April 2013

THE MAGAZINE REFLECTING LIFE IN THE CITY OF LICHFIELD

APRIL 2013 ISSUE 48

News • Competitions • Gazette Woman • What’s On • Dining Out

GazetteFeature

The Smile Centre raises a Smile for Comic Relief The Smile Centre is celebrating its first year providing quality dental treatment services to patients at their Lichfield surgery and to celebrate they are giving 5% of this April’s takings to the Red Nose Day charity.

Lichfield’s Smile Centre has brought a professional and friendly clinical dental technology service to the region, priding itself on treating patients directly, involving them at every stage of their denture fabrication.

The centre has already successfully treated over 200 patients with fantastic results and happy smiles in its first year.

The laboratory provides individuals with a wide variety of clinical dentistry treatment including manufacturing prosthetic, orthodontic and occlusal appliances along with mouthguards and whitening trays.

“From start to completion, I felt relaxed and built up trust between Matt, Julie and myself.

Nothing was two much trouble” - J. Mapp Birthday giveaway As part of the anniversary celebrations, the practice is giving 5% of April’s takings to the Red Nose Day charity and are now looking on

to the year ahead, maintaining the utmost dedication and providing high quality work from talented technicians.

For more information on The Smile Centre’s Lichfield practice please email them on info@thesmilecentremidlands.co.uk or telephone 01543 415288.

The following photographs show part of the dedicated process of the complete transformation of some of our clients Before

New Smiles

After

Patient testimonials Over the year patients have enjoyed the centre’s unique dentistry treatment service and the laboratory’s Director, Matthew Burnell, believes every patient deserves paramount consistency and quality, as well as ensuring everyone is personally welcomed and cared for.

Between 2012 and 2013, patients have been more then happy to leave positive testimonials for the surgery including: “I found Matt and the staff of The Smile Centre totally patient, understanding and professional” E. Lloyd If you would like more information on The Smile Centre's hand crafted dentures and denture implants or would like a brochure please call 01543 415288 or email us info@thesmilecentremidlands.co.uk. www.thesmilecentremidlands.co.uk

Matt Burnell outside the premises in the centre of Lichfield.

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April 2013 Lichfield

G azette

contents 6

Netherstowe House Competition

24

City View

36

Win tickets to the Gadget Show

40

Gazette Woman

44

What’s On/Dining Out

53

Win dinner for two at Manley’s Restaurant

54

Small Ads

FRONT COVER

By JOSS MUSGROVE KNIBB

Win lunch for two at Netherstowe House page 6

contributors • • • •

Caz Jones Laura Bowcutt PG Mitchell Ann Mayo

• • • •

Joss Musgrove Knibb David Moore Dan Mitchell Kate Gomez

contact the Gazette see page 54 ABOUT YOUR LOCAL MAGAZINE Lichfield Gazette is your local monthly magazine distributed to more than 17,500 homes and businesses in and around Lichfield. Distribution area covers Lichfield City, Alrewas, Fradley, Shenstone, Hammerwich, Kings Bromley, Longdon, Burntwood, Whittington and Little Aston.

A limited number of the Lichfield Gazette are available and can be purchased at 90p from the Heritage Centre at St Mary’s in the Market Place. All proceeds go to charity.

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. Lichfield Gazette magazine is not a franchise or connected with any other publication.

Page 4 www.lichfieldgazette.co.uk

Editor’s Notes Foolproof or April Fish?

Over the years I have tried the odd ‘April Fool!’ The art of pulling off the perfect April Fool prank is acting seriously, not laughing, and not giving the game away, neither of which I am capable of doing!

Many theories have been put forward about how the tradition began. Unfortunately, none of them are very persuasive. So the origin of the "custom of making April Fools" has remained a mystery for many years.

References to April Fool's Day can be found as early as the 1500s. However, these early references were rare and tend to be vague and ambiguous. Shakespeare, writing in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, made no mention of April Fool's Day, despite being, as Charles Dickens Jnr. put it, a writer who "delights in fools in general."

In 1686, John Aubrey referred to the holiday as "Fooles holy day", the first British reference.

The most popular theory about the origin of April fool's Day involves the French calendar reform of the sixteenth century.

The theory goes like this: In 1564 France reformed its calendar, moving the start of the year from the end of March to January 1. Those who failed to keep up with the change, who stubbornly clung to the old calendar system and continued to celebrate the New Year during the week that fell between March 25th and April 1st, had jokes played on them. Pranksters would surreptitiously stick paper fish to their backs. The victims of this prank were thus called Poisson d'Avril, or April Fish, which to this day remains the French term for April Fools, and so it seems the tradition was born.

On April 1, 1698, several people were tricked into going to the Tower of London to "see the Lions washed".

Famously on 1 April 1957, the respected BBC news show Panorama announced that thanks to a very mild winter and the virtual elimination of the dreaded spaghetti weevil, Swiss farmers were enjoying a bumper spaghetti crop. It accompanied this announcement with footage of Swiss peasants pulling strands of spaghetti down from trees. Huge numbers of viewers were taken in.

Don’t you get taken in or you could become a complete April Fish!

Yours truly, Paul Oakley. Editor

We Love Lichfield Fund

Announces £150,000 Milestone

W

e Love Lichfield, the fund which raises money and then makes donations to voluntary groups across the Lichfield District, has reached an amazing milestone in only two years of existence. Through money raised through We Love Lichfield, the endowment fund which is managed by the Staffordshire Community Foundation, is now worth over £150,000 meaning it is on-target to reach £500,000 by 2016, but most importantly it can continue to give back money to organisations across the district.

Launched in 2011, We Love Lichfield provides small grants to a wide range of projects based in the Lichfield District. It raises money through companies and individuals making donations or fund-raising and all money is invested through a permanent endowment fund overseen by the Staffordshire Community Foundation (a registered charity) on behalf of We Love Lichfield, in line with charity commission guidelines.

The interest and dividends earned on the invested money is then distributed by the We Love Lichfield Fund as small grants across the district. The beauty of this model is that it will provide a source of on-going funding that can be used for small grants, and larger grants as the fund grows, for many years to come.

Simon Price, CEO of cutlery firm Arthur Price and patron of the We Love Lichfield fund said: “I think it is testament to the people and companies throughout the District of Lichfield that we have achieved this amazing milestone in just two years. The We Love Lichfield Donor Advisory Team has worked tirelessly with the support of lots of individuals and organisations and I'd like to thank all those who have helped us on our journey so far. We will now be able to give more money away, but we still have the aim of managing the fund with the help of the Staffordshire Community Fund, to reach our ultimate target of £500,000 by 2016 meaning annual donations of £25,000 per annum.”

Julian Fisher, Fund Advisor and Director of PR consultancy Townhouse Communications said: “The next step in our strategy is to encourage people to nominate the We Love Lichfield Fund when fundraising. If you are running in a marathon or organising a duck race we’d very much like people to consider the Fund as their ‘charity of choice’ which guarantees to give money back to organisations only based in the District. Indeed, you could say We Love Lichfield is for the District, by the District.”

The fund will consider all applications from local groups in need, aiming to do so twice a year. Visit www.staffsfoundation.org.uk/welovelichfield to see if your organisation meets funding criteria and to download an application form. Call the Staffordshire Community Foundation on 01782 683000 if you need further advice.

Companies and individuals are able to make donations, of any amount, starting with a minimum pledge of 1p up to £5000 and Gift Aid can be claimed, if appropriate, increasing the amount, with no cost to the individual, by 25%. Higher rate tax payers can

also gift an extra 22% nearly doubling the original amount.

Donations can also be made via the LocalGiving website within a matter of minutes. For more information and to donate visit: www.localgiving.com/welovelichfield For more information on We Love Lichfield visit www.welovelichfield.com.

Recently Paul Oakley handed over a cheque for the sale of charity calendars, he commented: "Lichfield Gazette has been happy to be involved with the We Love Lichfield Fund. We would like to thank the sales staff

at Arthur Price of England and various other organisations for the effort they have put into selling the 2013 calendars. We would also thank all of the local photographers who participated by providing many lovely and colourful images of the Lichfield area."

£10 EYE TEST

Valid for one test booked within 3 months.

Present voucher at time of test. One per person, at Specsavers Lichfield only. Cannot be exchanged for cash or used with other offers.

FREE EYE TEST FOR OVER 60’S Code LG/04/13

Page 5

GazetteNews

HRH The Princess Royal

H

to visit Beacon Park

RH The Princess Royal will visit Lichfield City’s newly restored and historic park on Wednesday 24th April between 12 noon and 2pm.

The Chairman of Lichfield District Council, Councillor Ken Humphreys, commented: “We are absolutely delighted that we will be welcoming HRH The Princess Royal to our beautiful, historic park. As part of the recent multi-million restoration project, Beacon Park was one of three City parks to have received a stunning make-over, so it will be looking at its very best when Her Royal Highness arrives.

HRH The Princess Royal - image www.royal.gov.uk “We are looking forward to presenting our award-winning Beacon Park to Princess The statue of King Edward VII was Anne and welcoming many of our partners, first unveiled in 1908. It was sculpted by George Lowther of who made the restoration work possible, Robert Bridgeman & Sons, who will be joining us for this important Lichfield. The statue was occasion.” intended as a gesture of the HRH The Princess Royal will arrive city's loyalty to the King. It was the first of its kind to be around midday and will be welcomed by the unveiled in the country after Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire - Ian the King's accession in 1901.

Dudson, the Chairman of Lichfield District Council - Councillor Ken Humphreys and his lady - Maureen Humphreys, as well as Councillor Val Richards - Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Leisure Services at Lichfield District Council, Diane Tilley - Chief Executive of Lichfield District Council and Neil Turner - Director of Leisure, Parks and Play at Lichfield District Council.

Princess Anne will be led on a tour of Beacon Park, including Museum Gardens, the Recreation Grounds, the newly refurbished play area and the community gardening facility.

Councillor Val Richards, Cabinet Member for Leisure Services, commented: “As part of the celebrations we will be hosting a Community Games to showcase not only our beautiful park, but also our fantastic local sporting talent. Hundreds of local school children are set to take part in the games, and we will be inviting HRH The Princess Royal to watch some of the races. We are also looking forwards to showcasing our new community gardening facility which is used by groups across the district to learn about gardening, self sufficiency and wildlife.”

As part of her trip, HRH The Princess Royal will be introduced to councillors and officers from Lichfield District and City councils, as well as representatives from the skilled team that worked on restoring the park’s original features, and the main funders of Lichfield Historic Parks project - the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund.

The tour will finish with a short visit to the park’s Discovery Hub, before HRH The Princess Royal is invited to rededicate a statue of King Edward VII to commemorate the day’s visit.

Beacon Park will remain open to the public throughout the royal visit.

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WIN

LUNCH

FOR TWO PEOPLE AT NETHERSTOWE HOUSE

FIND MINSTER THE CAT! Win a Lunch for Two (MonThurs) and enjoy the Netherstowe House experience. A small, family owned and run boutique hotel and restaurant that strives to be the best, with a friendly, personal touch. The family and team are very proud to have been voted 'Restaurant of the Year' at this years Taste of Staffordshire Good Food Awards. Head Chef and his Kitchen Brigade have created a new Express Lunch menu for you to enjoy Monday to Saturday. The emphasis is on creating flavoursome, classic dishes with a modern twist, freshly produced on site using the finest seasonal ingredients.

Express Lunch Menu:2 Courses ~ £14.95;3 Courses ~ £19.95 12midday to 2:30pm (Mon - Fri), 1:00pm to 2:30pm (Sat)

Minster is a little rascal! True to form he has got lost again in this issue and we need your help to find him. He might be in an advertisement or in a story, can you find him? When you have found him (he looks like the image at the top of the page) simply tell us which page he is on for a chance to win. Write the page number on a card or the back of a sealed envelope along with your name and address and send it to us no later than 21st May 2013 to ‘Minster The Cat Competition’ PO Box 5414, Lichfield WS14 4EZ. Or by email to minsterthecat@hotmail.co.uk subject "Minster Comp". One entry only please (or disqualified). The Editor will draw the winning entry and announce it in the next edition of Lichfield Gazette.

Good luck!!

LGAPR13

GazetteNews

Speaking Competition

N.O.W. Lichfield Branch

T

he National Organisation of the Widowed is a charity whose aim is to help all widows. Their motto is ‘Widows helping Widows’ and meetings are held monthly on Thursday evenings at Martin Heath Hall, Christchurch Lane, Lichfield. The next meeting is due to take place on Thursday 11 April at 7.00pm and NOW would like to invite new members to join them.

When a visitor comes to one of the meetings she knows that all the people at that meeting have gone through the same crisis, the loss of a partner. Whether they were together for a short time or a long time the loss is just the same and the members understand this.

The entrance fee to the meetings is £1.50 which includes a cup of coffee/tea, biscuits and a raffle.

The format of the meetings is very much like most clubs, there is a business section first followed by a speaker.

On the first Sunday of each month a lunch is organised for those members wishing to participate and outings are also organised.

For further information please contact 01543 268 267 or 01543 6720461.

convinces judges that society can live without the Internet!

The winning team and judges (left to right) Daniel Ruttley, Daniel Pettingale, Mr Michael Fabricant MP, Robert Adderley and Mr Simon Price of Arthur Price.

O

Members enjoying the Christmas Party

The Family at Easter

n Friday 8th March in the Guildhall, the Michael Fabricant Arthur Price of England Schools Speaking Competition took place. On the night the winning team (from John Taylor High School) convinced judges that society can survive without the Internet....though it might be a little more inconvenient.

Six teams took part in the competition from the Chase Terrace Technology College, Erasmus Darwin Academy, The Friary School, King Edward VI, Netherstowe and John Taylor High School.

Although it was their very first time taking part in the competition, John Taylor High School won both awards: ‘Best Overall Team’ and ‘Best Speaker’. Robert Adderley (who summed up for the John Taylor High School Team) won the ‘Best Overall Speaker Award’ as he was fluent in summarising the questions and answers that had been asked of the main speakers.

Michael Fabricant MP commented: “The standard this year was particularly high. There were at least three speakers all of a very high standard indeed. The arguments presented against the internet were varied and some were quite philosophical. In particular, one student said that the age of the internet had brought in an age of cynicism where no ‘expert’ can be trusted which is damaging to society. I’ve invited the winning team to have a tour and drink with me in the House of Commons.”

The Speaking Competition is run on Parliamentary lines with full ceremony and waving of Order Papers. The winner’s silver cups were provided by Simon Price, Managing Director of Arthur Price.

dreary darkness of December where strings of coloured lights and jingly telly provide very real comfort and cheer.

