Citylife in Rugeley August 2018 by Citylife In Lichfield

Inside... August 2018

Welcome to CITYLIFE

Welcome to CITYLIFE in Rugeley, a monthly magazine bringing you our pick of the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve snapped an image that captures the spirit of the region? We want to hear from you!

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

14 A Window on the Past The Landor Society explores St Joseph and St Ethelreda Church 20 Beautiful Etching Hill By Jono Oates 28 The Horse Fair By Harry Thornton

32 What can I make? By Jill Hayward

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 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.

Summer Workshops at The Lichfield Garrick Theatre

Storytelling (8-12 years) Mon 20th August from 10am This week-long summer workshop offers the chance for young people to unleash their creativity, exploring stories from creation to performance. A week-long course with an introduction to basic devising techniques and theatre-making, Storytelling offers young people a valuable insight into how to mould their ideas for the stage. A sharing will be offered at the end of the week for friends and family.

Rugeley & District Lions Club By Peter Fielding

Creating Performance (12-16 years) Mon 27th August from 10am A summer school offering the chance for young people to learn the ins and outs of making their own work. The course will offer the opportunity to explore different genres and methods of theatre-making as well as participants' own ideas. Exploring popular techniques such as the physical theatre-making of Frantic Assembly, and basic puppeteering, Creating Performance offers young people the opportunity to expand the breadth of their Drama skills. A sharing will be offered at the end of the week for friends and family. You can book in for these week long summer workshops by visiting www.lichfieldgarrick.com, calling the Box Office on 01543 412121 or visiting The Lichfield Garrick to book in person.

June brings the end of our Lionistic year, and Jane Stevenson has handed over the Presidency to Lion Deb Coburn who will take the helm for the next twelve months. Deb has been a member for only a few years but she has many ideas to keep us all busy over the period! The club recently held its Annual Charter Dinner at Ingestre Golf Club when around 40 people attended the event to celebrate a further successful year of Rugeley Lions Club. We are preparing for Brereton Carnival which will follow the same pattern as the Rugeley Charter with, we hope, the same success. Surprisingly enough, as we approach the second half of the year we shall soon be preparing for our Christmas activities – the Christmas Float and Toy Collection. If you would like to know more of what we do please get in touch via Facebook or e-mail us at randdlions@hotmail.com

The Recovery Network A Community of Hope

A friendship group for people recovering from poor mental health. Welcome, Friendship, Calm, Space to Be Meets on 1st and 3rd Wednesdays every month 7pm-8.30pm. St Augustine’s Church Hall, Station Road, Rugeley www.brateamministry.org/ community-engagement

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

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 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.

A Window on the Past St Joseph and St Ethelreda

Here,The Landor (Local History) Society takes a look at St Joseph and St Ethelreda Church, Lichfield Street, Rugeley – the result of wonderful Victorian craftsmanship and personal dedication.

The Church dedicated to St Joseph and St Etheldreda was built to the design of Charles Francis Hansom, in 1848-1851, on Herons Field, which had been purchased from the Marquis of Anglesey. The dedication commemorates the Whitgreave siblings who contributed much of the cost of the building works. Joseph Whitgreave had recently built Heron Court as his home. His sister became a Benedictine nun and took the name Etheldreda.

6. The carved oak Altar, designed by Welby Pugin, is in the Confessional Chapel. Originally in the family chapel at Wolseley Hall, it was the gift of the present Lord and Lady Lichfield.

2. The brass tablet recording the donation by the 1st Marquis of Anglesey of stone from his Beaudesert estate to build the Church and Presbytery.

8. The churchyard (image probably taken in around 1950) showing the imposing memorial to Canon Duckett, who died in 1906 after serving as Parish Priest for 46 years.

1. A very early photograph taken in 1867/8 when the spire was being added.

3. This image, taken in around 1900 shows the fence, which was later replaced by a holly hedge, which in turn was replaced by a low wall when the graveyard was converted to a Garden of Rest in the late 1950s.

