Chase Gazette October 2014

OCTOBER 2014 ISSUE 12

Calling all piston heads!

Page 8

Win tickets for the Clothes Show Live NEC

Win lunch for two people

CANNOCK

•

HEDNESFORD

•

RUGELEY

A SELECT MAGAZINE FOR THE CANNOCK CHASE AREA

COLLIS *

FENCING, TRELLIS & GATES SALE NOW ON!!

Est. 1957

*

TANALISED TIMBER JOISTS AVAILABLE & BALUSTRADING TANALISED POLES & RAILS. TIMBER DECKING FENCE PANELS & TRELLIS NEW LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE POSTS & GRAVEL BOARDS NEW RAILWAY SLEEPERS FROM £18.50 ALSO MET POSTS, AGGREGATES, TIMBER CUT TO SIZE FROM OUR OWN SAWMILL. Plywood, Chipboard, MDF, Glass, Hardware, Paint, Fillers, Varnish.

Fencing and gates supplied and fitted.

Call in for no obligation quote and site visit

20% OFF SHEDS LIST PRICE and 25% OFF ALL DISPLAY BUILDINGS

TEL: 01543 686370

60 ltr Bulrush Compost 3 QUEENS DRIVE, CHASETOWN, BURNTWOOD WS7 4QF Monday-Friday 7.30am-6.00pm. Saturday 8am-5.30pm. Sunday 9.30am-1pm bags for £10 FAX: 01543 675221 email: sales@collissheds.co.uk

www.collissheds.co.uk

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CONTENTS

06 Win Lunch for Two Win Lunch for Two (Mon-Thurs) and enjoy the Netherstowe House experience.

10 Abbots Bromley Horn Dance 2014 One the oldest rural dances in the country.

13 First Lines Stories from the trenches of WW1.

20 A table less ordinary Fabulous vintage tableware.

10

24 Late night shopping comes to Cannock

By Michael Hewitt of the Cannock Conduit Trust.

26 Grand Suriviors Fantastic pictures from The Landor Society.

35 Clothes Show Live Win tickets, 5 - 9 Dec 2014.

13

26

Front cover From left Briony, Tracy and Scarlett for more details see page 8

24

Carry on the conversation on facebook at Chase Gazette

Contact the Gazette see page 37 Page 4 www.chasegazette.co.uk

35

Letter Editor A

from the

Smash head on keyboard and continue

For those of you who don’t own a computer, or are not blighted with the infernal workings of the computer generation; I envy you. Yours is an uncomplicated world and your life will not be shortened by frustration and heartache caused by the little screen and box stashed in your back bedroom. Those of you who, like me are addicted and enslaved by the home computer know that feeling and you never seem to have a minute to yourself, EVER! I saw a cartoon the other day illustrating Quasimodo ‘hunched’ over a computer keyboard.

The reason for his round-shoulderedness was probably the same as mine. The major frustration for me (and you may share this too) is the computer password for social media, for emails, for your favourite websites. As if telephone banking isn’t painful enough, access

October 2014 Issue 12

to your own details for the purpose of banking on-line can be harrowing.

Here we go: Please enter your new password: cabbage Sorry, the password must be more than 8 characters. boiled cabbage Sorry, the password must contain 1 numerical character 1 boiled cabbage Sorry, the password must contain no blanks 50bigboiledcabbages Sorry, the password must contain at least one upper case character.

50bigboiledcabbages_andIwilldoirreparableharmtothecomputerifyouDO N’Tgivemeaccessright_NOW! Sorry, the password cannot contain punctuation.

OKpickawindow_becauseyouaregoingthrough1rightNOW Sorry, that password is already being used.

My final indignation came when I screamed at the screen; “You’ve eaten all my files!” And the replay came back; “Well you shouldn’t have put them on the menu, should you!”

Yours truly Paul Oakley (Head-hitter)

CONTRIBUTORS • Caz Jones

• Joss Musgrove Knibb • Michael Hewitt

• The Landor Society

• Derek Davis OBE

ABOUT YOUR LOCAL MAGAZINE

Chase Gazette is your local monthly magazine distributed to more than 15,000 homes and businesses in and around Cannock Chase. Distribution area covers Cannock, Hednesford and Rugeley.

We do not seek to sensationalise but to inform and entertain our readers. The views expressed in this magazine are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the publishers. Chase Gazette magazine is not a franchise or connected with any other group of publications.

A limited number of the Chase Gazette are available and can be purchased at 90p from our office.

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WIN

LUNCH

FOR TWO PEOPLE AT NETHERSTOWE HOUSE

Chase the Dog

Win a Lunch for Two (MonThurs) and enjoy the Netherstowe House experience. As the venue of choice for many milestone celebrations, such as anniversaries, birthdays and weddings, Netherstowe House Hotel and Restaurant resonates to the sound of laughter throughout the year from guests indulging in a seasonal soiree.

Past well known patrons who have enjoyed doing just that include Sir Roger Moore, Helen Baxindale, Barry Norman CBE, Claire Sweeny and Idris Elba to name but a few. Netherstowe House are incredibly proud to have been voted 'Restaurant of the Year' at the Taste of Staffordshire Good Food awards, to have received an AA Rosette award for Culinary Excellence and to be recommended by the Michelin Guide. These coveted awards and accolades are testament to the dedication of their team who are incredibly passionate about delighting guests.

Express Lunch Menu: 2 Courses ~ ÂŁ14.95; 3 Courses ~ ÂŁ19.95 12 midday to 2:30pm (Mon Fri), 1:00pm to 2:30pm (Sat)

Chase is a naughty little puppy!

True to form he has

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scampered off and got lost again in this issue and we need your help to find him. He might be in an advertisement or a story, can you find him?

When you have found him (he looks like the image at the top of this page) simply tell us which page he is on for a chance to win lunch for two people at Netherstowe House in Lichfield.

Write the page number on a postcard or the back of a sealed envelope along with your name and address and send it to us no later than Thursday 9 October 2014 to: Chase the Dog Competition Gazette Magazine P O Box 5414 Lichfield WS14 4EZ One entry per household only please (or disqualified).

The Editor will draw the winning entry and announce it in the next issue of the Chase Gazette. Good luck!!

Congratulations to Mrs J Watkins of Montrose Close, Chadsmoor who spotted Chase the Dog on page 37 of the September issue of Chase Gazette.

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CGOCT2014

E

Edwin Ferneyhough Open Day calling all piston heads!

dwin Ferneyhough flung open the doors of his sales showroom on Saturday 6th September to welcome all customers past, present and future to celebrate the opening of his new larger facility. It was a highly successful event that also supported the Air Ambulance Service with a donation on the day.

When asked Edwin stated: “We are the first significant motorbike sales showroom to open in this area in nearly 30 years and are keen to show our support to the biking fraternity.

Many people associate us with four wheel vehicles and with the stock constantly changing we have an eclectic mix of family saloons, vans, 4 x 4s through to prestigious deluxe sports cars including a classic Ferrari Testarossa.

Moving forward though we want to showcase our love of the two wheel mode of transport and for piston heads like myself our stock literally lists like an A to Z with brands including BMW, Ducati, Triumph, Harley Davidson, Kawasaki and Yamaha. We can find bikes to order via our bespoke sourcing service and offer finance plans and warranties for additional peace of mind. Using our neighbouring garage we can arrange MOTs

A Moto Guzzi Californian and 1978 V.W. Beetle Convertible

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too!”

As a petrol and piston head fanatic, Edwin has worked in the industry for over 25 years, and built a reputation for providing an exceptional customer experience.

Clients include corporate businesses such as Alton Towers and St Bede’s school with many generations of families returning time and again from the length and breadth of the country to buy his used vehicles.

Edwin went on to say: “The Open Day was an opportunity for us to show our appreciation and welcome families to come along, share a pint and a burger and have the chance to win a variety of raffle prizes. Our business has been built on word of mouth reputation and I personally take great pride in seeing the mix of returning customers we service; large corporates, through to small budget

Edwin Ferneyhough in foreground and Aron James

Something for the younger rider! first time buyers.”

Edwin Ferneyhough’s showroom is located just north of Rugeley off the A51/ B5013 at Rydal Estate, Colton Road, Rugeley, WS15 3HF. Please visit the website for more details www.efvs.co.uk

A 2001 Kawasaki Drifter with a Watsonian Sidecar

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A

The Abbots Bromley Horn Dance 2014

good sized crowd of people assembled under blue skies to watch the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance on Monday 8th September. The Horn Dance is performed each year on Wakes Monday, and is thought to be one the oldest rural rituals in the country.

The Horn Dancers are made up of six Deer-men, a Fool, a Hobby Horse, a Bowman and Maid Marian (normally a man in a long dress!).

The dancers make a succession of complicated circles and figures of eight, sometimes rearing up towards each other. The horns used are ancient reindeer horns that have been carbon dated to around the 10th century, and are thought to have been taken from reindeer descended from the herds brought over by the Vikings.

The horns are collected from St Nicholas’ Church before 8am, and the dance carries on, processing and stopping, around the bounds of the village until the evening, by which time they have covered 16kms.

At several farmhouses and stops along the way the owners provided drinks and cakes to keep the dancers and crowds fed, before having a go at some of the dance steps themselves!

Images by Kate Gomez.

