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Issue Number 65: February 14th - March 14th 2019
Top 10 Kitchen Tips... Advice from our Senior Kitchen Designer, John Martin 1. Think Ahead. Always put function first, there is no ideal shaped kitchen, whether it’s a galley, U or L shaped; plan for the sink, fridge and hob to form a triangle for ease of movement. 2. Make Room for Storage. The biggest mistake people make at the planning stage is not including enough storage. Try to use every nook and cranny. Consider deep drawers for easy access to pots and pans and include enough cupboard space to avoid having items cluttering your worktops. 3. See the Light. Unlike other rooms in the house, overhead lighting can be insufficient in kitchens. To maximise your creativity in your kitchen when finalising your next culinary masterpiece, you need to be able to see well. Under cabinet lighting is a favourite for most clients of ours. 4. Power Play. Make sure you have enough appropriately placed power sources for your big and small appliances. Also check that you have the correct gas or electric lines to power your new dream kitchen. 5. Space and Surface. There’s no such thing as too much counter space! Choose a surface that’s easy to work on and to care for. For example, grout between tiles can be difficult to maintain and some stainless steel surfaces can scratch easily. 6. Start Fresh. Try not to reuse appliances from your old kitchen. It may seem like you’re saving money, but an old appliance could stick out like a sore thumb in a plush new kitchen. Find other areas to save money if you have to stick to a budget.
7. Safety First. Make your new kitchen safe and familyfriendly. Curved cabinets and worktops and slip resistant flooring are always good ideas, plus having a high level oven can minimise the chances of accidental burns. 8. Clear the Air. Always buy a good quality extractor hood to help ventilate and remove cooking odours. 9. Trash Talk. Don’t forget to plan for waste and recycling. Waste disposals can really help bring down the volume of food waste you generate. Including some recycling bins cleverly hidden behind a cupboard door can be a nice feature. 10. Look out Below. When it comes to flooring, consider ease of maintenance and porosity - a porous floor (ie, stone) sometimes needs regular resealing and some hardwood floors can wear over time in places with a heavy footfall. Regal Kitchens can take all the hassle out of the design and the build and give you the dream kitchen you have always wanted. Reasons to Buy from Regal Kitchens • We are a Which? trusted trader. • We are the only independent kitchen retailer in Essex awarded with the FIRA gold standard for our installations team. • We are a KBSA member. • We guarantee all parts and labour against manufacturing and design faults. • We will beat ANY price you receive anywhere else for the same level of quality, service and customer guarantees.
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CT Fashion - A Date with Your Wardrobe After what feels like 76,543 days of January, February feels like a breath of fresh air doesn’t it? I mean, I know it’s an uncharacteristically cold breath of fresh air, but fresh air nonetheless. The evenings are getting slightly shorter and I don’t know about you, but I can feel my heart lifting with the prospect of spring around the corner. And that’s not the only thing that’s got us a fluttering is it? Yep, it’s the month of organised love celebrating whether we’re in relationships, going out for mates-dates or simply practising a bit of necessary self-love, there’s no chance we’re getting through February without some kind of love inspired date in our calendars. And quite right too! I’ve come up with a few outfits to get us through the courting season (and beyond - because when it’s right, true clothes-love just lasts forever). Quick, make a date with your wardrobe and get ready to pucker up for these outfit must-haves: 1. The Cuddly Night in Costume: So you’re thinking more slippers and a takeaway than a swanky meal and LBD? No worries, you can still make your night-in outfit special. Aim for something you feel comfortable in but also keeps you feeling sparkly - it is still date night, even if you’re in front of the TV (and even if it’s a mum-date!). You could go with my favourite silk style PJs (Boux Avenue have some gorgeous styles) and team with some thick socks. Bliss. Or, if you’re really up for the occasion, Matalan have some cute long and short cut ones from £10. Gotta love a bargain. 2. The Meal Outfit: Are you being treated (or treating someone) to a fancy meal? It’s still pretty chilly out so you’ll need a coat and nothing quite says ‘love me’ like this season’s ‘it’ coat - the Teddy; fluffy, oversized and warm, they demand to be hugged. Teddy coats can be found most places on the high street at the moment, from £75 in Topshop to more purse friendly offerings in New Look from £25. Animal print is still prowling the high street and nothing is sexier than an animal print body and dark lip. I’d team mine with either a midi length pleated skirt (elasticated waist post 3 course dinner - YES PLEASE!) or a pair of mom jeans and heels. 3. The City Getaway Get Up: So you’ve planned a quick city get away and have no idea what to don as you explore? Opt for comfy and versatile attire. Team flat shoes (maybe a pair of ‘ugly’ oversized trainers or smart loafers) with dark jeans and a light jacket. My personal favourite is a leather jacket. Plan for unpredictable weather by layering cleverly: think a vest and shirt and carry a light scarf for a splash of colour. Don’t forget the sunnies (yes, the sun does - occasionally come out in February, although it depends where you’re jetting to!). This season’s comfy but stylish neon oversized jumpers and shirts could be the perfect fit. Team with dark jeans and an oversized coat for whatever the weather throws at you. 4. The Girls’ Get Together Garb: So maybe your
OH/Significant Other is your old faithful best friend and you are dutifully spending a date shopping and having a glass of wine? Of course, you’ll need an outfit for that, too! The perfect Galentine outfit needs to take you through the day and into the evening, just in case lunch turns into dinner, and dinner into drinks, right? (I’m glad to know that it’s not just me and mine!). Well, opt for this season’s take on the must-have skirt and top combo. Think a satin bias cut skirt with a cami and oversized jumper which can be whipped off as shop turns to bar. Bias cut satin skirts are SO in, and are set to stay till summer, so get yourself to River Island where they have a selection of colours for just £32. 5. Tough Love Attire: Would you happily throw a dozen red roses at whoever dares ask you whether you’re dating? Rather suck your own toe than digest a heart shaped sweet? There’s a T-shirt for that. Slogan tees are constantly on every fashionista’s wish list, and what better way to articulate your feelings about ‘finding the one’ than wearing them across your chest? My favourite is the white with black writing ‘Dump Him’ - £18 from SilkFred complete with comedy emoji. 6. All You Need is Love, Love: On the other side, if you’re happy and you know it and you really want to show it, try the up with love paraphernalia available on the high street. Dorothy Perkins have a white ’All I See Is Hearts’ offering (£9) and Topshop offer a ‘First Love’ repeat tee for just £12. If you’re feeling rather flush and fancy treating yourself, Michael Kors still have the printed ‘LOVE’ black clutch bag available (£175). If that isn’t self-love, I don’t know what is. Rebecca Forde is a writer with a penchant for fashion, great literature and drinking a lot of coffee. You can contact her by emailing rebeccaforde@hotmail.co.uk. All Images: ©Dorothy Perkins
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Music and Ramblings - by Nick Garner Chelmsford Art’s and Cultural Festival You may have heard that we have put the festival back until 19th June to 28th June 2020. The reason for this is that we want to deliver a spectacular festival for all to enjoy, and to be able to do all that we have in mind we need time to prepare it. We want to bring back the carnival and we want to put on and amazing ten days celebrating all art and culture - and 2020 is also Essex Year of Science and Creativity, so we felt it would fitting to be part of it.
their style of music: ‘Not punk. Not grunge. We need something to call our own. We call it ‘altofuturism’...’ - check them out at www. alascamusic.com.
This does not mean we will be sitting back and relaxing, as we will be out gaining and growing more support. We need to get more sponsorship and we are still looking for assistance in many areas. If you think you could help us in any way, whether large or small, we would love to hear from you. The best way is via our email which is hello@chelmsfordfestival.co.uk.
It will soon be St Patrick’s Day and at the UB (Irish landlord!) it means a weekend of celebration. Friday 15th March will see a Jar Records night of indie music, then on Saturday 16th it will kick off with Irishman Barry Owens playing and singing traditional Irish songs. Then the mayhem starts, when none other than that great celtic/ folk/rock band Medicine take to the stage with Mark Barnard fronting this superb act. On Sunday 17th March from mid afternoon, Barry Owens will once again take to the stage. Following that, we then have Dave Ferra and Chris Berry, better known as Porch Swing, to entertain and wow us all. The UB just has so much going on live every Friday, Saturday and Sunday as well as some Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Music and Ramblings The storytelling night at the UB the other Sunday was great. It had to be moved out of the backroom into the main bar as there was around sixty people who attended. The next one is on Sunday 24th March from 7.30pm. Check out what else is coming up at the UB at www. facebook.com/theunitedbrethren/events. As this edition is coming out we, will have just had our second show of the year at Chelmsford City FC with Robbie McIntosh and his band. We kicked of the year with ChangesTwoBowie who were excellent. They got lots of people up and dancing and they are a band I feel sure we will rebook in the future. The Delta Ladies opened the night and as always played a great set, now with the addition of Tony Reeves on double bass, which has given them a great rhythm section and makes their sound complete. Coming up on the 15th March we have none other than The Christians with the wonderful rich soulful voice of Garry Christian. You may remember the singles Ideal World and Harvest for the World - just two of the many hits they had. Opening the night will be Rich Young of Buster James and many other bands. On 5th April we have John Coghlan’s Quo. John was the original drummer in Status Quo for seventeen albums over a period of twenty years. Some now even say his line-up is the best. They’ve also brought back into the fold our very own Trevor Gentry on lead guitar he will also be fronting his own band, Stony Road, as support. When we booked the night, Trevor had not been recruited back into the Coghlan fold. We think it will be a great night! The UB has some special nights coming up and you can find them all in the What’s On guide in this publication. On Sunday 17th February Denny Newman returns from Germany to play a Sunday session for the UB again. Denny used to play in Mick Taylor (of the Rolling Stones) band as well as in Manfred Mann’s Earth Band where he also wrote some of the music. Denny also ran the Hermit Club in Brentwood some years back. Thursday 21st February will be the second of my Blues & Roots in City at the UB, and I am really pleased to welcome the excellent Back Porch to play. Many of you will know this Suffolk band, but if you do not, I can only say that they are well worth seeing - and it will all start at 8.45pm and will be free entry, as are all the UB events. On Thursday 14th March, for our third event we welcome The SharpeeZ to play fresh from their headline show at the 100 Club in London. Bill Mead of The SharpeeZ has also recently returned from a tour playing in Russia, so if you love R&B and you like the style of Dr Feelgood, then this is the band for you.
On Saturday 9th March we have, all the way from New York City on his UK tour, The Hitman - a top blues player. I don’t know how on earth we managed to secure this great man, but we have! A great night for all blues lovers - it will be awesome to see this great man play.
