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The City Times Including: Boreham, Broomfield, Danbury, Great Baddow, Maldon, South Woodham Ferrers, The Walthams and Writtle 10000 copies distributed monthly Issue Number 70 August 15th - September 12th 2019
MONDAY Millennium Community Centre, Recreation Ground, Baddow Road, Great Baddow CM2 9RL 9:00am, 11:00am,1:00pm, 5:00pm & 7:00pm Lucy 07801 433626
WEDNESDAY Writtle Community Association, Longmeads House, 12-14 Redwood Drive, Writtle CM1 3LY 3:00pm, 5:00pm and 7:00pm Jennifer 07792 516866
Springfield Bees Preschool, Perryfields School, Lawn Lane, CM1 7PP 5:00pm and 7:00pm Angie 07814 992628
Boreham Village Hall, Main Road, Boreham CM3 3JD 5:30pm and 7:30pm Marie 07988 426728
Hatfield Peverel Infant School Church Road, Hatfield Peverel CM3 2RP 5:30pm and 7:30pm Marie 07988 426728
NEW CONSULTANT 21st AUGUST Springfield Park Baptist Church, Springfield Park Road, Springfield CM2 6EB 5.30pm and 7:30pm Angie 07814 992628
TUESDAY NEW GROUP 20th AUGUST Newlands Spring Community Hall, Dickens Place, Chelmsford CM1 4UU 9:30am Elise 07979 816486 Broomfield Village Hall, 158 Main Road (behind Angel Pub), Broomfield CM1 7AH 3:00pm, 5:00pm and 7:00pm Victoria 07823 441198 Millennium Community Centre, Recreation Ground, Baddow Road, 9R Great Baddow CM2 9RL 3:30pm, 5:30pm & 7:30pm Samantha 01245 266442 WEDNESDAY Church Of St Augustine Of Canterbury, St Augustines Way, Springfield CM1 6GQ 9:30am and 11:30am Emma 07887 692906
St Michael's Church of England Junior School, Barnard Road, Galleywood, CM2 8RR 7.30pm Lena 07939 675034 THURSDAY Millennium Community Centre, Recreation Ground, Baddow Road, Great Baddow CM2 9RL 9:30am Samantha 01245 266442 North Springfield Baptist Church, Havengore, off Pump Lane, Springfield CM1 6JP 5:30pm and 7:30pm Victoria 07823 441198 Newlands Spring Community Hall, Dickens Place, Chelmsford CM1 4UU 5:30pm and 7:30pm Jennifer 07792 516866
THURSDAY NEW CONSULTANT 29th AUGUST Moulsham High School, Brian Close, Chelmsford CM2 9ES 5:30pm and 7:30pm Emma 07738 278911 FRID FRIDAY The Church Of Ascension, Maltese Road, Chelmsford CM1 2PB 9:15am and 11:15am Samantha 01245 266442 Fit n Fab Studio, Village Square (Near Asda), Chelmer Village CM2 6RF 5.30pm Emma 07887 692906 SATURDAY Springfield Park Baptist Church, Springfield Park Road, Springfield, CM2 6EB 8:30am and 10:30am Emma 07887 692906 　
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CT Welcome Hello readers,
Welcome to the August/September edition. As I write, we have had a few days of nice summer weather in August, but nothing too outstanding yet; the rain is good for the garden I guess! Please remember to tell our advertisers that you saw them in this magazine. Enjoy your month! Regards Nick & Paul www.thecitytimes.co.uk | www.moulshamtimes.com
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Four-Legged Furry Friends Invited to Helen Rollason Cancer Charity Very First Family Fun Day and Dog Show!
Supported by Tees Law Chelmsford
Helen Rollason Cancer Charity are teaming up with the prestigious Essex Dog Training Centre in Brentwood to host our inaugural Family Fun Day and Dog Show on Sunday 22nd September 2019. As well as all the have-a-go dog classes and agility challenge, we have lots of stalls, activities and plenty of food too, so you and your family can make a real day of it. Join us in the dog show arena where you can enter your dog into as many categories as you wish, including Best Puppy, Best Rescue Dog and Dog That Looks Most like Its Owner. Later on you can browse our range of stalls; from dog accessories, pet food suppliers and beds, to jewellery and cake stalls. You’ll find a market place for our four-legged furry friends and their owners. A huge thank you to Roy Dyer MBE for allowing us the opportunity to hold our first charity event at the Essex Dog Training Centre. This event is designed to be a more light-hearted dog event - as opposed to a more formal dog show - for families and couples or individuals wishing to enter their pet dogs. Helen Rollason Cancer Charity Family Fun Day and Dog Show is for dog owners, enthusiasts or just families looking for a great day out. Come along with your dog, or just come along - you don’t need a dog to attend. we’d love to see just you there! Adult entry is £3 and children 16 years and younger £2. To book your tickets call the fundraising office on 01245 380 719.
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The Ugly Guys
Music and Ramblings - by Nick Garner
Arts & Cultural Festival We are about to have a trustees meeting to see how/if we can move ahead in putting Chelmsford forward as UK City of Culture for 2025. Also at this meeting, we will be considering and refining our plans for the ten-day festival next year. Nothing more to report at present, but do be assured we are working hard to bring a spectacular festival to the city in 2020.
Music and Ramblings We are well and truly into festival season now and as this edition is coming out we are getting ready for the third UB Festival at the United Brethren pub in New Writtle Street, Chelmsford. I book most of the acts for this festival, and this year it is going to be a four-day event. It all kicks off on Friday 23rd August with The Ugly Guys playing from 9pm until late. The Ugly Guys are Paul and Vic from The Kursaal Flyers, Bob from Micky Jupp, along with Steve and Nevil - so mostly Southend legends. They are a great band, trust me. The Saturday will be a big live music event with Richard Townend opening at 2pm in the garden (we hope - depending on weather) and then Lady J the Troublemaker, followed by Rich Young. Then we have the One Tree Hillbillies. Closing the garden stage will be The Hardy Perennials, so a great mix of styles out there. Inside, from 8.30pm we kick off with Blues Brew playing a mix of covers and originals - another act from Southend who are four-piece band with a some great sax playing. We end the day with our local covers act Playlister, who will keep you dancing until midnight with all those classic hits. Sunday will be DJ day run by Rubber Soul-Brethren presenting Locomotion with a whole host of top DJs from 11am to 1pm, including very special guest Dr Bob Jones, along with David Arscott, Mark Neal, Ian Wright and Darryl Butcher. On Monday, the last day, we have Barry Owens opening the afternoon from around 3pm, then it is over to JAR Records presenting a host of great live music with Denholm Ellis spinning some excellent discs as well. The UB also has many other great live acts on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays plus Joe Anderton’s open mic session every second Wednesday of the month. We have a real special coming up in September with 70s legends SNAFU playing, with Bobby Harrison still on keyboards and vocals.
The Woolpack will also be having their annual Summer Festival across the bank holiday weekend with live music, and the Three Elms are also having their Beer and Cider Festival with live music too. On Saturday 31st August in Oaklands Park, home of the wonderful refurbished Chelmsford Museum, there will be an outdoor event called Culture in the Park, which is a free event celebrating Chelmsford’s cultural diversity through dance, live music, food, crafts and lots more. There will be something for everyone of all ages to enjoy throughout the day - try dumpling making or unleash your inner yoga skills, maybe even give Bollywood dancing a go! Tickets are free but capacity is limited, so please register for your tickets before the day on the museum website at www.chelmsford. gov.uk/museums/whats-on/culture-in-the-park. The event is organised by Chelmsford Creatives, a group of young people (aged 15-24) who have a passion for growing the Chelmsford community. on Saturday 7th September, for the first time in Hylands Park, will be Lets Rock, the retro music festival with Status Quo, Jimmy Somerville, Tony Hadley, Midge Ure, Go West, Nick Heywood, Nick Kershaw, Heaven 17, The Real Thing, Betty Boo, China Crisis, Sonia and more. I think you will agree there is lots going on in and around our city (don’t forget the Smoke and Fire Festival in Maldon as well) plus all of the other events in the theatres the clubs and pubs and village halls. Please go out and support these events. Please check out the links below and please ‘like’ our pages on social media and help us by inviting your friends to ‘like’ our pages as well. Chelmsford Arts and Cultural Festival: hello@chelmsfordfestival.org www.chelmsfordfestival.org Online festival programme: www.issuu.com/chelmsfordfestival www.facebook.com/chelmsfordfestival Twitter: @chelmsfordaacf www.bluesinthecity.co.uk www.facebook.com/bluesinthecitychelmsford Twitter: @BluesintheCity1 www.itsyourmusic.co.uk www.facebook.com/itsyourmusic Twitter: @itsyourmusic
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CT Gardening - by Tom Cole
Take care this August as it often tends to be one of the hottest months of the year - and this makes watering essential. This year I’ve been using grey water wherever possible. I tend to do this as the water butts may be running low if it has been a dry summer. Don’t forget to ask your neighbours and nearby family to look after the garden if you are away. Here are just a few other jobs you could be getting on with this month: •
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If you have restricted-tree fruit, don’t forget to summer prune. Those with espalier, cordon and/or fans will need to prune out this year’s growth to just in front of fruiting spurs. This will maintain the framework, channel energy into remaining fruit and allow more sunlight in to ripen fruit. If fruit looks crowded, thin out by taking out misshapen fruitlets and congested fruit. Keep trees and soft fruit well watered. I’ve seen some great products out there to conserve water, especially the use of water reservoirs for the base of trees with water able to trickle through the soil; these are covered to reduce evaporation. Harvest vegetables as they become ripe. If you’ve got sweetcorn, test for ripeness when the tassels have turned dark brown - peel back a little of the husk and pierce a kernel with a fingernail; if a watery liquid squirts out, it is unripe; if it is creamy, the cob is ready; if paste-like it is over-mature. Twist ripe cobs and pull sharply from the stem - they rapidly lose their flavour, so harvest when required. Keep removing side shoots from cordon tomatoes and start to enjoy their tasty fruits! Strawberries have done well this year and more than likely have produced runners. Lift up rooted runners and pot up into 9cm pots with a suitable peat free potting compost. Where you have a patch of ground free in your vegetable plot, consider sowing green manures to assist with improving soil
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structure; especially if you’ve got a couple of months where the plot will be free of crops. Green manures reduce soil erosion, reduce weeds, contribute to improving soil structure and some increase soil fertility. Sow winter tares, winter field beans and Essex red clover now as these are legumes and are great for increasing the fertility of the soil. As you harvest raspberries, cut out fruited canes to the ground, Tie in remaining plant material and remove suckers coming up in pathways.
