ICENI ISSUE 24
ICENI INTERVIEWS John Challis aka 'Boycie'
WIN A Biorb LIFE
30 Litre Aquarium Worth £254.88
SWAGGER & JACKS Launches New Beard Oils
PICK ME UP TAKE ME HOME
I’M FREE
Welcome To Iceni Magazine,
CONTACT DETAILS All Sales Enquiries
sales@icenimagazine.co.uk
It seem's like yesterday that we set about putting together our very first issue of Iceni Magazine, and here we are two years later, celebrating just how far Iceni has come in that time. We have prided ourselves at being the forefront runners of social media in Norfolk and proving that online reading is the way forward, whilst still catering our hard copy to those who still like the feel of paper between their fingers, rather than their mobile device or computer. In this month’s Iceni we have lots of celebrating going on also. We have an interview with the iconic John Challis aka Boycie, from Only Fools and Horses, who is celebrating over 50 years on our screens, to an interview with Suggs aka Graham McPherson lead singer of Madness, who are embarking on the biggest UK outdoor tour ever. Interviews not quite your thing? Read about ‘Haunted Norfolk’, and some of the hair raising tales of ghostly goings on in our eerie county! Or follow what historical treasures Nova Silver has unearthed in their search for some space to put their archives accounts, you will be quite amazed. We hope you enjoy Issue 24.
Artwork Submissions
design@icenimagazine.co.uk
Website Submissions
submissions@icenimagazine.co.uk
Competition Entries
competitions@icenimagazine.co.uk
Telephone No Tel: 01603 510 856 Mob: 07506 533565
@icenimagazine
www.facebook.com/icenimagazine
Instagram icenimagazine
Visit
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
CONTRIBUTORS Alex Wiseman, Edward Couzens-Lake, Jessie Quick Keri Beevis, Mark King, Paul Kirk, Patrick Arundell, Susan Leigh, Tim Barnes-Clay.
Page 3 Image Benjamen Terry - www.definedetail.com
Thought Of The Month
Disclaimer By Alex Wiseman
Decorating Decorating is the most stressful thing ever. I often talk about stressful things or things which I find stressful which probably aren't but I find are (if that makes sense). But anyway back to decorating, so I prepared my space and decided to paint the window. I put masking tape up and started. After which I felt extremely proud because it looked great but then...I pulled the tape off whilst it was still wet which resulted into a mess. To cut a long story short...we have a professional coming next week to sort it out which is what I should have done the first time!!
Copyright © Iceni Magazine Limited. All rights reserved. No articles, adverts, content or design in this magazine may be used or reproduced either in whole or part, online or in print. The views and advice from contributors are not necessarily those of Iceni Magazine Limited. Every effort is made to ensure the contents are accurate, however Iceni Magazine Limited can not assume responsibility for errors, omissions or incorrect information. Iceni Magazine Limited accepts no liability for loss, damage or difficulties resulting from contracts between The Client and their customer. Inclusion within the magazine does not imply a recommendation.
Contents 52
pages
Full of absolute dynamic
creative content!
“You Reap What You Sow”
46
43
RAG 'n' BONE MAN
SUGGS FROM MADNESS
Gig Review by Jessie Quick
Interviewed
29
32
18
MOTORING REVIEW
REDWINGS
Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1750 TBi TCT
06
Swagger & Jacks Look Good, Smelling Fine
09
Edward Couzens-Lake Professional Writing Services
11
Fosters Solicitors Employment Update
13
Afternoon Tea At Number 17
16
Keys Fine Art Auctioneers Sales Diary 2015
17
Iceni Columnists Keri Beevis & Mark King
18
Redwings Horse Show A Great Day Out...
19
Iceni Health Does Gratitude Have A Role
20
Iceni Interviews Jay Aston
Horse Show, A Great Day Out
21 22 25 26 28 29 30 32 34 36
Woodforde's 'taps' Into New Generation Of Ale Drinkers
37
Social Media The Benefits Of Using...
Fairy Fair 2015 Magic Returns To Holt Hall
39
Nova Silver HQ News
40
M&S Denim Innovations...
42
Mini Mansions Gig Reviewed
43
Rag 'n' Bone Man Gig Reviewed
44
All-New Jeep Renegade First Drive
Motoring Review Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1750
46
Suggs From Madness Interviewed
Haunted Norfolk Are You Sitting Comfortably?
49
abbotFox Launches Online Competition
Cyclists Wanted!! Cycle Ride In Aid Of EACH
50
Iceni Horoscopes What Do Your Stars Hold
Iceni News Norfolk & Norwich Festival Competition WIN A Biorb Life Aquarium GoGoDragons! Update The Wayland Show Returns Iceni Interviews John Challis
PAGE
6
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
SWAGGER & JACKS Issue 24 2015
Looking Good, Smelling Fine Swagger & Jacks Launches Beard Oils With Unique Cologne Element If you are a proud beard-wearer then our two new beard oils will ensure you smell as good as you look. Swagger & Jacks Ultimate Beard Oil and Swagger & Jacks Premium Beard Oil are both infused with our signature colognes so that you can apply your chosen fragrance at the same time as conditioning your skin and whiskers. All beard oils are designed to do two things. Firstly, they moisturise and soften beard bristles to minimise itching. This helps with the difficult early stages of growing a beard when the discomfort can often lead to some men choosing to give up on their facial foliage. Secondly, the oil ensures a healthy skin balance and its consistency can reach the skin better than a traditional moisturiser can. Well-nourished skin will reduce the likelihood of ingrowing hairs which can be painful as well as unsightly if you shave your beard off. When developing our beard oils we decided to bring a distinctive, third element to them; adding a unique signature fragrance. Many beard wearers use a traditional beard oil and apply a cologne afterwards which can leave whiskers dry and difficult to manage. Our fragranced beard oils remove the need for a separate cologne meaning a gentleman can ensure his beard is in optimum condition whilst still smelling great. Swagger & Jacks Premium Beard Oil is a fresh cologne, perfect for day wear or for gentlemen who prefer a lighter scent. For those who prefer a more intense, spicier fragrance - or for an evening option - Swagger & Jacks Ultimate Beard Oil is a richer alternative. Each Swagger & Jacks Beard Oil retails at £14.95 for a 30ml pump bottle but for a limited period ICENI readers can purchase both fragrances for a special online price of £24.99 inclusive of p&p. Visit our online shop www.swaggerandjacks.com and insert coupon code "ICENI Beard Oil" when you reach the checkout. Promotion runs until 30 April 2015.
BEARD BULLETIN:
Thanks to everyone who entered the Swagger & Jacks Beard and Full Tash Awards, aka the Swagger BAFTAs. We had some awesome entries and choosing one winner was an immensely difficult task for our judging panel. We’ll tell you more about some of the shortlisted man manes in the next issue of ICENI but can reveal that our Swagger BAFTA winner is Joe Booty from Holt.
The Swagger & Jacks Range is exclusively available from our Barbershop at 6 St Benedict’s Street, in the historic Norwich Lanes and at Jarrolds Department Store, Norwich , Bakers & Larners Department Store, Holt and from our Online Shop at www.swaggerandjacks.com
PAGE
7
ADVERTORIAL
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
Issue 24 2015
EDWARD COUZENS-LAKE Professional Writing Services Norfolk born writer Edward Couzens-Lake specialises in planning, writing and presenting high quality copy of all types. By commissioning me for your writing project, no matter what its discipline, type or scale, you’ll be getting a courteous, diligent and very personal service tailored to meet your needs, timescale and budget and to exceed your expectations. Whatever your requirements and wherever you are, I’ll research, draft and write your project for you, delivering it on time and ready for use. • Articles • Company Brochures & Marketing Material • Copywriting • Editing & Proofreading • Essays & Dissertations • Blogging • Features • Ghostwriting • Research • Reviews • Social Media • Speech Writing • Web Copy From businesses of all types and sizes, clubs, societies and charitable organisations, schools and colleges and companies large and small through to students and private individuals, nothing is too big, too small or too insignificant. If you have a book project you would like to ‘get off the ground’ I can work alongside you in proof reading and editing the manuscript as well as looking to source a publisher for you from my contacts within the industry. I regularly contribute to a number of traditional print and digital magazines and websites as well as offering the above professional services and expertise to clients around the UK and abroad. I have written five books, the most recent of which was the autobiography of Jeremy Goss for which I worked alongside Jeremy as his ghostwriter. For more information, samples of my work or just to set up a no obligation meeting to discuss your potential needs, please contact me at any time:
01243 551604 07758 915748 edward@couzens-lake.co.uk www.couzens-lake.co.uk PAGE
9
FOSTERS SOLICITORS
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
Issue 24 2015
Fosters Solicitors Employment Update
Holiday pay when overtime is normally paid, and Twitter abuse resulting in dismissal. Two interesting developments in employment law which are of general interest to both employers and employees. In November 2014 the Employment Appeals Tribunal ruled on a landmark case involving the relationship between basic pay, regular overtime and how that is to be worked out when it comes to calculating an employee’s entitlement to holiday pay. In essence, the Employment Appeals Tribunal held where overtime is worked on a regular basis, that overtime should be taken into account as part of their normal remuneration, and the amount should be decided on the basis of an average pay over a twelve week period. It specifically ruled that holiday pay should not be calculated on the basic pay alone where regular overtime has become part of the usual pay arrangements. There was a view that case would open the floodgate for historic unpaid holiday pay claims. The government have acted by introducing new regulations to limit the amount of holiday pay claims to a period of two years from the date the claim is lodged. The changes came into force on the 1st July 2015, though disgruntled employees can still make potential long-term back pay claims if they beat that deadline. The new two year limit will affect claims made to both the Employment Tribunal and the County Court. The improper use by employees of social media sites have started to filter through to employment cases. Social media is often used to express opinions you would not normally use in the workplace. Whilst many may see twitter as a vehicle for freedom of speech and expression, the lesson in this case is if you are an employee, exercise it with caution and think about who might be reading it. The case of Game v Laws 2014 is the first decision of the Employment Appeals Tribunal concerning unfair dismissal resulting from the use by an employee of his Twitter account. The relevant tweets were on the employees own personal account (not a employers account), they were sent in the employee’s own time (not whilst at work), and they did not contain derogatory comments about the employer, but they were still sufficient to justify dismissal.