Christmas somehow feels more homely and whatever we adults like to tell ourselves, there is a hint of magical mystery about Christmas Eve, especially if youngsters are around, excited, sleepless and oblivious to the impending The Rev’d Dr Anthony Moore, Canon Chancellor, Lichfield Cathedral turkey and sprout crisis that awaits with the dawning of the new day. aster, like Christmas, is a great time to gather Easter, in the calendar of the Church, is the more people together. The holiday weekend, stretching from Good Friday (29th March) through to Easter important festival, in fact it is the most important: as someone rather flippantly once said (though the point was Monday (1st April), provides opportunity for people to a good one), “babies are born every day, but only one man, travel a bit further afield than in a normal weekend to visit relatives or friends or, indeed, to welcome their Jesus Christ, has ever risen from the dead.” That said, loved ones into their own homes. More than just ‘come we’re still more likely to pack people through the doors of for supper on Saturday’ or ‘join us for lunch on the churches and cathedrals of the land at Christmas, and Sunday’, the extra days lend themselves to families in the run up to it, than we are in the days of Holy Week (that takes in Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good being together in an extended and special way.

Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Day). Why is that?

The Easter weekend doesn’t, perhaps, have the same Perhaps it is a more challenging thing to be asked to think warm atmosphere of Christmas. We’re not stuck in the about, less easy to engage with and maybe, for those

E

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reasons among others, people are less inclined to enter into it all. Suffering and dying and rising from the tomb v. ‘O come, all ye faithful’ and a glass of mulled wine. No contest really. But there the challenge remains, and perhaps it remains for all of us, whether church-goers or not, to think more creatively about the way we mark the Easter weekend which, at its heart, is about the transforming love of God. Yes, we can gather together our families and our friends, but why not use this Easter to do some really positive (if not challenging) things like sorting out family disputes properly, setting aside old grudges and feuds, offering forgiveness where it is needed and being ready to receive forgiveness too? Family needn’t just include blood-relatives and those who have married in. Easter is a time to think of our part and place in the wider human family and to seek out those who are lost and lonely in our communities, perhaps an elderly neighbour, someone who has been made redundant and finding things really tough, or someone who is new to the area. Could we find room for them at the family table, or even just share something good with them? The simplest invitation or gesture of friendship made in the true spirit of Easter might not just make someone’s day or weekend. It could transform their life.

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For Richer for Poorer

Know Your Rights

F

igures released by the Office for National Statistics in December 2012 showed that Britain has the highest divorce rate in the European Union with an estimated 42% of marriages in England and Wales ending in divorce. Helen Bradin, Partner at local solicitors Bradin Trubshaw & Kirwan LLP, warns that warring partners are often misguided or unaware of their legal position. Here she addresses some of the typical situations the firm advises on on a daily basis:

Q: Several months ago I found out that my husband was having an affair. Can I cite his adultery as grounds for divorce?

Helen: It is always difficult to cite adultery unless you can actually prove it or your husband will admit to the adultery in the proceedings. If you lived with your husband for six months after you found out about his affair you cannot give adultery as grounds for divorce unless the adultery is continuing. It is often easier to cite unreasonable behaviour giving details of the relationship as an example.

Q: My wife and I have lived separately for the past seven years. I would like to formalise our separation but she refuses to agree to a divorce. Can I file anyway?

Helen: Yes, living apart for five years or more is sufficient grounds to obtain a divorce without your wife’s consent.

Q: My husband and I have mutually agreed to separate and have to date remained on amicable terms. Now that he has come to think about the actual divorce proceedings he has become unfair in his demands. I don’t know why he would treat me this way?

Helen: Since you are possibly facing a court case your husband is probably feeling emotional and so is looking out for number 1 – he may even see you as his adversary. But, if you think that there’s still a chance that you can both compromise to reach a reasonable settlement, talk to your solicitor - solicitors should always consider settlement meetings wherever possible. Family lawyers should work with you and your husband’s lawyers to reach a divorce settlement without going to court. You will both be guided by your respective lawyers during face to face meetings, whilst the two of you remain in control of the process.

Q: When I married two years ago I owned significantly more assets than my wife – I also paid the initial deposit on our house - but now that our relationship has broken down my wife has assumed that our assets will be split 50/50. We don’t have any children so it seems unfair to me?

Helen: Your wife is correct in that the court’s starting point when dealing with financial matters is to split assets on a 50/50 basis. However, in short marriages it can be argued that someone has made a greater contribution or has pre-owned assets that should be retained by the person who owned them initially. This is a very complex area and something that certainly needs expert legal advice.

Q: I have heard that a pre-nuptial agreement is ‘not worth the paper it’s written on. Is this the case’?

Helen: Neither a pre-nuptial nor post-nuptial (entered into after marriage or civil partnership) agreement is legally binding in England or Wales. The law is under consideration by the Law Commission but in the meantime the best course of action is to take advice from a specialist lawyer so that you both understand what you are agreeing to. You must be prepared to disclose all details of the finances that will be governed by the agreement to ensure that it is deemed fair to both parties. The courts can take an agreement into account when dealing with financial matters but if there have been children since the agreement and the agreement has not been amended to reflect this, then the matter is far more complicated.

For advice on family and other legal matters contact Bradin Trubshaw & Kirwan LLP on 01543 421840 for a consultation or email hcb@btpsolicitors.co.uk

Helen Bradin, Partner Bradin Trubshaw & Kirwan LLP based on Beacon Street, Lichfield.

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GazetteNews

World’s Shortest Fun Run World record attempt announced in aid of We Love Lichfield Fund.

L

ichfield-based events company KP Events, best known for organising the Lichfield Half Marathon and the unique Lichfield Cathedral Dash, are staging an attempt to beat the World record for the World’s shortest ‘fun run’ on Monday 6th May, in order to raise money for We Love Lichfield.

The World’s shortest Fun Run will take place from 10am onwards and is being staged around Princes Park in Burntwood, the UK’s smallest park.

There are lots of definitions of a ‘park’ but in essence it must be a fenced open space, not adjoined to a building and must be solely used for recreation. Kevin Wilson of KP Events said he dreamt the idea up after researching the World’s smallest park on the internet.

It will only take 55 strides to get around Princes Park in approximately 25 seconds and everyone who takes part will, once verified by the Guinness Books of Records will be a ‘record-holder’.

The event is being organised to raise money for ‘We Love Lichfield’ a new local fund that provides small grants to a wide range of projects based across Lichfield District.

The World’s shortest fun run attempt forms part of a running-themed May bank holiday weekend across Lichfield District staring with a running exhibition in the Three Spires Shopping Centre in Lichfield City Centre on Saturday May 4th from 1pm. Then it’s the Lichfield Half Marathon on Sunday May 5th starting at 10:30 am.

For more information about the World’s shortest fun run and to register, visit www.kpevents.net or contact Kevin Wilson at kevin@kpevents.net.

More information on We Love Lichfield is available at www.welovelichfield.com

Louise Sambrook, Rod Campbell, Sue Woodward, Diane Evans, Kevin Wilson, Paul Griffin, Ken Humphries,Julian Fisher, Maureen Humphries.

Inventions of Dr Darwin

F

a flying success!

unded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and local charitable trusts Swinfen Broun and Conduit Lands, the Inventions Exhibition at Erasmus Darwin House attracted over 500 visitors at its launch on Saturday 2nd March.

The VIP launch on Friday was attended by the High Sheriff of Lichfield Sarah Elsom who toasted the success of the team responsible.

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First names announced for 2013

Lichfield Festival T

his year’s Lichfield Festival (4-14 July) is set to be an exciting affair with a major orchestra, some hilarious comedy and visitors from across the Irish Sea. The Philharmonia Orchestra, from London, will play the prestigious closing concert on Saturday 13 July, including works by Vaughan Williams and Sibelius.

The Festival will open with the Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra from Manchester, made up of some of the finest student musicians in the country. “Chets” as they are known among festival regulars have been popular with the Lichfield audience every time they have been here.

Among those providing the laughs in July are stand-up comedian and star of The Thick Of It and Mock The Week, Chris Addison, and theatrical comedy specialists Lip Service will be bringing their latest Star of The Thick of It, show, Inspector Norse, a spoof Chris Addison of all those Nordic crime dramas that have kept us glued to our televisions through the winter.

First-time visitors include the Irish Chamber Orchestra.

For 2013 there will be daytime concerts in St Michael’s Church and at Swinfen Hall Hotel, including performances by the Heath and Skampa String Quartets, as well as a morning series of chamber music featuring young artists in the Cathedral Lady Chapel.

BMW Plant Hams Hall has announced it will be the Lichfield Festival’s Principal Partner for a record 10th year. The Lichfield Festival is supported by Arts Council England and Lichfield District Council.

More Festival artists will be announced shortly and booking opens in early May at www.lichfieldfestival.org or on 01543 412121.

To keep up to date on festival news go to facebook.com/lichfieldfestival and Twitter: @lichfieldfest #LichFest12

The brand new exhibition features many of Erasmus Darwin’s ideas and inventions brought to life in fully interactive models. Visitors particularly enjoyed the three metre flying bird and the talking machine that says ‘Mama’ and ‘Papa’ when air is pumped into it.

To celebrate, five lucky visitors were given family tickets to top inventionsthemed attractions in the West Midlands including Birmingham’s Think Tank and the new MAD Museum in Stratford-upon-Avon. The House is also offering free school visits on a first come first served basis. The exhibition is hoped to make locals more aware of the life and achievements of Dr Erasmus Darwin, particularly as an inventor.

The house is open Thursday till Sunday Tracy Newton, Asst. between 12 and 4.30pm until the end of March.

May sees summer opening hours resume (Monday Manager of Erasmus Darwin House with sisters (and – Sunday 11am to 5pm), with a free entry period over the Easter Holiday between 29th March and triplets!) Lucy, Chloe and Amy Bartlett 14th April.

Call Peter on: 07807 786371 Page 15

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GazetteFeature

O

ver the last few weeks we have been delighted at the strong response from you, our lovely readers, to the Regal Cinema feature in the March edition. We’ve been stopped in the street and received letters and emails from so many of you with comments like...

“My husband and I are particularly interested in the article in your March edition relating to the Regal Cinema. We moved to Lichfield 2 years ago from Birmingham and as avid cinema goers have often talked about what a good idea it would be to revive it.

We would definitely support any plans to bring it back to its former glory and would consider getting involved in some way with the project once we have more details.”

And....

“It would be really great to have the Regal Cinema back as a cinema! We wholeheartedly support it. Lichfield needs it! Now is the time for such a project!

“Yes, we have been to the Electric Cinema in Birmingham. We also enjoy the Magic Lantern Cinema in Tywyn which is similar and a privately owned cinema.

“My husband says that as a King Ed`s pupil he was taken in a school party to see the news report of the Ascent of Mount Everest in 1953, and also to see Laurence Olivier in Henry V (in colour!) at this cinema (Henry V was part of the English Literature Course). My husband was a boarder at Maple Hayes at the time. He remembers it well!!

“We are both `cracking on’ a bit....but we would love to see this Regal Cinema for the benefit of Lichfield City once again. It could be really lovely. I do hope that you get a good response for your article and for this Regal Cinema project. Thank you for trying to raise support for this very worthy project.”

Another Lichfield resident commented: “It was great to see in the Gazette about the old Regal Cinema. I hope that it is true that someone is on about it becoming a cinema again. I always remember, on a Saturday morning having to take my brother with me to the Saturday matinees. We all had to line up ready to go in, pay our sixpence and then we would go. We always used to sing ‘The Minors of the ABC’ song. Then they got you on the stage if it was your birthday, and they would give you a present. And then the films would start.

“When I got a bit older, the only things we had to go out to on a night were the disco at the Bowling Green every Monday night and the midnight films on a Saturday at the Regal, which would go on until about 2.00pm. But it was great.

I know this much, if I had the money myself I would bring the Regal Cinema back to life, but as a cinema not a hotel.

“I hope that someone out there sees the potential in re-opening it as a cinema – I will be in there straight away!

“I know it’s going to cost money to get it back on its feet but it will be worth it. There are lots of Lichfeldians who would love to see it back to its former glory - some

A

“I believe it is an excellent idea, and may I make the following suggestions:

Restoration

Drama

for The Regal?

By Joss Musgrove Knibb

of them used to do their courting on the back row!

“Please, please, please bring the Regal Cinema back.”

Ruth Hawkins shared with us her memories of working at the Regal...

“I am now approaching my 79th birthday. I worked at the Regal Cinema when I was 17 years old in 1950/51 and loved every minute. We had great fun, when on the door taking tickets off the army and air force lads as their camp was nearby.

“We were put on selling ice cream in the interval where the spotlight blinded us! Ice creams were 6d, we turned them over when we put them back in the freezer so the ice cream would be at the top next time we sold them as they melted.

“Front stall were 1/- (shilling), middle 1/6d, back 1/9d, the balcony 2/3d back and at the front it was 2/9d. The Minors (reels for children) were 6d on a Saturday morning. I went in there as a child too, but they stopped the children from going into the balcony because the kids put their feet all over the seats in front.

“On Saturday I worked all day: Morning Minors and then in the evening until about 11pm. We would go over to Mullarkey's for fish and chips or the pub outdoor for a lovely bread roll from Mrs Ashby. My boss was Mr Baker, we had to line up in his office before we started so he could check our uniform and torches were working.

“My wages were 10d per hour extra for Saturdays Minors and extra 6d if we sold 40 ices (£1 worth). There was a piano that Mr Mullarkey used to come and play for us.

“We had massive queues, down to where Cross Keys Road is now, especially on Sundays when we were showing big films like Showboat, The Great Caruso and Dam Busters.

“I walked home in the dark, as there were no worries walking alone in those days.

“I do wish the Regal would come back as a picture house once again.”

From many of our reader’s comments, bringing back usherettes to the cinema experience would be very welcome....

1. Specialising in old black and white movies (if still available) ranging from Ealing comedies, through to Hitchcock thrillers.

2. The usherette complete with her torch to show patrons to their seats.

3. The interval when ice creams could be sold, and soft drinks supplied.

4. Most importantly the sound kept to an audible level.

“These are all points that are now sadly missing from the current cinema experience.

“I would like to make a personal point, that both my husband and I have not been to the cinema in years, due to the noise level that is now heard at these venues.” * I too would be delighted to see The Regal revived. So how could this be done?

Leaving aside the thorny issue of attracting funding for the purchase of the building and any structural changes and refurbishment necessary, an independent cinema in the 21st century needs to offer so much more than popcorn and a silver screen.

The Electric Cinema in central Birmingham is a fine example of a thriving independent picture-house that now welcomes over 50,000 visitors a year and employs 20 full and part time staff.

The Electric opened in 1909, and was the first cinema in Birmingham. Electricity at the time was used so rarely in a public context that the name conjured up the crackling diodes of a mad scientist’s laboratory, or lightning bolts on a stormy night, in short it was exotic and dangerous and the cinema thrived. Initially they showed silent films with a piano backing. Over the next seven decades the cinema saw many name changes, and changes in fortune until its lowest ebb in the 1980’s when it was reduced to showing adult films.