Coming up at the football club (besides those mentioned) we have on Thursday 16th May - Albert Lee; Friday 14th - June Robbie Gladwell & the Sidemen; Friday 12th - July Kuschty Rye (paying homage to Ronnie Lane) and Thursday 7th November - Fullhouse playing the songs of Frankie Miller. This is Frankie’s old band with three of the original members still in it. You might also be interested in the Cosmic Puffin Festival on Mersea Island from 3rd to 6th May. Go to www.cosmicpuffin.org.uk to find out more - it is all in aid of children’s charities as well. We are very lucky and seem to have so many great live events happening. Comedy nights seem to be on the increase with many more regular events popping up, and I am starting to also see some poetry nights as well as storytelling. This is great news. There are also more art and creative groups appearing, and one of these is Ignite which is great. Most of these you can find out about in our magazines, or on Facebook and other social media networks. Please ‘like’ our pages on social media and help us by inviting your friends to ‘like’ our pages as well. As ever, please do try to come out and support the great live scene that we have in Essex because if you do not, we may lose it. For more information on all of the above and more see the links below and go to our the What’s On pages to see what else in happening in your area. Check on the Internet see what’s on in your local area Facebook is always good as is Twitter as well as your local papers and community boards. The Chelmsford Arts and Cultural Festival: hello@chelmsfordfestival. org www.chelmsfordfestival.org Online festival programme: www.issuu.com/chelmsfordfestival www.facebook.com/chelmsfordfestival Twitter: @chelmsfordaacf. www.bluesinthecity.co.uk www.facebook.com/bluesinthecitychelmsford Twitter: @BluesintheCity1 www.itsyourmusic.co.uk www.facebook.com/itsyourmusic Twitter: @itsyourmusic
A first time for Emjay Sessions with the UB who will be presenting AlascA, who are currently on their UK tour. This is how they describe Page 6
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CT Gardening - by Tom Cole
The weather is starting to improve and another growth season is just around the corner. The days are getting longer and perennials are already shooting from the base. For me, this is the month for cutting down grasses and it may also be worth splitting and dividing them to reinvigorate the plant. Those plants like sedges and rushes only require a rake through with your fingers to loosen old growth... don’t cut them down.
For the best results, dividing grasses tends to give me a better response when the plant is in active growth. Wait until potentially the end of the month to do this. Lift up plants carefully with forks, tease hand sized clumps for replanting. Where growth has died off in the centre, its best to discard and compost.
If you haven’t any of these superb accompaniments in your borders or containers, try a few this year as they’re relatively low maintenance. They make for excellent colour throughout the summer and right the way through to the end of spring. For borders, try and
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note overall height and spread, then pop between shrubs or perennials to extend the season of interest. Grasses to try this year • Panicum ‘Northwind’: Upright grass turning golden yellow in the autumn. For me this is the grass of the year. Pop along to RHS Great Hyde Hall for a fabulous display in the winter garden. • Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’: Upright with buff blooms in early summer. This example can be left for a while before lifting and dividing; leave for around 5 years. • Hakonechloa macra ‘Alboaurea’: Short, narrow cream-yellow leaves. Superb in containers and planted at the base of any birch tree. • Anemanthele lessoniana: Clump forming grass with narrow arching leaves, tinged with red or orange in summer and autumn, and arching sprays of red-brown flowers in late summer. Worth splitting and dividing after 3 years and for best results, do this when in active growth. • Stipa gigantea: A strong, tufted evergreen grass up to 2m tall, with arching narrow green leaves and large panicles of oat-like, long-awned purplish flowers which ripen to gold. A plant worth splitting and dividing after 4-5 years. Other jobs for this month: • Prune climber and rambler roses, tying limbs into any supports securely. Don’t forget to prune shrub and bush roses. • Finish off ALL apple and pear pruning before bud burst this spring. Don’t forget to always remove dead, diseased and damaged growth and reduce crossing branches and any suckers. The remainder of the new growth from last year should then be pruned by a third. • Continue to plant out all hardy perennials and woodies, feed in the spring and then mulch well to conserve water and keep weeds at bay. • Prune the butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii) and elderberry (Sambucus species) hard, bringing growth down to main stems at knee to waist height. • Plant out onion sets and garlic if you haven’t done so already. Lastly, if you want to further your knowledge and understanding of these or other gardening jobs, please do consider the following courses at Writtle University College: RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Garden Planning, Establishment and Maintenance (starting February): this is a great 6 month, day-release course for anyone wanting to develop their design, plant knowledge and understanding and establishment and maintenance of ornamentals and edibles. Contact me for more information. If you’ve got more time, we also offer full time Level 2 & 3 programmes, plus many apprenticeship pathways.
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We’ve got courses on garden design, construction (erecting fences, paving and brickwork), general garden tasks such as pruning, propagation, container gardening, successful care of lawns and growing fruit and veg. And for the professional, a whole load of competence certificates covering arboriculture, pesticide application and use of various machinery and equipment. Happy Gardening For any gardening tips, contact Tom Cole, Horticultural Lecturer, Writtle College, Chelmsford, CM1 3RR by post (including a SAE) or by email at tom.cole@writtle.ac.uk.
Page 8 www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk
Wildlife Corner - by Nick Green
January weather was generally quite dry with a few frosts, but the river levels remained low.
The starling is an abundant but declining resident, passage migrant and winter visitor. Internationally, the species is widespread through out the Palearctic and has been introduced to North America, southern Africa, south Australia and New Zealand. Starlings are hole and cavity nesters in habitats like meadows, pastures and roadside verges. Starling (copyright: Glyn Evans) Gardens, lawns and greens are productive feeding grounds, hence urban areas are colonised. Huge flocks (collective noun, murmurations) are shown regularly on TV, particularly on the Somerset Levels (Ham Wall) where pre-roost birds in the evening perform amazing aerial manoeuvres with split second coordinated changes of direction. Roost sites include reed beds, dense conifers (like Leylandii) and even the docks like Great Yarmouth. In Essex, juveniles form flocks that roam across the countryside from as early as June. Continental migrants can form significant arrivals in summer/autumn and have been noted at coastal sites like The Naze, Bradwell and on the Dengie Peninsula - generally all birds heading west.
Declines in starling numbers in Britain and Europe have been
recognised since the 1950s and particularly since the introduction of persistent organochlorine pesticides in the 1960s and modern farming methods. The RSPB Garden Birdwatch has revealed a decline of 80% in numbers, likewise with song thrush 75%, and house sparrows 57%. The British Trust for Ornithology lists the starling on its Red List under Birds of Conservation Concern 4 against a set of objective criteria. On a more positive note, starlings do prefer peanuts and fatballs at your garden feeding station plus pinhead oatmeal and mealworms. Please remember to keep your feeders clean and disinfected on a regular basis, as the deadly disease trichomonosis affects our greenfinches, especially in mild, damp conditions. Starling websites: www.starlingsintheuk,co,uk www,rspb.org.uk www.bto.org.uk Essex Selected January 2019 Highlights: Abberton Reservoir EWT: up to 12 great white egrets, 5 black-necked grebe, green-winged teal, ring-necked duck, 4 scaup, 6 smew, 2 long-tailed ducks. Hanningfield Reservoir: 2 tundra bean geese. East Mersea, Cudmore Grove CP: 1 shorelark. Wallasea Island RSPB: 5 short-eared owls, 3 hen harriers. National Selected January 2019 Highlights: A national influx of waxwings was apparent at the end of the month, so keep an eye open for trees or shrubs with berries (eg, cherry, cotoneaster). Shetland Isles: pied-billed grebe, eastern yellow wagtail. Orkney Isles. St Kilda: snowy owl. Northumberland: American black scoter. Manchester: Blyth’s reed warbler. Kent: Hume’s warbler. Cornwall: pacific diver. Isles of Scilly: eastern yellow wagtail.
CT Food: Meat - by John Jacobs I know Veganuary was meant to be tried. I didn’t. I went the other way. I ate more meat. I don’t defend that, nor do I apologise. I mean, cut me a little slack; I don’t drink, I don’t eat fur and I have never, ever, not once, parked on a disabled person. I fall short of sainthood but then again, so do most saints. I mean look at Saint Gareth of Barlow, patron saint of revenue avoidance. Most of my meat consumption for January was heavily weighted on one night at Preto, which is based in the Meadows Centre. Firstly, when asked what I was doing at the weekend, it afforded me the response: “I’m going for a Brazilian...” Seconds of simpleton fun.
Secondly, since it opened, I’ve been coerced by oodles of you that this is currently the best dining experience in the city. I’ll be honest with you, I think I agree. Let me take you through the set up. The whole place is designed to look vaguely south American. There’s even a full sized lady manikin dressed for the Rio Carnival (but looks like a Primark dummy with feathers stapled to it). You walk in and are immediately dazzled by a team - and I mean a team - of passadors (aka, waiters), racing from table to table with skewers the size of security railings threaded with enormous chunks of meat. Passing effortlessly between diners, slicing and carving enough barbecued flesh to endanger the entire animal kingdom. For an incredibly reasonable set fee, these gentlemen of vegan nightmares slice rump, filet, top sirloin, pepper steak, garlic steak, chicken thighs, gammon - and pretty much anything else you can conceive - on to your plate. I was with a table of six and with each cut that came, it kept getting better. Imagine an entire table of midcoital Meg Ryans. I decided within ten minutes that I would never eat in another restaurant ever again because that would be wasting valuable meat time. At around about twenty minutes I began to slow down and roughly thirty minutes into the experience the meat sweats kicked in along with the hallucinations. This is a great dining experience that ticks all the boxes of a good restaurant. Great food, sensibly priced and a great team of chefs and table staff. It doesn’t pretend to be fine dining, but the quality of the ingredients are astonishingly good. I recommend - no, I insist - that you put on those Reebok sweatpants and head straight there. It is a brilliant and welcome addition to the city. And for you vegans and vegetarians, there’s also a salad bar. Apparently. Before going to Preto, I took the opportunity to stop in to sample a few drinks in one of Chelmsford’s newest bars, Abstinence. Some of you will recall my mentioning this just before Christmas. Now open, you can find it opposite the Civic Theatre on Dukes Walk. I’m hoping to review it fully for next month’s edition, but my initial thoughts are entirely positive. The ethos of Abstinence is eat, drink, laugh and dance. All of which you can do in the beautifully designed space. What they also bring is a new venue for the thriving live music and comedy scene in Chelmsford. You can find more information on their website at www. abstinencebar.co.uk. As always, if there’s anywhere you’d like us to review, or you have your own, please write to me at cctfood@gmail. com. Have a great month everyone.
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John Jacobs’ novel, Snow Goose, is available from Amazon and also as a download from Kindle Worldwide.