These types of cases will always be very fact specific. Here the employee had set up his own twitter account which did not identify him directly with his employer, but he followed 100 of the employer’s other stores twitter accounts, and 65 of those stores then followed the employee in return. One of the store managers complained that the tweets were offensive (e.g. comments about dentists, caravan drivers, golfers, an A&E department at a hospital, Newcastle Football Club supporters, the police and disabled people). The dismissal for misconduct was upheld because the tweets were being followed by stores for which he as an employee had responsibilities as part of his job. It meant other employees and customers of those stores could, and did see the offensive tweets and associate them with the employer. On those facts the Employment Appeals Tribunal decided dismissal was within the range of reasonable responses an employer could have taken, and upheld the decision to dismiss him as a fair one. In this particular case the employee had not made use of the restricted access settings on his twitter account which meant that non-acquaintances could view his tweets. With the benefit of hindsight he should have restricted access to it did not reach other employees or customers and that would have saved him. If you want to have a platform for expressing views, social media may be effective in getting your message out there, but bear in mind once tweeted there may be unforeseen consequences. The case should also remind employers of the importance of having clearly stated social media policies which give guidance as to what is and is not acceptable in both work related and private social media activity, insofar as it relates to the employer’s business. If you need advice in relation to any employment issue, Fosters employment team will be able to help and give guidance please email: anewborough@fosters-solicitors.co.uk or call 01603 620508. For more information on Employment issues, please visit the Fosters website for a full list of services http://www.fosters-solicitors.co.uk/fosters-commercial/ commercial-employment
PAGE
11
NUMBER 17 REVIEW
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
Issue 24 2015
Afternoon Tea At Number 17 Review by Jessie Quick
As a dessert lover, chocaholic, and someone who admittedly has constant cake cravings (CCC if you like) there was no asking me twice to review Afternoon tea at Number 17. Who doesn’t love a freshly brewed, loose-leaf teapot of heaven to accompany a homemade brownie (or two) straight out of the oven? Afternoon tea at Number 17 presents a sensational range of teas, coffees, freshly made sandwiches, scones and cakes, all homemade. I was extremely excited to visit the newly started business, which lies in a contemporary building down Colegate Street, Norwich, offering a taste of the country in the center of the city. Owned by Lea, a passionate, enthusiastic baker who says she has always had an eye for catering after being brought up helping in the pubs her parents owned. The building was bought 6 years ago derelict, and transformed into Number 17 bed and breakfast, Lea now introduces Afternoon tea Open 12:00-18:00 Tuesday-Saturday. Upon entering the café I was welcomed by the warmth of the fire, which sits just inside the door. The wooden flooring, efficiently laid tables with tea
and cakes all tied together pleasantly, giving the café a home like atmosphere. All crockery has been bought from local charities. This includes the vintage teapots and antiquated cake stands, which all contribute to this unique and distinctive look, fitting perfectly with the café's feel. Black tea, Green tea, White tea and Fruit and Herbal teas offer everyone an infusion to their taste. The menu is clear and classy with creative names inspired by the flavours. A personal favourite is the Kuchupudi Chaicha-China, which contains refreshing pomegranate and vanilla flavours. It lies in a blue ceramic teapot with a plate aside holding the tea drainer and a slice of fresh lemon all presented pleasantly. All teas compliment the cakes dreamingly. From coconut and mango cake, cherry chocolate bake-well loaf, black-forest muffins and raspberry swirl cheesecake, the hardest decision of your day will be which one to choose (the Oreo brownie is mind-blowing). Lea also bakes gluten free ginger sponge with rhubarb filling and dairy free chocolate cake for those intolerant. She freshly bakes scones every morning, with homemade jam and coming soon chutney to supplement the cheese scones. If your mouth is watering and your stomach is rumbling, I strongly recommend you venture into Afternoon tea at Number 17 to fulfill your needs. Whether you fancy a freshly brewed coffee or a homemade slice of cake, or both! In the future Lea hopes to start her own sparkling tea, and I certainly wont be missing out on that. Location: 17 Colegate, Norwich, Norfolk Telephone: 01603 764486 Facebook: www.facebook.com/tea17norwich
PAGE
13
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
In just a few short months we will be adding another Beev to our clan when we jet off to Crete to see my brother marry his girlfriend. They have been dating for two years, but I have known her for much longer as she’s been a good friend and work Above: Keri Beevis colleague since we were both seventeen, and, given that she shares our laidback ironic laced sense of humour, she already feels like part of the family and is used to the family weirdness, so won’t be scared off too easily. In the run up to the wedding she has had a few hurdles to overcome and is currently in hospital following a fairly major operation on her face last week. Now, given what she has just been through, most people would buckle, but not my sister-in-law to be. I have just returned from visiting her and she was up out of bed insisting of clearing away her leftover lunch and jokingly referring to herself as Elephant Woman given the swelling from the operation. She was also regaling us with tales of hospital cuisine. Initially she was being fed through a tube in her nose and the nurse who had the task of removing it was new to the job. The poor woman was given quite a shock when the contents of my brother’s girlfriend’s stomach came out with the tube. Now she is on pureed Bolognese that resembles Big Bird and Kermit being whisked together in a blender and looking forward to being discharged. Scariest moment she says was when a doctor visited ahead of the operation and drew an arrow on her neck. My brother and his girlfriend exchanged a concerned glance before pointing out to the doctor that he had drawn on the wrong side. The chap checked and rechecked his notes before admitting yes, he had indeed drawn on the wrong side, but not to worry they would figure it out down in theatre. Gulp! Joking aside, the doctors and nurses looking after my sister-in-law to be have been fantastic. The surgery team did a marvellous job and the operation was hugely successful, while the nurses, although overworked, never fail to have a smile and a kind word, and are there whenever they are needed. Roll on to the summer and our big fat Greek wedding. There will be much eating and drinking, possibly some plate-smashing and definitely some dancing to the Zorba. Just no one bring a video camera, please.
ICENI - COLUMNISTS Issue 24 2015
The Diary of a Norfolk Family. By Mark King Above: Mark King Birthdays seem to come around as quickly as the school holidays and as you are just about recovering from the Christmas spending spree it all starts again. You have your daily household bills and then you have the one offs like new carpets, or a car, and then you have conflict. Do you give your little ones a day to remember on their birthday, or do you splash your hard earned money on a new carpet? It’s a conflict most parents face. In the space of a month there are three birthdays in the family. At the same time we have wanted to replace the original carpet on the stairs, and in the hallway, which was laid when our house was built over twenty years ago. We’ve had a hectic few weekends looking around carpet shops and party venues that cater so well for young children today, and that just didn’t exist when I was growing up in the seventies. Hours were spent with the calculator working out if we could afford this type of carpet with that type of birthday event, but in the end we did it. We managed to square all the circles and come up with a solution to everyone’s desires. As you read this will have had fitted new floor coverings for the stairs and hallway, supplied and fitted, by Bateman’s Carpets in Norwich. The invites to the children’s birthday parties will have been sent out too. That’s the wife and children satisfied. As for me? Well my dream of a little place in the sun, somewhere in the Mediterranean, where I can escape during the cold winter months so I can concentrate on writing my third book in the series after Daniel Jones Doom will just have to wait for another year or two. www.always-hanging-around.blogspot.com Follow on twitter: @author-king
PAGE
17
REDWINGS Issue 24 2015
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
REDWINGS HORSE SHOW, A GREAT DAY OUT FOR EVERYONE With a new schedule aimed at encouraging more novice riders and horses, the charity has high hopes for another great year with a super turnout. Redwings Horse Sanctuary’s annual show is set to be held on Sunday 17th May at Topthorn Equestrian Centre in Suffolk. This year’s event will hold more classes aimed at novice riders and horses/ponies, as well as lead rein classes, clear round jumping and, in the spirit of providing something for everyone, there will also be heavy horse classes, a first for the Redwings show! The charity also hopes to see many of its lovely Guardian ponies in attendance, particularly in the ever popular rescued horse/pony classes. There are still many favourite classes remaining for 2015 and the show will hold the hotly contested TARRA and Donkey Breed Society affiliated classes, classes for veterans, as well as fun classes for those who just want a day out with their horse, pony or donkey. During the lunch break, a talk will be given by Redwings’ Senior Vet Nicky Jarvis (voted Your Horse magazine’s Ultimate Expert) on how to body condition score your horse. In excited anticipation of this year’s event, Redwings Sanctuary Farms Manager and show organiser Emma Lacey said: “We have decided to keep many of the popular classes the same but have taken a lot of the qualifying classes out to make it more accessible to everyone. There will be lots of opportunities to try showing for the first time, including clear round jumping, as well as plenty for the more experienced competitor. We are really looking forward to seeing lots of old faces as well as many new ones on their first time out”.
To view the full schedule, please visit www.redwings.org.uk.
PAGE
18
ICENI - HEALTH
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
Issue 24 2015
Does Gratitude Have A Role In Modern Life? By Susan Leigh How many of us complain at how much we have to do each day, the hurdles and obstacles that come our way, the irritations that life throws at us. It may be the lousy weather or the volume of traffic. And what about our children? How many of them actually say 'please' or 'thank you' or appreciate what they have Susan Leigh in life, like the opportunity for an education or the meal that is provided for them each evening. Should we be grateful? Does gratitude have a role in modern life or should we simply accept this as how it is? So often we're racing from one task to the next, stopping without a second thought about what we're doing. We race round the supermarket or go online and order our regular grocery shop, we jump into the car, stopping to fill it with petrol on the way to our next appointment or perhaps complain about the length of time our decorators are taking to finish their work. That last one, by the way, was me, feeling stressed at how long my house was being inconvenienced, until I came to my senses and realised how fortunate I was to have a home and be able to hire decorators! But this mindset prompted me to question how often we feel grateful for what we have and to consider if it's relevant or even important to feel gratitude in these modern times. It seems to be relatively easy for us to take things for granted and not appreciate our good fortune. After all, we live in a buy now pay later society where so many of us have access to a great many things. Do we actually need to be thankful for it all? Many of us work hard, why shouldn't we have what we want! But lots of people work long hours, sometimes in back-breaking conditions for little or virtually no reward. Yes, it's reasonable that those who can should enjoy the money they earn, but let's not forget those less fortunate, let's remember not to take things for granted. Sometimes even setbacks and disappointment can bring valuable experiences. They can provide significant life lessons that we eventually end up being appreciative of. Gratitude is important inasmuch as it stops us from being superficial and continually wanting more, constantly seeking the next fix. Mindfully spending money, buying things, treating ourselves from time to time, sharing our homes, food and good fortune with friends and family are all part of investing in, fully utilising and appreciating what we have. Being present in the moment and pausing to really value and enjoy our good fortune enables the experience to be all the more meaningful and satisfying.