In 1993 the cinema was bought by a ‘cinema entrepreneur’ who renamed the building The Electric, and had some success before visitor numbers again declined and the building fell into great disrepair.

The current owner, Tom Lawes bought the Electric in 2003 and has since installed two screens, one to show mainstream film, the other independent. He has also added a recording studio in the basement and the visitor can pick from a traditional cinema seat, or head for one of the highly popular sofas where you can text the bar during the performance to have drinks and delicacies delivered to your table. It is a hub for film education, welcoming local schools, and runs a highly acclaimed Electric Cinema Film Orchestra.

For The Regal to survive, we would need to be as lateral in our thinking. Perhaps we could look at running a ‘film memorabilia’ shop on the premises, perhaps we could show ‘live’ performances of The Proms, or The Rolling Stones. Personally I’d love to see the three hour, four minute epic ‘Woodstock’ (chronicling the iconic

Proposed frontage

Page 18 www.lichfieldgazette.co.uk

Continued on page 20

Page 19

GazetteNews

A Restoration Drama for The Regal? Continued from page18

Woodstock festival) on a big screen. The Who, Janis Joplin and Hendrix, on a comfy sofa, with a glass of wine, that’s my kind of festival!

We were very interested to hear from Mr Stuart Ramsden, a Lichfield resident who has experience of resurrecting traditional cinema......

“The refurbishment of the Lichfield Regal Cinema would be a joy to thousands of people, inside and outside Lichfield who enjoy going to the theatre, choral and organ recitals or gigs. There seems to be more people ‘going out’ than there used to be. My background from the age of 18 was to make documentary films for various companies (similar to Steven Spielberg who also made documentaries at 18), then I moved into Commercial Broadcast Television and also still making documentaries on High Band Broadcast tapes.

“With a CV that would stretch to the next town I eventually bought the cinema equipment of Whitby Coliseum and helped out in cinemas along the Yorkshire Coast.

One cinema was thinking of calling it a day then I said; ‘They made it pay in the 30s, why not adopt that style?’

“Out came the ice cream trays, washed clean and filled. The next showing was two thirds full but it was different – after the 10 minute reel of forthcoming events and trailers, the lights went up and the ice cream girls walked down to the front and in 10 minutes sold out, giving the projectionist time to put on his 6,000ft featured film and thread it up. Great! From nearly in the red to back in the black. “ The 50s and 60s were a downward slope for cinemas with television coming onto the scene. But as I see it, a reversal is taking place with the programmes on offer being poor, no wonder people are out and about.

“I belong to the Lichfield U3A - as well as water colour painting I help out technically with the Film Study Group who view a type of subject and then discuss their findings, the groups interest and enthusiasm is amazing.

“People these days seem to enjoy their interests and in my opinion anyone thinking of reopening the Regal Cinema in Lichfield would be a on to a winner.

“If anyone is interested in contacting me, I would be able to talk cinema - equipment, décor, presentation etc.”

As we hear of updates on The Regal we’ll let you know through the Gazette, our regularly updated website www.lichfieldgazette.co.uk and via Facebook. We’d also love to hear more of your thoughts, ideas, offers of help and memories. To paraphrase the words of Kevin Costner in ‘Field of Dreams’: “If we build it, they will come.” *Names and addresses for all quoted letters and e-mails supplied.

Postscript... Just before closing this edition of the Gazette, we received this email .....

“Regarding your article in the March issue of the Lichfield Gazette. It sounds like the Regal Cinema is a done deal (in terms of the proposed development notice in February 2013 ‘Partial demolition and new build to create a bar/restaurant, restaurant and 87 bedroom hotel…’

“It is better than being demolished but a community building would have been better, as a games centre (netball, archery, table tennis) and coffee shop upstairs, a general meeting place for the public, if not the original cinema.

“I did go there for the ABC Minors at 6d admission and later to other films, usually twice a week but not again I expect?

Regards Mrs E Cope” 80 years ago With this in mind, the Editor of the Gazette got in touch with the planning department who was able to confirm that the owners of the building had applied to extend the period that planning permission might be granted for such a development to the building. This does not mean that the building is definitely going to become a hotel, just that any potential buyer has the added attraction of permission already being secured for such a business.

Image from Facebook pages "You're probably from Lichfield, Staffs if..."

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Taking the

message to the streets

A

lmost 100 Soroptimists wore purple and walked through Lichfield City Centre on Saturday 9th March. The Soroptimists involved were from the 13 clubs within Midland Chase Region and were led in their walk by Region President Dishi Attwood, a member of SI Lichfield. The walk was part of their continuing work to raise awareness of the issue of Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation.

Cards and leaflets were given to members of the public – who showed a huge interest in what was happening, many joining in the walk to Speakers Corner by Minster Pool to find out more.

At Speakers Corner a member of the Cannock club addressed the crowd, explaining that trafficking isn’t just about people – mostly women and girls – being moved from one country to another against their will – but affects women and girls being trafficked from one town to another, one street to another and is happening in many of our towns, right now. It can be known as internal trafficking or street grooming.

Everyone was urged to look out for signs that include a rundown house or flat, where the curtains are drawn during the day and there may be a frequent change of people living there; a woman or girl who appears unusually unhappy, withdrawn or frightened and young people being bought food, drinks and gifts by older adults whom they may see as a boyfriend or girlfriend.

They were also encouraged to speak to their daughters and sons, to their friends, to make them aware of this issue and how young people can be coerced into a situation which they find difficult to get out of – but to make sure that these young people know that they can talk to them or to people working in support organisations.

Everyone was asked to report any concern, no matter how small, either to the local police or to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 – where information can be given anonymously.

The event was held on 9th March to mark International Women’s Day and all Soroptimists hope that as a result of this walk, more people will know about the issue of internal trafficking and more of our women and young girls in particular can be kept safe.

There is more information about trafficking on www.purpleteardrop.org.uk More information about Soroptimist International within the Midland Chase region can be found at www.sigbi.org/midland-chase

Page 21

GazetteHeritage

Bridgeman’s Works of Art By Kate Gomez I

n 1877, a young sculptor called Robert Bridgeman came to Lichfield to work on the restoration of the Cathedral. Using a small shed near to Minster Pool as a workshop, Robert produced more than half of the statues that now grace the magnificent west front. This incredible accomplishment marked the start of a relationship between the craftsman and the City that would last for the rest of Mr Bridgeman’s life and beyond.

In the 1881 census, Robert is described as an architectural sculptor and carver, living at Dam St and employing four men and a boy. In time, this workforce would increase significantly and Robert Bridgeman would eventually become one of the biggest employers in Lichfield, as well as one of its most respected citizens. In August 1908, one hundred and ten employees attended a dinner held at the George Hotel to celebrate Mr Bridgeman’s year in office as Sheriff (later he would also be elected Councillor and Mayor).

George Wardle, chief of the office staff, raised a toast to their employer, remarking that he and his colleagues considered it a special pleasure that he had chosen to present the City with a gift from their works.

The gift in question was of course the statue of King Edward VII, which now stands in the Museum Gardens at Beacon Park. Nearby is another of Bridgeman’s statues. However, unlike the King, the sailor guarding the entrance to the Registry Office (once the Free Library and Museum) was never intended for Lichfield but for the Boer War Memorial in Duncombe Place, York (it was rejected for being too warlike and replaced with an unarmed figure). In 1910, another of Bridgeman’s works featuring royalty was unveiled - two medallions featuring King George V and Queen Mary on the front of the Guildhall were commissioned to commemorate both the accession of the King and the mayoralty of Godfrey Benson.

Memorial Gardens

After the First World War, towns and cities across the country wanted to erect permanent memorials to those who had lost their lives in the conflict and the craftsmanship of Bridgeman’s was in demand. The War Memorial Garden in Lichfield was dedicated in October 1920, and contained both a monument and a sundial carved by the firm. Around this time, Robert Bridgeman died and his son Joseph took over the firm, which by then was known as ‘Robert Bridgeman & Sons’. Although Robert is buried at St Michael’s, Lichfield, a memorial was also erected in St Mary’s Church, Burwell which reads: ‘TO THE MEMORY OF ROBERT BRIDGMAN SCULPTOR. A NATIVE OF THIS VILLAGE, SHERIFF AND TWICE MAYOR OF LICHFIELD WHO DIED 4 MARCH 1918 AND OF ELIZABETH HIS WIFE DIED 11 Page 22 www.lichfieldgazette.co.uk

FEBRUARY 1871.

During the Second World War, Bridgeman’s were responsible for maintaining public buildings in Lichfield (including the Post Office and the Telephone Exchange) whilst part of their own premises were used to store paper for the Birmingham Post and Mail.

In addition, their workshops were opened up to the public, in the hope that this would provide visitors with a welcome distraction from the war. Over at the Cathedral, the firm removed railings to help with the war effort, and moved the Herkenrode Glass from the Lady Chapel to the nearby vault of the Marquess of Anglesey for safekeeping.

Mr Charles Bridgeman, son of Joseph and grandson of Robert, was one of several citizens who acted as a ‘lookout’ from the vantage point of the Cathedral’s central spire.

In 1949, Charles Bridgeman found himself up the central spire once again. This time his assistance was needed in assessing the repairs needed to make the unstable spire safe. It was found to be in such a poor state that more than 22 of the stone courses had to be removed and redressed or replaced, work which was funded by the public via the ‘Lichfield Spire Repair Fund’. The architect on the job, George Pace, later stated that the spire had been at risk of falling through the roof of the Cathedral. Interestingly, on removing the gilded ball from the spire, it was found to contain several rolls of parchment, a half ounce of twist and the remains of half a pint of beer!

On the parchment were written the names of Bishop Legge, the city’s civic officers, the cathedral’s bell ringers and some of the men who had carried out repairs back in 1893, including C Blurton (foreman), JF Bullock and H Hatchett (labourers), HJW Bland (junior draughtsman), A Eley and J Darnoll (steeplejacks), H Evans and J Camnor (scaffolders) and a certain R Bridgeman (contractor) and J Bridgeman (shop mason)!

The old scroll was archived (although what happened to the tobacco and beer is not recorded!) and replaced with a new list of appropriate names. Perhaps this will be discovered the next time the central spire is in need of some attention!

In 1968 Charles Bridgeman sold the firm to Messrs F and E V Linford, Building Contractors of Cannock, on the understanding that Bridgeman and Sons would be a subsidiary of the larger firm, retaining not only their name

A Bust of Richard Bridgeman

and employees but also their Lichfield premises. Those premises were of course at Quonians Lane, the part of Lichfield that is probably most associated with Bridgeman’s.

Although Linford-Bridgeman went into administration in October 2011, reminders of the skilled work which once took place here remain. A black sign still spells out the old name and description of the business in gold lettering and along the lane are several works known as ‘Bridgeman’s Trade Examples’.

Unfortunately, a closer look reveals cracks and flaking paint. It seems a terrible irony that these works, created by a firm respected and known throughout the world for their restoration skills, are in this condition. They are a poignant reminder of all that is lost when a firm such as Bridgeman’s closes.

Sources: Annals of a Century: Bridgeman’s of Lichfield, Owen Keyte Lichfield: Economic History A History of the County of Stafford: Volume 14: Lichfield (1990) Public Sculpture of Staffordshire and the Black Countr, George T Noszlopy and Fiona Waterhouse Public Monument and Sculpture Association, National Recording Project Database Lichfield Mercury Archives – Accessed at Lichfield Record Office.

GazetteHeritage

Breathtaking Beading On until end the of May - free entry

Craftsman

The Lichfield Heritage Collection holds 12,000 items, photographs old and new, maps, books, documents etc. all relating to Lichfield past and present - copies of which can be purchased.

The Heritage Collection is housed in the Lichfield Heritage Centre, St Mary’s Church, Market Square, Lichfield, Tel: 01543 256 611.

The collection is free to view, opening times Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10.00am to 12.30pm.

If you have any photographs etc. relating to Lichfield, the Heritage Collection would be very grateful to receive these items for everyone to enjoy seeing them.

Zebra Beaders are a group of enthusiastic bead workers who have been together since 2002. The group are tutored by Stephney Hornblow and originally met at Lichfield College, moving to Barton under Needwood in 2007.

They meet once a month during the year and have regular additional workshops from other beadwork tutors, several of them visiting from the United States of America.

Each of the monthly meetings is based around a particular beading technique as well as investigation and discussion on the many and varied types of beads available. Students are encouraged to make pieces based around the technique or work on a larger more complex project for the year.

As can be seen from the variety of exhibits the breadth and depth of beadwork is very extensive; from embroidered pieces to crackers for the Christmas tree.

Zebra Beaders are a lively, friendly, talented group of people who enjoy beads, beading and creating wonderful art-work.

See a stunning display of this groups work at Lichfield Heritage Centre, within St Mary's Church, Market Square, Lichfield - ends Friday 31st May.

Come and see our wonderful collection.

Workshop

Pre-WW2 West Front of Cathedral Page 23

GazetteNews

City People

• In March 2013 Lichfield FC opened their new seated stand at The City Ground on Brownsfield Road, Lichfield. This stand is the latest stage in a string of improvements at Brownsfield Road that includes the installation of floodlights.

• The luxury B&B St John’s House in Lichfield is under new ownership and currently undergoing refurbishment. We’d like to welcome the new owners to the City.

• On Sunday 10th March the Florette Fradley 10k run took place.

Despite the freezing weather over 900 runners took part. The event was won by Tom Whitmore who completed the course in a time of 33.2 minutes. Tom is a member of Charnwood Athletics Club.

Richard Burman (a member of the Coventry Godiva Club) took second with a time of 33:08 whilst Harvey Mequire came in third with a highly respectable time of 34:29.

Catherine Ansell (a member of Hern Hill Harriers) took first in the women’s race with an excellent time of 35:36 whilst Marie Voice of Kenilworth Runners came in second at 42:55 and Nivette Mullan of Hinckley RC took third place at 42:59.

Winner of Fradley 10K

Winners of Fradley 10K Images from www.kpevents.net

Ancient Guild

D

supports today's apprentices

uring National Apprenticeship Week in early March 2013, Lichfield's Worshipful Company of Smiths, Goldsmiths, Cardmakers and Ironmongers, Pewterers and Braziers, Plumbers, Cutlers, Nailers and Spurriers - 1601- announced its continued support of young apprentices in the City.

The Guild provides young people with £100 worth of tools and will soon have a new fund to develop this activity.

It hopes to set up a Denis Parsons Foundation within the Trust at a level of £5,000, generously donated by the sculptor's partner, Pamela Marshall. Denis Parsons, who died in 2012, was a distinguished and skilled craftsman in wood and stone with work throughout the country, notably Westminster Abbey.

