Pp i33 web ed

the

PEOPLES Issue 33 Mar/Apr 2015

publication

THE EASTER ISSUE JC COOK CYCLES New Wilton Rd premises for major local dealer GRIMSBY BIKE HUB Park Hire Repair at Grimsby Town Station LINDSEY ROADS CYCLING CLUB Promoting cycling right across NE Lincolnshire SOUTH BANK ROUND UP What’s going on out of town in our area?

YORK CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL Weekends away with Hough’s of Lincolnshire THEY DON’T JUST SELL TYRES Kingsway Tyres for brakes and servicing too NATIONAL SLEEP WEEK Knit up that ravell’d sleeve of care!

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T

he popularity of cycling has been rising over the last few years, partly as a result of British success in the Olympics. In this issue we visit the amazing new JC Cook showroom on Wilton Road and the Grimsby Cycle Hub to see how they’re both helping to promote cycling in the area.

We also feature some of the businesses in the area with women at their helm and get some good advice on how to choose a mattress and get a great night’s sleep.

And there are six Easter eggs hidden in the magazine. Can you find them all?

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Publisher: Diva Publications, Grimsby & Cleethorpes 01472 238140 www.divapublications.co.uk Advertising Sales: Deborah Staff deborah.staff@divapublications.co.uk Distribution: Andrew Staff andrew.staff@divapublications.co.uk Design, Photography, Editorial: Ian Pickles All rights reserved. Diva Publications make every effort to ensure that content is correct. However we cannot guarantee responsibility for any errors or omissions.

Diva Publications do not accept any liability which may arise or result from any error in any advertisement or editorial, whether relating to wording, position, space or artwork. The Publishers cannot be held responsible for any breach of copyright arising from any material supplied, including advertisement copy, editorial, design and images. No part of the People’s Publication may be reproduced, transmitted, (mechanical, electronic or photocopying) or stored in a retrieval system of any kind.

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6

In The Know

8

Saving The Ice Factory

11

York Chocolate Festival

14

Women In Business

18

National Bed Month

28

Gardening

31

Saddle Up For Spring

38

Andy Fairweather Low

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What’s going on in our area?

Urban regeneration on the docks

A chocoholics delight

Heroines of the local economy

Are you getting the sleep you need?

Rhododendrons: HTA Plant of the Month

Get on your bike and get out in the countryside

Rock royalty at The Central Hall

Out And About The businesses that thrive out of town in our area

Motoring Leave a little urban space man!

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To advertise in The Peoples or in Mouth Almighty or to let us know about arts and entertainment events or for general enquiries contact Deborah Staff on 01472 238140

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In The In the know Know Your indispensable guide to what’s going on where you live

CARNIVAL DIARY 2015

P

lanning is well under way for the Cleethorpes Carnival 2015 and we’re happy to announce that in the run up to the resort’s biggest day of the year we’ll be running a Carnival Diary to keep you up to date with everything that’s going on.

We’ve got interviews with organisers and participants lined up and we’ll be running announcements about all the new features of what promises to be the biggest and best Cleethorpes Carnival of them all.

Many of the diary features will run through our web edition and social media so to stay up to date with all the carnival news visit our website www.divapublications.co.uk or find us on Facebook and give us a like.

You’ll also find several hundred pictures from last year’s carnival on there and it would be great to get some more tags so pay us a visit and see what’s new and what’s old too.

JUL

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IN THE KNOW

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TAIKO DUO HEADED STATESIDE FOR TRAINING

CALIFORNIA DRUMMING ON SUCH A WINTER’S DAY (SUCH A WINTER’S DAY)

T

here are exciting times ahead for Taiko drummers Emma Middleton and Lisa Oliver as they head across the pond in April for three weeks of intensive training as the official holders of the St Hugh’s Arts Award 2014, from The St Hugh’s Foundation.

They will travel to California to work with the renowned San Jose Taiko, receiving lessons, composition training and consultation from San Jose Taiko’s founders PJ and Roy Hirabayashi. They will also study in LA with Kris Bergstrom of the LA Taiko Institute.

Emma and Lisa plan to bring their new skills back to Gyoko Taiko which is part of their larger regional organisation Humber Taiko, by offering advanced training and high quality professional performances.

The award is a major achievement and their St Hugh’s mentor Elaine Munson of Abbey Walk Gallery paid tribute to them as she explained why they had been chosen to receive the award.

“Emma and Lisa have great passion and enthusiasm in all they do and are blessed with creative talents which they willingly share with others.

It was refreshing to hear them enthuse about Grimsby and its community with whom they work tirelessly. Humber Taiko is dedicated to providing an enjoyable and professional programme of events for people of all ages and abilities to take part in.

They are ambitious in their outlook and we believe that the award will enable them to create a centre of excellence for Taiko drumming in NE Lincolnshire.”

Originating in Japan, Taiko drumming uses a mixture of percussion, voice and choreography to create stunning live performances.

Emma and Lisa have spent more than 5 years developing Taiko drumming across the Humber Region and have groups in Scunthorpe and Grimsby with additional projects ongoing in schools and community centres both north and South of the Humber bridge. To find out more about what they do and how you can join in visit www.humbertaiko.org, email info@humbertaiko.org, look on Facebook at HumberTaiko or ring 07742 980106.

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ARTS

Harold a retro

d Gosney: ospective

ARTS

@ the Muriel Barker Gallery in the Fishing Heritage Centre reviewed by Gill Hadwin

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ARTS

ARTS

H

arold Gosney studied at Grimsby School of Art from 1954 and moved on to the Slade School two years later. He returned to teach at the Grimsby School of Art in 1960 and that was when his interest in sculpture began. He retired in 1992 and moved to York to continue his career as a sculptor. His work is on display in the cathedrals of York, Ripon and Chester.

A retrospective of his work and career is currently on display in the Muriel Barker Gallery in Grimsby’s Fishing Heritage Centre.

The exhibition runs until Sunday August 2nd and is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Closed Mondays except Bank Holidays.

Admission is free and all ages are welcome but children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

For more information call Rachel McWilliam on (01472) 323004 or visit the Fishing Heritage Centre Facebook page.

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ARTS

ARTS

E

ver since we opened Abbey Walk Gallery in 2008 we have been intrigued by the reliefs displayed on the walls of the multi-storey car park which faces our premises – the one with the spiral exit. Indeed, we see and admire them every day and often find ourselves pointing them out and talking about them to our visitors.

The Abbey Walk multi-storey was built in the 1970s. This was a golden era in Grimsby, when architects and town planners worked with artists to create a number of public artworks that were incorporated into buildings of that era and which can still be seen throughout Grimsby.

I was thrilled to meet the artist commissioned for several of these projects at an exceptional exhibition ‘Harold Gosney: A Retrospective’ hosted at the Muriel Barker Gallery at the Heritage Centre and celebrating 60 years of the artists work.

Harold is the artist responsible for those intriguing reliefs on the car park and also many others including the large Grimsby seal sited on the front of the Main Grimsby Library entrance and the Grim and Havelock themed copper relief on the side of the Wilkos in the Old Market Place. Some of the drawings and designs for these sculptures form part of the current exhibition.

The centrepiece of the exhibition comes not in the form of the public works of which there are many but in the shape of a life size fifteen hand high horse and its naked male rider, which greets you at the entrance of the Heritage Centre and which, according to the artist, was inspired by the Games of Ancient Greece. The

sculpture portrays a Greek warrior who has just completed a race. Upstairs in the Gallery itself sits its wooden twin.

This remarkable structure, originally carved to act as a form on which to make the finished copper piece, stands now as an impressive sculpture in its own right.

Harold, now in his late seventies, must be one of the finest living artists in Britain but, as a modest man who has never sought celebrity, he must also be one of the most unsung.

His work is often inspired by classical and renaissance art and themes drawn from ancient and modern mythologies.

The human form and the horse dominate his subject matter and can be seen in many of the intriguing and beautiful sculptures and highly sensitive and beautifully executed drawings on display.

It is a body of work which has brought uniqueness to our community and invigorated our public space, providing an intersection between past, present and future.

It has been such a pleasure and a genuine thrill to see his other exceptional work – and for all Grimsby art lovers – this is truly an exhibition not to be missed.

Gill Hadwin

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IN THE KNOW

SAVING THE ICE FACTORY

Not only is Grimsby’s Grade II listed ice factory the only remaining ice factory in the UK with its machinery in situ, it is also the biggest building of its kind in the world. Preserving and redeveloping it for new use is the determined ambition of the Great Grimsby Ice Factory Trust but they have got their work cut out.

T

he battle to preserve the Grimsby Ice Factory is a labour of love for Trust Secretary Graeme Bassett and Chair Vicky Hartung.

The Trust was formed in 2010 and submitted a funding bid in 2013 which was rejected. So they regrouped and sought advice and are now in a strong position to apply again with support from The Princes Regeneration Trust and NE Lincs Council. Local politicians are united in wanting to see urban regeneration and have made a commitment to support the Trusts’s plans.

‘It’s important that we’ve secured cross party support for our plans,’ Vicky tells me when we meet. I ask about the attitude of local people to the project.

‘We had to win hearts and minds because it looks so hopeless and it can be hard to believe in its potential,’ she says.

The building is clearly suffering the effects of twenty four years of neglect but it is important to look beyond the dilapidation and to consider what is inside - a complex machine that powered the Grimsby fishing industry. Built in 1901 it supplied the ice to preserve fish on its journey from the deep sea fishing grounds to the nation’s plates. The fabric of the building encases the all important machinery but there is more to it than that. In true Victorian style there is

attention to detail in the brickwork such as the initials of the Great Grimsby Ice Factory cast into the end plates of supporting beams in the tanks house walls.

Other sites of industrial interest such as Beamish Museum in County Durham provide an opportunity for people to discover the heritage of their region and when the Ice Factory is restored the people of the area will be able to come in and see the mechanism for themselves.

‘Whatever else goes into the building, the machinery will be there,’ Vicky states firmly.

Graeme talks about the space inside and its versatility. When I ask him

what drew him to the factory he explains, ‘It captures the imagination.

It is strange and surprising and lends itself to so much. It makes me think of the Bat Cave.’

It is the space and its potential that excites Vicky. When she first got involved she could see no good reason why it could not become an art gallery of national and international importance. ‘All cultural funding is focused on London and it’s time to change that,’ she says.

Vicky and Graeme are keen to emphasise that the trust is not just about building a bespoke art gallery.

The site would be multi purpose and incorporate other facilities including a huge climbing wall. It would also contribute to and encourage regeneration and redevelopment on the East Marsh, one of the town’s most deprived wards.

Creating a new identity for the area with cultural capital at its heart would improve employment opportunities and quality of life for people over the longer term. Heritage and regeneration are at the heart of the project and not for the few, but for the many.

Improving the cultural life of a town is like throwing a stone into a pond. The ripples are far reaching. A significant cultural venue is an attraction that supports the visitor economy.

Must see exhibitions and events draw people to the area. A cultural centre with a reputation can attract people to come here to work and live.

NE Lincs has long suffered from the brain drain effect. Talented young people leave and do not return. The Ice Factory project could be a step towards putting that right.

To find out more about the trust you can visit grimsbyice.co.uk and follow them on Facebook and on Twitter Image: Trust Chair Vicky Hartung outside the Ice Factory

TEETH WHITENING

We’ve all heard about teeth whitening and it sounds great but we’re not all necessarily clear about what it is or how it works. So we asked the nice people at Teethbright for a few answers to some of our questions.

What is teeth whitening?

Teeth whitening is a simple procedure to have whiter and brighter teeth What does the process involve and how long does a treatment take?

We apply a gel to the teeth and then shine a laser light onto the mouth area. The gel lifts the stains.

There’s no abrasion - that’s why it’s completely pain free. Our team have more than six years of experience so you know you’re in capable hands.

For a Full Teeth Whitening Treatment allow 50-60 minutes. It is best to have a full treatment approximately every 12 months, depending on your lifestyle.

Are there any medical considerations?

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Other than that no problems.