Lastly, if you want to further your knowledge and understanding of these or other gardening jobs, please do consider one of the following courses at Writtle University College:
For RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Horticulture (1 year, day release on Thursdays), RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Plant Growth, Propagation & Development (September - February on Thursdays), RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Garden Planning, Establishment and Maintenance and for RHS Level 2 and 3 Certificates in Practical Horticulture, email tom.cole@writtle.ac.uk for information on availability of days and times. If you’ve got more time we also offer full-time Level 2 & 3 programmes and apprenticeship schemes. New for this September we’ll be offering part-time garden design programmes on Mondays. Contact ben.wincott@writtle.ac.uk for more information.
01245 422804/07711 606561
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If you’d like a shorter programme for say 1 or 2 days, then give our Short Courses team a call. We’ve got courses on construction (erecting fences, paving and brickwork), general garden tasks such as pruning, propagation, container gardening, successful care of lawns and growing fruit and veg. For the professional, a whole load of competence based certificates covering arboriculture, pesticide application and use of various machinery and equipment. Happy gardening For any gardening tips contact Tom Cole, Horticultural Lecturer, Writtle College, Chelmsford, CM1 3RR by post (including a SAE) or by email at tom.cole@writtle.ac.uk.
Page 8 www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk
Emma Beale Is Set to Share Her Slimming Secrets
Aslimmer who transformed her life by losing 4 stone is using her success to shape a whole new career helping other people change their lives and achieve their weight loss dreams too.
Emma Beale joined her local Slimming World group in Chelmsford 7 months ago and dropped from 14st 7, to 10st 7. Now, she has trained as a consultant for Slimming World, the UK’s largest groupbased weight loss organisation, at their national training academy in Derbyshire. Members at the group are getting ready to welcome Emma as their new consultant when she takes over the group on 29th August 2019.
devastated and used food as a comfort, as I’m sure many in my position do. In late 2017 I realised that enough was enough and started to try and eat better. It took me well over a year to lose just over a stone so in January 2019 I joined Emma’s group in my local area and have never looked back! I enjoy hearty cooked breakfasts, huge ‘Slimming World’ roast dinners and have tried lots of new recipes, including diet coke chicken, campfire stew and lots of delicious curries. I use my daily syns to enjoy chocolate and crisps!”
The latest Government figures reveal that around one in four adults are obese, and it is estimated that by 2034 this will increase to one in three. 56% of the Chelmsford population is now overweight or obese, and Emma says her new role has never been more important:
“Slimming World isn’t just about changing what you eat. Becoming more active is important too. Our Body Magic programme takes the threat out of activity by showing people, many of whom have unpleasant memories of being forced to take part in activity at school, how they can build activity into their daily routine without having to take up traditional forms of exercise like going to the gym or running. Everything counts from walking to gardening to washing the car. I have found a new love of running to get my Body Magic. I have even signed up for a half marathon in October, I couldn’t even run for a bus 4 stone ago! I genuinely believe Slimming World has helped my grief, I feel so much more positive about our future. As a consultant it’s my role to create that warm, supportive atmosphere to get people sharing their ideas and experiences to help others - it’s going to be great fun!”
“Obesity is becoming such a huge issue across the UK. When I first joined Slimming World as a member, I never dreamed that I would end up helping other people to lose weight, but now I just can’t wait to get started. After losing 4st and completing my training, it’s a privilege for me to be able to pass on the experience, insight and understanding that helped me, so that I can give my members the support they need to get to target. “Support is really the most important thing. It all starts with feeling that you’re not alone. I couldn’t have lost 4 stone without the weekly help, encouragement and understanding of my own consultant and group. I remember walking into my group on a busy January morning and my consultant saying to me, ‘you’ve taken the biggest step just walking in’. “My group is so supportive and has a real buzz. As someone who has lost weight myself I know the challenges people can face, which is why, along with the group, I will be there to support every one of my members all the way to their chosen target weight. Setting targets, sharing recipes and other ideas, and working together as a group to overcome challenges and celebrate success is so important for a successful journey. That’s why at my Slimming World group there’ll be tons of support, encouragement and fun. “In September 2010 I had previously shed 5 stone for my wedding, I felt amazing! I then went on to have my son who is now 4. In 2016 I lost my wonderful husband to a heart condition called HCOM, he was waiting for a heart transplant that never came. I was utterly
Like Emma, Slimming World consultants are all former members who have lost weight at their local group themselves, and groups are set up as micro-businesses in the heart of local communities. There are currently around 4,000 Slimming World consultants across the UK and Ireland running 15,000 groups. Consultants receive training in Slimming World’s healthy eating and physical activity programmes and learn how to use the power of group support to empower members to take control of their own weight loss journey. As selfemployed micro-entrepreneurs, consultants also learn how to build a successful community-based business. Emma says she can’t wait for the new challenges running her own business will bring: “For me, becoming a self-employed franchisee was a great option. I wanted a job that was well paid, flexible and fits in around my son, so launching my own Slimming World group was an ideal option - I feel like I’ve got a brand new career and I can’t wait for my new groups to run now!” Marie, who runs Slimming World’s Boreham & Hatfield Peverel group and manages Emma as a Team Developer, says: “Slimming World consultants are chosen for their positive outlook and because they genuinely care about the health and happiness of others. With Emma’s experience of being a successful Slimming World member and her kind and warm personality and great sense of humour, I just know that she’ll be an amazing support to members, cheering them all the way to their target weight.” Emma’s Slimming World group will be held at Moulsham High School every Thursday at 5.30pm and 7.30pm from 29th August 2019. For more information or to join Emma’s group either pop along on 29th August or call her on 07738 278 911. For more information visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk,or call 0344 897 8000.
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Page 9
A New Food Revolution - by Lisa Whittle I surprised myself recently and got into the recipe box phenomenon. The enthusiasm of some new colleagues, not just for the concept but for the special offers available for newbies, got me to sign up for my first delivery. Recipe boxes are meal kits that turn up to your door in a cardboard box with all the pre-measured ingredients enclosed along with instructions on how to make a gorgeous, often restaurant quality, meal. Lured by the prospect of three free meals for my first week, only paying £4 for delivery, Hello Fresh was my first foray into this whole new world. It is half price for the first box if you go straight to the Hello Fresh website, but if you know an existing customer they will get sent special offer codes to pass on to friends and family for a totally free week. I was tipped off to go for the largest meal size for four to make my free week worth around £40. The normal price is around £5 per head per meal. The next few days saw me cooking vegetable chilli with brown rice and soured cream, then Indonesian-inspired rice with red peppers, peanuts and coriander drizzle, and then a pesto and sundried tomato gnocchi. Things at dinner time were looking up! I had chosen these recipes from a selection for each week. You can choose how many meals, for how many people and can pause and cancel at anytime. There’s a handy app to do this from too. I continued for a further two weeks before the veggie/vegan section felt a little repetitive and my guilt for the freebie was assuaged. My appetite for recipe boxes however was just getting going… Riverford was my next try out. No special offers here, Riverford is an organic veg box delivery company with a 30-year reputation, and meals are around £6 per head per meal. The company is fully organic and recipe boxes are for 2 people only, but you can order multiple if desired. There is a wide choice of meals available, including ‘foodie’ options for advanced and involved cooking as well as quick meal options. Again, there is an app and deliveries can easily be paused or cancelled and you can plan ahead. There’s no delivery charge, but there’s a discount for the more meals you buy each week and you can add in extra fruit or veg. I liked Riverford a lot. I can see why my friend has stuck with them for 3 years. The recipes are inventive and tasty and hugely varied. See the pic on the left for their Sweetcorn Dhansak Curry - one of the ‘vegetarian foodie’ recipes that took me over an hour to make, but the result was divine! Simply Cook takes a different approach. They send you dried ingredients and a recipe card for four meals in a flat box that slips
through your letter box. It costs less at £2.50 a meal and you can stockpile them, but you have to add in your own ingredients - not everything is in the box, but the handy app tells you in advance what to put on your shopping list. It’s a half-way house of inspiration and guidance but not the full hand-holding culinary comfort blanket. Any day now, I am expecting a kit for Iranian vegetable stew, red lentil and squash curry, wild mushroom penne and grilled halloumi salad to drop through my door. All with a tempting introductory price of £3. I am yet to work my way through other UK providers Gousto, Able and Cole, Mindful Chef for gluten and carb-free and Morrison’s own, called Eat Fresh. There’s also Fish for Thought if you’re into seafood, and for the keen cook, Box’d Fresh is a little different in that all the recipes are created by Michelin Star chefs and come out at £8 per head per meal. What was tempting me was practical learning and inspiration. Although the offers got me in, I was cooking meals, or aspects of meals, I wouldn’t normally cook and it was the culinary knowledge and practical skills I was gaining that has kept me in. Do you ever find you get into a cooking rut and cook the same things over and over again? Recipe boxes can definitely get you out and broaden your horizons - and it can be so easy - even the advanced meals! I didn’t have to think about what to cook, that had been done for me. I didn’t have to consider if I had all the ingredients before embarking and I was safe in the knowledge that it was all in the box. I felt my hand was being held through all the step-by-step instructions. It felt so much easier than finding and choosing a recipe and hunting down all the ingredients myself. It was even a little bit addictive... The excitement of the package turning up and knowing the self-contained packages are there in the fridge all ready to go... The knowing it will turn out ok… Considering this world of 2019 of readymeals, takeaways, convenience food and junk food - with life’s pressures and busyness it’s easy to see how eating can slip and downgrade into these categories. Cooking at the end of a long day can be overwhelming, especially when there’s no food in the fridge! We can get out of practice and even forget how to cook from scratch, from fresh ingredients - and even forget how lovely it tastes and how good it makes us feel. Healthier than the readymeal, perhaps recipe boxes can spiral us back up by teaching us how to cook again. Convenient, time-efficient, inspiring and profitable, this cultural recipe box phenonmenon is here to stay. Recipe boxes are the latest cultural food revolution in a multibillion dollar industry that in many cases is changing the way we eat for the better. Why not give it a try? I’m sticking with it. Dear Paul I read with interest Doug Killick’s article on Chelmsford’s role on D-Day in 1944 in The City Times. Readers may also be interested to learn that the Chelmsford area also played a part on D-Day as Boreham Airfield was the base of the 394th Bomb Group of the 9th United States Army Air Force which carried out two missions on D-Day. The targets were gun emplacements overlooking the landing beaches at Varreville and Benerville in Normandy in support of the invasion force and subsequently ground troops. Flying twin engined B26 Marauder bombers, they paid a high price however, for there were two separate mid-air collisions over Kent and Sussex on the early morning mission in poor visibility. This resulted in the loss of four aircraft and a total of 20 aircrew, about one third of the aircrew lost in the 4 months flying from Boreham Airfield. Every year on Remembrance Sunday a service is held at the roadside memorial in Raynham Hall Road, Little Waltham on the site of the entrance to the former airfield to remember the sacrifices made by those American airmen for our freedom. Regards Eric Probert, 394th BG Historian
Page 10 www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk
Chelmsford Twinning Partnership (Formerly Chelmsford Town Twinning Association) In 1990, Chelmsford and Backnang in Germany made an alliance and vowed to nurture and cultivate a twinning link between the two towns. In 1999 Annonay also joined, making a three-way partnership.
