The City Times - March/April 2017

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CT Welcome Hello readers Welcome to the March/April edition. Hope you are all well!

This month we have Fresh Cream at Chelmsford City FC and also the Hot Red Chili Peppers, a RHCP tribute band, in April.

And the good news is that The Fling Festival at Hylands Park has been confirmed for 1st July this year!

Our next edition is out on Easter weekend, so we will wish you a happy Easter in this edition!

Remember the clocks change on 26th March!!

Regards Nick & Paul www.thecitytimes.co.uk | www.moulshamtimes.com

Advertising Editorial Nick Garner Paul Mclean 07970 206682 07595 949701 ads@itsyourmedia.co.uk editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk

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Disclaimer: It’s Your Media Ltd publishThe City Times. The opinion expressed in each article is the opinion of its author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of It’s Your Media Ltd. No part may be reproduced without the prior written permission of It’s Your Media Ltd. Registered offices: 15 Hayes Close, Chelmsford. Reg No 9154871. Printed by Printwize.

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CT Fashion - Strut in to Spring in Style With the change in weather, lighter evenings and the faint whiff of Easter eggs, we can start thinking about how to update our wardrobe for spring. How exciting! I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s excited about the lighter, warmer months after what feels like a decade of darkness! So with London Fashion Week giving us some much needed guidance on what’s hot and what’s not, it’s now time to banish those knee highs and slip on those ballet pumps ready to stride into the brighter seasons. Hurrah!

Here’s a run down of how to make sure you’re on-trend this spring without breaking the bank.

Firstly, sports-luxe and racy leisurewear looks are still set to be popular. Not everybody can look like a Vera Wang model in a leotard (sob) but we can definitely bring the chic sports style vibe to us mere mortals with some savvy choices: A simple black or white bodysuit (Topshop and H&M offer some fantastic affordable styles) teamed with jeans and a pair of trainers for day time casual, or if you’re feeling brave you could try the heels and tracksuit bottoms look that’s been very popular on the catwalk this season. Think black with one simple stripe for trousers, and a pair of heeled pointed court shoes for evening glam - not for the faint hearted!

million dollars whilst looking absolutely fabulous. Once just kept for the gym, the waist trainer style corset is now set to take fashion retailers by storm.

The waist belt, already ‘tied’ material tops or body con corset are now being sold in stores on our high street - check out Accessorize and M&S if you don’t believe me.

Accessorize like a spring queen.

The XXL bag; if you’re anything like me you need a reason to buy a new bag like you need a reason for the second glass of wine - absolutely none at all. And when it comes to bags this spring, more is… well, more. The bigger the better in fact.

Look out for some fantastic extra large bag offerings in high street stores such as River Island and Dune, but if you’re on a smaller budget Primark have extra-large totes with a miniscule price tag. Win win.

Stripes for spring is definitely a thing. But this year, it’s a lot brighter and with a much broader array of colours. Stripes are popping up everywhere and on all types of pieces. Check out River Island for their selection of stripey co-ords and body con dresses. If you’re feeling a bit more conservative, a classic Breton top with some black jeans or trousers will still maintain your style but keep you up to date this season.

They call it mellow yellow and it’s absolutely everywhere this spring. Expect to see pale and vibrant yellow in most high street stores.

Warehouse are teaming their signature prints with yellow hues. These beauties will literally make you feel like a bright spring evening - what more could you want? Quick tip: If you’re pretty transparent like me (that is, paler than a pale vampire during a particularly bleak winter) opt for lighter, softer tones. If you’re blessed with a warmer complexion, try some more daring vibrant shades (you lucky thing!). Either way, you’ll be spring ready.

The 80s have called, and they want their sultry shoulders back.

That’s right - the high street stores are time warping us back to a time when the off the shoulder statement was a life choice, not just a fashion statement. Yes, the Flashdance shoulder is back with a vengeance. Bardot tops, seductive shoulder skimming shirts and dresses are all the rage this spring. Get yours at Miss Selfridge or Primark for a foolproof budget buy.

The waist clincher is set to be big this season. ‘Waist clincher?’ I hear you ask. ‘What the deuce is a waist clincher?’ It’s your new best friend, ladies. Now, listen carefully, the waist clincher pulls in that waist, accentuates your lady curves and makes you feel like a

shoulders - it’s supposed to be oversized, darling.

The oversized earring. Think less Pat Butcher more Blake Lively en route to the Met Gala. If you need more explanation, imagine heavy set earrings with sparkle, or (and this season this is the focus) geometric styles as long as your ear and beyond.

Don’t be afraid to have these types of earring skimming your

Flatforms are still well and truly ‘in’ this spring. This is a godsend if, like me, walking in regular heels leaves you looking like Bambi on ice, or indeed, Bambi on the floor. Flatform sandals in particular are perfect for the brighter months. Team them with some bright nail varnish and strut with confidence through spring and summer.

Rebecca Forde is a writer with a penchant for fashion, great literature and drinking a lot of coffee. She writes for pleasure on her blog and is creator of Scribble Panda - a small business offering tutoring and writing services. You can contact her by emailing rebeccaforde@hotmail.co.uk. © All images Marks and Spencer

April/May Issue Deadlines: Artwork - 6th April Articles - 31st March

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Beer by Simon Tippler of roundtowerbrewery.co.uk

Beer For Lent

We are currently in the period of Lent; the run up to Easter when many people take the opportunity to give up something for 46 days (or 40 days if you ignore the Sundays) from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. A lot of people use this as a time of abstinence from alcohol, however this has not always been the case. According to the principle ‘liquida non frangunt ieiunium’ (liquids do not break the fast), monks in the Middle Ages would set about producing stronger beers to be consumed during Lent to sustain them during their daily work.

prunes on the palate.

Aecht Schlenkerla Fastenbier Is a yearly special served only from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday ans is produced by Brauerei Heller in Germany. Brauerei Heller are famous for producing Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier, which is considered by many to be the best rauchbier in the world. The Fastenbier is a rauchbier which translates as a German smoked beer. The smoke flavour comes from malt smoked over beech wood and imparts a flavour reminiscent of smoked bacon.

If you fancy trying either of these beers then head down to the award winning Hop Beer Shop on Moulsham Street as they should have them on the shelf.

In 1634, the Paulaner monks, who lived in Germany near Munich, set about making a beer that would replace food to enable them to fast for the entire period of Lent. Inspired by local brewing prowess, they created a rich and malty doppelbock beer which had so much malty goodness that it was considered to be a meal in a glass.

Although this beer is no longer produced by the monks, it still lives on. A modern version, apparently very similar to the original recipe, is produced under the name Paulaner Salvator. Salvator roughly translates as ‘Holy Father Beer’. It is suggested that with modern yeasts this version ferments out further than the original did. As such, the 1634 version would have had more residual sweetness and a lower %ABV than the Paulaner Salvator that is available today.

A doppelbock should have a very strong maltiness with some toasty aromas. There should be little or no hop aroma but the hops should be apparent from a moderate bitterness at the end of the beer. As this style is essentially a strong dark lager, it should have a clean taste to it, however, the darker versions may have hints of plums and

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Music by Nick Garner

We have just had two shows at the football ground with two great legends. First off we had the old Corn Exchange favourite from the sixties, Zoot Money and his Big Roll Band - and wow what a show!

Zoot was in fine voice and he brought with him a fine band, including original band member on sax and flute, Nick Newall. Along with Jeff Allen on drums, Ronnie Johnson on guitar and Kenny Wilson on bass, it was a night to remember for all who were there.

The following Thursday we had Albert Lee and his band. This was a complete sell out with people travelling from far and wide. They were all rewarded with a great set. Albert is one of the world’s greats, not only as a player but as a person. He was so generous with his time staying to have his photo taken and signing autographs for all who wanted them. They said they really enjoyed playing for us and that this is the smallest show of the tour, but they would also love to return next time and we would love to have them back.

Just as this edition of the City Times comes out, on Saturday 18th March we have the 3rd Essex Delta Blues Day at the Bassment with 18 acts playing from noon to midnight for just £12 on the door, with all the money going to CHESS, the Chelmsford homeless charity. All the acts are playing for free, so big thanks to all of them for being so kind and supportive.

We have some amazing shows lined up for you. On Friday 24th March at Chelmsford City FC we have Fresh Cream, who are celebrating 50 years of the band, Cream. Fresh Cream are Malcolm Bruce on bass and vocals (son Of Jack Bruce who wrote - along with Pete Brown and sung most of Cream’s music). Then there is Will Johns on guitar and vocals (son of the legendary producer/engineer Andy Johns who worked alongside his brother Glynn Johns - Will is also the nephew of Eric Clapton, George Harrison and Mick Fleetwood). They are joined by one of our top session drummers Chris ‘Padge’ Page (the original songwriting partner of Jack Bruce) and Pete Brown, who sounds very much like Jack when he sings.

Blues in the City is at the Bassment on Thursday 20th April when the main act will be Troy Redfern from the west country. There is a lot hype about him and his band right now, and they also have a new album out. This 3-piece band are getting rave reviews everywhere.

Support act on the night is Danny Boy Piper who is a great resonator guitar player with a wonderful voice to match. I have seen both these acts play live before and strongly recommend coming along to see them.

There is lots more going on in and around the area too. To find out more please see our What’s On page in this magazine. As ever, please do try to come out and support the great live music scene we have in Essex, because if you do not we may lose it.

