Rugeley & Chase Gazette February 2015

A SELECT MAGAZINE FOR THE RUGELEY AND CANNOCK CHASE AREA

JAN/FEB 2015 ISSUE 15

Win £50 to spend News • Competitions • Gazette Heritage • What’s On

See page 16

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Est. 1957

*

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TEL: 01543 686370

JANUARY SALE

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Call in for no obligation quote and site visit

60 ltr Bulrush Compost 3 QUEENS DRIVE, CHASETOWN, BURNTWOOD WS7 4QF Monday-Friday 7.30am-5.30pm. 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.

08 The History of Upper Brook Street Fantastic pictures from The Landor Society.

16 Win £50 Have £50 of Shopping on us.

24 A Vist to Churchdale

By P J Everall.

32 Wedding Fashion 2015 Beautiful dresses for your specail day.

36 Perfect Gifts for your Valentine Valentine gifts for her.

37 What’s on in Your Area Get out and about.

32

08

38 Gazette Small Ads and Family Announcements

Front cover image from The Landor Society Carry on the conversation on facebook at Rugeley and Chase Gazette

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Contact the Gazette see page 38

Letter Editor A

from the

The Editor cleans up his act

Hello and welcome to new readers of the newly entitled Rugeley & Chase Gazette. We look forward to getting together and hope you enjoy our local look at the area every month.

I have got to tell you about something that has happened to me since Christmas that has made me have a hard look at myself. I have made a new year’s resolution I didn’t think I would make. Because I consider myself a ‘modern man’, I do the washing up at least once a week, I can Hoover (when asked), I iron my own shirts and I’m the official family chauffeur.

One night shortly after Christmas my wife/significant other-half announced she was off upstairs. Well I knew it was still early as it was coming up to half-time on the ‘Monday Night

Jan/Feb 2015 Issue 15

CONTRIBUTORS

Soccer’ so I asked her what for… but was unable to divert my eyes from the final 30 seconds of footy. “To change the bedclothes on our bed!” came the reply with a sigh.

Now sometimes it might be the intonation in the voice, but you can tell when a partner has got the ‘hump’, and this sounded like such an occasion. “I’ll do that dear!” (Where did that come from?) And anyway I wasn’t doing anything for at least fifteen minutes. ‘I’ll be back to watch the second half’ I thought.

Well, it took less than a minute to strip the bed and leave the bedclothes in a pile in the corner of the room (is this familiar ladies?). Then I came to a full stop. Shouting downstairs I had to enquire where we kept the fresh linen. “In the cupboard next to the bathroom cleaning stuff.” This is the domestic version of a snooker. Game-setmatch. Check-mate!

As Michael Jackson once said, ‘I'm starting with the man in the mirror, I'm asking him to change his ways. And no message could have been any clearer - if you wanna make the world a better place… then make a change.’

P.S. When I got downstairs she had changed channels – agh!

Yours truly,

Paul Oakley Editor

• Caz Jones • Joss Musgrove Knibb • P J Everall • The Landor Society • Robert Yardley

ABOUT YOUR LOCAL MAGAZINE

Rugeley & Chase Gazette is your local monthly magazine distributed free to more than 15,000 homes and businesses in and around the Rugeley & Cannock Chase area.

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. The Rugeley & Chase Gazette magazine is not a franchise or connected with any other group of publications.

A limited number of the Rugeley & 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 5 Feb 2015 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!!

C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s Congratulations to Ms P Langham of Station Drive, Armitage who found Spot the Dog on page 29 of the December 2014 issue of Chase Gazette.

CGJAN/FEB15

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The History of Upper Brook Street U

By The Landor Society

ntil Western Springs Road opened in the early 1960s all through traffic had to go along the narrow, winding main street – Lower Brook Street, Brook Square and Upper Brook Street. At one time the whole stretch was called just Brook Street. In the early 1818 Rugeley Directory Upper Brook Street is named Wellington Street, and for a few years in the 1830s and 1840s it appears as Yell Street.

Looking towards Brook Square in around 1925. The Globe, built in the late 1870s replaced an earlier Globe and several cottages. The Dolphin Inn was probably on this site.

Taken just pre-war this shows the recently built row of shops set back from the old buildings line to conform to the proposed street widening. The old cottage shops that they replaced can just be seen in image above opposite Hindley’s café.

The Heatherley family outside their tobacconist and newsagent shop next to The Globe, nearly 100 years ago.

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5 Upper Brook Street from Brook Square in 1974, when flat roofed ranges of shops on either side had recently been built.

Taken in the mid 1930s, this shows the same view as the image above. The Pascoe/Frisby building was once the home of an estranged Lady Wolseley. Pascoe’s are believed to have had the first plate-glass windows in Rugeley.

Goldbourn’s ironmongery was next but one to The Black Horse from at least 1897 to 1940. Later the premises became Moore’s greengrocery and florist.

Austin Toy’s butchers shop in 1957. It had just closed and was soon to become the Midland Bank, later the HSBC Bank. The Swan Inn was formerly on this site.

Thank you to the lovely people at the Landor Society for providing these photographs of Lower Brook Street over the last 100 years.

The Landor Society is a focus for those who wish to learn more about the history of Rugeley and its surrounding parishes. It was founded in 1953 and was named in honour of Walter Noble Landor, local and county historian, who became the Society’s first President. More information is available at w w w. l a n d o r- l o c a l h i s t o r y s o c i e t y rugeley.btck.co.uk

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Zoe eyes up new role

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Rugeley opticians has welcomed a new member to its team. Zoe Marchant joined Specsavers in Rugeley on 5 January as an assistant manager to help with the daily running of the busy store.