Michael Fabricant, MP for Lichfield commented: “This is a great initiative! Apprenticeships offer a real alternative to those who don’t want to enter higher education, but want to learn and enhance their skills. I’m glad this scheme is making real headway and Lichfield is leading the way.”

The Guild is compiling a pictorial catalogue of the crafts and artefacts its Freemen have produced over many years in the widest variety of materials. These will be displayed on the Company's website in the future - and on exhibition.

The Company welcomes communication from local firms setting up apprenticeships for consideration in future years.

In the first instance please contact Hugh Sammons on 01543 319873 who controls the scheme for the Guild.

Page 24 www.lichfieldgazette.co.uk

Tracy Newton – Assistant Manager, Erasmus Darwin House

M

any Lichfieldians will be aware of Erasmus Darwin House, a Georgian jewel in the City’s crown and home to the physician and ‘Renaissance man’ Erasmus Darwin (who also just happens to be Charles Darwin’s Grandad). If you’ve ever visited you may have met the Assistant Manager of Erasmus Darwin House, Tracy Newton. She’s a friendly and well informed presence at the house who has a passion for all things 18th century.

Tracy, her husband and family live in Four Oaks. Her three children all attended the Cathedral School, Lichfield.

Tracy’s mum owned two hairdressing salons in Erdington and it was in one of these that Tracy was born (her Mum went into labour before the ambulance could get there!)

Tracy had a very happy childhood and parents that she describes with great pride and affection.

Her father fought during WWII at the Battle of Mount Damiano (next to Monte Cassino). Shortly after the war her parents met a Latvian refugee who had been through some remarkable experiences during the conflict and had finally arrived to safety in Britain. He was living in refugee accommodation in Digbeth that was of such a poor standard that he came to live with the family, where he became a beloved Uncle to Tracy, one who taught her to drive and was a kindly and thoughtful presence in her young life.

Tracy ascribes an early interest in the world and history in part to ‘Uncle Arthur’ and to the stories of travel and adventure he would tell her.

At 18 Tracy started her career as a court reporter. Although this was a fascinating time it could also be quite stressful as a man’s future could depend on the accuracy of the transcripts she produced in shorthand. As she commented: “When a judge leans over and asks if the defendant said ‘a gun’ or ‘the gun’ you really need to make sure that you’ve got it right!”

She then spent several years as a PA to the fashion buyer ‘Associated Independent Stores’ that was then in Five Ways. The job involved the creation of fashion shows and the sourcing a new fashion lines for stores such as Beatties and Beales.

Tracy then took time off to have her family, working on occasional accountancy projects during this time.

It was originally in this capacity that Tracy came to work at Erasmus Darwin House, but her role has since grown to cover organising events, grant applications, wedding planning and all of the myriad activities both academic and business orientated that makes up her complex job description.

Working at Erasmus Darwin House has fostered in her a real love of the 18th century, and its strange combination of exacting manners and free-thinking. She is also an affectionate admirer of the great man himself...

“Erasmus didn’t put his name to so many things that he was involved in. If you look in his ‘commonplace book’, there’s medical discussions on the tragic case of a woman who had suffered

five miscarriages*, next to a system for enhancing music through colours and light, next to calculations of weather systems in America, next to a design for a canal lift. Unlike his Grandson Charles Darwin, who married well, Erasmus was a self-made man and had to work as a doctor to make his living and build his reputation. He was a very jolly man and liked to play with his children.

He was also great believer in education who set up a school for illegitimate girls.”

Tracy describes her colleagues as ‘truly lovely people’ and has developed a real love for the City of Lichfield. In her spare time she is a Girl Guide Leader, travelling to Switzerland, going whitewater rafting and abseiling and even building an igloo with the girls in her group.

From 1st April Erasmus Darwin House is open Tues to Sunday 11-5pm (Thurs – Sun, 12 – 4.30 before 1st April). More information is available at www.erasmusdarwin.org.uk or by calling 01543 306260. The house can be found on Beacon Street, Lichfield, WS13 7AD. *In his commonplace book Erasmus put forward the idea that infant ill-health was occurring because the umbilical cord was being cut too soon. Modern science is bearing his theory out as the Royal College of Midwives is preparing to change its guidelines on this topic. It is thought keeping the connection to the maternal blood supply for longer helps protect babies against iron deficiency and anaemia, and allows vital stem cells to be transferred.

Tracy Newton

Harvey Andrews is performing a Charity Concert at Castle Bromwich in aid of Fast Aid

H

arvey Andrews, the well-known singer/songwriter, has agreed to appear at Arden Hall, Water Orton Road, Castle Bromwich, B36 9PB on 13th April 2013 in support of ‘Fast Aid’.

Fast Aid are ‘Community First Responders’ (CFR’s) and work in conjunction with the Ambulance Service. They are volunteers, trained to a nationally recognised medical standard, to provide lifesaving treatment to people in the community. Responders are ‘called out’ by West Midlands Ambulance Service if they can reach a life threatening situation quicker than an Ambulance Crew. CFR’s normally cover an area approximately 7 minutes travelling time from their home or work place.

The concert is to fund more CFR’s in the area. They, the CFR’s, could be the difference between us or a loved one surviving a potentially fatal incident. You can help them to mobilise more CFR’s by buying tickets for the concert Tickets for the Concert are £12.00 each and can be obtained by telephoning 0121 730 1474. The concert starts at 8.00 pm.

Page 25

Why Independent Education?

An education at an independent school is a significant investment by anyone’s standards.

Many parents forego exotic holidays or new cars, preferring to spend the money on school fees. So in this challenging economic climate why is it such a good idea to commit to a long term investment?

In reality there is no better time to provide your child with the best education that you can.

A better education means greater choice and with fierce competition for the best University places and for jobs, every student needs to equip themselves with the best education and the best choices.

At Chase Grammar School we focus on traditional subjects which are valued by Universities and employers. We do not follow

Page 26 www.lichfieldgazette.co.uk

educational fashions and our expectations are high for every child. We encourage students to complete as many qualifications as possible. We guide them to the best combinations of subjects which allow them to keep options open. In this competitive world it is vital that students have options and that they set themselves apart.

Our parents do not choose us because we are an independent school. They choose us for the small classes, the excellent behaviour and the fantastic results. They choose us because we expect more for and from their child. Probably what they like most about us is that we are a school of ordinary people doing extraordinary things and between us we are giving their children the best choices possible.

GazetteNews

Maple Hayes School helps remarkable fundraising effort

O

n Friday 15th March, pupils at Maple Hayes School welcomed Steven Sutton with a cheque for £1,100.

Stephen is 18 years old and in the last three years has been fighting cancer. When pupils at Maple Hayes found out that he was fundraising for the Teenage Cancer Trust they joined in, by selling cakes at break times, having a non-uniform day and holding a giant chocolate raffle.

Stephen's fundraising has been so successful that he has already managed to raise £20,000 in the last two months, with a total aim of raising £50,000 pounds for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

The Headteacher of Maple Hayes, Dr

Daryl Brown, said that he was very proud that a school of 120 pupils could raise so much money for such a worthwhile cause.

Nicole Davis, Ben Dunnington, Liam Trotter and Tom Parkin interviewed Stephen about his experiences for the BBC School Report which will be published on www.dyslexia.gb.com/schoolreport on 21st March 2013.

Steven Sutton receives cheque from Maple Hayes students

Fundraising chocolate sale

Page 27

GazetteNews

Shenstone Fun Run I

s an event that looks to raise much needed funds for charities, local hospitals, and good causes. We have been operating for the last 4 years, and in that time we have partnered Acorns Children’s Hospice who provide care and support for disadvantage children.

The event is not a race; it is intended to be a Fun Run, although some of you may question that. This year we want to put more emphasis on the “Fun” with either local companies, or groups/friends using the day to generate awareness and sponsorship, for their good cause or nominated charity.

Our objective is to raise awareness and financial support, for a charity of your choice or good cause, whilst having a fun day.

Our chosen charity, Acorns, cares for children who are life limited and life threatened – that are unlikely to reach adulthood – and offers support to their families.

Acorns provides short break, emergency and end-of-life care, with a community team to support the family 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

So if you are interested in helping us with our objective, raise sponsorship for either our chosen charity Acorns or the nominated charity or good cause of your own, visit our web site, and register.

Registration is on line through our web site, www.shenstonefunrun.co.uk, also you will find sponsorship information.

Sponsorship is the way you can raise money specifically for your nominated good cause, so please download your sponsorship form through the website, alternatively provide a donation directly to Shenstone Fun Run by downloading the sponsorship pack.

As a direct result of your endeavours, this financial support will go towards

Page 28 www.lichfieldgazette.co.uk

improving the quality of life for those who suffer or live with physical, learning or dysfunctional orders, whilst also improving the local community.

We must also thank our sponsors, BMW Sytners of Sutton Coldfield, Burchell Edwards, MoveCorp International, and Crimson.

Page 29

Page 30 www.lichfieldgazette.co.uk

August Bank Holiday

TLC Festival to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust

The wraps are coming off an audacious Summer project to raise funds for a really worthwhile cause, and to get the whole of Lichfield rocking! An enthusiastic collection of local people have begun organising the event (as well as the stage, lighting and PA) for TLC (The Lichfield Committee), a special one day music festival to take place on Sunday 25 August, bank holiday weekend, at Beacon Park Lichfield. The aim of the festival is to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Intended as a family event, the musical lineup will consist of 10/12 bands, supporting the charity, entertaining the festival audience with a diverse range of music and there will also be children’s entertainment.

The event organisers include Mike Kingston, Maggi Huckfield, Stephanie Javens, Jason Wright, Guy Tooth and Amy Jones.

Maggi said “TLC members have lost people close to them to cancer, or have family members who are fighting it. We want to raise awareness and as much money as possible for the charity.”

Family Day “We are going to make it a real family event by including a funfair, fast food, bouncy castle, face-painting and stalls - so there will be lots for children to enjoy,” said Jason The organisers are keen to attract as much support as possible from the people and businesses of Lichfield to ensure a successful event for this worthy cause. Amy said, “We are hoping to get financial support, sponsorship and donations, from local businesses. We also need fencing, toilets, and security staff as well as people to help with bucket collections so if anyone can help I hope they will get in touch.”

Maggi added that representatives from the Teenage Cancer Trust will be at the festival on the day and that the aim of the TLC festival is to bring people together in support of a cause that touches everyone.

Mike Kingston, the licensee of The Feathers public house on Beacon Street said, “The TLC festival will be free to enter, with an admission charge to watch the bands in the marquee and all proceeds will be donated to the Teenage Cancer Trust. There will be a TLC float at the 2013 Bower procession which will include a young band to be selected from open mic auditions at The Feathers each Tuesday from 26 March.”

Anyone wishing to support the TLC Festival should send an email to tlcmusicfestival@gmail.com twitter: @TLC_festival Facebook: TLC music-festival

Page 31

GazetteFeature

Change of Landscape

for Garden Centre G

-Scapes Garden Centre, Landscape Design and Construction and Wholesale Nursery is one of Lichfield's most successful companies, established over 40 years ago when Malcolm Gee set up his landscape business in 1973. The business expanded over the years, with the addition of both Wholesale and Retail Nurseries. Elizabeth and Malcolm Gee have now decided to slow down their pace of life (a little !!!) by restructuring the business, by handing over their Retail Division to concentrate on their flourishing Landscape and Wholesale Divisions. These sectors will still remain under the Gee family control as Daniel becomes Managing Director.

Ownership and responsibility of the Garden Centre will transfer to the existing Manager, Byron Lewis.

G-Scapes: The Wholesale and Landscape

of Lichfield

Page 32 www.lichfieldgazette.co.uk

Design arm of G-Scapes of Lichfield Limited has a fifteen strong team of professionals with the resources to tackle any project. Their plant and equipment makes them the ideal company to tackle any landscaping job no matter what size. They have a full CAD backed designer along with dependable and experienced groundsmen to take you through planning, to construction and finally to planting. No job too big or project too small.

Last Summer their designs brought them a coveted RHS ‘Silver-Gilt’ award at the National Gardener’s World Live Show at the NEC. Lichfield Garden Centre: Byron Lewis started his horticultural career as a trolley collector at Caerphilly Garden Centre 18 years ago, working his way up to be manager there. Then three years ago he decided to join G-Scapes Garden Centre as manager and is looking forward to becoming owner,

and develop various aspects of the business whilst maintaining the excellent service that local garden enthusiasts have come to love and appreciate. Developments like attracting younger gardeners through social media such as Twitter and Facebook, sponsoring Lichfield in Bloom, and various innovative instore promotions are all in the pipeline.

Watch this space!

So all-in-all there will be no ‘branch and root’ changes but two businesses that will continue to bear fruit. Together, we wish GScapes of Lichfield and Lichfield Garden Centre all the very best for the future.

T

Newly refurbished and offering everything you could want from a traditional pub

he Fountain in Beacon Street has been transformed in recent weeks with a change of management and a new look inside and out. A pub has reputedly stood on the site for over 300 years, but nobody knows why it was called The Fountain, although it certainly provided plenty of liquid refreshment to the foundries and metal works which once surrounded it and the area now occupied by Morrisons.

Bar and Lounge “Our aim was to take the pub back to a more homely and traditional feel with the refurbishment” says Alison Dunne, its Licensee, “and everyone seems to agree we’ve achieved it”. The pub now has a great atmosphere and a warm welcome in more ways than one, with a feature being made of the open fire place and its newly installed log burning stove. An interesting collection of bric a brac and ephemera takes pride of place above the well-stocked bar which serves a range of cask ales including Bass, Landlord and Banks’s Mild, plus changing guest ales. Free Wi-Fi is also available throughout the pub.

Traditional Food

Food is also firmly back on the menu again too, with an extremely popular Sunday carvery provided by The Fountain’s award winning chef who has regional and national awards to their credit including four Great Taste Awards. Based on its success, a Wednesday carvery, together with a self- serve traditional evening pub menu for the rest of the week will also be available soon.

Lite bite lunches will be on offer too and suitable for casual diners and business people alike.

The Conservatory

The beautiful conservatory is where The Fountain’s home cooked menu is served. It offers views over the pub’s long gardens and a pleasant and tranquil atmosphere in contrast to the busy bar and lounge, although diners are welcome to eat in the bar or the gardens if preferred . The conservatory is available for private hire including business breakfasts, lunches, meetings or family occasions be they happy or sad. A range of menus are available or can be created to suit the occasion and budget including hot and cold

buffets, private carveries and table d’hote meals.

The Fountain regularly plays host to a number of clubs and societies ranging from bowls, football, darts and car enthusiast clubs. Enquires are welcome from anyone interested in using the pub for functions and meetings as the conservatory offers an ideal venue for business events or dining parties up to 30, buffet functions up to 50 and seated audiences up to 60. Larger parties are welcome to discuss hire of the whole pub for their event.