Often the significant memories in life are those that came for free, where we enjoyed a day in the park, the countryside or on the beach, playing and enjoying the colours, sounds and smells of nature. Be grateful that we're able to go for a walk, climb trees, go bird watching or fishing. An attitude of gratitude provides the opportunity to be reflective and sensitive to others too. When we take time to consider our life through their eyes it can provide valuable insights. Equally, seeing what others are happy and grateful for can highlight what is important, the things that money can't buy. Good health, loving relationships, a safe home, work that we find satisfying, stimulating and rewarding are things that money can't necessarily buy and yet are the most important things in life to be grateful for. Being grateful includes good manners. Saying 'thank you' demonstrates respect and can mean the world to the recipient. When someone does something thoughtful for us a simple 'thank you' acknowledges that we've noticed and appreciate it. Only they know how much effort it took, even though it may seem relatively minor to us. Saying 'thanks' enables them to feel valued. Being grateful does not mean being a pushover and accepting repeatedly poor service or forgoing our own needs. But it can mean that we revise our perspective on life. If a restaurant has run out of our favourite dish, rather than be outraged let's appreciate the other choices and be grateful for the opportunity to try something new. If we have to queue for a while let's treat ourselves to a few moments quiet time. Use the opportunity to stop and feel grateful that we're safe and in such a fortunate position. So, next time you're feeling aggrieved that they've run out of 'your' bread or that you're having to wait to pick up the latest model of phone just stop and consider the importance of gratitude, remember how good it is to be healthy, well and fortunate enough to be in your position. Susan Leigh is a Counsellor and Hypnotherapist who works with stressed individuals to promote confidence and self belief, with couples experiencing relationship difficulties to improve communications and understanding and with business clients to support the health and motivation levels of individuals and teams. For more articles, information or to make contact please visit http://www.lifestyletherapy.net
PAGE
19
ICENI INTERVIEWS Issue 24 2015
Iceni Interviews Jay Aston (Formally of Bucks Fizz) Interview by Alex Wiseman Jay you won the 1981 Eurovision song contest with Bucks Fizz - how did this feel? It was fantastic to win the competition. When the band was preparing for the contest where you confident of winning? I didn’t think we would win but Mike did. Exciting and nerve wracking as well! I expect you are a massive fan of the Eurovision song contest - will you ever take part again? I'm not a huge fan but it's such a great show these days one has to watch. How does it feel to still be touring? I guess there are lots of fans who remember the win and all the hits but you must also be playing to the new younger audiences. How does it feel? Touring is fun and allows us to do a lot more than the hits. What's the funniest story you can tell us about being on tour? Funny things on tour?? So many - We had a tour Hamster she was at the front of the coach on her wheel. And was looked after by our wardrobe lady. Is there anything you would like to add? Really looking forward to being a four again it really makes everything look and sound better.
PAGE
20
Cheryl, Mike and Jay (formally of Bucks Fizz) with Bobby McVey, will be performing at the Lowestoft Marina Theatre on Sunday 12th April.
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
UEA'S REAL ALE SOCIETY
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
Issue 24 2015
Woodforde’s ‘taps’ Into New Generation Of Ale Drinkers
James Blackwell, founder of the UEA Real Ale Society.
Real ale increases in popularity amongst younger drinkers Woodforde’s Norfolk Ales is delighted to be supporting a new generation of real ale enthusiasts after research carried out by Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) revealed Britain’s favourite tipple is becoming increasingly popular amongst young people. The Norfolk brewer is sponsoring The University of East Anglia’s (UEA) new Real Ale Society, which was set up after the organisers identified a thirst for real ale on campus. In its first few months it already has an impressive 87 new members. CAMRA’s research discovered 28 per cent of real ale drinkers are now aged between 18 to 34 years old and each year there is an increase of the number of younger people being attracted to real ale. Rupert Farquharson, managing director of Woodforde’s comments: “It’s an absolute pleasure to be supporting the UEA’s Real Ale Society and I’m really looking forward to working with it to enhance its members’ appreciation of what a special product real ale is.
Members of the UEA Real Ale Society outside UEA’s student union.
“Woodforde’s has certainly seen a rise in the number of younger people enjoying the tasting and understanding of real ale. It’s proving a very exciting time for us as we ‘tap’ into a whole new generation of ale drinkers.”
Founder of the UEA’s Real Ale Society James Blackwell, continues: “I’m thrilled to have 87 members of the ale society so far which includes international students from the USA, Australia, Hong Kong and Latvia. “Woodforde’s has been extremely supportive to the society members by providing brewery tours, sponsoring our t-shirts and offering information.” The society holds regular meet-ups at pubs across Norfolk in a bid to keep discovering different ales and have already attended the Norwich CAMRA and Wetherspoons ale festivals. In addition the society is having preliminary discussions with the UEA’s Union to co-host their very own ale festival. If you are a UEA student and wish to join the society, please email: j.blackwell@uea.ac.uk Keep up to date with the UEA Real Ale Society by following them Facebook.com/groups/uearealale | Twitter: @uearealale
For more information about Woodforde’s visit: www.woodfordes.co.uk
PAGE
21
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
Fairy Fair 2015
ICENI - OUT & ABOUT Issue 24 2015
A unique combination of entertainment, nature and magic returns to Holt Hall this Spring
Now in its 14th year, the award winning Fairyland Trust returns with the magical Fairy Fair late spring. The Norfolk based charity with a national reputation for introducing families to flowers, wildlife and trees will run the Fairy Fair, amid the stunning 86 acres of gardens, ancient woodlands and lakes of Holt Hall, over the late May Bank Holiday weekend (24th/25th May). Tickets for the Fair, which won the Festival Kidz Gold Award for Best Day Festival in 2013, and was runner up in the Families Choice category in 2014, go on public sale from 16th March. The event, a firm favourite with families, is once again packed with magical activities to delight children and entertain all the family such as, the Trust’s renowned workshops including: Fairy Crowns, Fairy Gardens and the ever popular, Magic Wings. Wildflowers will be a major theme of the Fair this year. Sarah Wise who created the Fairy Fair says: “ Folklore tells us that Fairies like wildflowers, while natural history and science show that wildflowers are also best for bees and other wildlife. If you come to the Fairy Fair you’ll discover which the fairies favourites are - and which ones are easy to grow in your garden.” For the first time, a team of Wildflower Fairies will be on hand at the Fair to help children make their own wearable Fairy Wildflower. It’s not just flowers. Pirates are running games and there are Magic Animal Shields and Elf Sticks to make, Secret Dens to create in the Woods and a Woodland Trail to explore. The event offers plenty for all the family; children can also tend cuddly British wildlife and other magical creatures In the Fairyland Wildlife Hospital, or visit the Fairy Queen and King. The king and Queen will be residing in the woods, telling children about trees and all their magic. Budding Fairies and Elves can take part in Elf and/or Fairy Training which covers all the important elements of how to be a proper Fairy or Elf. Mum and Dad may enjoy live music and performances, plus quench their thirst in the Trusts own onsite pub, The Good Elf. Drop-in activities include building your own Fairy House in the woods, sending a post card from the Pixie Post office and the popular Fairyland Photobooth. Fairyland Trust spokeswoman Abbie Panks said “It’s been a good year overall for the Fairyland Trust, not only were we runners up in the Festival Kidz Families Choice award but we also received nominations for Best Family Day in the What’s on for Little Ones Awards*, which is a great testament to our handworking crew. On top of this we were thrilled to reach almost the halfway point in our fundraising to help us buy a piece of land to create a wildflower meadow”. The event, which has been described as ‘THE children’s event of the year’ also features Maypole Dancing, the return of Mr Pineapple Head, three story tellers, great live music, stilt-walkers and Stripy the giant Swallowtail Caterpillar . The Trust’s own Corncockle Café and a host of other local food outlets will be open to keep people fed, and for shopping there are craft stalls, selling hand-made and fairly-traded goods. Tickets are on sale to general public now, www.fairylandtrust.org with tickets priced at £10.00 for Adults, £8.50 for Children, under 3’s free. A proportion of each ticket sale goes to support the charitiy’s Fairy Meadow Fund (see http://www.fairylandtrust.org/fairy-meadow-fund/) which aims to craete new wildflower meadows which families can visit to picnic and discoveri nature. *votes can still be cast for The Fairyland Trust’s Fairy Fair at the What’s on for Little Ones website
PAGE
23
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
ICENI - NEWS Issue 24 2015
Wildworks World Premiere At Norfolk & Norwich Festival 2015 An immersive journey takes its audience deep into a world of shape-shifting humans and animals. Created specially for the enveloping dark woods of Norfolk’s Felbrigg Hall. The major theatrical highlight of this year’s Norfolk & Norwich Festival is a new commission from acclaimed outdoor theatre makers WildWorks, co-produced by Norfolk & Norwich Festival running from Tuesday 5 Saturday 23 May (except Sundays). Wolf’s Child is an immersive journey deep into the dark dense woodland surrounding Norfolk’s Felbrigg Hall. It takes its audience on a journey into a world of shape-shifting animals and humans. An original landscape theatre commission from the masters of the genre, this promises to be an unmissable theatrical experience. Created specially for the evocative woods around the National Trust property, the story is partly inspired by the Ancient Greek myth of Callisto, who became a beast and was killed by her own hunter son, and also the astonishing true story of Norfolk born Shaun Ellis, who spent two years as a fully integrated member of an Idaho wolf pack shunning all human contact. This extraordinary grown-up fairytale of love and betrayal opens in daylight against the magnificent backdrop of Felbrigg Hall. Then, as dusk approaches, the show follows an otherworldly journey through the trees to places of magical transformation; where crows talk and wolves sing, and where one disobedient serving maid discovers her inner beast. Shaun Ellis is a special consultant to WildWorks on the project. Wolf’s Child features original live music, a cast of 13 professional actors and musicians and up to 50 locally recruited participants. Bill Mitchell, WildWorks Artistic Director expanded ‘Wolf's Child is a thrilling journey from safety and security into the untamed wild.We trek deep into the woods with a woman running from ‘civilisation’, confronting untamed beasts in the wilderness, and finally our own beast within’. William Galinsky, Norfolk & Norwich Festival Artistic Director said ‘Wolf’s Child is our major commission this
year. This brand new piece of landscape theatre is being created specially for us by one of the world’s most exciting site-specific theatre companies. They have created iconic productions across the world and we’re proud to be bringing them to Norfolk.’
Wolf’s Child
Norfolk & Norwich Festival enjoys an ever-growing national and international reputation for innovative and inspirational events. It is one of the UK’s big four arts festivals and one of the oldest, being able to trace its roots back to 1772. WildWorks create site-specific theatre that responds to landscapes and the stories within them; their most recent piece at The Lost Gardens of Heligan was part of the national 14-18 NOW programme and their critically-acclaimed The Passion with Michael Sheen drew an audience of over 25,000 to the streets of Port Talbot. From their base in Cornwall they have taken work us all around the world, hosting workshops in Palestine, leaping off harbour walls in Newcastle or awakening castles in Belgium.
