscitylife@gmail.com
Advertising-
Steve Brown 07740 166497 stevebrowncitylife@gmail.com Karen Wraxton 07791 635019 kaz.citylife@gmail.com Rebecca Hill 07970 513144 rebeccahillcitylife@gmail.com Production - Helen Smith 07967 154187 helencitylife@gmail.com Citylife In Lichfield Ltd PO Box 7126 LICHFIELD WS14 4JS CITYLIFE in Lichfield and CITYLIFE in Rugeley magazines are not connected to any other publication or publisher, and are wholly owned by CITYLIFE in Lichfield Ltd. Citylife In Rugeley
Citylife in Rugeley does not endorse any business or organisation appearing in these pages, and the publication of any advertisement, editorial, event listing or advertising editorial does not constitute an endorsement by Citylife in Rugeley or Citylife in Lichfield Ltd.
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Smiling Saddlers v Compton Wolves Celebrity Football Match
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By Paul Mobberley of Redhill Primary School
n Saturday 13th May, pupils from Redhill Primary School in Cannock along with friends from Chase View Primary School in Rugeley had the fantastic opportunity to act as ball boys for the Smiling Saddlers v Compton Wolves Celebrity Football Match held at Walsall FC's Banks's Stadium. Whilst all but one of the lads had been ball boys for Walsall in the past this was an incredible experience due to the amount of big names taking part.
The day began with a football coaching session at the Liam Keeling 4G arena at Cardinal Griffin High School. The venue was kindly donated free of charge by Cardinal Griffin head Michael Burrowes and the session run by PE teacher Jordan Wood. It was perhaps a really appropriate venue as Liam himself was a massive Walsall fan.
Training over, the boys arrived at the Stadium for the big match. The game was organised by Suzy Richards, whose son Joel was tragically killed in the Tunisian beach shootings, and who has worked tirelessly since to raise money and awareness in his name. The list of celebrities taking part was huge and everyone was buzzing.
All gathered inside the boys were in a perfect position for celebrity spotting as they all had to pass the ball boy room to get to the pitch prematch. In fact kick off was delayed by half an hour due to the late arrival of Smiling Saddlers manager Katie Price, but this just allowed more time for autographs and selfies so no one really minded.
Eventually all was ready and the boys all led one of the celebrity players on to the pitch and stayed with them during pre-match ceremonies. They then took their places around the pitch to act as ball boys for the 90 minutes that followed. It was
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lovely when there was a special announcement and song for Redhill's Sports’ captain Shaun Sutcliffe who was there as an early birthday surprise as he reaches the milestone of 11 next week.
As the celebrities took a half time break the ball boys were joined by the two managers Katie Price and Shayne Ward to take part in a penalty shoot out against the mascots in front of the home stand. Most but not all of them scored but they all got a mention on the tannoy, and how many people can say they've taken a penalty on a professional pitch in front of over 5000 people?
The second half saw lots more celebrities playing, plus goals, misses, penalties and lots of fun. Eventually the Smiling Saddlers emerged as 6-5 winners. The final whistle wasn't the end for the ball boys though as they were invited to do a lap of honour with the players, get more autographs and in a couple of cases even the players' shirts!
This was a fantastic opportunity that the boys will remember for a long time. It was especially nice to receive praise from numerous sources about their patience, behaviour and enthusiasm and of course it was all in a brilliant cause. The sun shone too!
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Kings Bromley Show
he Kings Bromley Show takes place this year on Saturday 22nd July from 9.30am until 5pm and its theme will be ‘All Creatures Great and Small’. Attractions include Horse Classes; Amusements including Funfair; Craft Fair with demonstrations; Food Fair; Non-commercial stands to inform and entertain; Refreshment and Trade stands; Children’s Races; Competitive marquee with displays of art, crafts, cookery, floral art, flowers, fruit, photography, vegetables, woodworking and young crafts; Treasured vehicle display and Ringside entertainment. There will be a great variety of animals to admire or pet, including horses; llamas; birds of prey; sheep; ponies; dogs and a wildlife display. Please visit the website for more upto-date information and for a schedule to enter the competitive classes. Also available are a variety of refreshments including a Real Ale bar. Tickets are: Adults £6, Concessions £5, Under 16s £3, Family ticket (two adults and two under 16s) £15. Under 5s are free and there’s free parking. The Kings Bromley Show will take place at the Show Field, Crawley Lane, Kings Bromley, Staffordshire DE13 7JF www.kingsbromleyshow.co.uk
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A Window on the Past
Time to go to Chapel…
Thank you to the local history group, The Landor Society, for giving us an insight into the Methodist movement, that was so important to working people in our area.