Events Program

The Fountain has a number of plans for events over the coming months which include Beer and Cider Festivals, Psychic Evenings with the first planned for 23rd April, fund raising Car Boot and Table Top sales in aid of Air Ambulance and St Giles Hospice, Bar Games such as “Higher Lower” jackpots and a Meat Auction every Saturday. The extensive garden and car park is ideal for outdoor summer events, with plans for barbecues, paella nights and hog roasts guaranteed to be sure fire winners on the Fountain’s calendar. For lovers of darts, The Fountain has got to have one of the ‘poshest’ dartboards in Lichfield, well used by regulars and the pubs own darts teams!

If you haven’t visited The Fountain in recent years Alison looks forward to welcoming you in to enjoy a lovely relaxed and friendly atmosphere with a few beers and superb food.

The Fountain Inn

169 Beacon Street, Lichfield WS13 7BG Tel: 01543 411478 Open from 12 noon daily (11.30 Sundays) Sunday Carvery served from 12.30 booking advisable

Please contact the pub for details of its forthcoming menus and events program

Page 33

Cakes with extra polish!

Helen and James Westwood are a Lichfield husband and wife team, both members of the Worshipful Company of Smiths, who offer two exceptional services from their premises in Beacon Street, Lichfield.

Take a Seat Upholstery

James Westwood has been an upholsterer for nearly 20 years and specialises in traditional and modern upholstery, restoration, recovering and refurbishing.

He served an apprenticeship for 6 years at Regal Upholstery to gain his City and Guilds qualification and takes pride in his proficiency in all aspects of upholstery including restoration of antique furniture, bringing it back to its former glory.

James and Helen have rearranged the shop to accommodate examples of James’ work to demonstrate what he can do for customers.

From a footstool to a 3-piece-suite, James will help you decide which fabrics suit your furniture and which materials are appropriate, whether it’s for light, general or heavy use and can offer you a service that includes a wide range of fabrics and colours to meet your requirements.

If your furniture requires French polishing, re-springing, horsehair padding, or stitch finishing that’s no problem either.

This kind of specialist work can be completed by James - and at realistic prices too.

Sugar Surgeons Cakes of distinction Helen Westwood has been designing cakes since 1988, She is amongst only a handful of people in Britain who are accomplished in sugar blowing and sugar pulling allowing her to create wedding cakes which are sheer works of art, each one having a unique style and beauty of its own.

She has now caught the eye of some of the major television stations, most recently designing

Page 34 www.lichfieldgazette.co.uk

a cake for Kirstie Allsopp’s “Wedding Special” on Channel 4’s Vintage Homes.

She was also commissioned last year to produce a magnificent cake in the shape of Buckingham Palace for Tate & Lyle’s exhibition at Wellington Arch in London.

As a specialist supplier of cakes and cake decoration materials, Helen and her staff at Sugar Surgeons produce cake art to bring joy and happiness to Weddings, Anniversaries, Birthdays and Christenings.

Helen says, “Wedding cakes are designed around the bride and are available in up to fifteen flavours. They are all handmade and baked from scratch.” Budget Wedding cakes start from £139/ Birthday cakes from £35.

So whether your celebration is a private or corporate event you can rely on Sugar Surgeons to add the icing to the cake!

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GazetteCompetition

WIN! Gadget Show Live 3-7 April 2013 A pair of Tickets to the

Gadget Show Live is the biggest and best consumer tech event in the UK, taking place 3-7 April at the NEC in Birmingham. In this gadget lover’s heaven, you can touch, test and buy the top tech around from 200 exhibitors including Microsoft, LG, Acer, Lenovo, JVC , Game, Orange, Freesat and KEF.

WINNERS T

Mother’s Day Winner

he correct answer in this competition was ‘Daffodiles’.

Congratulations to Mr Martin Dale of Freeford Gardens, Lichfield, winner of the Ivison the Florist win a bouquet Mother's Day Competition.

T

Mother’s Day Winner

he correct answer in this competition was ‘Market Street’.

Congratulations to Miss Kay Martin, winner of the Touch of Class win a kimono Mother's Day Competition.

T

Crufts Competition Winner

he correct answer in this competition was Lhasa Apso. The first correct answers drawn were from: Mrs J Beale (Lime Grove), Ms S Smith (Frog Lane) Mrs S Peers (Barnes Road), Mrs V Burden (Birmingham Road) and J Wright (Tamworth). Congratulations to our lucky winners who each received 2 tickets to the 2013 Crufts Show.

T

Homebuilding & Renovating Show Competition Winner

he correct answer in this competition was '1970s'. The first correct answers drawn were from: Ms K Coe (Chase Terrace), Mr R Kirman (Tamworth), Mrs C Eley (Burntwood), Mr G Drury (Stafford Road), Ms K Phillips (Burntwood) and Ms D Lomas (Armitage). Congratulations to our lucky winners who each received 2 tickets to the Homebuilding & Renovation Show at the NEC.

My Word

Call yourself a logophile?

Test your vocabulary with our new quiz. The prize is an inner glow of satisfaction and superiority.

What is a carfax?

A. A fax machine that you plug into a car’s lighter socket.

B. A 19th century word for a carpet manufacturer.

C. A crossroads where four roads meet.

The answer is C. A carfax is a crossroads where four roads meet.

Page 36 www.lichfieldgazette.co.uk

With features including the International Future Tech Zone, Game Stage, Photographic Zone, Hub Theatre hosted by Radio 1’s Aled Haydn Jones and Super Theatre featuring Jason Bradbury and Pollyanna Woodward, Gadget Show Live is a great day out for all the family.

Adult tickets cost £20, children £15. More information is available at www.gadgetshowlive.net.birmingham We have ten pairs of adult tickets worth £40 for Gazette Readers to win!

To be in with a chance just answer the following question...

One of these Jason’s is a presenter on Channel 5’s The Gadget Show programme. But which one?

A. Jason Bradbury B. Jason Donovan C. Jason Grimshaw

To enter, send your answer, name, and contact details to Lichfield Gazette Gadget Show Competition. PO Box 5414, Lichfield, WS14 4EZ or email it to gazetteeditorial@hotmail.co.uk The competition closes on Friday 29th March.

Winners will be notified by Saturday 30th April and your tickets will be delivered to your home in time for the show. One entry per household please, duplications will be disqualified.

Lichfield Summer Beer & Wine Festival 31st May - 1st June 2013 Make a date in your diary for this highly popular event featuring over 30 real ales plus ciders, perry and bottled beers in addition to wines, good food and the famous pork pies! Music will be provided by the Chicken Shack Boogie Boys and Three's Company. The festival takes place at The Guildhall 12 noon till 11pm. Entry £2 before 6pm, £3 after 6pm. For more information go to www.lichfieldarts.org.uk Duncan Rippon (Arts association treasurer), Clementine Amel, Lilli Schleker and Brian Pretty (Arts Association President).

Meli gets a call from Harvey Nics!

The word has got around about Lichfield firm Coco Meli.

Harvey Nichols the national prestige department store has commissioned them to provide produce as a sole provider of patisserie and cup cakes for Champagne Afternoon Teas at their Birmingham Mailbox store.

Meli Nicolaou, owner of Coco Meli told Lichfield Gazette: “We were invited to go along to Harvey Nichols by the Head Chef and Food Merchandising Manager to allow them to sample our produce. They were so impressed that they asked us to start supplying their Birmingham store. We are over the moon! I am so proud of my team of chefs and bakers who have consistently made a great range of wonderful products.”

The bakery based on the Britannia Enterprise Park have been in existence just twelve months and many readers will be aware of the pastries and cakes sold on the market in Lichfield each week. The artisan company were recently assessed by the authorities to demonstrate their techniques and ingredients as totally natural in order to bare the name ‘artisan’.

Coco Meli Bakery won a small business award last year for their bread and cakes. The Twitter Sunday Twitter Award was launch by Dragon’s Den entrepreneur Theo Paphitis who still continues to mentor Meli.

Recommended Party and Corporate Caterers in Staffordshire and West Midlands Our New Bakery and Kitchen hosts some of the best home cooks and bakers in Staffordshire, and we are happy to launch our new bespoke Catering Service!

Our lovely food will make any occasion a huge success - from corporate events and weddings to intimate dinner à deux! (Our famous Belgian Chocolate Brownies and champagne is all you need!)

We can provide as much or as little as you need to make your party a big hit, from event management with catering to Just Desserts – a range of puddings (we can even make them in your own crockery!)

Coco Meli works with the best suppliers including Packington Farm, Walter Smith and The Worth Brothers.

Call us on 01543 268789 or email Meli on cocomelibakery@sky.com Coco Meli Bakery Unit 53 Britannia Way, Britannia Enterprise Park WS14 9UY 10% off the total price of your catering on presentation on this advertisement CLOSING DATE END OF MAY 2013

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GazetteNews

PETS CORNER

Lichfield Cathedral

tours return for 2013

L

ichfield Cathedral is inviting the public to explore the hidden treasures of the historic main library (above the Chapter House, built in 1249).

Visitors can take a tour of the library and obtain a rare glimpse of the incredible treasures housed here.

The collection includes Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales (c1420) and Henry VIII’s ‘Great Bible’ (first edition-1539) and covers not just theology but literature, geography, philosophy and the natural sciences. The tour will be conducted by a trained guide.

Tour dates are Saturday April 6th, Wednesday April 24th, Saturday May 11th, Wednesday May 29th and Saturday June 22nd.

Tour time: 10.30am Tour duration: Approx. 1 hour Ticket cost: £9.00 per person Bookings: Please call the Cathedral Shop on 01543 306150 or call in to No. 9 The Close to book your tickets in person. Please note tour numbers are limited, access is restricted and bags cannot be taken into the library.

Page 38 www.lichfieldgazette.co.uk

Caring for your rabbit

by Pool House Veterinary Hospital Rabbits are the third most popular companion animal in the UK with approximately 1.7 million kept as pets. There are many breeds and they come in lots of different shapes and sizes. Typically, rabbits live for 8-12 years, but some may live for longer.

Here are some top tips to help ensure your Rabbit lives a long healthy life!

Feeding -Poor feeding can cause many problems and is often associated with dental disease, obesity, fly strike & behavioral problems.

Did you know that Rabbits are ‘fibrevores’? This means that rabbits need to have fibre in their diet. The bulk of a rabbit’s diet should consist of unlimited grass & hay, fresh leafy greens & vegetables. Rabbit mix or Pellets should be fed to complement these, so should be fed in small quantities. Fruit and other treats should be kept to a minimum to prevent obesity.

Pellets or muesli? Rabbit mix or muesli tends to result in selective feeding. This means that most rabbits will often pick out the sweet pieces which are high in sugar and starch and leave the hard fibrous pieces. This selective feeding results in nutritional imbalances and may lead to obesity and dental problems. Pellets prevent selective feeding and have a high fibre content.

Fresh clean drinking water should also be freely available.

Preventative Healthcare- Vaccination – we recommend annual vaccination against: •Myxomatosis – This is a nasty disease and is commonly seen in wild rabbits.

Symptoms include swelling of the eyes, face, anus & ears. This results in blindness, disorientation and death. Annual vaccinations are recommended.

•Viral Haemorrhagic disease (VHD) – This disease is fatal and there is no cure. It causes internal bleeding and organs dysfunction. Symptoms include depression, collapse, difficulty in breathing, convulsions, high body temperature, lethargy, bleeding from the nose. Annual vaccination is recommended.

Encephalitozoon cuniculi (E-Cuniculi) – A microscopic parasite which affects internal organs. Symptoms include Seizures, kidney disease, hind limb weakness, loss of vision and balance. Rabbits also develop a head tilt. Regular worming will prevent E-cuniculi.

Flystrike – Is common in the summer but can present all year round. This is caused by Blow flies laying eggs around the rabbit’s anus. These eggs then develop into maggots which feed on the tissue. This condition can be fatal if not detected early and is easily prevented. Ensuring your rabbit eats a balanced diet will greatly help to prevent flystrike. There is a higher incidence in overweight rabbits because they are unable to eat their caecotrophs which become stuck around the anus. Checking your rabbit daily and ensuring the lodgings are clean will help reduce the risk of flystrike. There are topical preparations available at Pool House Vets that can prevent eggs hatching into maggots.

Neutering - Rabbits love company! 2 females (Does) and 2 males (Bucks) can live together if they are litter mates but the best combination is 1 buck and 1 doe. We would recommend neutering rabbits if you do not want them to reproduce. Rabbits can be neutered from 4 months of age.

Insurance - As rabbit medicine advances, the veterinary profession can offer more to help, should bunny become unwell. Assess the benefits yourself. We recommend insurance for any pet Pool House Veterinary Group will be holding our Rabbit Awareness Month in May – Look out for more information on our website www.poolhousevets.co.uk or our facebook page!

RABBIT FACTS • A healthy rabbit can twitch its nose 2-120 times per minute!

• Rabbit’s teeth can grow at a staggering rate of 2-3mm per week!

• Rabbits chew 12 times per minute. • Rabbits have 17,000 taste buds!

• Rabbits eat their own droppings – these are called caecotrophs and are soft. They eat their droppings because they have to process their food twice. This is completely normal and all rabbits should do this!

Call 01543 262464

Cakes and Keep-fit for Comic Relief

S

pecsavers in Lichfield raised ÂŁ322.74 for Comic Relief, which was the most they have ever raised for any event. Staff completed a sponsored 'keep fit' session and sold some delicious home baked cakes and cookies to customers over the day. Lichfield Golf & Country Club donated the exercise bike for the event.

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Gazette

Woman

Simple steps to beautiful spring skin

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By Joss Musgrove Knibb

here’s something about the sunlight in April. It illuminates not just the dust that may have accumulated in out-of-the-way corners over winter, but it also shows up the ravages that freezing weather and central heating may have inflicted on our skin.

I’m not a supporter of drastic measures when it comes to skincare. So many products promise to somehow ‘rejuvenate’ (or make young again) your skin and that seems to me to miss the point a bit. Culturally we are bombarded with messages that only youth can be beautiful and this is simply not true – just look at Catherine Deneuve, Joanna Lumley and Honour Blackman, beautiful women who have stayed away from the knife and have developed a richer beauty than they possessed in their 20’s.

A lot of how your skin will age is down to your genes. If your Mum looks great at 50, it’s likely you will too, provided you stay away from the three big no-no’s – smoking, sun worshipping and rapid weight loss and gain, all of which stress your skin and can leave it dull and unsupported.

This does seem to me however to be a little unfair, many women sunbathed in the 80’s when a natural tan was deeply fashionable, many women have dabbled with smoking in their youth and anyone who has had children has probably experienced their fair share of weight gain and loss. In other words, life happens, there’s no need to stress, and there are lots of cheap and easy ways that you can get your glow back.