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Shugborough Halloween Spooktacular

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n Friday 3 1 s t October 2014 from 5pm, Shugborough will be holding Image www.shugborough.org.uk its Halloween Spooktacular. The ghoulish mansion house and servants’ quarters will be transformed into a

fun, haunted house and visitors are advised to watch out, as behind every corner lies a bump, a bang or an icy tap on the shoulder.

In addition, visitors can have a shriek of a time on the ghost train and in the weird and wonderful Zombee garden, in the depths of the Shugborough grounds. There is a kids disco throughout the evening in the Midden yard with dance displays from Sundance School of

Dance every hour, on the hour.

There will also be a fun fair (additional charges apply), free face painting, a variety of entertainment, trick or treating, apple bobbing and many different traders selling gifts, food, toffee apples, roast chestnuts and warm punch.

Go to www.shugborough.org.uk for more information. Shugborough Historic Estate can be found at Stafford, ST17 0XB.

Half Term Family Fun at the Farm

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Image www.shugborough.org.uk

rom Saturday 25 October to Friday 31 October, at 11am-4pm, The Shugborough Estate Farm will be hosting an Autumn Activity Week at the farm, with spooky crafts, pumpkin carving and fun quizzes and trails.

The spookily themed farmhouse promises autumn tricks and treats including creepy baking and gruesome cheesemaking. Carve one of their beautiful pumpkins with a scary face or design and take it away with you to display at home.

Prices are £5 for adults and £4 children.

There is a small additional charge for pumpkin carving. Payment should be made on entry at the farm reception.Children under five are free, parking is free and Privilege Pass holders are free.

Entry includes entry to the Farm and train rides only. The Mansion House and Servants quarters will close on the 25th October to day visitors. More information is available at www.shugborough.org.uk Themed Weekend, putting the house to bed.

On Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 October visitors will have a great opportunity to watch as the team put Shugborough to bed for the winter, and to find out about their enormous winter cleaning and conservation programme, plus how their most treasured artefacts are preserved for generations to admire. Visitors can take part in bug hunts and meet some pests safely contained in jars!

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First Lines

he best way to understand our own history is to listen to who was someone actually there. First Lines, a book by Lichfield author Joss Musgrove Knibb is a celebration of the words, deeds and lives of four Staffordshire Regiment men who served in the trenches of WW1.

In 1915, Alfred Bull went to war. Alf, just eighteen and a half years old at the time, would go on to be involved in some of the most iconic battles of WW1. Alf was born and lived his whole life at number 27 Dam Street, Lichfield.

Sydney Norton went to war in his 30s, leaving his wife and children behind in Tamworth. Syd’s letters are full of humour, wit and action and his vivid personality comes powerfully to life through his writing.

James Stevenson lived in Stoke-on-Trent with his wife and children in 1914. This courageous man endured three and a half years’ service in the trenches. Kind and artistic with the soul of a poet, James represents the soldiers’ longing for an honourable peace.

Reginald ‘Jake’ Armes sat down in his ‘dug out’ on Christmas Eve 1914 and wrote to his wife about the remarkable Christmas Truce that was taking place all around him.

These four men are the evocative voices of First Lines, a book by Lichfield and Chase Gazette Magazines’ Deputy Editor Joss Musgrove Knibb.

The letters, stories and first-hand accounts of Alf, Syd and James are part of the archive of the Staffordshire Regiment Museum, and have never before been published. They were transcribed by Joss over the period of a year.

Joss commented: “These unknown letters came to me in their original envelopes, complete with idiosyncratic handwriting and spelling. Getting to know these men’s stories has been deeply rewarding, sometimes heartbreaking and at all times a privilege.”

To illustrate the life and times of each man, the book goes into greater detail on just what living as a WW1 soldiers was like, and what their families at home were experiencing in the first decades of the 1900s. The book is full of fascinating and gripping information, photographs and anecdotes that bring this world fully into focus.

First Lines is not at all dry and academic, but a hugely enjoyable read that gives a good grounding in life for a WW1 soldier, through the letters, thoughts and wishes of four men who actually lived it. Fascinating from start to end, it is a book that brings our local lads home and celebrates them.

First Lines is published by the Lichfield Gazette and is out on October 4th 2014. The book is available in good local bookshops and at www.lichfieldgazette.co.uk and retails at £9.99.

Joss Musgrove Knibb For more information call 07833 735048 or email gazetteeditorial@hotmail.co.uk

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Pension auto-enrolment deadline looms for mid-size businesses

he deadline for the next stage of the government’s pension auto-enrolment means that contributory pensions for most employees are on their way.

The new laws on workplace pensions that came into force on 30 June 2012 are gradually being rolled out, requiring employers to enrol eligible workers into a pension scheme and make a minimum pension contribution.

Many larger employers who employ more than 250 people will already have been required to begin enrolling their employees. However, an increasing number of employees will be enrolled over the next 18 months; as employers with 50 to 249 employees will be required to enrol by April 2015 and those employing less than 50, between 1st June 2015 and 1st April 2017.

Employers will be notified by their tax office of their “staging date” by which they are required to enrol their employees and eventually will be required to make a minimum employer contribution of up to three per cent of earnings.

Most workers will be eligible to enrol provided they: • ordinarily work in the UK; • are aged between 16 and 75; and • work under a contract of employment or any other contract, whether or not there is a written contract.

However, not all job holders will have to be autoenrolled in a pension scheme. To be eligible for auto-enrolment, a job holder must be aged at least 22 but below state pension age. This is currently age 65 for men and age 60 for women, though it is being

incrementally equalised between the sexes.

The worker must also earn more than the earnings trigger in a relevant pay reference period (which is the same period used to assess qualifying earnings). The trigger has been set at £10,000 a year in the 2014/15 tax year. Earnings include bonuses, overtime and statutory maternity, paternity or adoption pay.

Employers are required to provide specific information in writing to the employee, including their auto enrolment date, details of the scheme and the contributions required. Failure to follow the correct procedure or comply with the rules could see employers faced with enforcement action, notices and a penalty.

Ansons’ employment law experts advise both employers and employees about their obligations under the pension auto enrolment scheme to ensure they comply with the new requirements.

For further information on workplace pensions or any other employment law problem contact Martin de Ridder in the Ansons S o l i c i t o r s ’ employment law team, on 01543 431186 or email mderidder@ansonsllp.com. Ansons Solicitors has offices in Cannock and Lichfield, Staffordshire.

Are You Getting Your Money this Autumn?

W

ith the weather taking on a decidedly cooler air and the nights starting to draw in, now could be the time to do a bit of a stock take and have a look at whether you are getting the money you are entitled to? Whether you would like to get a bit of wellbeing and nutritional advice, ready for Winter? Some nice Winter recipes and maybe even a free dietary plan from a qualified Dietitian?

For older people, if money is tight, and it often is, it’s worth talking to Age UK. Making ends meet might well be easier than most people think, if a careful and systematic examination is taken with regard to what you might be entitled to. Every year, millions of people miss out on money due to them, some aren’t aware that they are entitled to it, or mistakenly think they should manage without it. Others are worried about complicated forms or questions.

Age UK can help, in South Staffordshire you can telephone 01785 788 499 for our Information and Advice Helpline, but at other times, you can telephone 0800 169 65 65. You can also have a look at the website www.ageuk.org.uk/southstaffs or www.ageuk.org.uk/benefitscheck.

If you need additional information we may be able to supply you with some free booklets, factsheets or direct you to the section on the web Page 14 www.chasegazette.co.uk

if you need additional information.

Autumn is when we start to develop sniffles and think that maybe we wont go for that walk or make the gym as ‘it’s a bit colder’. We might not always feel like going out and if we are staying in, making ourselves a meal.

Age UK South Staffordshire is the lead partner in Eat Well Staffordshire and can provide older people over 65 with a free wellbeing check to include looking at ideas for cheap economical meals and diet options and how to make sure weight levels are maintained or increased (where necessary). The trained volunteer mentors can help with social support, signposting, access to transport, food delivery services and lunch clubs.

They will pop in every so often, have a chat and see how you are, providing a wellbeing check and looking at your nutrition at the same time.

Eat Well Staffordshire also offer a range of lovely recipes and can provide for the month of October a free folder containing a Winter Warmers advice booklet, Age UK Winter Recipe booklet and a free pocket diary and pen (whilst stocks last) for anyone interested in booking the free Eat Well service during October. Please phone 01785 788 496 for further information, or have a look at Facebook or Twitter. www.ageuk.org.uk/southstaffs

An Audience with John Craven

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n Wednesday 24th September 2014 from 7.30pm-10.00pm the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust will be presenting a special talk from John Craven, the award-winning presenter of BBC Countryfile.

The Trust will be holding An Audience with John Craven at Staffordshire County Showground, Stafford, where the presenter will be talking about his life, work, and love of the great outdoors. Tickets are on sale from £15. To book call 01889 880100, email johncraven@staffs-wildlife.org.uk or go to www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk

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Long term growth for Hednesford A

visit by an expert in regeneration has sparked moves for long-term plans for growth in Hednesford. Community leaders are now working towards a two, five and ten-year plan for the town.

This follows a visit by Chris Wade, chief executive of the Lottery-funded and Government-backed Towns Alive initiative.