With more than 10 years’ optical experience, Zoe, 31, was picked as the ideal candidate for the role.

Zoe commented: “I love working and interacting with different people and working in an opticians means that I can do just that. No day is the same and there is always a challenge, but I thrive on it!”

Minal Naik, store director at Specsavers in Rugeley, added: ‘It’s great to have Zoe on board with her knowledge of the industry and excellent communication skills. I’m sure she will be a real asset to us.”

H

New club security to cut crime

ammerwich Cricket Club has been awarded £2,884 from Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis’ People Power Fund to help tackle anti-social behaviour and crime in the area. Following a number of burglaries, the club has used the money to install crime prevention equipment including steel doors and alarm systems to all outbuildings. This will benefit 90 members of the club, which has a thriving youth section, and also 50 members of neighbouring Hammerwich Bowling Club.

As part of his commitment to local communities, the Commissioner is providing £500,000 in 2014/15 through the People Power Fund in the form of grants of between £100 and £3,000.

The fund is supporting locally-driven community safety activities in communities throughout Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.

The People Power Fund is one part of £2.5 million of Commissioner’s Community Funding for 2014/15. The Commissioner’s Locality Deal Fund has allocated money to local areas through working in partnership with local district and borough councils. For more information on funding visit staffordshire-pcc.gov.uk/fund.

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“It was like the sun had just come out!”

Take those first steps to restore your hearing

Jackie Hunt lives in Sutton Coldfield. She is 44 years old, married with two children and a granddaughter. She tells in her own words her experience of hearing loss.

I’ve felt that I had a minor hearing problem for years, looking back, for between 10 -15 years. I always felt as though I had blocked ears and they needed to ‘pop’ to unblock them. I’m the kind of person that has an attitude that you ‘put up and shut up’ and so didn’t really question the problem - it didn’t cause me any pain. My girls had commented a couple of times on how loud the TV was and then my husband started to say the same thing.

For me the process of the hearing loss has been very gradual. I just thought that following a cold or suffering from extremely bad hayfever throughout my twenties had left my ears a bit blocked up and so just got on with things. My family noticed, over the past few years, for instance if I was driving, I couldn’t have a proper conversation with anyone sitting next to me or behind me as I would not catch all of the words they were saying, especially if they moved their head away from me.

Friends hadn’t seemed to have noticed or hadn’t said anything to me, I think I managed to work with it quite well when I look back now.

I would guess the response required or ask people to repeat themselves.

In social situations, I would pretend to join in the joke, laughing at the appropriate time, by copying my friends, which in a close-knit group is quite easy to accomplish. I would ask my husband at the end of an evening to fill me in on missing bits.

Apart from affecting the way I felt about my ability to do my jobs, I felt that my husband’s social life and mine had started to suffer. We had stopped going out to the pub as much; I just didn’t enjoy it because I felt embarrassed to ask people to keep repeating everything they said or just nodding! I’d started to dread these nights, as we would always have a big catch-up and chatter all night long over food and wine. I would constantly be watching people to make sure I could see what they were saying, but I hadn’t consciously noticed that I did this.

I didn’t enjoy going to the cinema - for me there really wasn’t much point. Sure, everything is really loud, but it just jumbles in to one sound and this becomes uncomfortable.

It was seeing the advert on the TV and answering all of the questions regarding hearing loss with a yes. I thought that was exactly me, and my mum, so I called Hidden Hearing in Lichfield and booked an assessment with Tony Vaughan, the resident audiologist for the pair of us.

Mum went first and found out she has 'pitch deafness' and I was sure that all I needed was wax removing. I was therefore astounded to find that I have a condition called, 'Otosclerosis' and about a 60% hearing loss in both ears.

We're not sure of the cause of this, but Tony Vaughan believes this could be due to an infection when I was little.

I felt that it was like the sun had just come out and it was really emotional. I had no idea I was going to feel like that.

When I had to hand them back (as they were only samples at that point) I wanted to sob my heart out, I felt bereft.

When I received my own hearing aids and came home with them, I walked into the kitchen and was immediately aware of a new sound - the ticking of our large kitchen clock - I never knew it ticked and we’ve had that clock for seven years!

We also went to the Munich Beer Festival last year with a group of friends. This is very rowdy and noisy, but I had a fantastic time and had confidence to use the metro rail system, listening for the stations over the loudspeaker.

I can confidently babysit my granddaughter now, safe in the knowledge that I will hear the baby monitor when she has her nap.

I speak to all of my friends about my loss of hearing, I’m not embarrassed or ashamed that I wear hearing aids. I would urge anyone who has the slightest notion that they have a difficulty in hearing to have it checked out - after learning what I did, I think it’s important.

If you or someone you know is experiencing the same symptoms as Jackie, maybe you need to take that first step too, and book a check-up with Hidden Hearing.

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Have £50 of shopping on us!

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s a 'hello and thank you' we'd like to treat one of our lovely Rugeley and Chase Gazette readers to £50 of shopping on us.

Take a look through the pages of this issue - we'll be giving one reader the chance to spend £50 on anything they like from any one of our advertisers. Spend your £50 on a new piece of jewellery, a meal out or even as the deposit on a larger item, there's no strings attached.

To be in with a chance of winning £50 to spend with any one of our advertisers in the February issue, just let us know on what road or street the cover image was taken. Is it...

A. Market Street B. Upper Brook Street or C. Forge Road You'll find the answer to this question in one of the features in this issue.