The 2015 Norfolk & Norwich Festival runs from 8 - 24 May. ‘One of the outstanding theatrical events not only of this year, but of the decade’ Susannah Clapp,The Observer on WildWorks’ The Passion Full info and tickets for all Norfolk & Norwich Festival events at www.nnfestival.org.uk Box office 01603 766400
PAGE
25
ICENI - COMPETITION
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
Issue 24 2015
Not All Aquariums Are The Same. This One Definitely Isn’t. Perhaps you’ve always liked the idea of keeping fish, but didn’t know where to start? Then a biOrb is for you. They’re easy to set up and look after. Take a look at www.biorb.co.uk and you’ll discover how easy it is to enjoy the relaxing hobby of keeping fish.
You don’t need to be an aquatics expert to enjoy a biOrb Everything you’ll need to get started is included. Built-in LED lighting, a pump, filter and easy to follow full colour instructions. You’ll soon be having fun creating aquascapes inside your new biOrb. Here’s the truth about aquarium filters The truth is, fish waste sinks. That’s why (unlike a lot of aquariums) a biOrb filter is at the bottom. It works where there is most to filter. In case you’re wondering, the filters are easy to change. They simply click in and out. It only takes a minute. 10 times stronger than a glass aquarium biOrbs are made from acrylic, it’s ten times stronger than glass, but did you know it’s also clearer? Look at these two pieces side by side. Acrylic has a transparency rate of 93% but glass only allows 70% of light to pass through. Customers have said “it’s like watching my fish in high definition”. Designed to be healthy biOrbs have been independently tested by the world renowned University of Veterinary Medicine in Hannover, Germany. Their 16 page in-depth report ensures that a biOrb is a healthy home for your fish.
Engineered to last Every part of your biOrb has been tested and is designed to last. What’s more, every new biOrb is backed by a 12 month guarantee.
PAGE
26
There’s a biOrb for every home biOrbs come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours. Visit your local aquatics store today or see them all at www.biorb.co.uk So if you’ve ever caught yourself admiring a beautiful aquarium and secretly wishing that you could own one, then a biOrb is for you. You’ll enjoy keeping fish and relax as you gaze into their magical weightless world. And you’ll be delighted by how easy it is.
Visit: www.biOrb.co.uk
ICENI - COMPETITION
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
Issue 24 2015
Win This Biorb Life 30 Litre Aquarium Worth £254.88 This is your chance to win a 30 litre red biOrb LIFE aquarium for your home. Simply answer the following question.
ION QUEST biOrbs are made from acrylic, not glass. What is the transparency rate of acrylic? a)10%
b)60%
c)93%
To enter the prize draw email you answer and contact details to competitions@icenimagazine.co.uk Please state in the subject line ‘BiOrb’ Closing date for entries is 14/05/2015.
The winner will be chosen at random on the 15/05/2015. The winner will be notified by Email. The prize is a 30 litre red biOrb LIFE aquarium and will be delivered to a UK address. Décor, plants and fish not included. No cash alternative. No correspondence will be entered into. Usual Iceni Magazine rules apply. Editors Decision is final.
PAGE
27
GOGODRAGONS!
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
Issue 24 2015
GoGoDragons! Update.
Following the success of GoGoGorillas! in 2013, Break Charity is firing up our City centre with a blaze of dragons, this summer, bringing visitors to Norwich, embracing creativity and ultimately raising funds with an auction at the end of the event.
The education partner for this project is The Forum Trust who are adding value to the project by extending this exciting event through to schools, with a medium sized dragon, an additional cross curricular pack and training. This provides many educational and community groups with the opportunity to learn more about the mythical, historical and local connections of Dragons, as well as embrace the creative skills needed to decorate the 3D form. They will also learn about how the money raised will help vulnerable children, young people and families across East Anglia. These dragons will hit the streets of Norwich on 4th July, and will be clustered in The Forum, Intu Chapelfield, Castle Mall, Norwich Lanes and some local independents. The dragon designs were submitted by artists in November 2014 when sponsors had the opportunity to look at all the designs and choose their favourite one. The artists are all full steam ahead now and many of the designs have been completed. During January – May, some sponsors are revealing their design at a prestigious event or activity to promote their business, whilst others are keeping it completely quiet until the big launch in June. The themes of the designs fit into the following categories - Norwich & Norfolk inspired; Characters; Nature inspired; Cult inspired; Elements and Pattern. The variety of chosen designs include: watercolour, acrylic, mosaic tiles, car parts, eagle head, rhinestones, tuppences, 3D modeling and much, much more! PAGE
28
During the trail there are activities all over the city which are dragon related which can be followed on the dragon Facebook page, Twitter feed, Instagram or the website. The Heritage Dragons will each have their own activities ranging from medieval calligraphy, flint knapping to musical soirees and puppetry skills. Norwich City Council will be running Playday activities throughout the summer holidays with a dragon theme, as well as The Forum and Intu-Chapelfield with their individual events for children. Up-to-date information can be found on our website. There will be a trail map to find all the locations and we are working on a weekend bus ride with a bus ride to get to the dragons placed a little further out of the city centre. The trail will give the participant a series of codes that will in turn allow them to enter a competition for an incredible far flung prize in association with KLM and Norwich International Airport. This activity will be supported by an App that allows the trail maker to find out more about Break Charity, the artist and sponsor alike, and can be downloaded later in the year. Merchandise is available through our partners Jarrolds of Norwich including GoGoMinis! which are replicas of five large GoGoDragons! Collection boxes can be downloaded through our website to allow you to collect loose change and help donate to Break Charity too. The event culminates in a last chance to see all the dragons outside The Forum on 27-30th September and then the auction with T W Gaze and Jake Humphrey on Thursday 1st October 2015. Tickets for this will be available to purchase via our website.
Logo credit: osbornenash
GoGoDragons! is a Wild in Art event brought to Norwich by Break Charity, the presenting partner Norwich BID, together with supporting partners Almary Green and Aspiration Europe. Each of the 80 plus large dragon sculptures is sponsored by a local business, trust or group. Seven sculptures are Heritage related dragons, painted and designed by artists and community groups. The GoGoDragons! trail starts on 21st June and ends on 5th September 2015.
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
THE WAYLAND SHOW Issue 24 2015
What’s On At The Wayland Show? The Wayland Agricultural Show, one of the UK’s longest running traditional agricultural shows in the UK, returns to Watton in Norfolk from 10am on Sunday 2nd August 2015 to provide families with a fun-filled, dynamic and educational day out in the Norfolk countryside. “With a packed schedule of entertainment there’s something for everyone. This is countryside entertainment and education at its best - and even better, this family day out raises money for local charities in the area,” says chairman Ian Whettingsteel. What’s NEW to see & do? For all you daredevils out there, new this year at The Wayland Show, you can watch the Bolddog Lings motorcycle display team perform. British Scurry & Trials Driving brings a great competition to the main arena finishing its championship to find the Wayland Scurry Trials Champion for 2015. Watch ponies and carriages fly around an obstacle course against the clock for the ‘Arena Challenge.' Marvel at the skill of the drivers, the bravery of the grooms and the agility of the ponies. Animal lovers are in for more treats with appearances from the Mid Norfolk Gun Dog display and also the Dunston Harriers Hunt, which is new to The Wayland Show this year.
Picture credit:- Jungle PR Ltd
Proving a memorable sight at the Wayland Show last year, if you want to see something that’s going to get your adrenaline pumping then Nick Houghton will be providing the thrills with not just one, but two daring aerobatic displays in his Pitts S1-11B Biplane! As usual, the traditional livestock competitions will be taking place with sheep, pigs and cattle all lining up to be judged. In addition see cattle, sheep, pigs, fur and feather livestock competitions, sheepdog trials, Beagles, vintage vehicles and arts and crafts. Also look out for the horse riding competitions throughout the day. Look out for the annualTaste of Norfolk,Arts & Crafts, Fur & Feather, Horticulture and Home marquees and the many trade displays will ensure an unmissable day out. Ticket prices are: Adults (17+) £15 or £11 online. Children (5-16) £5 or £4 online. Under 5s free. Concessions £12 or £9 online. Family ticket (2 adults + 2 children) £35 or £26 online. Car parking is free.
Also new, is a display that features two stars from the ITV programme ‘The Dales’, Carol and Philip Mellin.The Mother and son duo run are the owners of highly-skilled sheep dogs who feature in their act. The Wayland Show takes place at Brandon Road, Watton in Norfolk. SatNav users should use A new Health & Wellbeing Marquee is new to IP25 6NG. the Show which is being supported by Total For more information visit: Health Pharmacy. Look out for the five zones www.waylandshow.com or which will include health, spiritual, active, creative and performance. follow: @WaylandShow on twitter. PAGE
29
ICENI INTERVIEWS
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
Issue 24 2015
Iceni Interviews John Challis
Aka 'Boycie' From Only Fools and Horses Interview by Alex Wiseman John Challis you have been an actor a number of years but what's your biggest achievement? I've been an actor for over 50 years and appeared in hundreds of TV shows, but I will forever be remembered as Boycie. Don't ask me why I'm so inextricably linked with him, but it can be very hard to convince people that I'm capable of doing other stuff! I suppose I'm proud to have created such a popular character but I'm also proud to have been a player in both the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre. When my Mum was still alive she was overjoyed that her boy had acted with the likes of Diana Rigg and Ian Holm and done 'proper' stage work for Tom Stoppard. That’s what impressed her, not 'that telly stuff'! Now I've reached this stage in my life I consider it an achievement to have survived at all in this cut throat business! Only Fools and Horses is one of the most popular and best loved shows of all time but what is your most favourite episode both to watch and for you to star in? I love Jolly Boy's Outing because of the great memories, and the music! It makes me feel very nostalgic and I find it hard to believe that Ken and Roger and Buster are no longer with us. We all had such a great time down in Margate and it really was like going on a trip to the seaside with your mates. I suppose that Winning Streak and Strained Relations were good episodes for my character and we had a lot of laughs doing them both. In the séance scene where you learn that Boycie's real name is Aubrey, we all found it hard to keep straight faces. You can often see David suppressing a smile and that's the secret of a good scrip - If the words make you laugh at first reading then you're on to a winner. Mine (AW) was the Jolly Boys Outing - I bet that was a lot of fun to make!