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What’s on in the Area February Friday 15th Bassment - You’re So 90s! (free entry & 50% off all drinks before 11pm) CCFC - Robbie McIntosh & Band + Jamie Williams & the Roots Collective Civic - Whitney - Queen of the Night Cramphorn - The Nightingale of South Bank The Golden Fleece - The Company United Brethren - Martin McNeill Bottle Neck Blues Saturday 16th Abstinence Bar & Restaurant - 80s Party Night Bassment - Foxymophandlemama (Pearl Jam tribute) + Havokira + J-Mack Gray (+ Indie Alternative Disco from 11pm) CCFC Home - Chelmsford City FC v East Thurrock United Civic - Buddy Holly and The Cricketers Darkside Comics - Zine Workshop Galleywood Heritage Centre - Essex Society for Family History monthly meeting The Golden Fleece - Red Leaf Transition - WDR Presents SeRvo (+ support) United Brethren - Joe Anderton & Conor Selby Sunday 17th Abstinence Bar & Restaurant - Open Mic Night Cramphorn - The Improv Party United Brethren - Denny Newman (4.30pm) Monday 18th Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Strictly Solo (learn how to dance, 9.15am & 11.15am) Tuesday 19th Boreham Village Hall - Ballroom and Latin American Dance (classes for beginners & improvers - www.danceasy.co.uk) Cramphorn - Don Quixote (live from The Royal Ballet) Transition - Ideas Aloud (hosted by RSA Essex) Wednesday 20th Abstinence Bar & Restaurant - All Inclusive Club Experience for 12-16 year olds (all soft drinks £10, or £12.50 including food) Cramphorn - Sofa The Chichester Hotel (Rawreth) - Belvedere Jazz & Music Club: Getz A Musical Portrait - Chris Ingham Qrt with Mark Crooks Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Zumba class (10.45am) KEGS - Chelmsford Winter Beer and Cider Festival 2019 Thursday 21st Civic - Pop Divas Live! Cramphorn - Peter Knight and John Spiers The Golden Fleece - Quiz night KEGS - Chelmsford Winter Beer and Cider Festival 2019 Friday 22nd Abstinence Bar & Restaurant - Vocalist Simone Perks (8pm) Bassment - Indie vs Hip-Hop (free entry & 50% off all drinks before 11pm) Cathedral - Lunchtime concert Civic - Ronnie Scott’s All Stars Cramphorn - Undiscovered Solo Final The Golden Fleece - The Rising Hideaways - 3 Foot High + Shooting Gale + Speed of Life + Jay Ebby E KEGS - Chelmsford Winter Beer and Cider Festival 2019 Transition - Cosmin Sound Bath Page 12
Friday 22nd (continued...) United Brethren - The Undiscovered covers band Saturday 23rd Bassment - The Skafonics (mod/ska special + Indie Alternative Disco from 11pm) Cathedral - Chelmsford Preloved Vintage Kilo CCFC Away - Gloucester City v Chelmsford City FC Civic - The Bon Jovi Experience Cramphorn - Undiscovered Chelmsford Band Final The Golden Fleece - Choice KEGS - Chelmsford Winter Beer and Cider Festival 2019 Star & Garter - The Stents Transition - Tomo on Set (photography exhibition) United Brethren - Emjay Sessions presents: AlascA Sunday 24th Abstinence Bar & Restaurant - Stand-up comedy with Sally Anne Hayward, Stefano Paolini & Rich Wilson United Brethren - Paolo Morena (acoustic 5.15pm) Monday 25th Cramphorn - Jibber Jabber Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Strictly Solo (learn how to dance, 9.15am & 11.15am) Tuesday 26th Civic - My Fair Lady Wednesday 27th Abstinence Bar & Restaurant - The All New LGBT Café (7pm) The Chichester Hotel (Rawreth) - Belvedere Jazz & Music Club: Kevin Grenfell’s Jazz Giants Civic - My Fair Lady Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Zumba class (10.45am) The Old Court Theatre - One Man, Two Guvnors Thursday 28th Civic - My Fair Lady Cramphorn - Carl Hutchinson: I Know I Shouldn’t Behave Like This... The Golden Fleece - Quiz The Old Court Theatre - One Man, Two Guvnors
March Friday 1st Bassment - Rock vs Pop (free entry & 50% off all drinks before 11pm) Civic - My Fair Lady The Golden Fleece - Adrenaline Hideaways - Noasis (+ support) The Old Court Theatre - One Man, Two Guvnors The Two Brewers - Shakey’s Sessions: Ghostwood Shanks + Palps + Ransoms United Brethren - The Delta Ladies Saturday 2nd Bassment - Rubber Soul with Dr Bob Jones (DJ set) CCFC Home - Chelmsford City FC v Concord Rangers Chelmsford Cathedral - Essex Symphony Orchestra Concert Civic - My Fair Lady The Golden Fleece - Mushroom Clown The Old Court Theatre - One Man, Two Guvnors
Please note, all events are subject to change. Please visit the relevant websites or Facebook pages for more details
Sunday 3rd Cramphorn - Chelmsford Jazz Club - Zoe Francis (vocals) Jim Mullen (guitar) and John Pearce (piano) Mick Hutton (bass) The Golden Fleece - Goat Monsoon + Whoremoan + Le Menhir The Old Court Theatre - One Man, Two Guvnors United Brethren - Yoka & Big Ray (4.30pm) Woolpack - GC’s Jazz Club: Graham Pike (trumpet, flugel, harmonica, vocal) & Graeme Culham Trio (8pm) Monday 4th Cramphorn - Jibber Jabber Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Strictly Solo (learn how to dance, 9.15am & 11.15am) Ekersley Road - Judo class 1st lesson free - tel 07768364435 The Old Court Theatre - One Man, Two Guvnors Wednesday 6th Abstinence Bar & Restaurant - Tommo’s Big Fat Sexy Quiz The Chichester Hotel (Rawreth) - Belvedere Jazz & Music Club: Al Nichol’s Swing Quartet Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Zumba class (10.45am) The Old Court Theatre - One Man, Two Guvnors Thursday 7th Bassment - Bassment Blues Jam The Golden Fleece - Quiz Great Baddow Parish Hall - An Evening With TV & World Renowned Psychic Medium, Mr Tony Stockwell The Old Court Theatre - One Man, Two Guvnors Transition - Make Up Masterclass Writtle Library - The Incredible Shrinking Man Friday 8th Bassment - You’re So 00s! (free entry & 50% off all drinks before 11pm) Cathedral - Lunchtime concert Civic - Chaplin: The Gold Rush (with live orchestral score) The Golden Fleece - The Strides Hideaways - The Enlightened + The Rooks + 3rd Dart + Wax Colour The Old Court Theatre - One Man, Two Guvnors United Brethren - Steve Hooker Band Saturday 9th Abstinence Bar & Restaurant - DJ Brandon Block & friends Bassment - Indie Alternative Disco (from 8pm) CCFC Away - Eastbourne Borough v Chelmsford City FC Civic - Aretha - Respect The Golden Fleece - 6 String Makeover The Old Court Theatre - One Man, Two Guvnors Transition - Chelmsford vintage and sportswear sale United Brethren - Hit Man Blues Band Sunday 10th Abstinence Bar & Restaurant - An evening with Zac Barrett & friends (from 7.30pm) United Brethren - Digby Rose Duo (4.30pm) Monday 11th Cramphorn - Jibber Jabber Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Strictly Solo (learn how to dance, 9.15am & 11.15am) Tuesday 12th Boreham Village Hall - Ballroom and Latin American Dance (classes for beginners & improvers - www.danceasy.co.uk) Civic - Leo Houlding, The Spectre Expedition: To the End of the Earth Cramphorn - Wonderland High Wednesday 13th Civic - Sir Geoff Hurst Cramphorn - Wonderland High The Chichester Hotel (Rawreth) - Belvedere Jazz & Music Club: Jeff Hooper Big Band (£20) Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Zumba class (10.45am)
Spiritualists Hall - Chelmsford Civic Society AGM: Cllr Dick Madden; From Police Cadet to Councillor in Chelmsford United Brethren - Open Mic Night hosted by Joe Anderton Thursday 14th Civic Here Come The Girls Cramphorn - Wonderland High The Golden Fleece - Quiz night United Brethren - The SharpeeZ Friday 15th Bassment - Indie vs Hip-Hop (free entry & 50% off all drinks before 11pm) CCFC - The Christians + Rich Young Civic - The James Bond Concert Spectacular by Q The Music Cramphorn - Wonderland High The Golden Fleece - Charlies Aunt Hideaways - White Raven Down + The Illusionist + Sea Wolves + Gallow Wood KEGS - Breast Cancer Now BIG PINK QUIZ United Brethren - Jar Records Presents: Magic Seas + Leo C Saturday 16th Bassment - Indie Alternative Disco (from 8pm) CCFC Home - Chelmsford City FC v Weston-Super-Mare Cramphorn - Wonderland High The Golden Fleece - Ultimate 80s Hideaways - Whole Lotta DC + Hi-On Maiden United Brethren - Medicine & Barry Owens Sunday 17th Abstinence Bar & Restaurant - Open Mic Night (from 7.30pm) Cramphorn - The Sleeping Beauty (pre-recorded from The Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow) O’Connors - St Patrick’s Day: Winston and the Lads United Brethren - St Patrick’s Day: Barry Owens + Dave Ferras’ Porch Swing (2.30pm)
Please send us your events for the next edition (for events between 14th March and 21st April) to editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk
Introducing Our New Business Interviewer Derek Threadgall’s working life has revolved around the film, television, advertising and PR industries. His first break was with the British Film Institute’s film distribution library in London, followed by the National Film Theatre (the original 1951 Festival of Britain 3D cinema). He also worked on London’s South Bank arts complex as a trainee projectionist. After National Service in the RAF working in Air Ministry Public Relations and Promotion division, he joined Rank Film Distributors in London’s Wardour Street. In 1960 he moved into management at Shepperton Studios, Britain’s largest independent studio, where he stayed for five years enjoying the bonus of the Hollywood fall out from the Senator McCarthy anti-communist ‘witch hunts’ that forced many blacklisted Hollywood directors, producers and stars to decamp from Hollywood to England to find work - many of whom came to Shepperton Studios. In 1972, he ran the successful 16 month long public campaign to avoid Shepperton Studios being demolished for housing by city asset strippers. As a result of this PR victory, he was asked to create a PR arm for a financial organisation for which he also worked closely with
Sarah Hughes Joins Forces with Essex Vocal Coaching Vocal and confidence coach Sarah Hughes has joined forces with Essex Vocal Coaching to become the latest edition to their list of coaches. Sarah is the first coach working with EVC to be based in the Chelmsford area. Of the move, Sarah said she wants to “spread the joys and benefits of singing to my town. I am insanely passionate about empowering little people and adults to sing and increase their selfesteem, belief and confidence: if you believe it, then you will sing it!” Louisa Strachan, Director of Essex Vocal Coaching says: “I’m delighted Sarah is on board - she’s a perfect fit for the organisation in terms of her thinking and attitude towards the subject of singing and how it can help improve confidence and self-esteem. Plus she has had a great career as a singer herself, so really knows her stuff.” To find out more about lessons with Sarah and Essex Vocal Coaching, please visit www.essexvocalcoaching.com/sarah-hughes, and www. essexvocalcoaching.com. Essex Vocal Coaching is a collective of coaches and mentors with performance and technical skills in singing, music, songwriting and recording. All of the coaches have experience of working with young people and adults in helping them realise their personal goals and potential. The coaches provide technical guidance for students on how to use their voices, how to write songs, audition technique and performance opportunities for those who want it. Some students have gained places at establishments such as The BRIT School, Italia Conti, Tring Park and Mountview. Some have recorded and released their own music, and some have simply gained confidence and made new friends along the way.
