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Issue Number 4 - October/November 2014
BL Welcome Welcome to issue 4 of Braintree Life.
We hope you are enjoying the articles from the people of Braintree. We would still welcome more writers to join us! Also, more letters! Please email us at editorial@itsyourmedia. co.uk. Our What’s On section is growing nicely, but we still have room for more. Please let us know of any events in your area and we will do our best to list them for you. Regards Paul & Nick
Advertising Editorial Nick Garner Paul Mclean 07970 206682 07595 949701 ads@itsyourmedia.co.uk editorial@itsyourmeida.co.uk Disclaimer: It’s Your Media Ltd publish Braintree Life. The opinion expressed in each article is the opinion of its author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of It’s Your Media Ltd. No part may be reproduced without the prior written permission of It’s Your Media Ltd, 15 Hayes Close, Chelmsford, CM2 0RN. Registered Company number 9154871. Printed by www.graphic-impressionsco.uk.
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Sing out for Goldies
Goldies, the smile charity across England and Wales. A charity that is based on fun daytime sing-alongs of 60s hits will be brightening the lives of isolated older people across the county. Golden-Oldies, or Goldies, as it has become fondly known, started in the West Country six years ago with just four of its singing and stretching sessions. Later this year it will start its 100th in the Braintree area where Goldies has teamed up with Greenfields Community Housing. The charity now runs its sessions across Southern England and Wales and over 3,000 attend each month. It now wants to find someone in the Braintree area to guide its development in the months and years ahead in East Anglia. Grenville Jones is the founder of Goldies. He said: “people call us the smile charity and we know that for many older people attending their Goldies session is one of the few times that they are with others. Loneliness and isolation is a growing concern in society and Goldies reaches out to people through song. We are NOT a choir but we use the memory-evoking hits of the 50s onwards at the heart of all we do. In recent months we have started popular new sessions attended by Elders from the Afro Caribbean communities in Bristol and also this week have a new session with older members of the Chinese communities across South Gloucestershire. Singing is good for you and I do want to hear from people in the Braintree area who could get involved and help us to start new sessions. I have been impressed by the community ethos of Greenfields Housing and together we can really make a big difference to lonely lives.” Sandra Crosby is housing director at Greenfields. She said: “When we met Grenville a few months ago we were so impressed with his passion and enthusiasm for the charity. We shared the idea of starting Goldies with our tenants and they agreed to fund the project for the next 12 months. Goldies and Greenfields are bound to be a winning duet!” If you would like to know more, there are Goldies session videos on the website www.golden.oldies.org.uk or please contact Grenville Jones at grenville@golden-oldies.org.uk.
Registered Charity 1121600
ARE YOU
The person to take forward our charity in Essex?
Spare time during the day?
Care about lonliness in the older population?
Big personality enjoy singing?
THREE ? We’d love to hear from you WE are a registered charity that uses daytime sing-along and activity sessions to brighten the lives of older people who live in isolation.We are NOT a choir but we do use the memory evoking songs of the 50s onwards at our fun-packed sessions. Goldies, as we are fondly known, was started by music man Grenville Jones six years ago in the West Country with just FOUR Sessions.That has increased to over ONE HUNDRED across England and Wales and, in partnership with Greenfields Community Housing in Braintree, we are soon going to start new sessions in and around Braintree.
We are looking to recruit a project leader to take our work forward in the years ahead in your area. This is a part-time PAID position and the leader will also take the (paid) daytime singing and activity sessions. This is a really unique opportunity for the right person to make their mark on the lives of lonely and isolated people. If you have ticked the three boxes above please get in touch and tell our founder all about yourself. Email: grenville@golden-oldies.org.uk
Find out more about our work across England and Wales
www.golden-oldies.org.uk
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Lifestyle - CJ’s Top Tips to Avoid Comfort Eating When looking to lose weight and get fit, most people can generally manage to resist the urge to indulge in their favourite treat and stick to the new eating plan that is going to get their desired result. However, there are certain triggers such as stress, loneliness, boredom and other habits such as eating at night or when relaxing in front of the TV that can be detrimental to achieving your weight loss goal. As it is hard to break these old habits unless a new one is created in its place, outlined below are some top tips on what to do to avoid temptation when cravings kick in so you can be confident in creating healthy new habits to replace the old ones! Go for a walk - take the kids, partner, dog or neighbour and get outside and active. The fresh air and exercise will be a great distraction and you will burn calories rather than eat them Phone a friend or family member - use the opportunity to catch up with that person you’ve been meaning to for weeks. Have a conversation rather than just text! Try something new – have you ever wanted to try a new sport or hobby – do it! What about re-engaging in a favourite childhood past time? Be proactive in broadening your horizons creating new experiences.
Treat yourself – not with food but with a facial, massage or manicure. Clean! Yep that’s right, clear the clutter from your bedroom or lounge and notice how much better you feel mentally. Read – why not catch up on the day’s newspapers or lose yourself in a good book? Organise and plan - write a list of tasks you need to do tomorrow, next week or next month. Why not even start planning your next holiday? Dare to dream, list the ten places you want to visit. Start a project that you have been putting off and finally get it done! Does the spare room need redecorating or the garage cleaned out? If after trying one of the above suggestions you find your craving is still not satisfied then try a small square of dark chocolate or one of the deliciously easy recipe ideas available on my Facebook page. Written by CJ of CJFigureworks.
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Take a bath, this is a great way to relax and de-stress from the day. Create a chilled ambience with candles and scented bubble bath. For more easy tips on healthy living, or for a personal nutrition and training plan check out cjfigureworks.com or email cj@cjfigureworks.com. You can also follow me on Facebook - CJFigureworks.