After a day visiting with representatives from Hednesford Town Council and The Heart of Hednesford Restoration Project (HoHRP), Mr Wade said that there were excellent building blocks in place in Hednesford to act as a springboard to future prosperity. He also praised the “hidden gems” of independent traders in the town centre and hailed the advent of new housing as a positive step to improve business. But Mr

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Wade also advised that better signage was needed in the town centre and a more concerted marketing campaign would also be beneficial.

Another area identified as key to development was investigating relevant possible income streams from Government funding available and Mr Wade highlighted a number of case studies to show how other towns have already benefitted.

Chris Wade commented: “I can see lots of potential with Hednesford. There’s already been a significant investment in re-development in the town and there’s a lot happening in the area over future months and years that Hednesford can benefit from. I’m hoping that with the support of Towns Alive, we can help to transform Hednesford into a thriving market town once more.”

Mr Wade was given a tour of Market Street, the Museum of Cannock Chase and Victoria Shopping Park to get a feel for the local area before presenting his recommendations to an invited

Cllr Brian Gamble, Bev Yates - Chair of Hednesford Traders Assoc, Chris Wade from Towns Alive, David Wisehall - Chair of Heart of Hednesford Restoration Project and Doris Grice Chair of Hednesford Town Council.

audience of traders, business owners and community leaders at Pye Green Community Centre. He was accompanied by representatives from Hednesford Town Council, the Heart of Hednesford Restoration Project and Hednesford Traders Association.

Cllr Brian Gamble said all those involved were delighted to welcome Mr Wade and excited at the prospect of moving forward on some of the areas identified: “This has been a very positive experience and we are determined to move forward with optimism and determination to help maximise potential for Hednesford. We are taking a long term view and interested groups are working together. We are indebted to Chris and Towns Alive for their input; they have made some very valid points which can be addressed.

“We’ve had some solid investment in Hednesford and want to use this as a springboard to re-energise our independent traders, and take advantage of the positive community spirit which has been building as a result of this.

“As well as the money spent within our town, look at the wealth of riches we have on our doorstep, such as Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and planned developments on the horizon like the Designer Outlet Village – we need to ensure we are making the most of every opportunity to draw more people into our town.

“Our community is set to expand with up to 900 new homes due to be built – we are going to need more amenities to serve this influx of residents, something which we hope will be a further boost for Hednesford traders. We need to come up with fresh, innovative ideas to make the most of this.

“Chris has a true passion for helping towns thrive and has had some great results across the country – this is our chance to tap into his experience and wisdom and take our plans for Hednesford on to a whole new level.”

Traders, local business owners and community groups are now being urged to come forward and get involved. A further meeting is being held at the Ex Servicemen’s Club in Anglesey Street, at 6pm on Thursday, October 2 when representatives from The Heart of Hednesford Restoration Project, Hednesford Traders Association and The Friends of Hednesford Park will be talking about next steps and looking for volunteers to get involved.

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High speed broadband for Rugeley R

ugeley and Colton have become the latest communities to benefit from the multimillion pound Superfast Staffordshire high-speed fibre broadband programme.

An additional 5,350 premises in the Rugeley area now have access to faster fibre broadband as a result of the project, partners Staffordshire County Council and BT announced recently.

23 kilometres of fibre optic cable has been laid in Rugeley and 30 new street-side fibre cabinets have been installed so far, which will enable local people to access broadband download speeds of up to 80 megabits per second. Work in the town centre was co-ordinated with the council’s highways department to minimise disruption to local traders, residents and motorists in the Horse Fair area.

Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for the economy, environment and transport, Mark Winnington, commented: “Our rollout of the Superfast Staffordshire programme continues with people in Rugeley and Colton the latest to benefit. It means they can access fast broadband speeds for the first time and opens up opportunities in education, employment, leisure and more. In Rugeley, the fibre installation was co-ordinated with the improvement works in Horse Fair and major power upgrade works to minimise disruption. This all means a better connected town and surrounding area for people and business.”

During the Superfast Staffordshire rollout, more than one million metres of fibre optic cable and around 500 new streetside cabinets will be installed to connect people to the new network across the county.

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The great ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ giveaway

ugeley Library has given away 50 free copies of Diary of a Wimpy Kid to local children in support of a national campaign to get children reading.

As part of ITV Good Morning Britain’s ‘Just Read’ campaign that marked International Literacy Day, the library giveaway was designed to encourage parents and carers to spend ten minutes reading with their children every day.

The great giveaway took place at Rugeley Library on Saturday 13 September during a fun-filled day of ‘Wimpy Kid’ themed games and activities.

Staffordshire Libraries Chief, County Councillor Mike Lawrence, said: “Millions of children are readers because of the bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and Jeff Kinney’s work, with its fun and friendly balance between words and pictures, is perfect for turning reluctant readers on to books.”

As well as the giveaway, children who visited the library on 13 September were able to enjoy “Cheese Touch”, “Zoo Wee Mama!” and “Don’t Scramble the Egg” games, plus ‘create your own comic and story’, and make a ‘Wimpy Kid’ mask and bookmark activities.

This exciting event followed a wonderful summer of reading across Staffordshire as over 13,900 children took part in this year’s ‘Mythical maze’ Summer Reading Challenge.

9 year old Rugeley 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' fan, Freya Bo Taylor, a pupil from The Croft Primary School, Armitage.

Reward for witness who helped bring fly tipper to book A

Brereton man who was fined earlier this year for allowing his vehicle to be used for fly tipping has had his appeal dismissed at Stafford Crown Court.

The appeal dismissal means the witness who reported the fly tipping will get £100 from Cannock Chase Council, the first recipient of a reward scheme designed to encourage local people to help in the crackdown on fly tipping.

On 12 June this year a 43 year old Brereton man was fined £500 and ordered to pay costs of £1,270 by Cannock magistrates after two armchairs were dumped from a van he owns in Slitting Mill Lane, Cannock. The witness passed the van’s registration number to Cannock Chase Council and the owner was traced and prosecuted.

The owner confirmed he was in the area with the van around the time of the incident but denied fly tipping. Although it was not

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possible to identify any of the individuals who dumped the armchairs, magistrates found him guilty – a registered vehicle keeper can be prosecuted if their vehicle is involved in fly tipping.

An appeal was heard and dismissed at Stafford Crown Court on 4 September. The original sentence issued by magistrates in June stands in full and the fly-tipper was ordered to pay a further £400 in appeal costs.

Cllr Carl Bennett, Cannock Chase Council Environment Portfolio Leader, said: “We’re delighted to pay the first £100 reward to someone whose evidence has led to a successful prosecution for fly tipping. The witness in this case showed real courage to help our officers bring an offender to book.

“I would urge everyone in the District to be the Council’s eyes and ears and to report any fly tipping to us. We are determined to stamp out fly tipping, which is a blight on our

communities and our countryside. But we do need the public’s help on this. This case demonstrates that, when we have the evidence, we will be rigorous in getting a prosecution.”

Anyone who witnesses fly tipping in the District is urged to report it to Cannock Chase Council by calling 01543 462621. Key information to pass on includes the date and time of the incident, the model, make, registration number and colour of any vehicle used and a description of the offender or offenders.

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A Table Less Ordinary

ver the next few months many of us will be invited to Halloween events, Bonfire Night parties, Christmas lunches and New Year’s Eve extravaganzas plus family occasions, birthday parties and perhaps a wedding or two!

If you have an event to plan, a dinner party to throw or a family event to mark, you will probably be pondering what menu to serve and perhaps how to dress the table for maximum ‘wow’ factor.

Most people have at least a couple of antique or vintage items of tableware that may be languishing at the back of a cupboard – perhaps a set of ‘salts’ or a crystal decanter, that never see the light of day. Recently these items have seen a renaissance with tables set with gorgeous, elegant dinner services, crystal gasses and flatware becoming very fashionable again.

This is in part down to the ‘Downton effect’ – the rediscovery of Edwardian style that has been fuelled by the gorgeous sets of Downton Abbey. It’s also down to the huge interest in all things vintage that has seen delicate tea services and embroidered linens in great demand.

The great thing about creating a truly stunning antique or vintage table, is that it doesn’t have to cost the earth. Charity shops and car boots are a great place to hunt for vintage china, and the quality of these items is always stunning.

There’s no need to stick to all vintage items either, mix in modern plates, bowls etc with unashamedly floral china to make a breathtakingly pretty statement. There’s no need to match, go eclectic for a fashionable, contemporary take on all things retro.

Just take a look at these beautiful images for lots of inspiration…

The Victorian Table – for the family

The Edwardian Table – dinner for two

Antique white cotton tablecloth with napkins A selection of antique sterling silver and silver plated candlesticks (top tip - put your candles in the fridge for an hour before you light them to keep them burning longer) Kings Pattern silver cutlery C1895 Royal Doulton ‘Signature’ bone china Edwardian Aynsley china Sterling silver napkin rings Sterling silver Bachelor tea set with Aynsley cups and saucers

Antique white cotton tablecloth with napkins Royal Albert ‘Old Country Roses’ bone china dinner service Kings Pattern silver cutlery C1895 Vintage Stuart Crystal glassware ‘Glengarry’ Stuart Crystal glassware ‘Cascade’ Cranberry glass claret jug with silver mounts

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The Swinging 60s Table

All of the beautiful porcelain, glass, silver and other tableware shown in these images were provided and arranged by Jan Leytham-Gain of The Pretty Little Parlour Company.