to hear from you. Please contact Liz Sutton on 01245 440 534, or email towntwinning@freenetname.co.uk.
In 1991 the Chelmsford Town Twinning Association was formed to encourage the twinning at community level. The Association - now known as the Chelmsford Twinning Partnership - is an independent non-political and financially self-supporting organisation for people of all ages who want to develop friendships both in Chelmsford and in Annonay and Backnang. Every year people from Chelmsford have the opportunity to visit Backnang in Germany and Annonay in France, staying with hosts or other accommodation for up to five nights. Backnang and Annonay make reciprocal visits to Chelmsford. Backnang and Annonay both have twinning organisations. In addition, the Social Committee of the CTP organise regular fundraising and non-fundraising events such as quiz nights, visits for places of interest in and around Chelmsford, themed bingo evenings, afternoon tea, etc. Membership fees are quite nominal £7 for individual membership, £12 for family membership and £20 for groups and organisations. Under 18s are free. For more information visit www. chelmsfordtwinningassociation.co.uk, or email towntwinning@freenetname.co.uk. Gloria Nichols Vice-Chairman, CTP We certainly have not gone mad hatters, but did have great fun recently at a Mad Hatter Bingo Tea Party as one of the social events of the Chelmsford Town Twinning Association. Gloria Nichols, Vice Chairman, planned the event with her usual expertise for details. She provided special ‘tea party’ food and all the prizes for winning lines, or ‘full houses’ were geared to this theme (Gloria is the one with the orange hair!). Our next social event took place at The White Hart, Margaretting Tye an Afternoon Tea was arranged by Jeanette Potter. Lovely delicate sandwiches, delicious scones and yummy cakes were provided. The trip to Backnang for the Strassenfest (the street festival) was thoroughly enjoyed by all who visited, which is a wonderful occasion renewing friendships and making new contacts. The twinning between our German twin town of Backnang and Chelmsford will reach its 30th anniversary next year, and 20th with our French twin town of Annonay, and we are starting of think about celebrations. Were you involved in the past, or your group? We would love www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk Page 11
What’s on in the Area August Friday 16th Bassment - Come As You Are: Alternative Club night The Black Bull - Psychic night The Golden Fleece - Adrenaline Hotbox - Toad Sage + Third Dart Maldon Promenade - Smoke and Fire Festival Star & Garter - The Boomers United Brethren - Dave Jackson Trio Saturday 17th Bassment - Havokira CCFC (away) - Havant & Waterlooville v Chelmsford City The Golden Fleece - Mushroom Clown Maldon Promenade - Smoke and Fire Festival South Woodham Ferrers Village Hall (CM3 5PL) Free drop-by Ukulele Festival (seven bands - 10.30am-5pm) Charity Ukulele Concert (professional artists - 7-11pm) (£10) Transition - Patina Audio Café Presents: Resonance United Brethren - The Mill Island Band Sunday 18th Maldon Promenade - Smoke and Fire Festival Star & Garter - Open mic/jam United Brethren - Jackson Line Duo (4.30pm) Monday 19th Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Strictly Solo (learn how to dance, 9.15am & 11.15am) Other Halves Dementia Group - Hanging Gardens (Writtle) lunch and wander (www.otherhalves.org.uk) Transition - Yoga for Everyone Tuesday 20th The Black Bull - Free pool Boreham Village Hall - Ballroom and Latin American Dance (classes for beginners & improvers - www.danceasy.co.uk) Transition - Power Yoga Wednesday 21st The Chichester Hotel (Rawreth) - Belvedere Jazz & Music Club: Paul Wood All Stars with Jim Mullen (£12.50 admission) Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Zumba class (10.45am) The Golden Fleece - Summeroke! (Karaoke in the garden) Transition - Mindful Yoga Chelmsford Thursday 22nd The Black Bull - Half price on main meals all day The Golden Fleece - Quiz night Friday 23rd Bassment - Come As You Are: Alternative Club Night Cathedral - Lunchtime concert The Golden Fleece - Scooby Star & Garter - Rockhouse United Brethren - UB Fest from 9pm: The Ugly Guys Saturday 24th Bassment - New Town Kings + Pet Needs CCFC (home) - Chelmsford City v Welling United The Golden Fleece - Music festival + silent disco Kings Head Meadow - Street, Eats ‘n’ Beats Festival Star & Garter - The Statins Transition - Patina Audio Café Presents: Resonance United Brethren - UB Fest from 2pm: Richard Townend + Lady J Troublemaker + Rich Young + One Tree Hillbillies + The Hardy Perenials + Blues Brew + Playlister Sunday 25th Admirals Park - The Compasses v The Anchor Charity Cricket Match (1pm start followed by Playlister at the Compasses) Page 12
Sunday 25th Continued... The Black Bull - Live music with Steve Brewer, from the hit TV show All together Now! The Golden Fleece - Skamite + Silent disco United Brethren - UB Fest from 2pm: Rubber Soul Dr Bob Jones + more Monday 26th CCFC (away) - Maidstone United v Chelmsford City United Brethren - UB Fest from 2.30pm: Barry Owens + Denholm Ellis & Jar Records Tuesday 27th The Black Bull - Free pool Boreham Village Hall - Ballroom and Latin American Dance (classes for beginners & improvers - www.danceasy.co.uk) Transition - Power Yoga Wednesday 28th The Chichester Hotel (Rawreth) - Belvedere Jazz & Music Club: Andrew Linham Orchestra + Mark Stratford (£15 admission) Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Zumba class (10.45am) The Golden Fleece - Summeroke! (Karaoke in the garden) Nationwide Christian Trust (Mulberry House, Chelmsford Road, High Ongar, CM5 9NL) - Monthly lunchtime special Transition - Mindful Yoga Chelmsford Thursday 29th The Black Bull - Half price on main meals all day The Golden Fleece - Quiz night Friday 30th Bassment - Come As You Are: Alternative Club Night The Golden Fleece - Steal Hideaways - Beneath The Embers 2019 Tour Star & Garter - Hashtag United Brethren - Twisty Turns Saturday 31st Bassment - Safenath + Sammnic + DJ Dagger CCFC (home) - Chelmsford City v Bath City The Golden Fleece - Reptillia Hideaways - Fillers and Kazabian Other Halves Dementia Group - Plougmans Lunch at Millenium Centre (Great Baddow) (www.otherhalves.org.uk) Star & Garter - Electrum Transition - Patina Audio Café Presents: Resonance United Brethren - Robin Bibi Band
September Sunday 1st The Black Bull - Family day: live singer Simone Perk, inflatables face painting etc County Hotel - Sober is Fun comedy night Chelmsford High Street - Bearded Gypsy Trade Fayre United Brethren - Porch Swing (4.30pm) The Woolpack - GC’s Jazz Club: Alex Hearn Jazz Guitar & Graeme Culham Trio (8pm) Monday 2nd CCFC (home) - Chelmsford City v Billericay Town Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Strictly Solo (learn how to dance, 9.15am & 11.15am) Nationwide Christian Trust (Mulberry House, Chelmsford Road, High Ongar, CM5 9NL) - Time out with God (10am) Other Halves Dementia Group - Crafts at Chelmsford Library (www.otherhalves.org.uk) Transition - Yoga for Everyone Unit 16 (Ekersley Road, Chelmsford) - Judo class (1st lesson free - tel: 07768 364 435)
Please note, all events are subject to change. Please visit the relevant websites or Facebook pages for more details
Tuesday 3rd The Black Bull - Free pool Widford Village Hall - Natty Chatty Ladies Club (1.30pm) Wednesday 4th The Chichester Hotel (Rawreth) - Belvedere Jazz & Music Club: ‘Matt & Nat’ Chris Dean & Atila (£12.50 admission) Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Zumba class (10.45am) Transition - Mindful Yoga Chelmsford Thursday 5th Bassment - Blues Jam The Black Bull - Half price on main meals all day The Golden Fleece - Quiz Friday 6th Bassment - Shakey’s Sessions: Rolled Up Sleeves + The Lamplight Club + Slumber The Black Bull - Bingo Cathedral - Lunchtime concert Civic - Go Now! The Music of the Moody Blues The Golden Fleece - Expose Great Baddow Village Hall Great Baddow - Farleigh Hospice Support Group Ceam Tea (2.30pm) United Brethren - Big Joe Bone Saturday 7th Alehouse - Record fair Bassment - The Small Fakers Black Horse - Move on Up - Soul, Reggae and Ska Bond Street - Folks Fest in aid of Mencap CCFC (away) - Hemel Hemptead v Chelmsford City The Golden Fleece - Ultimate 80s Hideaways - Mount Cape + Flyzig + Rooksmade + Turbo Fox Hylands Park - Lets Rock, the retro music festival Transition - Patina Audio Café Presents: Resonance United Brethren - Jamie Williams & The Roots Collective Sunday 8th Bond Street - Folks Fest in aid of Mencap Cramphorn - Chelmsford Jazz Club - Simon Spillett (sax), Ted Beament (piano), Alec Dankworth (bass) and Winston Clifford (drums) United Brethren - The Jives (4.30pm) Monday 9th CCFC (home) - Chelmsford City v Dartford Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Strictly Solo (learn how to dance, 9.15am & 11.15am) Nationwide Christian Trust (Mulberry House, Chelmsford Road, High Ongar, CM5 9NL) - Time out with God (10am) Transition - Yoga for Everyone Tuesday 10th The Black Bull - Free pool Boreham Village Hall - Ballroom and Latin American Dance (classes for beginners & improvers - www.danceasy.co.uk) Other Halves Dementia Group - Boules and lunch at The Three Elms (www.otherhalves.org.uk) Transition - Power Yoga Wednesday 11th Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Zumba class (10.45am) Transition - Mindful Yoga Chelmsford United Brethren - Joe Anderton’s Open Mic Thursday 12th Bassment - Peace Productions: live showcase The Black Bull - Half price on main meals all day Civic - T.Rextasy The Golden Fleece - Quiz night Friday 13th Bassment - Come As You Are: Alternative Club Night Civic - The Real Swing The Golden Fleece - The Strides Hotbox - The Telepaths United Brethren - ½ way to Paddy’s, with Medicine & Barry Owens