Crafts - Halloween by Sam Conway from Sconch Halloween – a great excuse to do some crafting with the kids. Whether it is to decorate the house or to make their costume for trick or treating, there are so many crafts to try. Pinterest is a great place to look for ideas – we have a Halloween board with lots of fun ideas (http://www. pinterest.com/sconchyarnshop/ homemade-halloween) – and there are crafts for all ages to try. Why not get some orange yarn, and using a knitting dolly (or knitting nancy as they are sometimes called) and make long lengths of the French knitting tubes. You can then spiral them and sew them together and make pumpkins! We had a go in the shop quickly and this is what we came up with! You could make them big or small, hang them around the house, or string them together to make a spooky bunting garland. You can even use them as coasters for a Halloween party! If you blow up a balloon, cover it in PVA glue and then wrap yarn around it (this doesn’t have to be neat, and is great fun for little ones to try), you can leave it to dry and then pop the balloon. Just like with papier mache, you are then left with a shell. Use orange yarn to make pumpkins, or green yarn to make Frankenstein heads! These can be used to pop sweets in to so you are ready for your Halloween visitors.
To go trick or treating, you could sew some felt together and add handles (older children should be able to manage this, but younger children might need some help!) – children can then decorate them with smaller pieces of felt, googly eyes, or even paper. Create scary characters: Frankenstein, a ghost or a vampire are good ideas, and then the children can use these to collect their loot whilst trick or treating! Or try getting a polystyrene ball and sticking pipe cleaners in the end to make a spooky spider! This is particularly great for the little people in your life who would like to get creating. You can see a great example of this on the Craftulate website: http://craftulate.com/2014/09/spider-craft-toddlers.html. Having a theme is a great way to engage children and encourage them to craft. Get out those paints and glue, paper and scraps of fabric and get crafting! Crafting should be fun, so let their imaginations run wild! For any help with crafting ideas, feel free to pop into the shop and we will be happy to help! We are on the Springwood Industrial Estate in Braintree. See www.sconch.com for details.
History - Being a Scientist in Braintree in the 17th Century If asked about scientists of the Renaissance, men such as Leonardo de Vinci or Isaac Newton might spring to mind. Sadly local man John Ray, who did for the study of the natural world what Newton did for physics, is often forgotten. Yet John Ray founded natural history as a scientific, experiment-based and university-worthy subject. He was the first person to create a scientific classification for plants, animals, insects, birds and fish, he produced the first scientific definition of a species, paved the way for Linnaeus and Darwin and was among the first to suggest that fossils were the remains of now-extinct creatures. Not bad for a blacksmith’s son from Black Notley. So what was it like being a scientist in Braintree District in the 17th Century, and what does Ray’s story tell us about local life at the time?
At Trinity College, Cambridge, where Ray studied and taught, Ray is remembered in a stained glass window in the Chapel alongside Newton and other prominent Trinity scientists. Taken by the author January 2015. John Ray was born in Black Notley in 1627, the son of the village blacksmith and the local herbalist. The family cottage still stands on Bakers Lane today. As a boy he would have regularly gone down the road to the local school at St Peters and St Pauls. From age 11 he walked two miles each way to Braintree Grammar School in the Jesus Chapel of St Michael’s. He excelled at his studies at school and his local teacher wanted to send him to the University of Cambridge. This aim was fulfilled, spring-boarding Ray onto a successful academic and then independent research career that lasted until his death and saw the publication of over 20 seminal works. This story in itself sounds remarkable enough, but Ray’s scientific journey was even more extraordinary given the local context for two reasons. Firstly, it was highly unusual for the son of a blacksmith to achieve a scholarship to Cambridge, let alone to continue a very successful academic and research career. This was made possible through the will of a local man, Thomas Hobbs, who left money for the vicar of St Michael’s to send two or three poor scholars to Cambridge. If you didn’t have money an academic or research career relied on the patronage of others, and after leaving Cambridge, Ray often relied on the patronage of friends. There were no large science organisations funding research like there are today. Secondly, Ray’s research, which from 1679 to his death in 1705 was all conducted from his home in Black Notley, placed this small village just south of Braintree at the centre of a web of botanical communication that stretched across the world. Plant specimens from as far afield as Jamaica were being delivered to Ray’s door posted from other scientists in the field. Some of these notable personalities also visited Ray at home, including Hans Sloane. Today we take worldwide deliveries as standard, 400 years ago this was a remarkable feat. In the days before Kew or the Royal Botanical Gardens, Ray’s collection of specimens, which enabled him to catalogue over15,000 plants from around the world, turned Black Notley into the next best thing. And what was it like for Ray conducting his research locally? Although Ray often despaired of finding local people matching him in intellect, writing in one of his letters that the area was ‘barren of wits, here being but few of the gentry or clergy who mind anything that is ingenious’, it would be incorrect to think of the area as apart from the major movements of the 17th Century. Braintree played an active part in the century’s religious debates - Ray’s teacher at St Michael’s had interceded on behalf of a dissenting preacher in Chelmsford in the 1610s, and this same preacher later encouraged a group of dissenters to sail from Braintree to America in 1632. This group then founded Braintree Massachusetts. Two of Ray’s close local friends were also doctors, Benjamin Allen who lived in what is now the
Constitutional Club at the top of Braintree High Street and Samuel Dale who lived at the top of Bocking End. Dale also had a keen interest in the natural world, and many of his plant specimens are preserved at the Natural History Museum (as are Ray’s). Despite the scarcity of ‘wits’, the nature of Braintree and Black Notley did provide Ray with interesting specimens. He wrote in his ‘History of Insects’ that he found one of his best specimens in a trap set up at Plumtrees, now Buck Farm, on the Braintree fork of Bakers Lane. He also notes his encouragement of his wife and daughters to bring him Burnished Brass moths from the garden and Geometer caterpillars form the big oak near the house. Prior to settling in Black Notley Ray also travelled extensively throughout Europe and Britain, meaning that he had seen first-hand in-situ more botanical specimens than any other person in Britain at that time. This was also unusual for a local man – even up until the mid 20th Century many local people would have viewed a trip to see the sea at Southend as a great adventure!