2017 marks the 50th anniversary of the St Paul’s Church building in Lichfield Street, Rugeley. The foundation stone was laid in June 1967 and it was officially opened on 16th December that year. The new church was built on the site of the old Prince of Wales Boys’ School and enlarged in 1977.
Since the founding of the Methodist movement in 1729, various groups have grown from from the main body including the Primitive Methodists in 1808 and the Wesleyan Methodists in 1836. Both these groups built churches in Rugeley and the surrounding villages. The earliest was the one on Main Road, Brereton, built in 1809, which was considerably altered and enlarged in 1872. In 1932 various groups joined together to form the Methodist Church of Great Britain – though in Rugeley they continued to worship in their separate chapels until 1955 when the Church Street chapel closed. By the mid 1970s the Congregational Church building was closed because of structural problems and in 1976 the Congregationalists united with the Methodist Church and were renamed St Paul’s Methodist and United Reformed Church.
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1. The Wesleyan Chapel on Main Road, Brereton. The original chapel was built in 1809. 2. The Wesleyan Chapel on Lichfield Street, Rugeley - built in 1839 and enlarged in 1870 and 1877, when a new frontage patterned with coloured bricks was added. 3. Handbill for the Lichfield Street Chapel’s Harvest Festival in September 1892. 4. The Primitive Methodist Church built in 1870. The lower building (on the left) opening on to Lion Street was built after the First World War as a Memorial Hall. 5. Programme for the stone laying ceremony (there are ten foundation and memorial stones) for the Memorial Hall. 6. & 7. Handsacre had its own chapel… 8. … as did Armitage.
The Landor Society is a focus for those who wish to learn more about the history of Rugeley and its surrounding parishes. It was founded in 1953 and was named in honour of Walter Noble Landor, local and county historian, who became the Society’s first President. More information is available at www.landorlocalhistorysociety-rugeley.btck.co.uk Please note that these images may not be reproduced, copied, or used in any way without express permission from Citylife in Lichfield Ltd and The Landor Society.
Continued on page 14
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Liquid Gold
By Richard Winterton of Richard Winterton Auctioneers
his month I am looking at the exciting, booming market of whisky or ‘liquid gold’. We have seen some impressive hammer prices in our past two specialist sales; helped in no small part by the Chinese market’s desire to purchase. Our live auction platforms are streamed direct into the homes of Chinese buyers, and this coupled with mounting interest in this area of collecting makes the market electric, and it fact whisky collections now stand alongside and within many investment portfolios The rare whiskies market is a collectors’ paradise, with so many little-known distilleries that finding the perfect rare bottle becomes a passion, and if these small distilleries gain stellar reviews, it could also be a sound investment. We never offer investment advice but it is the case that some buyers (especially at the high end of the market) will see whisky as an investment rather than something to drink. The big names such as Johnnie Walker, The Macallan and Glenfiddich have a strong following, with Highland Park, Springbank, Glendronach and Bowmore all on the rise. However, there are pitfalls to look out for when collecting Scotch whisky as
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there is no definition of what can be called a limited edition. Look for single casks (often limited to 500 bottles or fewer) or a high alcohol content (which will add value to the overall item) as well as those limited editions designed for specific markets or travel retail units. Japanese whisky is also seeing an explosion of interest and is of superb quality, leading to an increasing demand for drinking and collecting stock. With this area as with all others, it’s a good idea to do your homework. Scotch has seen ups and downs over the years and many distilleries closed down. Stock from those distilleries will be in short supply and just may see some exciting results in the future - but that’s the buzz of collecting whatever your tipple! We are welcoming TV’s Bargain Hunt to our next sale, so look out for next month’s ‘tales from the saleroom’ here in Citylife, where we’ll go behind the scenes with the BBC. Richard Winterton Auctioneers offer free valuations every Tuesday from 9.30am to 4pm at the Lichfield Auction Centre, Wood End Lane, Fradley Park, WS13 8NF.
