Citylife in Lichfield July 2018 by Citylife In Lichfield

Inside... July 2018

Welcome to CITYLIFE

Welcome to CITYLIFE in Lichfield, a monthly magazine bringing you our pick of the city’s news, events and stories. Each month CITYLIFE in Lichfield is delivered to 18,000 businesses and homes in Lichfield, Kings Bromley, Fradley, Alrewas, Whittington, Stonnall, Shenstone, Little Aston, Hammerwich, Burntwood and Longdon, completely free of charge; bringing you the best that the city 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 city? We want to hear from you! Our business is bringing you Lichfield’s city life.

6 Win a £20 Pick Your Own Fruit Voucher At Manor Farm Fruits

12 Win Tickets to The Pet Show 2018 One of the UK's largest pet events! 14 The Month in Pictures A look back at the last month

32 Plaques of Lichfield An alternative look at the streets of our city 36 Window on the Past A walk down Stowe Street

48 Tastes of the Season Chef Simon Smith introduces two fresh and vibrant dishes

CITYLIFE Contacts Editor - Joss Musgrove Knibb 07833 735048

josscitylife@gmail.com

Features - Jono Oates 07785 757201 jonocitylife@gmail.com Advertising-

Steve Brown 07740 166497 stevebrowncitylife@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 Lichfield

www.citylifeinlichfieldltd.co.uk Citylife in Lichfield Ltd 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 Lichfield Ltd.

WIN a £20 Pick Your Own Fruit Voucher at Manor Farm Fruits!

Manor Farm Fruits, Hints, are well known for their excellent Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Gooseberries and other soft fruit plus their ever-popular ‘Pick-Your-Own’ in the Summer and Autumn months. Children love to go strawberry picking and as well as being good fun, it is very educational for them to see how fruit is grown as well as helping them to work towards their '5-A-Day'. Pick Your Own is a great day out – and children can enjoy themselves at the children's play area and Bouncy Castles while the adults enjoy well-deserved relaxation and refreshments. You can find the latest 'fruit' updates at manorfarmfruits.co.uk, on Facebook or by calling 01543 483308. Set in the heart of the picturesque Staffordshire countryside, The Strawberry Cabin is surrounded by the fruit fields of Manor Farm at Hints. With a delicious range of food on offer and a warm welcome guaranteed from the Cabin Crew, it’s a great place to enjoy ‘a little taste of the countryside’, all year round. Head Chef, Simon Doveston creates an ever changing range of seasonal dishes and specials, so there’s always something deliciously new to try. Breakfast is served until 11.30am, followed by lunch between 12pm and 3pm, with a traditional roast on Sundays. A wide range of hot and cold drinks, tempting cakes and scrumptious snacks are served throughout the day. Our pick your own fields are open every day 10am – 6pm. The Strawberry Cabin is now open 9am – 5pm (Mon – Friday) and 9am – 6pm on Saturday and 9.30am – 6pm on a Sunday (throughout the

summer months) while the PYO is open. For more information call 01543 483680. Manor Farm Fruits are offering readers the chance of winning a £20 Pick-Your-Own-Fruit voucher, giving the whole family the chance to enjoy a fantastic day out. To be in with the chance of winning a £20 Pick-Your-Own-Fruit voucher, just unscramble the letters to find a fruity sweet pudding that you really shouldn’t feel silly about enjoying.

ALBERTROOFSWRY __________

____

To enter, just send your name, contact details and answer to ‘Manor Farm Fruits Competition’, at citylifecompetitions@gmail.com or post your entry to Citylife in Lichfield Ltd, PO Box 7126, Lichfield WS14 4JS by the competition closing date of Friday 20th July 2018. One entry per household. Multiple entries will be disqualified. Winner will not be offered a cash equivalent. Full terms and conditions on page 50. Please note that you must be 18 or over to enter. All entrant’s information is processed in line with GPDR Data Protection Regulations and our Privacy Policy. To view our Privacy Policy go to citylifeinlichfieldltd.co.uk Congratulations to L Flanagan who won a £20 Pick Your Own Fruits Voucher by giving the answer 'Eton Mess', correctly answering the anagram in the June issue.

Technology - a must for all

By Stuart Hay of Richard Winterton Auctioneers Isn’t it strange how the things we lusted over as a teenager, or hated (because Grandma’s old stuff was just ‘old and nasty stuff’) have now become the ‘in thing’ today? Thankfully there isn’t much nostalgia for the old, massive televisions of the last few decades, but Hi-Fi equipment is a different thing altogether. With the popularity of vinyl records we all need record players, turntables, or gramophones to play them on. The new players are, in my opinion, either awful or extremely expensive - making the market for really good quality vintage players very buoyant. Why pay £4000 for a shiny new turntable, when at auction a Garrard 401 can be yours for £400 to £600 (better quality too), or a Thorens TD124 can be playing your original copy of Dark Side of the Moon for between £500 to £700 (about the same price for that LP too), and they look fabulous and very on trend too. Another side of audio equipment that is on the rise are valve amplifiers. Hi-Fi lovers are opting for the warmer tones that valve amps give, getting away from the flat anaemic tones of downloads. Again, new valve amplifiers

will cost you the same price as a quality used car, or you can pick up an amp like the Leak TL10 Point One with Preamp for £400 with a pair of Tannoy speakers to make it audible, giving you a beautiful, warm, nostalgic sound. It isn’t just 1940s, 50s or 60s Hi-Fi equipment either, good quality will always command good prices no matter what its age. Bang & Olufsen, Naim, Dansette, Technics, Quad or Bose among other brands will always command a great price at auction. Although gramophones still aren’t very popular at auction, early ones with valve amplifiers are being snapped up quite cheaply. The purchasers are then removing the components from the case leaving a valve amp and a turntable to be remarketed, leaving quite a lot of bits, unfortunately, to go into the bin. The Jukebox has been popular for years and the like of the old Wurlitzer will always be of value, but the later 60s and 70s models have started to become collectable too, mainly because the 1940s bubble top examples are out of the financial reach of most people. Early computers and games consoles are on the rise in popularity too. Nostalgia for the old

Commodore Amiga or Sinclair ZX Spectrum etc has led to items like these being collected along with the games that were such a big thing back in the day. This popularity is driving prices higher and higher. Along with more design led computing equipment like Apple Mac Pro, the G4, iMac, Macbook Pro etc, these iconic modern items seem to be the collectable of the future so people are snapping them up and storing them for posterity. Nostalgia for past times and items has always been collectable and of some value, and always will be so. So why not join in and utilise your old technology and let someone else repurpose your old items while you spend the proceeds on something you need today?

WIN a Family Ticket to The Pet Show 2018!

he Pet S h ow, t h e UK’s largest and indoor o u t d o o r multi-pet event returns to the Stafford County Showground on the 18th to 19th August. The Pet Show brings together all creatures great and small, and showcases the UK’s pet industry - split into dedicated animal zones, each one teeming with experts, meet and greet areas, live demonstrations, displays and trade stands featuring goodies for pets. Whether a pet owner, pet professional or pet enthusiast, there’s something for everyone.The show is also dog friendly, so if you have a canine pal – bring them along! The show is broken down into seven different animal zones; The Kennels, The Cattery, The Hutch & Run, The Aviary, The Vivarium, The Aquarium and Animal Discovery. Each zone features adorable animals to meet and interactive activities for

the whole family. There will be the chance to meet and greet micro pigs, alpacas, miniature Shetland ponies, parrots, chinchillas, guinea pigs, tarantulas, pythons and so much more! Each zone also features trade stands from British brands where you can find food, treats, toys and housing for your pets. The Pet Show 2018 will also see the return of one of the most popular features from previous years; The Dog Breed Village. This area lets you meet a huge range of different breeds from the massive Irish Wolfhound all the way down to the tiny Chinese Crested, and plenty inbetween! This is a great way to get to know a certain breed before adding one to your family, and each stand is manned by experts who will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have. More of a cat lover? The Pet Show 2018 also presents the London Cats International Cat Show, in association with TICA. The cat show will present many different cat breeds, from household favourites such as the British Shorthair to more exotic breeds such as the Lykoi (better known as the Werewolf cat). There will also be the chance to quiz the experts and meet the gorgeous felines taking part in the show. The Pet Show 2018 also features two huge arenas with an ongoing set of timetabled displays throughout the weekend. Visitors will have the chance to see sheep, goat and duck racing, ‘dancing’ miniature ponies, exciting scurry races and even discover what it takes to look after a 30 stone giant tortoise! Additionally, the show offers horse-drawn

carriage rides around the main arena – this is a great way to watch all the action in style. The extremely popular dog agility display will also be returning for 2018, showcasing their impressive training and tricks. What’s more, there will even be the chance to enter your own canine pal in our Fun Dog Show. Visitors and their dogs can compete for the title of ‘Best Crossbreed’, ‘Best Pedigree’, ‘Best Rescue Story’ and even the ‘Waggiest Tail’.