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DIARY It might still seem like winter hasn’t quite departed but plans are already far advanced for Cleethorpes Carnival 2015 which takes place on Saturday 18th July, and that means a busy time for Carnival organiser Leanor Pidgen. Despite her hectic schedule Leanor found some time to chat to The Peoples and tell us about what goes into organising an event of this magnitude, what’s in store for this year and what the Carnival means to her.

JUL

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L

eanor Pidgen has for many years been a pillar of the Cleethorpes community, tirelessly volunteering for local groups and organisations including the Girls Brigade, the Haverstoe Park committee, the Duke of Edinburgh Awards organisation and many others. She is also governor at three schools and thanks to her many hours spent helping to organise and run the Cleethorpes Carnival with sponsors Young’s Seafood, she is often described as the face of the Carnival!

In the run up to this year’s Carnival, which takes place on Saturday 18th July, Leanor will be writing a fortnightly diary to give us a glimpse of the hard work that goes on behind the scenes of this wonderful community event!

First Leanor told us about her own history with the Carnival.

“I have had so many connections with it, from my children entering the first year it started to my son organizing it when he worked for Cleethorpes Council”.

However, she explained, in 2012 the Carnival’s future looked uncertain, “I had exhausted all avenues in looking for funding and eventually we had to take the tough decision that 2012 would be the last ever parade. As I watched the floats for what I thought would be the very last time it was hard not to have tears in your eyes”.

But much to everyone’s surprise and delight the Carnival was rescued, Leanor explains, “To my astonishment three weeks later I had a call from Young’s Seafood Limited asking if we could meet with them. They offered to sponsor us and more than that,

we met a wonderful group of people who were so enthusiastic and wanted to support the parade and to put more back into the community.

It was wonderful to know the parade had this kind of support!

And ever since then the partnership between Young’s Seafood and the Cleethorpes Carnival has thrived!”

We asked Leanor how she was feeling about the upcoming Carnival.

“I’m really looking forward to this year’s Carnival. I always have, since it started 40 years ago, but I think this will be one of the best ever. I have so many memories and I still love seeing the reaction on the children’s faces when they see all the colour, noise and bustle of the parade.

This year we have so many exciting things planned, with amazing new acts and a few old favourites coming to join in the celebration, I really can’t wait!”

So that’s a date to put in your diary then and between now and then we’ll keep you up to date with all the news about Carnival 2015!

It’s all music.

Everything is music.

BJ

arb ungr

at Barton Ropery Hall

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MUSIC

MUSIC

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Barb Jungr doesn’t do covers .... .... and woe betide anyone foolish enough to utter the word within her earshot. I only did it once and such was the magnitude of her wrath that she was really nice about it, because apart from being one of the best singers in the world she is also a very lovely person.

She is, of course, an interpreter of the songs of others, a songwriter in her own right, and a performer acclaimed on both sides of the Atlantic. She has a Sunday residency at Crazy Coqs in Soho and has won two of the most prestigious theatre awards in New York, the 2008 Nightlife Award for Outstanding Cabaret Vocalist and 2003’s Best International Artist Backstage Award. She’s also a radio presenter, a composer and has a masters in ethnomusicology.

She is well known for her themed shows and albums in which she explores the songs of a particular writer or performer, and her most recent album, Hard Rain, is a collection of interpretations of songs by Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. On Friday night she was in Barton at the Ropery Hall with a set of songs from these two master songwriters, some of them widely known, some less so, and we got to chat to her before the show.

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MUSIC

MUSIC The Peoples: The press frequently describe you as a chansonniere. Are you happy with that description? What do you think it adds above and beyond being simply called a singer?

Barb Jungr: I don’t really think it adds anything. It’s just a French way of saying singer. It came about because my first album on Linn Records was The Space In Between, an album of French songs in translation, with works by Jacques Brel and Jacques Prevert among others. That’s when people started to associate me with the chanson tradition.

French chansons are story based. They are supposed to be like one act plays although with people like Brel they are more like the works of Shakespeare. I don’t mind people using the word about me but I don’t think it adds anything.

Does it signify the idea of having an especially intense commitment to the song?

It’s possible. The French songs are very dramatic because they’re stories but Dylan songs are very dramatic too and if you don’t have an intense commitment to the song and then you shouldn’t be doing it.

Did you grow up in a house full of songs?

I grew up in a house full of music. My mum and dad came from Europe and met over here, in Rotherham, in the mills. So I grew up with a very European attitude to music. We had very catholic tastes. We had jazz and opera and Nat King Cole and Alma Cogan on the radio.

We had a record player before anybody else in our street. And I was really lucky because they took me to things. They took me to everything, and amongst the little working class catholic community that absorbed us, (because in those days people did welcome and absorb people who came over from the war), they had lots of pantomimes and concerts. So there was music around us all the time. Music that people made, people who weren’t professionals. Music that we went to. We went to everything. We went to variety shows and a lot of opera. My parents didn’t think opera was posh, because in Europe it isn’t.

So you grew up in Rochdale and Stockport.

Your father was a refugee and your mother was also from Czechoslovakia. Were people nice to you and your family?

They were very nice to us. By the time I was old enough to notice everything had settled down enough but my mother had a very difficult time coming after the war. If she had known how difficult it was going to be I don’t know if she would have come. My father was very damaged. He had been in the German work camps, which were one step down from the concentration camps and I think he struggled with a lot of things for a very long time. But when the Velvet Revolution came he opened up and told us a lot about his story that we hadn’t known until then. I didn’t know his story until he applied to the German government for compensation and that’s when we realised what he had been through. But there was trouble with some kids and I got into a few fights.

What was the most important thing you learned from your parents?

My parents said “You can do anything. Except be the Pope and you might be able to do that by the time you’re old enough. You can’t be the Queen of England but you never know what else you can be. And they were right and I am very grateful for that.”

So the girl in Stockport to Memphis, sneaking out on a Friday night to get a bus into Manchester. Is that you?

Oh yes.

And when you went to London in 1975 were you running away?

No I wasn’t running away. London was just where you went if you wanted a career as a musician or an artist. I don’t think I really thought “Oh I’m going to be an artist.” That wasn’t in my head. I wasn’t that pompous.

Then.

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MUSIC

Were you part of the punk scene?

Oh yes. I managed Angle Tracks. I married a punk drummer. And then we started recording together in a studio at the back of a bacon factory in South Kensington. My first single was recorded there. It was He’s Gone which we released as The Stroke. I still love that record and I’m dead proud of it.

Then you worked with Julian Clary. What was that like?

I worked in with Julian on stage and TV and I opened for Alexei Sayle for two years. Julian is still a really good friend. He was my guest at my residency at the Crazy Coqs last week.

That was fun. I learned a lot from him about

things like how to talk to audiences and framing shows. It was a great show business education.

And you worked for 13 years with Michael Parker performing a mix of folk and roots music. On the track of the Shopping For One there’s a great piece of harmonica playing.

Is that you?

It’s me playing harmonica on all the Jungr/ Parker stuff.

It’s a really great piece of playing. And you played harmonica on Billy Bragg’s Workers Playtime album too. Nowadays that’s regarded as a classic album. Did it feel like a classic at the time?

MUSIC has never been available except on cassette and that stopped years and years ago and now we are re-mastering and putting them out again. We had some family illness as well and I lost my sister to multiple sclerosis and I felt that I just needed some space. So the masters came along at just the right time. I did two years at Goldsmiths and the School of African Studies and it was a wonderful experience. I was around a lot of to really brilliant people.

John Baily who is the world’s leading expert on Afghanistan music and who has saved a lot of Afghan musical history over the past few troubled years was my tutor. I was very lucky.

And then I kept going back to Africa. I did my Masters in the music of Malawi because I was working with the national troupe there.

Do you see many connections between the African music you studied and the music that you perform? Or do you try to make connections?

The connections happen anyway. Music is music. Everything is music. I don’t think that music is an international language because there are some musics that don’t to speak to each other. But usually two musicians can sit down together and find something in common whatever traditions they come from.

No. Not at the time, but Billy was really sweet.

He released a lot of our existing Jungr/Parker stuff on vinyl which was really putting his money where his mouth was.

In 1991 you went to the Sudan and later to Burma and the Cameroon.

After that you decided to do a masters in ethnomusicology. Was that a good experience?

The masters was not just a result of the trips for the British Council. A lot of things were happening in my life at the same time. Jungr/ Parker was falling in on itself which happened naturally and I’m still great friends with Michael.

In fact I have just re-released Blue Devils on my own label on iTunes because some of that stuff

You’ve done several themed albums based on the music of individual performers like Elvis, Nina Simone, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. Are there any other writers you would like to perform in this way?

I’ve got so much that we’ve already started.

We are performing the Dylan/Cohen show that we’re doing tonight. We have also resurrected the chansons and we did them in Brighton last week and I’m going to dig out the Elvis material and do that again as well. I’m also updating the Nina Simone songs with Simon Wallace who is accompanying me tonight. So I am very busy but there are things are I have mind the but I don’t like to discuss them too far in advance.

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MUSIC

MUSIC Your new album features the songs of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. Do you approach each of them differently?

No. I approach them as I would any other song. I try it in my own way and see if it works and if it doesn’t work, if the song means enough to me, I will keep on trying. Sometimes the people I’m working with make suggestions which help to make it work. But I don’t have a set mental process about the interpretation of the songs. My intellectual life is not there. It is in the books that I’m reading and the things that I am researching that interest me. These things may not be specifically about music but to me everything is about music. If I were reading about Van Gogh, that’s music. Driving here was about music. Sitting here talking is about music. Everything is about music.

Among newer songwriters is there anybody writing songs of this quality?

I haven’t found anybody but Dylan and Cohen have fifty or sixty years of work behind them.

It’s very hard to compare newer songwriters work against that kind of back catalogue. Often somebody will say to me something like “This is the new Joni Mitchell” and I will think “No, you need to go back and listen to the original Joni Mitchell if you think that.”

All we can ask is that young songwriters try to be who they really are and not to copy people who have already been successful. And we shouldn’t hothouse people or bring them forward too soon. We should give people time

to develop their talents. Nowadays a performer can go from living in a cupboard to having seventeen Grammys in a couple of weeks.

They haven’t had the space all the time to find themselves. When Dylan had his first success he had been around awhile already and then he carried on working. And he didn’t carry on working on primetime television. He played small clubs and learned his craft. Time to develop is crucial for any artist and in a world where people can have been on The Voice and then are playing for thousands of people a week later, where is their time to learn? I think that’s a real problem.

But would you still recommend it for young people as a career path? Is it still a good way to make a living?

I wouldn’t say either of those things but I would say that if you are a young person who has the desire to act or write or sing then you should do it but not because you expect to get rich. Don’t do it because you think it’s going to be easy or great for your bank balance or for your social life, because it probably isn’t.

It’s a vocation. You should do it because you love it. I’ve driven two hundred miles today to sing some songs in Barton and then I’ll drive two hundred miles home. And that makes me happy. I love singing to people.

And we love listening. Thank you very much indeed.

Thank you. You’re welcome.

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MUSIC

When Barb Jungr takes the stage it’s clear that she hasn’t been kidding. She radiates joy from the start and her takes on her chosen texts are transformative and inspirational.

The show opens with Dylan’s It’s Alright Ma, but it is delivered as a recitative with a rock and roll chorus, allowing her to bring out the irony of the wordplay in the verses. I’m taking some pictures and from my position stage right I can watch her through the lense as she acts her way through the lyric as if she were in a light opera, performing a particularly complex patter song. She doesn’t just stand and sing, she is constantly in motion, hand gestures, body shapes, facial expressions all come together to create an intense and mesmerising piece of musical and physical theatre.

She switches mood almost immediately, sliding into a soft jazz version of Cohen’s memento mori Who By Fire, as graceful an interrogation of Death the Leveller as anyone has ever attempted. The song is full of dreamy Joni Mitchellesque vocal runs and emphatic pauses.

It’s breathtaking stuff and the audience is so still you could hear a pin drop, or a shutter click, so I just listen and enjoy and wait for

something more upbeat where I can shoot the last of my pictures without ruining the silence.