BBC investigative journalists. He formed his own documentary unit and began writing for media and consumer magazines, including Atlantic, the American Chamber of Commerce House Journal in London. During this time, he began interviewing senior figures in the film industry. He was invited to manage the television commercials library for the Ogilvy Benson and Mather advertising agency in London. He was then head hunted by a magazine publisher to create and edit a space technology magazine which brought him in touch with British, American and Russian space programmes. In between these, he has helped registered charities with promotion and fundraising. Now long retired, he has given over 120 talks on cinema and film making to local groups and 110 controversial columns for a local newspaper. Currently, he helps out with Writtle’s Community Cinema and is an interviewer for the British Entertainment History Project in London. He has been known as Britain’s Oldest Angry Young Man! Derek is married to Liz and has two children.
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Tips f
Consistency trumps all. In your habits of health, the little and often beats the manic sprint every time!
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Hairy Monster - Random Thoughts It has been widely reported in the press and on television, that the ANPR camera under the railway bridge in Duke Street has raised £1.5 million in fines to help fill Essex County Council’s coffers. Wouldn’t it be a nice gesture if some of these ill-gotten gains were used to help the people who are rough sleeping underneath that very bridge. Money well spent, says nobody ever. It is almost a year since Rob O’Connor’s tragic death on the streets of our fair city and still nothing has changed. CCC hasn’t even carried out an internal inquiry to fathom out how a man with serious health issues, including cancer, could meet such a horrific death in a doorway on one of the coldest nights of the year. It seems they have lost interest and any impetus at the time of Rob’s death has faded into obscurity. Until there is positive action by the council, I will continue to plague and humiliate them as often as I can. There are some great and good people in this city, including Chelmsford City Football Club, who are stretching out to help those who have fallen on hard times - and then there are councillors who seem to regard them as a nuisance, a blot on the landscape, an inconvenient truth. As a mark of remembrance, and to raise funds to prevent another senseless death, Chelmsford’s Cool To Be Kind community project are releasing a charity single - which will also be entitled Cool To Be Kind - performed by Burning Codes. For more information I would ask each one of you to search for Cool to be Kind on Facebook and help a worthy cause. Without CTBK and Sanctus, there would be little hope for the future of those who are in dire need of support in our once proud city. Lecture over: I promise not to mention homelessness again for at least another 4 weeks. In order to renew my vocational driving licence, I had to go for a blood test at Broomfield Hospital which, despite constant criticism from various quarters, still provides us with a first class caring service. There were quite a few people waiting for the vampires to strike and I took my ‘raffle ticket’, number 86, and expected a long, boring wait. In fact, the wait was neither boring nor long, so a big shout out to the staff there - particularly the gentleman who treated us to his version of bingo calling. I arrived as he was summoning ‘Heinz varieties, 57’. ‘Baker’s bun, 61’ followed soon after, as did ‘candy store, 74’. Sitting next to me was a portly lady with her equally stout daughter. She was holding ticket number 88. Sadly, I missed him calling her appointment. Would’ve loved to have seen her reaction when he called ‘two fat ladies’.
London. A few seconds later she returned in a blind panic with the lead and collar but no dog. We all rushed out and spent the best part of an hour searching the cold, wet and dark streets of Camden. The search was fruitless and on our way back to the centre we discussed how on earth we were going to explain to the owner that his trusty companion had disappeared. Tell him that he had passed peacefully away in the night? Abducted by aliens? Arrested on suspicion of fouling a pavement? None of these explanations were going to cut it and we resigned ourselves to telling him that we’d managed to lose his best friend. In silence and gloom, we slowly trekked back to the centre... You can’t imagine our joy when we turned the final corner and there was Santa’s Little Helper fast asleep on the steps of the portakabin. And I bet he was smirking. Four friends are discussing the possibility of finding a new place to live, but can’t decide what to buy or where to relocate. Rachel wants a penthouse overlooking the Thames. Joey wants a bungalow by the sea. Phoebe says she would like a country cottage, while Ross says he’s happy to stay in their current flat. For almost three years they squabble and argue until they suddenly realise the penthouse has become too expensive, the bungalow has been swept away by a tsunami, the country cottage has burnt down and the lease on their flat has expired. The only option is to buy a caravan on Canvey Island and although it is dirty, the roof leaks, and it doesn’t have any internal plumbing, for the first time in three years they actually agree on something - that they have made a terrible mistake. This is my metaphor for Brexit. Finally, apologies to Jane yet again for not tackling the serious issue of mud. Obviously the subject needs a lot of research, as accuracy is essential when dealing with a complex issue like this. I hope to have finished my thesis by the end of June. Not sure which year though.
One of the joys of getting older, apart from not having to worry about self-image, washing or putting your trousers on the right way round, is the increasing number of letters you get from kind and caring strangers. I well remember, on my 50th birthday, receiving a lovely letter from Saga offering me child-free cruises along the Rhine (resident doctor in case of stroke, heart attack or sudden loss of memory). Then there were the offers of cheap funeral insurance to take the worry off the shoulders of your family when you snuff it; equity release, so you can afford to treat your grandchildren to an education and free £25 M&S vouchers in return for donating your kidneys to Battersea Dogs Home. Amongst these letters I vaguely remember there being a birthday card, or maybe it was an invitation, to join the local coffee morning every fortnight in the village hall. Sadly for all these potential benefactors, I have accepted none of their offers. I intend to spend every penny I own on gratuitously needless luxuries and die, penniless, with a smile on my face. My family can then dispose of my mortal remains in any way they wish - I won’t be there, so I won’t lose any sleep about how they do it. A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to be invited to help out at a night homeless shelter in London. While the 200 or so guests slept in the gymnasium of the school, their dogs were sleeping in a portakabin outside. There were only 9 dogs which was quite a surprise, as my impression was that a large proportion of rough sleepers had them as companions. It was about 2am when one of the dogs woke and it was clear from his demeanour and the foul smell that he needed to go walkies. One of the volunteers hitched him up and proceeded to go on a tour of North Page 16
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Essex Symphony Orchestra Concert
Chelmsford Trades Union Council (TUC)
The next Essex Symphony Orchestra concert will be on Saturday March 2nd. The concert will be very special indeed, as we will not only be performing at the beautiful venue of Chelmsford Cathedral, but we will also have renowned clarinet soloist Emma Johnson joining us to play James Francis Brown’s Clarinet Concerto, Lost Lanes, Shadow Groves.
Chelmsford Trades Union Council (TUC) was established in 1899 and is one of the oldest community bodies in our city. Its membership is composed of delegates from trade union branches whose members live or work in the area and that are affiliated to the national TUC. Its aim is to defend and promote the interests of trade unionists and their families in Chelmsford, and in doing so it has won considerable respect. Since its formation, there have been very few local and national issues that have not seen Chelmsford TUC playing a part.
Liquid refreshments will be served during the interval and we hope to attract a large audience for the event within Chelmsford Cathedral. The interval will be a perfect opportunity for both audience and orchestral members to mingle and also meet Emma, our soloist. We would like to invite our audience members to become Friends of ESO if they wish to do so. We also have free tickets on offer for new audience members. Please see full details below. Details of how to join as a Friend of ESO can be found on our website at www.essexsymphony.org.uk/friends. Becoming a friend of ESO is a great way to add social value to your local community in Chelmsford by supporting a long standing local orchestra and cultural scene. You can also become a corporate sponsor of ESO and offer support for further communal outreach activities such as our annual children’s event. By becoming a corporate sponsor you will be able to advertise with us in our concert programmes and promote your own business or ventures. Please email us on esofeedback@gmail.com if you are interested. Also see our concert programme on concert night for more details. ** FREE TICKET OFFER! ** We will be giving away 20 FREE tickets to the first few lucky audience members to step through our doors on the night of the concert. For those who have never seen the Essex Symphony Orchestra in action before, we would love to offer you the chance to see your first concert with us for free! If you are a newcomer, just let us know on the night as you come through the door and if you are one of the first 20 people who have never been to one of our concerts before, we will happily give you a free ticket and show you to your complimentary seat! Date/Time: Saturday 2nd March 2019 at 7.30pm Venue: Chelmsford Cathedral, Duke Street, CM1 1EH Tickets: £16.00 (under 18s get in for free!)
Included in its annual public events are International Women’s Day (March 8th), Workers’ Memorial Day (April 28th) and International Workers’ Day (May 1st). This year Chelmsford TUC will be celebrating Mayday early at 7pm on 24th April, when it will sponsor a production of Spirit of 1868 at Christ Church, 164, New London Road, Chelmsford CM2 OAW. The company performing Spirit of 1868 is Banner Theatre, a popular group of artists that have visited Chelmsford several times in recent years. Spirit of 1868 was commissioned to celebrate the founding of the TUC and to mark 150 years of union struggle. The result is a stirring dramatisation of some of these struggles, protests and moments of resistance that have shaped our past and our present. Spirit of 1868 features the 8-hour day, health and safety at work and equality in the workplace through exhilarating folk, blues, punk and reggae rhythms. Music and songs drive the stories of workers from all walks of life, all standing together in solidarity across 150 years of picket lines and protests. Spirit of 1868 has lessons for today and reflects the fact that in 1868 workers were fighting for union recognition, the end of casual labour, and improvements in working conditions. There is so much more to be done. Tickets for Spirit of 1868 cost £10 and can be purchased through Eventbrite (search for ‘Spirit of 1868’) or ring 01245 356 210. For information about Banner Theatre and to read reviews of Spirit of 1868, visit www.bannertheatre.co.uk. For information about Chelmsford TUC visit www.chelmsfordtuc.wordpress.com.