For more information on all of the above and more, visit the links below. www.bluesinthecity.co.uk www.facebook.com/bluesinthecitychelmsford Twitter: @BluesintheCity1 www.itsyourmusic.co.uk www.facebook.com/itsyourmusic Twitter: @itsyourmusic

Pete will also be opening the evening with his own band; they are Malcolm Bruce (this time on guitar) and Mo Foster on bass - Mo has played with Gary Moore, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Van Morrison.

To completing the line-up is Jeff Allan on drums, who has played with Mick Taylor, Van Morrison, East of Eden, Babe Ruth and Bonnie Tyler as well as Zoot Money. I think you will agree that this is one heck of a great line-up and not worth missing. Ticket details are in this magazine.

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CT Gardening by Tom Cole

It’s March already - but there’s still time to change your garden by enhancing it with new plantings or adding new structures like greenhouses, cold-frames and areas for garden furniture. Personally, I’ve just reduced a lawn in order that a little colour and excitement can be added to enliven the front of the garden and side of the drive.

It was key to include some structural plants to give a backbone to the display followed by a range of perennials including bulbs; Allium ‘Purple Sensation’ and Tulipa ‘Queen of the Night’. Key evergreen shrubs included Teucrium fruiticans ‘Azureum’; lovely glaucous/silver foliage with blue flowers held close to the ends of stems, Sarcoccoca confusa; sweet/ Christmas box for its fragrant winter or spring white flowers and dark fruits and one deciduous Hydrangea paniculata for a splash of colour in the summer.

Dotted through the bed I’ve used ornamental grasses such as the evergreen Anemathale lessoniana which has lovely coppery, bronze foliage all year and fine flowers throughout the summer. As well as these, Panicum virgatum has been used as a more upright grass which is cut down now.

To give a little more flower colour late in the year I’ve used chunky ice plants (used to be called Sedum, now it’s called Hylotelephium spectabile), Aster x frikartii ‘Monch’ and drifted through, Salvia ‘Rose Queen’ to give long summer interest; it can be cut down after the first flush and you’re rewarded with further flushes later in the year. For a little height and a plant that doesn’t impede your view, use Verbena bonariensis bearing sparse, oblong leaves and large branched clusters of small purple flowers from summer to autumn.

For a little earlier flowering around May I’ve used Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’ - if it gets too leggy just cut it down by half and it’ll flower later and be weighed down with loads of bees and other pollinators. I’ve also added bearded irises and Heuchera and good olde elephant’s ears - Bergenia cordifolia. Lastly, but by no means least, I’ve added a lovely evergreen Japanese shield fern (Dryopteris erythrosora) for a real change in texture.

Prior to planting, the turf was lifted and stacked for compost, and the bed was dug over with fresh compost and levelled. Finally, plants were positioned, planted and lightly watered in. Feed to follow in a couple of weeks with Vitax Q4 at a rate of 50g/m2.

Happy gardening - and take the time to visit a local garden near you. Ever so slightly biased, but I do love to visit RHS Garden Hyde Hall over in Rettendon. Give them a call to check out any events or activities on 0845 265 8071.

Also, please support your local National Garden Scheme member garden. On the 19th March try to get along to Wickets in Langley Upper Green. A peaceful country garden far from the madding crowd.

Wide informal mixed borders include narcissi, camassia, shrub roses and perennials. it fetures two landscaped meadows and a shepherd’s hut with fine pastoral views, plus a large lily pond sheltered by silver birch. Griffin Glasshouse is nearby and curvilinear design links the themed planting areas. Espalier apples enclose parterre with standard weeping roses and lavender, and a secluded gravel garden has views over rolling Essex countryside. I suggest stout shoes or wellies in March. Check this link for furthr information: www.ngs.org. uk.

For any gardening tips, contact Tom Cole, Senior Horticultural Lecturer, Writtle College, Chelmsford, CM1 3RR by post (including a SAE) or by email at tom.cole@writtle.ac.uk.

holi Festival

Just before we went to print, Paul was invited to the Holi Festival in Admirals Park. It involves powder paint, dancing, food and games and was great fun!

WE WILL BEAT ANY WRITTEN QUOTE

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CT Food By John Jacobs Bills of Bond Street

I got distracted writing this month’s column by making the mistake of moving the laptop into the living room and in front of the television - perhaps thinking that watching one of the thirty thousand cookery shows would inspire me to literary greatness. It has not; I watched Robot Wars instead. Although let’s be honest, the definition of ‘robot’ in this instance is fairly broad. More a deceptive misrepresentation of wholly monumental girth. I suggest Angle-Grinder Gaffer Taped to a Big-Track... Wars. Asimov would have to add a fourth law of robotics.

A robot must never also make toast. Also a telly programme called Mutiny. If you haven’t seen it, it’s like Three Men in a Boat but with more men, danger, brutality, open wounds and a man in a beard you would not go out of your way to annoy. Very like an Easy Cruise but with better food. Rations consist of water and a biscuit made of flour, water and salt. Not a Fortnum’s hamper in sight. I get why Captain Bligh was such a grumpy sadistic mariner. I’m beginning to think Captain Birdseye may not be real.

Focus Jacobs... I return to my second favourite hobby, researching the new and exciting restaurants making their way into our city.

Specifically the X Factor style back stories that now appear on their websites. Click on the About Us page and enjoy such classics as: ‘All my friends say I make really good cheese cake so I cashed in the old pension, sold the family home and ploughed my entire life savings into a restaurant.’ Or: ‘At the age of 7 following frisbee related blunt head trauma I awoke from a coma with a song in my trousers and a dream to annoy as many vegans as possible...’ blah blah.. I may have paraphrased.

One I read was for Bills, one of the newcomers to the Bond Street development. Ranked number 40 on TripAdvisor, it already maintains a four star average which is pretty impressive considering the several hundred reviews already posted. Borne out of hard work and a commitment to quality, Bills is a thriving destination providing a broad menu of burgers, modern British (and even Mediterranean) dishes to a very high standard at very reasonable prices. It’s one of those comfortable places with lots of wood fittings and a relaxed informal friendly vibe. From the reviews sent to me over the last couple of months, I have yet to see anything remotely negative.

“The food at Bills was great value for money and the atmosphere was lovely. We shared 2 starters between three of us, the potato bread and sausages were delicious. I then had the ribs which had already been separated. I thought this was a great little touch. The pecan pie was nice and the crumble (I pinched a little of my friend’s) was to die for.

“The service was amazing. The waitress was very friendly and made us feel welcome from the start. But for me it was the small touches that made our experience even better. I enjoyed their pink lemonade and the small touch of putting fresh strawberries in the glass made it feel a little special. I would definitely go there again and would recommend Bills to my friends.”

So with this in mind, we enter Bills of Bond Street into our pool for restaurant of the year. Try not to confuse it with Byron Burger next door, as they look spookily interchangeable.

This could be a new programme..

Burger Wars. I have copyright on that - back off Channel Four.

Thank you again for you recipes and comments. If you’d like to see your review here in print, please send them to me at cctfood@ gmail.com. It remains to wish you all a great month and happy eating.

Thank you Debbie Harris of Braintree for your girls night out review: Page 10 www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

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What’s On in the Area

March Friday 17th Asylum - Slave Steel + Dorylus + Deep Throat Trauma Bassment - Mother’s Jam: Moses + Rolled Up Sleeves + Jewels Cramphorn - A Midsummer Night’s Dream The Golden Fleece - Charlie’s Aunt Star & Garter - The GT40s Saturday 18th Asylum - Deniers + Lo Chief + International Cant Collective Bassment - 3rd Essex Delta Blues Day (noon to midnight) CCFC Away: Wealdstone v Chelmsford City FC Civic - M&G Classical Concert Series: Orchestra of the Swan Cramphorn - A Midsummer Night’s Dream Hylands School - Essex Police Choir charity concert Star & Garter - Strongbox The Anchor - 7786 Sunday 19th Bassment - Sunday Funday Cramphorn - A Contemporary Evening Star & Garter - Open mic/jam (3-7pm) Tuesday 21st CCFC Away: East Thurrock United v Chelmsford City FC Wednesday 22nd Bassment - Voodoo & The Crypts + Suburban Minds + Off The Wall Civic - Alice’s Adventures Cramphorn - Lunchtime concert Thursday 23rd Asylum - Battle of the Bands heat Bassment - Hemmingway Presents: On The Pulse 1st Birthday Civic - Alice’s Adventures Cramphorn - American Honey The Golden Fleece - Quiz night Star & Garter - Acoustic Jam Friday 24th Asylum - Chestburster + Sickfist + The Penny Antics Bassment - The Confessions Chelmsford City FC - Fresh Cream Civic - Alice’s Adventures Cramphorn - Jack the Ripper: The Real Truth The Golden Fleece - Barney & the Rubbles Star & Garter - Rewind Saturday 25th Asylum - Druids + Lay Grey & the Earls + R’Kane Bassment - Andy Orientated Rock (Andy Poole’s Birthday Bash) CCFC Home: Chelmsford City FC v Gosport United Civic - Alice’s Adventures Colchester Arts Centre - Undiscovered Final The Golden Fleece - Beggar Star & Garter - Solar9 The Anchor - Karaoke Trinity Methodist Church - Nigel Ward & Friend charity concert Sunday 26th Bassment - Sunday Funday Cramphorn - The Daisy Bowlers Star & Garter - Open mic/jam (3-7pm) Page 12