It arrives with a personal favourite of my own, one of Dylan’s finest later songs, the relatively unknown Oscar winner Things Have Changed.

It’s a brilliant cascade of imagery and ideas, by turns funny, charming, bawdy and grotesque and Jungr performs it with relish, emphasising the comedy and loquacity of the lyric.

She takes a favourite line from the song “feel like fallin’ in love with the first woman I meet, puttin’ her in a wheelbarrow and wheelin’ her down the street” as the text for a brief conversation with the audience about the difference between Cohen and Dylan, the former an engaging lovable old roue who could chat to you at a party for a few minutes and feel like your life is a better place because of it and the latter a fully paid up member of the awkward squad - bitter, a little perverse, full of testosterone and bile.

The theme for the evening is to be the counterintuitive exercise of finding the most compassionate pieces of Dylan and the most vitriolic of Cohen, to compare and contrast each of them at their most atypical.

MUSIC

So we have a jazz version of First We Take Manhattan followed by a fine Chimes Of Freedom. Jungr performs the full version with the awkward verses left in, the ones that even Dylan never plays any more, and she makes them work. It’s Dylan’s greatest early masterpiece, (I’ll show my hand and admit that although I’m a near obsessive Dylan fan I’ve never been fond of the early acoustic stuff), and she brings out the poetry perfectly, turning the song into a diary note set to music (I read that somewhere), a tumble of narrative over a rolling, rumbling piano line from the always excellent Simon Wallace.

It’s a great show, with Jungr talkative and funny in the spaces between. That Clary fellow must have taught her well. Other highlights include a grimly humorous The Future, an up tempo jazz tinged Everybody Knows and A Thousand Kisses Deep which comes in as a bold confession, delivered in a spirit of resignation, not hope of absolution. Some things are too serious to be forgiven.

Even my pet hates, Masters Of War, (which Jungr performs as a one way conversation with an imaginary master of war who is sitting in the

wings and pulling faces at her) and Blowin’ In The Wind (which she makes sound almost like the work of a grown up) sound better than I’ve ever heard them performed live (and I’ve heard them a fair few times).

Towards the end of the show there’s a special moment - a song I’ve known for years but never fully appreciated, the lovely Land Of Plenty, composed by Cohen and Sharon Robinson and taken from 2001’s Ten New Songs album. I’ve heard it frequently but it’s the one song on the set list to which I don’t know all the words and I feel like I’m hearing it for the first time. I guess that’s what listening to a great singer interpret songs afresh can do for you.

It’s been a wonderful night and it’s Land Of Plenty that I find myself singing as we leave and for most of the rest of the weekend. fabulous. Now we have to find a way to get Barb Jungr to Grimsby to sing some songs.

She’s just what we need. Oh and ten thousand new jobs. But Barb Jungr would be a start.

And I think she might go for it - she obviously enjoys singing to people just as much as she said she did.

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CHOCOLATE

YORK CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL

T

he great cities of Yorkshire were mostly built in the Victorian era on the profits derived from the coal, wool and steel trades but the mighty city of York can trace its golden age back much further than most and one of the main sources of its wealth was a that most delicious of sweetmeats - chocolate.

Many world famous brands originated from the historic city of York and the legacy of three great entrepreneurial families: Rowntree’s, Terry’s and Craven’s, continues to this day. Though much has changed over the centuries, York remains the UK’s home of chocolate.

The city is still home to many artisan chocolate makers and chocolate themed shops and cafes. There’s a chocolate walk you can follow, the York Chocolate Story exhibition (advance booking recommended - check out yorkschocolatestory.com) and of course there’s the annual York Chocolate Festival.

This year the four day festival will celebrate the many famous chocolate products that have been created in the city such as Chocolate Orange, Smarties, Aero, and Kit Kat. It will also focus on the many local artisan chocolate makers and skilled chocolatiers who fill

APR

3

TO

Are you a chocoholic?

Can’t get enough of the sweet brown stuff?

Better pay a visit to the

FROM

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APR

6

Victorian Railway Journey 10th May 5 days 4 nights dinner, b&b inc a cruise on Loch Katrine, a ride on the Falkirk Wheel and a journey on the Bo’ness & Kinneil Steam Railway with cream tea

York Chocolate Festival 3rd April ONLY £169 3 days

from

£349 March 23rd/30th only

Winter Warmers & Spring Specials in Aberfoyle & the Cotswolds. 5 day holidays Monday to Friday throughout March and April with dinner, bed and breakfast, two nights entertainment and a trip out all included

April 6th/13th/ 20th/27th

£119 £139

DAY TRIPS 25th March Castle Howard inc admission 18th April Pickering, Yorks Moors

£23.00 £13.00

& Whitby

26th April Harrogate

Flower Show inc admission

£27.00

Dunoon & the Magnificent Clyde

16th March 2015 - a 5 day holiday including B&B and dinner with coach tour itinerary only in the premier resort on the beautiful Cowal Peninsula

£225

Hough’s of Lincolnshire your first choice for coach holidays, city breaks and days out

80 Middlethorpe Rd, Cleethorpes  01472 601088 www.houghsoflincolnshire.info

36

IN THE KNOW

York’s restaurants, shops and hotels with the most delectable cakes, pastries, chocolates and desserts.

The Chocolate Market will showcase the fine quality creations from local chocolatiers, while venues and attractions throughout the city will tell their own story of their role in York’s chocolate story.

There will be chocolate tastings and workshops and specialist insights into the history of an industry that is still a vital part of the city’s economy.

For full programme and tickets visit the website at www.yorkchocolatefestival.co.uk

SPECIAL EDITION

RD AWA RTISAN ING A E WINN OCOLAT CH E IN

D DMA HAN RKET MA N RASE

CHOCOLATE gourmet artisan chocolate gluten free, nut free, totally natural made with the finest cocoa beans

chocolate bars • buttons • novelties • cocoa butter • lincoln imp mints .

The Chocolate Drop, Willingham Hall, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire LN8 3RH 01673 844073

www.specialeditionchocolate.co.uk

IN THE KNOW

37

FESTIVAL FEVER There are some great weekends of music lined up in our area for 2015. Here are just a few favourites ....

It’s that time of year when the world is abuzz with anticipation about which megastar is going to be headlining which festival this summer, and many of us will be checking our tents have survived the winter, dusting off our sou’westers and polishing our wellies to get ourselves ready for the worst the summer can throw at us.

But you don’t need to travel far to hear some great music. In our own area we have a number of events coming up which offer something to please just about every music lover.

The weekend of May 23rd-24th sees the return of the Folk and Cider weekend to the light railway, featuring a cast of favourites. Headlining on the Sunday will be Steel Threads (pictured below), who wowed the crowds with a mixture of folk, rock and power pop last year, as well as Leafblade and Lincoln’s own Strummin’ Steve Jackson. Local artists performing include Merlin’s Keep, Amy Naylor and Helen Bennett.

It will be the jazz fans’ turn from June 26th-28th when

the Cleethorpes Jazz Festival comes to McCormack’s bar featuring among others the critically acclaimed Namvula who mixes her Scottish and Zambian roots to create a mesmerising vocal style.

And if jazz isn’t your thing then maybe you’ll find something to enjoy at The Yardbirds on the 27th June when local punk promoters Anarchy Entertainment present the inaugural Anarchy Festival which sees the welcome return of Wonk Unit to the town as well as sets from Ming City Rockers and Dead Dads.

We should also mention the amazing variety of festivals and events that will be happening up at Cabourne Parva, including Spirit Fest, a celebration of all things natural and spiritual from 12th-14th June, Festival 8 from 17th - 20th July and the Blind Cat space rock festival on 14th/15th/16th August. There’s the Juggling Convention up there as well so better check their Facebook regularly. Something for everyone there and there’s more to come so have a great summer of music - whatever the weather!

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MUSIC

Nicola Farnon swing and sunshine at the central hall Friday 13th March reviewed by Josie Gray

A

fter hot footing it over from a lunchtime set in Clitheroe, the Nicola Farnon Trio, Nicola Farnon, voice and bass, Phil Johnson, drums and Piero Tucci, piano and sax are on fine form when I catch up with them for a quick chat before the show. I arrive at the end of sound check and find Nicola happy to chat over fish and chips, one of the perks of playing in Grimsby or Cleethorpes.

She tells me that things are getting busy with festival bookings and a series of gigs on the rural touring circuit. The band clearly enjoy the 'quirky' gigs and venues on the rural tour and say they are well looked after wherever they go and that they are playing to mixed audiences who are not necessarily into jazz.

We get on to talking about songs and the joy of playing. Nicola likes "anything with swing" to it and says she tries to "feel" every song she performs with some becoming real favourites while others get rarer outings.

She also tells me that this combo of three is particularly enjoyable as they get along together very well and have fun spending time together as musicians. Phil Johnson is Nicola's husband and on stage there are those warm, funny moments that give an intimate glimpse into their relationship.

Jazz is a very open and free musical genre with musicians swapping and changing bands and combos, playing with lots of people. We discuss the fact that jazz tends not to be beset with the kind of petty competitive elements that are rife in other genres. There is a generosity about jazz that comes across in the music and in this trio there is a very open and generous spirit at work.

I leave Nicola to her supper after a final comment on her uncle, the renowned arranger Robert Farnon. Sinatra referred to him as 'The Gov' such was the respect he commanded. Nicola never met him because he worked and was busy until he died aged 86. She says "he was kind and encouraging." Musicians don't tend to retire, they just carry on and this is what Nicola intends to do. "I'll be hobbling around with my bass on my back, hips willing," she says and bursts into laughter as we part and she prepares for the stage.

MUSIC

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MUSIC

MUSIC

Opening the set with Nat King Cole's Let There Be Love sets the tone for what is to be a joyous gig. Nicola floods the room with the sunshine of her stage presence. She is a naturally warm performer whose whole delivery and style are uplifting. Between songs she is a gentle and funny raconteur, telling tales, losing her thread and laughing at her own scattiness. But when she's in a song she is all music and totally compelling. Her bass has a rich and warm voice and it becomes part of her as she moves with her instrument, blending its tones with her own.

The first set moves and grooves with various dynamic changes and light and shade and there are plenty of opportunities for the astonishing Piero Tucci to display his inventive and highly skilled playing. I have heard Piero several times with other bands as well as this and he is always a delight to watch and listen to. It's always a bit of a thrill to watch him play piano and sax at the same time.

First set highlights are Bye Bye Blackbird and You Don't Know Me. The former is a song I can get tired of hearing but tonight it sounds freshly picked and bright. The latter has moments of heartbreaking intensity and rich colours to the vocal that are truly beautiful. This song is the one that most transports me and takes me to the place where there is nothing but music, nothing but the song and from where you don't want to return.

Nicola opens the second set on her own with a lovely Abbey Lincoln song recently revived by Esperanza Spalding, Throw It Away. The voice and bass duet in a complex and interesting rhythm and harmony with a few surprising and lovely moments. This song is followed with the Gershwin classic They Can't Take That Away From Me a personal favourite of mine and which features a stunning solo from Piero Tucci on piano. Phil Johnson gets to cut loose in One Note Samba and judging by his facial expressions he seems to be thoroughly enjoying himself, in that special way that drummers do!

If my first set highlights had me transported to special places then Moonlight in Vermont takes it one step further. This is an exceptional song in terms of its lyrical construction, based as it is on Japanese haiku poetry. Tonight the song evokes moonlight, tinkling spring rain and delicate romance. I am particularly touched by Nicola's dedication of the song to me and hold that in my heart as once again, I wish for the song to never end.

The final song of the set Straighten Up And Fly Right is full of brightness and swings along as Piero switches between piano and sax and plays both together again. A quick and lively Cheek To Cheek provides the encore and Nicola is away to sign CDs and chat to her fans, who clearly love her. I pick up a copy of the live album A Day At The Market so I can take home a piece of that radiance that marks Nicola out as a bright star of the British jazz scene. Long may she shine.