4. The High Altar infront of the stained glass window (by Hardman & Powell of Birmingham), a gift of Sir Charles Wolseley (9th Baronet). The wrought iron screen (now in the west end) was made by Harris’s iron foundry. The photo is pre-1938 when the

decorated ceiling was painted over in cream.

5. The Lady Chapel with its Altar of Caen stone and alabaster, the gift of Miss Gulson of Hawkesyard.

7. Part of the procession during the Consecration ceremony in 1951. The year 1951 also marked the Church’s first 100 years.

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

Continued on page 16

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. 7

The Blinds And Shutter Company

Advertising Feature

The Blinds And Shutter Company are now in their fifth year of trading and the business continues to expand and flourish. Formed by Gary Chambers, who previously ran two nationwide blinds, shutter and awning companies, The Blinds and Shutter Company is based in South Staffordshire and is a family business. Carol Chambers is Customer Service Manager and is dedicated to making sure customers have the best experience possible, and son-in-law Zac and

his team run the installation side of the business. Whilst the company mainly serves homeowners, it has also carried out some high profile installations at local landmarks, replacing all the blinds at the Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum, and recently replacing the irregular-shaped blackout blinds in Lichfield’s Guildhall. Gary was involved in the early development of the Plantation Shutter Blind market back in 2006 and has a great depth of experience in the different types of products available, and their respective merits. The company is not tied to any particular manufacturer, which means that it will always offer the most suitable product for

you, and all within your budget. Their great product range and commitment to providing the very best service has meant that The Blinds and Shutter Company have grown year on year, building their reputation for great service and excellent quality blinds, shutters and patio awnings. The company has been recognised as the “most highly commended blinds and shutter company in Staffordshire” for the last three years by TheBestofStaffordshire. This is backed up by hundreds of customer testimonials on their website. There are also many demonstration videos on their You Tube Channel available to view. For more information or an informal chat about your next project, call The Blinds and Shutter Company on 01785 596018, email sales@theblindsandshuttercompany.co.uk or go to www.theblindsandshuttercompany.co.uk

Fun-filled activities this summer

Advertising Feature

he Museum of Cannock Chase has a fun-packed diary of events and activities to keep your kids entertained during the summer holidays. Travel back in time with the ‘Time Travellers’ and find out what life was like years ago. On the 24th July - Back to the 80s, 31st July Swinging 60s, 7th August -Victorian Adventure, 14th August - Much Ado about Tudors, 21st August - Medieval Mayhem and on the 28th August Roman Invasion. Whether it’s the mayhem of the medieval period or the swing of the 1960s, their imaginations are sure to be captured as they enter a new era each week and get stuck into quizzes, art and trails. Time Travellers takes place every Tuesday from 24th July until 28th August and runs from 11am to 3.30pm, the sessions are £4.50 each and a second era is available at half price. If you fancy it, why not dress ready for the decade you’re travelling too? If you’re looking for something the whole family can do then jot Sunday 5th August 12 noon to 4pm in your diary. The Museum of Cannock Chase is celebrating 250 years of the circus and there is a host of family fun-filled activities throughout the afternoon. There are circus skills workshops, a stilt walker, face painting, slime making and a Punch & Judy Show. It’s free to enter (small charges apply to some activities) but make sure you arrive early to avoid disappointment as the Family Day is always very popular and the free car park fills up quickly. For more information follow Museum of Cannock Chase on Facebook, call 01543 877666 or visit the Museum on Valley Road, Hednesford, Cannock, WS12 1TD.