Jan told the Gazette: “Many people have that special antique, vintage or retro ‘something’ that inspires or brings fond memories.

They may have silver heirlooms that need displaying at a Christening celebration or want a perfectly decadent Bridal Shower. I can create the perfect day by styling an event to delight the senses, whether it’s a sumptuous Christmas Dinner party for ten or a Vintage Afternoon tea for 100.

“I invite my clients to my home where we talk through their dreams, wishes and ideas regarding styling, content and the practicalities of the day, tailoring everything to suit their individual needs and budget. They can hire all the ‘pretties’ from me and arrange and style themselves or I can bring everything and set up and style with my team. Some clients really do want to enjoy their own celebration and for them I arrange event planning, co-ordination and hosting. I can assist in so many ways to make a perfect day even more special and it is always completely unique to my client, working with the best of local business for floristry, photography and catering; everything that makes the celebration perfect.

“I have worked in many locations – hotels, on farms, in gardens, in barns, even in the middle of a field! Some of the loveliest events are in clients’ homes. Whatever the event and whatever involvement they are looking for I bring their dreams to life and create memories to last a lifetime.”

Jan Leytham-Gain can be contacted at The Pretty Little Parlour Company on 07908 696383.

Images Richard Kiely Photography www.richardkiely.co.uk

1960s red tablecloth Midwinter Stylecraft ‘Carmen’ dinner service 1960s cutlery Vintage glassware White cotton napkins (top tip, arranged in the glass this casual styling looks great) Retro hostess doilies Wedgwood retro crystal decanter and glasses Page 21

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An Englishman’s Home by Anthony Hunt

eople of Hednesford could be forgiven for ignoring the gravestone of Police Constable Harry Cooke which reads “who died at Hednesford on March 8th, 1879 from violence received on duty” or for even knowing of its existence at the side entrance to St. Peter’s Church, on Church Hill, yet behind it lies an incident which would help to change British policing for ever.

The story began two years before in June 1877 when a mass meeting of miners took place at Cannock to hear Mr. Macdonald speak out against the poor working conditions of the miners, especially their wages and the dreadful practise of laying off the men during the summer months due to the seasonal decrease in the need for coal. Unfortunately violence erupted and several policemen were injured whilst trying to calm the situation. Two of the ringleaders were arrested, but a third, one Rueben Smith, escaped. Having found out that he lived at Heath Hayes the police decided to make an arrest on the evening of June 20th.

Concerned that further violence might occur during the apprehension Sergeant Kavanagh decided to take five officers with him. Strangely they were all dressed in plain clothes, probably

to avoid detection and catch Smith unawares.

Arriving at around half past ten at night at the house they believed Smith occupied they found the whole block in darkness and by mistake surrounded the wrong house, going instead to the one which belonged to Thomas Hyden. The officer knocked at the door, but received no reply. Having knocked again the door was eventually slightly opened but then immediately slammed shut in their faces. One of the policemen then lifted the latch, opened the door and proceeded to enter, followed by others. Facing them was Thomas Hyden with a gun raised to his shoulder. Without hesitation he opened fire, hitting Sergeant Kavanagh and Constable Cooke. Kavanagh was hit in the hand and also by some shot in the face and body; Cooke, trying to defend his face, raised his left arm and took most of the shot above the elbow and in the chest. Badly injured he cried out to the other officers who rushed in and overpowered Hyden.

While Hyden was being transferred to Cannock Police Station Cooke was helped to Mills Beer House (today’s Five Ways Inn) where he was treated by Dr. Weston from Stafford and later other doctors who all suggested that

he would be lucky to survive. Sergeant Kavanagh on the other hand made a complete recovery and was back on duty within weeks.

As for Thomas Hyden he was taken before the magistrates and held on remand for several weeks awaiting a decision as to prosecution.

(Incidentally Rueben Smith was finally apprehended and fined for his actions during the affray at the miners’ rally.)

For several weeks Cooke’s condition was critical, but with careful nursing he finally improved so much so that he managed to resume his police duties. However, he was never fully fit, the injury leaving him with a permanent heart condition and dropsy. By the end of 1878 his condition worsened and he ultimately died on March 8th, 1879 (hence the date on the headstone). The people of Hednesford flocked to give him a good sendoff: the Rugeley Rangers, a section of the Foresters, led the procession, followed by fifty police officers and throngs of well wishers. The route to St. Peter’s Church was lined with locals all shouting their support for a much loved officer and he was laid to rest in the churchyard with great ceremony.

But what of Thomas Hyden you might ask?

He was allowed to go free as Cooke seemed to recover, but after the constable’s death he was rearrested and taken to trial at Stafford for the murder of Harry Cooke. All the evidence given it was the summing up of the judge which swung the case. He stated, “The facts are unusual. Several persons – he would not call them policemen as they were dressed in plain clothes – went in the night to the house of a man who had committed no crime and forced open his door. They never told the man they were police constables seeking to execute a warrant, although there was opportunity to have done so before the gun was fired. There was nothing to show anything like premeditated malice on the part of the prisoner, who had no reason to suppose other than that the persons came into his house for the purpose of committing a felony. Therefore the prisoner was justified in using the violence he had done.”

Accordingly the judge said he had no option but to discharge Hyden who walked free.

The police had learned a bitter lesson. It was soon law that police when coming to arrest someone at their home must identify themselves by declaring that they are the police and at least some of them wearing uniform.This can be clearly seen in today’s operations which appear on our screens almost weekly.

This and many other local stories can be found in “Murder and Manslaughter Around Cannock Chase” and “More Murder and Mayhem Around The Chase” both by Anthony Hunt.

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Late Night Shopping Comes to Cannock

By Michael Hewitt of the Cannock Conduit Trust

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n order to encourage people to shop late on a Saturday night in all weather conditions, on June 10th 1868 the first meeting of The Cannock Market Hall Company Limited took place to discuss the design and construction of a Market Hall in Cannock Town Centre. Those present were the Rev. E J Smith (Chair), William Truman (Secretary), Jonah Pilling - representing The Manchester & Liverpool Banking Company (Treasurer) and three others. All were elected Directors. The registered office was at Mr Truman’s home in Wolverhampton Road. A total of 1,028 shares were issued at 5/- (five shillings) per share.

The site chosen was on land owned by Mr E Stubbs, adjacent to The Crown Hotel, and a purchase price of £200 for the land was agreed.

An estimate for the design and construction of the hall was £700 to £800 which included the facility of a cellar. Tenders were put out. On 17th August 1868 the Directors accepted Mr Burlace Anderson’s quote of £1,047 provided he reduced his price to £897 by not including a cellar.

Mr Anderson was born on the 17th November 1823 in the village of Plymton near Plymouth and was a descendant of a well-known and respected Devonshire family. Soon after coming to Cannock in the 1850s, he set up his own brickworks and building company in Bridgtown. Why he settled and lived the rest of his life in the district is unknown.

He would eventually build the Market Hall and what was known as “The Quadrant”, the Presbytery, Hall Court and Belgrave House, Cannock.

Amongst the public buildings were St Peters Church, Hednesford (prior to it being replaced in the 20th century) and the original Mission Churches at Chadsmoor, Bridgtown and Hazel Slade. He would later build Messers D.W. Clarke The Market Hall, Cannock, can be seen far left next to The Crown Coaching Inn. and Son’s shop on the site replied swiftly by stating that Matthew would where fire was to destroy an early 17th century have to pay not only for the gas fittings but the building – Finney House. A member of the Local Market Hall Company for the gas as well.

Board, he was a highly respected man in the Advertising posters were put out for the area. renting of stalls at the following rates: 24 stalls of Hoping to open the new Market Hall on or 7 feet by 3 feet and 16 stalls of 6 feet by 2 feet, before 2nd December 1868 the Directors 6 inches, would cost on average 2/6d (two agreed that all the lighting and fittings be shillings and six pence). Bigger stalls were added supplied by The Cannock and Hednesford Gas at the request of the stallholders. The opening Company; however, due to bad weather the times were Saturdays only, from 1pm till 11pm. opening was delayed until 9th January 1869.

During weekdays it would be hired out to During the build Matthew Anderson, having a organisations such as The Cannock Horticultural foot in both camps, suggested to the gas Society and the Drill Sergeant responsible for company that he could supply the gas fittings at the local Rifle Corps. The building stood for his cost if the gas company supplied the gas free almost a century. of charge (worth a try!). The gas company

Best start proposal for young children

“We owe it to the children of Staffordshire to change how they are supported; to give them every chance to go on and live a productive and happy life,”

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ike Lawrence, Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet member for Children and Community Safety was speaking as the authority’s cabinet approved an eight week public consultation on the best way to provide help to under-fives and their families.

The Best Start proposals include providing more help for families where they need it rather than in fixed places and working with schools and other bodies to provide a unified approach in each part of the county to avoid duplication and wasting resources.

Mike Lawrence said: “The first five years are vital for a child’s future in every aspect, but only 25 per cent of families with underfives are benefiting from the council’s commissioned early years services and only a quarter of these are from vulnerable families.

“54 per cent of Staffordshire children are Page 24 www.chasegazette.co.uk

judged to have reached a good stage of development by the end of their first year at school and at the same time in Staffordshire we have more children in care, more children at risk and more children in need of help.