Win, Win, Win!

Citylife has got together with The Pet Show to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a family ticket (which admits four people) to The Pet Show. To be in with a chance of winning just answer the following questions. The Pet Show 2018 takes place at? A The Stafford County Showground B The NEC C Lichfield Cathedral To enter, email your name, contact details and answer (A, B or C) to citylifecompetitions@gmail.com or post your entry to Pet Show Competition, PO Box 7126, Lichfield WS14 4JS, by Friday 20th July 2018. For full terms and conditions see page 50. Your entry will be processed in line with GDPR regulations. There really is something for everyone at The Pet Show 2018; make sure you don’t miss out on this great day out for the British public and their pets! To find out more about the show and book your tickets just visit https://thepetshow.co.uk/.

Advertising Feature

Silhouette Dance Academy

ilhouette Dance Academy is an established and growing school that is based at their large, airy and beautifully appointed studio at 33 Britannia Way, Lichfield. Principal Becky Tippins’ enthusiasm for teaching is reflected in the classes offered at Silhouette, ensuring that they are fun yet beneficial. SDA focus on performance, and all students are offered the same opportunities to perform. Becky commented: “Performing gives children so much experience and raises confidence, self-expression and dedication, as well as helping students progress. Performances happen most terms at local village halls, and SDA take part annually in local events such as the Lichfield Festival and the Fuse Festival. Students also perform with organisations such as Stafford Sports, Bobby Dazzlers, Mardi Gras and Chance2Dance, and at professional venues such as the Lichfield Garrick Theatre, The Shaftesbury Theatre, Her Majesty’s Theatre and the Birmingham Hippodrome.” SDA run weekly classes that include Tumble Track, Gymnastics & Acrobatics, Contemporary Dance, Cheerleading, Commercial Dance, Tap and Ballet, taking pupils from the age of two and a half years old. SDA offer workshops half terms and school holidays. During these workshops students explore many styles of dance, tumbling, gymnastics and acrobatics, and even singing and drama work. Dance and gymnastic parties are available and are customized to suite your needs. Themes include Princess and Pirates, Strictly Come Dancing type parties, and Disney and Little Mix inspired events, Frozen Experience parties, Cinderella, Moana, Belle, Rapunzel, Ariel and Tinkerbell themed events, plus superhero parties including Spiderman, Batman and Minion themes. Tumble Track parties are also available.Getting married soon and want to ‘wow’ your audience with your first dance? Becky’s choreography and teaching will ensure you make all the right moves. For more information contact Silhouette Dance Academy, 33 Britannia Way, Lichfield, WS14 9UY, tel: 07832 621312 or go to sdadance.co.uk

The Month in Pictures

June

e take a look at the events and activities of the last month, bringing you a roundup of the city in pictures...

City of Lichfield Friends' Charity event at Three Spires Shopping Centre

Lancaster Bomber flypast over National Memorial Arboretum

St Giles Hospice celebrating Volunteers' Week at Three Spires Shopping Centre Images by Jono Oates www.jonotourism.co.uk

Blast Off band peform outside the Guildhall, Lichfield Jazz and Blues Festival

Lichfield Greenhill Bower Funfair, Beacon Park

Curborough Countryside Centre Open Farm Weekend

Lichfield Calligraphers Exhibition, Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum

Lichfield Greenhill Bower Procession

Shakespeare in the Park, Maple Hayes Hall

Zumba workout before St Giles Summer Solstice Walk

Blach 5 loco pulling Flying Scotsman through Trent Valley Railway station

Lichfield Gin, Cheese and Ale Festival, Bore Street

Kindness Rocks By Jono Oates

f you’ve been walking through the streets and parks of Lichfield recently you may have spotted lots of brightly painted rocks with messages on them dotted around. These are the Lichfield Kindness Rocks generated by, a local group of a larger nationwide community initiative, who paint, varnish and then hide rocks with messages of kindness, hope and inspiration, with the mission of making someone’s day when they find the rock! The idea originated in Cape Cod, Massachusetts USA, where founder Megan Murphy stumbled across the idea one day while walking along her local beach. The idea floated across the Atlantic and landed in the UK where there are now dozens of groups across the country including the Lichfield one. The local organiser is Stephanie Stafford, who was inspired to start the scheme in Lichfield when her mum, Louise North, told her about a Facebook group her friend from Reading, Berkshire, was in, where they went

out with the kids and hid painted rocks with kind messages for people to find. Photos of the stones, and sometimes the people who find and then re-hide them, are posted on to a Facebook page so that the ‘story of the stone’ can be traced as it is hidden, found, re-hidden and found again and again. Stephanie and her mum soon realised this was a great way to get people out and about around Lichfield and sharing the kindness. In February this year the Facebook group was launched, Louise painted some rocks, added the Facebook ‘tag’ of Lichfield Kindness Rocks on the back, and then went out to hide them before posting the photos on Facebook. Word quickly spread and by May this year the Facebook group had over 1000 followers, with Lichfield rocks being found all over the UK as well as further afield, with some being found in Italy and the USA.

Lichfield Cathedral Film Festival!

Advertising Feature

very evening from Monday 6 to Saturday 11 August, Lichfield Cathedral is bringing an outdoor cinema experience inside the stunning interior of the cathedral - complete with astro-turf! Bring your chairs, blankets and picnic, and enjoy a week-long evening film festival

celebrating kids’ classics and gripping warthemed films. Tickets are £5 and are available at The Shop at No. 9, The Close, WS13 7LD (tel: 01543 306150) or online at www.lichfieldcathedral.org/peace/film-festival. The Film line-up includes: Hacksaw Ridge (2016) (Cert 15) on Monday 6 August at 9pm; Testament of Youth (2014) (Cert 12a) on Tuesday 7 August at 9pm; Sing Along: The Sound of Music (1965) (Cert U) on Wednesday 8 August at 7.30; Peter Pan (1953) (Cert U) on Thursday 9 August at 7pm; Mary Poppins (1965) (Cert U) on Friday 10 August at 7.30pm and War Horse (2011) (Cert 12a) on Saturday 11 August at 7pm.

The rocks are very popular with younger children but it is also ideal for people of all ages to take part in and a great way to walk round Lichfield to see all of the city’s beautiful green spaces – Beacon Park is a very popular place for them to be hidden! It is also a lovely community initiative as it bonds people of all age groups, backgrounds and cultures. Stephanie says that the best bit about the whole group is when people share a photo of them with their rock, and say that finding a Kindness Rock has really brightened up their day and has made a difference to their wellbeing. If you’d like to discover more about the scheme, please search for: Lichfield Kindness Rocks in Facebook.

Lichfield Cathedral reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone who is below or appears to be below each film’s minimum certification age. Please note that for a 12a film, those under 12 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. This is a wonderful opportunity to see moving and much-loved films in one of the most spectacular settings in the UK.