To enter, send your name, contact details and answer to: Gazette Win £50 Competition, PO Box 5414, Lichfield, WS14 4EZ or email gazetteeditorial@hotmail.co.uk The winner will be notified by the competition closing date of Wednesday 11th February. One entry per household please, duplicates will be disqualified.

Good luck!

Cash Awards for Young Writers

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a s h awards totalling £1,500 are being offered to Rugeley teenagers with a flair for writing.

Three awards, each of £500, will be made by the town's Chetwynd Charity in memory of its president, former councillor Nancy Walker, who sadly passed away in September.

Pat Tams, President of the Chetwynd Charity and successor to Nancy Walker commented: "This is a one-off project to mark Nancy's work with Chetwynd. She was chairman of the charity for many years and appointed its first president a few months before her death."

The project is not connected with applications for grant aid from the charity which local students can make annually.

Entrants for the Nancy Walker awards are being invited to write a thesis of between 1,000 and 1,500 words on how (sensibly) they would use £500 to improve their lives. Writers of the best entries will then meet Chetwynd trustees for interview.

The competition is open to teenagers aged between 16 and 19 inclusive, living in the ancient parish of Rugeley. Entries must be handwritten and accompanied by the author's name, age, home address, phone number, details if in education or further education, and essay word count, and they should reach Mrs. Tams at 4, Tithebarn Road, Rugeley WS15 QW before the end of February. Entries not complying with all rules will be disqualified.

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Lyric - 100% invisible - extended wear hearing aid - no one will ever see how well you can hear.

Available on 30 days free trial!

L

yric is completely invisible and is the world’s first hearing aid which can be worn for extended periods of time.

No one can see how well you can hear 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s the future of hearing!

The Lyric device from Swiss hearing aid manufacturer Phonak is placed completely in your ear canal by a trained professional, is just 12mm long and sits just 4mm from your eardrum. It offers exceptional sound quality and is the ultimate invisible hearing aid.

Rebecca Cross of Dove Hearing Centre in Lichfield said: “As a Lyric approved partner, we are excited to welcome Lyric as part of our range of products. Lyric takes your hearing loss results and creates the optimum listening for you. This digitally programmable hearing device gives a natural sound because it sits so close to your eardum. Your go to sleep hearing and awaken hearing! We have been chosen by Lyric because of our specialist technology and skilled training.”

Lyric uses the natural properties of your ears anatomy so you are hearing the way your ears are designed to! Lyric gives you

exceptional hearing and lets you live your life without constraints. It is chosen by all people who like the fact that Lyric sits completely in the ear canal so it is 100% invisible, and is the most cosmetic hearing aid on the market.

Among the celebrities wearing Lyric is Karen Hardy from Strictly Come Dancing.

Constant use

You can wear Lyric for all your daily activities, including showering, exercising and sleeping. No daily insertion or removal, battery changes or maintenance.

You are using the natural properties of your outer ear to improve localisation.

Lyric has been available in the USA since 2007, where there are thousands of people successfully wearing the instrument. It is only available to 38 hearing centres in the UK and in many other countries across the world. It is exclusive in this area to Dove Hearing Centres.

Lyric is completely different to any other hearing aid on the market due to the fact that it can be worn continuously for two months at a time. You will have no daily reminder of your hearing loss and people who currently wear Lyric say that they no longer feel like a hearing aid user.

To book your free 30 day Lyric trial call 01543 262670

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Restaurant Review - The Colliers, Rugeley Cold night, great food, warm welcome.

Four friends - David, Maggie, Georgia and Lee visited the Colliers, Rugeley (part of the Table, Table family of restaurants) recently to sample the seasonal menu and pleasant atmosphere inside this local family restaurant, which has now been open for almost four years. The Colliers is situated near to the Power Station alongside its sister business - Premier Inn.

As you might expect the Colliers name was adopted to pay homage to the mining heritage of the site that the restaurant now occupies - the former Lea Hall Colliery.

Many hundreds of miners worked in difficult and demanding conditions over the period of 1954 -1990 to feed the demands of the Power Station.

Getting back to our four friends - here is a snapshot of their views on the varied

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selection of dishes chosen on the night…

David commented: “The soup was warm and hearty, ideal for a December night. The Smoked Paprika Chicken was very tasty but I would have liked a bigger portion (I’m just greedy!). The Baked Cheesecake I’d give 7/10 above average!”

Maggie added: “The mushroom starter was just what I expected. The Asian Chicken was tasty but I would have liked more variety in the salad side dish. I’d give the Bread and Butter Pudding 8/10.”

Georgia said: The prawns were crispy and tasty - more please! The Thai Red Chicken was flavoursome with nice crackers and chilli sauce, but I would have liked more rice. The Banana Waffle I’d give 8/10. It was sweet, sticky and satisfying.

Lee concluded: “The Buffalo Wings were very enjoyable and satisfying. The Chicken Makhani Curry was rich and creamy. The Strawberry and Meringue Sundae (who could fail to like it?) I’d give 9/10.

“Overall it was a good experience in nice surroundings and with attentive staff. The Colliers have regular promotions and special offers worth watching out for. Go to www.tabletable.co.uk for further details. The emphasis is on good quality meals for the whole family with a special selection of options for children.”

Labour candidate calls for change

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abour's Parliamentary Candidate for Cannock Chase – Janos Toth, has called on the Government to reinstate the Minor Injuries Unit at Cannock Chase Hospital back to full capacity because of the current unprecedented NHS crisis.