No matter what point you start from, here are a few simple pointers to help you look your best in decades to come.

Avoid sugar (as much as possible) OK, we all like the occasional treat but sadly refined sugar consumption triggers a natural process called glycation.

During glycation sugar molecules attach themselves to proteins resulting in the creation of harmful new proteins called Cont on pg42

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TAN Look healthy and feel great when you visit Tan in Tamworth Street.

Not only look good with their reknowned,superb St.Tropez spray tanning, but also the beautiful Nouveau Semi Permanent lashes, and also the Letsgo lashes as worn by stars such as Bitney Spears and The Saturdays.

Tan are also specialists in Waxing, Manicures, Facials and Pedicures.Tan are well established in Lichfield, because they know how to make you look good and feel great.

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Cont from pg42 advanced glycation end-products or AGE’s. These harm all of the cells in the body and stiffen collagen molecules, reducing skin elasticity. Less collagen equals more wrinkles and sagging skin.

Avoid sleeping on your side This is a hard one to change but if you can, try to sleep on your back.

Laying your cheek on a pillow all night helps furrow the skin and helps those wrinkles deepen, not just on your face but also along your cleavage.

Exfoliate when you shower Keep a tube of gentle facial scrub in the shower and use it when you can. The sloughing away of dead skin cells helps to increase cell turnover, and new cells are smother and more radiant. The only considerations are, don’t scrub too hard, don’t use it around the eyes or sensitive areas and only use it when your skin is feeling up to it!

Happily, using a facial scrub triggers the skin to produce more collagen giving us firmer skin. We stop producing lots of collagen in our 20’s so adding to your supply in this simple way can only be a good thing.

Choose your sunscreen wisely The best way to keep skin looking good is to use sunscreen. It will not only keep at bay wrinkles, discolouration and brown spots, but given time, it will also seriously improve the appearance of any you may have.

I know that we haven’t seen much of the sun in the last 18 months, but even the light on a grey day can affect your skin.

Sleep well Be a little lazy and have that lie in! Although we may be resting when we are asleep, our remarkable bodies are carrying out hundreds of renovation jobs! When we’re asleep our bodies produce human growth hormone (HGH). This hormone keeps skin smooth and supple, keeps the hair soft and energy levels high.

However, we produce most HGH during deep sleep, and therefore less if this sleep is interrupted. An old and uncomfortable mattress can really scupper the chances of a good night’s rest, if you can, change it and reap the benefits of better health and glowing skin.

Moisturise There’s no need to spend a fortune, just choose something right for your skin (lighter for younger skin, richer for more mature skins) and apply it when you can. It’s a good idea to avoid applying moisturiser to the area right under your eyes. Ironically doing this actually causes this delicate skin to puff up and creates bigger bags.

If your skin is prone to fine dryness lines that show up under makeup, put a layer of your moisturiser on underneath your foundation. You may feel that this will leave your face feeling sticky but actually it won’t, it also smoothes over those fine lines giving your skin a much smoother and fuller appearance.

If you have a few fine lines around your mouth and at the corners of your eyes, dot on a little rich moisturiser in those areas, it will immediately soften their appearance.

Fake it!

Add a little illuminator to your foundation; this gives your skin a luscious glow that simply looks healthy.

Stay away from strong colours in the daytime. Try and match your blusher, lipstick etc to your natural skintone. A good trick to learn is the lower lip trick. The colour of the skin on the inside of your lower lip can give you a good template for finding the right shade of lipstick for you.

Match it correctly and it makes a lot of difference.

As the old phrase goes, ‘beauty comes from within’. It’s down to eating well, looking after yourself and sleeping well. Hard to do when we have so many demands on our time, but being a little nicer to ourselves makes life just that little bit easier, and as an added bonus gives you good skin and shiny hair – result!

Pictures from:makeupandbeauty.com koraorganics.com momosmoment.blogspot.com Page 42 www.lichfieldgazette.co.uk

Memorial to Far East

POW appeal

By Ann Mayo

A

Lichfield woman is backing an appeal for the creation of a Repatriation Memorial dedicated to the survivors of WW2 Far East prisoner of war camps.

Polly Dixon’s father, John Mather, was captured in Singapore in 1941 with his regiment, the Northumberland Fusiliers. They were put to work on the notorious Thailand-Burma Railway.

CSM Mather was repatriated in the autumn of 1945, with his secret diary, which told of the hardships prisoners had to suffer.

In the last few years, Polly and her husband David have visited the sites of the railway and become active in COFEPOW (Children of Far East Prisoners of War), a charity perpetuating the memory of WW2 prisoners.

In her support of the charity, Polly is backing the Southampton Repatriation Memorial Appeal, launched by The Times on March 2.The memorial will commemorate the arrival back into Britain of thousands of servicemen and civilians (including children) who had survived captivity under the Japanese. The Southampton memorial will be the second such tribute in England, the first was dedicated in Liverpool in October 2011.

The Repatriation Memorials pay tribute to the survivors of war, not solely the war dead. For many Far East POWs, the struggle to survive continued long after liberation and their return home. For some that struggle proved too much, for others it continued for years – often for the rest of their lives.

Meg Parkes, chairman of the Researching Far Eastern Prisoners of War (FEPOW) History group said: “We need to raise around £5,000 and if the funds come in quickly we shall be able to unveil the memorial

in October this year in the company of a few of the surviving Far East POW and internees.”

Over 50,000 British servicemen were captured by the Japanese in South East Asia and the Far East between 25 December 1941 and the end of March 1942. Approximately one in four of them died in captivity mainly due to gross neglect by their captors.

Polly’s father’s journey home started by flying (probably in a DC3 Dakota) over the mountains from Bangkok to Rangoon in Burma, then sailing, on September 26, 1945, on the Orient liner Ormonde to Southampton.

He was just one of more than 17,000 Far East POW and over a thousand civilian internees who disembarked in Southampton in the eight weeks from October 8 to December 11, 1945. *There is a Far East Prisoners of War memorial building at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas.

Donations to the Southampton Repatriation Memorial Appeal can be sent to: Polly Dixon, 78, Gaia Lane, Lichfield WS13 7LS. Cheques should be made payable to Researching FEPOW History and marked on the reverse Repatriation Memorial.

Polly Dixon with her father’s war diary

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Curiouser and curiouser…

The Little Curio Shop is a wonderland to behold

Louise Hall and her family have always been interested in collectables and antiques. She recently reminded me about the old Cordelia & Perdy’s Antique Shop on Tamworth Street had been a favourite haunt of hers until its closure. With this in mind Louise decided that the empty shop on Dam Street was just the place to offer Lichfeldians an opportunity to shop for the kind of item that you just won’t find on the High Street.

Louise is once again putting Dam Street at the forefront of people’s minds by opening a new venture – The Little Curio Shop. This shop used to be the schoolhouse of Dame Oliver where Samuel Johnson went to school as a lad.

As a collective of six like-minded people, the business enterprise was originally intended to be a pop-up shop until Christmas, but having tested the waters it seems that their unique collection of retro and vintage stock is already becoming a firm favourite with shoppers, so hopefully it will become a permanent feature on Dam Street.

So much to see in a small space. Whether you are looking for

an antique glass washboard with a wooden frame, an ornament like the one your grandmother had on the mantle-piece or that perfect piece of jewellery as a gift for someone special, well then you really need to visit The Little Curio Shop.

Where else could you browse for modern day pottery by Lorna Bailey Ceramics reminiscent of the style of Clarice Cliff, and fast becoming collectables in their own right?

There’s also jewellery by Tracy (Kizon) with some lovely handmade silver pieces with semi-precious stones, each with their own unique design and form.

And it doesn’t stop there. As well as ceramics and jewellery, The Little Curio Shop also stocks a range of goods to make it a vintage and retro heaven for those who want something just that little bit different, from ‘kitchenalia’, pictures and glassware to small items of furniture, from handbags to vintage clothing, from vintage bead necklaces to handmade soaps.

Find us at 10 Dam Street, Lichfield WS13 6AA.

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GazetteWoman

Feeling Hot

for Spring 2013 Neons Bright lime greens, lipsticks pinks and neon blues, worn to clash in sleek, structured shapes.

A Wear Pintuck blazer £45 available from ASOS

S

pring 2013 has given us quite a broad spectrum of trends to consider this season.

Done right, there’s something for everyone here, be you a minimalist, exhibitionist or romantic.

With shimmer and shine, bold prints, neons and stripes all referenced, the unadulterated look straight from the designer is rather avant guarde, so the fabulous Great British High Street has translated these hard to combine trends into some fabulous, wearable pieces. Here’s some of the outerwear available from High Street retailers, many of which have stores in Lichfield.

1960’s Chequers, monochrome, sky high hems and psychedelic prints.

ASOS Geo cropped Harrington Jacket £75

Iridescence From pearlised and iridescent leather, to metallics, gilded embroidery, sequins, satins, organza and silks with a sheen, there’s a flash and a glimmer to Spring 2013.

Twiggy for M&S Sequin Blazer now £63.20

Top Spring Trends

Stockists www.marksandspencer.com www.dorothyperkins.com www.asos.com www.debenhams.com www.stylishboutique.co.uk Candy Stripes Worn in all the colours of the rainbow.

J by Jasper Conran striped jacket now £48.75 from Debenhams

1990’s Slip dresses, high waisted trousers, baggy tees and a grunge attitude.

Khaki canvas sleeve jacket £45 Dorothy Perkins Page 46 www.lichfieldgazette.co.uk

Graphic prints Bold prints have never been far away for the last few seasons.

Aqua Geo Print Jacket £45 Dorothy Perkins

White Worn sheer with pearls or sleek and unadorned.

French Connection coat RRP £160.

Available at £149 sizes 10 to 16 from La Boutique, Lichfield.

What’s on

Dining Ou

t

YOUR GUIDE TO WHAT’S ON THIS MONTH IN LICHFIELD If you have a community or fund raising event that you’d like to have included in the monthly What’s On pages, please send an email to caz@lichfieldgazette.co.uk quoting the date, event title, times, venue and brief description.

Sat 23 Mar - Wed 10 Apr 2013 Beacon Park Easter Trail 9.00am to 4.00pm at Beacon Park. Have some puzzle fun over Easter. Pick up your trail map from the Ranger Station, solve the puzzles and claim your prize. £1 per trail.

Sat 23 Mar – Sun 14 April The Great Egg Challenge 9.00am to 5.00pm at the National Memorial Arboretum.

Easter Holiday Fun following the trail around the Arboretum and completing egg challenges along the way. On-site activity during open hours. Only £1.00 per entry, including an egg! At the end of the course, return the egg and be entered into a prize draw.

Sat 23 Mar Henhouse Children's Art School 10.00am to 11.00 and 10.00am to 12 noon at St Michael's Church Hall (near Aldi and Tesco). Calling all 5 year olds

to teenagers. A one hour and two hour session. The classes offer an opportunity to gain national Arts Award accredited qualifications. Learn drawing, painting, sculpture textiles, printing and much more. Most importantly, classes will be fun!

Pre-booking essential.

Bookworms United!

10.30am to 12 noon at Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum.

Read, explore and enjoy popular modern books and make new friends in a new fortnightly reading and activity club for 7-12 year olds. £4 (£3 for family bookings).

Chris & Pui Roadshow 11.00am and 2.00pm at Lichfield Garrick. See Chris and Pui from Show Me Show Me live on stage! CBeebies' favourite double act is bringing songs, rhymes, comedy sketches and lots of joining-in for all the family. See Incy, Humpty, the Grand Old Duke and - "oh my woolly word!" Little Bo Peep, along with many other favourite characters.

KitchenAid Kapers!

11.00am to 4.00pm at The Kitchen Shop. LOVE KitchenAids but have never tried one? Have a KitchenAid but want to make it do more?

Drop by & have a go at the in-

store demo! KitchenAid will be bringing along a working iconic Artisan Mixer for you to have a play with! They have £20 OFF the Mixers until stocks last & have many colours in store for you to see.

Lichfield Cathedral Chorus The Armed Man (a Mass for Peace) by Karl Jenkins 7.30pm at Lichfield Cathedral.

Lichfield Cathedral Chorus is joined by the well-known Thoresby Colliery Band for this exciting and well-loved piece.

Definitely an evening not to be missed. Tickets available from Lichfield Garrick.

Jamie Smith’s Mabon 8.00pm at The Guildhall. Wales' finest purveyors of original InterCeltic music, travelling beyond borders to explore the forms and styles of the Celtic traditions.

Sun 24 Mar St Giles Hospice Lichfield 5K Run 9.00am to 5.00pm at Beacon Park. Celebrate St Giles Hospices' 30th Anniversary by joining us for this annual 5K Run! 3 laps of Beacon Park. It costs £10.00 per person to enter and you'll receive a comprehensive fundraising pack to help you along the way.

The charity now cares for over

500 local people each week, at the hospice's centres in Sutton Coldfield, Walsall and Whittington, and in patients' own homes across the region.

Tue 26 - Sat 30 Mar Oklahoma!

7.30pm at Lichfield Garrick.

Enjoy the talented awardwinning amateur society Sutton Coldfield Musical Theatre Company's energetic interpretation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's first musical Oklahoma! Featuring love and laughter, dynamic dancing and classic songs. Great entertainment for all the family.

Thu 28 Mar Live Music: Acoustic Night 8.00pm to 11.00pm at The Spark Café. Local musicians take to the stage during this monthly Acoustic Night. Three songs per act, sign up now by emailing info@thesparkcafebar.co.uk.

Fri 29 Mar – Sun 31 Mar Easter Afternoon Tea At Netherstowe House. Indulge in an Easter themed afternoon tea.

Fri 29 Mar – Wed 10 Apr Easter Bunny Trail At Lichfield Heritage Centre.

Find the bunnies on the trail around the Lichfield Story

Exhibition to claim a prize. £2.50 adults, £2 concessions kids go free!

Sat 30 Mar – Wed 10 Apr Sam's Easter Explorers 10.30am to 4.30pm at Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum.

Easter holiday fun at the museum with trails, activities and competitions available every day. Free entry, £1 for trail pack.

Sat 30 Mar Easter Arts and Crafts DropIn Sessions 10.00am to 3.30pm at Lichfield Heritage Centre. A chance for accompanied children of all ages to create a special Easter item. Also, follow the Bunny Trail in the exhibition. Free entry to exhibition, £2 for activity sessions All Day Coffee Morning 10.00am to 4.00pm at Whittington Wharf. Eric and Doreen Wood host a variety of stalls, morning coffee, barbecue and cream teas, all in aid of Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust. 6 Swan Cottages, Burton Road, Whittington, Lichfield, WS14 9NP Craft, Food and Gift Fair 10.00am to 3.00pm at The Guildhall. Featuring over 25

Feast of Fiddles at Lichfield Cathedral celebrating 20 years Lichfield Cathedral Thursday 11 April 2013 Feast of Fiddles is a musical entertainment like no other.