Monday 27th Civic - Springblast Cramphorn - Nocturnal Animals (15) Tuesday 28th CCFC Home: Chelmsford City FC v East Thurrock United Wednesday 29th Bassment - The Mike O’Leary Band + The Hardy Perennials + Red & Dread Civic - All or Nothing Cramphorn - Lunchtime concert Cramphorn - Jackie (15) Thursday 30th Asylum - Battle of the Bands Semi Final Bassment - Acoustic Sessions (7 live acts) Civic - All or Nothing Cramphorn - Madama Butterfly O’Connors - Charity quiz night The Golden Fleece - Quiz night Friday 31st Asylum - Osmium Guillotine + Whoremoan + Lo Chief Bassment - Rubber Soul: Stark (Live) + Bon Harris (Nitzer Ebb) Civic - All or Nothing Maldon Town Hall: The Urban Folk Quartet Star & Garter - Thirsy Work April Saturday 1st Asylum - Double Barrel Reloaded Bassment - John Fairhurst Band + Lo Chief + Joe Anderton CCFC Away: Hampton & Richmond Borough v Chelmsford City FC Civic - All or Nothing Star & Garter - Storm Sunday 2nd Bassment - Sunday Funday Civic - The Rhythm of Life Cramphorn - Chelmsford Jazz Club Star & Garter - Open mic/jam (3-7pm) Woolpack - GC’s Jazz Club: Paul Higgs (trumpet) & Gabriel Keen Trio (8pm - free admission) Tuesday 4th Civic - The Verdict Cramphorn - Moonlight (15) Wednesday 5th Bassment - Wallop! No. 12: Casablanca Drivers Civic - The Verdict Cramphorn - Lunchtime concert Old Court Theatre - Harvey Thursday 6th Asylum - Battle of the Bands Semi Final Bassment - Bassment Blues Jam Chelmsford City FC - An Evening of Clairvoyance Civic - The Verdict The Golden Fleece - Quiz night Old Court Theatre - Harvey Friday 7th Asylum - Fatality + Dark Asphyxia + Murder the Martyr + Sincerely, Yours Bassment - Shakey’s Sessions: Ministry of Mojo + Decaydes + Stan Blade

Please note, all events are subject to change. Please visit the relevant websites or Facebook pages for more details

Friday 7th Continued...

Civic - The Verdict Old Court Theatre - Harvey Star & Garter - Petra Viva Saturday 8th Asylum - Grizzly Bearz + Creme de Chevre + Lemoncurd Kids Bassment - Dojo (Live) CCFC Home: Chelmsford City FC v Poole Town Civic - The Verdict Cramphorn - D’Ukes Old Court Theatre - Harvey Star & Garter - Hit Parade Sunday 9th Bassment - Sunday Funday Cramphorn - A Hero of Our Time Star & Garter - Open mic/jam (3-7pm) Monday 10th Cramphorn - La La Land (12A) Tuesday 11th Bassment - Jazz Funk: Jason Rebello Cramphorn - Jewels Wednesday 12th Bassment - Bassment Acoustic Sessions: Kenny Barker + Chloe Hawes + more Cramphorn - Lunchtime concert Old Court Theatre - Harvey Thursday 13th Asylum - Sondag + Counties + Discount Columbo Bassment - SDM Easter Party + Panic Awards after party Civic - The Panic Awards Cramphorn - Sonita (PG) The Golden Fleece - Quiz night Old Court Theatre - Harvey Star & Garter - Phil Ball Band Friday 14th Asylum - Shakey’s Sessions: Pepper Collins + Answer Back + Playground Circus + Adam Nicole Bassment - Electric Jam: Paolo Morena + Bare Traps Old Court Theatre - Harvey Star & Garter - Adrenalin Saturday 15th Asylum - Battle of Bands Final Bassment - Skamite (Live) CCFC Away: Oxford City v Chelmsford City FC Old Court Theatre - Harvey Star & Garter - The Locals Sunday 16th Bassment - Stanton Warriors Civic - Real Diamond Star & Garter - Open mic/jam (3-7pm) Asylum - Viaduct Road, Chelmsford Bassment - Wells Street, Chelmsford The Black Horse - Moulsham Street Chelsmford City FC - Salerno Way, Chelmsford Civic & Cramphorn Theatres - Fairfield Road, Chelmsford Old Court Theatre - Springfield Road, Chelmsford Star & Garter - Moulsham Street, Chelmsford The Anchor - Moulsham Street, Chelmsford The Golden Fleece - Duke Street, Chelmsford The Three Elms - Chignal St James United Brethren - New Writtle Street, Chelmsford

Please send us your events for the next edition (for events between 14th April and 19th May) to: editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk

The long lost history of horse racing in Chelmsford The long lost history of horse racing in Chelmsford has been revealed for the first time in a new book. Written by former BBC journalist David Dunford who lives in Galleywood, Full Circle: The Rise, Fall and Rise of Horse Racing in Chelmsford, goes back in time to uncover a remarkable story. Horse races began on Galleywood Common at least 250 years ago at a time when they were an important attraction in many towns and villages across the country. Those at Galleywood were by far the most successful in Essex. They were so popular that in the 1770s the local gentry raised money for a permanent grandstand on the common where they could watch safely, isolated from the lower classes. The races attracted the cream of society and there was great excitement in 1814 when the Duke of Wellington was among the spectators. As well as the races, the wealthy also enjoyed balls, dinners and concerts organised in the town to coincide with them.

First World War. Following the war, thousands of pounds were spent on improvements to the course and special trains were laid on to bring spectators from London. The resurgence didn’t last though and the crowds dwindled again. The last meeting was held at Galleywood in March 1935.

In fact, the races had something for everyone. Those who were too poor to attend the glittering social occasions could enjoy a wonderful day out on the common, with the racecourse crammed with fairground attractions as well as many beer tents. Though with many spectators the worse for drink, the races were a magnet for the criminal classes, especially pickpockets and con men.

The heyday of racing at Galleywood came in the 1860s and a new grandstand was opened in 1863. With the building of St Michael’s Church in the 1870s, it became the only racecourse in the country to encircle a church.

The nature of racing changed towards the end of the eighteenth century as it became more professional and better organised. But despite this, its popularity began to decline. Flat racing came to an end at Galleywood around 1880 and the course was converted to steeplechasing. Racing continued to dwindle in the years up to the

Paul J King Advert - size 190 x 133.5mm (Chelmsford) 01-06-16

The start at Galleywood in the 1930s. Photograph courtesy of Galleywood Heritage Centre.

But that wasn’t then end of the story and today the cheers of punters still ring out across the Essex countryside - this time at the new Chelmsford City Racecourse at Great Leighs.

Full Circle: The Rise, Fall and Rise of Horse Racing in Chelmsford is published by Essex Hundred Publications at £12.99.

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A new Local Plan is coming!

Chelmsford continues to grow and the City Council’s new Local Plan is your opportunity to help shape how Chelmsford should develop and improve up to 2036 and beyond.

Consultation on the Local Plan - Preferred Options document runs from 8.45am on 30th March until 4.45pm on 11th May. This Local Plan consultation identifies how many houses, jobs and businesses are being planned for and their locations, along with facilities to support growth, such as where children will go to school, where people will work, and how they will get around.

What Is Being Proposed for the City Centre?

The council is committed to maximising the use of brownfield sites for development, regenerating empty or under used sites in well connected locations.

About 2,000 new homes alongside commercial development could potentially be accommodated in Chelmsford’s city centre by 2036, with increased school and healthcare capacity and improved vehicle, public transport, walking and cycling routes, and enhanced public realm.

How Do I Find out More?

You can view and comment on the Local Plan - Preferred Options, and its sustainability and habitats appraisals at www.chelmsford.gov. uk/planningpolicyconsult (from 8.45am on 30th March). You can also read the consultation documents during normal opening hours at the City Council’s Customer Service Centre and in local libraries. Or visit a public drop-in event for dates and venues.

For more Local Plan information please visit www.chelmsford.gov.uk/ new-local-plan.

Tel: 01245 606 330 Email: planning.policy@chelmsford.gov.uk

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Record Store Day - April 22nd Intense Records in Chelmsford will be taking part again in the massively popular National Record Store Day celebrating its 10th birthday on Saturday 22nd April 2017. This is the one day that all of the independent record stores celebrate vinyl and invite music lovers to come and get their hands on special releases made and released exclusively for the day.

This year’s list of hundreds of exclusive releases has been revealed, and there really is something for everyone across many genres, from hip hop, rock, pop to country, dance to everything in between.

Releases from Sia and Miley Cyrus will be enticing a younger generation of music fans whilst The Kinks and Pink Floyd help to rekindle the love of long-time vinyl fans. Hip Hop fans will be pleased to hear of releases from Busta Rhymes and Eminem, while Snoop Dogg features on Hollywood movie star Corey Feldman’s release.

Indie and rock artist releases include Super Furry Animals, Hawkwind, Pearl Jam, Jimmy Page, Bruce Springsteen and Motorhead among many more.

Dance music fans can look forward to special releases from Soulwax and the Future Sound of London. The novelty releases we have picked out this year include Dolly Parton’s Puppy Love on 7” vinyl, a

Run The Jewels Tote Bag, a Thomas the Tank Engine limited blue 10” vinyl and the Fawlty Towers soundtrack on picture disc.

You can check out all the releases now at www.recordstoreday.co.uk and to make sure Intense are stocking your favourites check out the new website www.intenserecords.com, where you can register your interest and add releases to your very own wish list. Alternatively, email your list to enquiries@intenserecords.com.

Open from 9am-6pm, Intense Records will be holding a special instore event with live DJs, local bands and special guest appearances plus competitions, free giveaways, the Intense gourmet bbq, hot and cold refreshments and much more.

For those that cant make it on the day, Intense will be opening up this Sunday as well from 10am-4pm. The exclusive releases will be available in store only for the following week, but any remaining stock will be made available online a week later on the 29th April at www. intenserecords.com.