Janos told the Gazette: "I call on the Government to reinstate the original hours at the Minor Injuries Unit based at Cannock Chase Hospital immediately. This is to take pressure off our local Hospitals. All our local Hospitals are under pressure and some are declaring that they cannot cope. The NHS is in crisis across Cannock Chase and this is an appalling situation for residents.

“It has been reported to me that people are being treated in ambulances because there is no room in the Hospitals, people are waiting for hours at A&E, people are waiting on trolleys in corridors and seriously ill older people are not having adequate care.

“I warned the Cannock Chase Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) that slashing the hours at the Minor Injuries Unit by 50% would result in more people going to already overstretched A&E departments. Hundreds of people across Cannock Chase signed petitions for the service not to be cut by 50%. The Cannock Chase CCG took a financial decision not a clinical decision to cut the hours and now people are suffering. It is about time the Cannock Chase CCG listened to the public and started to provide the healthcare that is needed.The CCG are a Government instrument and need to be instructed to get the MIU to full capacity.

“Because the hours of the MIU have been slashed people are going straight to Accident and Emergency Departments at local Hospitals in Wolverhampton, Stafford, Stoke on Trent and Walsall. However these Hospitals are full and people are waiting hours or being treated in ambulances. A number of our Hospitals have said they cannot cope.

“The Government’s handling of the NHS is a shambles".

10% OFF WITH THIS ADVERTISMENT. Terms & conditions apply.

Competition Winners

Congratulations to the following who each win £50 to spend at one of the retailers featured in the relevant competition in the last issue: Rugeley Competition Mrs M Griffiths of St Thomas Drive, Cannock.

Chasetown Competition Mrs C Gill of Holly Hill Road, Cannock Wood.

Heath Hayes Competition Mr J Medding of Bower Lane, Rugeley.

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A visit to Churchdale

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T

hank you to P J Everall for this glimpse into the history of one of Rugeley’s lost buildings – ‘Churchdale’ on Wolseley Road.

When the modern National Insurance scheme started in 1948 some odd quarters were chosen as local offices (from necessity - they were stringent times) but one which was pleasingly memorable was the Rugeley office at Churchdale.

Churchdale was a delightful old Georgian house which had seen better times. It cried out for some gentle, tenderloving-care. The main room downstairs was heated by an antiquated coke stove; the others by uneconomic coal fires in old cast –iron grates; the toilets were antediluvian; the roof leaked. It had belonged to the titled Littleton family, as witness the cattle trough on nearby Wolseley road, (“presented by the Revd the Honble C. J. Littleton of Churchdale, 1909”), but by 1960 it was owned by an MP, leased to the Ministry of Works, and the lease was running out. Soon, its grounds would be part of a large housing enterprise. The demolish-and-burn philosophy of the 1960s was rushing in.

On a frantic day in 1961 (Lady Day – the very day the lease expired) we moved to an excellent new Vic Hallam building in Sandy Lane (a journey from quasi-rural to unremitting urban) and said farewell to the house which had been our work place, to the fine stables and other outbuildings, the unexplored timber summer-house which probably contributed to one of the many bonfires (not just in Rugeley but all over England) which then burned on building sites. And farewell to the remaining grounds into which cattle from the adjoining farm would sometimes wander and peer curiously at us through the windows.

Today Churchdale would be protected as a listed building. Not so in 1961. But be-gone dull care!

This tale has a pleasing postscript.

Someone who has a house with a canal at the bottom of his garden (on part of the old Churchdale land, perhaps?) has his holiday- hire narrowboat berthed on the Trent & Mersey there. She is called the ‘Churchdale’. When not abroad, and but a short walk from the canal bridge on Station Road, she may be seen, tied up at home.

May God bless all who journey in her.

P J Everall

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Move over Grande Canal The best Pizzas are not in Italy… they’re in the ‘Mucky Duck’ at Fradley Junction!

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 & 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 Winter’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 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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You've got to be in it : Rugeley Lottery

Congratulations to the winner of the November Rugeley Lottery. Dawn, (seen here collecting her cheque from Chairman Chris Green) won £1000. Remember folks, you've got to be in it, to win it! Dawn posted on Rugeley Traders Association Facebook site: “Thank you everyone, go buy a ticket it could be you next time!" Go to our facebook page for details of where you can purchase tickets. Stop press: December’s lottery prize has still not been claimed!

Brereton and Ravenhill Parish Council Meeting Report

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ecently the Rugeley and C h a s e Gazette were contacted by Tim Jones, Brereton and Ravenhill Parish Councillor.

Tim’s report on the Parish Council meeting that took place on Tuesday 6th December is reproduced below.

Brereton and Ravenhill Parish Council discussed the matter of dog fouling (not by any means for the first time) at our meeting last night. We decided to publicise the following: (1) It is a criminal offence not to clean up after one’s dog: the maximum fine is £1,000. The attached gives more details (You can read this document at www.chasegazette.co.uk – Ed).

Criminal offences must be declared on various documents that people have to sign. Offenders have no right to prevent their offending being publicised.

(2) The Parish Council operates a road sweeper to supplement the service that the district council runs. If you want a stretch of road cleaned, please let a parish councillor know and we’ll do our best. Please note that, in order to keep our bit of your council taxes down, the sweeper is kindly driven by a volunteer driver and maintained by volunteer parish councillors, so sometimes there will be a delay.

(3) The Parish Councillor has stickers warning that it is an offence not to clean up after one’s dog. Please let a parish councillor know if you would like one.

Tim Jones, Brereton and Ravenhill Parish Councillor.

Unearth your hidden talents!