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What’s in a Name? By The Landor Society
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o you live in Lion Street, Grindcobbe Grove or Keystone Lane? Do you know why they are so called? Read on to the end of this feature to find out!*
The reason behind some street names is obvious. Station Road, Brereton Road, Mill Lane etc all name a destination, but what of Church Street (or Church Lane as it used to be)? It used to continue across Wolseley Road, through what is now the Chancel School playground to a gateway in the wall opposite a doorway into the now ruined Old Chancel.
Rugeley’s industrial heritage is remembered by Mill Lane, Coalway Road, Forge Lane, Brewery Street, Leathermill Lane, Quarry Close, Mersey Close (the canal) and Phoenix Close (the Phoenix tannery), whilst Sheep Fair and Portobello (on the site of Portobello Farm) remind us of the importance of agriculture.
The old Rugeley Urban District Council honoured most of its chairmen by giving new roads their names – Cowlishaw Way, Owens Close, John Till Close and Seabrooke Road for example.
National as well as local figures are brought to mind with Attlee Crescent and Kingsley Wood Road. Some roads on the Pear Tree Estate, built on the site of Pear Tree Farm, are named after national figures connected to the mining industry, for example, Hardie Avenue (named for Kier Hardie, the first miners’ M.P.), Davy Place (named for Sir Humphrey Davy of the miners’ lamp fame) and Sankey Crescent (named for Lord Sankey). More controversial were the names of social reformers chosen for Springfields Estate, including Wat Tyler Close and John Ball Close (both leaders of the
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The house behind the brick wall was formerly the White Lion Inn. Peasants’ Revolt). The Chartist movement was remembered in Lovett Court and the Diggers in Winstanley Place. Holyoake the founder of Secularism and the ‘father’ of the National Health Service is referenced in Aneurin Bevan Place.
Cannock Chase has influenced the area. The racecourse at Etching Hill is recalled by Bridle Walk, Horseshoe Drive and Rider’s Way. East and West Butts Roads and Shooting Butts Road commemorate the 19th century military manoeuvres on the Chase. Many of our streets recall the natural history of the area, including Plovers Rise, Moss Green, Antler Drive and Deerleap Way. However, Bush Drive and Woodcock Road commemorate Chairmen of the Rugeley Urban District Council; and Bees Lane is named after the Bee family who lived and owned land in Rugeley from at least the 16th century.
Some streets are named after buildings that were on or near the site, for instance, The Oaklands, The Beeches, Larkholme Close, Swan Close and Daywell Rise.
The Landor (local history) Society’s display this year will be about some of the place names of Rugeley and Brereton. Come and find out more about your locality. We will be at Brereton Carnival (in the Parish Hall) on Saturday July 15th and in the autumn at Rugeley Library for a couple of weeks.
*The answers to the opening questions are: Lion Street is named for the White Lion Inn that stood on the corner of Sheep Fair; Grindcobbe Grove is for a member of the Peasants’ Revolt and ‘Keystone’ was the trademark of Key’s the clothing manufacturer.
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Cutest Pet Competition Winner Citylife in Rugeley’s PATCH!
Congratulations to Patch and his owners Sue and Andy! Patch is the winner of Citylife in Rugeley’s Cutest Pet Competition 2017 and receives £100 cash prize!
Sue and Andy commented: “Although he's an old boy, he still loves nothing better than a trip out in the car. He's definitely the boss at home, so much so that we call him 'Sir Patch!” Thank you to everyone who sent in pictures of their gorgeous pets and we hope that you’ve enjoyed this competition as much as we have. Our independent judge found choosing the winner very hard indeed! Entries for Citylife in Rugeley’s Cutest Pet Competition 2018/19 can be submitted from May 1st next year.
All entries were considered by the competition’s independent judge S.Baker, Registered veterinary nurse and nursing lecturer.
Highly Commended
Sebby - Sebby’s owners Lucy, Laura and Ruth commented: “Sebby is a Labrador cross Collie who we recently rescued from the Dogs Trust. He is playful and full of energy but he loves a cuddle on the sofa.”