A later interpretation of Dewlands, John Ray’s home in Black Notley from 1679. Copyright Braintree District Museum Trust Ltd. You can find out more about Ray’s story in our John Ray Natural History Gallery, which details his discoveries and explains how revolutionary his methods were. The gallery also includes a range of interactives for all ages, from a digital microscope and insect specimens to activities to help explain the principles of classification. Ray’s interests were wide-ranging, and in addition to his scientific work he also published collections of English words and proverbs. I close with a local proverb that gives a bit of 17th Century flavour (though I can assure you I mean no disrespect to residents of Kelvedon!) ‘Braintree for the pure and Bocking for the poor Coggeshaal for the jeering Town… and Kelvedon for the whore’. [sic]. Published in John Ray’s Collection of English Proverbs, 1670. By Jennifer Brown, Collections and Interpretation Officer at Braintree District Museum.
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It’s Your Music The music part of our business put on its first music event last month.Eddie and The Hot Rods with support from Jeff Chapman’s Roosters at Jardins. Both bands were fantastic and we are looking forward to the next event as the magazine comes out on October 10th.
All the way from America, the fantastic Dona Oxford is headlining this event. If you search YouTube for her you will see what an amazing entertainer she is. Supported on the night by The Standard Lamps it looks to be a great line-up.
On November 14th we have a double headline show with Roadhouse and LaVendore Rogue (see back cover for more information), You can book tickets online or from The Pub in East Street. Or email me at paul@itsyourmedia.co.uk to reserve tickets. We have the next few months of acts booked up and will provide further information in this magazine.
Gardening
Beth Chatto’s Woodland Garden Shade loving plants for year-round interest The Beth Chatto Gardens began in 1960 when the site was an overgrown wasteland between two farms. Faced with all kinds of difficult conditions Beth and Andrew Chatto set out to find homes for many of the plants they wished to grow. With dry and damp soils, in both sun and shade, they were able to put into practice the underlying principles of what is now referred to as “ecological gardening”. The woodland area was developed over a number of years following the hurricane in 1987, but it was a wintery afternoon in 1989 that sparks and flames were to be seen flaring up from bonfires as work began to prepare the site for the Woodland Garden. Beth clearly stressed that in spring of 1990 the site was ‘cleared of debris and with a network of paths delineating planting areas, the woodland looked as bare as an empty church. The wind whistled between the tree trunks, blowing leaves into the next village. We loosened up the earth, removed surface roots and spread barrow loads of compost and well rotted manure over the sandy soil in preparation for planting’. I am keen to emphasis here that preparation is key to the success of every new garden. And yes, it is hard work, but isn’t that half the fun? A little bit of blood, sweat and tears in the early days could reap a fabulous harvest in years to come. What a transformation! I have to agree, if only I had been around as an observer at the start – I am in awe! As I was led by Beth around the Woodland Garden, she wanted to point out that ‘it was not difficult to establish ground-covering plants during the first few years, while waiting for the understory shrubs to grow up and provide background and shelter’. Just take note of my earlier point on preparation and your plants will thrive and prosper. Even in 1999, just nine years after the initial clearance had begun, hardy geraniums, ferns and masses of blue forget-me-nots carpet the floor of Beth’s once empty church. Beneath trees, mainly oak, is found an ever changing herbaceous tapestry of ground cover plants, slowly awakening during January and February with sheets of winter aconites and snowdrops in many forms. Hellebores feature too. Narcissus and Dog Tooth Violets soon follow. All the while as spring rushes into April, the freshness of emerging foliage goes on. As the canopy of foliage shades the undergrowth, flowers abate, only to come alive again as the weather cools down in September and October, with the pinks and whites of Colchicum, Cyclamen and Japanese Anemones. As in many other parts of the garden, autumn goes out in a blaze of glory with many of the trees and shrubs showing berry and leaf colour to take us into the winter months. This particular area, just like any other in the garden, is basically a shop window for all visitors. You can walk around and see fabulous plant associations in a perfect setting. However, take note, Beth was keen to point out that what works for her will not necessarily work for you. Check your soil type, pH and aspect. These are key to all plant successes. Also remember that this is not a wholly planned garden
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it is an evolved one. ‘I don’t have a format in place – all areas are considered’, states Beth. At the end of the day it is survival of the fittest. This is a garden that is ‘like having a family’ stresses Beth. After 58 years of gardening projects she finds this garden to be more than hers and really to be shared. Shared between all her staff and the gardener who comes for inspiration. This is a garden that seems to lay a golden egg in the minds of the visitors who then pass their hard earned cash over the till in return for a slice of Beth’s garden in their own, wherever that may be. Next issue I’ll continue the tour… leading to the impressive dry garden! In the meantime check out this site: http://www.bethchatto. co.uk/ Good luck and happy gardening! Tom Cole.
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Autumn Trends
It only seems like yesterday, when I stored away my winter clothes and replaced them with my summer ones, but it’s that time of year again, when your feet get too chilly in sandals, jeans are now the order of the day and you are reaching for those cardi’s. If you can manage to bid a fond farewell to those denim shorts and flip-flops for another year, making the transition from summer to autumn doesn’t have to be a wrench. Autumn is an exciting time in the fashion calendar, with the new collections at London Fashion Week in September and new looks on the high street, so let’s examine the forthcoming trends for this season and embrace all things autumnal. Bold Over Colour this season will be everywhere and we shouldn’t be afraid of bold colour, as it can be much more flattering then a dark palette. The aim is to mix brights with brights; good colour combinations are sunshine yellow with tomato red or royal blue with shocking pink. Swing into the Sixties The sixties trend is going to be big this autumn, extending to hair and make up too. Clothes-wise, think shift dresses in block colours, plaids and tweeds. Mid-length skirts in plain bold colours and with pattern, wear with a contrasting bold colour. Explore texture, like they did in the sixties, with tops in leather, tweed, and crochet. Coats will follow the sixties swing shape and come in all the primary colours and in
gorgeous pastels like sky blue, violet and baby pink. You’ll also find patterned coats on the high street, anything from a quirky cat print, to monochrome dogtooth, to animal print. The classic short belted mac is also spot on for this season, in camel or pastel. Bye Skinny... Hello Boyfriend The skinny jean is being replaced by the boyfriend jean, don’t fret though, the skinny jean isn’t totally finished (the new skinny is slim, rather than skinny and cropped) This season’s boyfriend jean is not as tapered and high waisted as the 1980s Levi’s, that were made famous by pop stars like Madonna. The new boyfriend jean is less feminine (hence the name) so is more flattering around the hips for us girls. For a really stylish way to wear them, pair with a stiletto heel or a block heeled court shoe. Midi not Mini The midi length skirt rests mid-way between your knee and ankle, it’s not the easiest length to wear for everyone, but here are some tips to get it right for all body shapes. If you are tall, then this length looks good with ankle boots, pumps or loafers, but if you are shorter, then any shoe with a heel will elongate the leg and be more flattering. If you are curvy, gathers around the waist are not a problem, but if you are pear shaped, it would be best to avoid fullness at the waist and opt for a drop waist with softer gathers or pleats. Suited and Booted The trouser suit will also feature this season.