“The current approach isn’t working. We need to act to change how young children and their families are supported and by focusing on providing the right information and guidance, as well as the right services in the right place to those who really need them, rather than spending money on underused buildings, I believe we can provide a better service to every young family in the county.”

Consultation will begin on October 8th and parents, partners and stakeholders are encouraged to have their say. More information about the proposals is available at www.staffordshire.gov.uk/beststart and

people can register now to ensure they receive updates.

Peace – an elusive ideal or a realistic goal?

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ooking back to events as the ‘Great War’ started one hundred years ago gives us a real opportunity to honour the bravery of those who sacrificed all for their country and to put their sacrifice in the context of history.

There was no gradual dawning of the war for the town of Rugeley as in autumn 1914 the construction started of two enormous camps on Cannock Chase – these camps – Rugeley Camp and Brocton camp - were capable of housing up to 40,000 men at one time, and probably trained in the region of 500,000 men before they moved on to the Western Front. From 1916 onwards the camps also housed a large hospital with twelve wards and over 1,000 beds, which reflected the ferocity of the fighting and the need for recuperation and convalescence. What an impact on the town that must have made!

After all these years we might ask ourselves the question was all the suffering and disruption worth it? The promise that it was ‘the war to end all wars’ certainly proved hollow when countries were plunged into yet another devastating war only twenty years later. Certainly since then there has been a wonderful period of peace in Western Europe, however other parts of the world have seen more or less continuous conflict.

When we look round the world today we may ask the question: are there good prospects of peace for us in the near future? It would be a supreme optimist who replied ‘yes’ with confidence! Yet a group of local Christians, The Christadelphians, believe that there is a place to look, which does provide a real prospect of peace both in our own lives and in the world at large. ‘The Bible Today’ exhibition which was viewed by hundreds of visitors at this year’s Staffordshire County Show, will be at The Pavilion, Lea Hall Social Club 24th – 26th October from 10am – 6pm (4pm on Sunday). There will also be a talk ‘God’s Roadmap for Peace’ on Saturday 25th at 6.30pm. The Bible has stood the test of time: Peace has never been more desperately needed, yet more difficult to find.

Perhaps ‘going to war’ is not the answer and we now need a fresh approach to peace.

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Grand Survivors – Rugeley pubs that still stand today

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By The Landor Society

n the last issue of the Chase Gazette we looked at Rugeley pubs that are no longer standing. Here, The Landor Society tells us about pub buildings that have survived to the present day.

Upper Brook Street showing the Crown Inn (the green building on the left) and the projecting sign of the Swann Inn (now HSBC bank). The Crown first appears in directories in 1850.

The Horns Inn at Slitting Mill at the beginning of the 20th century. It first appears in directories in 1870 when James Dutton was the landlord.

The side of the Red Lion in Market Street, July 1977. This timber-framed inn was built around 1600. The front was rebuilt in red brick in the 1950s.

The gable-end timbering was hidden by adjoining buildings until 1966.

A water-colour of The Shrew as it was at the time of the William Palmer trial in 1856. It was built as The Crown Inn in the mid-17th century. The name was changed to the Talbot Arms Inn sometime during the first quarter of the 18th century. As a result of the notoriety generated by Dr Palmer’s murder of John Cook in 1856 it was renamed The The Vaults in Market Square, before it was re-built Shrewsbury Arms C1930-31. Burnell’s was a wine and spirit merchant and Hotel. It was refurbished as the Shrew Kafe Bar in 1988. grocers, know unofficially as The Vaults. From around 1940 it ceased selling groceries and became The Cabin public House. In recent years it has reverted to its earlier name.

The Vine in Sheep Fair. This late Victorian frontage disguises the original 17th century timber-framed building. A brewery, facing on to Lion Street, was built in 1887 and demolished in 1989.

The Yorkshireman on a snowy December day in 1990. Originally this was called The Railway Inn and was well used by passengers travelling to and from Trent Valley Station. For a short period it became Wilf and Rosa’s.

Page 26 www.chasegazette.co.uk

The Landor Society is a focus for those who wish to learn more about the history of Rugeley and its surrounding parishes. It was founded in 1953 and was named in honour of Walter Noble Landor, local and county historian, who became the Society’s first President. More information is available at www.landor-localhistorysociety-rugeley.btck.co.uk

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Halloween tales of UFOs, ghosts and hellhounds

In time for Halloween, we bring you here just a few tales of strange and paranormal goings on in Cannock Chase…

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he Chase is a hot-bed for UFO sightings, perhaps the most remarkable of which took place in 1964 when a local Cannock Wood man was witness to a crashed UFO being lifted on to the back of a recovery vehicle, covered in a tarpaulin. Theory has it that the UFO crashed in a field just outside the village, and three bodies were recovered.

They were reportedly sent to a Porton Down military scientific research centre for analysis. Have you ever seen strange lights in the sky?

Ye Olde Windmill is a 400 year old country pub and restaurant in Gentleshaw. In the grounds of the pub stands a disused mill, built in around 1790. Made of local red sandstone and brick it no longer has its ‘sails’ that rotated to run the milling machinery, but at 40 feet tall it’s still pretty impressive.

The first miller, John Bonnell, had a large family but in 1807 two of his children were tragically killed in a mill accident. It appears that the children were working in the mill the day of the accident, portioning out the freshly milled flour into sacks. This job took place on the first floor where a heavy weight and pulley system would lift bags of grain from the ground, through trap-doors to the floors above. It appears that the milling was finished for that day and the trap-doors were firmly

closed when somehow the children fell through to their deaths below.

How this accident happened is still a great mystery 207 years later. These trap-doors only opened one way and were so immensely heavy that they could not have been lifted by the children. Since that day forward, owners and staff at the pub have reported hearing the long since disappeared trap-doors slam shut and the sound of children playing. The two children, covered in white flour-dust have been seen by local people, peering down at Windmill in the grounds of Ye Olde Windmill pub. them from the first floor as the Image by Kate Gomez. temperature plummets and sometimes when it snows it's also said that and Huntington. British folklore often two sets of small footprints can be seen associates the sighting of ghostly dogs as a forewarning of death. circling the mill.

Our last Halloween tale concerns Castle If that isn’t a spine tingling enough story for you this Halloween, then spare a thought for Ring, a fantastically well preserved Iron Age the many individuals who have reported hill fort in the village of Cannock Wood. The sightings of the ‘ghost dog of Brereton’. fort was occupied until around 50AD by the Witnesses report the dog to be huge and local Cornovii tribe. The name Cornovii black with eyes that glow in the dark as it means ‘people of the horned god.’ Castle Ring prowls the lanes and roads towards Cannock stands at the highest point of Cannock Chase at 244 metres, and there’s no doubt that it is an impressive and evocative place, but local folklore has it that Castle Ring is also haunted by its ancient pagan inhabitants.

There are stories of ghostly apparitions wandering between the fort and a local burial ground where the Cornovii are thought to have interred their dead.

Several witnesses over the years have reported hearing strange sounds, including the clang of hammering, perhaps an echo through time of the hammering of weapons being made ready to face the invading Romans? Chanting and singing have also been heard and strange balls of light have been reported, floating over Castle Ring.

Regardless of whether you believe in ghost stories, Cannock Chase and its villages are a wonderful place to live and visit. Castle Ring is quite remarkable and Ye Olde Windmill pub in Gentleshaw is a lovely pub.

View from top of Castle Ring. Image by Joss Musgrove Knibb.

Page 28 www.chasegazette.co.uk

Happy Halloween all!

Page 29

SI Cannock and District help with V Festival Clean-Up

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or the last few years a collection of tents, chairs, beds, sleeping bags, unopened food etc has been organised by Rotary International at Weston Park in the two days following the V Festival. This year, as in previous years, Soroptimist International of Cannock & District was involved.

Festival attendees leave so much behind which, if it can be collected, can be used by people at home and overseas. No matter how many volunteers go along they are never able to collect all of the items left behind.

On Tuesday 19th August Soroptimists from SI Cannock & District were joined by local Councillor Hyra Sutton and parliamentary candidate Amanda Milling to help with the grand ‘clear-up’ at Weston Park following another very successful V Festival. Wearing wellies and other appropriate clothing members set to work dismantling and re-packing tents and rolling up air beds and collecting chairs, buckets, bowls, sleeping bags and unopened tinned food, plus anything else left behind by the revelers which was in good condition and might be of use to others.

The tents were all taken to the International Aid trucks.

They will be used in disaster areas around the world. All other items this group collected will be used by Pathway, the local refuge for women victims of domestic violence and by Staffordshire Women’s Aid. In fact, many of the items collected have already been put to good use by local women who are in need.

The V Festival clear-up is a true example of voluntary organisations working together and giving service to help others. Everyone who went along thoroughly enjoyed the experience and they know that all of the goods will be put to excellent use by those who need them.

More information about Soroptimist International is available on the website www.sigbi.org and about the Cannock Club on www.sigbi.org/cannock-and-district.

Page 30 www.chasegazette.co.uk

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Cannock Shopping Centre celebrates community stars!

annock Shopping Centre launched its Star Awards campaign in 2013, with the aim of discovering unsung heroes in the local community. The awards sought to identify compassionate and special people living in the Cannock area, across a number of different categories. Cannock residents were encouraged to nominate June Dawson someone who they thought deserved an award, with each winner receiving an engraved Star Award and a prize.