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42

ARTS

Swan Lake: Live Streamed from the Royal Opera House @ Whitgift Film Theatre Tuesday 17th March 2015 Reviewed by Josie Gray From the melancholy solo opening notes of the oboe to the final dramatic climax of the closing movement, Tchaikovsky’s epic Swan Lake remains one of the most popular ballet scores in the history of classical ballet. In this beautiful production AnthonyDowell’s breathtaking interpretation takes the audience into a magical, romantic andultimately tragic world of bygone Russian royal power undermined by calculating evil.

The great challenge in Swan Lake is for the prima ballerina to capture the essence of the dual roles of Odette/Odile and make both equally convincing. Natalia Osipova is exceptional in both roles although for me she demonstrates more intense drama in her capture of Odile in Act III. Matthew Golding as Prince Siegfried is certainly dashing, strong and masculine but his fresh, buffed good looks are a littletoo clean cut to be the darker and more brooding presence that the part requires.

Von Rothbart, danced by Gary Avis, is full of menace and intensity and he casts a sense of dread over the production.

ARTS

The corps de ballet is exceptional and works seamlessly to provide beautiful set pieces and exquisite still moments particularly when Odette and Siegfried are declaring their love in those famous pas de deux sequences in Act II. The discipline and technique required to hold those shapes are notorious and dancers are required to exercise extreme levels of self control to maintain them. In ballet, artists truly suffer for their art. The well loved and often parodied Dance of the Cygnets is gorgeous with the dancers mimicking a paddling movement with their feet that evokes webbed feet in water. The Neapolitan Dance in Act III is also particularly good as it is intricate and exciting and danced with spectacular energy in this production.

I was wondering if the live stream experience could get close to the true live experience of being in the theatre. Due to the quality of the filming those of us in the cinema certainly had a better view of the performance than we would have had in many of the seats in the Royal Opera House.

The sound quality was excellent so the music could be enjoyed and appreciated. The glimpses of backstage and Darcey Bussell’s hosting were interesting and enjoyable. The whole principle of live streaming is one to be celebrated as it widens participation in arts that are seen as inaccessible and enables those who have no means to visit venues like the Royal Opera House a chance to see the very best of productions. It isn’t live and as it isn’t the same as attending a live performance but it is completely engaging and thoroughly enjoyable.

The cinema was about two thirds full on Tuesday evening and I wondered where all the dance school teachers and their aspiring young dancers were. After all an important part of the process of becoming an excellent performer is watching excellent performers and being inspired by them.

With any luck they’ll all read this and be there next time. That would be nice and the enterprising people at the Whitgift deserve the support.

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44

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Make it happen!

International Women’s Day has just gone by (it was on March 8th) but the whole of March has been designated Women’s History Month so we think we’re still in time to chip in with our two pennyworth. This year’s theme is “Make It Happen” encouraging effective action for advancing and recognising women.

S

o there we were, all sitting around the office talking about themes and features for this issue and when the subject of International Women’s Day came up it suddenly dawned on us how many of our key advertisers are women who run their own businesses.

And once we’d realised that then of course it was a shoo in that we’d run a feature celebrating them.

Just what is it that makes these women so good at what they do?

Nobody seemed to know exactly but they clearly all had the drive and the commitment and determination to get themselves where they are today, in many cases overcoming plenty of obstacles on the way.

And of course an essential component of every successful business is passion. Having the sheer desire to see things done just right because that’s the way you know they ought to be done and having the desire to share your love for what you do. We asked kate Roberts of A Good Yarn to explain to us what knitting and crochet mean to her ......

I knit because I love yarn. I love the softness of alpaca, merino, llama plus the fluffiness of mohair and angora.

The yarns available now are just intoxicating. It seems almost magical to watch two sticks and a strand of yarn become “something” on the needles! Rarely a day goes by without the needles in my hands, knitting is relaxation for me, and it also keeps my hands busy.

Knitting and crochet are skills that have been handed

down through the generations but these crafts are now heading in new directions with endless possibilities.

A Good Yarn is the perfect place to share your skills.

Our team will teach you everything you need to know about knitting and crochet, from the very basics onwards. We will help you to learn in a relaxed, conducive environment. We also offer bespoke groups for when you require a more personal touch.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

45

Sue and Rebecca Almond Home Is Where The Heart Is Wellowgate Grimsby At Home Is Where The Heart Is you’ll find an amazing selection of gifts and decorative items including wall hangings, photo frames, clocks, handbags, kitchenware, jewellery and scented candles. There are prices to suit all pockets and they’re only a short stroll from Top Town so why not pop through and find out for yourself. The shop is owned by Sue and Rebecca Almond so we thought we’d ask them how being a mother and daughter team works in practice.

Sue told us “Being mum and daughter means we aren’t afraid to express how we feel about an idea. Sometimes we can be awkward with each other but we have a rule that when we leave the shop to go home we go back to just being a family, no business talk required.”

Hme is where the heart is 25 Wellowgate, Grimsby DN32 0RA 07857 102480

Kate Roberts A Good Yarn Cambridge Street Cleethorpes

Jackie Norton JS Mobility Pelham Road Immingham

Jackie has been at the helm of JS Mobility in Immingham for nearly 2 years, having previously gained experience as a manager in another mobility shop and before that a chemist dispenser.

The last year has been a difficult one, with Jackie’s husband losing his job, it has been a struggle which Scooters they are trying their hardest to Power Chairs work through. Jackie likes to be Wheel Chairs busy and to have lots of strings to Bath Lifts her bow – she is also one half of singing duo Devotion. She loves the Stair Lifts music because it gives her an outlet Bathroom Aids to release her stress, although Electric Beds balancing the band commitments Rise & Recline Chairs alongside the mobility shop can be a juggling act. She doesn’t get any days off but she loves it that way.

She has also been taking steps towards becoming a qualified nail technician with a view to hopefully making this a part of her work life, possibly turning part of the shop into an up market nail bar.

Her best advice to women thinking 572649 of going into business? “Diversify.

Unit 5, 352 Pelham Road, Immingham | 01469 Cambridge St, Cleethorpes  01472 508707 It’s bad to have all your eggs in one Free Localwww.agoodyarn.co.uk Delivery | Sales, Service & Repair basket. And keep training.”

A Good Yarn J&S Mobility

46

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Joanne Snowden Barnet’s Barbers Sea View Street Cleethorpes

Barnet’s the traditional barbers

Having completed studying for her apprenticeship at Grimsby College Joanne was keen to set up in business for herself. Barnet’s was founded fifteen years ago and has been in its present location for four.

It’s a proper barbers shop aimed at a clientele for whom looking good Five fully qualified stylists | Up to date with all barbering techniques is important. Their stylists are top Highlighting service | Friendly atmosphere | No appointment necessary class, they stock a wide range of Men’s 5 min hair colouring, over basin, blend in, not block, £17 with haircut grooming products and they’re Colour blend | New perming service! always bang on trend. (Check out their new perming service - how Weekdays 9am to 5.30pm, Thursday till 7pm cool is that?)

Saturday 8.30am to 4 pm And what’s Joanne’s best advice to women who are thinking about starting out in business? Don’t underestimate the range of things you need to know about. It’s great to have trade skills but you’ll find Kate Roberts you need to be an accountant, a safety officer and a lawyer as well and lots more besides.

A Good Yarn And if you’ve got a supportive family behind Cambridge Street you that’s the biggest asset you can have.

47 Sea View St | 01472 322259

CUTS - £8.50 HEAD SHAVE - £5.50 KIDS & OAPs - £5.50

A Good Yarn is a wool shop and so much more!

It’s also a hub for everyone who loves knitting, whether they’re beginners or more experienced.

With its welcoming atmosphere, it’s the perfect setting for a relaxing chat during classes and drop in sessions.

There are knitting and crochet workshops, a regular crochet club with visits from qualified tutors and a range of monthly workshops which have covered techniques including beading, lacemaking, finishing, knitting and crochet.

The shop has materials to cater for knitters and crocheters alike, including yarns and wools, needles, books and patterns, with prices to suit all pockets.

Kate’s passion for her craft is deep rooted and you can tell from a few minutes conversation with her just how dedicated she is to this pastime and how much she enjoys bringing it back to life in this little gem of a shop.

Workshops fill up quickly so if you’re interested call Kate on 01472 508707 508787 to book a place or visit www.agoodyarn.co.uk

A Good Yarn

Cambridge St, Cleethorpes  01472 www.agoodyarn.co.uk

Icon CC by Sitara Shah

Cleethorpes

PRICE LIST

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

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Davinia & Kiera Lacey JK’s Gifts & Lily And Me Sea View Street Cleethorpes because fabulous never goes out of fashion

Are you looking for a special gift for a loved one? Or even better, are you planning to treat yourself to something extra nice? (You know you deserve it, don’t you. Yes.) JK’s Gifts and Lily & Me occupy adjacent premises in Sea View Street and they’re packed with gift ideas so there’s bound to be something perfect for everyone.  01472 695573/695566 10-12 Sea View Street, Cleethorpes The shops are the pride and facebook.com/jksgiftsforall joy of mother and daughter team Davinia and Kiera and we wondered what special qualities does each of them bring to the business?

Rosina Hough “First and foremost we’re a team,” says Davinia.

Hough’s of Lincolnshire “I manage Lily & Me and Kiera runs JK’s but Middlethorpe Road we’re in and out of both shops all day and we Cleethorpes discuss what to stock and changing fashions.

Kiera, who’s very on trend, has a lot of input with Hough’s of Lincolnshire is one of the areas’ clothes, shoes and jewellery (her favourite). And leading tour and holiday operators. They’ve we’re good friends too. That helps a lot.” been in business for eight years since being founded by wife and husband team Rosina and Richard (who had thirty years experience as a driver with Appleby’s and Peter Sheffield).

Their first project was a five day excursion to the Spital of Glenshee in Scotland. Now they’ve got five coaches and they’re all busy pretty much all the time!

Until this year they’ve stayed within the UK but Rosina has just passed her International Transport Manager exams so now they’re on the European leg of the adventure, running shopper trips from Folkestone to Calais and holidays to France and Holland.

So how do they divide the workload to suit their talents?

“I look after the office” says Rosina, “and Richard runs the garage.

Women are multi taskers – we can your first choice for coach holidays, city breaks and days out balance lots of things at once. And 80 Middlethorpe Rd, Cleethorpes DN35 9PR 01472 601088 Richard is an expert driver and mechanic. It’s best that we both play to our strengths.”

with Hough’s all you need to organise is

you!

Hough’s of Lincolnshire

www.houghsoflincolnshire.info

48

NATIONAL SLEEP MONTH FREE CAR PARKING WHEELCHAIR FRIENDLY FREE LOCAL DELIVERY

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At Brigg Beds you’ll find a fabulous range of beds and mattresses by some of the biggest names in the business including Limelight, Serene, Birlea, Seconique and Julian Bowen. We also stock headboards and a wide range of quality bedroom furniture. You’ll always find a warm welcome and our friendly staff will be happy to help and advise so whether your taste is traditional or you’re looking for something some contemporary style, make sure you pay Brigg Beds a visit!

fast free local delivery Open Monday to Saturday 9.30am - 5.00pm

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www.briggbedslincolnshire.co.uk

NATIONAL SLEEP MONTH March is National Bed Month, a time to think about the importance of sleep and to consider if we are getting enough. So we asked a few of our local experts about how to improve our sleep lives and how to get the best possible mattress to suit us.

is your work home balance disrupting your sleep?

T

time to get your rhythm back!

he circadian system is out body’s internal clock which keeps us in sync with the 24 hour day. It sends signals to many different parts in the body, affecting things like digestion, the release of certain hormones, body temperature, and much more. One of the main functions of the internal clock is to regulate when you feel alert and when you’re ready to sleep, but for some people (for example shift workers or people with some medical conditions), the circadian system can become disrupted and this can cause a lack of quality sleep. I these cases it’s important to make your sleep routine as effective as possible, so here are a few suggestions for ways to improve your snooze.

Stick to the same bedtime and wake up time, even on the weekends This helps to regulate your body’s clock and could help you fall asleep and stay asleep for the night.

Avoid naps, especially in the afternoon.

Power napping may help you get through the day, but if you find that you can’t sleep at bedtime, eliminating even short catnaps may help.