Tickets are available from Daces and Allegro Music in Chelmsford, or from Pam Gladwell on 01245 601 418, or you can simply turn up on the night and buy them at the door. You can also go online at www.ticketsource.co.uk and then simply type ‘Essex Symphony Orchestra’ in the search box. Photo sent in by Doug Bacon
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Ernest Millington - A Corbynista MP for Chelmsford! - by Stephen Norris This, the second of my articles on Chelmsford politicians, concentrates on the time when Chelmsford elected not just a left wing MP, but someone who today might be regarded by some as holding extreme views. Ernest Millington’s immediate predecessor as MP for Chelmsford also had an interesting background. Colonel John Macnamara had a majority of 16,000 in the 1935 election. Macnamara attended over 70 meetings in the area before voting. He was deeply affected by the Spanish Civil War and was joint secretary of the Basque Children’s Committee. In 1924 he had joined the Territorial Army as a second lieutenant in the 3rd London Regiment. Macnamara was certainly on the far right of the Conservative party and he was a member of the Anglo German Fellowhip, some of whose members were pro Nazi. His secretary was Guy Burgess, later to find notoriety as a spy, with whom he frequently visited Germany in a series of sex tours before the second war. In World War Two he went to Italy as a colonel of the Royal Ulster Rifles and he was killed in December 1944 during the fighting in northern Italy - Macnamara was watching his troops take part in the allied offensive. He was buried in the Forli War Cemetery in Italy. Ernest Millington’s chance came because of the agreement of the Conservative and Labour parties not to fight by-elections during the war and to leave the incumbent party to win comfortably. The Commonwealth Party, which Millington belonged to, showed no such compunction in fighting the by-election that was held in February 1945. Millington grew up in Ilford and he won a county scholarship to go to Chigwell School. This was a ‘small but highly successful minor, public school’. His father, a High Tory, seems to have rather resented his son’s acquisition of a wide range of knowledge. He had been ‘a successful soldier and leader of men’ but ‘now he was a poorly paid unskilled labourer and all his ideas and beliefs were regularly being challenged by a half grown lad’. Ernest joined the Labour Party League of Youth at the age of 14, where political and educational differences led to him being ordered out of the house in 1932. He was ‘homeless, jobless, penniless’ and technically, still at school. Millington had to phone the school and tell the headmaster he would not be returning after the holidays. Whilst doing a variety of jobs, he completed his unofficial education at the Ilford Workers’ Association. There he met his first wife and they married in 1937. He joined the Territorial Army and was with a searchlight unit when the war broke out; Millington was sent to the Officer Cadet Training Unit in Wiltshire and emerged as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery, and he was briefly in charge of six searchlight sites. At the end of 1939 he volunteered for the rapidly expanding RAF and six weeks training in a Tiger Moth followed. When he qualified as a pilot, Officer Millington was selected for training as a flying officer. Millington was posted to RAF Spitalgate, just outside Grantham. He had a year in Flying Training Command learning the basics of flying but repeatedly requested operational flying and was eventually sent to be trained on Wellington bombers. Millington later recalled that commanding a squadron of Lancaster bombers had given him the greatest pleasure. After speaking out at a conference of senior officers (where he was the most junior person present) about the need to fly in groups, he was promoted to the rank of Wing Commander. Interestingly, Millington in his autobiography spoke up for Air Chief Marshall Harris, the Commander in Chief of Bomber Command, castigating the establishment for disowning him after the war. Millington thought that all possible methods were legitimate to extinguish the Nazi threat. In 1945 having almost completed his tour of operations and been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, he offered himself as an election candidate for the left wing Commonwealth Party. This was on the understanding that he would stand in a constituency that he couldn’t possibly win! The Commonwealth Party had amongst its founders the writer JB Priestley and the former Liberal MP Sir Richard Ackland. It took a
‘libertarian socialist view’ rejecting the state owned form of socialism. The party wasn’t bound by the wartime agreement on by-elections and it was able to take advantage of a wartime electorate looking forward to the introduction of Beveridge’s welfare state and win three constituencies before the end of the war. These were at Edisbury, Skipton and Chelmsford. As Macnamara had previously had a majority of 16,000, Millington looked to have chosen a safely unwinnable seat. The audiences at meetings were enormous and asked him endless questions about bombing operations. ‘They seemed to hold me personally responsible for the destruction of German cities. The Daily Mirror which, to my embarrassment, adopted my candidature made much of the fact that ‘while Wing Commander Millington was flying though thick flack to bomb Berlin, his Tory opponent, Flight Lieutenant Cooke was signing important documents in the Air Ministry’’. His military background and the temporary socialist fervour of the Chelmsford electorate led him to a majority of 6,431, overturning the sixth largest Conservative majority in the country. Part of the reason for this gigantic turnaround was that Chelmsford’s electoral register had been updated to include the masses of industrial workers who had come to Chelmsford during the war. In addition, Millington thought one reason for his success was an ‘unforeseen and virtually unexpressed deep and almost universal desire for change’. Traditional trade union and Labour Party members and supporters reacted adversely to their leadership, which gave them explicit instructions to vote for the Tory candidate. Sybil Olive remembered when interviewed that she hadn’t been surprised that Millington had won. His campaign was well organised and, although there was an element of a protest vote, people in the constituency genuinely wanted change. He became the youngest sitting MP. Millington bought a small house in Boreham. After being presented with the DFC, he went into the House of Commons where a Tory MP, who had been a military officer in the RAF with the rank of squadron leader, came up to him saying ‘you are improperly dressed. Your DFC ribbon is too wide.’ He was not expecting Millington’s reply. ‘If you are talking to me as an RAF officer, stand to attention, take your hand out of your trouser pocket and address a senior officer as ‘Sir’. If you are talking as a fellow member of parliament, mind your business and **** off.’ Evidently the Tory MP was in parliamentary mode as he ****** off! At the general election which immediately followed the end of the war, Millington initially offered to step aside so as not to split the vote with the prospective Labour candidate, Baker Smith. In the event it was the latter who stepped down, because he felt Millington was now better known. Millington won, beating the Conservative candidate Hubert Ashton but by a reduced majority of 2,220 votes. The shock of winning the seat at Chelmsford did not prevent Millington from attempting to fulfil his parliamentary duties diligently. He went to the Commons four nights a week, not arriving home until after midnight and spent most weekends on constituency and party duties. At a time when most MPs were still the sons of wealthy families, he had no other income other than his parliamentary salary of £1,000 and he had a wife and four children to support. This was to put a strain on his marriage that was to lead eventually to divorce. ‘To me and my family, it was a period of status accompanied by grinding poverty.’ He did however, become close friends with several parliamentary colleagues, particularly John Strachey, who despite representing Dundee, lived in the Chelmsford constituency. In January 1950 Strachey spoke in Chelmsford as the Minister of Food. Several of his military friends dropped Millington immediately his election made his politics clear. Chelmsford’s local papers certainly gave Millington a chance before turning resolutely against him. The Essex Chronicle criticised the fact that he wasn’t invited to the hospital carnival in 1947 saying it was a matter of courtesy rather than politics. As was now the tradition,
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he was given a column in the Essex Chronicle. He viewed the need for three thousand houses as the most pressing need in the constituency. After an initial positive start to council house building, this slowed alarmingly and he blamed the local authority, probably sensing that the links with local builders were too close. After the fire at Bolingbroke and Wenleys, he campaigned for an immediate public inquiry to determine whether there was any deficiency in the fire fighting service and whether there were any dangers posed by out-of-date wiring in the town as a whole. In 1946 Millington crossed over the floor of the House to the Labour Party. This had become increasingly likely original seats it retained. Millington’s move annoyed the Essex Chronicle who demanded that he resign and allow a by-election to be called, because the Commonwealth Party was already a declining force. He was one of fifteen MPs who didn’t support conscription in peace time and in general, he allied himself with the Bevanite wing of the party. Aneurin Bevan was the politician he most admired until his major volte face as Foreign Secretary over the atomic bomb. In 1949 Millington chaired a world government week in Chelmsford. This sought to reorganise the United Nations into an effective world government! It was evidently a relief to Millington that he was beaten in the election of March 1950. The second time Conservative candidate Hubert Ashton polled 28,541 votes and Millington 23,682. ‘I did not enjoy being a member of parliament. The hours away from home, wife and children were interminable. Income was nugatory, expenditure high’. Everyone came with a problem for an MP to solve. Some were even satisfied. One wonders whether a young man with little to offer in the way of expertise and experience, other than in killing and devastation, could achieve anything of value to justify such a neglect of family... Four months after defeat he stood down as the Labour candidate. It was he said ‘a reluctant decision forced on me by the needs of my family.’ After an assortment of odd jobs. Millington applied to rejoin the RAF as a non-flying lieutenant. After his views on Suez became known he was sent to Malta. When he got there he was accused of stealing 28 shillings and sixpence, the proceeds of an airman’s dance which had been given to him when he left. With his wife, he was also accused of stealing £50 from the Wives Club. The first amount ‘was a clear oversight and would be repaid immediately’. He was told the police would not pursue the case against his wife if he confessed. The Essex Chronicle made much of his parlous financial state. Millington was convinced that the Commander in Chief was under instructions to ‘get him discharged from the RAF by hook or by crook’. He was found guilty and ‘cashiered from the RAF’. After a successful teaching career in London, he remarried and moved to the Dordogne. His political views didn’t change however, and he was very critical of New Labour. He died in May 2006.
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Stephen currently offers the following talks about the history of Chelmsford to local organisations: 1. 4 QI Chelmsford MPs. 2. The Suffragettes in Chelmsford. 3. ‘Chelmsford Lives’ Memories of Chelmsford 1940s - 1970s (snippets of interviews with local people plus 100 photos in the background) (For the Friends of Chelmsford Museum). 4. The Hoffmann Company in Chelmsford. 5. Life in the Wood Street workhouse: The Chelmsford Poor Law Union 1835 - 1871. 6. The poor and society: The last 60 years of the Chelmsford workhouse and infirmary. 7. QI Chelmsford councillors and mayors (in preparation). For more information or to book Stephen, please email: stephen754norris@btinternet.com.
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Therapy - by Chelmsford Therapy Rooms Hello folks! Jenny here. For this month’s article I’m writing on some of the different styles of hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy can be delivered to the client in lots of different ways. But first, remember what I said about the hypno-voice last time? Here’s a reminder: “The Hypno-Voice: Your hypnotherapist will change the tone of their voice when they hypnotise you. This is to aid your relaxation. Each therapists hypno-voice differs depending on the therapist, but most therapists are trained to make their voice sound monotone. Some claim the idea is to ‘bore’ your client into hypnosis. Personally, my hypno-voice is melodic. I like to think I’m gently soothing clients into hypnosis rather than boring them!” I just wanted to elaborate on the hypno-voice a little bit. Another popular style that hypnotherapists are taught is to speak very slowly when delivering their hypnotherapy script. The idea is to keep the client relaxed, but to be honest I’ve never found it to be that helpful. Personally, I do speak maybe a little slower but that’s because my hypno-voice is melodic anyway and so I tend to ‘speak to the beat’ if there’s music playing. Some therapists use soothing music. If the therapist does use music it might include delta waves in the composition. Delta waves are thought by some to aid the client into a trance-like state. Personally any music I use includes delta waves.
Recorded Script with Headphones: I’ve only ever heard of one therapist doing this in my career, but the therapist records a script and then the client listens to it through headphones. Personally I don’t see the point in this style, surely if you’re going to record a script it would be better to be ‘in the room’ with your client so you can see their reactions to hypnosis? That’s just my opinion though. Personally I use a mixture of live script, ad-lib (both with or without music) and recorded script with music. It really depends on the client and what we’re working on at the time. I hope this has shed some light on what a hypnotherapy session can be like for those who have been wondering! Jenny Hartill is a counsellor, hypnotherapist and owner of Chelmsford Therapy Rooms. She has experience in a multitude of issues but specialises in anxiety and self esteem. Please see the therapist list on the website at www.chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk, or email info@ chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk, or call 0330 100 5162 to enquire about an initial consultation. Alternatively, Jenny’s own private therapy company website is www.cloud9-therapy.co.uk, her email is info@cloud9-therapy.co.uk, and her telephone number is 07507 307 170.