Highly Commended
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Yasmin - Owned by Jordon
Highly Commended
Skittle - Skittle’s owner Laura told Citylife: “This is skittle. She's 11 months old. A naughty but nice kitty who is very mischievous and loves a lot of fuss.”
Highly Commended
Rogue - Jo, Rogue’s owner told Citylife: “She's very loving and playful. Such a fluffball. She loves playing chase with her brother and sister (Simba and Storm).”
Highly Commended
Zeus - Lucy and Jay told Citylife: “This is Zeus the bunny. He has such a cheeky personality and just loves cuddles! He’s a big part of the family.”
Highly Commended
Bernie - Vicky, Bernie’s owner told Citylife: “This is my best-friend Bernie, he is a rescue dog. He loves walks, swimming and playing with balloons.”
Volunteers needed to make a difference to policing
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olice and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire, Matthew Ellis, is calling for more volunteers in Cannock to play an active role in keeping their community safe as part of National Volunteers Week.
Volunteers play an important role in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent and help to scrutinise Staffordshire Police, inspect custody and lead cadet units amongst many other roles.
Volunteers for the Ethics, Transparency and Audit panel (ETAP) examine policing in Staffordshire at every level, including examining the response of police to incidents and analysing the way they handle complaints about policing. The panel has received national recognition for its scrutiny of the police use of Taser, stop and search and crime recording in Staffordshire.
J HOWELL & DAUGHTERS FUNERAL DIRECTORS LICHFIELD & ALREWAS
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We are proud to be Lichfield's longest established family run funeral directors offering a wide range of choices to suit all requirements. Horse drawn, non religious ceremonies, floral tributes and memorials are but a few services we offer. Pre-paid funeral plans are also available.
For a truly personal service please call
01543 255776
Private Chapel of Rest 116 Netherstowe, Lichfield, Staffs. WS13 6TS
01283 792923
36 Main Street, Alrewas, Burton Upon Trent. DE13 7AA
Following the success of ETAP, Safer Neighbourhood Panels were launched in 2015 with local residents volunteering their time to meet with local councillors and the local policing commander. The panel influence local policing and community safety, scrutinise the work done by police in the area, give feedback to their community and examine the impact of community resolutions and restorative justice where they live.
Other vital work undertaken by volunteers is unannounced visits to custody suites by Independent Custody Visitors (ICVs) to check on the wellbeing of people being held in custody. Their visits provide an independent check on people being detained by the police and the way police officers carry out their duties with regard to detainees.
Another way you can get involved is as a volunteer cadet leader who run cadet units across Staffordshire and Stokeon-Trent. They make a difference in young people’s lives by helping cadets gain confidence, a sense of purpose and responsibility and new skills, while developing leadership, confidence and communication skills of their own.
You can find out more about volunteering opportunities with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire on the website: https://www.staffordshirepcc.gov.uk/volunteer/
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Your Image Competition
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calling all photographers and artists!
ver the coming months, we’d like to see your photographs, drawings and paintings of Cannock Chase and the surrounding area. Each month we’ll publish a new selection of the work received, and the final winning image (announced in the June 2018 issue) will receive a £100 prize and ‘Your Image’ Trophy. For terms and conditions see page 34. The competition is open to all ages. Photographs, paintings and drawings should be of Cannock Chase and the surrounding area and countryside. Please note that you should own the copyright to
Rugeley on a misty morning by Peter Bell
any image that you send in and the image should be your own work. If sending in a photograph, please make sure that you have permission to submit the image from any individual who may be pictured in your work, and also appropriate permissions if the photograph was taken on private property. To enter, email your images to citylifecompetitions@gmail.com or post them to Your Image Competition, PO Box 7126, Lichfield, WS14 4JS. Apologies but we cannot return images sent to us, so if submitting a drawing or painting you may want to send us photographs of your work rather than original artwork.
Hednesford Davy Lamp by Tim Harborow
Hednesford Town Clock by Tim Harborow
Copyright of these images remains with the creators and Citylife in Lichfield Ltd and they may not be reproduced by any unauthorised individual or organisation.