It will end!

arriet Burnell “was born and raised in beautiful Lichfield” and recently undertook a 106km walk around the Isle of Wight in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society. Here, Harriett, who made the walk as part of a group of ‘walkaholic’ friends who are committed to fundraising, talks about her experiences. When we met at work in early 2014, we bonded over a love of walking. We began post-work walks through South London chatting away about anything and everything. It was September 2017 when one member of the team declared “let’s walk 106km around the Isle of Wight, it’ll be great fun”, ridiculously, we all agreed. Ultra Challenge (who organise a series of challenges around the UK – Ed.) work with selected charities to provide a framework for charity fundraising. The Ultra Challenge series of ten includes London to Brighton, Jurassic Coast, and the Isle of Wight Challenges. Participants can run, jog or walk; can select a half or complete Challenge, and can elect to do it 'all in one' or over two days. They are expected to have obtained a set level of sponsorship in support of their chosen charity. One half-distance training walk in March, with temperature highs of 0 degrees Celsius made us realise the scale of what we had signed up to. The

continued support from our friends and family, along with the money we were raising for the Alzheimer’s Society kept us going, and a few more training walks later, we were as ready as could be for the #iowchallenge. 106km is 65.9 miles and we set out to complete it in 24 hours. The weather was beautiful, with weather forecasts predicting the hottest bankholiday weekend ever. Perhaps even too beautiful and not ideal for fast times! The organisation for this event was magnificent – the food stations, medical help, monitoring, mentoring, support and well-marked routes made it possible to complete the challenge. The walk wasn’t without some medical issues. At 72km one member of the team had to withdraw. At 83km another member of the team sobbed as her blisters worsened and she questioned why we were doing this. At 87km the other ‘walkaholic’ nearly sleep-walked herself into the sea. It was 99km when the thought of walking for another hour officially broke me - barely lifting my tired, sore feet off the floor. Together we carried on, repeating the mantra ‘it will end, it will end’ we made it to 104km. We looked at each other and realised that with some speed we could complete the race in under 25 hours, though the thought of walking any further, let alone running, was hard to handle. We picked up a light jog as we turned the corner on 105km. Friends and family members were gathered at the finish line cheering us on and we did it, completeing in 24 hours and 57 minutes 143,936 steps and 106km.

Physically and emotionally draining, it was certainly not the most relaxing bank holiday weekend, but supporting a charity so close to my heart made it worthwhile. Isle of Wight Challenge, you were brutal but amazing! For sponsorship, please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/thewalkaholics

Leamore Windows

Advertising Feature

eamore Windows have been established for over for 35 years, offering tailor-made windows, doors and conservatories to customers in Lichfield, Walsall, Sutton Coldfield and Wolverhampton. With a workforce of over 60 highly skilled window designers and fitters, Leamore manufacture all their own windows, doors, patio doors, bifold doors and double glazed units in-house, and their eight installation teams are out installing windows and conservatories for happy customers every week. In addition, Leamore undertake the brickwork, plastering and electrics for conservatories and orangeries. Leamore’s new and innovative window range - The Residence Collection, is available in a period-style timber alternative, giving you all of the advantages of a modern window alongside 19th century design features. These windows sit flush to the wall on the outside of your building, blending seamlessly with period homes. They are fitted with the best energy efficient glass and are maintenance free, handmade in the in-house factory and come in a range of colours and wood grain finishes. Leamore make over 300 windows a week and also supply trade builders and installers – you can order all types of windows and doors and purchase tools and products such as glazing hammers, fascia, soffit, guttering and more. At the Leamore Windows showroom their extensive displays include 30 entrance doors, 3 bifold doors, several conservatory and orangery buildings, lantern roofs, and 50 windows in both Upvc and aluminium. Visit Leamore Windows Ltd at Reaymer Close, Walsall WS2 7QZ, call 01922 473737 or go to www.leamorewindows.com for more information or an informal chat about your next building or home improvement project.

Your Garden in July By Byron Lewis

uly is the start of the summer holidays for many people - but if you have pots and hanging baskets growing well the last thing you want to happen when you are away is to lose those great summer blooms. In this month’s gardening column we take a look at some ways of prolonging the summer show so that when you come back from your well-deserved break, your plants still look good! Let’s start with the most important first - your hanging baskets, wall planters, pots and window boxes. These normally need watering once a day when the weather is warm and sunny, but unless you have very friendly neighbours who love watering, they are going to dry out! To try and reduce this problem as much as possible, there are a number of things you can do: Include water retention gel in your compost – these special granules swell up and absorb up to 400 times their own weight in water, releasing it gradually as the baskets and pots dry out. You normally mix this into the compost when you initially plant them up, but if you forgot to do this earlier in the summer fear not – by making a few holes in the soil of your baskets and pots with a pencil, you can pour the granules in and they will have the same effect. Remove all the flowers from your pots and baskets – this sounds a bit silly but by removing the flowers, less energy is used by the plants for seed production – using up less water. The other side benefit of this is that when you return from your well-earned break there will be a flush of new buds waiting to burst into colour. Group pots and window boxes together – doing this means the pots will give each other shade and therefore slow down the rate at which they dry out. Another useful tip is to try and use stone or clay pots instead of plastic – the heat generated by the sun quickly dries out the root systems of plants in plastic pots, whereas clay and stone pots stay cooler for longer. Lawns and Borders – Don’t forget to cut the lawn a day or two before you leave for the airport. This ensures the lawn won’t be too long to cut when you get back – it’s also worth giving the lawn a liquid feed and a good water before you go. With your borders, follow the same principle of removing flowers to make sure that you have bushy plants with plenty of buds by the time you return from your break. Follow these tips for longer lasting baskets and you can relax. That’s all for now - good gardening, and if you are taking a break, enjoy! Byron Lewis runs Lichfield Garden Centre at Curborough Countryside Centre. Telephone 01543 254306 or visit the website at www.lichfieldgardencentre.co.uk

LHCRT News

n unusual collaboration between Lichfield’s canal restoration trust and a leading supplier of materials to the ceramics industry means the next stage in the creation of a nature reserve and wetlands in the city is set to go ahead. Stoke-on-Trent firm Potclays are supplying puddle clay for a waterproof lining to the wetlands area being created at Fosseway Heath by Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust. The Trust began work on the nature reserve last year after receiving an £18,500 grant from the Postcode Local Trust, a grant-giving body funded by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. The restoration of the Heritage Towpath Trail in this area was not possible and it was necessary to divert the canal channel and the towpath across a new boardwalk and islands through the new wetlands area. Trust volunteers, supported by students from Queens Croft School and student volunteers on a bricklaying course from Walsall College, are dismantling and rebuilding the supporting brick walls to the original southern towpath to allow the Heritage Towpath Trail to be restored along this length of the Lichfield Canal. Meanwhile, on the north side of the original canal channel at Fosseway Heath, a new stone towpath is being restored by Trust volunteers with the help of visiting corporate volunteer groups from Network Rail and Laing Murphy JV.

Animal puppets on the march!

parade of giant animal puppets is set to march through the streets of Lichfield to mark the opening weekend of the 2018 Lichfield Festival which runs from 4th to 14th July. On Saturday 7th July, the puppets, which have been created by local groups working with professional artists, will wind through the

Co-op to tackle food waste

entral England Co-op is rolling out a project across Lichfield that will see unsold food redirected to help hundreds of local charities.

Following the completion of a successful pilot, the retailer has teamed up with FareShare East Midlands to announce plans that will see all of its food stores across the area included in proposals to help good causes and reduce waste in food stores. The project will see best-before food items and non-food goods that cannot be sold collected by colleagues from the Society’s Food Distribution Centre, in Leicester, then delivered to FareShare to send out to over 250 local charities across the Midlands. Those involved in the project are predicting that the scheme will help cut food waste by at least 40% and provide over one million meals per year to vulnerable people. The trial took place in nine stores in Leicester and has seen enough food redistributed to deliver over 12,000 meals to people in need.