Cannock Shopping Centre’s Star Grandparent, June, from Chadsmoor, was nominated by her daughter Linzi and 9 year old grandson Max. June regularly looks after Max, who has special needs and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Susie Morris Disorder (ADHD). June is involved with fundraising for S.N.A.P, Cannock’s special needs adventure playground, as well as a number of local schools.

The award for Young Sports Star went to Lizz Bradbury (15) from Chase Terrace Technical College, due to her natural talent in air rifle shooting. Shortly before her nomination, Lizz was given the opportunity to represent her country in Lizz Bradbury future national and international competitions as part of the GB Junior Rifle Squad.

The Christmas Star award was given to inspiring George Raybould (12). George was nominated for the award by his mother for having shown maturity beyond his years by selflessly supporting his family George Raybould throughout his brother’s illness.

Susie Morris was awarded Star Mum after she was nominated by her husband Jonathan. Jonathan said that Susie had displayed exceptional strength, courage and determination when their baby daughter, Alicia, was delivered prematurely by emergency caesarean and Derrick Saunders was rushed into the neonatal unit at Stafford Hospital with several medical complications. It was subsequently discovered that Alicia had a hole in her heart and she has endured several major surgeries to correct the problem. During this challenging time, Susie’s mother-in-law was diagnosed with cancer and sadly passed away but despite her worry, Susie remained a pillar of strength for her husband, daughter and other members of her family.

69 year old Derrick Saunders, from Great Wyrley, was chosen as Star Pa, following a nomination from his daughter Linda. After a diagnosis of prostate cancer 4 years previously, Derrick underwent surgery and was successfully treated for the disease. However, following complications from his life-saving surgery, Derrick went on to develop lymphoedema, a condition which manifested as a severe and painful swelling to his leg, hindering his mobility; Derrick then underwent a knee replacement operation but, despite a succession of health problems, has remained stoic, upbeat and strong for his family and has provided a huge amount of support to Linda and her disabled daughter.

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What to do if you were injured on holiday

ew figures released by the Association of British Insurers shows that nearly 4,300 holiday makers per week needed to seek emergency medical treatment while abroad on holiday last year.

If your holiday was ruined by injury or illness, Adam Penn, personal injury law specialist at Ansons Solicitors in Staffordshire, gives his practical tips on what to do, how to identify who is responsible and how to claim compensation.

There are many ways in which you could have suffered personal injuries whilst you were on holiday. Trips, slips and falls are common hazards anywhere, but if you were hurt due to badly maintained accommodation, facilities or grounds it is important to find out who was responsible.

Dangerous facilities combined with a lack of adequate warning signs could amount to a failure to ensure public safety. Poor hygiene procedures and food that has not been properly prepared in hotels, bars and restaurants can leave you with the nasty effects of food poisoning, sometimes putting you out of action for the rest of your vacation.

Whether you were staying in a hotel, bed

and breakfast, self-catering or camping, the standard of safety should have been the same. Your booking formed a legally binding contract and you were owed a duty of care from the owners of your accommodation. If you used a travel agent, they are also responsible for ensuring there is the correct standard of safety at the accommodation.

If your holiday was abroad and part of a package, the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992 make the tour operator responsible for all aspects of the holiday, and you may be able to claim compensation if poor standards left you ill or injured.

What to do when you get home Take legal advice at the earliest stage as strict time limits apply to all personal injury claims.

Your claim for compensation may be made up of several different elements. These can include pain and suffering, the cost of medical care and treatment, loss of earnings, psychological trauma as well as a sum to reflect your loss of enjoyment of your holiday.

For accidents that happened after July 2013, the claim must be made through an

online claims portal. It is important to have legal guidance throughout this process as a wrongly completed application could affect your chances of successfully obtaining compensation for your injury.

If you booked through a travel agent, you can also register a complaint with the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA).

They can appoint an arbitrator to help settle claims for minor illness or personal injuries but the compensation award is limited to ÂŁ1,500 per person. You must submit claims within 18 months of the date that you returned from holiday. Contact Adam on 01543 431 196 or at apenn@ansonsllp.com.

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Residents urged to put the right stuff in the right bin

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esidents are being urged to make sure their blue and brown recycling bins are not contaminated by ensuring they place the correct items into each bin.

Recycling rates in Cannock Chase District have steadily increased over the last few years after the introduction of blue recycling bins in July 2010 however last year saw a slight dip. The 12-month recycling and composting rate for last year (2013/14) was 52 per cent, and 53 per cent for the year before (2012/13).

The first quarter’s recycling rate for the District (April to June 2014) was 58 per cent. However, this will drop over the winter months as the amount of garden waste reduces.

Blue bins are for paper, cardboard, glass bottles/jars, metal tins/cans, plastic bottles/containers and cartons. Brown bins are for garden and food waste; while the green bin is for any remaining waste that cannot be recycled or composted. It is really important that only the correct items go into each bin.

The biggest contamination issues in blue recycling bins seem to be food waste, nappies and textiles; followed by electrical items, plastic toys and polystyrene.

Cllr Carl Bennett, Cannock Chase Council’s Environment Portfolio Leader, said: “Residents in Cannock Chase District are recycling at home more than ever before. However, residents do sometimes put things in the wrong bins.

“This can lead to some inconvenience for householders as our collection crews Page 32 www.chasegazette.co.uk

cannot collect contaminated recycling and garden waste bins. Recycling is important and contamination hampers all our residents’ good work and effort. If residents are unsure I would urge them to check our website for guidance as to what should go into each of their bins.

“Good quality recyclable materials should not be looked at as waste. They should be seen as a resource and therefore it is important we don’t just send them to be incinerated but recycle them into something new. This is one reason we’re trying to promote the message that ‘Recycling isn’t Rubbish’.”

Pete Dickson, commercial director of Biffa Municipal – which collects and processes the recycling in the blue recycling bins – added: “Local residents are fantastic supporters of Cannock Chase’s recycling service, as shown by the increasing recycling rate. But contamination is a worry as it can easily undermine the otherwise excellent efforts of residents, cut the recycling rate, and cost the council more to dispose of rejected materials.

“The easiest thing to do is to know exactly what can go into each bin – and what shouldn’t. For example, small electrical items should be put by the side of the blue bin, not in it, due to how the material is processed.”

More information about recycling in Cannock Chase District, including what goes into each bin, can be found at www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk There is also a guide to what goes into each bin with residents’ recycling calendars.

Qmin

Limited seats available call 01543 255000 www.qmin.co.uk

Back by popular demand Milly Munroe as Tina Turner Friday 14th November

Qmin Introduces for a limited period only

You Choose Menu Monday and Tuesday 6pm-9pm £9.95

From our ala carte menu, choose 1 Starter, 1 Main meal, Pilau Rice & Naan bread For t&cs please check website

Thaali Night

Sunday & Wednesday All Night from £9.95

Vegetarian Thaali £9.95

Onion Bhaji, Vegetable Bhuna, Sag Aloo, Tarkha Dall, Pilau Rice & Naan

Meat Thaali £10.95

Chicken Tikka, Lamb Sag, Chicken Tikka Mossola, Tarkha Dall, Pilau Rice & Naan

Seafood Thaali £11.95

Pink Salmon Tikka, Fried Garlic Prawns, Prawn Sag, Tarkha Dall, Pilau Rice & Naan For t&cs please check website

www.qmin.co.uk

Snow White

Move over Grande Canal The best The Lichfield Garrick and Vienna Pizzas are Festival Ballet presents Snow not in Italy…

White, with choreography by Barry McGrath. they’re in the ‘Mucky Duck’ at Fradley Junction!

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oin Vienna Festival Ballet on a magical journey with its brand new production of Snow White. Internationally r e n o w n e d choreographer, Barry McGrath, propels the timeless fairytale to a new generation.

Based on the traditional Grimm Brothers story, the ballet incorporates all the favourite elements, from the enchanted mirror, to a beautiful heroine, to the bewitched shiny red apple, and not forgetting the handsome Prince Charming.

The show sparkles with specially commissioned costumes for the principal dancers, Snow White and the Queen, designed and made by Vonnie Meyrick-Brook, costume maker from blockbuster films such as Skyfall and the Harry Potter series.

This spellbinding ballet promises to entertain and dazzle the whole family and answers the immortal question; who is the fairest one of all?

Snow White is playing at the Lichfield Garrick on Thursday 25, Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September 2014 at 7.30pm, with a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm.

Tickets cost £20 or £10.50 for students and £58 for a family ticket, and can be booked online at www.lichfieldgarrick.com or by calling Lichfield Garrick’s Box Office on 01543 412121.

The Swan or ‘Mucky Duck’ at Fradley Junction has a huge reputation for good food, but now it is “move over Venetian Grande Canal” and “enter the Coventry and Trent & Mersey Canal”, because this famous old pub has a treat in store.

To supplement its already extensive menu their ‘National Award Winning Chef’ (2013) is baking awesome freshly made mouth-watering hand-stretched Pizzas.

The like have never been seen in these parts.

The chef uses his skills to produce 9 and 12 inch pizzas throughout lunch and evening (also take away available). Great on a fresh Autumn’s night with a glass of Italian wine with varieties such as: ‘Bitter Sweet’ with Mozzarella and caramelised onion; ‘All-day-Pizza-breakfast’ with bacon, egg and black pudding; Americano, Hawaiian; and Calzone. Follow that with coffee made from real Lavazza beans Bookings are now taken for Christmas.