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Bower Lane by Peter Bell
Colton Summer Fair and Open Gardens
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olton Summer Fair and Open Gardens is a community event being hosted by many local village organisations, coming together to raise money for a range of causes including the replacement of Colton Playground and the resurfacing of the Village Hall car park. In addition, numerous charities attending the weekend will also be supported by funds raised. The event will be staged over two days. Saturday 24th June will feature a dog show, steam engines and bouncy castles plus a tug-of-war over the brook between the two village pubs - The Greyhound and Ye Olde Dun Cow. Sunday 25th June will highlight the open gardens, the judging of the Scarecrow Competition and strawberry teas in the church. There will also be two musical performances by the Community Choir and a local Music Students Choir. All of the events will be staged across St Mary’s Church and the Village Hall, with Open Gardens taking place across the village. Events start at 12 noon on Saturday 24th June.
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A Happy Ending for Candy
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By Ruth Dewis of Rugeley Welfare for Dogs
his is one of many happy tales about our work that we do - five years ago we needed to home three terrier-cross dogs that had been brought into a rescue center. We successfully re-homed all three dogs, but then unfortunately Candy’s owner was taken ill, so sadly we had to find her another new home, which luckily we did. She recently had to undergo a serious operation which she is recovering well from.
We were able to help towards the vet bills as we constantly fundraise to help with these situations. As part of our fund raising we do car boots, raffles and cake days. If anyone would like to make a donation to help us continue with our work in helping other rescue dogs more information is available at www.rugeleywelfarefordogs.co.uk
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Could You Offer a Home to Blu?
Blu is in desperate need of a new forever home. He is a male nine year old Staffy, and his owners are having to re-home him due to ill health. He still likes to go for a walk and gets on with other dogs and cats and is also really good with children. He has been micro-chipped and castrated and is up to date with his injections. He is a very loving boy and loves company. If you think that you might be able to give Blu and home there will be a home check required. To contact Rugeley Welfare for Dogs contact us via Facebook or go to www.rugeleywelfarefordogs.co.uk
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MP welcomes Dementia of major Awareness Week conformation road repairs
To mark Dementia Awareness Week staff from Specsavers, Rugeley went to Horse Fair Care Home to help with a cake making fun day. The results were delicious!
Live Well Community Cafe
The Live Well Community Café provides fun, entertainment, advice and guidance to anyone living in South Staffordshire that has been diagnosed with or cares for someone with an illness or condition that has changed the way they live. Come along to Lea Hall Sport and Social Club, Rugeley, WS15 2LB on Wednesday 16th August from 10am to 12.30pm for an informal get together; to share experiences and gain advice to help you live better with your condition. The Cafes are run by MAC Clinical Research alongside guest speakers including healthcare professionals and community support services. Workshops, entertainment and refreshment will all be provided ensuring the cafes are enjoyable and comfortable as well as being informative and helpfull. The cafe will run monthly, and is free of charge, with the option to stay for food and company afterwards. For more information please go to www.livewellcommunitycafe.com 26
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manda Milling has welcomed news of major road repairs planned for Cannock Chase. Staffordshire County Council has confirmed to Amanda that works have been scheduled for some of roads across Cannock Chase which are in need of repair. These works include Sandy Lane in Rugeley. Amanda Milling said: “One of the biggest issues people raise with me is the state of our roads. After much lobbying and following a tour of the constituency with County Councillor Mark Deaville, the Portfolio Holder for Highways, I am very pleased to say some of the most significant issues on our roads across Cannock Chase will now be addressed. This is great news and represents much needed investment in our roads." Sandy Lane, Rugeley (A460), the Queensway Pear Tree Estate junction, including the pedestrian crossing to the South of the junction, is expected to be reworked beginning 7th August 2017.
Cannock Women’s Institute Meeting Report
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By Jill Gooch
ecently, President Mary Fullelove presided over her first committee meeting which is held monthly at Cannock Community Fire Station. The committee plan the year ahead with a variety of speakers at their monthly club meetings plus trips out (which this year include a visit to the BBC recording studios at Salford), a riverboat day cruise, and a Christmas visit to Tatton Park. Then there is to be a holiday in Great Yarmouth. Each club meeting will include a competition and this month’s theme is ‘vintage china’. Linking with the National Federation of Women’s Institutes the focus of the meeting was National Flower Arranging Day, with members entering into the spirit by making a small flower bouquet. Rhododendrons and bluebells from my garden were made into ‘Lonely Bouquets’. The idea is to spread a little joy by leaving the bouquets somewhere for a random stranger to find. The bouquet is tagged with the saying ‘Take me Home!’ and gives the details of Cannock WI. As we also have a resolution to help ‘Alleviate Loneliness’ it is hoped that it may encourage ladies to join their local W.I. For further information go to www.thewi.org.uk/staffordshire
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Win a Sophie Conran 24 Piece Box Cutlery Set worth £115!