PAGE
30
One of the reasons Fools and Horses was so popular was the most amazing cast that was in it. Have you got any funny stories about the national treasure that is Sir David Jason and the rest of the cast? It sometimes happens when the right group of actors come together, that there is an immediate rapport, and we were lucky enough to have hit it right. It would have been different if Jim Broadbent had been able to play the part of Del and fortunate for us that he turned it down! He was much better as Slater. I can't imagine anyone else but David and Nick as Del and Rodney and I think they are as great a double act as Laurel and Hardy or Morecambe and Wise. OFAH was a very hard school, especially if David was sitting behind the camera watching you do your scene, trying hard to put you off by pulling funny faces and making wry comments! There wasn't much time for anything else except learning your lines for the next day and filming was pretty intense. Most laughs on set were to be had from reaction shots and I always thought that the best scenes were in the Nag's Head when all the gang was together and we could bounce off each other. John, you and your on screen wife Marlene (Sue Holderness) always lit up the screen when performing together - how much did you enjoy working with her and do you miss it? Sue and I had never met before she came into the series in 'Sleeping Dogs Lie’. She had never met any of us before and yet she was asked to snog Del and be my wife all at once! She's a smashing little actress and it was to her credit that she made such a good impression on Sullivan and all of us that
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
she was asked back again. Thank Gawd for that! We know each other so well after all this time that we just dovetail whenever we work together, so I guess that's why we enjoy doing stage work as a couple, mostly Alan Ayckbourn plays. We’ve even done a panto, she as good fairy and me as the villain! People think we are married in real life but in fact we have our respective partners and we are all great friends. We've even been on holiday together. The biggest thing for us was being asked by John Sullivan if we'd like to have our own series. He’d always loved Boycie and Marlene and he wanted to explore and expand their characters and relationship. We had the best time doing The Green Green Grass and we certainly do miss all that. When the last episode was filmed (Sleepless in Peckham) how did you feel? Sad, very sad. It was the greatest thrill to have been part of such an iconic show and it felt like saying goodbye forever to your family. We have lost so many of our number and I think most of us would like it to have gone on forever. Others thought it should have ended when Del and Rodney became millionaires but I always thought it was right to come full circle, back to where they had been happiest. That final studio recording was one of the most emotional evenings of my life. The audience gave us an endless standing ovation and we were in tears, all of us, to a man. Of course that wasn't the last time we saw you. The Green Green Grass introduced Boycie and Marlene to a new generation. It was bright and funny. I seem to remember reading once that the set was in fact your house is that true? If so it must have been great travelling to work...! The Green Green Grass was the perfect job. We filmed the location shots around Ludlow in Shropshire where I live, so the company came up to us for a few weeks and treated it like a holiday in the country, The production team looked long and hard for the ideal home for Boycie and Marlene, but in the end they came back and said that my own house was the one they liked best! The location base was in the village and Sue stayed with us, so in the morning we literally piled out of the back door into the car to take us down to make up! The rest of the cast stayed at the Feathers in Ludlow and kept the bartender busy into the wee small hours, never mind the early morning calls. The interior shots were filmed at Teddington Studios in front of a studio audience and the exterior shots were played in on the screens in sequence, so you got the full episode. The whole experience was an eye opener for Sue and me as we became very aware of the responsibility you feel for your company, and the expectancy from all quarters for you to make the show a success. I began to see why David and Nick took it also seriously..
ICENI INTERVIEWS Issue 24 2015
Before I ask about your tour, I must ask how much fun did you have filming your recent stint on ITVs Benidorm? I thoroughly enjoyed your character...I hope we see more in the future. Derren Litten who writes Benidorm also wrote for Green Green Grass, so he knows how I work! I’m just so glad that he gave me the opportunity to play a different character in Monty and it was quite an experience to fly out to Benidorm to become part of another very close knit family. I would love to come back for Series 8 so let's hope that I made an impression. I certainly started something with Monty's catchphrase 'Chips AND rice'! Now on to your one man Tour - 'Only Fools and Boycie'. What's the idea behind it? And are you enjoying meeting the fans? I am always asked how I started out in the acting business and as it was such a long time ago, there are a lot of tales to tell about my journey. I put a one man show together when I was invited on a P&O cruise as an after dinner speaker and people seemed to enjoy my anecdotes, especially about Only Fools and Horses. Since then I have written my autobiography and as I have self-published It seemed a good idea to combine the show with a book signing meet and greet, and take it on the road. I’ve also embraced the world of social media, even though I'm a terrible old technophobe and I love meeting Twitter followers and fans of Only Fools and Horses on the way round. I finish this tour in Norwich and Lyme Regis and then take a six month break before another tour of twenty five dates. If anyone can't get to see my show Only Fools and Boycie and would like a signed copy of my autobiography which is in two parts, they can order from my website www.wigmorebooks.com I have also written two novels which are an extension of Green Green Grass, in that they are stories I had gathered together for John Sullivan for Series 5 of GGG which never happened! I created a new character called Reggie who is a combination of me and Boycie and someone I met when I moved to the country and they're tall tales of country life. Give them a go, as I'm writing a third one in the series!
PAGE
31
MOTORING REVIEW
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
Issue 24 2015
Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1750 TBi TCT Quadrifoglio Verde By Tim Barnes-Clay, Motoring Journalist www.carwriteups.co.uk Twitter: @carwriteups Italian is a romance language and the car manufacturer, Alfa Romeo, seems to embody the beautiful, poetic, origin of its mother tongue. Colloquially known simply as Alfa, the brand has been involved in motor racing since 1911, and has a reputation for producing sharp sports cars. These days, the Alfa Romeo name is part of the Turin based Fiat Group and, although still very sports oriented, its attention is now just as focused on the smaller family car market. So, what kind of family motorist is going to visit an Alfa Romeo dealership? A very cool mum or dad - that’s who. After all, why pay money for a Vauxhall Astra or Ford Focus when you can lay down a deposit on a gorgeous Giulietta?
PAGE
32
According to a recent survey of British drivers, the fivedoor hatchback is one of the best motors in the UK. The well-dressed Giulietta seems to have caught the imagination of motorists with its mix of flair, drivability and handling. And, I have to say, I don’t disagree. In all honesty, the animated Alfa Romeo lives up to the spin and it deserves the praise heaped upon it. The very fact it’s won over thousands of UK fans, shows "the proof of the pudding is in the eating!" Yes, indeed, you really need to get into the driver’s seat and connect with this Italian-born beauty to see what she’s all about. I did just that with the flagship Giulietta - the 1750 TBi TCT Quadrifoglio Verde. Okay, this hot-hatch variant probably isn’t going to be the first choice for a family. It’s more in competition with a Vauxhall Astra VXR or Ford Focus RS - but if you’re a petrolhead parent then, why not?
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
Its powerful turbocharged petrol engine has been hauled straight from Alfa’s two-seater, rear-wheel drive 4C Coupé. Add a dual-clutch auto box and the result is zero to 62mph in 6.6 very sexy seconds – along with a top speed of 152mph.
MOTORING REVIEW Issue 24 2015
PROS • Attractive • Different • Powerful
CONS • Average boot capacity
The pumped up Giulietta gives you an adrenaline rush if you ask for it; just blip the accelerator pedal and you’re off. Lean in to the corners and the car will tuck in and stick to the road like the wheels are on rails. But choose to drive as though you have all the time in the world and the Alfa will burble along without any disinclination at all. Best of all, the Alfa Romeo looks utterly chic when it’s parked outside your house. Even though the Giulietta’s been about for a few years, people still turn to marvel at it.
FAST FACTS • Max speed: 152 mph • 0-62 mph: 6.6 secs • Combined mpg: 40.4 • Engine: 1742 cc, 4 cylinder, 16 valve, turbocharged petrol • Max. power (bhp): 237 • Max. torque (Ib.ft): 250 • CO2: 162 g/km • Price: £28,120 on the road
Of course, the 1750 TBi 240bhp TCT Quadrifoglio Verde doesn’t exactly blend in; it sticks out - but in a good way – and it’ll be a car you’ll never get tired of looking at. You’ll always be glad you bought it and you’ll love getting behind the wheel, with or without any rug-rats in the back.