Saturday 14th Bassment - Backwater Channels: live showcase CCFC (away) - Chelmsford City v Chippenham Town Civic - Soul Train Cramphorn - Let There Be Light! The Musical Compasses - Chelmsford’s Finest, with Matt Love & Paul Dupree The Golden Fleece - 6 String Makeover Transition - Patina Audio Café Presents: Resonance United Brethren - Buster James Sunday 15th Cressing Temple Barns - Cressing Folk Festival Star & Garter - Open mic/jam United Brethren - Playing for Keeps (4.30pm)
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September/October Issue Deadlines: Articles - 28th August Artwork - 5th September
Please send us your events for the next edition (for events between 13th September & 20th October) to editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk
CT Business Interview: M Lucking & Sons - by Derek Threadgall Nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes (Benjamin Franklin) The American comedian and movie director, Woody Allen, once said: ‘I’m not afraid of death, I just don’t want to be there when it happens’ - the rest of us, however, have no choice but to be there when it happens. For over 360 years, M (Mary) Lucking and Sons, Funeral Directors, Monumental Masons, Carpenters and Joiners, also have ensured that they are definitely there when it happens.
who you will see on the day. We have a large separate Chapel of Rest, where families can come to pay their respects. This can be viewed by going to www.mluckingandsons.co.uk. All funerals are carried out in a traditional and dignified manner by the use of modern hearses and limousines.” However, let’s not forget the most traditional funeral of all, the horsedrawn hearse, a magnificent sight when seen. Lucking’s horses live on a farm in Holbridge, incidentally.
I am in the reception room of M Lucking and Sons’ New London Road place of business and residence (established in 1887) to interview Darren Lucking who joined the family business in 1996. My first question is: from where did the term ‘undertaker’ come? “In 1631” says Darren, “a William Lucking of Little Waltham carried on the trade of carpenter and joiner and no doubt would have been asked to make coffins. So, he would ‘undertake’ to provide that service. ‘Undertaking’ as the trade was then known, has changed over the years to become the profession of funeral directors.” It is ironic that the trade of William Lucking is continued today by Martin Goddard, who has been with the company for many years and still carries on the tradition of joiner carrying out all kinds of carpentry and making bespoke coffins for the firm. Says Darren: “We are the only funeral directors now remaining in the area who offer a large range of coffins and caskets made to exacting standards in our onsite workshop to our client’s individual requirements - an important fact in these days of mass production. Of course, we are aware that more people are moving away from traditional coffins to cardboard coffins, wicker baskets and to woodland burials such as Greenacres in Epping Forest and Old Park Meadow (Wild Flowers) at Ford End; both sites available to us.”
Lucking’s Masonry Department will assist clients with their choice of memorial. Professional liaison with church and cemetery authorities ensures all applications are free from problems, and clients are kept informed at all stages.
M Lucking and Sons are members of The Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors who are the governing body for some of the funeral profession. The firm is bound by their code of practice.
The department also specialises in artwork, thereby ensuring the memorial is personal to the family. Renovation work and additional inscriptions to existing memorials are also carried out.
As Chelmsford is where the family live and work, they have a longterm commitment to the community and appreciate local customs, traditions and expectations. They take great pride in the way they conduct their business and are proud of their staff for whom they maintain a regular training programme. Over the decades, they have reached a standard of professionalism second to none. In 1989 they achieved the accolade of a Pride of Essex award.
The company is run by Christine Gowing, Jennifer Mouser, Sarah Gowing, Darren Lucking and Roy Palmer, all of whom run the company together supported by their amazing joiner, Martin Goddard.
Darren sums up in two words their business ethos: “Simplicity and Continuity! Simplicity, as we are only a phone call away 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. Continuity, as whoever the family sees initially will be the same person the family will contact at any time and who will conduct the funeral from start to finish. Experience has shown that it is more comforting for families and ourselves to know
www.mluckingandsons.co.uk enquiries@mluckingandsons.co.uk 01245 353 733
A last word from Darren: “If you are considering using our services in the future, do drop in to see us and ask for our brochures which will provide useful information for you to consider for the future”.
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Wildlife Corner - by Nick Green
July weather was variable from hot and humid, to cool and overcast and even wet, but nothing compared to the deluges and flooding in the Midlands. The Essex Birdwatching Society was formed in Chelmsford after two inaugural meetings of the founders in 1949, so the Society is celebrating its 70th anniversary this September. To celebrate, there will be over 20 guided walks all over the county, all open to the public. The objective is to engage as many people as possible and to see as many bird species as possible over the long weekend of Friday 20th to Monday 23rd September. All walks are completely free to attend. Venues and times are being finalised at present and all details will be found on the Society’s website at www.ebws.org.uk. I will give a further update in the next edition.
Essex Selected Wildlife Highlights Butterflies in the Chelmsford area included: painted lady, ringlet, comma, gatekeeper, red admiral, peacock, large and small whites, large and Essex skippers. Return migration for waders breeding in the Arctic had already started. The Naze: 6 ruddy shelduck, 30 curlew sandpiper. Abberton Reservoir EWT: 2 great white egrets, 2 ruddy shelduck, ring-necked duck. Old Hall RSPB: pectoral sandpiper, wood sandpiper. Chigborough Lakes EWT: first ever county breeding of cattle egret. Bowers Gifford: first ever county breeding of black-necked grebe. National Selected Migration Highlights Shetland Isles: gull-billed tern, Blyth’s reed warbler, two-barred crossbill invasion. Western Isles: snowy owl (St Kilda), blue-cheeked bee-eater. Scotland: black duck, pied-billed grebe. Cleveland: sooty tern, least sandpiper. Northumberland: Baikal teal. Norfolk: pacific golden plover, semi-palmated sandpiper.
Chelmsford Library News The Summer Reading Challenge continues until 2nd September, so there is still plenty of time to join up to Space Chase and help the Rocket family return the books to the Space Library. The challenge is to read six books, collect stickers along the way and receive a medal and certificate once completed. Remember parents, that this is a free activity for you and your children to participate in over the summer. Don’t forget you can also read our eBooks and eMagazines if you are going away on your holidays. visit libraires.essex.gov.uk for more information.