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This doesn’t just mean the classic work suit, but the trouser suit in all guises. Trouser suits this season come in bold colours and printed fabrics. The trouser suit is incredibly versatile. Pair the trousers with a different jacket or sweatshirt and pair the jacket with a mid length skirt or jeans. Animal Magic The animal print never really goes away, each season it comes back into fashion. Leopard print is on trend yet again. It will be covering everything, from dresses to trousers to coats. If you don’t feel brave enough to wear your leopard print loud and proud, start with a bag or a pair of kitten heels. Folk Law If you look at photos of Kate Moss by Corinne Day in the 1990s you will see the beginnings of the boho trend or folk. Corinne obviously saw Kate as the archetypical folk girl, looking at the way she styled her for those photos. Kate Moss would later reinvent and lead the boho/folk trend in 2005 and 2006, (check out Kate’s Glastonbury outfits) Now the Folk trend is back once more. On the high street you will be seeing… Broderie cotton shirts, embroidered tops and dresses, crochet tops, printed tunic dresses, and fringing on bags and jackets. This look is soft, floaty and relaxed, perfect for autumn. So… I hope I have come up with something you can get excited about as the seasons change. A word of warning though, don’t wear them all at once! By Emma Smith www.emmasmith.co.uk
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Pet Corner - Millennium Veterinary Practice The following is written by Tina Dutta, one of our vets who is also part of our surgery referral team and owner of a much loved red cocker spaniel called Ruby!
emergency situation and you should not delay in contacting your vet. If you are concerned about your cat then please ring us on 01376 325511.
Millennium Veterinary Practice Pet Health – Crystals and Stones in Cats! There are a number of reasons why crystals form in a cat’s bladder. They can increase in number and join together to form bladder stones. Bladder stones can be very dangerous in cats, causing a blockage and an inability to urinate. If left too long there is every chance your cat will become very unwell. There is a possibility the bladder may burst which if left untreated can be fatal. There are a few signs that can alert you to urinary problems, and if your cat is showing any of these signs you need to contact your vet: • Difficulty in passing urine/straining/passing blood in its urine
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• Going to the toilet more frequently or for longer periods of time • Urinating in unusual places around the house • Crying out when urinating • Licking their genitals more frequently than normal • Behavioural changes as they become unwell and are in pain • Nausea, vomiting and appetite loss Nutrition can have an impact on your cat’s urinary system. Cat’s need a good quality balanced carnivorous diet - dry, tinned and/or sachet cat food. However it is important to maximize your cat’s water intake to avoid kidney and bladder problems. It may be beneficial to your cat’s health to ensure at least 70% of their diet is made up from wet food. Specialised dry diet is available which will encourage drinking and help prevent urinary crystals and stones. If your cat is not eating an appropriate diet they are more likely to develop a urinary tract infection. Some cat breeds can be at an increased risk of developing bladder stones eg Burmese, Persian and Himalayan cats. Male cats are more at risk than female cats due to their anatomy. Crystals can form at any age but older cats are more susceptible. Bladder stones can also be an indication of other underlying health issues such as diabetes. Your cat will need a full clinical examination and if we suspect your cat has crystals or bladder stones then we will test their urine. From the urine we can diagnose which type of crystals they have and treat accordingly. If the cat has already developed large bladder stones, we may be able to feel these in the bladder when the cat is examined. X-ray, ultrasound and further laboratory tests may be advised. Surgical removal is usually needed to physically remove the stones from the bladder. This requires the cat to be hospitalised. Following surgery the long term outlook is usually good. A change in diet will be recommended which changes the pH of their urine to prevent further crystals from forming. Drinking enough water is very important and using a pet water fountain can encourage your cat to drink more frequently. Cats like drinking from running water! If your cat is unable to produce any urine but is straining to urinate then your cat may have a blocked bladder. A blocked bladder is an 12
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World War One to be Brought to Life
An exciting and original production is currently underway which will be bringing local history back to life. 2014 marks the centenary of the outbreak of World War One and Braintree Musical Society are commemorating local people and events in an original musical play. The play, ‘While You Were Away’ is based on real people who lived in the Braintree area during the period of World War One and follows their experiences of war.
BMS is commemorating the local contribution that Braintree made to the war and the impact it had on the population of the town and its surrounding villages. The archives have been delved into and many fascinating stories and people have been discovered. The play is primarily based on a war diary kept by the vicar of Great Leighs – the Reverend Andrew Clark. He maintained a meticulous diary throughout the war, recording daily events and the colourful characters that lived in the local area. The girls excitement about the soldiers who were billeted locally, the wartime romances, the women working in the munitions factory at Crittalls, the local young men called up to
Reverend Andrew Clark, author of ‘Echoes of the Great War’.
Beginners Please! by Andew Ings Five minutes to go and the dressing room is a hive of activity. Amid the hubbub of the final moments before the tabs open, an anxious face peers at the reflected mask like some long ago Narcissus.
The director rushes in,“I suggest a touch more grey at the temple”, and rushes out again. Around you the usual trivial conversation, “I nearly didn’t get here tonight” or “by the way what is this play called?”