Pathway Project Special Event T

he Pathway Project are organising a special event - ‘An Evening with Charles Hanson’, on Tuesday 25th September at Swinfen Hall Hotel at 7pm. Kathy Coe commented: “Charles has kindly agreed to entertain us with his experiences behind the scenes as an Auctioneer and a TV personality. He has also offered to auction items for Pathway - and this is where we need your help. “We’d like it to be a very special auction with items that you can’t easily put a price on - the quirky, the exceptional, the exciting. So far we’ve been offered catwalk designer dresses from a well-known TV star, a painting from a renowned and local artist, maids for a day providing a premium house clean, a photographic session together with a makeover, and we’d like to add to these fabulous auction items. “Swinfen Hall Hotel are generously supporting the event by hosting it, and we want to add to our numbers with a fabulous exciting and fun event. Pathway is about survivors, and as well as raising funds through our Patrons’ scheme, we love to celebrate those children and their parents who have often been in the the darkest of places and who have gone on to create their own fulfilling futures for themselves.” If you can provide an extraordinary, quirky or fun item to auction then please contact Pathway on 01543 442610. As a Pathway Patron people can make an annual contribution and become a Platinum, Gold or Silver Patron. One off donors are also welcome – as Bronze Patrons. The funds raised go direct to support a family in the refuge, or services for children or counselling services.

city accompanied by music from local performers. The Festival Animal Puppetry Parade sets off at 6pm from Market Square. The procession finishes at the Cathedral where the evening's concert sees local young musicians and singers join forces with Chetham's School Symphony Orchestra to enact the story of Noah and his ark in Benjamin Britten's children's opera Noye's Fludde. The concert also includes a centenary performance of Holst's, The Planets. Earlier in the day the Florette Festival Market takes over Cathedral Close, Pool Walk and Dam Street with over 130 stalls from local crafters and food producers along with live entertainment and activities throughout the day. Lichfield Festival begins on Wednesday 4th July with a free event in the outdoor setting of the National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas. Trench Brothers commemorates the

contributions of ethnic minority soldiers during the First World War. It features professional performers, including MOBO-nominated jazz singer Cleveland Watkiss, puppetry and support from 120 local schoolchildren. Another free event is Pop-Up@lichfieldfest on Saturday 14th July, when performers will take over unusual spaces across the city - from shops to corridors and waiting rooms. Other family-friendly events include Ballet Cymru's ‘Cinderella’ on 6th July; The Ministry of Biscuits’ musical comedy satire on 7th July; a music and dance and adaptation of The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark on 11th July plus Goldfield Productions' Hansel and Gretel on the 13th and 14th July. For more information visit www.lichfieldfestival.org or phone 01543 412121.

Cuckoo Premiere

Photo courtesy of Stuart Hodgkiss

ecently Citylife attended the premiere of BBC comedy Cuckoo. Here, Jono Oates recalls this fascinating evening… The BBC came to Lichfield on 13th June with the premiere showing of two episodes of the new BBC Three series of the anarchic comedy Cuckoo. The show, now about to start its fourth series, is based in and around Lichfield and so the Lichfield Garrick Theatre was the natural location to show two of the new episodes for the very first time. The audience were invited to apply for tickets to see the show via an online lottery system and those lucky enough to be allocated tickets were treated to an exclusive viewing of the episodes, were able to mingle with the stars of the show and even able to stroll along the red carpet! Most of the show’s stars were able to attend the premiere including comedy genius Greg Davies, Tyger Drew-Honey, Kenneth Collard and Esther Smith and, of course, local girl and star of Cold Feet and Friends, Helen Baxendale. Helen was brought up in Shenstone and went to King Edward VI School on St John Street. The only member of the main cast who was unable to attend was the American actor

Greg Davies, Helen Baxendale, Kenneth Collard, Tyger Honey-Drew and Esther Smith

Taylor Lautner, who was at home in the United States, but he did send a video message of apology which was shown prior to the episode screening. The stars were happy to pose on the red carpet and have photos and selfies taken with the fans. After the red carpet the audience made their way into the theatre where a full house watched episodes one and three of the new series. There were lots of laugh-out-loud moments - it is a very clever, witty script and is also full of slapstick and physical humour. The biggest cheers of the evening though were when clips of Lichfield buildings were seen such as the King’s Head pub on Bird Street and Lichfield Library on The Friary! The series is not shot in

Visit Lichfield branding launched

n Friday 15th June, tourism partners gathered in Lichfield for the unveiling of the new Visit Lichfield branding and marketing campaign. Lichfield District Council, working in partnership with Lichfield BID and the Lichfield City Centre Partnership, has launched its new look tourism brand, Visit Lichfield. At the launch event, Lichfield shoppers and visitors got to see the new colourful logo and the adverts that will run at high footfall areas around the UK, to raise the profile of Lichfield as a fabulous visitor destination.

Lichfield will be promoted through a series of adverts that will appear at Birmingham Airport and at the NEC. The adverts are also set to run at various railway stations along the West Coast Mainline between Liverpool and London Euston, on cross city line trains, and on the side and back of buses that travel throughout the East and West Midlands. Throughout the launch event, the Visit Lichfield team were on hand at

Lichfield itself but at Elmstree Studios, due mainly to the financial cost of shooting on location. After both episodes were shown the cast members, show writers and producer provided a question and answer session on stage, hosted by Satnam Rana of BBC Midlands Today. Helen Baxendale recalled her time in Lichfield as a young girl and explained that she often went to the bakery at the Tudor of Lichfield as she loved their ‘floury baps’ – this of course went down well with the audience and with Greg Davies who thought it was hilarious! This was a great evening, with an opportunity to see, and chat to the stars of TV and film about a wonderful promotion of Lichfield. a promotional stand in Three Spires Shopping Centre, and around 50 people signed up to receive the council’s Visit Lichfield monthly enewsletter, which has news of what’s going on in and around Lichfield District, as well as promoting local offers. Everyone who signed up to the newsletter on the day got the chance to enter a prize draw and had the chance of winning a range of prizes, offered by local hotels, venues and shops.

Bare Necessities Lingerie & Swimwear Boutique

Bare Necessities is a warm, welcoming and beautiful, high-end lingerie and swimwear boutique based at 5 Market Place, Melbourne, Derbyshire - a destination for women looking for perfectly fitting and flattering items for every occasion. Stocking hand-picked ranges that cover everything from special occasion and bridal lingerie, to every-day lingerie that doesn’t compromise on quality, comfort and fit, Bare Necessities also specialise in mastectomy-wear. Owner, Brenda Green and her team know exactly what you’re looking for in lingerie and swimwear. Their free fitting service and knowledge of design mean that you will find everything you are looking for in this gem of a boutique. Bare Necessities was established in 1996 and are an independent and individual lingerie boutique, that offer just the right level of advice and support, whilst allowing customers to browse without intrusion. Bare Necessities offer a comprehensive range of fine lingerie, swimwear, cruisewear, mastectomy wear, nightwear, outerwear, hosiery and fragrance by designers such as Empreinte, Prima Donna, Marie Jo, Lise Charmel, Lejaby, Aubade, Anita, Prima Donna Swim, Charmline, Lidea, Sunflair, Gottex Profile, Fantasie and Freya. All on-line orders and enquiries are responded to directly from the boutique by experienced staff, dedicated to ensuring you receive an informed, personal service. Bare Necessities’ professional, yet personal service offers expert measuring and fitting to ensure perfect fit and comfort for every woman from size 8 to 26 and cup size A to J.The right lingerie or swimwear can make such a different to your self-confidence and appearance and Bare Necessities are dedicated to making sure that each customer feels fabulous and looks great. Bare Necessities can be found at 5 Market Place, Melbourne, Derbyshire, DE73 8DS, and are open Monday to Friday 9.30am to 5.30pm, and Saturday 9.30am to 5pm. For more information and to browse some of their fantastic range go to www.barenecessities.co.uk or call 01332 865554.