Something for everyone It’s easy to enjoy Fradley Junction with all its colour and tranquility and its nearby nature reserve, which features in a couple of published British Waterways trails, or just sit with a beer (or a cup of tea) and watch the world float by.

Over the past six years Rick & Tracey have resisted the urge to make The Swan into a trendy ‘gastro pub’ and kept it as a traditional canalside-socialising pub that folk have loved for well over two hundred years. Open 7 days a week, The Swan has something for everybody – it’s a retreat from the hurly burly of everyday life. It has a Sunday Carvery every week 12-3 with five meats and fresh vegetables for £10 inc. sweet and coffee. Lunch is served Mon-Sat 12-2.30 with a full menu available every evening 5.30 – 9pm.

If your fancy is for traditional and homemade foods then The Swan is the place to enjoy a mixed grill, sirloin steak, beer battered cod, pork-belly & black pepper plus homemade curries and pies. Plus freshly made sandwiches, snacks and much more.

Beer and entertainment The Swan has a superb selection of beers on draught such as Abbot and Pedigree, with four guest ales on all the time (So there’s always something new available) And of course all your popular ciders and lagers.

And talking of something for everybody – why not call and enjoy the evening entertainment. Every Thursday evening is Folk Night, with Open Mic on Sunday evenings together with other events on throughout the summer months. And something unique is the Curiosity Shop, now open at the rear of the Mucky Duck selling all manner of things where you are welcome to have a mooch-around.

Rick & Tracey extend a warm welcome and suggest you rediscover Fradley Junction and The Swan this weekend.

The Swan at Fradley Canalside eating at its best DE13 7DN Telephone 01283 790330 We are a dog friendly pub

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Free Traditional Craft Workshops

he Museum of Cannock Chase will be hosting some fantastic traditional craft workshops over the next few months. Workshops will be run by Dave Knowles of the Forest of Mercia and take place between 9.30am and 3.30pm.

Workshops are free but advance booking is essential.

Wo r k s h o p s include: Monday 6 October – Fruit baskets, Monday 27 October – Besom brooms, Monday 24 November – Willow wreaths and Monday 8 December – Snowmen.

The Museum of Cannock Chase can be found at Valley Road, Hednesford, WS12 1TD. Contact 01543 877666 or go to museumofcannockchase@wlct.org for further details.

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Cannock Shopping Centre welcomes new stores

number of new concessions are set to open at Birwood indoor market at Cannock Shopping Centre, formally known as Inshops.

New concessions include Sovereign Clothing (a company specialising in mens’ fashion), a brand new phone stand opening in the Cannock Mall front window (opposite Argos) and a new Sweet Shop that gives shoppers the chance to choose from over 325 varieties of goodies. The Cannock Printer has also expanded in order to allow shoppers to print higher volumes of work at the centre and Craft Creations has already opened for the creative folk of Cannock.

Natal Chapman, Centre Manager of Cannock Shopping Centre, commented: “We are delighted to have so many new and interesting companies joining our already thriving community of stores. We can’t wait for our shoppers to experience all of the goods and services that these news stores will offer. Welcome to the Cannock family!”

Page 34 www.chasegazette.co.uk

A good man who will be sorely missed.

H

ere, Mr Derek Davis OBE, Staffordshire County Councillor, pays tribute to Mr Dennis Dixon who passed away recently at the age of 90.

I have known “Mr Dixon” as I always called him since 1948, when he became our scout leader for the Hazel Slade 1sts and as he and I lived in the same village I obviously knew him very well furthermore he worked with my dad.

In 1957 he then became my training instructor for the National Coal Board.

He was eventually to manage the area training complex at the Valley Colliery, which is now our Cannock Chase Museum - retiring in 1983 winning in his last year the accolade as the best training centre in Britain.

Dennis Dixon and Mary Greenfield were married in 1944 and they had two children also named Dennis and Mary. They lived locally throughout their long 60 years marriage and after Mary died some 10 years ago, Dennis lived on his own with the support of his family and neighbours in Anglesey Street in a lovely small bungalow.

Around 1964 Dennis joined the Labour Party and in 1967 was elected as a Councillor to the old Cannock Urban District Council, serving on many committees and becoming Vice Chairman in 1973. On reorganisation of the Council he retired from public duty, to concentrate on his job with the NCB. However in 1988 at the age of 65 he was re-elected to the new Cannock Chase Council and was honoured by becoming Chairman of the Council in 1997-8. He really enjoyed being “in charge” but all of us who served with him as fellow councillors found out how argumentative he could be, but never the less we all respected him as a real “local” old fashioned councillor – and recognised how much he was respected by the people of Cannock Chase.

His father Tommy Dixon came from Tyneside, he however got wounded in the First World War and came to Brindley Village Hospital to recover – he was nursed by Lizzie Jones and when he recovered they got married and moved to Rugeley where Dennis was born in 1923.

However, within 2 years they came to live at Longstaff Avenue, Rawnsley and by a strange coincidence he died within half a mile of his home, at “The Grange” Cannock Wood Street, Hazel Slade. The family wish to compliment the staff who looked after him in his last few days of illness.

For all his working days Dennis was known as “Tommy” named after his dad. But when young Dennis came along and was eventually also elected to serve on the Council, Dennis Junior became young Dennis and his father “Dad” and that it how he was known to our community in his later years.

Dad Dixon had a wonderful life, achieving so much. Dennis believed in that old adage “service before self” and on behalf of residents of Cannock Chase District and particularly the villagers of Hazel Slade, Rawnsley and the town of Hednesford, can I genuinely thank Mr Dennis Dixon (senior) for all he has given to us and pay our respect to young Dennis and Mary and your families for your sad loss. Mr Dixon was a good man and will be sorely missed.

Clothes Show Live 5-9 December 2014

Win tickets to the ultimate fashion & beauty experience for the perfect day out!

C

lothes Show Live, in association with ALCATEL ONETOUCH, will return to the NEC Birmingham once again this December to offer a unique fashion experience. With non-stop catwalk shows, make-overs, manicures, beauty demonstrations and style advice, this shopping haven makes for the perfect day out. Open from 5 – 9 December, Clothes Show Live is sure to provide something for everyone as it showcases home designer and boutique collections, emerging designers, next generation talent, vintage finds and affordable fashion. With an endless Beauty Hall filled with gift bags and goodies, you can enjoy the ultimate shopping spree to tick off that Christmas list.

This year’s fashion experts are Hilary Alexander OBE, Dame Zandra Rhodes, Henry Holland, and the Clothes Show’s original presenter Caryn Franklin MBE. They will feature across the show including the Fashion Theatre, designer catwalk and educational seminars.

Your favourite celebs including stars from the world of music and reality TV will be returning to the show. Don’t miss the likes of Ryk Edwards and Neon Jungle as well as your favourites from the cast of TOWIE, Lauren Goodger and Amy Childs, along with the Made in Chelsea stars Jamie Laing and Millie Mackintosh ...and many more!

Take time to relax between shopping and pamper yourself at one of the many hair and beauty stations around the show that are also offering tutorials and make-over transformations.

The event’s highlight is the award-winning ALCATEL ONETOUCH Fashion Theatre, which this year plays homage to the Fashion Capital of 2013, New York! Every ticket includes a dedicated seat to be mesmerised by the high octane explosion of models and dancers, bringing the vibes of the Big Apple to Birmingham for the world’s largest catwalk performance. Expect some familiar faces to join the action as a sprinkling of celebrity guests and top music acts join the inspiring cast of international models and dancers for the 45 minute extravaganza.

This stylish day out is not to be missed, and here’s how to get your hands on some tickets…

Chase Gazette has teamed up with Clothes Show Live to offer three lucky readers and their ‘plus one’ the chance to attend the year’s most prestigious fashion event, absolutely free!

win win win

To be in with a chance of winning email gazetteeditorial@hotmail.co.uk or send a post card to Gazette Clothes Show Competition. PO Box 5414, Lichfield, WS14 4EZ with your name, address and preferred date of attendance - if you are picked you will receive a FREE pair of tickets. Tickets are limited to one pair per winner. So what are you waiting for? Send your entry today!

You can buy tickets to the show by visiting the website clothesshowlive.com. For the best seats in the house, book early and upgrade to platinum to be closer to the catwalk action. For group bookings of 10 or more please visit: clothesshowlive.com/groups or call 0800 358 0058 to reserve show tickets and catwalk seats today for free.

Standard - £29 Entrance to Clothes Show Live featuring shopping, catwalks, demonstrations, activities, and celebrity signing areas.

Standard Seat in the ALCATEL ONETOUCH Fashion Theatre for a 45 minute performance.

Platinum - £42 Entrance to Clothes Show Live featuring; shopping, catwalks, demonstrations, activities and celebrity signing areas. Platinum seating in the ALCATEL ONETOUCH Fashion Theatre, up-close to the action for a 45 minute performance.

Souvenir Show Bag and Show Guide (Worth £5).