For more info pop into Intense Records, 33/34 Viaduct Road, Chelmsford CM1 1TS (under the arches by the bus station).

Alternatively call them on 01245 347 372 or check their website, www.intenserecords.com.

Charity of the Month - Helping Hands Helping Hands Essex is a small independent charity based in Chelmsford but also serving the mid-Essex area with the mission to support alcoholics in the early days of their recovery from alcohol abuse, to the benefit of the individual, family and friends and the wider community.

Helping Hands was founded in 2010 by local Brian Winder, who saw a distinct link between alcoholism (a recognised addictive illness) and homelessness, and along with other agencies identified a need to address the problem. HHE became operational in May 2012 and will be celebrating its fifth anniversary later this year. Chelmsford Borough Council supported the project and leased to HHE (at a peppercorn rent) two houses in Brockley Road which were scheduled for eventual redevelopment. The premises were converted to accommodate up to five residents and provide offices and therapy rooms for the use of staff and both residents and day clients.

Chelmsford City Council continues to support HHE by way of their Community Awards Scheme.

All prospective clients need to be 7-days sober and are assessed for their suitability to come into rehabilitation and their intention to start a new way of life. Residency is intended for those who are homeless or facing homelessness. Those who have a more supported environment, or their own accommodation, attend daily as non-residents. All clients participate in a fully structured therapeutic programme run by qualified counsellors and therapists. This comprises of group therapy, one to one counselling and assignment work, backed up by complementary therapies such as art, meditation and yoga. Practical support is given on debt management, budgeting, benefits, healthy eating and nutrition, and opportunities for volunteering and training. We are CQC registered and have recently attained the PQASSO quality mark for small charities.

Clients come from a number of sources and all backgrounds.

Sometimes through self referral, or from family and friends and contacts made at AA meetings, Open Road (a local charity for those undergoing treatment to stop using drugs and alcohol), or CHESS, Chelmsford’s homeless charity. We take referrals from probation, the prison service, and health services - including GPs, Mid Essex Hospitals Trust and the Mental Health Trust, particularly after a patient has undergone detoxification and needs support to remain sober. Many of these have depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, lack self-confidence and are estranged from their families. All problems

which are addressed in the programme.

Our service is specifically for those who cannot afford to access private, commercially run rehabilitation which is expensive, usually time limited and lacks the practical support which HHE gives alongside treatment. We do not make a charge for our services.

Residents contribute to bed and board from their social security and non residents make a small weekly contribution.

Whilst we expect clients to move through the programme and ‘graduate’, the timing of move out varies between individuals and is tailored to their individual needs and it can be up to six months. We lease a move on house which can accommodate five residents for those who have completed the programme in our base unit, but who are still in need of some support (and in particular, housing) and not quite ready to move straight back into the wider community.

Having been in receipt of benefits, it is very difficult to find clean and sober accommodation in an area where landlords can demand high deposits and rent in advance and are not willing to take on tenants claiming benefits. General assistance with housing and accommodation is given if required when ready to move on completely.

It is also at this stage that residents are given advice and encouragement to embark on training and carry out permitted work, including self employment and volunteering. We also have a specific Aftercare Project supervised by one of our counsellors, and to which volunteers who have moved back out into the wider community and been through the HHE process contribute by mentoring and supporting those who are still moving through.

We monitor our throughput and altogether (in the base unit, the move on house and the Aftercare Project) we are helping approximately forty service users per year.

We do not receive public funding and are completely reliant for our income and covering expenditure on grants, donations, contributions, fund raising events and some corporate sponsorship.

For more information about funding or using our services, please go to our website www.hhe.org.uk, or email info@hhe.org.uk, or call on 01245 356 169.

Looking to extend your property?

By Mike Otter

Adding an extension may seem daunting but with the right advice you can gain the extra space that you want whilst increasing the value of your home.

Key to achieving success is establishing what works best for you, your property and your budget.

At GPO Designs we'll guide you at each step in the development process from the capturing of initial ideas, the production and refinement of plans and through the planning and building control stages. Understanding a design from conventional line drawings can be difficult which is why we work with a three dimensional design system and produce colour visuals as standard -see examples of previous jobs at our Facebook page www.facebook.com/GPODesigns.

GPO DESIGNS Planning for your property Drawings and Building Plans for Planning Permission and Building Regulations: ♦ Extensions ♦ New Builds ♦ Garage Conversions ♦ Loft Conversions ♦ Barn Conversions

Our design service starts with a consultation at your property where we discuss and help to develop your ideas.

Measurements and photographs are then taken to allow us to draw up detailed plans. We communicate with you throughout the design process and only once you are completely happy with the design will we then submit the plans to the Local Authority for approval. We produce plans and details for planning permission, permitted development and building regulations applications.

Our aim is to provide a high quality service at the best possible price. We offer fixed rates for our services and these can be found on our website: www.gpodesigns.co.uk. So if you are looking to build a new house, add an extension or a garden room, or if you want a loft, garage or barn conversion, call Mike or George for a free no obligation quote on 01245 835855, or visit our website for further details of our full range of services. We offer daytime, weekend or evening appointments to suit you.

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Business Interview Chris from Forte Physical health This month I had the pleasure of talking with Chris from Forte Physical Health.

Here is what he had to say.

So Chris how long have you been established in Chelmsford?

“We have just had our first birthday in this location. We opened in January 2016 but I had been running a clinic in a village outside Chelmsford for about 15 months prior to that.”

What made you choose Chelmsford?

“Well, I grew up in Witham and then moved to Chelmsford. I really like it here and feel there is a real buzz in the city. With how much it is growing and the new shops opening, it has a great vibe. I have actually been an osteopath in Chelmsford for nine years, so even though I have only had my own clinic for just over two and a half years I have built up a good reputation, and it feels like the right place to be. There is a strong health and fitness community here which is great and with my relationship with sports teams, gyms, nutritionists and various health professionals around the area, I feel like a piece of the puzzle to help people on their health journey.”

What are the qualifications you need to become an osteopath and when did you qualify?

“Osteopathy is a regulated profession, meaning we have a governing body and have to meet certain standards every year. It’s a four year full time degree which is what I did, or some people do a five year part time degree. We also have to keep up with certain levels of study every year. I graduated back in 2008 so have been practising for nine years now. Time has flown!”

Can you explain briefly to us what an osteopath would specialise in and how it would differ from physiotherapy?

“Sure, in a nutshell we get people out of pain.

Generally that pain is joint or muscle pain. It can also include headaches and other none mechanical things, as we call them. We get our clients moving better and back to the life they want to live. In terms of how we differ from physiotherapy, I always find that a difficult question to answer because just us osteopaths can differ so much. Once you get your degree, osteopaths and physiotherapists go off and do lots of post graduate study. Some of the osteopaths I work with work in a completely different way to me. Just because they are an osteopath doesn’t mean they work the same way. Physio’s I know do their own study after their degree as well, so some physio’s probably work in a very similar way to me.

“What I am saying is that osteopaths, chiropractors and physio’s are all able to treat the same problems and we have the same level of qualifications. I recommend you find a therapist you trust and one who has invested in lots of post graduate study. Try to get a recommendation if you can. Here at Forte Physical Health we set very high standards for how much study we do and we believe we are good therapists. So in answer to your question, other than a few differences, osteopaths and physio’s can treat the same problems.

As I said you just need to find the right one for you.“ So what are the most common problems you deal with?

“The most common is back pain, so most of what we do is based around the spine. However, on a daily basis I treat people with shoulder, foot and hip problems as well as back. We also see people suffering with headaches. We treat people where injuries have just happened recently (which are called acute) and sometimes those who may have been in pain for 20 years or more. Adding to this we also help prepare people for operations and help repair them after

the operation. I am lucky in my job as it is very varied, but back problems do equate to most of what we see.“ Do you have a specific area you specialise in or do you do the whole body?

“No. I treat all ages and all problems. I have done a lot of studying into biomechanics (the study of human movement) and because of this I am seeing a lot more people interested in health, fitness and sport which is good for me as I have come from a sporting background.”

How many of you are there in the team here?

“Currently there are three of us; myself, another osteopath and a sports massage therapist - and not forgetting a great team of receptionists.”

Finally, what does the future hold for Forte Physical Health?

“We have four treatment rooms in the clinic and over the next few years I would like this to be a busy, thriving hub of health for the Chelmsford community. I would also like to build the team, but the long term goal is to create a centre where we will have people to help your mind and your nutrition as well as your physical body with the osteopathy and sports massage.”

Thanks Chris for a great insight into Forte Physical Health. Yet another thriving and successful business in the city. To learn more, please visit their website at www.fortephysicalhealth.co.uk, or give them a call on 01245 522 360.

bestofchelmsford We are thebestofchelmsford...

Our object is to get the best local businesses noticed locally. We are a guide for the people of Chelmsford and the surrounding area to find the best businesses. Our businesses are chosen because they have been referred to us. We meet them personally and we work with and for them. We are not a web directory and support only a few businesses in each category; those that we and local people consider to be the best.

We support - and invest - in the local community of trusted businesses and people... thebestofchelmsford has been running a Buy Local campaign and we consider ourselves champions of Buy Local, supporting all local businesses. You’ll see over 350 of our blue Buy Local stickers in businesses across the area.

We are now introducing village pages to represent those businesses that are outside the city. Our area extends to Burnham-on-Crouch, Danbury, South Woodham Ferrers, Hatfield Peverel, Writtle, Stock, Ingatestone and of course Chelmsford. thebestofchelmsford has been approved by Essex County Council Trading Standards and we are members of the Buy With Confidence scheme.