The two minute bell sounds and the pulse quickens. Enter the stage manager, “beginners please. John please remember the pistol is in the right hand drawer“. A glance in the mirror and a smudge of powder covers a shiny nose. More comings and goings, well wishers, usually other club members. In pops the house manager, exclaiming “full house tonight, don’t cut it”. The house lights dim, the audience hushes and the nerves begin to bite - thirty seconds and I’m on, damn I need to go to the loo. This is a scene familiar to anyone who is or has been involved in amateur theatre. After weeks of rehearsals, stage construction, the making of props, costumes, painting, publicity and a hundred and one other things, your first night arrives. While desperately trying to remember your opening line, you promise yourself a backstage job next time - if there is a next time. There will be of course, because drama is addictive, there is no doubt about that. It’s a drug and once you are hooked you can’t shake it off. But then to be any sort of addict you have to be slightly mad.
fight with many of them not returning. It details a Zeppelin raid on Braintree, witnessed by a young girl which wiped out a whole family as they slept in their beds. Much of the diary records the local gossip – how suspicious people were of potential spies, how men were recruited to police the streets at night keeping their eyes peeled for anything untoward. But perhaps most importantly it shows how people supported one another during the years of the Great War and how the community pulled together. The war diary has provided a wealth of information which has helped detail the play and this together with other local archives has provided material for a very powerful and moving production. Women working in Crittals factory in WW1. The Reverend Andrew Clark is the main focus, with all stories and characters rolling out from him. The play also encompasses music from the period, interspersed within the plot. While You Were Away has been written by the head of drama at New Hall School in Chelmsford, David Rutter, who was born in Braintree: “it is an incredibly important play because it represents real life as it was in the local area 100 years ago – it has been a real privilege to rediscover the local characters that lived in the area back then.” While You Were Away is being performed at Braintree Arts Theatre, Notley Road, Braintree on 14th and 15th November. For tickets call 01376 556354 or go to www.braintreeartstheatre.com. It is a very special production and one definitely not to be missed.
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www.ApplianceSparesRepairs.co.uk Writing by Angela Neville Writing about what you know is a standard piece of advice given to both the aspiring and the seasoned writer. However, it is guaranteed to produce two distinct responses.
• Pleasure, at the idea of sharing a unique experience or personal history. • Dismay, at having nothing worthwhile to say. This potential writer may also want to use writing as an escape from what they consider a dull and boring life. The reality is that by learning to use experience, combined with imagination, writers can discover that writing about what they know is a source of continual surprise. Writing activities can help to develop memory and observation: skills that can be applied to all forms including fiction, poetry and script writing, as well as those writers interested in exploring their own experiences. As a starting point, spend five minutes writing on the subject of These Hands Have… Begin with your own hands – after all, what is the old saying? Something so familiar, we know it like the back of our hand! Think of the senses through your hands - touch, smell, their appearance. How has life shaped your hands?
The results from both activities can be strangely poetic. Single words, almost bullet points. They can jog that creative memory and work to produce a new idea or develop an existing one. Which leads us to lists. The main reason people claim they cannot write is time, and yet these same people are usually the greatest of life’s list makers. Not just those scribbled reminders for the trudge around the supermarket, their to-do lists are of epic proportions. Essentially they are shorthand for tackling our fears. The therapeutic effect of both writing and checking a list, makes those fears less dreadful, less threatening. They help to establish control and offer resolution. Who doesn’t feel a sense of satisfaction when ticking off a simple list of chores? Creative writing often begins with lists. Chapter outlines, character names and descriptions. They can be as complicated or as simple as you choose. As we approach the pre-Christmas season of the uber-list, perhaps it’s also a time to reflect on those humble scribbles. Simply re-reading old Christmas lists - potential gifts, cards, addresses - can be a window into the past. Literally a list of contacts, reconnecting us with people and places we may have lost contact with.
Writing about what you know could easily be adapted to say, writing When the five minutes are up you might want to try These Hands about what you feel, what you think, who you know. Have… from the perspective of someone else. A different age group - a child or someone elderly? Pampered hands? The hands of a It is not necessarily writing about yourself. criminal? Try to describe what crime those hands have committed. www.beechleaf.net 14 www.braintreelife.co.uk
What’s On Braintree District Arts is pleased to work in partnership with Braintree Life, supplying information for this column as we are not currently producing a What’s On this quarter.
October 4th-18th Portrait of an Artist’s Garden - Exhibition by Nabil Ali St Mary’s Chirch, Great Dunmow 10th Braintree Arts Theatre - Our Friends the Enemy Jardins - Dona Oxford + The Standard Lamps The Pub - Noble Ox 11th Chalk Walk - George Yard The Pub - Sophie’s Choice 12th Palace Theatre Cinema - All Quiet on the Western Front 13th Palace Theatre Cinema - All Quiet on the Western Front 16th Braintree Arts Theatre - Comedy Club 17th The Pub - Karaoke 18th Braintree Arts Theatre - Dr Feelgood Bocking Arts Theatre - The Gentlemen of IO Jardins - rock ‘n’ roll The Pub - Overheads 21st Mercury Theatre, Colchester - Bollywood comes to Colchester! Shabana Azmi 22nd Anglia Ruskin University - Passing the Turing Test: How to Create a Character - Workshop Braintree Museum - 3pm ‘The Hidden Stories beneath your Feet’ Ros Smith and Ian Mercer George Yard - Remus Horse Sanctuary - See the Ponies 24th Kelvedon Players Autumn Production - Looking for Love The Pub - The Jam tribute + Two Tone Giants 25th Braintree Arts Theatre - Colne Philamonic Orchestra Kelvedon Players autumn production - Looking for Love The Swan - Oxjam The Pub - Solar 9 26th Braintree Arts Theatre - Hansel and Gretel 27th Warner Archive - make a 3D pumpkin 28th Warner Archive - autumn crafting in the garden 29th Braintree Museum - Spooky Science