Next, lets look at how hypnotherapy can be delivered. Your therapist might teach you extra coping techniques as well as using hypnosis. It really depends in the training and style the therapist uses. Here are a few examples of how hypnotherapy can be delivered:
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Live Script: This is where your hypnotherapist has prewritten a script to read from, or they have resources where they can download a script and then they might tailor it specifically to the client. Personally, if I write a script I do it from scratch, but then I love being creative and writing! The therapist will read from the script to hypnotise you. You have had your initial consultation and your therapist has gone away to write the script and then you return for your hypnotherapy session. Live Script with Music: Exactly the same as above, only with relaxing music in the background. If I’m reading to music I like to keep to the beat and work the script in with the melody as this suits my hypnovoice and my style of hypnosis. Live Ad-Lib: Instead of writing the script, the therapist ad-libs the suggestions in the room. You have to be pretty good at thinking on your feet to do this! When I live ad-lib, I usually have some ideas written down. For example, if my client has had something crop up in the week that they would like included in the session I jot it down to make sure I remember to work it into the hypnotherapy session. Live Ad-Lib with Music: As above, with music. Recorded Script: Your hypnotherapist has not only written your hypnotherapy script but also recorded it. The therapist will then play the recording to you and monitor your reactions to the script. Some therapists prefer to be more aware of their client’s reactions in case a client rejects a suggestion. For example, the client might shake their head or have another ab-reaction to a suggestion. If I know where in the script that was, I can make a note without pausing. Recorded Script with Music: Exactly the same as above but with music in the background. This sometimes involves more production. Personally I like to get quite creative so if I’m using a recording I’ll involve other sound effects etc to make the experience as real and enjoyable as possible for the client. Page 20
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New Hive Café Now Open at Chelmsford Museum Chelmsford Museum is delighted to announce that its all new café, The Hive, officially opened to the public on Monday 4th February. Named in honour of the museum’s much loved working beehive which has fascinated generations of children, the café is situated in the beautiful Victorian part of the museum building surrounded by parkland and flooded with natural light. Builders have stripped back to display the beauty of the original Victorian architecture and the café walls are fittingly decorated with a gold bee motif.
The café contract has been awarded to Kellie Elicin, who has also successfully run The Lemon Tree in Moulsham Street, Chelmsford. The menu will feature local produce at good value, alongside seasonal specials. Kellie said: “We are so excited! Oaklands Park and the museum have always been a favourite destination for our family. When the opportunity arose, we grabbed it with both hands and have been overwhelmed with interest and support. We are privileged to be part of such an amazing project and can’t wait to share our beautiful new café with you all.”
Like the bees, customers will be able to flit between the museum’s welcoming halls and the glorious parkland outside, with the café opening onto the sunny rose terrace. The Hive is the first part of the museum to open its doors following a major redevelopment funded by Chelmsford City Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund. The project will completely transform the experience for visitors, using the very latest audiovisuals and special effects to take people on an emotional journey through time from an ice age plain, to the modern city of Chelmsford. All-new artefacts will appear in the museum, including the oldest piece of gold jewellery in Essex - the Danbury Diadem - which the people of Essex crowdfunded last autumn. Artwork and objects will also be on display in The Hive, providing an intriguing conversation starter for visitors to point out and contemplate while they enjoy delicious food and drinks. Councillor Susan Sullivan, Cabinet Member for Museums, said: “The Hive is a really lovely place to spend time. With a warm, Victorian fireside feel and stunning views, it’s ideal for afternoon tea, lunch with someone special or a quick bite with the family. Together, the museum and park have always provided a wonderful afternoon out and the new café completes the experience.”
Well Done, You Made It - by Mandy Haynes Well done, you made it. I find social media revels in the miseries of January, ‘the longest month’, imposing rules like you must exercise and cut out treats to be happier and healthier... It is always great to start the year better, with positivity, refreshed - our keen inner voice is saying there is a better you, but does it last!?! I hope you’ve indeed discovered the wonders of a clear head on a Saturday morning, enjoyed some beautiful countryside walks, got fitter or shedded a few festive pounds. maybe you found a sankalpa (in issue 63 our Hummingbird yoga instructor Mandy talked about meaningful vows, determinations or wills from the heart). Congratulations if you did, but welcome to a new month, the one for celebrating love! Whoever you are sharing love with, here at Hummingbird we celebrate loving the body and mind with a soothing gentle yoga or pilates class, or an invigorating ashtanga or cardio reformer class. January sees lots of us renew fitness vows, high five if that was you; it’s great to see happy faces in class and 121 training, discovering how amazing exercise makes you feel! We know and agree and love seeing the revelation! Sometimes though, by February these intentions get lost, we’re disheartened because we haven’t achieved, letting ourselves down, but seriously - it is NEVER TOO LATE! Often, making a ‘sometimes too big’ goal and pushing our physical bodies out of our comfort zone, our brain can’t keep up and our inner voice shouts ‘STOP’. We are human, habits die hard. The key is finding manageable bite-sized fitness goals which your body and brain can achieve. Having worked with Jan-Feb exercise/fitness trends for well over a decade, I notice that people take ‘go hard or go home’ literally - they go too hard in January and by February are home - with an injury and no fitter! The physical body is a maze of complexities even to the most experienced trainers and it needs love, respect and patience to function effectively, pain free, and most importantly, long term. Like
“Looking at the thought that has gone into The Hive” added Councillor Sullivan, “I think we should all be getting very excited for the big reveal of the rest of the museum this summer.” Find out more about Chelmsford Museum and the big redevelopment at www.chelmsford.gov.uk/museums. oiling a car engine, pumping each tyre, keeping the water topped up, and more frequently, refuelling - each component of us too needs attention and maintenance. For example, don’t forget a day of rest each week, a night of 7-8 hours sleep is recommended for muscular renewal and recovery, flushing the body with minimum 2 litres of water and refuel effectively - protein aids healing of worked muscles. Focus on one component in your goal setting - after all, Rome wasn’t built in a day - whether that be one body part, getting good at one exercise, or even looking after your spine with a daily stretch to stop that aching lower back or tight shoulders. Over my next few articles I will be giving examples of working your body component by component, and this time its keeping the spine mobile with just a few minutes a day. This can help with sedentary lifestyles and equally, those doing too much! Cat Stretch: on all fours, lift/arch the middle of your back to the ceiling and look down to your knees, then slowly drop your lower back creating a deep hollow, moving to looking forward and up. Mermaid: sitting on chair or floor, cross legged or just comfortably, lift your right arm to the ceiling, resting down on the left. Lean left, creating a sideways curve in the body, then return back. Repeat reaching over the other way. Repeat 10 times alternating slowly. Seated Spine Twist: sitting on chair or on the floor, keep your hips rooted down, twist your torso to the right, with your left hand holding your right thigh to anchor your twist, for 5 seconds. Repeat to the left, using your right hand on your left thigh to anchor your twist, for 5 seconds. Repeat 5 each side. If you are struggling with your health and fitness goals, Hummingbird can help with 1:1s or small group pilates and yoga classes. Email at info@hummingbirdpilatesyoga.co.uk, or call on 01245 422 556.
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Yoga Nidra - by Mandy Haynes Being a yoga teacher and student is a constant learning curve. There is so much you can learn and endless courses, trainings, classes and workshops to experience, focusing on the many many aspects of yoga, that it can be overwhelming when considering which path to follow next. Choosing my next level of training comes from a place within me that asks what I would like to experience as a yoga student. I completed my pre and postnatal yoga training when I was pregnant with my daughter, as I wanted to know how to adapt my own practice and get a true sense of the benefits of pregnancy yoga. In doing this I was then able to share the joys of pregnancy yoga as a teacher to local women at a weekly class. I am now ready to embark on my next training; all of my classes will end with savasana (corpse pose) and when time allows, I love to use a guided meditation to help keep my students present as well as ease them into a deeper relaxation. Yoga nidra seems like the natural progression from this and so that is where my learning is now headed.
alleviate stress, reduce chronic pain, alter negative habits and behaviours and bring about feelings of peace, calm and clarity.
It is described by the Yoga Nidra Network as ‘a great treasure; a potent meditative resource for healing, insight and empowerment. It provides us with the opportunity to experience deep freedom. It welcomes us all home to ourselves’. Sounds pretty wonderful, right?
What Is Yoga Nidra? Yoga nidra is often referred to as ‘yogic sleep’ - it is a practice that draws our attention inwards and takes us to the state between wakefulness and sleep, where our body finds its natural state of equilibrium. The breath balances and becomes quiet, unconscious and conscious aspects of the mind reveal themselves and we fall into an innate state of deep, blissful stillness.
With an abundance of courses on offer and such a range of different methods, lineages and levels of yoga nidra, it can be a minefield choosing the right course. Thankfully, I was able to take recommendation from a fellow teacher who trained with Uma Dinsmore-Tuli and Nirlipta Tuli. My course starts soon - I’ll keep you posted on how I find the training and where you can find my yoga nidra classes!
As a culture, we are always connected, often stressed, and our nervous systems are in an almost constant fight-or-flight, sympathetic state. Yoga nidra is an effective way to access the ‘rest and digest’ parasympathetic state, which is where healing happens.
I currently teach vinyasa flow classes (candlelight and beginners) at Hummingbird Pilates & Yoga on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Yoga nidra has many benefits; it can ease insomnia, decrease anxiety,
You can see the full list of classes and workshops on offer online at www.hummingbirdpilates.co.uk, or follow on Facebook or Instagram @hummingbirdpilatesyoga.
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Pilates, Yoga, Meditation Book your space online or call: Small Classes & 1-2-1’s www.hummingbirdpilates.co.uk Inspirational Teachers 01245 422556 Friendly, Community Vibe Reeds Farm Estate, Writtle, CM1 2ST www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk Page 23
A Canal Boat Experience Is Accessible to Everyone with CanalAbility and Only 40 Minutes from Chelmsford! CanalAbility are an award winning charity based just 40 minutes from Chelmsford on the Herts/Essex border dedicated to providing facilities for disabled and disadvantaged people and people with special needs to enjoy boating on the river. The charity provides day trips, short breaks and longer holidays on specially adapted canal boats, and a chance to enjoy a stress free, peaceful cruise on the Rivers Stort and Lee through the beautiful countryside of Essex and Hertfordshire.
cancer, using sailing to support, empower and inspire young people between the ages of 8-24 in embracing their future with optimism. The partnership with CanalAbility ensures widening access, which gives young people with more severe mobility issues or who don’t yet have the confidence to join a trust sailing trip, the chance to get all the same benefits of being on a boat with others who have been through similar things, but in a smaller group with more one-to-one support. In October 2018, four young people who have all had treatment for brain tumours enjoyed five days onboard CanalAbility’s adapted boat, and fed back a number of benefits that they experienced, including: ‘building confidence’ and ‘making new friends’. One young man said that he experienced ‘a big rest from the real world’. The trust, as reported on their website said that: “For 16-year-old Mary Isherwood, this was her first trust trip. Having had more than two years of treatment at the Children’s Hospital for Wales after being diagnosed with a craniopharyngioma in April 2014, she couldn’t believe the difference the trip made.”