‘ ‘ 27

Fabulous Faberge

By Adrian Rathbone, Associate Director, Hansons Auctioneers and Valuers

ansons Auctioneers cemented its position as one of the leading UK auction houses when two Fabergé flowers said to showcase ‘the very best of Fabergé genius’ sparked a strong bidding battle at auction on June 11th. The flowers, made thanks to the inventiveness and skill of Russian goldsmith Peter Carl Fabergé, are heading to a new home after being purchased by the same phone bidder. A Fabergé barberry bush sold for £160,000 while a morning glory blossom went under the hammer for £180,000 making a total of £340,000 for the pair. Three phone bidders battled it out to own the botanical studies, which sparked strong interest from Russia.The flowers have been bought by an anonymous buyer. I am thrilled both for our client and bidder who has secured some of the rarest masterpieces of the goldsmith’s art ever to be offered at auction. Right from the start, there was great excitement and interest in these two flower studies, which came from the late Lady Juliet Duff’s personal collection. The discovery of the two rare Fabergé flowers are one of Hansons’ most significant finds ever, (aside from the £650,000 Chinese vase found in Sutton Coldfield in 2016). The two botanical studies, created by Fabergé in Imperial Russia, were crafted in the early 20th century, circa 1907-1910, and are six inches long. These are 'objects de fantaisie’, simply made for guests to admire. Only about 80 of Fabergé’s botanical studies are known to have survived with the majority in the Queen’s Royal Collection. One of the flowers, a Fabergé barberry bush with purpurine berries and jade leaves, demonstrates breathtaking luxury. Its chased and

engraved gold stem sits within a carved rock crystal vase appearing to be half full of water. It is extraordinarily delicate with rich, soft red berries so real they could drop any time on ripening. The other flower takes the form of a highly naturalistic morning glory blossom on a jade jardinière and aventurine quartz stand. The gold flowers, enamelled white with shades of pale pink and lilac, are inset with 'dew drops' of diamonds. A bud is bursting to open and flower. The leaves are carved Siberian jade nephrite. Fabergé’s creations are truly still-life jewels. The British royal family led the fashion for Fabergé and the most important collection of Fabergé flowers is The Royal Collection. The flowers sold by Hansons were once the property of Lady Juliet Duff (1881-1965). Her mother, the Marchioness of Ripon (1859-1917), was a notable customer at Fabergé in London. Owing to her noble heritage Lady Juliet was a well know figure in royal, artistic and musical circles. She was a friend to playwrights Oscar Wilde and Terence Rattigan, the poet Maurice Baring, the author Hilaire Belloc and the Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill. Lady Juliet was also a familiar face at court and was a close friend of King George V and Queen Mary. Find out if you are sitting on a fortune at Hansons’ free weekly valuation events in Lichfield at The Hedgehog Inn, Stafford Road, WS13 8JB. These are held every Monday from 10.30am to 12.30pm and are in aid of St Giles Hospice. Free home visits for large/multiple items, estate clearance and downsizing solutions can be arranged by appointment. For further information please phone 01283 733988 or email arathbone@hansonsauctioneers.co.uk

Movies at Beacon Park

he Greatest Showman, will play at Beacon Park’s third Drive-in Movie of 2018 on Friday 10 August. It will then be followed by the romantic 90s classic, Pretty Woman, on Saturday 11 August. The movies will play on a giant screen, and cars just need to park up and tune in their car radios to hear the soundtracks. There will be movie meals and cinema snacks on offer as well as a reserved area in front of the cars for on-foot ticket holders to bring along chairs and blankets to enjoy the film outside. However, walk in tickets have already sold out for The Greatest Showman. Gates will open at 12 noon to allow audience members to park up and enjoy all that Beacon Park and Lichfield has to offer. The films will then start when it gets dark at around 9pm. The Greatest Showman is rated certificate PG and Pretty Woman is rated certificate 15. Tickets cost £25 a car per movie and £5 for on foot customers, with the option of hiring a headset for £3 as well as a deposit of £15 on the night. Tickets can be booked in person at the Lichfield Garrick Box Office or over the phone by calling 01543 412121. You can also book online, just visit www.lichfieldhistoricparks.co.uk/drivein and follow the link, where you will also find some frequently asked questions about how the drive-ins work.

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Images by David Harper

The Great Exhibition

or the last two years Lichfield Cathedral has come alive with stunning sound and light installations called "The Great Exhibition", enjoyed by thousands who have witnessed the 800 year old architecture and the beautiful interior spaces of the Cathedral transformed as never seen before. The Great Exhibition is now well established as a "not to be missed" event each August, and 2018 sees the biggest event yet. The title of the exhibition this year is "Imagine Peace" and visitors will be taken through a series of poignant, moving, beautiful and striking artworks and installations. ‘Imagine Peace’ is a profound and reflective installation from the Cathedral’s Artist in Residence Peter Walker alongside the creative team at Luxmuralis, which will be both outside and inside the Cathedral. Peter commented: "It is unlikely that anyone would see an event and artwork of this scale and indeed of this quality outside of the major European cities. It is testament to the Dean and the team involved in creating the project that Lichfield hosts such a remarkable and indeed significant work of art." The not to be missed Peace Woodland will create a labyrinth of exploration as you enter The Great Exhibition walking through 1918 trees which will envelop the Cathedral grounds throughout the exhibition. The Peace Woodland, a living artwork (created by Peter Walker in partnership with Lichfield Cathedral and Lichfield District Council), references the end of WW1, the regrowth of the woodlands of the Somme and the Western Front, and the fact that out of conflict, hope returned. It will eventually be relocated to Beacon Park as a living memorial to Peace and a new space for peace and contemplation in the city. Once through the Peace Woodland the journey continues inside the Cathedral as the interior is transformed through a spectacular series of light and sound installations, artworks and imagination; a space for dreaming and the value of our dreams both literally and figuratively. Watch nature regrow over the architecture, flower power return from the 60s, experience a projection of 16 million falling leaves, see the Sistine Chapel recreated on the Cathedral ceiling as it opens to reveal the sky and psychedelic patterns that will take you on a journey to "Imagine Peace".

The exhibition shall be a poignant depiction of Peace, an exhibition which encourages the audience to be reflective and see visually beautiful inspiring artwork to give wonder and entice imagination of what is possible. The project also includes mass participation artworks which have been contributed to by hundreds of people. Peter added: "Thank you to everyone who has knitted or crocheted a patch for us or sent in their tins of unused buttons, these elements will really help create two moving tributes to those who have suffered in war and conflict in the exhibition."

There is still time to help with this element of the project and you can find out more by asking at the Cathedral or visiting the website to find out how to become involved. Described as the "most imaginative Cathedral" in 2016 by the Archbishop of Canterbury for the first major installation called "Before Action” which featured the voice of Eddie Redmayne, the Cathedral is attracting national attention for its work in the arts. The projection and sound artwork are created by Luxmuralis, the awardwinning team behind the Cathedral’s other remarkable Christmas event - "The Cathedral Illuminated" which returns for the 4th year in December. Tickets for the Great Exhibition "Imagine Peace" are on sale now via The Shop at No9 on The Close and online via the Cathedral website www.lichfield-cathedral.org/peace/the-great-exhibition-2018

Plaques of Lichfield

For a city of only around 32,000 souls, Lichfield packs a punch and always has done. Our writers, thinkers, artists and celebrated sons and daughters have been quietly (or not so quietly) having an impact of the history of this country for centuries. This is illustrated by the sheer number of commemorative plaques that can be seen on the briefest of walks around our city streets. Here, Jono Oates takes a closer look at a selection of them in the first of his series – Plaques of Lichfield.

f you’re a resident of Lichfield you may not always notice the plaques that highlight the history and heritage of our cathedral city. Some of them are high up on walls, some of them slightly hidden and some of them may just become part of the ‘furniture’ – something that we hurry past on our way to the shops or to our places of work without really noticing them. There are dozens of plaques across the city, telling us about iconic buildings and structures, famous people or significant events. There are, naturally, several about or associated with Lichfield’s most famous son, Samuel Johnson. Born on 18 September 1709 in a house owned by his father, bookseller Michael, on the corner of Breadmarket Street and Market Street, as a young child he went to school initially at Dame Oliver’s School on Dam Street before joining Lichfield Grammar School on St John Street (now home to Lichfield District Council). You can see the plaques telling us this on the walls of what is now the Little Curio Shop and Truly Scrumptious on Dam Street and on the wall just outside the black gates that lead into the rear of the Council offices on St John Street, opposite St John’s Hospital. From the end of the 1690s through to at least the 1720s his father Michael setup and worked in a small parchment factory alongside what it now Stowe Pool, by a marshy area known as the Moggs, using animal skins to make the parchment for his books. A plaque on the wall on Reeve Lane, at the end of Dam Street and by the old wall surrounding Lichfield Cathedral, could suggest to the unsuspecting visitor that it is still there, although there is no sight of it now. We know that it was still there in 1725, at a later time Parchment House stood in its place. On the same plaque we are also directed to Johnson’s Willow, the favoured tree of Samuel Johnson who used to admire the views as he walked round the waters towards St Chad’s Church, possibly on his way to visit his friends, the