With us, you can find local events, blogs, great offers and more - it’s not just about business. On June 15th we are a sponsor of the Boys Toys event at Hylands House where a spitfire will be landing in the grounds. It promises to be a spectacular day. We hope to see you there.

If you’d like to find out more about getting your business noticed, call Tom or Peter on 01245 701 020, or visit our website www.thebestof. co.uk/local/chelmsford - it could be the start of a great relationship. thebestofchelmsford - think different!

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Physiotherapy by Ellie Searle Back in action!

Back pain affects the vast majority of people at some point in their lives. The effects of back pain can be life altering and there is a lot of fear and misconception around causes and prognosis.

The good news is that most back pain (90%) is not due to any serious disease or structural problem however severe the pain. For most people their back pain is labelled as non-specific or mechanical. Often, non-specific lower back pain feels like an insufficient diagnosis, as people tend to believe that because it hurts there must be something really specific that is wrong with them. However, the truth is that their back pain is caused by something that they’ve done, how they’re moving, sitting or using their backs.

examine you, and after working out with you what your issues are, will provide you with some tailormade treatment, help and advice to get you back in action!

Please contact our clinic, Stretch Physio, on 01245 505 866 if you’d like an appointment for some more specific help and advice. Check out our website www.stretchphysio.co.uk, or send us an email at info@stretchphysio.co.uk.

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If people with back pain are concerned or anxious, they tend to move differently - and this can subconsciously exacerbate their back pain.

I can’t tell you how often in my clinic while examining someone I will ask a client to bend forwards; initially they look at me like I’m mad for asking them to do such a difficult, painful task and then with lots of fear, holding their breath and tensing their muscles, they reluctantly bend. In these circumstances, it almost always hurts, as their fear creates muscle spasm which in turn creates movement restriction and pain. But if I can reduce their fear and get them to relax and breathe and move normally, their movement will often almost instantly be restored.

Other things such as stress, lack of sleep and believing that hurt equals damage to the spine, also ramp up pain levels.

We all know how grumpy being tired and stressed can make us feel and the affects that it can have on our overall wellbeing. But what people often don’t realise is that it can make their pain feel worse too.

So what’s the answer? Well for most people some simple over-the-counter pain killers, ice or heat and keeping gently moving are enough to help their back pain settle down. The days of getting people to lie flat on the floor are well and truly over, as we now know that this makes sufferers stiff - as well as being painful to do.

Reassess your lifestyle, manage your stress levels, get some sleep and gently increase your activity levels if you can, as all of these things will help you to manage your back pain and help you keep things in perspective, preventing further episodes.

If your back pain isn’t settling and you need some more help and advice, go and see a physiotherapist. Your physio’ will listen to your story and the problems that you are having. They will then www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

Page 19

therapy by Jenny Hartill In this article I’m going to tackle the issue of public speaking and look at how hypnotherapy can be helpful to overcome the fear of speaking or presenting in public.

When someone has an issue with public speaking, it’s usually an anxiety related issue. I say this because of some of the common presenting symptoms, such as: • • • • • • • • • • •

Dry mouth.

Mind goes blank.

Sweating.

Butterflies in stomach.

Feeling sick.

IBS. Shaking.

Stuttering.

Head feeling like it’s on fire.

Blushing.

Palpitations/heart racing.

Lots of people have an issue with public speaking for lots of different reasons. As always, we need to find out what those reasons are including whether there has been a specific event that has caused the client to be so afraid of speaking in public. Briefly, the most common reasons people have an issue with public speaking are: • • • • •

Fear of failure.

Believing they will be judged on their performance.

A feeling of being exposed or vulnerable to attack (if people were to ask questions).

Fearing the symptoms of anxiety described above.

Reliving a past event that previously caused extreme fear or embarrassment.

It is obviously very important that we ascertain why the client is afraid of speaking in public so that we can help the client to face these issues and overcome them. However, there is also a very important aspect of treating this type of client that must be addressed. That is the mindset. If the client is going into a situation where they are going to speak in public and they are for example, expecting something to happen - that’s not going to be very helpful. More so, when the client has a derogatory image of themselves in the first place, this will absolutely add fuel to the fire and the client is likely to feel even worse. I’m talking about confidence and self esteem; if the client is going into this situation not believing they can perform or not knowing they can perform, that’s the first blockade right there stopping them from being the best public speaker or presenter they can be.

This is where hypnotherapy can be particularly helpful, we can address those confidence and esteem issues during hypnosis so that the client is likely to experience longer term effects on their self belief in general even after their performance. The way that we do this is through reinforcement. As the therapist, I believe in the client and I know that they can go into this public speaking engagement, captivate their audience, and come off stage feeling like a superhero.

During a hypnotherapy session I can hypnotise the client to visualise this experience and live the positive experience emotionally.

Emotions, as you probably already know, are extremely powerful.

We have one heck of an emotional memory - that’s how we create phobias etc to keep us from danger. So, why not use this the other way around? When I had generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder, I felt anxious all of the time and my life consisted of handling this, as well as panic attacks, daily. But when it came to the daily sales floor presentation where I had to present to the ENTIRE sales floor I was dead calm. Seriously, this was the only time I wasn’t anxious!

For someone who would jump at her own shadow, isn’t it pretty weird

that I could publicly speak to my peers and bosses and be completely calm? Well, it isn’t actually.

You see, something very interesting happened in my brain. My anxiety mindset told me I was afraid of everything BUT public speaking. So, all those things most people do everyday, I was afraid I would fail/ die/have a panic attack/die again etc. But the one thing many people would find an anxious task, I found, frankly, easy. But why?

Many, years ago I went to a drama school. I was trained mainly in improvisation. I was taught improvisation techniques by a RADA trained actor. My drama school won awards year after year and my team won one particular year. Well before my anxiety and panic disorders reared their heads, my subconscious mind knew absolutely, unequivocally, that I could perform in front of strangers AND colleagues (or fellow students at that time). That belief is so deep not just because of the positive experience of winning an award, but because on the day we had to perform, everything that could go wrong did - and we STILL won! So now my subconscious believes ‘I GOT THIS!’.

In other words, at the time of my anxiety disorder when I felt everything was just awful and I was on the verge of something horrid happening - as soon as I had to present to the sales floor I was calm because my subconscious recognised the situation as being positive because I’d already been in a situation where everything that could go wrong did - and I was still ok. This is a subconscious mindset that I have developed that has been incredibly useful to me over the years.

I have never in my life been nervous of a job interview and have have only ever twice not been offered a job I interviewed for. I’ve seen what a fear of public speaking and performing can do to people in the sales interviews I had over the years. It’s just awful to watch, and I could see what was happening in the interviewee’s mind. I try to use this experience, as well as my training, in my hypnotherapy.

Obviously I would look at root causes in any client that presents with any issue and include this in my treatment of the client, but today I want to tell you about a main component that I use to treat issues with public speaking. This is something called ‘The Ultimate Self’, and if you read this carefully and do some visualisation you can use this with yourself!

The Ultimate Self is where I ask the client to imagine the best person they can be. How does this person look (what are they wearing? What does their hair look like? What does their posture look like etc?), how do they sound (what does their voice tone sound like? What kind of (positive) language do they use? How do they speak to people etc?), how do they feel (what are the main emotions the ultimate self feels?

This might be confident, happy etc. How do they feel when they move physically? How do they feel when faced with public speaking etc)?

Then once the client has this image very clearly in their mind’s eye, I ask them to step into this Ultimate Self, like putting on a suit. I then ask the client to experience what the Ultimate Self feels, so they are empathising with and channelling the emotions and the essence of the Ultimate Self. At the end of the day the Ultimate Self is the client’s creation. It comes from within the client, if the client is fearful of speaking in public it is likely the Ultimate Self can already do this.

If the client knows who their Ultimate Self is, they are already there just waiting to burst out! Hypnotherapy helps to reinforce the positive emotions the client can feel when speaking in public, as well as boosting self esteem and confidence and dealing with those pesky reasons you fear standing up and being a superhero on stage.

If anyone is interested in seeing a therapist, I own and run Chelmsford Therapy Rooms. We have a range of therapists that can help with a multitude of issues. We offer many therapies from hypnotherapy to counselling to nutrition. Please see the website www.chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk, or you can email info@ chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk, or call 0330 100 5162.

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Fitness and Well-Being Transformation Time! - by Kellie Jones Transformation: a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance.

Antonyms: stagnation, preservation, sameness.

Although like a hummingbird I try to see the beauty in each day, the arrival of the Spring Equinox, (Monday 20th March), is undoubtedly the time when it is not so hard to find. Even though a new year always causes us to think about change, I believe that spring is the true time that we begin to reinvent ourselves as we awaken from the darkness of winter hibernation and look forward to lighter spring days. Winter is the time for inner reflection, spring is the time we feel ready to venture out and explore new ways of being, doing and seeing things.

A Mojave indian legend tells of a primordial time when people lived in an underground world of darkness. They sent a hummingbird up to look for light. High above them the little bird found a twisted path to the sunlit upper world where people now live. One of the widespread beliefs is that hummingbirds are in some way messengers between worlds.

Through the practise of yoga, pilates and meditation I have learnt to be more sensitised to how much or how little to do. When the lighter days and warmer weather start to make an appearance it is easy to get a little over excited and try to blossom too early! The effort it takes to transform ourselves can be highly uncomfortable. We may need to change limiting beliefs and self destructive behaviours to ward off self sabotage and through the practise of ahimsa, (non harming) and self compassion we learn how to slow down and notice. There can also be an element of sabotage by others as they observe your amazing metamorphosis for a variety of reasons, (that’s a whole other workshop!) Either way, at Hummingbird I hope that we provide a space for you to feel safe in your change and a whole heap of helpful resources to guide you on your way.