PAGE
33
HAUNTED NORFOLK
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
Issue 24 2015
HAUNTED NORFOLK Are you sitting Credit: Jon Clifton www.joncliftonphotographyanddesign.co.uk
Well that won’t do. Because this piece is intended to have you shifting uneasily in your chair. Very uneasily infact. Because it’s about things that go bump in the night down Norfolk way. And there are plenty of stories to share. People, places, strange and unexplained happenings and haunting a’plenty from all over Norfolk, said by some to be the most haunted county in England. Norfolk has been, is, and will always be, it seems, a popular place of residence for both the living and the dead. And not just for the likes of you, I and our long gone, if not quite forgotten ancestors. Take the legend that is Black Shuck for example. Shuck is a ghostly black dog of frighteningly large proportions said to roam the lonely coastline of Norfolk by night with the occasional detour taken inland whenever the impulse takes him. The story itself is a familiar one all over the UK. Shuck’s name has also been the subject of terrified whispers in Suffolk, Essex and the Cambridgeshire Fens. In 1577 he is said to have burst through the closed doors of the Holy Trinity Church in Blythburgh to an accompanying clap of thunder, causing the deaths of a two people as he ran up the nave, the church PAGE
34
comfortably? steeple collapsing in his wake. Should you ever have reason to cross the border and visit Blythburgh, take a look at the door of the Church where, to this day, the claw marks and scorched wood that denoted his presence on that fateful day can still be seen. There was a rich belief in Norfolk that no-one can ever set eyes upon Black Shuck and live to tell the tale. Indeed, whenever someone was on their deathbed, the popular refrain “...the black dog is at his heels” would be whispered at the bedside. In Sheringham during the 1920’s and 1930’s fishermen, folk not usually taken by flights of fancy, often reported hearing loud and unearthly howls emanating from the cliff tops on stormy nights whilst, as recently as 1970, a huge black hound was seen pounding the shoreline on a wet and windswept night in Great Yarmouth. Mock the tales if you will. But which of you would patrol one of our beaches, alone, on a dark, lonely and storm ridden night if only to disprove his existence? No doubt many of you enjoyed the BBC’s recent adaptation of the novel Wolf Hall? One of the stories chief protagonists, the tragic Queen Anne Boleyn is said to haunt the grounds
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
of Blickling Hall with her arrival, by ghostly coach re-enacted annually on the Anniversary of her execution. She arrives at the house, driven there by a headless coachman-yet the ever regal Anne is, at least, slightly more fortunate than her driver as it is said that she carries her severed, still bleeding head with her as she descends from the coach at the main entrance to the Hall. A much talked about spectral tale in the 1970’s centered on the old squash courts at the old RAF base in Bircham Newton. It had since been converted into a training centre for the construction industry yet, in and around those courts, the events of World War Two never quite went away with tales of ghostly games of squash being played there at night time long after the base became home to students rather than servicemen and women. One night, despite the courts being locked up and in darkness, some returning students heard the sound of a boisterous game in process within. The story goes that some US Airmen had, prior to a bombing mission, agreed to meet there afterwards for a game but, sadly, never returned-at least physically. Were the sounds heard by the students on that long, dark night those of the airmen’s ghosts finally enjoying their long overdue game? A popular destination for many visitors to Norwich is the Maids Head Hotel. It is a building rich in history, so much so that you can feel it all around you whenever you are in the building and have reason to wander its large rooms and long corridors. Part of it dates back to the 13thcentury and it is believed that, in 1587, Queen Elizabeth spent a night in the building on one of her numerous tours of the nation. No ghostly sightings of the Virgin Queen have been shared but there have been many others reported there, including that of a woman dressed in grey whose presence is accompanied by a strong scent of lavender. Thus, even if you do not see her, be aware of that scent, one which indicates her gentle presence as she takes one of her sedate walks around this atmospheric building. The Ship Hotel in Brancaster is supposedly haunted by the ghost of the young Lord Nelson’s Nanny whilst, in Thetford, the fifteenth century Bell Hotel has a main suite bedroom that is said to be haunted by a hooded monk. Down on the ground floor of The Bell there are often reports of sightings of Elizabeth
HAUNTED NORFOLK Issue 24 2015
Radcliffe, a onetime landlady, still, it would seem, intent upon watching over her former residence. The Bell is also the scene of countless unexplained ‘happenings’ such as a feeling of being watched else a chill in the atmosphere or unexplained and heavy footsteps, all things which contribute to its reputation as one of the most haunted buildings in the county and one well worth a visit if you fancy a spot of ghost hunting. Elm Hill in Norwich is the scene of the ghost of Father Ignatius, a holy man who, it is said, placed curses whilst he was living on several folk who subsequently died. Forced to leave the City by enraged locals, his spirit now walks Elm Hill in the twilight, carrying a large black Bible in his hand as he continues to harass and curse those who would be unwary of his presence. Norwich Castle was the site of a haunting in the early part of the nineteenth century when the prisoners being held there were reported to have been “scared half to death” by something which was recorded as being ‘indescribable’-a chilling thought in itself. The Castle is still the location of several modern day ghost stories with museum staff reporting sightings of an old lady said to float around the grounds. There is a story that says the hill on which the castle proudly stands conceals the grave of an ancient King, buried alongside his hoard of silver and gold. Is anyone prepared to disturb the spirits of the Castle by taking a closer look? Finally, if you find yourself travelling the road between Fakenham and Norwich, be aware of the strange tale of the black wolf, a relative of our old friend Shuck perhaps? It was reportedly seen by a driver who said that, as he passed, it slowly and very deliberately looked up from the carrion it was feeding upon to meet and fix its eyes upon his, before returning to its kill. There’s a good dog. More stories of haunted Norfolk in your next Iceni. If you have any of your own you would like to tell please let Ed know c/o the magazine. _______________ Edward Couzens-Lake for Iceni Magazine.
PAGE
35
CYCLISTS WANTED!!
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
Issue 24 2015
Cyclists Wanted !!
Pictured on the left John Wilde and Terry Hickman-Smith from Wymondham Rotary on the right.
HRH Princess Katherine, Duchess of Cambridge, has opened an appeal for a fund to build a new children's hospice at Framingham, near Norwich, to be called 'The Nook'.
This new hospice is to replace the one at Quidenham which has served well but is no longer fit for purpose. In response an appeal has gone out to all cyclists, of any age or ability, to join Lion John Wilde and Rotarian Terry Hickman-Smith in a cycle ride in aid of EACH. Wymondham Lions and Rotary Clubs are promoting this cycle ride around the EACH hospices over 4 days and are asking for volunteers to join them for a day, or part of a day, to help raise money for EACH. As always with the Lions and Rotary all proceeds will go to the charity, plus the total amount raised is in line for a Rotary District top up grant. More details may be obtained from John at jamwilde@hotmail.com
The ride will be split into 4 legs :April 28th 10.00 Quidenham - Tree House, Ipswich 40m April 29th 9.30 Ipswich - Milton, Cambridge 60m April 30th 9.30Milton - Quidenham 60m May 1st 10.00 Quidenham - The Nook, Framingham 25m As Lion John said he thought Sir Wiggo could probably complete the 180 miles on a kiddies tricycle without turning a hair but as John has only ever cycled 30 miles once, and that was many years ago, this was going to be a real test of determination, stamina and saddle comfort so any support will be very much appreciated. Terry is a year older than when he did a similar madcap stunt last year, and his legs and lungs feel older too! If anyone would like to sponsor John and Terry they can send a cheque, payable to Wymondham Lions, with Nook cycle ride on the reverse, to John Wilde, 4A Norwich Road, Tacolneston, NR16 1DJ or on line at http://virginmoneygiving.com/fund/nookcycleride EACH would be grateful if donors could indicate whether they are a UK tax payer and if Gift Aid, allowing HMRC to add a further 25% to the donation, may be claimed. PAGE
36
SOCIAL MEDIA
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
Issue 24 2015
The Benefits Of Using A Scheduling Calendar Twitter is great for giving you the immediacy of keeping your followers updated with everything you're doing, as you're doing it - but sometimes you need a helping hand organising the tweets you propose to send or upcoming events you want to take part in. This is where a scheduling calendar can help. So what do you need to be able to do this yourself? You could use a simple Excel or Numbers spreadsheet or even a private Google Calendar or iCal Calendar. If you use an Excel or Numbers spreadsheet you could have columns for the days of the week and rows denoting the time of day - then within these note your tweet/event or reminder and any additional, relevant #hashtag or @eventusername. So what are the potential benefits of having a scheduling calendar? 1. See content types A scheduling calendar allows you to quickly see the range of content types you plan to share - i.e. News updates, tweets on new website content, competitions/ offers or local events. If you colour code these it'll also help you see quickly what you've got planned and if you've got a good balance of content. 2. Track important events Populate your calendar with dates important to your business. Set up reminders prior to the date to give yourself time for prepare for these or build up follower anticipation. Don't forget to reference a future events' #hashtag or @eventusername that you can then use on your tweets. These increase your chances of your tweet getting retweeted and if you use the event #hashtag you will be included in the general conversation surrounding the event and potentially increase your reach.
Include national holidays that may affect your business and decide if you need to schedule new tweets during this time or repurpose old ones. 3. Forward planning contributions Use the calendar as a work allocation calendar for your contributors - for example if they're going to an event and will be responsible for tweeting while there or you're having blog posts written which you want to link to. 4. Determining what content works By using a combination of Google analytics, url shortener information and Twitter analytics you can determine which tweets get the most impressions and engagement (follows, retweets, conversation or click throughs) you can then use this information to adjust your publishing schedule, as well as the type of content you share. 5. Expand your calendars coverage Your scheduling calendar doesn't have to be restricted to just Twitter. You could expand it to also display content you intend to post on other social media platforms enabling you to ensure you've got a coherent and workable strategy across all your social media platforms. Summary Whatever application you decide to use for your scheduling calendar you can be sure that this will prove helpful. Let's be clear though a scheduling calendar should not mean that you stop spontaneous tweeting, far from it - a scheduling calendar just helps you forward plan and focus content where necessary. If you want help planning your social media strategy don't hesitate to get in touch with me at http://paulkirkdesign.co.uk or at @PKirk_designer
PAGE
37
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
NOVA SILVER Issue 24 2015
There’s been much excitement over the last month here at Nova HQ, as we’ve been delving into the history of our building. What was meant to be a brief venture into our attic to check for storage space for our archived accounts has resulted in the discovery of accounts dating back a hundred years, as well lots of other bits and pieces, including original gas lamps that would have been hanging before the 2nd World War! There’s been a lot of local interest in our discoveries, most particularly in a ledger we’ve discovered which details the sales of cocaine and opium in 1918, detailing a very particular period in time between over the counter availability and being made illegal. The History of 6 Lower Goat Lane
We have been inspired to do a bit of research through public records (thanks to the Norfolk Heritage Centre at the Forum) and have discovered that our shop was a tailors in 1883, which is as far back as their records go. Sometime before 1895 it then became a Boots Cash Chemist right up until around 1958, at which point it became a Turf Accountants.
We know that the top half of Lower Goat Lane was destroyed by a bomb during the WW2, and that 6 Lower Goat Lane was the last shop in the row to survive. The idea that our finds were quietly sitting in the attic whilst the world changed around them has really inspired us, and we’ve been encouraging other shops in the area to have a nose around in their attics and cellars; who knows what may turn up! We’d also love to hear from anyone who may remember any of the incarnations our shop has been over the years, so get in touch at: info@novasilver.co.uk.
Contact Details:
Email: info@novasilver.co.uk Visit: www.novasilver.co.uk
Telephone Trade Enquiries: 01603 305799
PAGE
39
M&S SPRING/SUMMER Issue 24 2015
M&S Sculpt and Lift Jeans™ From £35 www.marksandspencer.com
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
DENIM S INNOVATION ! FOR SPRING
Sculpt and Lift Jeans™ These jeans offer an ultra-flattering fit and feature curved darts and seams to flatter the silhouette. High power stretch fabric ensures superior shape retention and the innovative back stitching lifts and sculpts the bottom. Available in four shapes to fit your style: skinny, straight leg, jegging and slim bootcut. PAGE
40
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
M&S SPRING/SUMMER Issue 24 2015
M&S Dual FX From £25
Dual FX
www.marksandspencer.com
Combining two different types of Lycra® gives both high stretch and recovery power to produce the most comfortable jeans, which will retain their shape over time.