Continued on page 34

Aston sisters, at Stowe House. The willow, unlike his father’s parchment factory, can still be seen although as the tree has died or been destroyed by storms etc it has been replaced by a cutting from the original so the current willow (recently reduced in size as it was suffering from decay and has been ‘trimmed’) is the great-grandfather of the original tree that Johnson so admired. Although Johnson left Lichfield in 1739 to find fame and fortune in London with his young friend David Garrick, he returned to Lichfield on many occasions and would visit the Three Crowns Hotel on Breadmarket Street, two doors down from the family home, where he would sup the famous local Lichfield ale and talk and gossip with his many friends and acquaintances including James Boswell. Boswell was a close friend who wrote Johnson’s biography and accompanied him on his journeys around Britain. The Three Crowns Hotel closed in the 1960s and is now a coffee house and building society but the plaque on the wall tells us that Boswell noted that his friend wore ‘three crowns over his noble brow’. Boswell was clearly making fun of his friend’s status as the creator of the Dictionary of the English Language, published in 1755, which made him a household name in the 18th century, bringing him to the attention of the monarch of England himself, King George III. We’ll be looking at more of Lichfield’s plaques in future issues. Sources Lichfield Economic History A History of the County of Stafford

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A Window on the Past

Here, the local history group ‘You’re probably from Lichfield, Staffs if...’ takes us on a journey down Stowe Street.

A Walk Down Stowe Street

Many people might be surprised to know that Stowe Street once contained at least eight public houses, including The Staffordshire Knot, The Seven Stars and The Chequers (which stood where the road island is now). During demolition in the late 1960s, a 15th century building - Cruck House, was discovered and subsequently restored. There are also two remaining Tudor period houses still to be found on Stowe Street. 1 2

The Staffordshire Knot The Seven Stars

The Chequers

A view of old Stowe Street

4, 5 & 6 7&8 36

Cruck House

Tudor houses

For more memories, stories and photographs visit the groups Facebook page ‘You’re probably from Lichfield, Staffs if’, or go along to one of their friendly and fascinating meetings. The next meetings take place on Tuesday 3rd July and 7th August at the Lichfield Social Club, Purcell Avenue, Lichfield, WS13 7HP from 7pm till 10pm. For more information call 01543 416393 or 01543 268842. The group’s exhibitions of photographs and memorabilia can be booked for shows at nursing homes or clubs etc completely free of charge.

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Stockist: City Jewellers of Lichfield, 39 Market Street, Lichfield, WS13 6LA. Salloways Jewellers, 23-25 Bore Street, Lichfield, WS13 6NA.

Advertising Feature

Space Returns to Lichfield

pace returns to Lichfield this summer - with the promise of more activities, for a broader range of youngsters.

Staffordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis introduced the Space programme to bring together public, voluntary and private sector organisations to help nurture, support and guide Staffordshire youngsters.

New for this year, is the lowering of the age band for certain activities, from eleven to eight-years-old*, with Mr Ellis providing a substantial increase in funding for the programme.

Full details of activities and events in the area, run in partnership with Lichfield District Council, will be rolled-out during the build up to the summer holidays. Please check the website staffordshirespace.uk for more information.

The scheme attracted more than 18000 attendees across the summer holidays in 2017 - an increase of 5,669 from the previous 12 months.

Matthew Ellis said: “Space 2018 promises to be our biggest yet. I am constantly amazed by the reaction to Space. We had huge numbers in Lichfield attending in the past and hope for even more this year.

“Space is all about fun, learning and growing in confidence. Staffordshire, like many areas, experiences higher rates of ASB during

summer holidays than at other times and I’m keen that efforts are made to tackle this. I’ve increased investment in the programme to widen its scope and range.

“Success for the youngsters is seen by the smiles on their faces, opportunities experienced for the first time and the things they’ve learned.

“Space 2018 will continue with its aim of increasing skills, improving health and wellbeing, and creating opportunities for young people to take part in positive activities to make communities safer. It should be a very exciting year for us all.”

Use and follow #StaffsSpace2018 on Twitter for updates during the coming months.

To sign up for updates, please go to Staffordshirespace.uk or for further information you can email space@staffordshire.pcc.pnn.gov.uk Twitter: @StaffsSpace Facebook: facebook.com/StaffsSpace/ Instagram: @StaffsSpace

Los Banditos Mexican Bar and Grill

Advertising Feature

os Banditos Mexican Bar and Grill are now open at 12 Market Street, Lichfield.With its comfortable, ‘laidback chic’ interior and the chilled sounds of South America and Mexico, Los Banditos creates an atmosphere as relaxed and being back on your last beach holiday. The emphasis is on relaxed, street food and Los Banditos’ menu includes vibrant dishes, using only the finest ingredients and everything is made fresh by their experienced chefs. A separate children’s menu is available and Los Banditos is open daily from 12 noon, until 11.30pm. Los Banditos drinks menu includes refreshing cervezas, ales, ciders, a vast range of spirits and tequilas (including Patron Tequilas) plus quality red, white and rose wines from all around the world. Their exciting range of cocktails and Proseccos are already proving extremely popular, and are served all day long. Just walk through the doors, kick back and relax. Street food inspired starters include Mexican Meatballs, Coconut Shrimp, Chicken Wings, Pan Fried Chorizo, Grilled Halloumi, Crispy Cauliflower, Patatas Bravas, Frijoles Refritos and a great range of Nachos. Follow your mouth-watering starter with Chipotle Chicken Burger, Bandits Chilli, Sea Bass, Spicy Chicken, Mango and Jalapeno Salad, Mexican Vegetable Hash or a great range of Fajitas, Burritos and Tacos - Mexican street food in the heart of the city. For more information and to book, pop in to Los Banditos at 12 Market Street, Lichfield WS13 6LH or call 01543 257 558.

Gift vouchers available

Premier Transfer Services - for when image is everything!

Premier Transfer Services is a family run, privately owned business, providing transport for all areas of Staffordshire, the UK and Ireland. They are a leading provider of chauffeur driven executive cars and minibuses for the more selective traveller. Their fleet of vehicles is luxury gold class standard and driven by professional, licensed chauffeurs, but costs are kept at very affordable prices. Keith Warner, owner of Premier Transfer Services and its sister companies, the Image Luxury Cars company and Wightwick Transfers, have over 20 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience in luxury travel. Premier specialise in Corporate Hospitality offering a door to door service with professional chauffeurs, who know how to avoid traffic delays and the points closest to your event where they will drop you off and pick you up. Premier Transfer Services are ideal for airport transfers and seaport transfers. They will keep you up to date with your transport details to make sure you arrive for your departure in stress-free comfort. They will also check your route for delays, and will transport you safely and smoothly to the departure terminal. Premier Transfer Services are fully licensed by South Staffordshire Council as a Private Hire Vehicle Operator. All drivers hold, regularly renewed, Private Hire Licences. All vehicles undergo rigorous inspections and are regularly serviced by the relevant main dealer. They will transport you to your destination in either a Mercedes R class, Jaguar XJ or an executive Renault Traffic. Premier also provide chauffeur driven wedding transportation for your special day. Their modern Jaguar XJ

in a stunning cashmere gold with leather interior is ideal for the main bridal party. Premier also specialise in: Luxury travel to sporting events such as Royal Ascot, and the Henley Regatta and luxury travel to special occasions and days and evenings out. Why not hire the vehicle and Chauffeur for the whole day, and have a vehicle waiting for you to take you wherever you want? For a quote or a no obligation chat call 07860 622545, 01902 566500 or email enquiries@premiertransferservices.co.uk Premier Transfer Services for when image is everything.