Saturday Community Tea is being served on 17th and 31st August and 14th September. Please pop along for a cuppa and a chat 10.30am11.30am at Chelmsford Library.
and all training will be given. Interested? Please visit libraires.essex. gov.uk and search ‘volunteering’ for more details. Hearing Aid Batteries Don’t forget that we can supply you with new batteries for your hearing aid - remember to bring your brown book to Chelmsford Library and visit the Information point. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/essexlibraries. For more information on our events, visit www.essex.gov.uk/libraries.
New Parents Rhyme time is held every Wednesday in Chelmsford library 3pm-3:30pm. Come along, meet with new parents and share rhymes and stories with your new baby. This group is for parents and carers of under 12 month old babies. By popular demand we are hold two Summer Special Rhyme Times in Chelmsford Library led by our wonderful rhyme time volunteer. Join us on 13th and 20th August at 10.15am and 11.15am. All ages welcome. Please note that there will be a separate area for buggy parking away from the event. If you have accessibility requirements, please get in touch with us. Our normal Rhyme Times recommence on Tuesday 10th September 10.15am and 11.15am and Thursday 12th September 10.15am and 11.15am. These are for the under fives and their parents and carers.
To advertise in our September/October issue please email ads@itsyourmedia.co.uk
Volunteers Required Springfield Library is looking for volunteers to help support the community library. No experience needed, just a love of community and books. We ask for a minimum of 2 hours volunteering a week Page 16
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CT History: Chelmsford Becomes a Borough - by Stephen Norris Chelmsford was a borough from 1888 to 1974. The town had ignored the possibility of incorporation for more than five decades after the Municipal Corporations Act of 1835. This had been amended by an act of 1882. The question of incorporation was first mentioned in the town as part of very early discussions about what the town could do to commemorate the Queen’s Jubilee. By August 1887 the Croydon Review noted: ‘The inhabitants of Chelmsford are considering whether the time has at last arrived when they should have a corporation’. It was the involvement of AJ Furbank, a solicitor new to the area, in the incorporation movement which was a key factor in its eventual success. He believed a corporation was the best form of municipal government and intrinsically superior to anything a local board could offer. In August 1887 a memorial in favour of incorporation, signed by 50 taxpayers ‘undaunted by the indifference which has been exhibited in the matter by the local Board of Health’ was submitted to the local board. The Board of Health appointed a committee to look into the matter. Furbank said he had received 30 letters from town clerks on the subject saying that it was frequently possible to run boroughs cheaper than their predecessors, Boards of Health. He thought that this should definitely be the case in Chelmsford, because expensive sewerage work had already been carried on in the town, resulting in a rise in the rates. He maintained that the Board was unpopular with a large section of the public. Only 1,500 people usually voted and ‘many of the papers were filled by outsiders’ (ie, people from outside the town) He also said that there were 8 county towns that had been incorporated with a smaller population than Chelmsford. This answered WW Duffield’s argument that Chelmsford was too small to be a borough. At the same board meeting Edmund Durrant made the point that the local government bill might result in Chelmsford being merged into a district of the county and the Board of Health abolished. GW Gepp, one of the opponents of incorporation within the Board, steadfastly maintained that it would result in an increase in the rates. The tide began to turn in favour of the incorporation movement with the holding of a public meeting at the Corn Exchange. This drew 500 people with only a dozen voting against the motion in favour of incorporation. Fourteen Board of Health members refused to join the committee that was set up to look into the issue. Two petitions were submitted, the one in favour with 1,063 signatures, the one against with 346. What those in favour found interesting, was that the two petitions represented an almost equal value of property. Those signing the smaller petition in general had much greater wealth, at least when judged by the amount of property they owned. They argued that this showed how vested interests were operating. It was said that they didn’t want to lose their cumulative voting rights under the existing board system, which favoured those with valuable property interests. By November 1887, 1,400 names were attached to the petition in favour. The election of members of the Board of Health in April 1888 saw the ‘Incorporation 6’ returned. These included Frederic Chancellor, who being the astute politician he was, saw the change in broad opinion that was taking place and became a late convert to the cause. In January 1888 the editor of the Essex Chronicle had estimated that four fifths of the town’s population were in favour of incorporation. At the inquiry into the issue, witnesses spoke of the difficulty of getting working men on to the existing Board. Representatives of both the Bolingbroke and Wenley shops thought that the move would benefit business in the town. It was Chancellor’s voice, however, that resonated most powerfully at the inquiry. Whilst he thought that the works of the board had been undervalued, he was now satisfied that the majority of ratepayers were in favour of incorporation. The Local Government Board Commissioner appointed by the Privy Council reassured the committee that the charter would be granted. Initially he seemed strongly inclined to draw the boundary across the
parish of Springfield, a move that would have been very controversial. In order to get the charter granted as quickly as possible no part of Springfield was included. Two wards, North and South, were agreed. It was also decided not to include a part of Widford. In August the Charter for Chelmsford was approved by the Queen and on Wednesday the 19th of September the Charter was brought by train to Chelmsford. The train arrived at 3.25pm and the Charter was carried by the acting mayor, Frank Whitmore and the acting town clerk. Evidently, the town did the occasion proud, although the Weekly News thought that the decoration was not as complete as for the previous Essex Show to be held in the town. A large red banner emblazoned with God Save the Queen and Success to our Borough was unfurled at the Railway Tavern in Duke Street - all the traders made an effort. The parapet at Mr Chancellor’s house in the High Street was covered with crimson baize looped with white cords and tassels and on it were the local historic dates 1100, 1337, 1850 and 1888. The first being the date of the first bridge over the Can, the second was when the town sent four members to parliament, the third when the Board of Health first met and the fourth was the year of the charter. All the pubs and hotels were covered with flags. ’Undoubtedly one of the great attractions which brought many people into the town was that through the generosity of Crompton and Co, there would be a general illumination of the town by electric light’. This installation covered the town from the Arc Works to the railway station and the cable used was over three miles in length. A large number of people crowded around the station and a few got onto the platform to greet the arrival of the train bearing the Charter and the party which had gone to fetch it. When the train arrived the Chelmsford Town Band played See the Conquering Hero Comes. The procession through the town included the Grammar School boys, 360 boys and girls of the Victoria National School, 410 boys and girls of the British schools, 60 boys and girls of the Catholic School and 120 boys of the Essex Industrial School. There were also the 2nd Battalion of the Essex Regiment and members of the Suffolk Hussars as well as police constables and members of the local fire brigade. They took the route down the High Street, up through Moulsham Street, across Queen Street past the Arc Works, and down the New London Road. The procession arrived back in a packed Tindal Street at 4.45pm. Whitmore elicited three rousing cheers for the Queen and the acting town clerk read the charter. For the borough’s, a sketch was elicited from the Herald’s College which illustrated interesting periods from Chelmsford’s history. Furbank himself suggested the ‘many minds one heart’ motto. ‘Across the centre of the shield itself, there is a bridge of three arches at the base of which there are bars, wavy, signifying water. The bridge is surmounted by crosiers crossed or ‘in saltire’ flanked either side by a lion rampant. The crest is charged with a pair of crossed swords and portcullis and a circlet of oak leaves’. Furbank organised the first elections in the borough, but he had left the town by 1899. Ten of the eighteen councillors elected were former Board of Health members. When the six aldermen were elected at the first council meeting in November 1888, all 6 were former Board members. Duffield and Durrant had topped the original poll in the North ward, with Taylor Ridley and Chancellor further down the poll. In the South ward, long time eminent citizens such as Gray, Bodkin, Wells, Copland and Darby featured prominently. The spaces left by the election of the aldermen were filled by supplementary elections, which resulted in more well known townsfolk such as Gepp and Whitmore being voted in. After the elections, Chancellor was voted in by the councillor’s as the town’s first mayor. This was celebrated by a ‘huge torchlight procession followed by a bonfire and a display of fireworks’. The Mayor’s robe was made by the local shop Bolingbrokes. ‘The robe is composed of superfine broadcloth lined throughout with white silk,
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trimmed with velvet and sable edging, with a costly Russian sable round the neck and down the fronts reaching to the bottom’. The papers pointed out that the aldermen had to buy their own robes. The following year CE Ridley, the brewer, presented the mace to the borough. ‘[It] is of solid silver, weighing 140 ounces and is about four feet in length. It is a handsome piece of work and the ornamentation is symbolical of agricultural and kindred pursuits. On the boss or head of the mace, there are two beautiful enamelled shields laid on 18 carat gold. One of these contains the Royal Arms of England and the other the Borough Arms with the motto ‘Many Minds One Heart’. On the intermediate parts of the boss there are representations of oak leaves and acorns, barley, oats and wheat engraves in low relief upon the silver. The boss is surmounted by a model of the royal crown, with a ball and cross across the apex. Round the middle is the inscription ‘Presented by Charles Ernest Ridley of the Elms, Chelmsford, AD 1889’.’ The mace was in two pieces, screwed together in the middle. Henry Collings Wells of the local brewing family and the town’s first member of Essex County Council, presented the mayoral chain and insignia to the town. This was designed by Arthur Raven, who worked for Lovedays.
In 1889 the editor of the Weekly News said that the cost of becoming a borough was a thousand pounds, but still thought it was well worth it; the cost would have been less if the opposition hadn’t forced an inquiry. He pointed out that incorporation had already yielded a financial dividend enabling a consolidated loan which saved £300 a year. Stephen currently offers the following talks about the history of Chelmsford to local organisations: 1. 4 QI Chelmsford MPs. 2. The Suffragettes in Chelmsford. 3. Chelmsford Lives, Memories of Chelmsford 1940s - 1970s (snippets of interviews with local people plus 100 photos in the background, for the Friends of Chelmsford Museum). 4. The Hoffmann Company in Chelmsford. 5. Life in the Wood Street Workhouse: The Chelmsford Poor Law Union 1835 - 1871. 6. The Poor and Society: The past 60 Years of the Chelmsford Workhouse and Infirmary. 7. QI Chelmsford Councillors and Mayors (in preparation). For more information or to book Stephen, please email: stephen754norris@btinternet.com.