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he WEA (Worker’s Educational Association) is well-established in Rugeley and has provided courses in the Cannock Chase area for many years. They bring education to where people live and work and to places where they feel comfortable learning.

Their courses develop and encourage skills that are useful in different aspects of people’s lives and can be a stepping stone into volunteering, paid employment or further education.

They have close links with local organisations and community groups such as Richmond Fellowship, Job Centre Plus, Voyage Day Services, Chase Emotional, and Children’s Centres.

Why not unearth your hidden talents, try something new and update your skills?

They offer a wide range of courses that include Machine and Hand sewing, Upcycling Crafts, Tai Chi, Computer courses, Painting and Drawing and the chance to update everyday skills in English and Maths. If you are looking to improve your health, rekindle a creative hobby or meet new friends then they may have a course to suit you.

You are welcome to visit (or telephone) the Rugeley Study Centre to find out about current courses or ask any other questions. The Centre Organiser will be happy to help you.

Office hours are Monday to Thursday from 9.30am to 3pm.

There is an answerphone for you to leave a message at any other time.

Contact Chris for further information on 01889 578818 or email rugeleycentre@wea.org.uk You can also enrol online: enrolonline.wea.org.uk/online/coursesearch.aspx The WEA Rugeley Study Centre can be found at Lea Hall Miners Welfare Centre, Sandy Lane, Rugeley, WS15 2LB.

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The Only Way Is Chasetown

anni Armstrong and Georgia Kousoulou, glamorous stars of the hugely popular TV show 'The Only Way Is Essex', recently visited Chasetown for the official opening of new businesses on the High Street.

Danni and Georgia performed the Grand Opening Ceremony of Beau Cheveux Hair Salon and Renaissance Clothing Boutique and Dress Agency, and also attended the open evenings at Design Elegance and Tanzotique.

Over 200 people went along to see and meet the TOWIE stars.

Tanzotique Beauty Salon is owned by Lyndsey Kibble, and is next door to Beau Cheveux, that is run by Lyndsey's friend Stephanie Sadler. The hair salon has been within Tanzotique for 2 years, but it was decided to convert the next door shop, creating a much larger and more spacious salon.

Photos by Robert Yardley

Pictured above at the front Danni and Georgia with Lyndsey Kibble

Page 28 www.chasegazette.co.uk

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Cheeky Calendar Raises Money for Macmillan

taff and regulars of Bo Jollys Bar on Albion Street, Rugeley, have created a cheeky semi-nude ‘Calendar Girls’ style calendar to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Melanie Bates, who works at Bo Jollys told the Gazette: “The calendar inspiration was due to one of our lovely regulars being diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year, since then she has been fund raising for cancer research and Macmillan. The calendar went on sale on the 1st and can be bought from behind the bar.”

Ashley Snaith, Micheal Rigg, Lee Rogers, Ian (H) Haycocks, Graham Chesters, Jeremy Roney, Chris Corns, Sarah Jones, Melanie Bates, Catherine Allen, Suzanne Esprey, Chloe Cornes, Jess Burton, Jen Hyden and Rachel Alexander posed for the calendar, and it was launched on the 2nd of December. The calendar retails for £10 and can be purchased from Bo Jollys.

Rugeley miner’s memorial takes shape

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ack in March Cannock Council announced that artist Andy De Comyn had been commissioned to produce four sculpted figures to commemorate miners who were killed underground at Brereton and Lea Hall Collieries. After nine months Andy is progressing well. The first figure is complete and he is halfway through the second with two more to do. The memorial in Rugeley will be located on the Globe Island and will consist of four nine foot high sculptures made from concrete resin, of in various miners positions weighing between 1500kg to 2000kg. The request for the memorial originally came from

Rugeley Team does the Country Proud!

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ugeley Martial Arts and Fitness Centre are celebrating the success of their very talented young kickboxers.

Recently six team members (aged from 9 to14 years old) travelled to Tunisia to represent their country in the WMKF (World Martial Kombat Kai Harvey with this two world titles and silver and bronze medals

Lea Hall and Brereton Collieries Memorial Society in 2011 asking for funding support from the Council. Following planning consent in August 2013 artist Andy De Comyn was commissioned to create a public sculpture to commemorate approximately 80 miners who were killed during the lifetime of the Lea Hall and Brereton Collieries.

Alexander Smith, Chair of the Miners Memorial Society said: “The Lea Hall and Brereton Collieries Memorial Society is very pleased with the progress to date on the construction of the four mining figure memorial

Federation) World Championships. Every student had a fantastic tournament and gave everything they had. The Rugeley team’s youngest member, Ellie Harvey, was faced with the problem of having no other girls her size and age enter the championships, so was given the choice to enter the older boys’ category.

Without hesitation she agreed and battled her way to a Silver medal. She was then faced with the same problem in her 2nd section as she was the only girl entrant. This time they asked her if she wanted to step up to the age 14-16 black belt girls section instead.

to be erected on the Globe Island, Rugeley. The four monuments will make a positive contribution to the identity of the town and act as a reminder to future generations of the part coal mining played in the growth of the town.”

Installation and unveiling is planned for late 2015.

After hearing the whole audience chanting her name she took on the challenge. Here the truly remarkable Ellie made it to the final where she was beaten 17-12 by a much older and much more experienced fighter.

A club spokesperson commented: “Allof our students did themselves, their club, their town and their country proud. We returned home with a total of 26 trophies and medals and amongst our haul are 10 world titles!”

Gold medal winning threeman-team competitors

Ellie Harvey with her two silver medals Page 29

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Cyclists - Stand up and be heard!

s a cyclist, the last thing you want is to be pushed around by other road users. So when it comes to claiming compensation for an accident, why should you settle for any less?