Solstice 9 Chimes Ride L

ichfield Fixed Gear's Solstice 9 Chimes Ride took place on Thursday 21st June around The Close. The Solstice 9 Chimes challenge is to see who can ride the circuit around the Cathedral Close before the Cathedral clock’s last chime sounds. The Solstice 9 Chimes Ride has been held for two years, and will now be an annual event, always held at 9pm on the evening of the Summer Solstice. Organised by Lichfield Fixed Gear, competitors dash round The Close once the clock has started to strike, and try to get back to their starting point before the cathedral clock strikes the 9th chime. Congratulations to James Miller, who was this year’s first past the post winner.

We Love Lichfield Shares Summer Love throughout the District

he We Love Lichfield 2018 Summer giveaway saw more than £12,000 presented to good causes from across the district. Representatives from voluntary groups gathered at the George Hotel on Friday 8th June for the event together with a host of invited civic guests representing the area. The presentation was an opportunity to pay tribute to the hundreds of volunteers across the District - in the city, Burntwood and all the rural villages. Each recipient group made a speech about the work they did so that guests were able to gain an insight into the thousands of voluntary hours given every week across the District. Simon Price, Patron of We Love Lichfield hosted the event and thanked everyone in attendance for supporting The Fund plus thanks were given to The George Hotel for hosting the event. Simon also thanked various companies for donating gifts to the recipient groups. Each group received a goodie bag. The contents were given by local businesses as recognition of the volunteers who give up their spare time to help others. Goodie bag content included theatre tickets (courtsey of the Wolverhampton Grand), vouchers (courtsey of Worth Brothers Wine), a meal for two at Darwin’s Restaurant (courtsey of The George) and finally vouchers for Arthur Price Factory Shop (courtsey of Arthur Price). Simon explained the history of the fund, that it began in 2011 with £24,000 sitting in dormant funds which was released by Lichfield District Council. This figure was match funded and since then fund-raising has boosted the balance. The capital invested is not touched – only the interest made is given out in donations. The aim is to create a fund with sufficient capital for it to pay out £50,000 every year to the community forever. Simon added that the Fund Advisors were very proud of their achievements in helping voluntary groups across the district but they would never stop trying to raise more, “We started with £24,000 7 years ago and so far we have given away £157,000 via 191 grants to 141 community

groups. We L o v e Lichfield gives away to groups across the whole of the District which has 103,000 people. Many firms have supported WLL in 2017 including Richard Winterton, Spires Care Home and The Food Festival who have so far in 2017 raised over £1000 each. Sixteen WLL advisors give their time for free to help the amazing voluntary groups and at this event we are giving away £30,000 raised with their help inconjunction with Lichfield District Council.” The final number Simon highlighted was 1315 representing the dates 13th to 15th July when WLL will be hosting with Lichfield Cricket Club and the Lord Tavernors a special fund-raising event for all three organisations. Everyone is welcome to attend various events including a dinner with guest speaker Michael Vaughan, the ex-England Captain and a Lichfield X1 vs England X1 match on Sunday 15th July. For more information call Tom Stone on 07557 962159 or email LichfieldCC@outlook.com The recipients of the Summer 2018 giveaway are 1st Beaudesert Rainbow Unit; Fun Club Lichfield; Alrewas Arts Festival; Burntwood Rugby Club; 1st Fazeley Rainbows; City of Lichfield Friends; Burntwood Town Council; Whittington Church Hall Committee; Fradley Heritage Group; Violets In Bloom; The Buddy Bags Foundation; 1st Fazeley Scouts; Lichfield Greenhill Bower; Midlands Soccer Academy; Open Door Of Hope; Pathway Project; Phoenix Counselling Service; Stonnall Youth; TransStaffordshire; Woodhouse Farm and Garden CIC; Fun Club VIP Burtnwood and Lichfield Cricket Club Junior Section. For more information about We Love Lichfield visit we lovelichfield.com

Rosie’s Boutique

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osie’s Boutique is nestled in the centre of Tudor Row that runs between Wade Street and Bore Street next to the Tudor of Lichfield. The boutique sells ladies’ fashion accessories including handbags, bracelets, scarves, jewellery, sandals and more. Rosie’s is a truly independent boutique offering beautiful ranges at prices to suit your budget. Rosie’s is a family business, run by owner Leanne Bruin, with support from her mother-in-law, Diane. Leanne opened the shop in May this year, naming it after her daughter, Rosie. She is loving being part of the Lichfield retail experience and especially the community of Tudor Row. The shop is open seven days a week so there is lots of opportunity to pop by. Flying off the shelves are items ideal for summer weddings, including delicate and statement jewellery, plus items to add style to sunny days and holidays including on-trend sunglasses, flip-flops, kaftans and beach bags. Leanne is delighted to be sponsoring one of the 16 regional Town Criers who are coming to Lichfield on Saturday 7th July for a national competition and has already written a ‘shout’ poem for them about her shop! Rosie’s Boutique is an independent, local shop in a lovely setting selling a range of great value ladies’ gifts and accessories, and is dedicated to providing an excellent service to customers who are looking for that special gift or accessory. Whatever the occasion, Rosie’s has something on offer to help you stand out from the crowd. Rosie’s Boutique can be found at 10 Tudor Row, Lichfield, WS13 6HH.

Lichfield Parks Health Walks

ichfield District Council’s parks team is inviting people to come along to fortnightly walks around Lichfield Historic Parks, which includes Beacon Park, Minster Pool and Walk, and Stowe Pool and Fields.

The gentle walks are open to everyone of any age and are a great way to discover your local parks and to enjoy healthy exercise.

Upcoming walks will take place on Wednesday 4th and 18th July; 1st and 15th August; 5th and 19th September and 3rd and 17th October.

Jamie Dodd, Health & Wellbeing Activator for Lichfield District Council, said: “We’re

encouraging everyone, especially anyone who is new to or returning to exercise, to join the parks team on these gentle led walks.

“There are so many health benefits associated with walking: it’s a low impact exercise that all ages and fitness levels can do. It lowers the risk of heart disease, cholesterol and developing type 2 diabetes. It also burns calories and tones leg muscles as well as releasing endorphins, reducing stress and anxiety.”

The walks are free – participants simply need to meet at Beacon Park’s Ranger Station (next to the crazy golf course), at 10.45am in time to set off at 11am.

If the weather is bad, a walk may be cancelled. To double check whether a walk is running, please call Beacon Park on 01543 308867.

Tastes of the Season

Here, Chef Simon Smith explores two dishes that are a delicious way to celebrate the tastes of the season. Now we are into summer I guess everybody is thinking about all of the fresh, healthy and wonderful ingredients available at this time of year to enjoy whilst dining al fresco in the garden. On a glorious summer evening, no one wants to spend too much time in the kitchen!

With this in mind, here are two simple but exciting dishes showcasing healthy and vibrant ingredients.*

Smoked chicken salad

Peel the avocado and cut into chunks. Peel the cucumber and grapefruit and cut into chunks. Drain the asparagus and arrange everything on a large plate, then sprinkle with chopped mint. Drizzle with rapeseed oil and, should you wish, garnish with fresh, edible flowers.

Roast vegetables with pumpkin seeds You will need:

You will need:

4 smoked chicken breasts (available from Russell’s of Shenstone by pre-order) 1 handful English asparagus 2 pink grapefruit 1 ripe avocado ½ cucumber 2 tbsp rapeseed oil (I recommend Just Oil of Abbots Bromley) Fresh mint

Method Skin and finely slice the smoked chicken. Boil the asparagus for two minutes then refresh it by plunging it into cold water**.