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itylife has teamed up with local cutlery and gift designer Arthur Price to give three lucky readers the chance to win a 24-piece box set of the latest Sophie Conran pattern ‘Dune’ worth £115 each!
Whether you need everyday kitchen cutlery or silver plated canteens for that special occasion, Arthur Price has it all. Arthur Price also designs a huge range of gifts from china mugs by Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen to picture frames. Available online at arthurprice.com and in most department stores including House of Fraser and John Lewis, you can also get everything you need, for less, at the Arthur Price Factory Shop.
The Arthur Price Factory Sale Between 8th and 22nd July, pop along to the Arthur Price Factory Shop and you’ll get bargains of up to 70% during the quarterly Factory Shop Sale. From canteens to cake spoons you could extend your existing service or treat loved ones to a special silver gift. For more information call 01543 267324 or pop in. To find the Arthur Price Factory Shop head towards the Royal Mail
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Win, Win, Win!
Sorting Office on Britannia Way and follow the Arthur Price signs.
To be in with a chance of winning one of three Sophie Conran Dune 24-piece box sets just answer the following question: On what road is the Arthur Price Factory Shop located? A: Britannia Way B: Camelot Way C: Warwick Way
To enter, send your name, answer and contact details to Arthur Price Competition, PO Box 7126, Lichfield, WS14 4JS or email citylifecompetitions@gmail.com by the competition closing date of Monday 24th July. Terms and conditions apply, see page 34.
YOUR JOB HERE FOR £115!
Your next recruitment advertisement could be in 11,000 hand-delivered copies of Citylife in Rugeley for just £115 + VAT!
Get your job seen across the region and by thousands of online readers too. To book call Karen on 07791 635019
Got a story or charity event you want to share with our readership? Think you’ve snapped an image that captures the spirit of the region? We want to hear from you! Contact Citylife at josscitylife@gmail.com
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Rugeley Charter Fair and Parade!
Congratulations to everyone involved in putting together a truly spectacular Charter Fair and Parade on Saturday 10th June! Hundreds lined the route of the procession that paraded through the town to the site of the fair at Green Lane playing fields. The rain stayed away, and sunny smiles all round made up for the overcast weather.
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Cannock Chase WWI training camps
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lans to highlight the history of Cannock Chase including the role of the Great War training camps are being planned for the summer.
The Chase’s two military camps trained over half a million troops for the trenches from across the UK and abroad and today survive as the most complete Great War archaeological sites in the country. Soldiers would have spent several months at the camps to learn the skills required on the Western Front.
Now, 100 years on, a commemoration event being held on 24th and 25th June will pay tribute to the area’s history and role in the Great War.
Visitors will get the chance to experience a WWI field hospital, take a tour of the Great War hut and watch films of the time in an authentic period cinema. The event will also host a full sized replica SE5A Fighter Plane with an opportunity to sit in the cockpit and experience
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something of the cramped conditions early pilots experienced.
The Birmingham Pals will demonstrate mining techniques and infantry training methods from the period with a chance to enter a mine and experience what it was like to dig for victory on the Western Front.
The event will also showcase results from the Heritage Lottery funded ‘Chase through Time’ project which is exploring the wider archaeology and history of the Chase. Visitors can experience key periods of the area’s history from the Iron Age, right through to the Norman period and beyond. People will have the chance to talk with local historians, including a Norman resident of the Chase who will explain about hunting during the medieval period.
The event will take place at the Cannock Chase Visitor Centre, on Marquis Drive.To find out more visit the Chase Through Time Facebook page.
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Backing for business to transform rural buildings
MAGAZINE DISTRIBUTORS WANTED
Earn extra money delivering magazines in Rugeley, Cannock, Lichfield and Tamworth.