Our practice will be deepened by working with raw cacao, a plant medicine from South America which has been used for change and transformation since ancient times. A verified super food, it contains high levels of magnesium and the ‘bliss chemical’ anandamide, which produces a naturally elevated feeling and will enable us to go deeper into ourselves whilst being more open in our practice and creating a sense of connection and transformation that will long continue after the ceremony itself.

Guru Ben is a creative yoga teacher, fusing Hatha and Kundalini yoga styles with Zen meditation; all grounded in over a decade of teaching and personal practice. His workshops deliver his passion and commitment to his students inspiring them to go deeper into their own yogic journeys.

So if you feel like you are slowly pickling yourself in a jar of sameness or stagnating like a puddle of water with no outlet, then grab your phone and download our free Hummingbird Pilates Yoga app and take a look at our vast schedule of classes and workshops, or for more details, head to our website, www.hummingbirdpilates.co.uk.

3 Ne M 0D w em a C l be ys ien r Un t O (T s & h lim ff C 's i ap p pl f ite er y) o r d £3 5

This month we have 3 amazing events in store as well as our usual

daily classes. Our first Group Reformer workshop has already happened and of course we have our monthly Full Moon Gong session to get us through the crazy moon energy. Finally we are super excited to be holding our first ever Yoga, Meditation & Cacao Ceremony Spring the Season of Transformation, with Guru Ben Saxon! This Spring Ceremony will be the first in a series of Cacao Ceremonies taking us on a journey of the self and the seasons. Working with the energy of spring through yoga and meditation we’ll engage with this season of transformation waking our bodies up from the long winter and sloughing off mental patterns we no longer need. Embracing a spring mindset, we’ll prepare ourselves for the season ahead and all the opportunities for renewal that it brings and move ourselves into a space where we are open to these opportunities.

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 Page 22

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The Google it Approach to Weight Loss Remember your school days when life seemed so joyful and carefree?

Yet to be burdened with the harsh realities of adulthood, your heart still had space for dreams and aspirations. Everything seemed so simple...

The only major issue (apart from finding out who was the second toughest in infant school and if Mrs Smith, the popular and attractive music teacher, really was dating Mr Jones, the intellectually brilliant, yet socially awkward science teacher) was getting your homework in on time.

For me, the rigours of homework followed a similar yet effective pattern: 1. Ask mum and dad their knowledge on the given topic.

2. Research the topic further utilising the family’s set of encyclopedias (as a family from the aspirational working classes this consisted of consulting the Joy of Knowledge. For the more middle class amongst you it probably meant using the family’s set of Encyclopedia Britannica - and as for the upper classes it probably didn’t apply. After all, what’s the point of homework when you stand to inherit a sprawling 100-acre estate some day!? Anyway, I digress).

3. Assimilate all the information and rewrite it, by hand, using my own thoughts and ideas.

4. Include (if there was time) a nice pretty, hand drawn picture to go with it.

Now as you can imagine this took a considerable amount of time, especially whilst simultaneously watching Saved By The Bell (no self-respecting ‘90s kid dared miss it) or Big Break (man, I loved John Virgo’s dad waist coats).

This is completely different to today’s kids. Set them homework and they don’t have to go through the same rigmarole. They simply google and cut and paste. Heck if you ask them to print it out they think they’re doing you a favour! And I say this on good authority having been a teacher for well over a decade!

The cynic in me might say that these weight loss companies deliberately design products that cause dramatic weight loss followed by almost as impressive weight gain as a way of ensuring repeat custom!

So what’s the answer?

The answer won’t make me rich but it means I can sleep easier at night. The answer is to look at weight loss in a more sustainable way.

Make dietary changes that require little effort, but cumulatively have a big impact. A simple example that has worked well with my clients is eating meals from a smaller plate. You don’t have to change the type of food you eat, or the times of when you eat it. You simply eat smaller portions which in turn ensures less calorie consumption!

For more pragmatic, evidence based advice on weight loss please don’t hesitate to get in touch. If you’re after a silver bullet solution to weight loss don’t bother getting in touch, as I (nor anyone else) will be able to provide it. But who knows, with Easter just around the corner maybe the Easter bunny can! (I presume if you believe in one, you must believe in the other!)

To book your free personal training session, or to book a place at my boot camp class please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

If you enjoyed reading this, please tell your friends and follow me on social media!

Thanks for reading, Matt matt@mlrpt.co.uk www.mlrpt.co.uk 07939 316 401 www.twitter.com/mlrpt www.facebook.com/mlrpt www.twitter.com/mlrpt

The trouble is, this bodge it and cut corners approach has crept it into the fitness industry too. Some people might even say that it dominates it!

For example, fad diets grow ever more popular by the day because ‘they work’ - as I’m reliably informed by the ill-informed! Of course they blimmin’ work. Any diet which cuts out entire food groups or drastically reduces your food choices will work, because it causes you to eat dramatically less calories and - surprise, surprise, lose the weight.

And don’t even get me started on the ‘detoxes’ or ‘cleanses’. Heck, there seems more of them on the market than a there are Premier League footballers with tattoos!

If nothing else, remember this...

All fad diets, detoxes and cleanses work in the short term but not the long term (a bit like Jennifer Aniston’s relationships) because they are simply unsustainable. People can’t handle how restrictive they are and they soon return to their old eating habits. The weight flies off at first (but just like a distant relative trying to get hold of some inheritance) it soon comes back.

I’m left as baffled as Prince William at a meritocracy convention when people bang on about losing incredible amounts of weight in a few days through some sort of cleanse or fad diet only to put it all back on again almost as quick - and then repeat the cycle again in only a few short weeks’ time. Flippin’ ’eck, if these diet products were that good wouldn’t the weight stay off longer? www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk Page 23

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Excitement is growing for Ride for Helen ‘17 As the date for Ride for Helen approaches, Helen Rollason Cancer Charity has been blown away by the support from local businesses, people and even celebrities! The fundraising event, which is taking place on 7th May, has been receiving a record number of entrants so far from both new and returning participants.

Over 1,000 cyclists from across the country will be meeting at the Crix in Hatfield Peverel, Essex to take part in this fantastic, familyfriendly event, which offers a choice of four picturesque routes - six miles, 15 miles, 35 miles, or for the bravest of cyclists, 65 miles. All ages and abilities are welcome to join in as individuals or as a team, and families can enjoy two FREE child places for every paying adult on the six mile route.

HRCC patron, Sally Gunnell and TV programme Gogglebox’s George Gilbey, have both been showing their support for the event by wearing Ride for Helen t-shirts, and George is hoping to be able to take on the 35 mile route on the day! Another high profile name that will be attending the ride is BBC Radio Essex presenter, Sadie Nine.

Lots of businesses have entered as teams, including Hatfield Peverel-based Environtec.

Andrew Watson, a sales executive from Stansted Audi, plans on upping the stakes this year by attempting the 15-mile route on his penny farthing.

Andrew, who has participated in every Ride for Helen event so far, says: “I first heard about Ride for Helen back in 2014 when my colleague Darren Thompson from Chelmsford Audi announced he would be putting together a team for the event. We all know somebody that’s been affected by cancer, so I was happy to be able to show my support for the Helen Rollason Cancer Charity. This year, I’ve decided to try something completely new and attempt the 15 mile route on my recently purchased penny farthing.” And to those thinking of signing up to this year’s event, Andrew adds: “I’d 100% recommend anyone considering taking part in Ride for Helen to do it - it’s such great fun! Now that the ride has a six-mile route, it’s ideal for families with children to get involved. The atmosphere on the day is wonderful from start to finish, and it’s a brilliant way of getting out in the beautiful Essex countryside. Plus the best part is that you can raise money for such a wonderful cause.”

For more information or to register, please visit www.rideforhelen. co.uk, or call 01245 380 719. You can also find out more about the great work that Helen Rollason Cancer Charity does at www. helenrollason.org.uk.

www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

Page 25

A recent history of the police in Chelmsford, part one by Stephen Norris This is the first of two articles on the history of the police in the Chelmsford area. The fact that the county police headquarters is situated in Chelmsford has increased the importance of the police to the town and now the city. These articles will be followed by further pieces on famous trials at the Shire Hall and a history of Chelmsford prison, which perhaps will be appear more relevant to readers given recent publicity.

In 1880 the Essex County Police Force had been in existence for 40 years. Incredibly the first Chief Constable, John McHardy, was still in office. Like most early chief constables he came from a career in the armed forces. He was only 38 when he was appointed but had already had a long career in the Royal Navy. McHardy was appointed from 31 candidates and didn’t retire until 1881. He had kept his position in the navy and attained the rank of Rear Admiral in 1870. It was quite common for men to rise in rank long after they had left the navy.

Early constables wore a dress coat, but this had been replaced by a frock coat by the 1880s. Constables were given a rattle, truncheon and a pair of handcuffs. They had to provide themselves with two pairs of white drill trousers and the familiar helmet had been first used in the 1870s. McHardy had introduced the Merit Star in 1871 which was given to officers doing “highly distinguished and discreet conduct in the discharge of their duty particularly when accompanied by the risk of life, personal courage and coolness, aided by marked intelligence.”