What’s That Weird Noise Coming from Your Computer? By Neil Fletcher

New computers are whisper quiet, seeming to run on pure magic, but after a while computers can start making some pretty weird noises. Clicks, clunks, and about-to-take-off jet noises are the most common, but when should you worry? When you hear a clicking noise: This could be normal if it’s more like a soft tick. Mechanical hard drives work a bit like a record player with a needle and platter, so you might simply be hearing it spin up and move the needle around. When it starts sounding like a loud click it’s usually the needle hitting the platter too hard or bouncing around. If your hard drive has started making alarming noises, you should bring it in as soon as possible. Just like a record player, scratches that ruin your data are possible, and if ignored for long enough, it doesn’t just skip and have trouble reading the drive, the whole thing can become unusable. Our technicians can copy the files on to a new drive before it gets to that point, but retrieving data from a destroyed hard drive is rarely achieved without CSI-level expenses. It’s easier

and much cheaper to replace the hard drive at the first sign of failure. When you hear a clunking noise: Unsurprisingly, this one causes certain alarm. Computers aren’t meant to go clunk! It may be a simple matter of a cable having shifted into the path of a fan and getting clipped during the spin. Remember when you pegged a card between your bicycle spokes? It might sound a little like that, skipping every now and then as it’s pushed away and drops back again. If that’s the case, our technicians will quickly secure the cable back where it belongs. When you hear a jet-engine noise: Most computers and laptops have fans to keep them cool. The fans have to spin to move the air around, and the faster they’re spinning, the more noise they make. We start to worry when the jetengine noise gets out of hand and it’s not just while you’re playing a resource-intensive game or doing some video editing. Constant jet-engine noise indicates your computer is struggling to cool itself down, perhaps because the fan vents are clogged with dust, your computer is in a poorly ventilated space, or the fan itself is worn. Each fan has ball-bearings inside that wear out over time, making extra noise while it does the

best it can. Our technicians can replace individual fans quickly and give your system a checkup to make sure nothing else has been affected. When it’s beep city: Your computer’s friendly beep as you switch it on actually has multiple meanings. It’s not just saying hello. The single beep you normally hear indicates that it’s run a self-test and everything is fine. When your computer is very unwell, you might hear more beeps than usual. This is because each beep combination is a code to technicians, letting us know what’s gone wrong. Certain beep combinations mean the memory is loose or damaged, others that the video adapter has a problem, etc. If your computer has started beeping differently, let our technicians know so we can decode it and repair the problem for you. Some noises your computer makes will be normal, others a sign of deeper issues. Even if your computer seems to be operating correctly, a sudden onset of weird noises could mean failure is just around the corner. Taking early action ensures problems don’t escalate, costs are kept low, and your files remain where they belong. Got some weird noises coming from your computer? Give us a call today at 01889 579990

Beautiful Etching Hill

By Jono Oates

n the edge of Cannock Chase and a short distance from the centre of Rugeley lies the pretty hamlet of Etching Hill which, from its highest point, has stunning views over the Staffordshire countryside. Surrounded on all sides by bracken, heather and gorse, the outcrop at the top of the hill, which is 454 feet above sea level, is of red sandstone and from that vantage point there are views of Rugeley town, the distant hills of the Derbyshire Peak District and the more local landmarks of Castle Ring and Stile Cop. Traditionally a small hamlet, the size of Etching Hill increased in Victorian times and again in the late 1960s when a housing development, billed as being the ‘new community for Birmingham’, created hundreds of new houses which connected Etching Hill to Rugeley. In the 1870s the British Army held their annual manoeuvres around Cannock Chase and used Etching Hill as their headquarters. Regiments of infantry, cavalry and artillery encamped around the hill, with a flagstaff placed on the mount. The bracken and gorse was cut down so that the tents of the officers and troops could be erected. The commanding officer was Major-General Sir Daniel Lysons, who had served in the Crimean War, and was General Officer Commanding of the Northern Division, a command of the British Army. Large numbers of troops took part in the exercises with regiments from across England being represented. In 1880 a local businessman and landowner, Abraham Whitworth, gave the hill and the recreation grounds surrounding it, to the people of Etching Hill to be used as a community facility, and it is now Common Land. Mr Whitworth was a baker and provisions supplier whose shop was in Market Place in Rugeley town and he took an active role in many aspects of village life in Etching Hill. Whitworth’s bakery supplied the troops at their annual manoeuvres and it was said that he chose to provide them with more bread than the official entitlement! Over the years the mount has been used as the standing point for local people at various celebrations including Armistice Day in 1918, the Silver Jubilee of King George V in 1935 and the coronation of King George VI in 1937. In 1964 the Church of the Holy Spirit, at the foot of the mount, replaced the Mission Hall which had previously been on the site since