A Feast of Free Events Are Returning to Chelmsford This September
Yes, Heritage Open Days is back between 13th and 22nd September with another great selection of free venues, tours and talks. This year the national theme is People Power, so we have a number of local talks to reflect this: • • • • • • •
Representing the Ladies of Greenham Common - a talk by Elizabeth WoodCraft. The Great British Woodstock: The Incredible Story of the Weeley Festival 1971 - by Ray Clark (BBC Essex). The Woman’s Land Army - a talk by Dr Viv Numan at Anglia Ruskin University. 1381 - How the Peasants Revolt Affected the Village and the Church of West Hanningfield. The WW2 Heroines of the British Waterways - an illustrated People Power talk. Stock, Buttsbury and People Power - a talk by Peter Brierley, local resident for 70 years. Early Photographic History - a talk, Writtle University College.
There are also a number of walking tours taking place: • • • • • • • • •
Marconi History Walking Tour - finishing inside the 1912 factory building. Chelmsford City’s Secret Waterways. The Peculiar Heritage Walk. Tours of the Non-Conformist Cemetery. Uncover the uncommon story of Galleywood Common - a walk from the Galleywood Heritage Centre. History tour of Stock Village. Historical walking tours of Marconi Ponds Nature Reserve. Looking out for Grave Stories in Danbury. Special access to the Sandford Mill Nature Reserve.
Amongst the properties that will be open for free are Hylands House, Guy Harlings, Sandford Mill and Pleshey Castle. There will be many more interesting venues, some that have previously not been available. In all there will be over thirty events and here are some highlights: • • • • • • • •
Visit the Mayoral Parlour and meet the Mayor of Chelmsford. Behind the scenes tours of the Civic theatres. Historical tours of Chelmsford Cathedral. Open days at the Essex Police Museum. Access permitted to Essex County Council Chamber with its magnificent art work. Guided tours of the secret mansion, now The Chelmsford Club. Anglia Ruskin University - a special guided tour. Guided tours of the Salvation Army building.
A number of churches and other religious buildings in the area will also be open. All events are free, but most of the talks and tours are bookable - visit www.chelmsfordcivicsociety.co.uk. The Chelmsford Heritage Open Days events are coordinated by the Chelmsford Civic Society and sponsored by Chelmsford City Council and the National Trust.
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Therapy - by Chelmsford Therapy Rooms Today I’m writing about how hypnotherapy can help with physical ailments, specifically when these ailments are caused by stress or trauma. It’s something I see a lot of in my private practice, anything from pain, to shaking, to skin conditions. When I trained, we had to do a specialist study on how hypnotherapy can help with physical ailments, and so I thought it would make an interesting article for you! Please note that hypnotherapy is by no means a medical cure for any physical ailments: a hypnotherapist won’t diagnose you with anything or give you any medication. However, once you have been to the doctor and they have assessed you, you can come to a hypnotherapist and we may be able to help you with the symptoms. Sometimes the symptoms are caused by a psychological issue. There is such a thing as ‘holding trauma in the body’. This is where a person has experienced a psychological (and sometimes physical) trauma and as a result has physical symptoms. The person may or may not feel emotionally or mentally traumatised, but the physical symptoms can manifest in a variety of ways including localised pain, neuralgia, shaking, IBS, skin irritations and rashes and many more. Something I see a lot of in my practice, because I specialise in anxiety and self esteem issues, is IBS and stomach problems such as gastric reflux and excess acid. When the body is in a constant state of fight or flight, always heightened, everything speeds up. Blood pressure can rise. Is it any wonder that those suffering with anxiety also suffer with digestive issues? Another condition that we see in practice is neuropathy. This can be caused by many different conditions such as diabetes, vitamin deficiencies, infections, trauma/injury and tumours.
If the client is holding a trauma within their body, we need to explore this trauma. I would help the client to process this trauma, whilst giving the client positive suggestions through hypnotherapy to help the body to heal physically whilst they also heal emotionally and mentally. The sessions would depend very specifically on the client and their own personal experiences, symptoms and emotions. Psychological trauma can affect us in ways we’re not aware of until we start to experience physical symptoms - it’s almost as though the mind is using the body to say ‘HEY!! Listen to me - I’m in pain! Something feels wrong! Help me!’. The human body and mind are connected. We humans are an amazing species capable of wonderful developments technologically and chemically, medically and socially, but sometimes we just go back to basics to communicate how we feel. None of us are superhuman; we all have ‘mental health’ and that’s OK. How your mind communicates how you feel, whether that’s emotionally or physically, it’s important that we listen and respond with empathy and understanding. This leads to healing and moving on. Jenny Hartill is a counsellor, hypnotherapist and owner of Chelmsford Therapy Rooms. She has experience in a multitude of issues but specialises in anxiety and self esteem. Please see the therapist list on the website www.chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk, or you can email info@chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk, or call 0330 100 5162 to enquire about an initial consultation. Alternatively, Jenny’s own private therapy company website is www.cloud9-therapy.co.uk, her email is info@cloud9-therapy.co.uk and her telephone number is 07507 307 170.
Idiopathic neuropathy is neuropathy for which no cause has been established. The term idiopathic is used in medicine to denote the fact that no cause is known. Many clients are recommended to see a hypnotherapist or counsellor because at the very least, the relaxation part of therapy can be incredibly helpful as well as the therapy (exploring and processing issues) side. Neuropathy is a term that refers to general diseases or malfunctions of the nerves. Nerves at any location in the body can be damaged from injury or disease. Broadly, there are four types of neuropathy: Peripheral neuropathy is when the nerve problem affects the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord, cranial neuropathy occurs when any of the twelve cranial nerves (nerves that exit from the brain directly) are damaged, autonomic neuropathy is damage to the nerves of the involuntary nervous system. These are nerves that control the heart and circulation (including blood pressure), digestion, bowel and bladder function, the sexual response and perspiration. Lastly, focal neuropathy is neuropathy that is restricted to one nerve or group of nerves, or one area of the body. I have seen many clients who have been recommended to try hypnotherapy by their doctor because their ailment has cleared up, but the nerve pain remains. A largely held belief amongst hypnotherapists is that the body has a blueprint held within the subconscious mind. This blueprint is of ‘perfect health’ - so the body knows how to heal itself perfectly. If a condition develops that wasn’t there before, the subconscious mind and the body can use this blueprint to heal. However, if there is a trauma or stress, anxiety disorder or some other mental health issue involved - this can affect how the blueprint is used (if at all). For example, if a client comes to me with an anxiety disorder and they have IBS and stomach issues - this is likely caused by the body’s heightened sense of fight or flight. The body isn’t going to stop producing the chemicals and hormones whilst the mind believes the person to be in danger! So in therapy we would look at the cause of this disorder, I would give my client coping techniques to help them feel safe and the teach the brain they are not in danger, and I would definitely use hypnosis to teach my client to relax and how to relax themselves. Then the body can use it’s unconscious blueprint to recover. Page 20
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Our Last Legs - by Erica Foulds Welcome to the very epicentre of our summer months, I hope you have had some wonderful holidays and staycations alike, whether you found R+R at a beach side location, somewhere for fresh air, walks or some camping, I hope you are feeling better for it. I am still awaiting a week of fresh Welsh countryside air at the end of August, hoping the sun lasts!
Pintrest and Twitter) and competitions that you can enter for free to win classes and treats - or if you just want a few motivational words to get your day off to a positive start, check out our daily posts!
Part 7 brings us to the last legs of our head to toe journey in which we have been breaking down parts of the body and addressing how to use basic, non-equipment exercise to improve the major joints. We have looked at joint/movement effectiveness with the intention of helping you tone and strengthen your muscles, but also ward off some unnecessary common niggles like shoulder pain and lower back ache. The next and two final articles in this journey are all about the foundations on which our spine rests - the pelvis and upper legs or hips and thighs.
See you soon, Erica xx
A house couldn’t stay erect if its foundations were made of jelly, a swan couldn’t swim gracefully without legs kicking hard below the water surface, and pegs wouldn’t hold tent guy ropes if plunged into sand. Equally, our spine needs foundations to move safely from A to B day to day. I often talk about the foundation of the core being the pelvis and thighs, because they are what so many of our daily movements rely on, walking up or down stairs, getting up off a sofa or out of a car - these are all easier when our hips and thighs work! The pelvis is an anchor point of the core muscles (which we discussed two editions ago), but the pelvis is also an anchor point for our leg muscles allowing the legs to work. The ‘power house’ of the hips are our glutes, our buttock muscles, and they are a collection of muscles that I include in every single pilates class that I teach, without fail. They contribute to balance, they allow you to stand up, they hold your hips to your pelvis, they can have huge potential power, they are, in volume, deep and dense but best of all they are quite simple to work! The thighs have two major muscles running down the length connecting hips to knees, the quadriceps (at front) and the hamstrings (at back). The thigh muscles also allow standing, walking and running, and are equally powerful - and rather crucially they connect our knee cap and move the knee joint! I see knee injuries quite often and commonly pain which is due to weakness of the thigh muscles. Knees are a major weightbearing joint and do a lot day to day and it can be debilitating when they are painful. Don’t ignore any niggles as it could have a simple explanation. Seeking physio advice is your best bet when it comes to hip or knee pain. It may be a few strengthening exercises that you need to get you back on your feet and if not, appropriate advice will be given to help your injury. Here are some of my favourite and proven great exercises to not only get you feeling stronger, but keeping these major body parts working and niggle-free! Glute Bridge: Lay on your back, knees bent, feet in front of hips, hands down beside hips. Tilt the hips to lift them off the ground, continue to lift, squeezing buttocks together until resting on shoulder blades, slowly return to ground. Repeat x10. Clam: Lay on your side, one arm under waist, one arm on top of waist, knees bent one on top of the other, keep heels together, lift top knee to ceiling til feeling a pinch in buttock, lower and repeat x10. Wall Sit: Stand against wall, hands held out at shoulder height, walk feet out 2 foot, sit down against wall, knees 90 degrees, pressing heels into floor and hips back against wall. Hold 45-60 seconds. Repeat x3. If you already love pilates and sometimes want more than just one class, or are new to the concept and want to learn more, then we are excited to announce will be running our first ever full afternoon pilates retreat in the autumn. Info coming very soon!