McHardy was succeeded as Chief Constable by William Poyntz, who had been in the Royal Marine Light Infantry before being appointed Chief Constable of Nottingham in 1871. Like McHardy, Poyntz was a strict disciplinarian, particularly with policemen who drank while on duty. In an area like Chelmsford, where nearly all the offences were probably alcohol related, a constable had to be sober if he was to get the respect of his local community. Drinking amongst constables, especially in the rural area around Chelmsford, remained a problem however. Poyntz issued a general set of orders: “Hair was to be of a reasonable length, boots were to be issued instead of shoes and decorated truncheons were to be scraped clean and varnished. He also published a new booklet setting out how the constabulary was to be managed, which replaced one originally issued by McHardy in 1849.

Poyntz also issued the Force Orders, which included all disciplinary offences by policemen, who had committed them, and what they covered. All officers were supposed to read them to dissuade other officers from making similar mistakes, but the new system was much disliked and Poyntz’s successor, Captain Showers, removed it. In Poyntz’s rule of conduct was: “The principal purposes for which a police force is established is the prevention and detention of crime, the suppression of vagrancy, and the maintenance of peace and good order.”

Instilling a sense of discipline and respect for superiors such as higher ranking officers and justices of the peace was not always easy, as constables were almost exclusively from working class backgrounds and were usually paid little more than an agricultural labourer. The constable was expected to adhere strictly to his patrol times in the same way as the Victorian factory worker would clock on and off. Following the shooting of Inspector Simmons in 1885 after the officer had interrupted a burglary, Poyntz allowed revolvers to be issued to officers on night patrol, but only to those who wanted them.

The armed criminal now knew he might be shot if he drew a weapon, and it was another 40 years before the next Essex policeman was killed.

In 1880 there were 28 policemen in the Chelmsford division, consisting of a deputy chief constable, a superintendent, an inspector, four sergeants and twenty one constables. Many local policemen achieved long service. An Inspector Peagram was

promoted to being an inspector after 16 years service in 1881. When he was promoted three years later, £100 (a significant sum!) was raised for him as a testimonial, which showed the respect in which he was held by the local community.

The local police were usually involved in cases which ended up in the petty sessions at the Shire Hall. A typical petty session in 1885 for example involved a Springfield man drunk in charge of horses and a Chelmsford woman who refused to send her son to school; the boy was sent to the Industrial School. There was also a case of a shopkeeper infringing the Petroleum Act, a man charged with setting fire to grass in Woodham Ferrers and an indecent assault charge against a labourer. It was alleged that he bought a child a bag of sweets and then assaulted her but the case was dropped through lack of evidence. A poacher from Little Waltham was fined 10 shillings with 12 shillings costs. In another case a labourer was found guilty of breach of contract for failing to hoe 6 acres of peas. He was fined 7 shillings and 6 pence with 5 shillings costs. In the same session a publican from Great Baddow was charged with keeping his house open during prohibited hours. These sessions also regularly saw cases on the adulteration of milk by shopkeepers, brought by the County Medical Officer of Health.

Housebreaking was considered a sufficient problem in the Chelmsford area to merit a regular weekly column in the Essex Chronicle. Break-ins were especially common during Sunday services because a large proportion of property owners went to church. Partly to apprehend burglars, the Essex Joint Standing Committee, which controlled the constabulary’s finances, approved the establishment of a telephone link between the headquarters of the county police at Chelmsford and Brentwood, Romford and Chadwell Heath and thereby to London. The cost was justified on the grounds that burglars often carried out a series of burglaries and then disappeared into ‘the smoke’.

Cases of ill treatment to children were beginning to be taken seriously and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, which had established a branch in the town, put forward a case at the Chelmsford Quarter Sessions in 1893. A woman was committed for trial for ill treating a servant who was under 16. After arriving in Chelmsford well fed, within five weeks “she was a bundle of rags and in an emaciated condition. The prisoner began to knock off her breakfasts, then her dinners... and at times kept her three days without food.” She “knocked her about with various instruments.”

The defendant was bound over to the Central Criminal Court and there found guilty and given the maximum possible sentence of two years hard labour. Late Victorian society was also less inclined to accept abuse within marriage where it was exposed. In 1898 the local papers gave a lot of prominence to the “brutality of a Broomfield husband.” The man, a fitter, was charged with assaulting his wife who applied for a separation order. “After knocking her down and hitting her in the face twice... she was so frightened that she was unable to go to bed with him and consequently sat up all night.” In the last year he had only given her £4 or £5 for the maintenance of her and her children, even though he had a steady job at the Crompton Arc Works. The Chelmsford bench convicted him of aggravated assault and he was ordered to pay 5 shillings a week for maintenance to his wife and children, a sum hardly sufficient for the family to survive.

In 1905 a woman being attacked in her own house was headline news in the Essex Chronicle when £24 was stolen from a house in Roman Road, Moulsham. Towards the end of the century a new type of offence was beginning to occur. In 1899 Colonel Crompton of the Arc Works was called as an expert witness at Chelmsford in a speeding case involving one of the new motor cars. It was shown that the maximum possible speed of the car was nine and a half miles an hour in 65 yards, after which it declined. The summons was dismissed.

We tend to think of vandalism as a modern occurrence, but it did

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occasionally occur in late Victorian Chelmsford. In 1899 there was an attempt at train wrecking. “On Sunday evening somebody placed a number of stones and a large iron bolt on the down line near the bridge in Stump Lane, Springfield.” It nearly caused serious damage to a train bound for Chelmsford but luckily the bolt was crushed flat.

One ‘crime’ which attracted considerable attention in the town was the so called ‘Chelmsford mystery’ of 1905. A female tramp on her way to Wood Street workhouse for the night had fallen asleep on the Jubilee seat at the junction of Wood Street and New London Road.

A few hours later neighbours were disturbed by the sound of loud female shrieks. Fred Taylor, a prominent Widford citizen, went to see what the fuss was. He first saw a local policeman, Sergeant Peters, walking quickly away from the seat, appearing to want to get away from the screaming woman as quickly possible. Another person heard the old woman cry out: “You brute, you kicked me!” Peters said he had merely prodded her to see if she was alive.

According to her, he had woken her and demanded to know why she was there. She said she had been too late to get into the workhouse. When examined by the nurse at the workhouse, she had bloodstained undergarments and bruised and cut buttocks.

The Chief Constable, Captain Showers, refused to take disciplinary action against Peters and as a result Taylor decided to take up the case privately and raised £50 for the case. The Essex Chronicle, aware of the interest the case had caused, raised £380 from readers for Peters’ defence. In court it came to light that Peters and Taylor had a disagreement before with Peters allegedly telling Taylor a deliberate lie. The defence said the woman had on her five pence and a farthing which was sufficient for a night’s lodgings and didn’t need to go to the workhouse and she couldn’t produce the workhouse ticket. Before the bench arrived at its decision it was revealed that the woman had several convictions including a seven years prison sentence in Cardiff for theft. The bench had to decide whether to send Peters for trial, but the case was dismissed quickly leaving numerous witnesses uncalled. Taylor paid for a cab to take the woman to the railway station at Shenfield and she wasn’t heard from again. The case raised a number of prejudices regarding the attitudes of different groups of people to both vagrants and the police.

The county’s headquarters at Arbour Lane, Springfield were used for the training of new Essex constables. In 1892 for example, 27 were given training which included a course in ambulance work.

The Chelmsford division itself lacked a proper police station and was based inside the Shire Hall. Police numbers grew only slowly with an 1896 annual inspection of the division at the county headquarters revealing 34 officers, a deputy chief constable, two inspectors, 5 sergeants and 26 constables.

By 1896 the county headquarters were inadequate because of defective drainage and restricted accommodation. The £9,000 it would have cost to repair the defects was considered prohibitive.

After considering a site on land owned jointly by the Marriage and the Chancellor families, but deciding it was too expensive, the Standing Joint Committee bought a three acre site in Gaol Lane which is now Sandford Road. A prize of £100 for the best design for the new headquarters was won by a Chelmsford man, Mr George E Clare. The new complex cost £18,000 and included a lodge, a chief constable’s house and stables, a main block and further stables.

By 1902 the Chelmsford police could no longer operate effectively out of the Shire Hall. The Judges of the Assize complained that this had an effect on their accommodation at the Shire Hall and the working of the various courts. A property was bought from Gepp and Sons on the east side of New Street opposite one side of Shire Hall. New police cells and police quarters were erected. They were connected by a subway to the Shire Hall as a means of quietly and efficiently getting prisoners to court. The old cells in the Shire Hall were removed, enabling an increase in the size of the Crown Court. The new police building was 3 storeys high and remained operational until 1969, after which it was used for a while by the Essex Record Office.

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Rotary Shows Different Aspects in the City There are so many different ways that the Rotary Clubs in Chelmsford contribute to the local community and this month gives another good example of the range of activities. Space prevents me from writing about all of them, but I have picked a few to demonstrate the point.

very good evening and everyone commented on the high standards the young musicians had achieved.

The two winners went on to the district finals held in the Cathedral on 11th February, where again we were treated to some excellent performances and Abbie Ward won the vocalist category and now goes on to the regional final. Erin Cacae was Highly Commended.

Lord Petre presented the trophies.

There was still plenty time for the fun and social side of Rotary and some clubs held Burns Night dinners. It seems strange to me that the English celebrate Rabbie Burns more than St George’s Day, but I can say that as I am half Scottish. I attended the Chelmsford Phoenix event which was held at the Chelmsford Catering College and the students provided excellent fayre.

Interestingly, whilst I am actually a member of the original Rotary Club of Chelmsford, one of the strong points about being a Rotarian is that you are made welcome in any Rotary club in the world - and there are 34,000 of them. Elsewhere in town, Chelmer Bridge held a separate traditional Burns Night dinner and haggis, neeps and tatties were very much in evidence at both dinners.