Ware Road Community Group. CanalAbility is a registered charity dedicated to providing facilities for disabled people and people with special needs to enjoy boating on the river on their specially adapted canal boats (©CanalAbility) For many, the logistics of being able to board a narrow boat and enjoy all the pleasures of taking a trip in one can be more than challenging for people with disabilities, mobility issues and special needs. CanalAbility have made this a possibility by offering three canal boats, specially adapted with ramps, lifts and hoist points enabling access for wheelchair users and those with impaired mobility. The boats have central heating throughout and are fully equipped with wet rooms, fully accessible toilets and hoists - and the fully equipped galleys allow you to prepare your own meals. On day trips CanalAbility provide a skipper, first mate and crew member - this is included in the price. Whether you have a disability yourself, or care for someone who does, the crew at CanalAbility have been helping disabled and disadvantaged people and people with special needs enjoy the river for over 19 years. They provide all the facilities needed for those with disabilities to fully participate in the experience. Everyone can take part as much, or as little, as they wish - from steering the boat to helping operate the locks, making sure everyone has a memorable, fun and inspiring experience. The not-for-profit organisation relies solely on donations, sponsorship and grants to offer this service, along with fully accredited training for volunteers and service users. The charity works with many organisations from all over the country, and has welcomed many families, organisations and support groups from the Chelmsford area, including: The Columbus School and College, which caters for children of all ages with special educational needs; the League of Friends Chelmsford Resource Centre; Danbury Youth Centre; Churchfields and Bridgemarsh Hostel Residential Care Homes; Chelmer Village Youth Club; Interact Group; Essex Care Chelmsford Resource Centre; 1st Writtle Scout Group; Hamelin Trust Wickford; Breakaway Supported Holidays. CanalAbility also work with many support groups and, since 2016, have been working in partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust. The trust is a national charity that rebuilds confidence after
Mary said: “You don’t meet people in the same situation as you every day, but on this trip, we feel like normal people. In the outside world we feel like the odd ones out with brain tumours, but when we get on the boat we can be ourselves, we don’t have to be people we’re not and it’s just so nice. These are people who understand how I feel, I understand how they feel, and we can share it. “You have to go through the experience [of treatment] to know what it feels like, you can’t assume. I feel so much more confident, that I can take the tumour and rule it. Now I feel I can go home and not worry about the people who don’t understand. I’m taking my life back and I want to do this trip over and over again.” The river is beautiful and peaceful in the chillier winter months and the centrally heated boats ensure you enjoy a cosy trip - the perfect antidote to those post Christmas blues! As an extra winter warmer, the charity announce that 2018 prices will be held for 2019! That means no increase in prices, plus they are offering a 25% discount on holidays and day trips booked and taken in January and February 2019. Get booking for your 2019 break today! To find out more about arranging your own canal boat experience contact CanalAbility on 01279 424 444 (Mon-Fri, 9.45am - 1.30pm), email hello@canalability.org.uk, or visit the website at www. canalability.org.uk.
Young people from The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust on a CanalAbility canal boat holiday, onboard specially adapted boat, Red Watch. Left to right: Dan Taylor, Anne White, Rowan Todd, Mary Isherwood, Llywellyn Bowmer, Becky Ellis, Louis Donohue, Marc Robinson, Alex Denley (©️Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust) :
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Spot 10 Differences (answers on page 28)
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Cars, Cars, Cars Quiz - by John Theedom 1.
Which German aircraft manufacturer also produced a small car? 2. What colour was the Reliant van used in Only Fools & Horses? 3. What do the initials BMW stand for? 4. In which year did the seat belt law come into force in the UK? 5. The Ford Sierra was named after what? 6. Which manufacturer made the Aronde model? 7. Which car has the name of an exotic lily? 8. What colour comes after green in the traffic light sequence? 9. Who was Britain’s first registration plate, A 1, issued to? 10. Who is the owner of the US Tesla Car Co? 11. Which and where was the world’s first purpose built motor racing track? 12. Which side of the road does Japan drive on? 13. Which make of car starred in the Bond film, From Russia With Love? 14. Which year did Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler join? 15. What is the origin of the name Mercedes? 16. What was Henry Ford’s son’s name which was used on one of their American models? 17. Vauxhall opened for business in which year? 18. Which motorway connects Surrey with Southampton?
19. Which Fiat model is named after an endangered animal? What is an RTA? 20. Which company had a ‘winged w’ radiator badge? 21. Which make of engines did early Morris cars use? 20. Which company made the ubiquitous ‘H’ van? 23. Which company was first to use synchro-mesh gears? 24. What was unusual about the Trojan engine? 25. How many cylinders did the original Smart Car engine 26. have? What car does Columbo use in the TV series? 27. What is a toggle switch? 28. What is a ‘dicky’ seat? 29. What was the car built in Heybridge Essex in the early 30. 1900s? 31. Artillery wheels are made of which material? 32. What is UCL? 33. The terraplane model was made by which company? 34. How many road springs are there on the Austin 7? 35. On the size of a spanner, what does ‘AF’ mean? 36. Which Vauxhall model was named after royalty? 37. In which country is the SEAT made? 38. What do the 4 rings of Audi represent? 39. Where in England is the Morgan car made? 40. Apart from cars, what does The Bristol Company make?
The Wellness Barn Event Review
Alcohol is a chemical depressant, which means it decreases or inhibits nerve activity. The brain seeks to counter the depressive effects of the alcohol by increasing its sensitivity.
Emily Hughes is a psychotherapeutic counsellor and hypnotherapist, and Sarah Linsley is an apanaveda yoga teacher as well as a mindfulness teacher in schools project TeenYoga. She is also a mindfulness registered teacher and founder of the Little Mindfulness Company. Together they run The Wellness Barn. In the first of a series of events being held at The Wellness Barn, William Porter, author of the acclaimed book Alcohol Explained, provided the facts and dispelled some of the myths surrounding alcohol and its impact on health, sleep and well-being. A highly engaged and interactive audience were captivated by the ‘Oprah-style’ question and answer session conducted by the Wellness Barn’s yoga and mindfulness teacher, Sarah Linsley. The attendees heard many facts about how the brain reacts to alcohol, including the negative impact on sleeping patterns. William also regaled the standing room only crowd with some of the experiences which prompted him to set out on the journey of research into writing Alcohol Explained, including interesting and amusing tales of university and his time as an army reservist. The evening was wrapped up with lively audience discussion including mechanisms to cope with the social pressures surrounding drinking, breaking the cycle of drinking and how to face and change unhealthy relationships with alcohol. Abstinence Bar provided a pop up bar for the occasion, serving some great alcohol-free drinks with a very grown up feel about them! For those of you looking to stay with an alcohol free life for now, take a look at the Stay Dry Till July campaign on Facebook and Instagram. The Wellness Barn is Ingatestone’s new holistic centre for wellness solutions, including counselling, yoga and mindfulness. For more information see www.wellnessbarn.co.uk, or contact Emily on 07929 035 029 or Sarah on 07806 615 265. Alcohol Explained - by William Porter The brain works by homeostasis, which is a delicate balance of all the naturally occurring drugs, hormones and chemical that are produced and excreted by the brain.
(Answers on page 31)
When the alcohol wears off there is then a period of increased sensitivity. This ranges in severity from a mild, almost unnoticeable feeling of anxiety, to the shakes and seizures associated with extreme alcohol withdrawal. This is suffered by anyone who takes a drink and differs only in severity. The more you drink, the more sensitive your brain has to become to respond to the alcohol, the worse the withdrawal. The ability to drink - or tolerate - more alcohol is a direct result of the brain becoming more proficient at countering the depressive effect of the alcohol, and as you are able to drink more, so the withdrawal period steadily increases. With regards sleep, the alcohol is sufficiently processed after about 5 hours, which is why most drinkers wake up in the early hours of the morning and cannot get back to sleep. It is often why they feel anxious at this time. A healthy sleep pattern includes 6 or 7 cycles of REM sleep each night. REM sleep is very light sleep. Alcohol prevents us going into REM sleep for the first 5 hours due to our being unable to rise to a sufficiently alert level to move into REM sleep. After 5 hours we are usually unable to sleep at all. Alcohol’s depressive effect causes us to feel both relaxed and intoxicated, but these two processes run their course at different times, with the intoxication effect lasting longer than the relaxation effect. So if you are drinking for relaxation, as you take each subsequent drink to regain the feeling of relaxation that quickly wears off, you become increasingly intoxicated. Alcohol has an intoxicative effect on the limbic system which, among other things, is responsible for regulating emotions. So as you become increasingly intoxicated you become increasingly unable to regulate emotion, so any emotion is more likely to run unchecked. This is the reason for the correlation between alcohol and anger, violence and crime.
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Going Cruelty Free - by Rebecca Birch Perhaps you have heard the term ‘cruelty free’ being used much more in recent years? In 2013 the European Union became one of the first regions in the world to ban animal testing for cosmetics, yet 80% of the world still allows animal testing, some countries such as China require it by law. However, market research figures available online have shown an enormous global increase in the demand for cruelty free and vegan cosmetic products. For a brand to be considered cruelty free, the manufacture and development of all of their products and ingredients must not involve cruelty to animals at any stage in their development or production, including testing by a third party, or when required by law. This means that any brand selling products in China for example must have performed animal testing as a requirement of Chinese law, and therefore cannot be considered cruelty free. Official cruelty free or ‘leaping bunny’ certification involves rigorous testing of a brand’s manufacturing process to reach official certification. Vegan products must contain no animal derived by-products such as beeswax, honey or carmine. Be aware though, that a product can be vegan without being cruelty free and vice versa. So what has changed in how we shop for our consumables? It appears to be a culmination of things - the EU’s 2013 ban on testing has somewhat caused a snowball effect, setting an example for other countries to show that animal testing is unnecessarily cruel and has therefore put pressure on them to affect change. In addition to this, there appears to be an increasing global trend toward ‘conscious’ living with plant based lifestyles, fair trade, and environmentally sustainable ingredients being increasingly important to consumers. Do you remember the outrage we felt at the overuse of palm oil due to a recent TV advert? Or the horrors that microbeads have caused in our
Chelmsford Library News
Here are some of the exciting activities Chelmsford Group libraries are holding over the coming weeks. Tuesday 19th February. Chelmsford Library is holding a Lego Block Builders Day with a difference between 10am-3pm. Author Susie Violet will be here reading from her book the Little Cockroach. There will be Lego crafts and colouring with an insect theme. This is a drop-in event for all the family.
oceans resulting in their ban? It’s absolutely right that we should be aware of the environmental and ethical cost of the choices we make as consumers, and the demand for cruelty free and vegan products reflect this shift. If it is possible to shop with cruelty free brands, why would we actively choose brands that aren’t? So how easy is it to switch to cruelty free? Well luckily the answer is very easy! Essentially you just need to switch brands, though unfortunately many (but not all) high street cosmetics retailers do sell in China, and therefore need to be avoided. Instead switch to smaller, EU or UK based brands, such as Charlotte Tilbury or Makeup Revolution. Other great places to shop are with Ecommerce and indie brands such as Coloured Raine and Jeffree Starr. The quality of the products sold by these companies is staggering, and there really are cruelty free brands to suit all budgets. Granted, some Internet research is initially required to learn which brands to chose, but once you know where to shop, it becomes as easy as shopping has always been! It was my New Year’s resolution in January 2018 to fully commit to going cruelty free and having now done it for over a year, it has become second nature - I could never go back. As a makeup artist, I have been able to source an entire professional kit full of high quality, effective cruelty free products and I have discovered Ecommerce brands that I love that I had never heard of a year ago. To me, the truest reflection of beauty encompasses our ethics and values as well as our outward appearance, so it was important for me to only support and invest in brands that refuse to put profit over ethics. Some fantastic resources to discover more about going cruelty free: www.crueltyfreekitty.com, www.leapingbunny.org and www. crueltyfreeinternational.org. For more information visit www.facebook.com/writtlecinema. While it is cold and grey outside, all are welcome to pop into Great Baddow Library to join in with chess, dominoes and scrabble every Thursday 3-4pm. Visit our website at www.essex.gov.uk/libraries for more information and to discover all the great services available at your local library.