University Student Discount - £26 Entrance to Clothes Show Live featuring shopping, catwalks, demonstrations, activities and celebrity signing areas. Seat in the ALCATEL ONETOUCH Fashion Theatre for a 45 minute performance. * University ID card will be required to gain entry* NOTE: All ticket comps exclude Saturdays For more information, visit the Clothes Show Live website: www.clothesshowlive.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ClothesShow Twitter: @Clothesshow

Renaissance Clothing Boutique Clothes Agency

When Rebecca moved into 64 High Street, Chasetown it had purple and white striped walls and needed ‘a bit’ doing to it. But it is a light and spacious shop and very quickly Rebecca, together with husband Phil, transformed it into a delightful setting for a style of business that is truly lacking in the area.

Now any of you ladies who have used the services of a good Dress Agency will know how easy it is to part with a quality garment by selling it through a shop like this, especially a dress agency that is very well run. But equally you will know how tempting it can be to find something, which is not only a real bargain; it is just what you are looking for!

Rebecca, who is a local girl and was educated in Lichfield, knows how important it is to start off how you intend to carry on. She has set the bar high and she wants ladies to know they are getting a top quality product when they buy at Renaissance.

Equally she is looking for designer label garments from jeans to dresses including stylish separates, coats, shoes and handbags. There is a good selection of jewellery always on display.

Bridal Gowns

Renaissance has a discreet policy on the resale of wedding gowns that naturally have only ever had one outing. The cost of a pre-loved wedding dress can save a girl a great deal of money. Money that can easily be spent elsewhere when starting married life together. All Renaissance’s wedding and prom dresses are fully laundered and dry cleaned. For all the world knows, they are ‘as new’. Once you have chosen, there is a seamstress on hand to alter and remodel. There is a large changing room where you are welcome to try items on. There is already a superb selection of gowns on display.

All dresses are taken on a commission basis.

Renaissance benefits from a large free car park at the front of the premises and rear. Open - Tues to Fri 10am-5pm. Sat 9am-5pm.

RENAISSANCE: 64 High Street, Chasetown WS7 3XF Tel: 07792883302

Page 35

Church Choir, needs new members!

St. Augustine’s Station Road, Rugeley, Staffordshire, WS15 2HG

All ages welcome, all voices (Bass Tenor, Alto & Soprano) Men, women, teenagers Also boys/girls aged 7yrs upwards (able to read, we will teach them to sing) We are hoping to welcome a new group of children and adults into our choir in January and may consider changing our practice night. If you are interested please let us have your contact details so that we may get in touch in the New Year. For more information contact the Organist and Choirmaster. Mr Paul Geoghegan 01785 713419 paul@musicmakers.demon.co.uk Reproduced by kind permission from the Brereton and Rugeley Links Newsletter.

Gazette contacts Editor

Paul Oakley 07875 475540 / 01543 302748 paul@chasegazette.co.uk Deputy Editor

Celebrations for centre’s 10 year anniversary

A

DECADE ago, George Gaye started working as a fitness supervisor at the newly-opened Rugeley Leisure Centre.

Ten years on, having helped thousands of people get healthy and active, he and the team are set to join in celebrations for the centre’s anniversary.

George said: “I’m really passionate about healthy lifestyles and have worked with a lot of people to help them become more active, lose weight, and improve their health.”

“At WLCT we want to encourage more people to get fit so we are hosting a day of free activities at the centre to showcase what we offer and how we can help to change your life for the better.”

The free open day takes place this Sunday (14 September) from 10am-4pm.

Visitors can enjoy swimming, group exercise classes, trampolining, badminton, table tennis and football. There will also be a children’s art exhibition and the opportunity for children to produce art that will be displayed in the centre.

Christine Mitchell, Culture & Sport Portfolio Leader for Cannock Chase Council, said: “I am delighted that this event

is taking place and greatly support the free open day. This will also help residents of the area to take up new activities and to get healthier.”

If you’d like to find out more about the event, or what else is on offer at Rugeley Leisure Centre, visit www.wlct.org/cannock

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PO Box 54 14 , Lichfield, WS1 4 4EZ

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Page 37

What’s on at your Library

What’s on at Cannock Library October 2014

booking is essential.

Thursday 2nd October 10.30am-11am Baby Bounce and Rhyme. Musical Session for Babies and Toddlers Under 4. Free event but places are limited due to space constraints.

Thursday 25th September10am-12noon Rugeley Job Club. Free, drop in, please contact the Library for more information.

Friday 3rd, 17th 10th October 10am-10.45am Tots Time Craft Session for Under 5’s Full, waiting list for places, please contact the Library for more information.

Tuesday 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, October 2pm4pm Knit and Natter. Free event, drop in, new members welcome.

Thursday 9th, 16th October 10am-10.45am Baby Bounce and Rhyme. Musical Session for Babies and Toddlers Under 4. Free event but places are limited due to space constraints.

Wednesday 15th October 2.30pm -3.30pm Reading Group meets monthly 3rd Wednesday of every month) Free event, currently full, waiting list for places.

Thursday 30th October 5.45pm-6.45pm (meets monthly, last Thursday of every month) Mammoth Cheese Reading Group. Free event, drop in, new members welcome. Please contact the Library for more information.

What’s on at Rugeley Library in September 2014 Monday 22nd, 29th September10am-10.30am Baby Bounce and Rhyme (Term Time only) Musical Session for Babies and Toddlers under 4. Free, drop in.

Monday 22nd, 29th September 2pm-5pm IT Buddy Sessions. Drop in for free advice and help on the computers from our volunteer IT Buddies.

Tuesday 23rd, 30th September11am-1pm Online Basics Class. Please contact the Library for more information.

Thursday 25th September 9:30am-12.15pm 1-1 Family History Sessions. Free, but

Friday 26th September1pm-3pm Rugeley Craft Club. Weekly Club making various items. New members welcome, contact the Library for more information.

What’s on at Norton Canes Library in September Monday 22nd, 29th September 2:30pm4:30pm Norton Canes Get Together Group (Meets every Monday). Arts and Crafts and Light Refreshments, new group. Call 01543 500404 for more Information.

Page 38 www.chasegazette.co.uk

Thursday 25th September 2pm-3.30pm Cake, Coffee and Game Group. Free, drop in group, meeting to socialise. New members welcome.

What’s on at Heath Hayes Library in September Monday 22nd, 29th September 7pm –9pm Heath Hayes Art Society. Please contact the Library for more information about joining this group.

Tuesday 23rd, 30th September 1pm-4pm Knit and Natter. Free event, new members welcome. Drop in.

Wednesday 24th September 9am-2pm Eagles Club Meeting. Suitable for adults, new members welcome. Please contact the Library for more information about this group.

Thursday 25th September 9am-1pm Cannock Chase District Council Housing Surgery. Free event, drop in for housing advice

Thursday 25th September 10am-1pm Knit and Natter. Free event new members welcome, drop in.

Thursday 25th September 1pm-3pm Card Club (run by Norton Canes Partnership, please contact the group re charges). Please contact the group for more information, small charges apply for materials.

Friday 26th September 9am-2pm Eagles Club Meeting. Suitable for adults, new members welcome. Please contact the Library for more information about this group.

Thursday 25th September 3.30pm- 5.30pm Youth Service Drop in Club Free event, drop in, suitable for 11– 16 year olds.

Saturday 27th September 11am-12noon Reading Group. Free event, drop in, new members welcome.

Friday 26th September 9:30am-10am Baby Bounce and Rhyme Musical Session for Under 4’s Free event, drop in.

Saturday 27th September 10.30-11.30am Councillors Surgery. Free, drop in.

What’s on at Brereton Library in September

What’s on at Hednesford Library in September

Monday 22nd September 2.15pm-2.45pm Story time for under 5s Free event, drop in.

Monday 22nd, 29th September 2pm-4pm Knit and Natter. Free, all welcome, details available from the Library, or call 01543 422798.

Thursday 25th September 9am-12noon Coffee Morning.Free event, drop in.

The MASE Group Monthly Alzheimer’s Support Evening

The MASE is an opportunity for people with Alzheimer's/ Dementia, their carers, families and friends, to meet and socialise with others in a similar situation.

New MASE Drop in: 1.30pm - 3pm, St Luke's Church Hall, Cannock, WS11 1DE, 1st Monday afternoon of the month.

Great Wyrley - Old Wyrley Hall, WS15 2EH, 1st Monday of the month from 7pm - 9pm

Wednesday 24th September 9am-1pm Start 2 Appointments can be booked in between 9am-1pm please contact the Job Centre. Free,1-1 interviews available, but this service must be booked in via the Job Centre.

Haughton Village Hall ST18 9EZ, 2nd Thursday of the month, 7pm - 9pm Rugeley - St Joseph's Church Hall, WS15 2EH, 3rd Wednesday of the month 7pm - 9pm The evenings are free of charge, and include drinks, buffet, raffle, & musical entertainment.

Reproduced by kind permission from the Brereton and Rugeley Links Newsletter

Monday 29th September 2.15pm-2.45pm Story time for under 5’s Free event, drop in.

Competition Winners National Wedding Show Competition.

Congratulations to Sophie Randal of Lichfield, Sophie Bullock of Rugeley, Catriona Smallman of Hednesford and Maggie Causer of Rugeley, all winners of a pair of tickets to the show.

National Pet Show Competition.

Congratulations to Jane Tabberer of Brereton, Chris Durose of Brereton, Grahame Lea of Rugeley and Cath Wraxton of Cannock, all winners of adult or family tickets to the show. We hope that you all have a great time!