October 30th Braintree Museum - Hocus Pocus 31st Braintree Arts Theatre - An Evening of Burlesque Braintree Museum - Halloween party George Yard - making Halloween masks - 10am-3pm George Yard - free face painters - 10am-3pm George Yard - Mr Pickles and Friends on Halloween Kelvedon Players Autumn Production - Looking for Love November 1st Braintree Museum - Thriller - Cheerleading workshop Kelvedon Players Autumn Production - Looking for Love The Pub - Family Funday - Face painting, bouncy castle, BBQ + Elvis tribute 7th Jardins - 1940s charity night 8th The Pub - Mini Melting Pot - BBQ, music, Indian buffet - for Help For Heros 9th Jardins - Remembrance Sunday - music all day 9 piece swing band, free buffet drinks promotions for senior citizens - For Help for Heros 14th Jardins - Roadhouse & LaVendore Rogue 15th George Yard - Camels Day George Yard - Father Christmas and his grotto George Yard - 5pm - lights swith on
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Baking by Lucy Norwood It’s all kicking off on the Great British Bake Off as the final approaches! It’s amazing to watch so many talented bakers in one tent making all these amazing creations. I don’t know about you, but it makes me want to get in to the kitchen and try something different and totally unique! I’ve been busy continuing planning for the Great Notley Bake Off too. We really want everyone who loves to bake or has a family favourite recipe to come down and show off your talents, whether it be a chocolate cake or a loaf of bread. Even better, there will be a 7ft cookie monster there for the kids too! October is fast approaching which means colder days, and more rainy days inside trying to keep the kids entertained. There’s nothing I love more than baking in autumn and winter. There’s something so fun about being wrapped up inside in the warm, baking away in your kitchen! The only thing about the cold weather, is losing some of our gorgeous summer fruits – strawberries being my favourite. I think people aren’t adventurous enough with fruit and baking. A few weeks ago, my Mum went fruit picking for blackberries. She came home with two full freezer bags of the gorgeous, juicy fruits, and even better – they were FREE! There are so many blackberries growing around our lovely town, and in the surrounding areas. As long as it’s not in someone’s front garden or on their property, make the most of these delicious free berries. A sea of blackberry baked goods filled our kitchen, and we still have some in our freezer too, from homemade ice cream, sponge puddings and a classic crumble. So make sure you use those rainy days to try our new, fun recipes. Why not try a rhubarb or a gooseberry crumble? Or practice a recipe for the bake off! Enter at www.facebook.com/notleybakeoff. As well as blackberries, a friend of ours knows someone who has an apple tree in their garden. As they don’t use all of their apples, we got given some in trade for some blackberries. If you don’t use the fruit growing in your garden, why not ask your neighbours, friends and family if they would like some? It’s such a shame seeing home grown fruit that’s right on our doorstep be wasted or go rotten. There are also lots of other things your can do, such as make chutneys or jams.
There are some great recipe books, or go with a traditional Delia recipe to ensure it will work. If you’ve got the last of your summer veggies left too, such as tomatoes, try a tomato chutney. Here is a recipe that is using a well-loved fruit – the apple. Ditch the crumble or pie and warm these lovely bars up in the microwave with a dollop of custard for a yummy treat. Or, keep them in a plastic container for up to a week! Dead easy too, and you can get the kids involved. See if there’s anyone with an apple tree locally too! Autumn Apple Bars 285g/9 ½ oz soft butter 285g/9 ½ oz caster sugar 285g/9 ½ oz self-raising flour 5 eggs 2 apples 60g sultanas (optional) 1 lemon – rind grated and juiced A pinch of mixed spice A pinch of ground cinnamon 60g Demerara sugar 1. Preheat the oven to 190C. Grease and line a large baking tin (around 11 x 13”). 2. In a large bowl, mix the butter and caster sugar until creamed. Gradually beat in the flour and eggs until the mixture is smooth. 3. Peel and dice the apples up, and drizzle over the lemon juice to prevent it from going brown. Add this into the cake batter along with the sultanas, lemon rind, the rest of the lemon juice, mixed spice and cinnamon. 4. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tray and spread it out evenly. 5. Sprinkle over the Demerara sugar on the top of the batter. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes until lightly golden brown. 6. Allow to cool and then cut into squares. www.facebook.com/littlelucysbakery
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R & T’s Cafe by Emily O’Brien Letting their small children run riot in a café is not most parents’ idea of a good time. The noise, the mess, the dirty looks from other customers; it is enough to make most of us give up on café society altogether until our children are at school.
Until recently. Since January, Braintree parents in the know have been flocking to R&T’s Café in the Braintree Museum building. R&T’s welcomes customers of all ages and, with a soft play area designed to keep the under 5s busy, allows parent to relax as their children rampage. The rest of the café is set apart from the play area so that apart from the odd pint-sized punter making for the door, child-free customers can enjoy themselves without interruption. Inside the cafe there is a spotlessly clean play room with tables and chairs to one side and a separate seating area. The play equipment includes a ball pit and padded climbing frame with slide and tunnels. There is also a huge variety of toys for the under 5 age group - some physical, some imaginative and some educational. The space is also available to hire for children’s birthday parties. R&T’s is proving to be a huge hit because of its cosy size; unlike other local soft play areas, at R&T’s under fives are always within reach, meaning parents and carers can give their multi-tasking skills a break. Local mum, Sandra, said: “this café was a lifesaver last winter. When it was too cold or wet for the park, we came here so my son could wear himself out! And I like being able to see him all the time as he plays – it feels very safe.” Friend Nicola agreed: “it helps to know that if I’m popping into town to do some shopping, there’s somewhere I can take the kids so they’re not bored. It’s a really handy location for the bus, library and market too”. But as we all know, size isn’t everything: Theresa is a fantastic hostess who keeps her customers coming back for the warm welcome, excellent coffee, rib-sticking fry-ups, variety of homemade cakes, sandwiches, jacket potatoes, scones and more. Food and drink are very reasonably priced and there is a children’s lunch menu. Dinosaur shaped sandwiches, anyone? Theresa’s got the knowledge When she is not frothing the milk for your morning latte, Theresa works as a part time London cabbie. A grafter at heart, she tried an office job after leaving school. Her verdict: “I lasted four days! It wasn’t for me. I like to meet new people, have a chat. I’ve been driving a London cab for 15 years, but now my own kids are a bit more grown up, it’s time for me to take the plunge and do something different.”