With over 19,000 cyclists injured on UK roads last year, including 109 deaths cyclists Adam Penn of Ansons Solicitors urges cyclists to “stand up and be heard” if they are involved in an accident.

Adam is a personal injury specialist at Ansons Solicitors in Cannock and Lichfield has almost 20 years of experience of representing cyclists and motorcyclists with injuries from road collisions ranging Adam Pike from minor cuts and bruises to brain damage and even death.

“Cyclists tend to come off worse from any collision, and their injuries are usually more serious,” says Adam. “It is vital to assess the long term medical needs as a result of these injuries, which can be life-changing and cause financial hardship. We address these issues as early as possible, arranging independent medical assessments and securing early interim compensation payments to cover the cost of your treatment.”

Cyclists should not be deterred from reporting an accident because they are worried about being wrongly blamed. We can help you establish who was at fault and gather evidence, including witness statements from pedestrians and people travelling in other vehicles.

If you have been involved in an accident, taking legal advice as soon as possible will help you present the best case. We offer an initial interview free and offer many options for funding your claim including no win, no fee.

For further advice on cycling injuries or any other type of personal injury contact Adam Penn in the personal injury department on 01543 431196 or email apenn@ansonsllp.com. Ansons Solicitors has offices in Cannock and Lichfield, Staffordshire and are able to offer a home visit if you prefer.

Princes Trust Certificate Awards

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group of 11 young people, aged between 16 and 25 have won an award for completing a Prince’s Trust course, run by Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service and have achieved The Prince’s Trust Certificate after taking part in the charity’s ‘Team’ programme.

The young people were presented their awards by Chief Fire Officer/Chief Executive Peter Dartford and the regional Head of Programmes for the Prince’s Trust, Linda Norwell at a ceremony at the County Buildings in Stafford in December.

The 12 week Team programme is aimed at 16-25 year olds and helps unemployed young people gain the skills and confidence they need to get into work or training. During the course the participants have completed a residential programme, two fundraising challenges, a community project, a two week work placement programme and a team challenge. They have also received free driving lessons from the Fire Service and some of them have completed their theory test.

Safer Communities CIC in partnership with Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service teamed up with The Prince’s Trust to launch the charity’s Team programme, which has been funded by Stafford College.

One participant from the course, 17 year-old Jack Houlston from Hednesford said: “Thanks to the Prince’s Trust course many doors have now opened for me and I have had some amazing experiences. I have much more confidence now and feel that I am a totally different person.”

The next Prince’s Trust course starts on February 2.

For more information email princes.trust@staffordshirefire.gov.uk or ring or text Joyce Underwood on: 07971 89353.

Further information is also available online at http://www.staffordshirefire.gov.uk/princes-trust.asp

Peter Dartford, Jack Houlston and Linda Norwell

Coffee Morning

St John the Baptist Church, Slitting Mill.

First Wednesday of each month at 10.30am. £2.50 including tea/coffee and home-made cake/biscuits.

Raffle and Bric-a-Brac.

All welcome to this social, community event.

St John the Baptist Church, Church Close, Slitting Mill, Rugeley, WS15 2AB. Page 30 www.chasegazette.co.uk

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A Fresh Start for your Smile

truggling with an ill-fitting denture can affect your life in so many ways. Eating out becomes very difficult, as dentures that no longer fit well won’t stay put, allowing food to get caught between the denture and the gums. This can lead to the denture dropping; being painful to the gums. Left untreated this can also affect the jaw, shrinking and weakening the bone.

Poorly fitting dentures put the foods that you’d really like to eat off the menu. Tomatoes, apples, lettuce and all of the sweet fruits and crunchy fresh salads that we’re all craving after Christmas can be impossible to tackle if your denture no longer fits, and the lack of nutrient rich foods in the diet can have serious long term health implications.

A denture that doesn’t fit makes eating a slow process. It’s impossible to feel part of the action if you are still struggling with your starter or main course when the rest of your party has finished their desserts. It can be an isolating and upsetting experience.

People with problem dentures face these hurdles every day, leading to some refusing to eat in

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front of another person. Poorly fitting dentures can also lead to difficulty when speaking, as dentures move and come together when the wearer is speaking, causing a clicking sound, or simply don’t stay put without the application of unpleasant adhesives or pads.

So many lovely events and invitations are refused because of these issues. The good news is that these problems can be resolved.

• New Dentures

• Cosmetic Dentures

• Implant Retained Dentures • Improved Eating

• Improved Appearance

• Stable Dentures

Matt Burnell BSc Hons, Dip CDT RCS (Eng) Clinical Dental Technician and manager of The CDT Practice at 46 Upper St John Street is an award-winning CDT in the creation and fitting of dentures and dental prosthetics. He and his team understand that dentures and tooth loss can be sensitive subjects, and approach every customer with care, understanding and discretion.

Don’t struggle with an ill-fitting denture, missing teeth or an unflattering smile any longer. Matt and his team offer a friendly, considerate and professional service that takes everything at your own pace – there’s no hard sales pitch involved. Dentures start from just £550 and finance plans are available.

Recent comments from customers include…

“I found the whole experience extremely satisfactory. I would not hesitate to recommend them.”

L.S.

“My experience and treatment was at all times 100% professional both with Matt and Julie.”

S.C.