Must be over 16
Call Marie today! 07548 682576
Competition and Prize Draw Terms and Conditions 1. By entering the prize draw/competition, you agree to the terms and condition stated. 2.The closing date is stated on each individual prize draw or competition. 3.Where stated in the competition that a clearly stated competition partner will contact the entrants after the competition with news, stories and offers, entrant’s contact details will be passed to this competition partner for these marketing purposes only. As stated in the competition/prize draw, if you do not wish to receive marketing information from the competition partner stated, please add the words OPT OUT to your entry. For a copy of Citylife in Lichfield Ltd’s privacy policy please write to Citylife in Lichfield Ltd, PO Box 7126, Lichfield, WS14 4JS. 4.By entering the competition/prize draw, entrants agree to Citylife in Lichfield Ltd using or publishing materials provided by the entrants in any of their publications and online. 5.Citylife in Lichfield Ltd accepts no responsibility for any breach of copyright or breach of any other legislation entailed by entrants in their creation or submission of materials. 6.Only one entry per prize draw/competition, per reader. 7.Except in the case of cash prizes, no cash equivalent will be offered and the prize
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acant buildings could be transformed into thriving business hubs for small and medium sized enterprises thanks to a new initiative launched in June. The Rural Enterprise Programme will make grants of between £10,000 and £65,000 available to businesses that can demonstrate they will create jobs as a result of a move to the refurbished building. Grants are also available to property owners with a business lined up to occupy their premises. Businesses and property owners will need to match fund any grant. The initiative is being coordinated by Staffordshire County Council.
Properties will need to be converted for manufacturing, creative or service industry use. The funding can be used for works to build or refurbish workspaces, build extensions, installation of services, access works, car parking and landscaping works needed for planning permission. Properties in all areas of Staffordshire are available, including towns. Grants are not available for retail, agriculture, tourism or residential end uses.
Anyone wanting to find out more should visit www.staffordshire.gov.uk/REP , call 01785 277400 or email REP@staffordshire.gov.uk
www.rugeleytowncouncil.gov.uk
Rugeley Town Council have recently launched their new website. On here will be the copies of Agendas and Minutes of the council meetings and the committee meetings – they have committees overseeing the local Festivals, Planning, The Rose Theatre and the Finance & Management of the Council. They also post information about upcoming events or just interesting articles for you. Why not take a bit of time and find out more about your local council? is non-transferable. 8.All prizes are subject to availability and the prize suppliers' terms and conditions. 9.No purchase necessary. 10.Prize draws and competitions are only open to UK residents aged 18 years or over (unless otherwise stated). 11.Competitions and prize draws may not be entered by any employee or individual associated with any employee, agent or third party of Citylife in Lichfield Ltd. 12.Winners will be selected at random in the case of applicable prize draws and competitions, or by an independent judge in the case of photographic/art/applicable competitions from all entries received. 13.Winners will be notified by Citylife in Lichfield Ltd up to 28 days after the closing date of the competition/prize draw by the contact details provided by the entrant. 14.A list of the surnames and county of residence of the winners will be available by writing to Citylife in Lichfield Ltd no earlier than six weeks after the competition closing date. 15.When the prize draw/competition winner has been selected, this decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. 16.Citylife in Lichfield Ltd accepts no responsibility for the prize being lost, damaged or delayed in transit. When the prize is provided by a third party, Citylife in
Lichfield Ltd accepts no responsibility for any change to the prize, or for the quality of the prize provided. 17.Competitions may be amended or withdrawn at any time. 18.By entering the competition or prize draw, you agree to having your name, (photograph, where stated) and city or county of residence published in any of Citylife in Lichfield Ltd’s publications and online. 19.Unless otherwise stated, the promoter is Citylife in Lichfield Ltd, PO Box 7126, Lichfield, WS14 4JS. 20. Citylife in Lichfield Ltd do not express any warranty or endorsement of any competition prize, information, service or product provided in connection with a competition by printing or otherwise publicising any competition. 21.To the full extent of the law, Citylife in Lichfield Ltd shall not be liable for any loss, claim, punitive, indirect, incidental or consequential damages of any kind incurred as a result of entering this prize draw or competition. 22.By submitting photos, text or artworks as part of competition/prize draw entries you agree that you own these photos text or artworks, that it is your original work to which you own all rights to distribute, and that your entry is accurate, moral and legal.
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