Each month Sarah Brockwell will give us her top tips on a variety of subjects. www.sarahbeemarketing.com (T) 01371 859104 (M) 07955 132149
After having seen a similar café while on holiday in the USA, Theresa knew that it was just what was needed in her home town of Braintree. A mum of twins, she knows how hard it can be just to have a sit down and a cup of tea. She says: “I really wanted to offer somewhere for parents to chill. It’s not often you get that when you have children under the age of five! What is really nice is seeing parents meet each other here and become friends; it has become a real little community.” Not one to rest on her laurels, Theresa now has plans to expand in the Clacton area. “I’m looking around for new opportunities but I will keep putting lots of energy into this place too. It’s going really well now that word’s got round”. she says. “Most of our business is from word of mouth, which is great because that’s the best recommendation there is.” R&T’s Café is in the Braintree Museum building at Manor Street, Braintree, CM7 3HN, opposite the Town Hall car park. It is open Monday - Saturday, 7.30am - 4pm. Find the café on Facebook or just pop in for a look round.
The soft play area costs £1 per child and is for under fives only. Braintree based writer, Emily, specialises in promotional work for small businesses. Over ten years experience of copywriting for print and web. Reasonable rates. Contact ebynoe@hotmail.com.
Charity of the Month - Cards for Good Causes
The shop in Braintree Library opens on October 20 and runs six days a week until December 19 from 10am to 4.30pm, Monday to Saturday. As well as cards, there are other items associated with Christmas, such as wrapping paper, tags, notelets, calendars and small reasonably priced Christmas gifts. By popping into the Braintree shop, you can choose from a fantastic array of charity cards and stock up on all your Christmas essentials. The shop is entirely run by volunteers and there are always two of them on duty at any time. If you are interested in meeting people and helping the charities to raise more funds then you can contact Sylvia, the manager of the shop, on 01376 324079.
If you wish to purchase your Christmas cards from a wide variety of charities at a source where the largest amount of the price goes directly to the charity involved, then you need to come and visit the shop in Braintree Library run by volunteers for Cards for Good Causes. Here you will find a large selection of cards from 33 different charities, some of which are national charities and some local charities, all under the one roof. This is the 19th year that our Braintree shop has run in the town.
There are over 300 of these shops throughout the UK and so the amount given to the charities is considerable. In the past five years, charities have received more than £20million from Cards for Good Causes – representing at least 70p in every pound out of which charities had to pay for the production and distribution of their Christmas cards plus any VAT.
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Cars by Simon Inglis Despite what some people say a car is a necessity in every country, yet having said that every country has its own car culture which includes likes/dislikes, types of vehicle and of course a pricing system. Often we hear about America’s love of big V8s and the Top Gear trio’s amusing jokes that American cars are afraid of corners. Yet even they back this up by stating the obvious – Europe was developed around the horse and cart with twisty roads through medieval villages whereas the US grew up with the car – open spaces, huge roadways and large streets through sparsely populated towns. Australia is a mix of the two. My home country is mostly devoid of people and that is simply because much of it is unliveable in or would be highly unpleasant to live in. Yet, as any reader who has travelled to Australia would be aware, we have the same congestion issues in the larger cities as in the UK, we also have countless winding roads (as does the US) and a mass of lush land that defies the stereotypes so often seen (what Australian actually drives through the outback?! – we tend to let ‘foreigners’ do that while we prefer mountain roads!) Regarding types of vehicles, the typical Aussie will almost always opt for European styling with American grunt. So this raises the issue of cost which is what matters to us all. Cars in Australia are certainly almost always more expensive to buy – especially second hand. When I read some Brit-expat blogs, many British people who emigrate think of taking an English car to Australia as the equivalent is often double or even triple the price on used-car forecourts down under. So let’s start with the basics – Australia’s love affair with power has only recently seen the introduction of small turbo-charged engines and diesels en masse. Therefore most imports will be the most highly-specced models adding to the new and used vehicle premium. These cars not only have a large engine capacity but are fully loaded with options that are deletable in the UK market – try a BMW – the 316i was simply not available for years – the entry model being a 318i Executive replete with a delirious amount of options. The next important issue is that Australia is not in Europe. We have no Free Trade Agreement with the EU, yet we do with Japan and Korea, which in turn makes these nation’s products more affordable (less or zero import duty). This is a matter of circumstance created by geography mostly (I shall leave the politics out of it!). Then there is climate: rust is the final cancer that kills everything. Australian cars certainly do rust – but more slowly, having an Australian Compliance Plate will add value for on-selling. In the 1990s I imported an English BMW 7-Series to Australia and was aghast at the vehicle inspection for an Australian roadworthiness test (i.e. MOT). The police mechanics basically took a large screwdriver to
the floor of the car while it sat over the pits and hacked away. I was fortunate, yet many UK cars would not pass this test despite passing an MOT. So if you are reading this and contemplating taking your car to Australia I suggest that you get your garage to hoist your vehicle and have a very close look about – remember everything can be repaired but rust is generally permanent. Other things are very clear when adding up car costs in the UK versus Australia. Fuel – at the time of writing some £1.30 a litre is common as opposed to $1.70 – or approximately 85 pence. Then there is the item that really does equalise car values or even make Australian cars cheaper – insurance. Australia runs a system of compulsory third party insurance when a vehicle is ‘taxed’ or in other words when one pays one’s registration fee. Other forms of insurance are then non-compulsory except the wisdom of having at least 3rd party property damage in case your $500 banger runs into a Rolls. Yet a 20 year-old can buy a used c.1992 BMW 7-Series for some $2-3,000. With a V8 or V12, it matters not – your insurance is calculated on your no claims as per the UK and preciously, the car’s value. As a relatively cheap prestige car for paupers your $3,000 V12 740iL (remember the car will be fully specced!) can be insured for about $700 if you are aged 25 and have a driveway. That’s £350 approximately. So add these costs over the average ownership period of, say 4 years and there really isn’t much difference. Furthermore when the time comes time to sell, the Australian delivered car will give the next buyer more confidence regarding a lack of