Practice a relaxing bedtime ritual A relaxing routine activity right before bedtime conducted away from bright lights helps separate your sleep time from activities that can cause excitement, stress or anxiety which can make it more difficult to fall asleep or remain asleep.

Exercise every day Even light exercise is better than no activity at all. Exercise at any time of day and remember that exercise does not have to mean going to the gym and working out. Try taking an extra walk, gardening or even sign up for dancing classes.

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50

NATIONAL SLEEP MONTH Evaluate your room Design your sleep environment to establish the conditions you need for sleep. Your bedroom should be cool and free from any noise that can disturb your sleep. It should be as dark as possible. Check your room for noises or other distractions. This includes a bed partner’s sleep disruptions such as snoring. Consider using blackout curtains, eye shades, ear plugs, “white noise” machines, humidifiers, fans and other devices.

Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows Make sure your mattress is comfortable and supportive. Life expectancy is about ten years for most good quality mattresses.

Have comfortable pillows and make the room attractive and inviting for sleep but also free of allergens that might affect you.

Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and heavy meals in the evening Alcohol, cigarettes and caffeine can disrupt sleep. Eating big or spicy meals can cause

discomfort from indigestion that can make it hard to sleep. It is good to finish eating at least 2-3 hours before bedtime.

Wind down Your body needs time to shift into sleep mode, so spend the last hour before bed doing a calming activity such as reading. If you have trouble sleeping, avoid electronics before bed or in the middle of the night.

If you can’t sleep, go into another room and do something relaxing until you feel tired.

It is best to take work materials, computers and televisions out of the sleeping environment.

If you’re still having trouble sleeping, don’t hesitate to speak with your doctor or to find a sleep professional. You may also benefit from recording your sleep in a Sleep Diary to help you better evaluate common patterns or issues you may see with your sleep or sleeping habits.

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Simple styling will enhance any bedroom, finished in gloss black. Comes flat-pack for easy home assembly.

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or Call Free on 0800 344 442 Products subject to availability. *Free fitting applies when you buy the equivalent size of our Airstep or Treadmore underlay.

Stair surcharge applies. Free fitting offer does not apply to laminate wood or vinyl flooring. Stocks vary from store to store.

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52

NATIONAL SLEEP MONTH

Sleep in Comfort W

e all know that having a good mattress is an important part of getting good quality sleep but few among us can claim to be mattress experts. One person who can is Marcie Romagnuolo of Cleethorpes Bed Shop in The Avenue. Here she gives us her best tips for choosing a mattress that’s just perfect for you.

What factors should you take into account when buying a mattress?

Always go to a reputable store to buy your mattress. Have a budget but remember you only get what you pay for and we spend a considerable time in bed. Check the mattress you already have and decide if you want one similar, firmer or softer. If you are only renewing your mattress check your base is sound with no visual dips. If your base is sprung it’s best to change the base at the same time.

How should we care for our new mattress?

First and foremost always use a good quality mattress protector. Top, tail and turn your mattress regularly to ensure even settlement of fillings. Occasionally Hoover your mattress to keep it free of dust. Never stand on your mattress to change a light bulb as you will damage the springs. Use a board which spreads your weight across the mattress.

What’s the difference between memory foam and pocket sprung?

Memory foam is a relatively new man made product which is still evolving. It is heat sensitive and moulds to your body contours. It is ideal for anyone with medical problems. The new cool memory foam and gel are essential as these regulate body temperature and stop you overheating which in the past has proved to be a problem. Pocket springs are tried and tested.

They are individual small springs encapsulated in

cotton pockets. Only the cotton pockets are attached to each other preventing roll together and roll off and therefore giving independent support and correct spine alignment. The spring count eg. 1000, 2000 is the number of springs in the king size mattress. Pocket sprung mattresses with memory foam are available if you want a combination of both.

How best to test a mattress?

There is only one way to test a mattress and that is to lay on it in your normal sleeping position.

Always give a new mattress a few weeks to get used to it as it may feel firmer than your old worn one.

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Heath & Hygiene expand with new vehicle and equipment to take on bigger office cleaning contracts Local cleaning specialists Heath & Hygiene are on a roll as major new contracts (partly a result of The Peoples we’re pleased to say, so hats off to us) mean that they’re expanding with new staff, a new vehicle, (decked out in their distinctive colours of course) and a new high tech cleaning machine that’s more effective and greener than its predecessor.

Proprietor Heath Johnson has spent the past nine years making Heath & Hygiene into an overnight success and he’s delighted with the development.

“Having an extra man on the team will mean not only more contracts but also that we can do a quicker turn round on major jobs”, he explains.

“We clean domestic, commercial and industrial premises but sometimes with offices people need you to be in and out in a weekend. An extra pair of skilled hands on the job will make a huge difference.”

“Having the right machine for the job is important too. A professional carpet or floor clean can transform your home or business.

There are lots of do it yourself options but often they not only give poor results, they can cause permanent damage such as carpet shrinkage.

When you choose Heath & Hygiene you’re choosing the experts and you know the job will be done just right.”

Alive & Kicking Simple Minds at The Auditorium

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When stadium rock legends Simple Minds rolled into town we were lucky enough to have two reviewers present. Here’s what they had to say about a great night Simple Minds @ Grimsby Auditorium 27th March 2015 reviewed by Tracey Edges

A

n eighties soundtrack, which has been playing in the background, suddenly turns to a dramatic, brooding version of Ravel’s Bolero and an expectant hush transforms a noisy and amiable audience, as all turn to face the stage in anticipation.

I had been expecting a quintet of men-in-black suits to appear on stage but that was left to Andy Gillespie on keyboards. Ged Grimes, on bass, was in traditional rock uniform of leather jacket, t-shirt, jeans and baseball boots.

Founder member, and guitarist, Charlie Burchill in similar with cotton jacket.

Drummer, Mel Gaynor was only visible by his face, with the rest wearing a mountainous, and impressive, drum kit.

However, the sartorial award of the evening went to frontman Jim Kerr in a red tartan, ¾ length jacket, white shirt with dandyish cuffs and a black scarf, with tight black trousers and glossy black boots. Vocalist, keys and additional guitar player, red-haired, Catherine AD was absolutely stunning in a red, sleeveless, glossy PVC dress and red tartan leggings with black glossy boots. They accessorised each other, perfectly.

The first half, centre back stage, proudly raised, was owned by Catherine AD aka The Anchoress, who also happens to be a university lecturer.

Catherine has written a book about, and lectures on, gay poetry, has given social media lessons to Chrissie Hynde and is also a participant in a joint venture band, The Dark Flowers, founded by Paul Statham, alongside Jim Kerr and others.

The line-up complete for the first set, the lightshow began, the smoke machines whirred but this was no smoke and mirrors ‘vintage’ tour. This was a band still relevant, fresh and still able to turn out Big Music. As Jim Kerr said, “It’s not us who’s coming back. It’s you”.

They were alive and kicked off with (sorry – but best to get that inevitable one out of the way!) with a track off the Big Music album: Let The Day Begin. The crowd didn’t need a warm up – they were off - straight into the big sound, the arm waving, the bouncing up and down.

I would guess a fair percentage were Simple Minds fans from the glory years and the odd screeched out “I love you Jim” floated around, hung in the air and fell like a thud from a bygone era.

Grimsby was the first gig of the 30 date UK tour and as a smaller town, and as the warm up – was it going to be a bit pedestrian? Not at all.

Jim Kerr had a twinkle in his eye, was relaxed, looked like he was really enjoying the show, was happy to pose for the multitude of photographs and had a bit of a banter. He mentioned Hull and got a loud boo and then

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mentioned Cleethorpes to a humongous cheer. Asked how the local football team was doing, he got a groan and responded “Oh, not that well then?!”

Promising to “Play Everything”, a bit difficult with a back catalogue of 18 studio albums, spanning 35 years from, Life In A Day, released in 1979 to, Big Music in 2014, they managed to produce a well balanced show of old favourites and new material.

The combination of electro and big stadium sound made an accessible listen even to anyone who hadn’t been previously familiar with their whole canon of work. I was pleased that I had managed to listen to some of Big Music as I recognised some tracks and Honest Town, the first single release off the album, was a particular favourite of mine, both recorded and live.

There was a change to acoustic guitars for The American Home medley, which was full of life.

Catherine AD was allowed to shine with a solo track, when she put down her guitar, sang and played keyboard to an entranced and appreciative audience. The first set ended with the two big anthems; Waterfront and Don’t You Forget About Me leaving the crowd high and happy, waiting in anticipation for the second set.

Before I heard Catherine perform I had been disappointed to think that Sarah Brown wasn’t singing with Simple Minds for this tour but as the Auditorium lights went down and the stage lights went on, Sarah was there all impressively massive hair and zebra striped dress with bright red tights and killer heels.

She strikingly dominated the stage with her presence and her voice until, after holding the audience for a good session, she was joined by Jim and they were off again. I was unfamiliar with a few of the first tracks of the second set so just floated along with it. A change of pace was invoked with a version of The Doors’ classic, “Riders On The Storm”.

Unfortunately, from then on I was trying to outride my own storm with the only trouble-causer I saw, of the entire evening, who decided to pick on me (but that is a whole different story). I stood my ground, determined to enjoy the brilliant performance right up to the final encore which was, of course, the roof raising, guaranteed crowd pleaser, Alive and Kicking.

Many happy faces left Grimsby Auditorium that night, after a brilliantly entertaining show from Simple Minds who are simply, in my mind, still at the top of their game. Excellent.

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Simple Minds @ Grimsby Auditorium 27th March 2015 reviewed by idp

W

e can be a mardy lot up in here in Grimsby. We think nobody loves us. We feel neglected. Apart from having Channel 5 poverty porn film crews on every street corner we don’t feature much in the mainstream media, unless we’re a key marginal with at least one candidate with alleged links to the far right.

(Mentioning no names.)

We don’t get many visits from big name bands either and when we do it sometimes feels like they only bring half their kit and only really give it half their usual effort. “It’s only Grimsby lads, save some energy for Wolverhampton,” we can almost hear them say as they wait in the wings.

So when a band of the calibre of Simple Minds decide to open their UK tour here it’s a big deal and the Auditorium is appropriately packed for the show well before kick off. From the moment Jim Kerr struts onto the stage in a bright red tartan frock coat (apparently he’s Scottish) it’s clear that there aren’t going to be any half measures at this show. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anybody look more pleased to be on a stage and he seems to be genuinely impressed with the response from the packed house, as well he might be because the crowd are cheering and singing along right from the start.

With a back catalogue as long as your arm and a well received new album (last year’s Big Music) to boot Simple Minds are never going to be short of tunes to play but they do their best to pack as many as possible into the set, which allowing for the break runs to over two and a half hours of high intensity performance. Nobody leaves complaining that they didn’t get good value.

It seems to have been fashionable among reviewers of Big Music to praise the parts of the album that hark back to the band’s early output and to be slightly dismissive of songs, like the title track, that evoke the stadium filling sounds of the late eighties onwards. But if we’re being honest here then for me, (and for lots of others judging by the reactions of the crowd on the night), then it was from Sparkle In The Rain that Simple Minds really made an impact on me and I have no problem with them revisiting that era.

With Mel Gaynor’s insistently snary percussion and Andy Gillespie’s keyboards providing the underpinning for the anthemic expansiveness which nowadays characterises the Simple Minds sound, the band seem to sound even more eighties today than they did in the eighties and the new songs blend seamlessly in with the classics. I won’t claim to be a Simple Minds expert and there are plenty of occasions when I can’t decide whether we’re listening to 20th or 21st century vintage but in this relatively small venue, which has a remarkably good acoustic for bands that can crank the

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volume up a little, it feels that we could almost be at Wembley or The Shea with Thatcher and Reagan chatting over coffee and looking deep into each other’s eyes just down the road.