Yes it's fiddles and yes there's folk music but there's so much more. Pretty much every genre is covered and the dynamic range is huge. In 19 years of annual tours every guest dragged along by an enthusiast has gone away happy!

If you love good music - whatever it is - Feast of Fiddles is for you! For tickets and full details please visit www.lichfieldarts.org.uk Box-office 01543 262223 Page 47

YOUR GUIDE TO WHAT’S ON THIS MONTH IN LICHFIELD stalls offering unique alternatives not found on the high street. Free entry.

Pubs, Priests and Prostitutes 2.00pm at Lichfield Tourist Information Centre. Hear about some of Lichfield's historic and interesting characters. £3.

Colin 'Elvis' Perry 7.30pm at Lichfield Garrick.

Bringing you all of the hits you would expect along with humour and fun. An excellent tribute to the great man followed with some of the finest classic hits of decades gone by. This is a show you will want to catch if you are an Elvis fan with a sense of humour.

Sun 31 Mar Easter Sunday at Moor Hall Hotel & Spa, Moor Hall Drive, Sutton Coldfield T: 0121 308 3751 and The George Hotel, Bird Street, Lichfield T: 01543 414822 Enjoy a delicious Easter Sunday lunch with friends and family. £13.75 (carvery), £16.75 (Family Easter Sunday lunch) at The George and from £15.75 at Moor Hall Eggstravaganza At RSPB Middleton Lakes. An eggstraspecial day making all things eggy including treasure hunts and other hands-on activities. Free entry.

Easter Morning Family Service 10.45am at Emmanuel Christian Centre. A time of worship, teaching and fellowship to celebrate Easter and the risen Christ.

Easter Sunday Carvery 12 noon to 3.00pm for lunch and 6.00pm to 9.00pm for dinner at

Best Western The George Hotel.

Enjoy a traditional three-course carvery lunch or dinner plus coffee with friends and family in our welcoming carvery restaurant.

Prior booking is essential.

Tue 2 Apr Neaten and Natter 11.00am to 1.00pm at Beacon Park. Monthly volunteer event (1st Tuesday of the month except January). Make friends and help to keep Beacon Park beautiful.

Tasks include litter picking and weeding.

Tue 2 – Sat 6 Apr Les Miserables 7.30pm at Lichfield Garrick. The award-winning Lichfield Garrick Youth Theatre returns with a production of the worldwide legendary musical Les Miserables - School Edition, A cast of over fifty local young people are supported by a full orchestra and of course, the high production values the audiences have come to expect. Early booking is advised.

Tue 2 Apr Live Music at The Doghouse 7.30pm for an 8.00pm start at the Crown Inn, Alrewas. Martin Ryan and Stef Dziuba, along with assorted guests, will be raising the rafters again at their inimitable sing-along music session. Get there early for one of the best free nights out in the region but make sure you buy a raffle ticket!

Wed 3 & Thu 4 Apr Tennis Camps in Beacon Park 9.00am to 10.00pm for Tots Tennis (3 – 5 Year olds £5 per session) and 10.00am to 12 noon for Mini Camp (6 – 13 year olds £10 per session) at Beacon Park.

Structured coaching and fun games delivered by LTA qualified

Corrie Star heads up cast at Garrick

F

rom the cobbles of Coronation Street to treading the boards at a Lichfield theatre, soap star Tupele Dorgu is set to play the lead role in The Garrick Rep Company’s upcoming production, Educating Rita The actress, who is best known for her role as Kelly Crabtree in Coronation Street, will appear in Willy Russell’s Educating Rita at the Lichfield Garrick from 31 May to 22 June 2013. Educating Rita will run in the Lichfield Garrick Studio from Friday 31 May to Saturday 22 June 2013. Tickets cost from £10, and can be booked online at www.lichfieldgarrick.com or by calling the Box Office on 01543 412121.

The Rat Pack is Back!

D irect from London’s Leicester Square Theatre and The O2 arena, the original British tribute show, The Rat Pack is Back brings the style and excitement of Las Vegas to the Lichfield Garrick.

The Rat Pack is Back, Britain’s longest running tribute to Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jnr, will be at the city centre theatre on Friday 22

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March 2013.

The hit show perfectly captures not only the music and comedy of the original legends, but also the personalities of the stars who ruled the entertainment world from Las Vegas.

David Alacey (Lovejoy), Des Coleman (Lenny in Eastenders) and Paul Drakeley (BBC Musician of the Year) will perform classics such as My Way,

Amore, and Mr Bojangles.

The Rat Pack boys will be joined by The Don Hunt Orchestra (Musical Director for Sir Bruce Forsyth) and The Flamingo Showgirls, who add even more glamour to this swinging evening.

Don’t miss this opportunity to join the kings of cool with their swinging band at the Lichfield Garrick on Friday 22 March 2013 at 7.30pm.

Tickets cost £19.50, and can be booked online at www.lichfieldgarrick.com or

by calling the Box Office on 01543 412121.

YOUR GUIDE TO WHAT’S ON THIS MONTH IN LICHFIELD

An Evening of

Bach

Lichfield’s Darwin Ensemble Chamber Orchestra’s will treat music lovers to An Evening of Bach in Lichfield Cathedral on Saturday 11 May. Directed by former Cathedral organist Philip Scriven, and with an array of soloists all of whom have local connections, it promises to be a wonderful evening’s exploration of J. S. Bach – a true musical icon.

“DECO may be small, but it’s wonderfully generous with its musicianship.”

Lichfield Mercury, October 2012 Opening and closing the concert are two of Bach’s cantatas. Bass Fran Ambrose, a lay-vicar in Lichfield Cathedral choir, will perform the well-known and deeply Fran expressive Ich habe genug, before Lichfield-based soprano Harriet Hunter takes the limelight in the ‘Wedding Cantata’ Weichnet nur, betrübte Schatten.

Intriguingly, both soloists are not only deeply connected with Lichfield and its Cathedral; both also combine their work as professional musicians with another completely different career – Harriet as a land agent in Lichfield, and Fran is director of his own IT business. The music they perform includes a sublime lullaby meditation, and a lively gavotte to conclude some musical wedding festivities.

At the heart of the evening is Bach’s spirited Concerto for Violin and Oboe, with nephew-and-uncle soloists Alex Laing and George Caird. Alex and George share not only their commitment to DECO, the Orchestra for Lichfield Cathedral which Alex Harriet Hunter founded in 2009, and with whom George has performed regularly since that first concert. They also share a dedication to musical education – George was Principal of Birmingham Conservatoire until 2010, and Alex works with young musicians at Uppingham School and in the National Children’s Orchestra. Bach’s concerto will show off their enthralling musicianship to the max.

Whether Bach is good for your IQ may not be proven one way or another. What is certain is that his music in the hands and voices of DECO and its soloists – by turns tugging at the heartstrings and skipping for joy – will give the audience a great evening of musical exhilaration.

An Evening of Bach, Saturday 11 May 2013 at 7.30pm in Lichfield Cathedral To book tickets: visit Lichfield Cathedral Bookshop, 9 The Close, Lichfield WS13 7LD in person, call 01543 306150 or email bookshop@lichfield-cathedral.org.

Prices: £15 adults; £12 concessions (OAPs & students); £5 children (reserved numbered seats in the nave) / £12 adults; £10 concessions; £4 children (unreserved seats in the side aisles)

coaches. All equipment is provided. Contact Tel: 07971 898 645 - to book your child a place or for more details.

Wed 3 Apr Blood Thirsty Lichfield 2.00pm at Lichfield Tourist Information Centre. This tour is based on the very popular Gruesome and Ghostly tours but is designed especially for children and is an ideal way of keeping them entertained during the school holidays! All children must be accompanied by an adult. £1.65.

Thu 4 Apr Lichfield Farmers' Market 9.00am to 3.00pm at Lichfield Market Square. The markets boast a fantastic range of beautiful stalls, selling wholesome locally-produced food and other goods, including an excellent choice of handmade arts and crafts. So, whether you want a handmade treat, or something delicious and wholesome to take home for tea, why not make the first Thursday of every month a date in your diary!

Fri 5 Apr The Staffordshire Archaeological & Historical Society 8.00pm at St Mary's Centre.

The Zeppelin Raid on Walsall, 1916, lecture by Paul Ford, archivist, Walsall Local History Centre. Visitors welcome. £3.

Refreshments available from 7 30 pm. For more info call 01543 416144.

Sat 6 Apr Lichfield Cathedral Library Tours 10.30am to 11.30am at Lichfield Cathedral. Lichfield Cathedral invites you to join one of their tours to explore the fascinating and hidden treasure of the historic library built in 1249.

Please note: access is restricted and bags cannot be taken into the library. £9.

Sun 7 Apr Specialist Plant Fair 10.00am to 4.30pm at The National Memorial Arboretum.

Featuring many highly respected specialist nurseries with a great range of perennials, shrubs, trees, rare species and old heritage varieties. FREE ENTRY to Fair & Arboretum (pay & display car park) Cycle Rides for All

11.00am to 1.00pm at Beacon Park. All members of the family are invited to bring their cycles for a 3.5 mile ride around Lichfield for a "Taster Ride" to start the season.

Meet the ride leaders at the Pavilion on Beacon Park where cycles will receive a free safety check at the start of the ride. A snack and water, as well as cycle helmets and appropriate clothing for varying weather conditions are recommended.

Free event.

Tue 9 – Sun 14 Apr Cinderella on Ice At Lichfield Garrick. On a full size ice rink for the very first time at the Lichfield Garrick, a spectacular production of the classic story Cinderella bursts onto the stage. An evening of awe and wonder awaits as Theatre on Ice producers, Wild Rose, present the internationally acclaimed Russian Ice Stars in a truly magical production of the well-loved fairytale.

Wed 10 & Thu 11 Apr Tennis Camps in Beacon Park See Wed 3 & Thu 4 Apr for details.

Thu 11 & Fri 12 Apr Loot At Best Western The George Hotel. Intimate Theatre presents Joe Orton’s ‘Loot’ – a masterpiece of black farce that’s outrageous yet hilariously funny!

Who says crime doesn’t pay?

Two young thieves, Hal & Dennis, have robbed the bank next door to a funeral parlour where better to hide the ‘loot’ than in a coffin?! Orton plays with the conventions of popular farce to satirise the Catholic church, our attitudes to death and the integrity of the police force. Booking essential. Please note that seats are unreserved.

Thu 11 Apr Feast of Fiddles 8.00pm at Lichfield Cathedral.

More fiddlers than you can shake a bow at! This is musical entertainment like no other. Yes it’s fiddles and yes there’s folk music but there’s so much more. Pretty much every genre is covered and the dynamic range is huge. £12 - £19.

Thursday 11th & Friday 12th April Joe Orton’s “Loot” at The George Hotel, Bird Street, Lichfield T: 01543 414822 Page 49

YOUR GUIDE TO WHAT’S ON THIS MONTH IN LICHFIELD Intimate Theatre presents Joe Orton’s “Loot”, an outrageous yet hilariously funny farce. £9 per person Sat 13 Apr – Sun 12 May The Bluebell Woods of Yoxall Lodge 10.30am to 6.00pm at Yoxall Lodge. What could be more delightful than an English woodland in Spring? Meander through the carpets of native bluebells that flourish in the beautiful old woodlands at Yoxall Lodge, once part of the ancient Needwood Forest. Six stunning walks to suit everyone in some of Staffordshire's finest unspoilt countryside.

Facilities: Homemade cakes and cream teas. Picnic sites, toilets and free parking. No dogs. Adults £4; children (5-16 years) £1; under 5s FREE Sat 13 Apr Chris Pemberton - Michael Buble 7.30pm at Lichfield Garrick. A premier Michael Buble tribute artist with looks and personality to make this show something rather special. Includes some of the finest renditions of Buble's classic hits around.

Lichfield Museum Bowling Club Open Day 10.00am to 4.00pm at Beacon Park (near tennis courts). A great opportunity for potential new members (bowlers and aspiring bowlers) to sample our excellent LDC facilities. Club members will be on hand to offer advice and tuition, if required. All equipment provided. Refreshments. To find out more ring Gill or Peter on 01543 263078.

Sun 14 Apr Curborough Sprint Course Open Day 10.00am at Curborough Sprint Course. It is full speed ahead at this free introduction to the motor sport of speed sprinting. An all you need to know sessions includes on track instruction with an experienced competitor. Free admission - tickets available on the day only.

Tue 16 Apr We'll Meet Again - Hits from the Blitz: The Farewell Tour 2013 7.30pm at Lichfield Garrick. This will be the show's twelfth consecutive year of touring and also its last! The show, which captures the music, comedy and camaraderie of the war years, is a fully-costumed spectacle Page 50 www.lichfieldgazette.co.uk

featuring live musicians.

Tue 16 – Sat 20 Apr Be My Baby 7.30pm at Lichfield Garrick Studio. Different Animal Theatre Group returns with a funny, thought-provoking and moving piece of contemporary drama.

Whilst England is caught in the midst of the swinging 60s, Mary, an idealistic teenager, finds herself single and seven months pregnant.

Wed 17 & Thu 18 Apr Spring & Summer Flower Arranging 10.30am at The George Hotel, Bird Street, Lichfield T: 01543 414822 Includes coffee on arrival, a three course carvery lunch and a flower arranging demonstration. £21 per person Made in Brum - starring Jasper Carrott 7.30pm at Lichfield Garrick. A brand new show featuring the one and only Jasper Carrott along with Bev Bevan (ELO), Trevor Burton (The Move), Geoff Turton (Rockin' Berries), Joy Strachan-Brain (Quill) and Danny King plus The Bev Bevan Band. A concert full of great music, anecdotes and laughter.

Fri 19 Apr The Staffordshire Archaeological and Historical Society 8.00pm at St Mary's Centre, Market Square. Caister St Edmund, Norfolk, a Roman Town.

Lecture by Dr William Bowden, Associate Professor of Roman History, Nottingham University.

Visitors welcome. £3.

Refreshments available from 7.30 pm. For more info call 01543 416144.

Fitz. / Kristy Gallacher 8.00pm at The Guildhall. After stand-out performances at RAFF 2012 Lichfield Arts is delighted to invite both Fitz, an acoustic/folk/alternative collective and Kristy Gallacher, singer, guitarist, poet and songwriter from Coventry, back to the Guildhall for a double header concert.

Sat 20 Apr La Traviata 7.30pm at Lichfield Garrick.

Presented by Opera UK under the direction of Stephen Hose.