For a no-obligation chat, just ring the lovely people at The Smile Centre on 01543 415288 The Smile Centre can be found at 46 Upper St John Street, Lichfield, WS14 9DX. www.thesmilecentreuk.co.uk Page 31

Wedding Belles Stephanie Haywood and Connor Taylor were married on 1 November at St Luke's Church, Cannock. They held their reception at the Oak Farm Hotel, Cannock.

Photography by Robert Yardley Lisa Summerfield and Alan Stokes were married on 26 October at the George Hotel, Lichfield. They also held their wedding reception at the George Hotel.

Photography by Robert Yardley

Cheryl Emery and Ben Johnson were married at Lichfield Registry Office, on 29 November with a 4pm ceremony. This was followed by a meal with guests at the Mama Thai restaurant, in Bird Street, Lichfield.

Photography by Robert Yardley

Page 32 www.chasegazette.co.uk

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Netherstowe House Hotel and Restaurant

Netherstowe House Hotel and Restaurant is the perfect wedding venue for all seasons, you can celebrate your special day sipping aperitifs in the picturesque walled garden or in the comfort of their romantic fire-lit lounges.

Renowned for its charm, luxury and personalised hospitality, Netherstowe House offers an irresistible blend of modern comfort, vintage dĂŠcor and award-winning fine dining. Their friendly team believe that every wedding celebration deserves to be truly original, so prefer to build a tailored wedding package that is ‘uniquely you’ rather than having inflexible, one-size-fits-all hotel wedding packages. Netherstowe House are also renowned for vintage afternoon teas, which is perfect if you are seeking an original approach to the traditional wedding breakfast. If you wish, the hotel can be hired as an exclusive use wedding venue, which means that the enchanting country house will be exclusively yours, for your very own sophisticated house party.

For further information call 01543 254 270 / email weddings@netherstowehouse.com or visit www.netherstowehouse.com

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What’s on in your area

What’s on at your local library

Cannock Library Tuesday 20th January 2pm –4pm. Knit and Natter. Free event, drop in, new members welcome.

9:30am –12:30pm. Start 2—Job Advice Sessions (runs fortnightly). Suitable for adults aged 17+ appointments only—to be booked via the Job Centre Wednesday 21st January 2:30pm -3:30pm. Reading Group meets monthly 3rd Wednesday of every month. Free event, currently full, waiting list for places.

Thursday 22nd January 9am—1pm. Rugeley Job Club. Drop in for advice about applying for Jobs. Run by Groundworks. Free, please contact the Library for more information.

9am—1pm. National Careers Service Advice. (1-1 appointments available when booked through the Job Centre). Free 1-1 appointments. To be booked through the Job Centre. Please contact Job Centre Plus for information.

Thursday 29th January 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.

Friday 30th January 10am –10:45am. Tots Time Craft Session for Under 5’s.

Full, waiting list for places, please contact the Library for more information.

Rugeley Library Friday 23rd & 30th January 10am –10:45am. Crafty Caterpillars Tots Group (Term Time only). Free, drop in. Suitable for ages 2-5 but younger siblings welcome.

1pm –3pm Rugeley Craft Club. Free. eekly Club making various items. New members welcome, contact the Library for more information.

Monday 26th January 10am –10:30am. Baby Bounce and Rhyme Musical Session for Babies and Toddlers Under 5. Free, drop in.

2pm –5pm. IT Support Drop-in for IT support. Volunteerled.

Thursday 29th January 9am—1pm. Rugeley Job Club Drop in for advice about applying for Jobs. Run by Groundworks. Free, drop in, please contact the Library for more information.

9am—1pm. National Careers Service Advice. (1-1 appointments available when booked through the Job Centre). Free 1-1 appointments. To be booked through the Job Centre. Please contact Job Centre Plus for information.

Brereton Library Thursday 22nd & 29th January 9am—12noon. Coffee Morning Free, drop in.

Friday 23rd & 30th January 11am-11:30am. Baby Bounce and Rhyme Musical Session for Babies and Toddlers Under 5. Free, drop in.

Monday 26th January 2:15pm—2:45pm. Story time for Under 5’s. Free event, drop in.

Heath Hayes Library Wednesday 21st, 28th January 9am –2pm. Eagles Club Meeting. Suitable for adults, new members welcome. Please contact the Library for more information about this group.

Thursday 22nd, 29th January 10am-1pm. Knit and Natter. Free event, new members welcome, drop in.

Friday 23rd, 30th January 9:30am –10am. Baby Bounce and Rhyme Musical Session for Babies and Toddlers Under 5. Free, drop in.

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

Monday 26th January 7pm –9pm. Heath Hayes Art Society. Please contact the Library for more information about joining this group.

Saturday 31st January 10:30am –11:30am Councillors Surgery Free, drop in.

Hednesford Library Thursday 22nd, 29th January 9:30am –12:30pm. Basic IT Class Fully booked– enquiries to Hednesford Library.

Monday 26th January 2pm –4pm. Knit and Natter. Free, drop in, new members welcome.

Norton Canes Library Tuesday 20th, 27th January 1pm –4pm. Knit and Natter. Free event, new members welcome. Drop in.

Thursday 22nd January 10am –12noon. Historical Society Coffee. Morning and Family History Group. Free, drop in, new members welcome.

Thursday 22nd, 29th January 1pm –3pm. Card Club (run by Norton Canes Partnership, please contact the group re charges). Please contact the group for moreinformation, small charges apply for materials.

Thursday 22nd, 29th January 3:30pm –5:30pm. Youth Service Drop in Club. Free event, drop in, suitable for 11– 16 year olds

Friday 23rd, 30th January 10:30am –12:30am Norton Canes Get Together Group (Meets every Friday). New members welcome, please contact the Library for more information on joining this group.