Good though the band are, with Ged Grimes unerring on bass and of course co-founder member Charlie Burchill laying down his trademark flickering guitar alongside those already mentioned, it’s Kerr who is the undoubted star of the show, grinning like a Cheshire and constantly in motion, leaning out across the pit to hold the microphone towards the audience, bounding around the stage twirling the mic stand like a dandy with a long cane, or doing what would probably be dad dancing if I did it but which looks rather cool when he does it , he’s a non stop ball of energy chatting with front row, discussing football or waving to people in the balconies. I read in an interview that he hung out for a while with Springsteen in New York and it’s the Boss’s kind of boundless energy and inclusiveness that he displays here. At the end of the gig half the people present will feel like they have had a momentary intimacy with the star of the show, and that’s quite a skill.

The first half of the set is predominantly rock and acoustic tracks (for which the band are joined by Welsh multi-instrumentalist Catherine AD who stars when she switches to keyboards for a stately Rivers Of Ice) and the second featuring soul vocalist Sarah Brown who takes a solo on Book Of Beautiful Things and backs up magnificently on Sanctify Yourself, on which Kerr is so convincing in his role as a revivalist preacher that you wouldn’t be surprised if he pulled a handful of rattlesnakes from the pocket of his black jacket (costume change during half time interval).

Highlights of the show? That’s a tough call and it’s always tempting at this point to pick an obscure track and say how nice it is to see it getting dusted off for the first time in twenty odd years and how you’ve always loved it and felt it was under appreciated but actually on the night it’s Don’t You Forget About Me which starts as a booming monster delivered across a sea of waving arms and mobile phones and gradually morphs into something small and intimate as Kerr lead a call and response singalong from a seated position at the front of the stage.

From pure eighties over the top stadium rock to delicate and emotional choristry in two minutes or less – it’s some trick and serves to prove that for this tour Simple Minds are a band back on the top of their game. The encores end with Riders On The Storm, as dark and malevolent as the original, and finally Alive And Kicking. As we file out and wait for twenty or thirty minutes to get out of the car park I can hear a lot of people singing tunelessly in their stationary cars and the town seems quite cheerful, almost.

But don’t let it fool you. We’ll be mardy again tomorrow.

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all set for the big cut

in aid of

T

here’s a big night of music, circus and trichology lined up for April 11th at The Seven Seas in Scartho when The Big Cut stages a event in aid of Motor Neurone Disease.

It’s the brainchild of Jack Smith, photographer and street performer with The Earthbound Misfits and it’s being held in honour of his grandmother, Glenys Smith, who sadly passed away last summer as a result of MND. Taking inspiration from his uncle who had his own hair shorn for charity, Jack has decided to raise money for the MND Association by taking the scissors to his own fine set of dreads. There’ll be something for everyone on the night with circus performances and a fire show from the Misfits and music from a host of local favourites including Rawking Joe Coombs and Ruby And The Knights. Anyone wishing to make a donation can do so at jack’s Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/ jack-smith15 so even if you can’t make it on the night you can still pitch in if you wish.

WHAT IS MND?

MND is a progressive disease that attacks the nerves in the brain and spinal cord. This means messages gradually stop reaching muscles, which leads to weakness and wasting. MND can affect how you walk, talk, eat, drink and breathe but not all symptoms happen to everyone and they don’t develop all at the same time. There is currently no cure for MND but symptoms can be managed to achieve the best possible quality of life.

The Big Cut at The Seven Seas, Scartho from 6pm til late and all proceeds to MND Grimsby

APR

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Mike Harding comes to Barton Ropery Hall in May for an evening of poetry. He’s been a star of the folk music scene for nearly fifty years so it seemed like a good idea to take a quick look back at ...

Mike Harding a life in music (and poetry) M

ike Harding is one of those people who are rightfully hailed as national treasures. He’s a singer, songwriter, poet, raconteur and radio presenter and for many years he was the voice of British folk.

Born in Manchester, in 1944, into a working class Irish Catholic family. His father died returning from a bombing raid over Germany four weeks before he was born. During his early years Mike developed a love for music, playing in skiffle and rock bands in the 60s. He has fond memories of sharing the bill with The Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Hollies, Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders and the late Eric Spanner and the Rhythmaires.

Among his early musical influences, Mike lists Lonnie Donegan, Jesse Fuller and Lancashire folk singer, the late Harry Boardman.

After a chequered early career as dustman, bus conductor, road digger and carpet fitter, Mike took a degree in Education, paying his way by working at

night in Folk Clubs. Finally, the lure of the bright lights proved too much and he became a full time entertainer.

His success as a live entertainer began in 1967 when, during a gig at Leeds University with The Edison Bell Spasm Band, he began to tell jokes to fill in the awkward pauses while the band tuned up. The patter became part of the act and when the jokes dried up he delved into his store of real-life stories for which he has become famous.

In 1975 the record The Rochdale Cowboy flung him from folk music into the mainstream of live entertainment with his own regular TV series and radio work that continues to this day. He also began a 20 year succession of concert tours with his unique mix of comedy and music, visiting virtually every major venue in the country as well as tours to Australia, Hong Kong and the Middle East. Over the same period he made over 20 albums which still notch up impressive sales to his legion of committed fans.

By the mid nineties Mike had largely abandoned public performances to concentrate on writing and broadcasting, and to indulge his love of fell walking and fly fishing. He’s since earned widespread acclaim for both the quality and breadth of his work with over 40 books and plays published.

His writing has ranged from comedy to church architecture, from poetry to play writing, from short stories to novels and, unsurprisingly, from fell walking to a manual for fishermen on how to tie flies, with many of the books illustrated with his own photographs.

For 15 years he presented his highly-praised Folk, Roots and Acoustic Music programme on BBC Radio Two, establishing a regular

Mike Harding will be at the Ropery Hall in Barton on May 16th. Go to www.roperyhall. co.uk for tickets and further information.

MAY

16

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evening audience of a million listeners until he was replaced as presenter two years ago because “the BBC wanted the music to be more in tune with Radio 2’s daytime output.”

Now he presents his own Mike Harding’s Folk Show on the internet, where he’s built an audience of over 250,000 through live transmissions on Sunday teatime and subsequent podcasts. To listen click on http://www. mikehardingfolkshow.com A further change in his pattern of work came four years ago when he was enthused by an ad hoc performance in a village hall near his home in the Yorkshire Dales and decided it was time to go back on the road. With some trepidation a try out stand up tour of arts centres and little theatres was arranged. Publicity was limited but the outcome surpassed all expectations with sell out audiences and virtually all venues asking for a second night before the tour had even started.

Since then Mike has undertaken three more tours to increasingly bigger venues with much the same packed house response, proving that his fans had certainly not forgotten him.

He’s not abandoned his writing either with a new play, Coming In On A Wing And A Prayer inspired in part by the death of his father in a Lancaster bomber. The play has attracted the attention of leading theatre impresario, Bill Kenwright and is currently under consideration for a national tour.

Other recent publications include The VW Camper Van – A Biography and a new collection of his poems (his fourth) under the title Connemara Cantos.

In fact, it is his poetry that has become the main focus of Mike’s public appearances in recent months. Last year he undertook a series of visits to literary and arts festivals in Swaledale, Worcester, Stratford, Morley, Thame and the Shetlands with the aim of bringing his poetry to a wider audience.

This in turn has prompted his next tour entitled An Evening Of Poetry With Mike Harding, which will be visiting arts centres and little theatres across the North of England in May. Although born and raised in Manchester, Mike’s lived in the Yorkshire Dales for the past 44 years - a lot longer than he lived in Lancashire. The move, in 1971, was prompted by his love of fell walking, fly fishing and the countryside in general.

With the Dales as his base, Mike walked and cycled and photographed and lived among the farming community. He became President of The Ramblers for a 3 year term and is now a lifetime Vice President. He is in constant demand to speak on environmental and ecological issues and has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

And he’s even been known to admit that there are times when he wishes he’d been born a Yorkshireman.

Geoff Sargieson

73

Fill your garden with colour this spring with .....

Rhododendrons The Horticultural Trades Association’s Plant of the Month for April

April is the month when some of the most vibrant flowering shrubs and plants come into bloom in our gardens including the ever popular Rhododendron, making it perfect for the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) Plant of the Month for April.

Rhododendrons are evergreen and deciduous and originate in central Asia. The name comes from Ancient Greek meaning ‘Rose Tree’.

The family includes azaleas which are frequently used around foundations and occasionally as hedges and many of the larger leafed rhododendrons lend themselves well to more informal

plantings and woodland gardens.

Rhododendrons are ericaceous plants which means that they are related to heathers and prefer acidic soil. They like sheltered conditions and grow best in areas with high rainfall.

Compact hybrid rhododendrons can also be planted in containers and dwarf alpines look fantastic planted in rock gardens or pots.

A big fan of this beautiful plant is professional gardener and co-presenter of ITV’s Love Your Garden, Frances Tophill, the celebrity champion for this month.

She said; “Rhododendrons have had some bad press recently with rhododendron ponticum being an ever increasing problem in our countryside, due to its effect on

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GARDENS

native habitats. Despite this, there is no reason to avoid planting rhododendron species in the garden.

In fact this plant can brighten up the darkest shade areas, which can be the most problematic spaces in the garden” says Frances. “They are stunning and perpetually cheerful shrubs which flower in vibrant colours during spring when we tend to think of most of the colour coming from bulbs. So why not extend the flower power of your garden from ground level to head height and beyond!”

Rhododendron will survive in most acidic soils and need hardly any pruning and most species we buy for the garden are evergreen so even in winter their glossy leaves will provide interest in the borders.

Popular varieties include Rhod ‘Cynthia’ which grows to a height of 6m) with trusses of rose pink

flowers in late spring Rhod dauricum ‘Midwinter’, a hardy, deciduous or variety with a height 1.5m and rose purple flowers in early spring and Rhod ‘Dopey’: an evergreen that grows to about 2m with long lasting red flowers in late spring but there are lots more to choose from so why not head down the garden centre and find yourself a new favourite plant!

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You’ve got the bike, you’ve got the helmet, you’ve got the lycra shorts. And now you’re looking for a new challenge. Something to take your cycling up a gear. Welcome to

LINDSEY ROADS CYCLING CLUB

I

f you’re a cyclist who likes to push themselves a little, someone who relishes the thrill of a race or if you’d just like to share your rides with other like minded individuals then Lindsey Roads may be just the organisation for you.

Founded in the 1970s, the club is run to promote social and competitive cycling in North East Lincolnshire and they’re always keen to welcome new members, regardless of experience.

They organise regular club nights, rides and races including the popular social cycle events to which all are welcome, including beginners. Social cycles usually cover between 10 and 35 miles and are led by experienced cyclists. Dates for March are Sunday 8th, Saturday 14th, Saturday 21st, Sunday 22nd and

Saturday 28th. The rides depart from the Neville Turner Way car park in Waltham at 9.00am although if you’re thinking about going along to one for the first time it would be a good idea to ring Steve Wakefield on 07870 271694 just to confirm.

If Wolds cycling with a club sounds like your cup of tea then a good way to start would be with the Ron Smith Reliability Ride which takes place on April 12th this year, starting at Brigsley Village hall at 9.00am.

There’s free parking and riders are advised to arrive at least fifteen minutes before the start time. It isn’t a race, although it is timed, and there are three routes to follow, covering 25, 40 or 62 mile route (depending on how experienced you are and how brave you feel).

There’s a break for coffee and cake half way round

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SADDLE UP FOR SPRING

which will give you a chance to rest and talk chat with other riders.

You can take part on just about any bike with gears (BMXs are not recommended) and there’s no need to book a place in advance, although if you give Mr Wakefield a call he’ll be glad to give you any further information you might need and answer your questions. We’ll see you there!

The Ron Smith Reliability Ride over 3 (approx. 25/40/62 miles) distances with a break for coffee and cake half way! Meet 8.45am for Brigsley Village Hall. New riders very welcome.

APR

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For further information visit www.lindseyroads.co.uk or ring Steve Wakefield on 07870 271694

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SADDLE UP FOR SPRING

W

hether you’re already a keen cyclist or you’re just thinking about taking it up then one place that ought to be high on your list for a visit is the new JC Cook Ltd showroom on Jackson Place (down Wilton Road, take the first left and follow the signs).