See our class schedule for details of all our classes, you can book and pay online with our easy to use booking system.
www.hummingbirdpilates.co.uk info@hummingbirdpilatesyoga.co.uk 01245 422 556
Essex Libraries Saved? Don’t Believe Everything you Hear! In the last issue of City Times, Nick Garner noted that no Essex libraries would be closing and that the power of the people had won. Unfortunately, we can’t celebrate yet. Although Essex County Council has said that no libraries will close in the next five years, they have other plans which will mean the deterioration of the library service and could lead to closure of libraries by stealth. The Council announced in July that no libraries would close and published a revised strategy. The original plan had 25 closures and 19 libraries to be taken over by the community (including Springfield which has always been run that way). Now, they will ask the community to run them instead - almost certainly meaning using unpaid volunteers instead of the 666 paid and trained staff currently employed. An organisation taking over would get £18,000 from the Council over three years towards expenses, as well as a limited number of books and other assistance. Save Our Libraries Essex (SOLE), the campaigning group that started when the original plans were announced, says that the new plan is just as dangerous as the old one. 80 organisations apparently submitted Expressions Of Interest (EOI) in running libraries earlier in the year. Since the Council has said they won’t be closing any, SOLE is asking everyone who sent in an EOI to withdraw it since there is no longer a need for the ‘community’ to step in as the Council has committed to running the libraries. We understand that two EOIs have already been withdrawn. Another reason for withdrawing EOIs is that there is no clarity as to what help and what status a community-run library would have. The library service is a network which relies on someone wanting a book held in Harwich to request it and collect it from Galleywood. It appears that this will be a limited service for community libraries. The expectation is that the community will find its own premises for the library - allowing the Council to dispose of the existing buildings. At best this seems likely to lead to smaller library spaces, at worst to few shelves of books in a building used for other purposes. On Saturday 28th September, SOLE is organising events across the county to celebrate and promote libraries - Broomfield and Galleywood are likely to be involved in this. Keep up to date on the Save Our Libraries Essex Facebook page (you don’t need a Facebook account to see it). Andrew Coburn
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What Can We Do About Anxious Children? In the UK, recent research suggests that as many as 1 in 6 young people will experience an anxiety condition at some point in their lives, this means that up to 5 young people in one classroom may be living with anxiety. So what can we do about it? Part of anxiety stems from the body’s ‘fight of flight’ reaction; this happens when we are faced with something that feels scary to us. Our body goes into protection mode and starts up fight or flight - a biological reaction in the body. This can make us feel sick, sweaty, panicky, out of breath, hot and shakey to name just a few symptoms. These days, children are exposed to a lot of fast paced and ever changing demands via social media and peer groups. This makes them far more likely to often be switching into fight or flight. When supporting a child with anxiety, try to find ways for them to relax. Constantly being in fight or flight mode makes it difficult to relax and for the body to decompress. Finding ways to reduce stimuli and relax the body can help shift the body out of fight or flight and into the relaxation response. When children are relaxed, they release neurotransmitters that help them fight the anxiety response. Finding some progressive body relaxations on YouTube can be a great start. Also, read up about fight or flight… The more you understand the response, the better equipped you may feel to do something about it. Good luck and watch out for more monthly tips on managing anxiety for both adults and children! Anna is a therapist, specializing in anxiety in adults and children. www.bloomproject.co.uk anna@bloomproject.co.uk
Autumn Yoga & Relaxation Retreat - by Mandy Haynes
It is approaching the first anniversary of the launch of our Yoga & Relaxation Retreats and we are excited to release the date for our Autumn Retreat! Designed and hosted by myself and our wonderful massage therapist, Jo Warren, the next retreat takes places on Sunday 8th September.
completely” (Judith Lasater)
Our retreats give you the opportunity to relax and unwind with a blissful afternoon of yoga and relaxation. Hummingbird retreats take place in our beautiful, purpose built studios within a converted barn in the Essex countryside; the perfect setting for rest and relaxation. The afternoon gives you some quality time to yourself and whether you are new to yoga or have an established practice, I will guide you through a carefully thought out and flowing yoga practice to leave you calm and revitalised.
Alongside the yoga sessions we will provide you with space to switch off, allowing you to benefit from rest and relaxation between classes and enjoy fresh juices, herbal teas and delicious organic fruits and snacks. This time is yours to use however you feel the need - reading that book that you’ve been longing to start, taking some time to meditate, losing yourself in some mindful crafts or curling up under a blanket and simply relaxing.
During the vinyasa flow session of this Autumn Retreat we will be focusing on Surya Namaskar B (Sun Salutations B) and a series of balancing poses. The sun salutations are energising and heating and work on strengthening and firing up the legs and the balancing poses (such as eagle and half moon) help to improve focus and concentration. This group of poses give us the chance to find our centre of gravity and equilibrium, bring about a sense of calm and encourage us to let go of our ego (it doesn’t matter if you wobble or fall!). The second session will be dedicated to a deeply calming and replenishing practice, integrating restorative and yin yoga to allow the body and mind to soften. Yin yoga stretches and targets the deep connective tissues between the muscles and fascia throughout the body. It is wonderful for increasing circulation in the joints, improving flexibility and calming and balancing the body and mind. They are passive poses to balance the yang of vinyasa flow and help to create space - both physically and emotionally. “Restorative yoga poses help us to learn to rest deeply and
During the restorative session we will use the support of props to allow us to completely rest and relax, giving us time to enjoy the stillness of our bodies and minds.
You can enhance your retreat experience by booking a treatment. Jo and I work together to develop the retreat’s theme, which Jo then carries through to the treatments that she offers. Jo is trained in Thai yoga massage, deep tissue, holistic, Indian head and hot stone treatments and so will be able to tailor her massage strokes, pressure and oils and meet your individual needs - either way, you’ll leave the treatment room feeling amazing! The retreat will draw to a close with a deeply relaxing yoga nidra (‘yogic sleep’) or guided meditation, ensuring that you leave restored and well rested. We also give you a little bit of that retreat feeling to take home too, with a goodie bag containing a bespoke essential oil blend to evoke that feeling of relaxation whenever and wherever you feel the need. To book your space, head to the website www.hummingbirdpilates. co.uk. Click ‘BOOK CLASSES NOW!’ and head to the ‘WORKSHOPS’ section. We can’t wait to see you there!
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Quiz Time - by John Theedom (answers on page 31) 1. Who or what are ‘shakers’? 2. In the navy, which direction is ‘banjo’? 3. What do the initials RSJ stand for? 4. What is the meaning of misandry? 5. What instrument did jazz man Dave Brubeck play? 6. When did the UK hand Hong Kong back to China? 7. On which TV programme does Touker Suleyman feature? 8. What are the first names of the duo Whitehouse & Mortimer? 9. Which Beatle sang the song Imagine? 10. Orthodontics is a branch of which medical speciality? 11. Where is the smallest working public railway in the world? 12. Where on your body would you wear DMs? 13. From which animal is lard (a fat) created? 14. What word connects ‘plant’, ‘roast’ and ‘shot’? 15. The Shambles in York, was so-called because of the large number of which type of traders? 16. How many masts does a ketch have? 17. How many metres in a decametre? 18. On a games dice, how many corners are there? 19. Who is the patron saint of musicians? 20. What should you give the married couple on their 35th anniversary? 21. What was the first name of Mr Hornby, the model maker?
22. What nationality was Spike Milligan? 23. AJ Lerner was the lyricist for Camelot, what do the initials AJ stand for? 24. What is the capital city of Pakistan? 25. What, precisely is polenta? 26. Who was Peggy that Buddy Holly sang about? 27. In The Beatles’ song, who was in the sky with diamonds? 28. In the TV programme Midsomer Murders, which actor played the part of Detective Inspector Barnaby? 29. Which river runs through Leeds? 30. On which mountain did Noah’s ark come to rest? 31. In the USA, which is the Beehive State? 32. Which part of an animal are known as lights? 33. Which European volcano erupted in 2002? 34. In falconry, what is the term for a hawk’s leg strap? 35. Which earl started The Royal British Legion? 36. Which Bob sang with The Wailers? 37. What is the term for a comical 5-line poem? 38. In which temperature scale does water boil at 100 degrees? 39. Which green gem is a form of beryl? 40. What is the first name of punk bass player Mr Vicious?