1882 and is on Whitworth Lane, which was named in honour of the Etching Hill benefactor. The generosity of Abraham Whitworth undoubtedly preserved this quiet, reflective corner of Cannock Chase and ensured that

future generations could continue to enjoy the stunning views and natural beauty from the mount at Etching Hill. Sources: Welcome to Stafford www.visitoruk.com/Stafford; Friends of Etching Hill www.etchinghill.co.uk

St. John’s Coffee Morning

St. John’s Coffee Morning takes place on the first Wednesday of each month from 10.30am to 12 noon. All are welcome to this social, community event, which is very popular. £2.50 including tea/coffee and delicious homemade cake. There is usually a bric-a-brac stall and raffle, and sometimes a card stall. Books are always on sale. St John the Baptist Church, Church Lane, Slitting Mill.

The Changing Room Free Counselling

A Counselling Service at St Augustine’s Church. A Professional Counselling Service for people going through bereavement, suffering with anxiety and/or depression. Sessions held between 9.30am and 12.30pm. Appointments must be booked in advance. Call 07591 257737 to arrange an appointment. Sessions take place at St. Augustine's Church, Station Road, Rugeley. This Service is supervised by a BACP Senior Accredited Counsellor. Counsellors are qualified and registered with the Professional Standards Authority.

Summer Tea Party!

At St. John the Baptist Church, Slitting Mill. Saturday 14th July 2pm to 5pm. Tea and homemade cakes on sale. Book Stall, Bric-aBrac, Plants for sale. Grand Draw at 4pm. First Prize - £100 Hoar Cross Hall Spa Voucher! Plus many other prizes! Tickets now on sale - from St. John’s, Parish Office at St. Augustine’s. ADMISSION FREE!

Cannock Women’s Institute

Cannock Women's Institute is a voluntary ladies’ community group. Cannock W.I. meet on the second Thursday of the month at 10.30am in St. Luke's Church Hall, Cannock. Meetings will usually include a speaker or demonstrator. W.I. provides educational opportunities, and the chance to try and develop new skills and crafts. A link with Staffordshire Federation provides further activities like craft fairs and quizzes. Guests and prospective new members are always welcome. For further information contact The President on 01889 582632 or www.thewi.org.uk/staffordshire

Gift vouchers available

Record-Beating Fine Art Sale

By Sarah Leedham, Senior Valuer at Richard Winterton Auctioneers Richard Winterton Auctioneers are delighted to report a record sale at The Lichfield Auction Centre. With 496 lots on offer, the majority of which had been consigned from several local vendors, the sale attracted buyers from all over the world, bidding strongly both in the room, over the phone and via the internet. Jewellery was the first section to be offered under the hammer with diamonds dominating the top selling lots. The star lot was an impressive early 20th Century bar brooch with an estimated total diamond weight of 5ct. Despite strong interest from a phone bidder it was eventually sold in the room at £4,900. The front cover of the sale catalogue featured an early, high-quality fountain pen with Japanese lacquered decoration, known as a ‘pre-Dunhill Namiki lake and hillside takamaki-e’. It featured scenes of landscapes and sailing vessels and with an 18ct nib, proved a real rarity. Two phone bidders took it to a final selling price of £7,000. Wrist-watches and pocket watches were one of the most keenly contested sections of the auction and provided the second highest price of the sale with a Gent’s Omega Speedmaster Professional wrist-watch taking £9,000. Almost 100 lots of silver went under the hammer next with 97% of the lots sold. Top price