When you enter and the doors glide shut behind you it’s like stepping into a big city prestige store with hundreds of bikes, massive displays of clothing and equipment, a repair centre, changing rooms and a first rate coffee shop. It’s the kind of place that makes shopping for your new bike a real pleasure.

JC Cook Ltd is a well known local name of course.

Founded by Jack Cook in 1954, present owner Adrian Blow took over twenty years ago. As an ex-army mechanic and keen cyclist he had a special interest in the repair side of the business and that department is still going strong both at the new showroom and at the firm’s shop in Ladysmith Road.

Cycling has been enjoying a boom in popularity lately following the UK’s Olympic success and every weekend will find hundreds of local people out on the Wolds roads or enjoying the thrills of off road riding or cyclo-cross.

Cooks carry a range of excellent machines by the likes of Cube, Orange and many others to meet the needs of the most demanding of sports cyclists but they also offer ranges suitable for commuters and beginners and a great range of kid’s machines.

There’s even a selection of electric bikes for those who like to let the battery take the strain.

All of which means that if you’re in the market for a new bike or if you just fancy a leisurely look at what’s available and a great cup of coffee, you couldn’t pick a better place to start than the new JC Cook Ltd.

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Orange are mountain bike specialists and they’re British. From their Halifax base they produce an acclaimed range of off road bikes that are tough enough to take on any terrain.

Cube bikes are manufactured in Germany and combine high specifications and superb quality with great value. They offer a range of bikes for all purposes from commuters to high performance sports machines.

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e’d all like to take more exercise, cut our carbon footprints and save a lot of money on our fuel bills but the truth is it’s not always as easy as it sounds.

We could commute by bike for example, but that would just mean we’d end up grimy and sweaty when we reached work, wouldn’t it?

If that’s what’s stopping you then the Grimsby Cycle Hub is just what you need. Opened in September 2013 by cycling enthusiast Janine Walker and backed by the Council’s Green Transport Initiative the Cycle Hub is an independent Not For Profit whose aim is to make your cycling experience easier, more enjoyable and better suited to your lifestyle.

Situated in the newly refurbished parcels office at Grimsby Town Station, (at the far end of the taxi rank, close to the Transport Police office), the hub offers secure storage for your bike for the amazingly cheap price of £1 and that includes the use of a shower and locker if you want to get changed for work!

They also have a same day repair service run by experienced and qualified mechanics Mick and Adam and a hire service where prices start from only £4 per hour including lights, helmet and lock.

The Hub is open from 8am – 6pm Monday to Friday and Saturday from 9am – 5pm so if you’re thinking about becoming a cycle commuter but you’re not sure about the logistics give Janine a ring on 01472 354986 and let the hub help you to feel fitter, greener and considerably better off. Happy cycling!

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Our mechanics are very experienced and qualified but also friendly! We offer free advice and safety checks and we keep our charges as low as possible. We can often repair while you shop or you can make use of a free courtesy bike.

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Georgia Mancio a welcome return for a star of the jazz festival Wednesday 1st April Grimsby Jazz Club Reviewed by Josie Gray

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Facing page Georgia Mancio (image by Cat Munro)

aving wowed the audience at Cleethorpes Jazz Festival last June, Georgia Mancio’s return visit to the area was hotly anticipated. She is one of the great voices of the contemporary British jazz scene having both outstanding technical ability and great warmth as a singer. Not only is she a great interpreter of standards, she also has impressive expertise in her command of the Brazilian jazz tradition and sings in impeccable Brazilian Portuguese.

Georgia took the stage with bassist Julie and smoothness that had the audience Walkington to open the first set with My rapt from start to finish.

Ship (Kurt Weill). This is a challenging The quality of the band should not go and complex song delivered with aplomb unmentioned. Dave Ohm is a watchable and set the tone for what is going to be and likeable drummer whose energy is an evening of exemplary musicianship. infectious. His solos are full of cheeky Joining Georgia and Julia on stage for the delight. Julie Walkington is a statuesque remainder of the set were Dave Newton and charismatic bass player who on piano and Dave Ohm on drums. The draws out the wealth of tones from her tone of the first set was artful with upbeat instrument effortlessly. There simply are and familiar numbers such as Devil not enough superlatives for Dave Newton.

May Care sitting alongside less familiar He is the most of mesmerising pianists material including original, Forever Yours. and when he plays you want time to stand The beautiful ballad You’ve Changed was still and for all things to pay attention. a real set highlight with Dave Newton’s There is a very good reason why Gill Wilde piano providing delicate, emotional was given the accolade of Jazz Promoter subtlety and reducing this listener to tears. of the Year. Her impeccable taste and The second set was full of life and colour expert programming make Grimsby Jazz and stand out pieces were Doralice and events outstanding. The quality never Le Strade di Notte from the Brazilian drops from gig to gig and the diversity of repertoire plus the lovely Willow Weep For what she brings is inspirational.

Me. Throughout the evening Georgia gave Don’t miss acclaimed Swiss trio Vein at a bravura performance combining vocal Grimsby Jazz on Wednesday 22nd April. dexterity and inventiveness with richness

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THE BEST O

OVER £800 R ALOPECIA RESEA

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LIVE IN CLE

aves was ALIVE this weekend for the highly anticipated B.O.G Fest and it really did show the best of Grimsby (and Cleethorpes, don’t forget Cleethorpes).

On Saturday 4th April, Avenue 44 Music raised a massive £800 plus for Alopecia UK. This charity hit close to home for Phil Stocks, the organiser of the event and it showed in the crazy amount of dedication and effort put into the day’s gig.

Waves held 11 hours of non-stop live music from a huge diversity of musicians and bands and Phil and his team of volunteers were on top form all day.

Starting the day with some chilled sets from the likes of local stars Lucy Everatt and Hattie Cattell along with acoustic alternative covers duo Through The Cracks and legend Les Wood, the crowd came and went with each act and slowly but surely the atmosphere grew from that of a relaxed enjoyment, to an eager anticipation for the second half of the day… The bands!

The drinks were flowing, the music turned up a notch and as the first band set up the room filled to bursting.

70s style rock band Grenade kicked off the night with a storm of a set, playing a mixture of crowd pleaser classics and catchy originals. Following them was a

MUSIC

OF GRIMSBY

RAISED FOR ARCH CHARITIES

EETHORPES huge change in tone as Reversing Destiny took to the stage with their heavy riffs and boundless energy.

The crowd rotated between sets as new fans and supporters arrived for the upcoming bands but the room was always full and alive with excitement.

We were treated to sets from Ruby and The Knights with their ace new lineup and popular rock band Lost By Eleven before Zak Rashid took to the stage with his crazy good band and won the first encore of the night from the over-excitable crowd of friends and fans.

Keeping the energy up, Sewer Rats jumped up with their banged up instruments and belting tunes, wearing the Alopecia UK t-shirt signed by all the bands so far.

And the night just kept getting better and better.

There was a sneaky juggling performance from Jack and Ilze of The Earthbound Misfits and the final two bands The Laws and The Finest Hour rocked it in an awesome finale to an awesome day.

I don’t know about you, but I’d call that a great success.

Same time next year please? I’ll be there!

Words by Amy Naylor

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I chose to raise money for Alopecia UK because I was diagnosed with the condition in November and until then I’d not really heard much about it and definitely didn’t think it would happen to me. When I was diagnosed it made me depressed. I felt isolated and miserable. But since it being known publicly that I have Alopecia I have come across a good handful of people who either have it or have had it in the past. Meeting these people and seeing that they lead happy and confident lives has helped me to understand the condition

and my options much more clearly. And with Alopecia UK being a small charity I thought they would benefit more from the funds than a bigger organisation.

It became a very personal thing to me so I put every ounce of effort in to the organisation of the event and the fact we raised £800 absolutely made all the hard work worth it! And with the success of this year’s festival we are aiming for bigger and better things in bringing BOG Fest back to Cleethorpes in 2016 for Alopecia UK again.

Phil Stocks

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Avenue 44 Music is an events promotion company specialising in local music.

We want to take the Cleethorpes music scene to a bigger place and show people that this area actually has some amazing talents and characters. As well as event promotion, we are a sound reinforcement service available for rental for corporate/leisure events.

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Sewer Rats Live @ Waves

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ewer Rats are Dean Robbins (drums), Iain Morrison (bass) and Luke Morris (guitar and vocals).

They hail from the mighty city of Immingham, aka Ming or even Ming Ming to its friends, and they’ve all been playing in bands since they were in shortish trousers and now along with fellow Mingsters the Ming City Rockers and Grimsby bands like Electric Priestess, Zak Rashid, Ruby and The Knights and plenty of others they’re sitting pretty in the upper reaches of a thriving local music scene which seems to produce quality new bands at every turn.

According to their social media Sewer Rats are a stoner rock band, but that’s a label that has been put on them and to which they have acquiesced rather than one they chose for themselves. If they are stoner then they’re a new and peculiarly British offshoot, taking their lead not from the leaders of the US genre like Sleep and Kyuss (although the trio do admit to a fondness for the melodic psych of stoners Dead Meadow) but from the bands of the late 70s who provided their inspiration, the likes of Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Blue Oyster Cult.

The result is a heavy slow rock sound, at times almost industrial, heavy with lethargic distortion, at times showing signs of cross fertilisation with the spirit of punk, full of threat and menace and songs which start slowly and build inexorably into testaments of anger and rebellion.

Is there any political content?

“No. We think it’s best to steer clear of all of that. It’s just the three of us on a stage having fun and taking it seriously at the same time.”

They’ve been gathering a head of steam for some time now. After being invited to the smoke by London band Love Buzzards with whom they shared a bill in Sheffield they were signed by Fluffer Records of Whitechapel and they’ve become regulars at some of the sceniest venues in the capital, like The Shacklewell, The Finsbury and The Fiddler’s. Fluffer will release their new vinyl ep Moneymaker in the near future. Clearly London likes Sewer Rats.

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MUSIC So are they going to move down to Hoxton and leave the Humber behind them?

“Well hopefully. Or rather it’s possible, anything’s possible. And London is the best place for making music, there’s no doubt about it.”

So it seems to be mutual. A European tour may be on the cards as well.

I go to meet them at Waves in Cleethorpes on the day of the BOG Fest (that’s Best Of Grimsby to you) where they’re on the bill with many of the best bands and solo performers from the local scene at an event organised

by Phil Stocks of Avenue 44 Music to raise money for Alopecia UK. By the end of the day the festival has raked in over £800 for the charity so well dones all round are in order.

Sewer Rats take the stage after a storming set from Zak Rashid and they do it so unceremoniously that when they start their first song, We Were Never The Same, many of the audience still think that they’re sound checking.

It’s a great number, one of the finest pieces of minimalist rock you’ll ever encounter, kicking off with an ambling bass line which continues for a while, seemingly almost directionless, never giving any indication of the trouble brooding just below the surface. Eventually it is joined by some smudges of fuzzy guitar. At length the drums kick in and from out of the primordial soup of noise a riff emerges, uncoiling itself slowly, sometimes falling back but always finding itself again, heavy, dirty and enthralling. The crowd are all watching now. Nobody is under the impression that this is a sound check any more. We are no longer in Kansas.

And then a single burst or vocals, guttural and at times almost incomprehensible, are laid across the top of the mix. “We were never the same, me and you.” The guitar continues, on a new track now, lighter and more melodic, as if it feels that there is still further work for evolution to perform but with this simple statement the track has served its function and it seems to cave in onto itself as it peters out, dying in the mix, possibly to be found by archaeologists with trowels and brushes millions of years later.

Next up is Black Label Serotonin, one of my favourite songs to a neurotransmitter and an altogether lighter affair, it’s an extended jam with a distinct desert feel to it and an laid back guitar sound that evokes memories of the great bluesmen of the fifties, John Lee Hooker or Lightnin’ Hopkins.

So Far Away ramps the volume back up, a frenzy of drums and guitar, staccato and brutal, it’s one of those songs where the central riff repeats itself so rapidly it fills the room like a huge electric heartbeat. “I tried so hard to love you, but you’re so far away” someone is singing but no one really cares because it’s not about the vocal, it’s about the riff that makes the whole room beat time with it.