1 celeriac 3 raw beetroot (medium sized) 4 carrots 4 cauliflower florets 4 sweetcorn rounds 2 courgettes ½ butternut squash 4 sprigs cherry vine tomatoes 4ozs pumpkin seeds 4 sprigs rosemary 2ozs grated Parmesan Rapeseed oil

Method Peel the celeriac and chop into one inch cubes. Peel the beetroot and cut each into

eight wedges. Peel the carrots and cut into one inch lengths. Peel the butternut squash and chop into wedges – they should be around the same size as your beetroot wedges (to allow even cooking). Chop the courgettes into chunks. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius or gas mark 4. Place all the vegetables (except the courgettes) on to a roasting tray, sprinkle with rapeseed oil and season with salt (I use Himalayan pink) plus some freshly ground pepper. Put into the oven to roast until the butternut squash is almost soft (this should take around ten minutes). Add the courgettes and pumpkin seeds. Put back in the oven for another five minutes. Take out of the oven and sprinkle with chopped rosemary and Parmesan (optional). This dish is a great companion to any BBQ and can also be cooked together in some tin foil on the BBQ. It also makes a great salad dish when it goes cold, and for the Francophiles out there a clove or two of crushed garlic will give it a boost.

Simon Smith (who many Lichfeldians may know from his much-missed restaurant Thrales) runs a catering business from his production kitchen in Lichfield, providing bespoke private dinners plus wedding, corporate and event catering. Simon also undertakes cookery demonstrations around the country and with local businesses such as Arthur Price and Tippers. During the summer months Simon works for private clients both on superyachts and in villas in St Tropez and Europe. If you are looking for catering or a day of cookery skills go to www.simonsmith-chef.com *All recipes serve four people **Please take extra care when preparing and handling hot foodstuffs. Go to www.food.gov.uk for further details.

Promote your event in our What’s On guide and reach over 18,000 homes and businesses for only £15 for businesses and £5 for charities. Entries must be 50 words maximum. To book contact Joss Musgrove Knibb 07833 735048 josscitylife@gmail.com (businesses who are already advertising in the relevant issue may place additional what’s on listings free-of-charge). Please clearly mark your email ‘What’s On Lichfield'.

What’s on in July

Every Saturday in July Cellar Tour Erasmus Darwin House Beacon Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire WS13 7AD. Our Cellars are extremely interesting as they can only be accessed by a guided tour, these offer an insight into other aspects of the house from medieval times up to the life of Erasmus Darwin himself, and it is believed it may have been where bodies were stored in readiness for dissection - so there is the spooky factor rolled in too. 1.30pm to 2.30pm. Wednesday 4th to Saturday 14th July Lichfield Festival For more information go to www.lichfieldfestival.org

Saturday 7th July Lichfield Festival Market The ever-popular Festival Market with its stalls, entertainment and activities remains a classic day out. Cathedral Close and city centre from 10am.

Lichfield Fuse Festival

Saturday 7 July Olliebobs Ruffle Wreath Workshop £20 10.30am to 12.30pm Using a selection of prepared fabrics,

Sarah from Ollie Bobs will help you create a stunning wreath for your home. All materials supplied. Booking essential. Cost £20 per person. Erasmus Darwin House, Beacon Street, Lichfield, WS13 7AD Tel: 01543 306 260

Wednesday 18th July Seniors’ Summer Lunch at The George Enjoy a delicious three course lunch with a glass of Buck’s Fizz or orange juice on arrival. Entertainment will be provided by Holly Hewitt who has the voice of a Hollywood starlet – she will entertain you wil popular jazz and blues songs such as “That Old Devil Called Love”, “Fly Me To The Moon”, “Summertime” and many, many more. £19.50 per person Thursday 19th July Lichfield Civic Society Meeting and Talk 7.45pm. Talk on behalf of Lichfield U3A Architecture Group - Lichfield Architecture: The good, the bad and the ugly. The meeting takes place at The Lichfield Room, Wade Street Church Community Hall, Frog Lane,

ow in its 17th year, the Lichfield Arts Fuse Festival is a community music and arts festival taking place in Lichfield’s Beacon Park 13th-15th July and best of all, it’s free entry! There’s loads of things going on. Pam and Phil Beale, Fuse Festival Directors have been working hard since October to bring a line up of music acts, workshops, entertainment, art activities, food traders and market stalls. Phil Beale commented: “We’re really excited about our music line-up! We have two music stages – Evolution and Momentum – and that allows us to have a mix of genres and styles to suit most musical tastes. We’ve got young local acts such as White Eskimo, Sugarthief, Ryders Creed and Maxwell Avenue and then the everpopular Marquis Drive who put on a fantastic show with their tribute to 90s music. Skaciety are coming all the way from Kent with their

Lichfield, WS13 6HS. Members and school students are free of charge. Visitors are always welcome (£3 at the door).

Friday 20th July Hansons Valuation Day Books, Maps, Paintings & Antiques Valuation Day With Adrian Rathbone (Director) & Jim Spencer (Head of Books) Friday 20 July 2pm - 4pm at Erasmus Darwin House Beacon Street, Lichfield WS13 7AD. Donations in aid of Darwin House. Refreshments available. For further information please contact Adrian Rathbone on 07843 061921 arathbone@hansonsauctioneers.co.uk The Auction Centre, Heage Lane, Etwall Derbyshire DE65 6LS service@hansonsauctioneers.co.uk www.hansonsauctioneers.co.uk

Friday 27th July Lunar Lectures: William Hunter by Simon Chaplin 7.30pm till 9pm, College Hall, 21 The Close, Lichfield, WS13 7LD. Join us for this interesting lecture conducted by Simon Chaplin of the Wellcome Trust on William and John Hunter as Collectors. £5per person, booking essential. 01543 306260

punky/ska vibe – they have been voted Best Live Act and Best Band by a leading music magazine – and Huey Morgan (of Fun Lovin’ Criminals fame) recommended a funk band called Cantaloop, so they are booked in too. Those who like a great DJ set can dance the night away with DJ Olly Thumpa on Sat night.” There is a workshop tent, The Imaginarium, running free activities ranging from beatboxing to Bollywood dance, and you can even make your own ukulele out of a pizza box. Pam Beale added: “It’s such a great way of connecting our local community together. We have asked various groups to get involved by giving demonstrations or sharing their skills. We have two local dance schools doing dance performances (Fusion and Silhouette), the Lichfield Repair Café who will be helping

Saturday 28th July Kings Bromley Show 9.30am to 5pm ‘Celebrating Staffordshire’. Entertainment includes funfair, sideshows, vintage cars, trade and craft stalls with demonstrations, animal attractions. Competitive marquee with exhibits. Horse and dog shows. Children’s races. Motorbike stunt displays, magic acts. Refreshments, real ale bus and jazz band. Free parking. www.kingsbromleyshow.co.uk for ticket prices etc. or contact 07766 316316

Wednesday 26th September Stonnall Conservation Society Stonnall Conservation Society will not be holding a meeting during July and August but we will look forward to seeing you on the 26th September when the inimitable John White holder of an Honours Degree in History and War Studies and a Performance Historian will be performing ‘The Privateer’ at Stonnall Youth & Community Centre, Main Street, Stonnall WS9 9EE at 7.30pm. www.shenstone-staffs.gov.uk/scs/ Non Members Welcome.

people to repair items so that they can be used again, Woodhouse Farm showing us all about planting up pots, and a range of schools, pre-schools and nurseries making site décor for us. “Being Wimbledon and World Cup Finals weekend, we thought it appropriate to include some sporting challenges and the Lichfield Fitness Community will be running beat the goalie, seated volleyball, boxercise and basketball sessions to suit all. So there really is something for all the family!” The festival is reliant on volunteers to help with stewarding and ensuring all festival goers are safe and have had an outstanding response, with over 100 people signed up to help, many of them from local 6th Forms. As they are a charity, the organisers, Lichfield Arts have to seek out sponsorship and grants to help put on this fantastic event and are grateful to local businesses such as The Rigid Kitchen Company in Shenstone, the aptly named Fuse Events, Freedom Brewery of Abbots Bromley, and housebuilders Bovis and Orbit Homes. Full details and timings can be found on the Fuse website – www.fuselichfield.org.uk

MAGAZINE DISTRIBUTORS WANTED Earn extra money delivering magazines in Lichfield and Rugeley. Must be over 16 Call Marie 07548 682576

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