Based on the Dumas play, La dame aux camelias, it tells of the beautiful courtesan Violetta who

YOUR GUIDE TO WHAT’S ON THIS MONTH IN LICHFIELD is dying of consumption. A powerful love story and Verdi's soaring and memorable tunes always has audiences diving for their tissues on an emotional journey from laughter to tears in the space of two hours.

Sun 21 Apr Jazz Sunday Lunch at Moor Hall Hotel & Spa, Moor Hall Drive, Sutton Coldfield T: 0121 308 3751 Enjoy a delicious 3 course hot and cold buffet lunch with music from the Steve Steinhaus Jazz Quartet. £24 per adult, £15 per child up to 12 Friary Grange Family Fun Run 10.30am at Friary Grange Leisure Centre. Bring family and friends along to take part in the Friary Grange Family Fun Run. Adults (16+) £4, free entry for children 4 - 16 years

(children under 12 must be accompanied by a full paying adult) Tough Talk 6.00pm at Emmanuel Christian Centre. An ideal chance to see Christian faith at work in a new way. Suitable for all.

King King supported by Devlinblue 8.00pm at The Guildhall. Since they began touring three years ago, King King’s unique brand of multi-faceted blues rock has won over diverse audiences.

DEVLINBLUE are a young three piece Blues/Rock band originally from Lincoln and currently living in Guildford studying at the Academy Of Contemporary Music.

Tue 23 Apr St George's Court 12 noon at The Guildhall. The Court Baron and View of

Being

Tommy Cooper

H

it play Being T o m m y Cooper, by Tom Green, has been added to the Lichfield Garrick’s s u m m e r programme.

Essex actor Damian Williams will play Tommy Cooper at the city theatre on Tuesday 4 June 2013.

Set in a small Las Vegas hotel in 1954, the play follows the story of Damian Williams Tommy Cooper as he faces the prospect of his first big failure. With his show closing and a warring relationship with his manager, Tommy finds an offer on the table and a drink in his hand.

Powerful, provocative, painfully funny and true, Tom Green's astonishing play finds both the brilliance in Britain's most famous comic and explores the pressures and loneliness of fame. The man who could make audiences laugh just by walking on to stage comes vividly alive in this confrontational new play. Being Tommy Cooper has been nominated for four Off West End Awards including Best Production and Best New Writing.

Tickets cost £17.50 and are on sale now. Tickets can be booked online at www.lichfieldgarrick.com or by calling the Box Office on 01543 412121.

Frankpledge, commonly known as St George's Court, is an ancient manorial court. The manorial rights of the Barony of Lichfield were transferred by Charter of Edward VI in 1548 to the Bailiffs, Burgesses and Commonalty of the City, which in today's terms are the Mayor, councillors and citizens. The Court is now held in a lighthearted manner but still appoints the ancient officers of the Manor: two High Constables, seven Dozeners (or petty constables), two Pinners and two Ale Tasters.

The High Constables report on their work over the past year, and a jury is empanelled which imposes fines on those who have rejected the summons to attend, after first hearing their amusing excuses. (admission free, but space limited).

Tue 23 – Sat 27 Apr The Sound of Music 7.30pm (and 2.30pm Sat 27) at Lichfield Garrick. Traditional musical full of classic songs.

The story follows the life of Maria, who is governess to the seven children on the Von Trapp family.

Wed 24 Apr Lichfield Cathedral Library Tours See Sat 6 Apr for details.

Thu 25 - Sat 27 Apr Godspell 7.30pm evening (2.30pm matinee on Sat) at Emmanuel Christian Centre. Twsyted Rootz (an amateur Lichfield based theatre group) presents a modern musical theatre adaptation of The Gospel of Mathew. The performers are a group of travelling actors, enacting the parables of Jesus through singing, dancing, drama and comedy. Godspell is a moving and innovative reflection on Jesus’ life and death. Tickets are £7.50 for adults and £5 for concessions.

Thu 25 Apr Lichfield Civic Society Meeting 7.45pm at St Mary’s Centre.

Speaker - Fiona Stuart, Lichfield Festival Director. Nonmembers welcome (£3 at the door) Fri 26 Apr Home Service 8.30pm at The Guildhall. 2011 culminated in their nominations for the BBC Radio 2 Folk

Awards in two categories – Best Group and Best Live Act. At the ceremony earlier this year, they walked off with the award for Best Live Act – truly the icing on the cake!

Sat 27 Apr Murder Mystery Evening at Moor Hall Hotel & Spa, Moor Hall Drive, Sutton Coldfield T: 0121 308 3751 Enjoy a fun filled evening of murder, mystery and suspense and with a 3 course dinner! £35 per person or £131 for 2 to include an overnight stay Henhouse Children's Art School See Sat 23 March for details.

Science on Saturday 10.00am to 12 noon at Erasmus Darwin House.

Science club for children aged 7-11.

This month's meeting is Use Your Loaf: The Science of Bread. £4 Coffee morning and art exhibition 10.30am to 2.00pm at The Old School House, Alrewas (down the alleyway from Main Street to the playing fields). Delicious home baked cakes (also gluten and dairy free). Also an exhibition of art works (some will be for sale all original and affordable) and the sale of special greeting cards from students' work. For more information and precise directions call 01283 790403. In aid of Macmillan Cancer Care Sat 27 & Sun 28 Apr Swimathon Saturday from 6.30pm to 9.30pm and Sunday from 8.30am to 12 noon at Friary Grange Leisure Centre. A nationwide swimming challenge to raise money for charity. £5.50 - £25.

Christopher Nott - David Essex Tribute and Motown Show 7.30pm at Lichfield Garrick.

Christopher appeared as a finalist on Granada TV's Stars In Their Eyes and has toured extensively throughout Great Britain and Europe performing this sensational tribute to David Essex. The show also incorporates songs from his soul and Motown review.

Sun 28 Apr Laurent Perrier Gourmet Dinner At Netherstowe House. Enjoy a sumptuous evening of the finest food, accompanied by the very best Champagnes from Laurent-Perrier.

Contact details for listed venues: Beacon Park – Lichfield WS13 6QZ. Tel: 01543 308869 The Crown Inn – Post Office Rd, Alrewas DE13 7BS Curborough Sprint Course – Fradley, Nr Lichfield (Near WS13 8EJ). Tel: 01543 264 280 Emmanuel Christian Centre Netherstowe, Lichfield WS13 6TS. Tel: 01543 254 596 Erasmus Darwin House Beacon St, Lichfield WS13 7AD. Tel: 01543 262331 Friary Grange Leisure Centre – Eastern Avenue, Lichfield WS13 7EW. Tel: 01543 308 842 The George Hotel - Bird St, Lichfield WS13 6PR. Tel: 01543 414822 The Guildhall - Bore St, Lichfield WS13 6LU. Tel: 01543 262223 The Kitchen Shop - 5 Market St, Lichfield WS13 6JX Lichfield Cathedral - The Close, Lichfield WS13 7LD Lichfield Garrick Theatre Castle Dyke, Lichfield WS13 6HR. Tel: 01543 412121 Lichfield Heritage Centre – St Mary’s Centre, Breadmarket St, Lichfield WS13 6LG. Tel: Lichfield Tourist Information Centre - Castle Dyke, Lichfield WS13 6HR. Tel: 01543 412 112 National Memorial Arboretum – Croxall Rd, Alrewas DE13 7AR. Tel: 01283 792 333 Netherstowe House Netherstowe Lane, Lichfield WS13 6AY. Tel: Tel: 01543 254 270 RSPB Middleton Lakes – Near Tamworth B78 2AE. Tel: 01827 259 454 Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum – Breadmarket St, Lichfield WS13 6LG. Tel: 01543 264 972 The Spark Cafe Bar - 19 Tamworth St Lichfield WS13 6JP St Mary’s Centre –Breadmarket St, Lichfield WS13 6LG. Tel: 01543 256 611 St Michael’s Church Hall – Church St, Lichfield WS13 6SN. Tel: 01543 251 940 Yoxall Lodge - Scotch Hill, Newchurch, Burton upon Trent DE13 8RL. Tel: 01283 575 237 Page 51

YOUR GUIDE TO WHAT’S ON THIS MONTH IN LICHFIELD An Evening with the City of Lichfield Concert Band 18th May 2013 Lichfield Mysteries is presenting An Evening with the City of Lichfield Concert Band to help raise funds towards its next production. The event on Saturday May 18th is at Nether Stowe School and includes a fish & chip supper.

It was over 100 years ago that the first City of Lichfield Concert Band was formed and its supporters have increased over the years. Following a break during the war and for some time after, the band re-formed in 1985 thanks to a few local music enthusiasts, including Cllr John Wilks, its current President.

The band has had a number of notable conductors. At the end of the First World War, Sgt George Venables, a member of the Old Contemptibles, returned to his native Staffordshire and became conductor of the band. He is remembered for his diary from the 1914 trenches, now part of the nation’s heritage.

Conductor and Director of Music Mark Vause leads the band today. Mark is a distinguished cornet player and a finalist in the National Solo Championship of Great Britain.

He is widening the range of music and helping the band further raise its performance levels.

The band performs around ten concerts a year, in the city and surrounding areas, including Lichfield Proms in Beacon Park over the last few years.

It has a special relationship with the City of Lichfield and plays for civic events, including the Sheriff's Ride, twinning and other public ceremonies. Invitations are frequently received to play in other venues around the West Midlands, including Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Tamworth Castle.

The next Lichfield Mysteries will be in 2015, but in the meantime the Council of Management is working on

Be prepared for something different at 3Amigos – fast becoming THE place for family entertainment – drinks, food and live music.

Experience and enjoy the warm friendly environment of this family run venue in the heart of Lichfield.

Open six days a week, 3Amigos caters for everyone from a relaxing drink with friends to a lavish Mediterranean meal. Call in for a snack – perhaps try our Spanish, Moroccan or Lebanese Tapas.

Page 52 www.lichfieldgazette.co.uk

Our new comprehensive main course menu will delight the most discerning taste buds.

Choose from paella, tagines, sea food, chicken and the best steaks around – all available with delicious side orders. And to finish – try one of our delicious desserts, particularly our warm chocolate fudge cake with whisky and double cream!

There’s a great choice of children’s food and vegan and vegetarian options are also available.

Please note, once you take your table – it’s yours for the evening.

fundraising towards the main event and for various community arts projects which it will undertake in the district.

The Evening with the City of Lichfield Concert Band will include fish and chips, the supper being ordered from the award-winning Alewas Fryer.

Tickets are £12 (including supper) from 01543 506826 or email: annmayo@btinternet.com or jilltaylor@Lichfieldmysteries.co.uk

If you love music, 3Amigos needs to be at the top of your list with soul, jazz and Motown featuring regularly.

Our cocktail bar is stocked with offerings from around the world including beers from the USA, Mexico and Cuba, plus more from around Europe, and exquisite wines for every palate from around Europe and beyond. There are cocktails galore too! – including our best-selling Mojito.

FOR A FUN, VIBRANT AND ENTERTAINING EXPERIENCE MAKE 3Amigos your first stop.

YOUR GUIDE TO WHAT’S ON THIS MONTH IN LICHFIELD

Back to 'School' with a stylish new look

Qmin One of the finest Indian restaurants in Lichfield A fresh new approach to indian cuisine visit Qmin, Lichfield’s leading Indian restaurant. Sample Qmin’s wide ranging Indian and fusion cuisine, served in perfect surroundings and by the most attentive staff. Established in Lichfield for 11 years, Qmin caters for the most discerning diners. Qmin offers a relaxed, modern and clean dining space and continues to introduce a range of new concepts in its menus. Qmin feature the popular vegetarian and traditional Indian dishes alongside some contemporary and creative menu items. Many of our customers and food critics view Qmin as ‘one of the finest Indian restaurants in Lichfield’.

We invite you to experience our brand of Indian cuisine and promise you a feast for your senses!

'The Old School House' in Weeford near Lichfield, started life as a primary school at the turn of the century, educating local children for 60 years before being converted into a guesthouse. In 1984, Nigel Dobson’s family purchased the property, transforming it into a fine eatery, attracting support from the local community as well as regular international clients from Birmingham Airport.

This month, the doors have been opened to change once again following a stunning, £250k interior refurbishment, which has taken it from a well-loved comfortable eatery, to a stylish, contemporary modern brasserie which boasts new menus as well as a brand new name - 'Manley’s Brasserie at The School House’.

Nigel commented: “We have enjoyed great success as a restaurant, and as an events and wedding venue in our Pavilion marquee suite for over a quarter of a century, and continue to be thrilled by the support we have received from both the local community and those further afield.

“We felt it was now time to reinvent ourselves with a new look, whilst retaining the charm, service and excellent food that we pride ourselves on.”

Nigel’s 40 year career as a renowned Chef has taken him from London’s fashionable Mayfair, to the chic European culture of Amsterdam, and the bustling highs of New York.

The new menus reflect influences from Nigel's travelling experiences, as well as old favourites alongside sharing platters and light bites, creating altogether a more relaxed brasserie style - but always with a focus on local produce wherever possible.

"We have been speaking with some of the best local suppliers to source Staffordshire finest meats, including great steaks, and even my much loved homemade pies will feature. We will also be specialising in fresh fish - I love going to Birmingham Market to source some of the freshest fish in the UK. “It means a great deal to me to invest in the community - from locally sourced fresh produce, to our current renovation project - I feel it important to support local business during this current, tough economic climate."

The restaurant’s doors opened in February and it was officially launched by the UK's No1 Kate Middleton look-a-like 'Kate Bevan' who has featured around the world since starting out as a look-a-like in 2010.

The restaurant can be found at: Weeford Nr Lichfield Staffordshire WS14 0PW Tel 01543 480 009 www.manleysbrasserie.co.uk

Qmin captures India's diversity, sampling more than 120 authentic recipes from across the country. The recipes are made new for the modern cook, with a contemporary twist, but always remain true to India's ancient culinary wisdom.

Call Qmin on 01543 255000 www.qmin.co.uk

WIN A MEAL FOR TWO! We are offering one lucky reader the chance to win a three course meal for two from the daily fixed price evening menu selection, valued at £19.75 each at the beautiful 'Manley's' restaurant which will include champagne on arrival and a bottle of house wine with your meal.

To be in with a chance of winning this wonderful prize, simply answer the following question and send your answers to Lichfield Gazette, Manley’s Brasserie Competition, PO Box 5414, Lichfield WS14 4EZ. Everyone who enters the competition will receive a 10% discount on food mid-week. To gain this discount, please email 'Lichfield Gazette 10% offer' to enquiries@manleysbrasserie.co.uk

Q) Complete the following sentence 'Manley's Brasserie at the School...

A) Room B) House C) Yard

Terms and conditions: Offer subject to availability and available on mid-week dining only. Taken before April 30th. Excluding public holidays, subject to availability. Winners drawn at random, by an independent panel, and informed by email. 10% discount to email entries ONLY. Page 53

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