Fundraising for Lyme Disease Research An Evening With TV & World Renowned Psychic Medium Mr Tony Stockwell at 7pm on the 7th March at the Parish Hall, Maldon Road, Great Baddow CM2 7DW.
Thursday 21st February. Our resident puppeteer Sarah will be holding one of her world famous puppet shows at Chelmsford Library. The title of this is Peter Rabbit Radish Rescue and kicks off at 11am. This is a free event and spaces are limited to 40 families, so get here early to avoid disappointment. The award winning Baby and Toddler Rhyme Times has been a popular venture here at Chelmsford. These sessions are held Tuesdays and Thursdays (10.15am and 11.15am) in our Children’s Library - come along and join in with songs and stories for under school age children (term time only). We also hold Daddy Cool sessions once a month with the next one on Saturday 9th March at 11am. This is the same format as our Baby and Toddler Rhyme Times, with dads, uncles, granddads being the focus. The Essex Sight Charity are here in Chelmsford on a Friday between 10am-1pm. Pop in for friendly advice and a chance to try out some of the equipment available to help blind and partially sighted people make their every day activities easier. Writtle Library hold a film night once a month. On the 7th March you are welcome to come along to see the Incredible Shrinking Man (1957) Tickets are £5 and doors open 7pm for a 7.30pm start.
Tony Stockwell is an international spiritualist medium who has been demonstrating his skills for over 30 years, including appearing in a number of TV series. With Over 30 years experience, Tony will demonstrate his belief that people who have passed away can communicate and pass messages to those they love. Personal messages may include names and details specific to the person and delivered by Tony with empathy, understanding and emotion. Whether you believe or not, this is an evening not to be missed! Tickets are available now on Eventbrite )lucasbefundraising.eventbrite. co.uk). Legislative guidelines require an Evening of Mediumship be delivered as an ‘event for entertainment purposes’.
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Local Students Shine in Rotary Competitions As soon as we enter a new year, thoughts turn to the Rotary Youth Competitions. There are several of them and so it needs all hands on deck to ensure they run smoothly. Heats are organised around the country with winners going through to District Finals, Regional Finals and ultimately to the National Final.
sometimes held there despite us not having any Chelmsford entrants. It is also a little ironic given that Chelmsford Phoenix Rotary meets there every week in term time and enjoys excellent meals. Our Youth Chairman is responsible at national level for the Photographer, Writer and Rotary Youth Leadership Awards so we support all competitions.
Young Musician The Chelmsford clubs are in a district with 63 clubs and there are a number of local heats. We began with Young Musician which took place at St Cedd’s School on 11th January 2019. There were 10 entrants, 6 instrumentalists and 4 vocalists. Bethan Spragg won the instrumental section playing trumpet and flugel horn and Joanna Wright won the vocal section. As usual, the judges had a difficult task reaching their decisions but they did give each entrant feedback and advice. Chelmsford City Mayor, Councillor Yvonne Spence, presented the certificates and trophies at the end of the evening. It was a really successful event with a larger audience than usual. The winners will go on to the district final on the 9th March 2019 at Chelmsford Cathedral.
Overall, the standard of all competitions is amazingly high and one can’t help but be impressed by the confidence and talent of the students. Participation is certainly something that stands out on their CVs and university applications.
Youth Speaks
Chelmsford Rotary Club held the local heat of the Youth Speaks Competition on Tuesday, January 29th at Hylands School. A team from New Hall School won the Intermediate section and a team from Hylands School won the Senior section. They will go onto the district finals to be held at Essex Council Chambers, County Hall, Chelmsford on Wednesday 6th February for the Intermediates, and Wednesday 13th February for the Seniors. Once again, the adjudicators were presented with the unenviable task of picking the winners and again the Mayor and Deputy Mayor supported the event which showed the students the esteem in which these Rotary competitions are held. We wish all our winners good luck in the next stage of the competitions!
In addition to the events mentioned above, the Rotary Club of Chelmsford Phoenix organises a very successful choir competition for Chelmsford Primary Schools. 2018 was its inaugural year and 28 schools entered, a magnificent effort and it will be repeated this year with heats starting in March. An excited audience, mainly of proud parents and grandparents, packed into King Edward Grammar School last year for the final and were treated to an emotional evening. If you would like to see some wonderful young musical talent, then take the opportunity of coming along to the national final of the Rotary Young Musician competition which this year will be at ARU University in Chelmsford on Saturday 4th May. It is open to the public and details will follow in due course. You may have the chance to see the next Yehudi Menuhin or Vladimir Ashkenazy! As mentioned above, these events take a lot of hard work and organisation and are only a part of Rotary’s overall commitment to putting something back into the community. If you feel you would like to be involved in any way, either by joining a club or simply helping out on an ad hoc basis, then please give me a call on 01245 260 349, or visit www.chelmsfordrotary1240.org. Stan Keller Photo one - Young Musician winners Photo two - Hylands Senior winners - Youth Speak Photo three - New Hall Intermediate winners - Youth Speak
Spot the Difference Answers
There are other competitions organised by Rotary which include Young Chef, Young Writer, Young Photographer, and Technology. Organising each of these involves an enormous amount of work. Just finding suitable candidates (which is normally done through the schools) is difficult enough, so it is better to concentrate on a couple rather than spread ourselves too thinly. Of course, if anyone would like to volunteer to help with any competition the local Rotary clubs would be delighted to hear from you. That doesn’t mean to say that local clubs have no involvement at all with these other competitions. Having the Chelmsford Catering College based in Princes Road means that the Young Chef finals are Page 28 Please let our advertisers know you saw their advert in The City Times
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Stargazing with Mark Willis - January/February 18th February, 06:00: Looking south east. If you’re up this early, you’ll see what looks like two bright stars extremely close together - but they are not stars. The top one is the planet Venus and the bottom one is Saturn. Venus, an inner planet and Saturn, an outer planet, look like they’re close together. Purely another example of how the upturned bowl effect of the night sky can put planets millions of miles apart, apparently so close together in the night sky.
onward, the nights get shorter and the days get longer. This date also marks the first day of spring.
To the right, at about 2 o’clock, you will spot the planet Jupiter and to the right of that, a bright star (yes, really a star this time!) called Antares, 600 light years distant from Earth. Antares is a supergiant star, massive compared to our own local star, the Sun. Our own Sun, boringly responsible compared to the reckless, devil-may-care, rock star lifestyle of Antares! Only 12 million years old but squandering its stock of hydrogen fuel at a much faster rate. Antares - a short life, but a merry one!
6th March: There will be a new Moon. This means the skies will be extra dark which is a great opportunity to see planets, galaxies and deep space objects.
21st March, 20:30: Take a look due west and you’ll see Mars. To help you confirm that, look to the left of Mars and you’ll spot the star Aldebaran and to the left of that, the constellation of Orion. Mars is roughly level with Orion’s belt.
31st March: Don’t forget to put your clocks forward by one hour. As usual, email me with any questions...
19th February: Tonight, the best Supermoon in 2019. There will not be another one this good for about 8 years, so don’t miss this!
Mark Willis presents Willis Wireless at the new time of 12pm every Tuesday afternoon on Chelmsford Community Radio on 104.4 FM and online at chelmsfordcommunityradio.com.
21st March: The March Equinox. This is the night which marks the point where the nights are of equal length to the days. From now
Twitter: @WillisWireless Email: mark.willis@chelmsfordcommunityradio.com
Chelmsford Creative Collective (CCC) is a group of friendly, local creatives. We have an active Facebook group where we share events, discuss collaborations and support each others creative endeavours. We meet on the last Tuesday of the month at a local pub. Please check Facebook or email chelmsfordcreativecollective@gmail.com for details - everybody is welcome for a drink and a chat.
Have you got any workshops, exhibitions or other events coming up? “We are very busy at the moment because we are in pre-production for our first feature film, as well as managing our company and the other productions on the horizon.”
Chelmsford Creative Collective
Introducing Electric Copper Films... Who are you and what do you create? “We are Ben and Tina from Electric Copper Films, an award winning independent film production company. We create all things audio visual, ranging from promotional films to music videos. we also produce short narrative films with our first feature film just around the corner.” How would you describe your working process? “We try to make exciting and provocative video content for clients with very specific needs. Some of the themes we’ve been asked to address in our films have been very challenging, such as domestic abuse, or end of life care. We try to use our cinematic experience to evoke means by which people can alter the way they look at the services our clients provide.”
What does Chelmsford Creative Collective mean to you? “It’s an opportunity for people with various skill sets to come together to share and grow as a creative community. The people we’ve met so far are enthusiastic and inspiring. We are looking forward to more networking events and opportunities to meet great people.” What 3 items would you take if you were stuck on a desert island? “Mains electricity, gas central heating and a two up two down! “A big thank you to the Chelmsford Creative Collective and The Chelmsford City Times for featuring us in this edition. Please visit our website www.electriccopperfilms.co.uk to see our work!”
Who or what inspires you to be creative? “It’s an interesting process to use the techniques of filmmaking to honestly and imaginatively promote the people and the companies that hire us. Coming up with an idea, writing a shooting script, producing the film and the actual capture of the footage itself all comes from our initial research. So if it is what inspires us to be creative, the answer could be the process itself. It’s always different, often challenging and though tough sometimes, fun.” Tell us about your most recent project. “It was a music video for the artist Funke and The Two Tone Baby (check him out!). The song was about a young couple buying a house, getting a mortgage and attempting to settle down, but in the lyrics was hidden a message that that was easier said than done. So for the video itself, we created a tongue in cheek futuristic dystopia. We filmed it at Rose’s Café on Three Mile Hill, Chelmsford. We try as much as possible to always film in Chelmsford - it has everything we need in terms of locations and a cool network of people. The music video is for a tune called House which you can find on our website or Facebook page.”
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Quiz Answers 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.
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Edsel 1908 M3 Panda Road Traffic Accident Wolseley Hotchkiss Citroen Vauxhall in 1930s ‘V’ formation and odd piston sizes 27. Three 28. Peugeot 403 B 29. One you have to ‘flick’ usually found on 2 seaters, such as Triumph Roadster (in boot)
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