10am –12noon. IT Basics Course (Week 3 of 5) Booking is essential as places are limited, please contact the Library for more information.

Friday 30th January 10am—12noon. IT Basics Course (Week 4 of 5) Booking is essential as places are limited, please contact the Library for more information.

Saturday 31st January 11am –12noon. Reading Group Meets monthly, free, drop in, new members welcome.

What’s on in your area in February If you have a community or fundraising event that you’d like to have included in the monthly What’s On pages, please send an email to gazetteeditorial@hotmail.co.uk quoting the date, event title, times, venue and a brief

description. For commercial events please contact a member of the sales team for advertising prices.

Sun, 1st February Wildlife Stories at the Wolseley Centre – 2.00pm - 4:00pm Come and listen to the stories of the wildlife that live in the grounds of the Wolseley Centre.

Young budding authors can also get expert tips on how to write their own wildlife stories! Aimed at families with children aged 3-9. Part of National Storytelling Week.

Booking is essential! Please call 01889 880100.

Tuesday 3 Feb and every Tuesday of 2015 Adult Peer Support Group - 10am – 12pm. Changes Health and Wellbeing. The Old Mining College, Queen Street, Chasetown, Burntwood, WS7 4QH. OCNWMR Training - 12:30pm – 3pm - (Please contact Changes office for start date and to book your place) Changes Health and Wellbeing. The old Mining College, Queen Street, Chasetown, Burntwood, WS7 4QH. Wednesday 4 Feb and every Wednesday of 2015 Social Activities. 10am – 12pm. Changes Health and Wellbeing. The Old Mining College, Queen Street, Chasetown, Burntwood, WS7 4QH. Adult Peer Support Group 12:30pm – 2:30pm. Changes Health and Wellbeing. The Old Mining College, Queen Street, Chasetown, Burntwood, WS7 4QH. Friday 13 February Valentines Party - Rugeley Guiding Division are organising a Valentines Party for couples and singles on Friday 13 Feb at 7.30pm. £5 a ticket at the Pear Tree Club - they have a singer who will be singing tunes from Motown to modern - tickets will be available from the club (this is a fundraiser for the senior section members of Guides who will be going to India in 2016 to visit a world Guide trading centre to celebrate their 100th birthday).

Monday 16 February Discovery Day and WW1 Trench Tour at the Staffordshire Regiment Museum Each Discovery Day throughout the year has a different theme including the Napoleonic Wars, the Battle of Gallipoli and much more. Uniform and weapon handling, lots of interactive activities and tours of the amazing WW1 trench system make these great events for all of the family. 11am to 3pm (last entry 3pm). Prices start from £5. Go to www.staffordshireregimentmuseum.com for further details.

Wednesday 18 February Wildlife Watch Family Session at the Wolseley Centre 10am - 12pm. Come and join us for a fun family session and explore the outdoors! Sessions are nature-themed and activities will be seasonally focused. We could be pond dipping, minibeast hunting, playing sensory games, making crafts or endless other fun activities! Each session is aimed at 4-7 year olds; older or younger children and siblings are welcome to come along and participate. Parents and carers must stay with children from the duration of the session. Please ensure that you come dressed for the weather as we will be going outside.

Venues Changes Health and Wellbeing. The Old Mining College, Queen Street, Chasetown, Burntwood, WS7 4QH. For more information or to book on a course call 01543679000 or email burntwood@changes.co.uk The Wolseley Centre, Staffordshire, ST17 0WT The Staffordshire Regiment Museum. DMS Whittington, Whittington, WS14 9PY. 01543 434394 The Pear Tree Club and District Working Men’s Social Club and Institute. Hardie Avenue, Rugeley, WS15 1NT. 01889 578704

Family Announcements

See your family announcements here from next month’s issue - births, deaths and marriages, contact our sales team for details 01543 302748.

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Gazette small ads

Gazette contacts Editor

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

Joss Musgrove Knibb 07833 735048 gazetteeditorial@hotmail.co.uk Production

Helen Smith 07967 154187 pebblesdesignagency@hotmail.co.uk

Distributors wanted contact Marie 07548 682576 Advertising

Steve Brown 07740 166497 steve@lichfieldgazette.co.uk Rebecca Hill 07535 634794 rebecca@lichfieldgazette.co.uk Traci Calcutt 07999 430383 tracicalcutt@gmail.com National Sales David Baker 01889 577891 david@lichfieldgazette.co.uk

GAZETTE MAG AZINE PO Box 541 4, Lic hfield, WS14 4 EZ

www.chase gazette .co.uk

Carry on the conversation on facebook at Chase Gazette Page 38 www.chasegazette.co.uk

Brereton Carnival date announced

The Brereton Carnival will be on Saturday 11th July this year. In 2015 the carnival's theme is "Around The World".

The procession will start at 11.30am from Hawkins Yard, Redbrook Lane. Ravenhill Park will then be the venue for an afternoon of fantastic live entertainment, activities and stalls, from 12 noon til 5pm.

Stars Disco Dates

Burntwood Gateway Club Disco for vulnerable adults, run by vulnerable adults presents Stars Disco on Tuesday 10th February, Tuesday 10th March and Tuesday 14th April. The disco takes place at: Room 71, Burntwood Memorial Community Hall, Rugeley Road, Burntwood. WS7 9LB. ÂŁ3 entry per person (concessions for carers).

Over 18s only. For further information contact Anne on 01543 301497. Burntwood Gateway Club Disco for vulnerable adults run by vulnerable adults is supported by a team of volunteers.

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