was for a finely decorated mid-19th Century Chinese silver snuff box which flew past the estimate of £200-300 before selling at £1,150. Ceramics and glass were much in demand, particularly Oriental pieces, but the highest selling lot in this section at £900 was a small Royal Worcester plaque dating to 1922, hand painted by H. Ayrton with a copy of Fragonard’s The FairHaired Child. Investing in high quality wine, whisky and spirits is a continuing trend and two lots showed that this buoyant market continues with 92% of lots sold. The top price paid was £420 for a bottle of Martell Corden Bleu cognac in a Baccarat crystal decanter and presentation case. Two stand-out lots from the works of art section of the sale were a 19th Century copy of a 17th Century gilt metal square table clock with a striking and repeating mechanism (even copies are rare to come to the market) and this example made £3,600. The stand out lot amongst the furniture and pictures was a seven-piece Anglo-Chinese rosewood suite of chairs and settee. With five telephone bids booked and interest in the room and on the internet, it was no surprise when it took top hammer price of the sale at £10,000. The next Fine Art sale is to be held at The

Lichfield Auction Centre on 19th September commencing at 10am. It will include sections of items relating to country pursuits and modern design. Entries close on 10th August. For further details call the office on 01543 251081.

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For a truly personal service please call 01543 255776

Private Chapel of Rest 116 Netherstowe, Lichfield, Staffs. WS13 6TS

Cannock Women’s Institute

By Jill Gooch

hat a “crafty” lot of ladies Cannock W.I. turned out to be at our recent meeting! Seven of the committee members each hosted a craft table for members to have a dabble at a variety of experiences. This included card making with Del, coaster creation with Helen, shabby chic with Sue and Di, cookery with Clare, flower arranging with Jill and ‘colour craze’ with Chrissy. After a half hour taster, members were rotated around the tables. The time went quickly: and all agreed that this had been such a successful venture that we must do another “Crafty Dabble” again soon. Besides having an experience, learning and sharing a new craft, and taking home a made item; it gave an opportunity for members and new members to mingle and get to know each other better. The

Etching Hill WI

By Karen O’Brien

warm welcome was extended to guest speakers Janice Burton MBE and Ann Moorhouse who were accompanied by their beautiful dogs at a recent meeting. Janice explained that at the age of seven she started having problems with the sight in her right eye and by the age of nine was completely blind in that eye. She was diagnosed with Coats’ Disease, which although is rare in females and generally only affects one eye, caused her to become totally blind in both eyes by her 21st birthday. Janice attended a rehabilitation centre in Torquay where she learned to read Braille, walk with a white cane (which she loathed) and trained as a telephonist. She also trialed walking with a Guide Dog, which was a life changing moment and led to her applying for her own Guide Dog. She trained with Lottie, a black Labrador, spending four weeks at the Guide Dog for the Blind Centre, Leamington Spa. Janice returned home to Stoke on Trent and joined Cosaccs, and a swimming club for the

new committee, which took over in April are looking into providing a more vibrant and varied programme of events for the coming year, with the emphasis on achieving friendship through communication. Our W.I. meetings are on the second Thursday of the month 10.30am at St Luke’s Church disabled where she swam using the lane ropes as a guide. After many hours of practice, Janice was invited to join the British Blind Swimming Team and participated in the 1984 Paralympic Games in America where she won one gold, two silver and three bronze medals. She went on to compete in the Paralympic Games at Seoul, Barcelona and Atlanta. Together with other worldwide competitions, she has collectively won 65 medals, 15 of which were gold. At the age of 38 Janice decided to stop competing at swimming and started water skiing at Holme Pierrepont in Nottingham. She has also snow skied in Austria and plans to zip wire in Ffestiniog. She joined the Scropton Riding for the Disabled Centre where she undertook a 4.5 mile cross country course and won a gold medal for horsemanship. Janice was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List 1999. During her very active life, she has been accompanied by her Guide Dogs, all of whom she has retained after their retirement. Ann Moorhouse is a volunteer for the Guide Dogs for the Blind and explained that following a bereavement and as a focus in her life, she decided to raise