DENIM S INNOVATION ! FOR SPRING PAGE
41
ICENI - MUSIC
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
Issue 24 2015
Mini Mansions At UEA Review by Jessie Quick
Entering the stage in three quirky suits, standing beneath three atmospheric spotlights, Indie pop band Mini Mansions supported Royal Blood at the UEA on March 5th. Who are they? They are a mix of distortion, psychedelic modernism, and a dreamy shot of nostalgic pop music. Shall we? Founded in 2009, Mini Mansions have since been compared to The Beatles and Fountains of Wayne. Lead Vocalist Michael Shuman, who wore an all white suit throughout is former backing vocalist, and bass guitarist from American rock band Queens of the Stone Age. It’s a pretty big deal for Mini Mansions to tour with Royal Blood who have previously won a Brit award in London for Best British Group. The pressure must have been on for the boys, but they hid it well! At first I didn’t quite get it, I found the performance very static and tranquil- not the usual for a supporting act whose aim is to open the show. However, as I stood there swaying to the soft vibrations that escaped from their instruments and into my ears, it clicked. Mini Mansions were the perfect supporting band for Royal Blood, why? Because had they of given an abrupt, energetic piece, the whole gig at UEA would of felt monotone, heavy and repetitive. In fact the contrast between the two bands complimented each other. The performance was calm and simplistic for an indie pop band, but perhaps this is what separates them from everyone else. PAGE
42
MM did indeed make a statement; everything about the performance was very mellow and effortless, yet it worked. Shuman starts with soft vocals and simple piano chords. The three spotlights were static upon the boys who also remained stationary during the night. Tyler Parkford on the far left on vocals and keyboard, Michael Shuman center stage on the drums and lead vocals and Zach Dawes on the right on the bass gave a very symmetrical image. Don’t get me wrong, the piece was far from unexciting, after all there were moments of disruption when bassist Dawes shocks the crowd by playing his guitar with his tongue and teeth (I couldn’t work out which one was moving the strings) there is certainly nothing dull about that. All of their songs are said to tell a story, this is something I don’t like to research because it would be like knowing the end of a book before reading the journey, I recommend listening to some of their songs and writing a story yourself. Crime of the season and The room outside were well performed and satisfying to tune into. To wind-up their performance, they finished with Freak Out, a song that works well with the band’s esoteric sounds. It’s pop, it’s art, it’s rock and it’s also a very catchy track. There really is something madly intriguing about Mini Mansions, they are different, they are individual and there is no doubt they are talented.
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
ICENI - MUSIC Issue 24 2015
Rag ‘n’ Bone Man at The Waterfront 19th March Review by Jessie Quick Think Johnny Cash meets Meatloaf… and that’s Rag ‘n’ Bone Man. Soul singer from Sussex who started off his tour in Norwich at The Waterfront on 19th March, is the one watch. His striking beard, tattooed skin and raw voice sum up the singer in a few words, labeling his genre as ‘Hip hop soul blues funk’ you get a sense of his varied musical influence. Rory Graham aka Rag ‘n’ Bone Man brings back the blues and soul to our lives in a modernized form without diluting the beauty of the deep-rooted blues and soul music. He instantly captures your attention as a top quality example of a genre that perhaps isn’t represented these days as much as it should be. Just an hour and half before the gig started, the heavily tattooed musician posted to his social media fans ‘Just got inked’- at Inkaddiction tattoo studios Norwich. He gets cooler when during his performance he was drinking whiskey on stage, re-enforcing the sound of his ‘cigar-and whiskey voice.’ What a top bloke. Entering the stage with his band and 2 backing singers, opening the gig with Hard Came the Rainfrom new album Disfigured, it really reflects the singer’s flexible voice. The song feels like a mix of The Wild West and Rock, and is definitely up there with my favourites. The voice that exited his mouth cut through the atmosphere like a knife, making it the most impressive live performance I have seen to date, he rocked the stage like he was rocking his beard. Slower melodies were also present and filled with emotion. The song Disfigured (by which his album is named) in particularly displays the rawness of his voice. In fact his supporting act quoted ‘He is awesome, his voice sounds like he snorts gravel’, I couldn’t of put it better myself. The musician stopped the band half way through and performed acapella for the crowd. This was the perfect opportunity for him to really demonstrate his distinctive voice. It really cements just how versatile
his pipes can be, as it layered thick with different textures and harmonies that reel you into witness the wholesome depths to his blues inspired voice. All songs are the complete opposite from monotone and consist of their own identities which is just one of the reasons to appreciate his music. Other songs performed were, Let her go, Perfume, Lay my body down, Wolves and Put that soul on me. The evident chemistry between him and his band really echoes to us, and it is incredible how they take the songs back to their roots and emphasis the soulful status. Covering one of the biggest gospel songs Mary Maryshackles (praise you) with his band and backing singers really brought the room to life, with everyone knowing the song and loving his blues take on it. When the gig was over, he was called back on stage and performed his final song Paint it red. Shying away from mainstream, the blues infused singer has managed to seamlessly merge two genres and educate listeners to a genre that deserves much more recognition. He continues to succeed to make blues more relatable for a modern audience, broadening his fans greatly. I can confidently argue Rag ‘n’ Bone Man has won over his loyal fans and attracted a wider audience. By the end of the performance I was admittedly a Rag ‘n’ Bone Man enthusiast, and there is certainly a gap in the music industry for a talented musician like him. I look forward to seeing his career flourish and I will be following him throughout. PAGE
43
MOTORING NEWS
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
Issue 24 2015
All-New Jeep Renegade By Tim Barnes-Clay, Motoring Journalist www.carwriteups.co.uk Twitter: @carwriteups
You know when you rip open a packet of your favourite sweets? It’s a naughty treat - and it makes you feel a little excited, doesn’t it? Well, the new Jeep Renegade gives you the same feeling. The funky Renegade is Jeep’s first entry into the small sport utility vehicle (SUV) segment and I got to drive a bunch of them (not at the same time) across a sunny (yes, sunny!!) beach near Edinburgh. The car is aimed at youthful and adventurous car buyers – and the colours back that up. The yellow, orange, blue and green fleet on my press trip looked like a bunch of skittles (the sweets, not the game) with a wheel at each corner. The overall appearance is rugged, yet chic, thanks to a combination of the brand’s classic styling cues, such as the seven slot grille, round headlamps and trapezoidal wheel arches that blend with the fresh, modern look. Inside, the Jeep edges towards premium. Functional details crafted from high quality materials and
PAGE
44
innovative colours ensure the Renegade is likely to become a polished addition to your life. It’ll be a practical one too, courtesy of best-in-class interior space and clever, functional storage areas. Equipment has been designed to boost on-board comfort. Advanced tech includes a touchscreen for infotainment – and a range of options includes two lightweight panels known as ‘My Sky’. These panels can be easily removed and stowed in the boot for an open-air experience. There are different powertrain combinations, each of which offers a combination of efficiency and performance. The two MultiAir II petrol engines with a 1.6 and 1.4 capacity are nippy, then there’s a punchier pair of turbo diesels in either 1.6 or 2.0 litre guise. There are also five and six-speed manual gearboxes, a dual dry clutch transmission and a nine-speed automatic gearbox. Available with two or four-wheel drive the Renegade boasts two new, advanced 4x4 systems too: Jeep Active Drive and Jeep Active Drive Low.
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
MOTORING NEWS Issue 24 2015
The new 4x4 gadgetry supplies the proper amount of torque for any driving situation, ensuring safety even in the slipperiest conditions. It certainly worked a treat on the private beach (oo’er missus) I found myself on in Scotland. The rear axle disconnect system seamlessly switches between two and four-wheel-drive to guarantee traction. The Jeep Renegade range has four trim levels: Sport, Longitude, Limited and Trailhawk. There’s also a fifth, limited model - if you hurry. Funnily enough it’s called the ‘Opening Edition’ and is only available now-ish while sales are in their early stages. Although the Sport is the entry to the range, it features a high level of spec. Standard equipment includes a five-inch touchscreen with a DAB radio and Bluetooth plus auxiliary and USB connectors, a 3.5-inch electronic vehicle information centre, air-conditioning, electric parking brake and 16-inch aluminium wheels. The Longitude offers high levels of functionality and comfort. It does so by augmenting the Sport model’s features with optional four-wheel drive, plus large car equipment such as cruise control, ambient LED lighting, a leather wrapped steering wheel and satellite navigation as well as 17-inch aluminium wheels. The Limited tops the range in terms of tech and has 18-inch aluminium wheels, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats and steering wheel, leather upholstery, the segment leading seven-inch colour Thin Film Technology (TFT) electronic vehicle information centre, 6.5-inch touchscreen with sat nav and Bluetooth, privacy glass, rear parking sensors and silver side roof rails, door mirrors and front grille.
The Trailhawk is the model with the most ability off-road, thanks to the Jeep active drive low and selec-terrain system with hill descent control and rock mode. It has all the key equipment from the Limited model and stands out as being the most capable Renegade of the lot. All models have air-conditioning with Limited and above adding dual-zone climate control. The controls for this nestle in the lower part of the dashboard. Beneath it and directly below the USB, auxiliary inputs and 12-volt power outlet there’s a storage compartment complete with a rubberized mat moulded with the topography of Moab, a legendary off-road spot in Utah for Jeep enthusiasts. So, if you’re a bit mad; you’re addicted to fun, like bright colours and beaches, then the Jeep Renegade could well be for you. What’s more, you can take your family with you. ‘What’? I hear you cry. Yes, that’s right; this Jeep is good for your rug-rats too. So enjoy having them about while they’re young because they’ll always remember mum or dad with that crazy cool Jeep - the car that no other parent in the neighbourhood was trendy enough to buy. PAGE
45
SUGGS INTERVIEW Issue 24 2015
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
Gavin Martin Interviews Suggs From Madness Madness have announced a 20 date UK Outdoor Tour This tour is the largest UK Outdoor Tour to be ever staged by any Artist in the UK - ever! It takes in some of the UK’s premier Sporting Grounds including Newmarket Nights Gavin Martin caught up with Suggs who says he and the band are very excited about the forthcoming tour. ------------------------------------------------------------------Over 25 years after they formed Madness are stronger than ever. To prove the point, this summer North London’s most famous and nuttiest pop institution embark on the biggest tour of their career. The Grandslam Madness itinerary takes the band, led by singer Suggs aka Graham McPherson to perform at a selection of the nation’s leading sporting grounds: football, rugby, cricket andof course Newmarket Racecourse. In the process of bringing Madness to the masses the tour will be a trip down sporting memory lane for Suggs who first began exploring the UK as a (Chelsea) football fan before Madness first hit the road in 1979. “It’ll be the greatest tour since Boudacia. We’ll be going across the countryside rampaging and pillaging. We have our people working on designing a chariot - even as we speak,” he laughs “If you had told me this when I was a kid I’d have laughed so loudly my socks would have flown off. Of course it’s remarkable and a privilege to still be doing this funny old business that we do.” PAGE
46
What are the qualities that make Madness endure? In England alone there are probably 20 more festivals than there were when we began. You are playing to audiences who are there not just to see you. So through that we have managed to accrue a whole new generation by playing 40 or 50 festivals over the past 5 years. It’s been very flattering and marvellous to see so many different age groups enjoying the band. We are looking forward to this on the tour – people of all ages. I think the reason we endure is that we genuinely do enjoy ourselves. From the very beginning you could see the joy in the early videos we made and hear it in the records. The fact that we were friends before this band started is key. I genuinely think the whole spark or art of craft and creativity was a byproduct of our friendship. I think that’s what people feel. It’s a genuine experience. It’s not manufactured. I can’t ever remember being onstage and feeling fed up with the people around me. How do you keep the feeling of it being fresh? Traditionally, we don’t tour for months and months - we gave up on America and they probably gave up on us. Touring for years on end is what drains the lifeblood out of a lot of acts that I see. Each tour we do we try and make unique - and special. This one’s special as no one has ever done something like this - as big as this - at sporting venues like this. It’s a Madness madcap idea and we know people will respond to it In Madness time you’ve seen a reversal of the music business model from making money on the albums and touring at a loss to now its the tours that make money. New records may not sell as much but it must be important your two most recent albums (The Liberty of Norton Folgate and Oui, Oui, Si Si, Ja, Ja, Da Da) have been well received by critics and fans.