I Don’t Know Where You’ve Been is the song where the band reveal their roots in seventies rock most clearly, with its driving riff and guitar this could be a lost track from the days of the bell bottomed mullet, cut up and distorted, hung from a nail in the garage and punched for a while. It’s callous and unsentimental and as it winds through the room you can sense heads starting to bang. A few more minutes of this and there’s gonna be brain matter on the carpet.

There’s no big fanfare for the closer. Luke just mumbles “Last” into the microphone and they’re straight into Skint (No Money) which opens with a fine seventies riff that gets faster and faster until it threatens to spin off and form its own band. Somehow they manage to tame it and turn it into a rapid fire blues about the joys of poverty.

And at the end they just stop dead. So there.

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ANDY FAIRWEATHER THE LOW LOW & RIDERS at The Central Hall. reviewed by Josie-Anne Gray

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ock royalty rolled into town on Saturday January 21st when Andy Fairweather Low and the Low Riders gave a concert of such diversity and aplomb that it’s a struggle to find enough superlatives to do it justice. I got to chat to him for a while after the show and found out just how dedicated to his music he really is.

Andy Fairweather Low has been a significant player on the British music scene for fifty years. He has played with George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Joe Satriani, queens of country Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt, the first lady of blues Bonnie Raitt and countless other luminaries from Pete Townshend to Sheryl Crow. He toured for two decades with Roger Waters, is a regular still for Clapton and is opening for him in New York in a few weeks’ time.

Accustomed to the roar of stadiums and vast audiences, Andy was keen to impress on me how much he loves the intimacy of small gigs, ‘Arenas are about money, playing venues this size is what it’s all about. In an arena the work is done for you. Here you’re in control as a musician. You’re always aiming for the big gig but it doesn’t make you happy. They’re an event, a spectacle and that’s ok but this is what I like to do. This band is about me as musician and working as a team.’ And what a great band they are.

From the opening number of the first set, the classic Tequila, the capacity audience knew it was in for a rollicking ride. The Low Riders could have shaken the building to its foundations but they didn’t need to.

As the first set built they relied on quality musicianship, interplay and dynamics rather than force of volume to create a performance of breathtaking sweep and diversity, moving seamlessly between styles from rock to blues to pop and back.

Fairweather Low moves about the stage with Tiggerish glee, tearing through solos with that distinctive sound that has featured on so many classic recordings of the past five decades. His

showmanship is natural and unforced. He is also an accomplished raconteur, telling stories between songs that recount his history and connections as a musician.

Throughout the evening he acknowledged those who had influenced him from Jimmy Reed to Hank Marvin and after performing the beautiful Rocky Raccoon from The Beatles’ White Album he joked that the hardest part of getting older was remembering the words to that song.

If the first set was a tour of styles and influences then the second set moved from what was already a high bar to an altogether new level. La Booga Rooga was an early show stopper and it just got better. The biggest surprise was Lay My Burden Down/May The Circle Be Unbroken. Performed in true Americana

style it was given an added dimension with Nick Pentelow’s clarinet adding a New Orleans jazz layer that was quite unexpected. By the song’s climax it was approaching full on Revival style and came to a stop with a flamenco inspired flourish. Songs that might be cheesy in less accomplished hands such as Bend Me Shake Me became anthems to the heyday of sixties pop. The spirit of Bill Hayley romped across the stage in If I Ever Get Lucky. The smooth tones of Wide Eyed And Legless contained jazzy and Latinesque romantic nods to give it a sweet charm.

The final trilogy of the evening started with Route 66, went into Lonnie Donnegan’s Putting On The Style and finished with the Amen Corner classic Half As Nice. A great show and a great night.

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don’t know about you but around The Peoples office we can all be such blinkered urbanites we sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that NE Lincolnshire just means Grimsby and Cleethorpes.

And of course it doesn’t. There’s much more to our area than its two biggest towns, delightful and salubrious though they may be.

Immingham, of course, is one of the industrial powerhouses of the east coast, the UK’s largest port by tonnage, and home to many thriving businesses which provide the technical and logistical services required by the port and the factories and power stations along the bank.

The influence of the port extends to nearby areas as well, providing the impetus for the success of firms such as GL Commercials, who provide and maintain the vehicles on which a sea/road distribution network depends.

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And despite the stuff on the TV news about the loss of Tescos Immingham is a small town with a big heart. The annual I-Fest is one of the highlights of our calendar and there’s a huge amount of community spirit, exemplified by the work done by groups like One Voice.

Two of our best friends in the area are the multi talented Jackie Norton, singer, nail artist and proprietor of JS Mobility on Pelham Road and Kingsway Tyres of Manby Hall Business Park who, and I cannot stress enough, do not just do tyres but also brakes, servicing and lots of other things as well, far too many to list.

We also have to remember that a large proportion of the county is agricultural land and there are many villages each of which adds to the character of the area. These villages don’t just sit around looking pretty. They are also vital entrepreneurial hubs for a wide range of businesses who play an important role

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in our local economy. Some of these businesses are primarily internet based but many have a physical presence in the communities which they serve.

Sarah Prior at Kumon in Healing is a case in point, providing high quality Maths and English programmes in her Healing study centre that help children perform to the very best of their abilities.

Out in East Halton we have Darren North of DMN Electrical, one of our most trusted and reliable tradesman, providing services to commercial, domestic and agricultural customers alike.

And of course one of the great delights of our villages is the wide assortment of excellent pubs, hotels and restaurants to which they are home. One of our favourites is Stallingborough Grange, whose reputation for excellent food and accommodation is well established. Their Sunday lunches are almost legendary and served well past lunchtime but they also have excellent offers every night of the week except Saturday and a fine a la carte menu.

All of which should serve to remind us that there’s a lot more to NE Lincs than we sometimes remember and that there’s a lot going on outside our major municipal boundaries!

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It’s A Crowded Old World So Let’s Leave Some Urban Space Man!

D

riving on urban roads can be a real challenge with so many vehicles competing for space and having shared areas with pedestrians doesn’t always make things easier, but taking extra care about observing what’s going on around you can help you cope better with hazards and reduce the risk of an accident, according to the Institute of Advanced Motoring’s Peter Rodger.

Changes in the weather impact on road surfaces and have a dramatic effect on car control. Look out for wet leaves or pools of water on the road and make sure you give yourself enough time to slow down to avoid skidding. Remember it is an offence to splash pedestrians when driving through a puddle. (Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1981).

Street furniture can give lots of clues too.

A cluster of lamp posts in the distance may be an indication of a major junction or roundabout ahead and both lamp posts and trees can help you assess the direction the road is taking ahead.

When you are driving behind a bus or school coach keep a look out for any passengers that start to move around inside. This is usually an indication of passengers getting off at the next bus stop.

Be prepared to slow down and beware of people crossing the road in front of or behind the bus that you can’t see.

Delivery vans often stop and park in tight spots on the road that may obstruct traffic. Pay extra attention

motoring on busy roads and ensure that you give large parked vehicles a wide berth as someone might suddenly get out in front of a vehicle without looking.

Motorcyclists are not easily spotted on busy roads so be extra vigilant. Check your mirrors and look over your blind spot regularly. At junctions, where three quarters of urban motorcyclist accidents happen, be extra cautious as it is very often the car driver who is at fault.

Be constantly vigilant with pedestrians crossing the road as a third of urban accidents involve a pedestrian or cyclist.

Slow down on the approach to a zebra crossing and give way to pedestrians that are both on the crossing and are about to use it.

At light controlled crossings do not move forward on the flashing amber or green signals until pedestrians have cleared.

Peter says: “There are so many things that can be a distraction on the roads, and the potential for an accident is great. It is vital you avoid anything that can distract you inside the car so you can maintain your full focus on the road.”

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George Axworthy, managing director of Sentiments Independent Funeral Home, addresses a few frequently asked questions regarding funeral plans.

Dear George....

What is a Funeral Plan?

Can I get a ‘green’ Funeral Plan?

A Funeral Plan is a thoughtful and responsible approach to organising your funeral or your loved ones funeral at today’s prices. Pre-paying now either by convenient monthly instalments or payment in full will save you, your family or your estate a great deal of money. The cost is guaranteed no matter when it is needed or how much the costs of a funeral have risen in the meantime. There is no age limit to securing a pre-paid plan and there are no medical test, questionnaires or declarations of good health – nothing to worry about at all it’s all so easy just contact our dedicated team.

Yes you can. As concerns about the environment loom larger in our daily lives, more and more people are choosing ecologically conscious funerals. These use natural, biodegradable coffins that have a minimal impact on the environment – whether cremated or buried. Many clients take their green funeral a step further, too, and opt to be buried in a woodland burial ground rather than in a traditional cemetery.

Why should I take out a Funeral Plan?

The cost of funerals have historically increased above the level of inflation and this is predicted to continue, with costs rising at approximately £250.00 per year. It is impossible to say what the cost might be in five or ten years time. But with a Funeral Plan your wishes will be delivered with dignity and respect and your family would not have to pay one penny more.

What happens after I apply for my funeral plan?

One of the Sentiments dedicated team will either come to your home or you can come to the funeral home and we will sensitively and expertly sit down and guide you through the arrangement form and write down all your planned wishes. This enables you to consider now what sort of arrangements, ceremony, tributes, flowers, donations and many other aspects of your funeral you would like to predetermine. If these things are unplanned they can cause a great deal of additional uncertainty and distress to your loved ones at a time when they least need it.

What if I change my mind?

Whether you’re paying by instalments or in a lump sum you have the right to cancel the funeral plan by giving written notice to the effect within 28 days of the signed agreement. All payments made to the date of termination will be repaid to you (without interest). In these circumstances no cancellation charge would be made.

What happens if I die before paying all my monthly instalments?

You don’t have to worry – your funeral would be arranged in accordance with your funeral plan and any balance would be paid by your executors or from your estate.

What if I move to another town?

The funeral plan itself is available throughout Europe so it’s simple, you just take it with you. All we would need is one simple phone call with your new address details.

Flexibility and security Sentiments Funeral Plans are extremely flexible, each plan can be personalized in any way you choose, tailoring the arrangements to your exact wishes and budget no matter how simple or unusual your request may be, we guarantee your wishes to be honoured. To ensure your money is secure, a legally separate trust administers the funds.

Planning for the future is something each and every one of us has to do every day, it is part of life’s busy schedule. However, how many of us have made plans for life’s final event.

Making plans for our funeral is something we tend to put to the back of our minds - until inevitably the time arrives.

The planning ahead certainly eases the burden on your loved ones at a time of great loss.

Taking a little time out and pre-planning this inevitability, you could be assured that all your wishes and requests would be carried out exactly by our team, putting your mind at rest, and easing the burden for your family.

The Sentiments team are always on hand should you wish to meet or telephone to discuss any wishes or future requests. They will endeavour to answer any questions or suggestions you may have. People often find talking to someone other than a family member easier when making these kind of arrangements and less distressing.

Economic advantages of the Sentiments pre-paid plans The question is would you do better putting your money into a bank or building society rather than paying for a funeral plan? History indicates the answer is definitely no. In recent years, funeral expenses have risen ahead of inflation.

This is mainly because of increases in the cost of disbursements, which are beyond our control.

On past evidence a pre-paid funeral plan is much better value and more secure. What about insurance based funeral expenses policies?

They have several disadvantages - principally that they don’t guarantee to cover funeral costs or allow you to specify the arrangements. If you are in reasonable health, you may well end up paying much more in premiums than the insurance company will ever pay out.

Like to know more?

A pre-paid funeral plan is not something you rush into, so telephone our team now for the free brochure. It contains everything you need to know, including prices. And remember, if you need clarification or reassurance on any point, all you have to do is contact us on 01472 506350.

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www.sentiments-grimsby.co.uk Please accept our sincere apologies if this advertisement has arrived at a time of bereavement or illness.

Our purpose is to advise people of our good service, not to create any undue stress.

Please accept our sincere apologies if this advertisement has arrived at a time of bereavement or illness. Our purpose is to advise people of our good service, not to create any undue stress.