A contingent from the Rotary Club of Chelmer Bridge, led by Immediate Past President David Whitehead, was invited to Broomfield Hospital on the 22nd February to present a laproscopic liver retractor instrument to the Upper Gastro Intestinal and Bariatric Surgery team. Chelmer Bridge were delighted to be able to fund the purchase of this instrument which enables the surgeons to undertake operations and procedures involving the liver and surrounding organs more efficiently and quicker. The cumulative effect of this is that more operations can be carried out because of the time saving and improved accuracy and efficiency.

Our project had started when Bruno Lorenzi, one of the consultants, had visited the club and told us of the need for the instrument and the inability of the NHS Trust to fund it. The club had voted unanimously to raise the funds to buy the instrument. The Broomfield surgeons, led by Mr Sritharan Kadirkamanathan, took time off between operations to welcome us and give us an explanation of how the retractor works and give us an insight into the procedures undertaken by the team. The Rotary partnership with the Upper GI team at Broomfield and Rotary’s previous fundraising involvement with the Burns Unit is a demonstration of Rotary works with NHS Trusts when funding is not available for smaller but much needed instruments and equipment.

Looking at something completely different, each year in November members of the Chelmsford Club go to the Chelmsford Competitive Music Festival to attend specified classes and invite selected young musicians who do well to take part in the Rotary Young Musician competition. The good links we have had with the festival for many years help to ensure that those competing in Young Musician in Chelmsford are of a high standard. The Chelmsford heat was held at St Cedd’s School on 13th January. Chelmsford provided the MC, the ticket sellers and the car park attendant. Rivermead Rotary Club handled the refreshments and Brenda Stroud, the President of Chelmsford Mildmay, acted as host for our principal guest, the Mayor of Chelmsford. All three clubs plus Chelmsford Phoenix helped fund the evening and clubs working together is an important part of Rotary in our city.

The performances took just over 1½ hours and the winning vocalist was Abbie Ward and winning instrumentalist was Erin Cacace, a viola player. The Mayor presented the certificates and trophies. It was a

We are on the lookout for new members and if you think you may be able to make a contribution to the local community or communities further afield, please pick up the phone and find more about how you can join. Visit www.chelmsfordrotary1240.org for further information, or drop me an email at stan@graphic-impressions.co.uk.

Stan Keller 01245 260 349 (office hours)

Wildlife Corner by Nick Green February actually experienced some rainfall and frost, but perhaps the biggest weather events were Storm Doris on 23rd closely followed

by Storm Ewan with strong winds and rain.

The increasing day length and light were welcomed by snowdrops, hyacincths, crocuses and daffodils. The hedgerows are springing to life with hazel catkins and blackthorn (sloe) blossom. Bird song is increasing, with song from mistle thrushes, blackbirds, dunnock, chaffinch‌ When this magazine is published the first African bird migrants will be represented by species like sand martin, swallow, wheatear, chiffchaff and black redstart.

The long-tailed tit, Aegithalos caudatus, is a common woodland resident in Essex and always a welcome visitor to bird feeding stations in gardens. Hard winters can decimate the population but the recent run of mild winters has ensured that this species is doing well. The nest classically is a domed structure built of moss woven with cobwebs, feathers and hair, camouflaged with greyish lichen.

Clutch size is about 8-12 eggs incubated for about 15 days, fledging after about 14 days. The young are fed for about 2 weeks after leaving the nest. Postbreeding flocks from summer to spring often comprise of various tit species and treecreepers.

Long-tailed tit - copyright Glyn Evans

Recent Essex Wildlife News The most noteworthy February 2017 bird news: County bird of the month again was Essex’s first lesser whitefronted goose on Foulness Island, but MoD security restrictions ensured few were privileged to view the bird with 21 whitefronted geese. The flock of geese did visit nearby Wallases Island on 26th but alas, the flock returned to Foulness within a few hours.

Otherwise selected highlights include Abberton Reservoir; up to 100 scaup, 8 smew, Bulmer and a hooded crow, while Wallasea Island could still boast hen harriers, short-eared owls, 4 twite and even a mealy redpoll.

National rarities: In Cornwall, the long-staying Hudsonian whimbrel still remains, as indeed the rare, long-staying thrush from December - a blue rock thrush in Gloucestershire.

Further north were American species represented by black scoter and pacific diver in Northumberland and an American coot at Balranald RSPB on North Uist in the Outer Hebrides. Pine buntings were still represented in Kent and Yorkshire.

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Stargazing with Mark Willis - March/April 19th March - 22:30: Looking south east you’ll the planet Jupiter with a star called Spica almost directly beneath it.

20th March - The Vernal or Spring Equinox.

26th March - British Summer Time (BST) begins. Don’t forget to put your clocks forward one hour.

30th March - 20:35: Looking west you’ll see a very thin crescent Moon. Trace a line of approximately 20 degrees, or 2 O’clock from the Moon and you’ll see the planet Mars.

10th April - 21:00: If it’s clear tonight, get ready to look west north west. You’ll find Mars lying quite close to the minor planet Ceres. At 21:10:05 - the ISS International Space Station (Zayra) will rise above the horizon and move very noticeably fast upward. ISS will curve over toward the Orion constellation, passing halfway between the top two stars Betelgeuse and Bellatrix, (above, and Orion’s Belt, which is below).

22nd April - the Lyrid meteor shower is favourable this year, (provided it’s a clear sky!). The Lyrids are created by debris from comet Thatcher, which takes about 415 years to orbit around the Sun. Considered to be the oldest known meteor shower, the Lyrids are named after constellation Lyra.

New Moon: On 28th March and 26th April 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.

As usual, email me with any questions.

Mark Willis presents Willis Wireless every Monday at 7pm on Chelmsford Community Radio.

Web: www.chelmsfordcommunityradio.com Twitter: @WillisWireless Email: mark.willis@chelmsfordcommunityradio.com

A Therapies Evening at Another Level by John Power On Thursday evening of 23rd February, proprietor Perminder Birk and Susan Howard from OurHouse Therapy played host to several other therapists and guests at Another Level cafe next to the Shire Hall in Tindal Square to explore a variety of therapies available locally.

Presentations were interspersed with musical interludes.

After the opening welcome, those gathered in the upstairs rooms were first treated to entertainment in the form of the dynamic singing of Anastasia Spence, while Susan began demonstrating reiki healing and psychic healing methods downstairs. I followed Anastasia with a talk on Art Therapy using Carl Jung’s analysis of archetypes of the unconscious and a short outline of the methods of Tantrik Yoga from the Uttarakaula (north Indian) tradition. That neatly led into a talk and demonstration about Hatha Yoga breathing techniques from Mandy Carter, yoga teacher from Hummingbird at Writtle’s Reed

Farm Estate. Maria Prosser followed with a superb demonstration of shamanistic drumming. That in turn led to a lively session of salsa dancing and a talk by Georgina Levy of Move2Love, which she entitled Releasing Restriction.

Apart from the reiki and psychic readings, downstairs Don Elliot offered the opportunity to guests to have caricature portraits drawn.

Other therapies offered were by Justine Jackson from Just Be therapies, and Julie Virgo from Karma Moments. A collection was held for the homeless charity, CHESS. Perminder said that she intends to keep promoting alternative therapies, as well as providing wholesome food, and Susan continues to provide reiki healing, massage and psychic healing in the downstairs level below the cafe.

Chelmsford man unites UK esports community in 24-hour charity challenge Esports News UK editor Dominic Sacco from Chelmsford, has brought together key figures in the UK esports community to play through the night and raise £650 for people with disabilities.

Streamers, casters (aka commentators), team managers, members of the community and some of the top UK esports players took part in the 24-hour gaming marathon as part of GameBlast17, the UK’s largest gaming marathon weekend.

There were 1v1 duels, fun community showmatches, caster Mr and Mrs games, League of Legends players and CSGO players playing against each other in other games, and a team from League of Legends developer Riot Games played against the community.

They raised £650 for the charity SpecialEffect, who use technology to help people with disabilities benefit from the fun and inclusion of video games.

Esports News UK is an online publication dedicated to the UK esports community - predominantly League of Legends.

The Esports News UK marathon took place on Saturday March 4th at midday and ran until Sunday March 5th at midday (one week after the official GameBlast17 marathon took place across the UK).

Esports News UK editor Dom Sacco said: “I’m delighted to have brought together UK esports figures to raise £650 for people with severe disabilities. Thank you to everyone who took part, it’s been absolutely incredible.”

Mark Saville, the charity’s Communications Officer, added: “Playing for 24 hours is a big challenge, but we’re asking people to attempt it to help the thousands of people who, because of a disability, can only sit and watch other people have all the fun with family and friends.

“GameBlast is an opportunity for people to do what they love best and level the playing field for people with disabilities at the same time.”

The charity invited teams of friends, family members and work colleagues to join the GameBlast event, which has been likened to a Children in Need for gamers. It’s backed by big names in the games industry including GAME, Twitch, and Faceit, and aims to raise £100,000 overall.

“Esports News UK’s efforts will help people like John (www.youtube. com/watch?v=CHbzFMggIm0) who never thought he’d be able to play video games again because his muscular dystrophy stopped him using a controller,” said Mark. “The sponsorship raised through the GameBlast event will change the lives of many more people like John through the gift of gaming fun and inclusivity.”

Anyone can still sponsor the team online by donating at justgiving. com/fundraising/GameBlast17-dominic-sacco.

The stream was displayed at www.twitch.tv/esports_news_uk.

More details of the GameBlast17 event can be found at www. gameblast17.com.

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