Centre, Cannock. Visitors are always welcome to come and join us for refreshments and a chat, to see if they would like to join the W.I. For further information call The President on 01889 582632 or go to www.thewi.org.uk/staffordshire or visit Facebook Oakleafstlukes funds for the Association. She began by raising £5000 in ten months for the Named Tribute Fund, mostly through car boot sales. She now cares for dogs when their blind owner needs hospital care and also looks after the counter top collection boxes. Ann said that it costs £53,000 to breed and train a Guide Dog and she has so far raised £70,000. Much appreciative applause was given to Janice and Ann for both their inspiration and determination and many chose to make a personal donation to the Association. For more information about the WI and the Meetings planned for the year, please visit the web site at www.wi-etching-hill.org.uk

Explore The Old Chancel and St Augustine's Church

The Old Chancel and St. Augustine's Church will be open as part of the Heritage Open Weekend on Saturday 8th September. The buildings will be open to explore from 10.30am to 3.30pm. This is a great opportunity to explore the interior and exterior of these beautiful churches.

Rugeley August Scarecrow Trail

Rugeley Library staff and volunteers have knitted nine scarecrows and one 'Dennis the Menace', to tie in with their Summer Reading Challenge which this year is based on the Beano. The characters will be deposited around town in August for shop and cafĂŠ owners to display in their windows over the school holidays. Trail sheets can be picked up at Rugeley Library and completed forms can be brought back to the Library, and will be entered into a prize draw to win one of the characters.

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

The Horse Fair By Harry Thornton

he horse fair once held every June in Rugeley grew in popularity during the 18th and 19th centuries with hundreds of horses arriving for sale from all parts of the country and Ireland. In 1851 the fair was said to be “very large with colts and horses of superior breeds” and in the 1860s more than 1,000 horses were being sold annually. An entry dated 1st June 1863 in the log book of Brereton’s Infants’ School, before school attendance was compulsory, reported the attendance was small because of the horse fair; probably a funfair with swings and roundabouts, popular in later years, had by then become part of the scene. An article in the Staffordshire Advertiser of 7th June 1834, headed “Rugeley’s Great Horsefair” described the event, but then added a cautionary note:

“This fair always brings together thieves and swindlers whose exploits are frequently characterised by an extraordinary degree of hardiness, we

believe more than one horse has been ridden away by pretended purchasers. One

gentleman’s horse worth £100 was stolen out of its stable while the groom lay asleep at its side. Another gentleman had sold his horse for over £100 for which he received a cheque payable in London but had the cheque stolen.”

By the early 20th century the decreasing need for horses resulted in the fair closing in the 1930s. At the same time the once familiar ‘hitching posts’ in Horse Fair for tethering horses were removed. But by then an annual carnival in aid of Rugeley’s hospital was proving to be a better attraction with its parade of decorated floats, street bunting, and a pleasure fair held first in Sandy Lane and later in Wharf Road. Harry Thornton is a member of the Landor (Local History) Society.

Friends of Etching Hill Facebook Photography competition

he Friends of Etching Hill Photography Competition has been won by Lee Chapman. The winning entry was decided by the public who voted for their favourite image at Rugeley Charter Fair. Lee was presented with a voucher for a canvas of his winning picture, kindly donated by Max Spielman of Rugeley. Lee's image was very popular gathering 44 votes at the Charter Fair with his image of sunset over the Etching Hill rocks.

“What can I make?”

Step 5

By Jill Hayward

Most parents and grandparents will find that they have a little stock of craft supplies lurking in a cupboard, or will have come home from shopping with a mixed pack of goodies, only to be faced with the question “What can I make?”