corrosion. Finally back to those fuel costs – as in the UK most Australians will do short journeys yet we are paying less for fuel in higher specced cars, yes with mostly larger engines but often the most efficient (i.e. those Aussie V8s which will shut down 4-cylinders in heavy traffic). When my friends or relatives look at Auto Trader or Gumtree (UK) they are often green with envy – yet reality is very different and for me, filling a tank for some £70 is gut-wrenching. Do keep in mind we don’t drive from Perth to Sydney – we fly so fuel becomes irrelevant. If on holidays or on a budget there are always an array of admittedly bland Asian cars to hire or buy – and these come cheaper or as cheap as their British equivalents. However the question for the top 1% is why do Australians pay so much for Ferrari’s, Rollers and such-like? In the same way that Apple bleeds its Australian customers extra – if the market can bear it Aussies pay it. One can argue that if you can afford a new Bentley, price doesn’t matter anyway – yet those few elite manufacturers are certainly playing a game that the mere mortal manufacturers – from BMW to Kia - do not…
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Fitness by Wake up the right way Waking up the next day after a workout can be a challenge, the aches may have set in and you probably just want to curl up in your warm duvet and write off the day. I’m going to tell you a secret about how I combat these aches and pains first thing in the morning. I follow a gentle stretching routine, which although may seem bizarre, actually works to wake me up and helps me to tackle the day. I start with a simple overhead stretch - you can stay in bed for this one. Simply put your arms above your head and stretch out from your fingers to your toes while taking in a few deep breaths. After about 30 seconds of stretching, stay lying on your back and roll your knees to one side, making sure that you keep your legs together and that your shoulders are touching the bed at all times. Take a few deep breaths, you should be able to feel the stretch in your lower back, repeat for the other side and follow the same steps. After that it’s time to get out of bed I’m afraid, but I’ll ease you into your day. Sit on the end of your bed with your feet on the floor if you can. Interlock your fingers and push your arms out to around shoulder level. Look down and ever so slightly, arch your back. Take a few deep breaths and feel the stretch! Keep seated on the end of your bed for this next one. Stretching the hamstrings after a hard workout is imperative. Keep both legs straight with your heel touching the floor and your feet just slightly apart. Keep your back straight and bend from your hips bringing your chest towards your thighs, making doubly sure that you are keeping your back straight! Take a few deep breaths and you should feel your hamstrings lengthen. Last one I promise! Stand up with your hands on your hips, and cross your left leg in front of your right. Raise your right arm and reach towards the left side. You should feel a slight stretch across your body, repeat for the other side. There you have it, a few simple morning stretches which help me wake up first thing and allow me to tackle the day.
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Wine Corner
Hello again, here we are heading towards Autumn. Although September and October can bring some lovely weather, we all know that it’s the colder - but perhaps this year not wetter - weather that is on it’s way. So I try and look forward to sitting indoors trying some good juicy reds to keep me warm. Amongst these heavy reds are Syrah (Shiraz), Malbec Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. As you may have seen in my earlier columns, these can come from almost any part of the world, but mostly from warmer climates. The full bodied red grapes often have a thick skin, and this helps with the body of the wine. Other factors can affect the ‘feel’ of the wine in the mouth. These include the pips or seeds of the grapes, (not that they are in the wine, but they are crushed with the grapes and influence the taste), the winemakers skill and experience in making the wine, and oak ageing. Oak barrels are used to produce the wine and the use of these adds tannins (which result in the dry feeling in the mouth, and esters (creating the aroma) in wine which help balance out the harshness of the wines and add body. Don’t forget that these full bodied wines are often high in alcohol. It’s not unusual for some to be 14% or more abv. When drinking red wine, ideally it should be decanted to ensure that air is mixed with the wine to help release the flavours. This can be done in a fancy crystal decanter, if you have one, or just as practical, in a jug. If you think a jug of wine would not look too good on the table, just pour the wine from above the glass so that it splashes into the glass. Careful not to go too mad, as wine is difficult to get out of table cloths, that’s why all the ones in our house are red! Incidentally I read recently that the government was trying to encourage pubs and restaurants to sell lower abv house wines. In the past I have mentioned the danger of not knowing the strength of the wine you are drinking, but I think the way to go is to make it more clear what the abv is in any wine, by perhaps, to taking a
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baseline, say 11% abv, and to use this to demonstrate the true increase in alcohol. So with a 13% abv wine, a note on the wine list would show that, although the increase in abv is just 2 percentage points, it actually contains 18% more alcohol than the baseline 11%. This way, if people want the higher strength wines, they can still have them but with a better understanding of the impact on their alcohol intake. Sorry but I’ve been thinking again. Take the saying ‘as poor as a church mouse’. Now, maybe I am not observant enough or have had too little contact with mice, but I have never seen one with a wallet full of fivers. Even if I’ve missed this, why would a church mouse have any less money than, say, a field mouse? It’s beyond me. What about ‘slept like a baby’. Does this mean you woke up crying three times and demanded a drink of milk twice? Last one, (for now) ‘mad as a March hare’. How do you identify a mad one, hares spend their whole life running aimlessly about, changing direction for no reason. Why March, are they sane for the rest of the year? I don’t think so! Just a word about more unusual wines. Lebanon has been growing vines since about 700 BC. It is one of fastest growth areas with wineries increasing from 5 in 1998 to 30 now. The grapes include reds and rose mostly, Rhone variety as well as Cabernet Sauvignon and good old Merlot. Although through it’s history, wine making declined, it revived in about 1857, with the arrival of the Jesuits who planted grapes from Algeria. These wines are available in the UK at the bigger wine merchants, but, as you might expect, come at a higher than average price. If you enjoy French wine I would expect you to enjoy Lebanese wines and maybe you could try some for that special occasion.
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presents live
Friday 14th November 2014
A double headline with two of the very best
Roadhouse & LaVendore Rogue Live at
JARDINS
East Street, Braintree, CM7 3JJ 01376 348645 Doors open 7.45pm show starts 8.30pm
Tickets ÂŁ10 in advance or ÂŁ12 on the door also available from the Ale House Chelmsford and from www.wegottickets.com/event/290655 or from the venue or by email music@itsyourmedia.co.uk