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
Yes indeed we were teetering on the cusp of the whirlpool of 80s nostalgia. We could have quite happily stopped flapping our flippers and slipped gently down into the hole with everybody else. But we flapped and flapped like mad and tried to write what we thought would be an album to stand with anything else we’ve done which I think we did. That gave us the ability to get out of the black hole. These albums didn’t sell in their millions but were extremely well received in the intellectual music circles and that has an effect on how you are perceived generally. If we just knocked out some old crap then you wouldn’t be held in high regard. It all added to the pot of being perceived as a working band again, we aren’t just lolling on the lilo of novelty we’re actually sailing around a bit on our own steam.” The summer is pretty well mapped out for you. Grandslam Madness is an outdoor tour the like of which has never been seen in these islands. How will you keep yourself match fit? It’s like preparing for war, a war of fun y’know? A war of fun and frolics but, unlike the Romans, we are going to unleash heaven. I have a suspicion that if I didn’t have a few tequila shots before I went onstage I wouldn’t be quite as lubricated in the joints. Tequila and orange juice is the secret of keeping those limbs loose! I suppose our rituals are now so ingrained that I don’t notice what the rest of the band are doing! We can change the setlist nightly if we wish. The main thing is to keep it exciting for yourself, that’s the way to ensure the audience is kept excited too. How well have you got to know England and how has it changed over 25 years of touring. “Last year I did a One Man show, about 130 performances in towns I haven’t been to since the early days. I’ve been through a few recessions and a lot of things aren’t looking good in a lot of them satellite towns outside London. Its a funny old cliche but Madness always seem to do better in times of recession, not that we ever wished upon anybody. Maybe during these periods people need a bit of cheering up and without being trite our raison d’etre has always been about livening up a dull day. That was the reason for calling our last album Qui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da basically yes in several languages because there seems to be an awful lot of no, no, no at the minute and we could do with a lot more yes yes yes, particularly in the lower orders of society. Racecourses make up quite a bit of your itinerary, are you fond of a flutter or a day at the track? “Racecourses are great we’ve played a few in the past where they have been a few races and then you get a bit of Madness. It’s an unbeatable combination. I have a few flutters every now and then and have a bit of luck on the horses. I’m not a gambling man generally but I like it when you can see the steam coming out of the horses’ nostrils and that whole thing in front of you. I do like it but I’m terrible
SUGGS INTERVIEW Issue 24 2015
loser which has been my saving grace as far as gambling is concerned. It’s stopped me getting too involved. I did wake up with a greyhound in my bed once. We had been to a charity auction at Walthamstow dog track and there was an auction for the greyhound and we won. I came home with a greyhound, which my wife was quite thrilled about. He did alright actually we called him Nutty Boy and he went on to win quite a few races. That was quite a nice time and the nearest I ever got to be an Alex Fergusonesque race horse owner. Turning up at the track as a dog owner was quite an experience. I’m really looking forward to all the racecourse shows. Last time we played at Haydock we had a tremendous gig something like 20,000 people turned up and they were only expecting 10,000. Simply Red had held the record up to that point so I think we are the record holders for Haydock, returning as reigning champions. Perhaps Newmarket will offer a somewhat calmer welcome? Definitely - we’ve played there before and it’s really lovely with the racing- that’s a good one. I think we even had the Queen’s box or something. Our dressing room was actually where the Queen hangs out when she’s watching the races, very charming. I guess in the early days of travelling with Madness the greeting wasn’t always warm and as a band you must have felt rivalry familiar from your football days. There was few incidents, it was a very tribal time. Because there was 7 of us and few of our mates in a van you would turn up to a town, word go around and all the local chaps would turn up thinking you were like something from football. We had a few incidents being chased or indeed chasing other people up and down the road outside venues. Are you looking forward to this tour? Of course! It’s great to do something new. Something not done before. And it really feels like a tour of the people in places where they can have fun - where we can have fun.
Madness will be performing at Newmarket Racecourse, Suffolk on 26th June for more information or to buy tickets visit: www.thejockeyclublive.co.uk PAGE
47
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
abbotFox Issue 24 2015
Estate Agent Turns To Education For Market Rebrand. abbotFox, an estate agents from Norwich are launching an online competition to be affiliated with local Norfolk schools, to rebrand and re-design their Mini’s. The fate of the abbotFox wagon rests in the hands of the students and they have been asked to use their creative capabilities to come up with a new design for the car and send them in to abbotFox by the end of April. The cars are used by abbotFox to chauffeur their clients to and from property viewings and currently have a New York taxi style paint job. The estate agents are launching the campaign to ensure that the new design incorporates their associated brand colours (black, blue, yellow, pink & green.) The competition will be battled out initially by the students, to come up with the freshest and most inventive proposal for the Mini’s. The submitted designs will be posted online through the abbotFox social media channels and members of the public will be able to cast their vote on which is their favourite design. The design that receives the most plaudits from the public will be ultimately crowned the winner and the winning artist can expect to see their proposed artwork on all three of the abbotFox Mini’s, as well as their signature on the car. They can also anticipate to be fully immersed in the media coverage of the campaign. You will be able to follow the progress of the Mini competition through abbotFox’s social media networks; Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and cast your all-important votes. The front-running designs will be posted to the media channels as soon as they begin to flood in and they would like your opinions to help decide which design looks the best. The competition is due to conclude at the end of April 2015, so keep your eyes peeled to unearth the new Mini’s. To enter the competition simply email your design to joshcousens@abbotfox.co.uk and remember to include your name & school contact details. Or post your design to our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/abbotFox or Twitter page https://twitter.com/abbotFox. Please get in contact to get involved! PAGE
49
ICENI - HOROSCOPES Issue 24 2015
www.icenimagazine.co.uk
Horoscopes For April Aries 21 March - 20 April
Libra 24 September - 23 October
The way you say it is important, as there can be times this month when you'll need to choose your words carefully. The Lunar Eclipse on April 5th may be one of them, as some key relationships could be tested. However, the New Moon in your sign on April 18th also paves the way for a fresh start, and it seems a more down-to-earth one at that, Aries.
Letting go may be essential to forging ahead with plans that seem to have been on hold. This is especially so should you find yourself at a crossroads and help you to release aspects of the past and enable you to get back on track. In addition, the New Moon on April 18th can be helpful for collaborating on a project or melting the ice concerning someone you are drawn to.
Taurus 21 April - 21 May
Scorpio 24 October - 22 November
Mars, newly arrived in your sign, can see you ready to put effort into the development and growth of ideas and projects, though you’ll need to pace yourself during the first week to keep your energy levels topped up. Once the Sun eases into your sign on April 20th, your strength and vitality can soar further, leaving you ready for almost any challenge.
Don’t give yourself too much to do during the first two weeks of April, as a disruption to your routines might mean changes are necessary, some of which could turn out to be quite radical. Your social life can buck up too as Mars, and later the Sun in Taurus, encourage you to develop new connections and reach out. You can show a more go-getting attitude around relationships.
Gemini 22 May - 21 June
Sagittarius 23 November - 21 December
A romantic attraction can catch you unawares around the time of the Eclipse on April 5th. If you find yourself falling head over heels, hold back, as something you find out later may help you make a more informed decision. Socially, there are plenty of opportunities for making new connections some of which could prove to be very helpful.
Changes within your existing circle of friends or the clubs or groups you’re a member of could entice you to explore other opportunities or to consider ideas for entertainment and fun you might not have thought about previously. As a result new doors can spring open, enhancing the chance for greater sociability as well as other golden opportunities.
Cancer 22 June - 23 July
Capricorn 22 December - 20 January
Conflicts concerning your ambitions versus home and family affairs could show up in the first week, especially if an opportunity comes your way that turns out to be too good to miss. In this respect, your network of friends can both be key and very supportive. Meanwhile, the New Moon on April 18th encourages you to aim high in order to achieve your goals.
A combative energy around April 5th can see you thrashing out ideas and resolving conflicts with key individuals. The result could transform your plans for the future and your ideas about what’s best for you and those closest to you. If all this sounds like hard work, taking time out for life’s pleasures will soon make up for it, Capricorn.
Leo 24 July - 23 August
Aquarius 21 January - 19 February
Should you seek out new horizons or explore options in your immediate locale? The first two weeks of April could bring unexpected events, new opportunities and a need for decisions that encourage progress. The end result may well be a move in a new direction, though you’ll still need to tackle any obligations or responsibilities that are ongoing.
Whatever seemed set in stone could be subject to change, as newer and more appealing ideas come into view. A shakeup of your best and brightest plans might result in new opportunities, and as a result more income and friends. However, Venus’s move into Gemini can bring lively social and dating options your way.
Virgo 24 August - 23 September
Pisces 20 February - 20 March
A practical focus can prevent impulsive moves regarding your financial affairs. Unexpected events or new information around April the 5th might see you scrambling to sort things out in a hurry. However, you’ll do best to get all the facts first of all. Later in April, a new associate may be of great help regarding an important personal ambition.
Getting to grips with your finances can help you know where you stand and give you greater control and a sense of security. If you have any pressing issues that need tackling, it really will be best to do it sooner rather than later, for procrastinating will only add stress. Yet, this can also be an excellent month for enhancing your social network and for promoting your talents or a small business.
PAGE
50
Astrologer Patrick Arundell provides a unique take on Horoscopes and Astrology. Join him daily for your Daily Horoscope and his penetrating insight into this fascinating subject. Also FREE Horoscope Videos.
ICENI MAGAZINE ONLINE www.icenimagazine.co.uk/viewmagazine
Clickable Hyperlinks From Your Advert To Your Website
Available To View Online Before Printed Copy Is Available
Over 40,000 Global Unique Hits Per Month
Viewable On All Mobile Devices
Contact Us: Visit: www.icenimagazine.co.uk Email: sales@icenimagazine.co.uk
Twitter: @icenimagazine Tel: 01603 510 856