Step 1

Follow our step by step instructions to make something easy and fun using only things you might find around the house and items usually included in store bought craft kits. You may need a bottle of PVA craft glue for securing ends and fixing. Ring-a-Rosie window hanger* You will need: Plain paper, card or a cereal box Scissors Paper clips, sticky tape or glue String or wool Pens, pencils or crayons for colouring Pom poms or foam shapes for decoration

Step 1 On plain paper draw around a plate and cut out the circle. Fold in half, then into quarters and then again, one more time, until it looks like a slice of pizza. Now using a pencil draw a simple outline of a figure, make sure they are linked at the hands but not at the feet.

Step 2

Step 3

Step 2 Carefully cut around the shapes (this is a bit fiddly so probably needs a grown up to do this), then gently unfold until you have a chain of people in a circle. Decorate by drawing on faces and clothes. Put to one side.

Step 3 Take a strip of card (I have used the inside of a cereal box. Cut the strip so that it is of slightly greater depth than the dolls, (I have had to join two together to give a long enough piece). Decorate by colouring the top half blue and the bottom green, don’t worry about being too careful. Use foam shapes or sequins to make trees and flowers.

Step 4 Carefully make a tube of the card and insert it into the ring, gradually opening it until it fits. Trim off the excess and fix the tube together (don’t worry if you break your ring you can always glue them back together, and no one will know). Use paper clips to hold it while the glue dries. Fix the dolls to the background with dabs of glue.

Step 5 Place three paper clips on the top edge of the card, knot a piece of string to each clip and bring them to the middle. Thread the strings through a bead or two and adjust so that the whole piece hangs straight. Tie the pieces of string to secure them and use them to suspend your Ring-a-Rosie hanger. Give it a spin and watch your little people dance around the ring! Jill Hayward is an artist and illustrator. For more information on her work go to her Facebook page Jilly Ink Illustrations.

Step 4

*Please remember that small beads can form a hazard to very small children, so this activity is not recommended for children under 3 and close supervision is recommended during the entire task. Please take extra care when using scissors. Craft activity is undertaken at your own risk.

My Month in Parliament By Amanda Milling MP

The last few weeks have been very busy, both in Parliament and here in Cannock Chase. In Parliament a number of important bills have been making their way through the Commons, including ones that will make ‘up-skirting’ illegal, banning ivory sales, and bills that pave the way for Brexit. The latter is a subject that has given me plenty to talk about over the past few months at the many schools I have visited. The number of visits has only increased recently given Democracy Week. I thoroughly enjoy talking to local children about the work I do in Parliament and across Cannock Chase. I never failed to be impressed by the probing questions that I get asked and the excitement and energy of local school children. I will probably need some of this energy when I go out and join our hardworking Royal Mail postmen and postwomen, as I shadow them on a delivery round in Rugeley in the coming weeks. I have visited the Rugeley Depot a number of times and it is always a hive of activity and I am looking forward to joining them on their round. At this time of year, there are lots and lots of community events and fetes. We have been incredibly lucky so far with the weather too. The long snowy winter seems a distant memory! I was delighted to recently join the Rugeley & District Lions Club’s Annual Charter Dinner. The group do so much for our local community, raising money for a range of very good causes. I also recently took part in something that I can only describe as the world’s biggest treasure hunt – SmileStones. These are stones that you decorate with colourful images, then hide in random locations for people to find. Each painted stone has a message on the bottom leading the finder to the Staffs SmileStones Facebook page. The message encourages them to post an image of the stone they have found and then to re-hide the stone somewhere else. This leads to stones travelling far and wide and, as their names suggests, spreading smiles with them. If you fancy taking part in this, you can find out more on their Facebook page. It’s a lot of fun and I even took a stone I painted to Parliament and hid it on the Parliamentary Estate - once I had cleared it with security! As always, if you need my help with any issues or problems, please contact me on 01543 877142 or email amanda.milling.mp@parliament.uk.

Holiday Cottage To Let Woolacombe North Devon

Details/Pictures:www.leesideholidays.com Email: johns@leeside.myzen.co.uk Tel: 0121 353 6613

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