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Local Arts for Arts Sake - by Kenneth Louis Shepherd When a local individual becomes famous it is common for people to have a statue erected which is devoted to him or her. I recently saw the one which relates to Eric Morecombe in the town of his name. Some asked, why no Wise? But Ernie Wise’s connection with the town was minimal. Others suggested that he was ignored because he was Jewish. In my view, the art work in Chelmsford which relates to Marconi is ineffective and badly positioned and I also think the positioning of Byrhtnoth Statue in Maldon is questionable. I think that it should be placed on wheels so that locals can move it to wherever they fancy. Incidentally, the eminent sculptor who created this also produced that of Charlie Chaplin which is in Leicester Square in London. We have several works of art which relate directly or indirectly to Judge Nicholas Conyngham Tindal. He lived from 1776-1840 and resided in Chelmsford. He is famous for successfully defending the then Queen Consort of the United Kingdom, Caroline of Brunswick, from charges of adultery. In view of this lady’s lifestyle, this was an amazing achievement. We have many art works which relate to her; the most sympathetic is probably the portrait created by John Vanderbank which is now in the Royal Academy London. Many critical cartoons which related to her were produced and the artists who created them were paid by the Government who wanted to discredit her. One by Richard Dighton was called Absolute wisdom, or Queens Owl taken from the Wood implying that she was having an affair with a man named Sir Matthew Wood whom she knew. In another work by the same artist which is called A wooden substitute or any port in a storm we see her with a boring looking, unattractive man. This implies that she would welcome a relationship with any male which is available. There are other examples. Lucy Worsley the historian said recently that this lady was the ‘funniest, cleverest, fattest, Queen ever’. I would add to this ‘so far’ However none of these descriptions apply to Camilla, the Prince of Wales current wife who could soon become our queen.
Mark Curteis who is Assistant Manager of the Chelmsford Museum. A portrait of Tindal was painted by the then famous portraitist Thomas Phillips who lived from 1770-1845. He produced at least two versions of this. One is now in the hall at Lincoln Inn Fields and the other in the Judge’s Quarters of the Royal Court of Justice. The first mentioned is well worth a visit as many fine art works can be viewed there. The second called the Law Courts has an excellent café in the crypt. This artist produced many fine portraits of famous people of his era - this includes David Wilke, William Blake and the poet Coleridge. He also did two portraits of Lord Byron. Another portrait of Tindal was created by a lesser known portraitist named WJ Newton, which was engraved by William Ward. This busy man was known to have engraved at least 167 works, some of them by Gainsborough. I hope that you enjoyed this piece about Judge Tindal and like my style of writing enough to purchase my latest book about art which is called Two Be or Not to Be and will be available to purchase now. You can get it at Amazon or from Waterstones or Foyles, plus Red Lion Books in Colchester. Best Wishes, Ken
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We see in Tindal Square a statue of the judge. This was created by a leading sculpture of his day named Edward Hodges Baily, he lived from 1788-1867 and so he could well have known the sitter. He produced many statues of prominent individuals, including Lord Byron. Another was of Nelson who stands upon a column in Trafalgar Square. While we can make a judgement about the quality of his work which we can view every time that we pass through, we can never get close enough to Nelson to make an assessment. The same applies to his statue of Grey, which stands aloft in Newcastle. His famous work called Eve at the Fountain is in an art gallery in Bristol. I have asked several local history experts for this information but after a lot of research the only person who had the answer was Dr
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Exciting Times Ahead
Last month I wrote about the new opportunities to become part of Rotary with the changes to the structure of the organisation. This time I want to concentrate on some of the projects, talks and fun events coming up designed to enhance your social life and give you food for thought. It never ceases to amaze me the range of interesting topics we hear about at our meetings. In August alone the Chelmsford club has arranged speakers from the British Heart Foundation, Trekking in Romania and Essex Search and Rescue, as well as the intriguing subject entitled Licence to Kill. On 19th September we are also looking forward to the Big Sing Soul. This is an exciting evening organised in conjunction with the BBC where people of all ages, backgrounds and cultures are united by a love of singing. It will be held at Little Channels starting at 6.30pm and will include a meal. Everyone is welcome and if you would like to attend and for more details, please email secretary@chelmsford. rotary1240.org The Rotary Club of Chelmsford Phoenix will also be busy. 10th August sees them at the Writtle Village Fair with their popular Human Fruit Machine to entertain the youngsters and then later in the month there are two visits to see the Air Ambulance facilities at North Weald and Earls Colne. The club’s next talk is about the Origins of the Naughty Postcard. Chelmsford Rivermead Club which usually meets for breakfast will be celebrating their Charter on Sunday 18th August with a lunch. They have also some interesting visits arranged including the Essex Record Office, the Police Firearms Unit and a fun walk at Barleylands in support of Barrow Farm Riding for the Disabled. Speakers arranged in the next month or so include talks by a wheelchair athlete, a consultant ophthalmic surgeon and BBC World Service Africa. For their part, Chelmsford Mildmay Rotary will be having a quiz and looking at planning youth competitions, and Chelmer Bridge will have their usual mixture of fellowship meetings and also planning major events for later in the year.
Further afield, there are some exciting large events coming up with involvement from the general public. The Foulness Bike Ride gives a unique chance to cycle round the island which is normally closed to the public by the Ministry of Defence. This will be on the 8th September and registrations are now being taken. In 2018 over £30,000 was raised for charity. There is an extra reason for participating, as Foulness is a haven for wildlife, so expect to see waders or barn owls. The ride is organised by the Rotary Club of Thorpe Bay and google them for further information. A real fun day on August Bank Holiday Monday is the Colchester Forum Panto Horse Derby along Colchester High Street. Hilarious costumes for the runners and riders raising money for local good causes, so if you are looking for something different this month and want to keep your children amused, you won’t go far wrong with a trip to nearby Colchester. This is obviously just a few examples of what’s going on in Rotary in the next month or so. Remember, Rotary is just as active every single month, so there is always something for you to get your teeth into. Dip your toe into the water by attending one of these events and take the opportunity to talk to the Rotarians, who I can assure you, will be having as much enjoyment as any of the visitors! To find out more about Rotary give me a call on 01245 260 349 or visit www. rotary1240.org. Stan Keller
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Stargazing with Mark Willis - August/September 23rd August - 01:00: When the crescent Moon rises, you’ll find the beautiful star cluster, Pleiades. Look again at the Moon and Pleiades is situated in the constellation of Taurus and can be located at a position of 10 O’clock. Pleiades is what astronomers call an open cluster, which lies around 430 light years distant from Earth. A Sky At Night viewer who saw this pretty cluster called it a ‘supermarket full of sapphires’. The striking blue colour of the stars tells us that this cluster is a very young group of stars. Computer simulations have shown that the Pleiades were probably formed about 100 million years ago from a compact configuration that resembled the Orion Nebula. Astronomers estimate that the cluster will survive for about another 250 million years. 7th September 19:14: James Van Allen was born. James discovered the radiation belts that surround the Earth. 9th September, looking SSE: Neptune is at opposition. This is the best time to train a telescope at Neptune as it is at its closest point to Earth. Neptune is beyond the reach of the naked eye. You will be
able to see the planet through binoculars or via a telescope. Although even the most powerful telescopes will only resolve the planet as a blue, small dot. 23rd September: September Equinox, sometimes called Autumnal Equinox. Day and night become equal in length. From the next day, the nights will continue to grow longer, and the days will become shorter. New Moon: On 30th August, 28th September and 28th October 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 any questions to mark.willis@ chelmsfordcommunityradio.com. Mark Willis presents Willis Wireless at the new time of 12pm every Tuesday afternoon on Chelmsford Community Radio on 104.4 FM and online at chelmsfordcommunityradio.com. Twitter: @WillisWireless
Chelmsford Creative Collective - Daniel Screen Chelmsford Creative Collective (CCC) is a group of friendly, local creatives. We have an active Facebook group where we share events, discuss collaborations and support each others creative pursuits. We meet on the last Tuesday of the month at a local pub, please check Facebook or email chelmsfordcreativecollective@gmail.com for details. Everybody welcome for a drink and a chat.
“My most recent pieces of art are from my holidays to the Norwegian Fjords in pen and pastel.” (see pics)
Who are you and what do you create? “My name is Daniel Screen, and I am a local mixed media artist from Ingatestone. I specialise in equestrian art, nature, and landscapes.”
You’re stranded on a desert island with three items of your choice what would they be and why? “Pen and paper to draw on (of course - have to leave a drawing on the beach for someone to find).
What does Chelmsford Creative Collective mean to you? “It’s a fantastic society made up of like-minded people spanning, art, design and music, to share and create wonderful pieces of work.”
“An Inflatable raft with rows, So I can row, row, row my boat, merrily to freedom.”
How would you describe your working process? “I vary between pen and watercolour painting mainly. I draw in situ, or commission-based work of pets and country scenes from client and own images.” Who or what inspires you to be creative? “My late grandad inspired me into a career of art and design. He worked on Concorde and was a draftsman and artist and I followed in his footsteps.” Tell us about your most recent project.
August 31st - October 4th: Photography exhibition: Windows Within October 5th - November 1st: Matthew Brazier exhibition November 2nd - November 29th: Skateboard exhibition November 30th - January 3rd: Flipping Zombies exhibition
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US religious group who live very basic lives West Rolled Steel Joist Hatred or dislike of men Piano 1997 Dragon’s Den Paul & Bob John Lennon Dentistry Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, Kent, UK Feet, they are Dr Martens’ footwear Pig Pot Butchers 2 Ten 8 St Cecilia, Gregory the Great Coral, jade
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Frank Irish Alan Jay Islamabad Italian Porridge Sue Lucy John Nettles Aire Ararat Utah Lungs Etna Jess Haig Marley Limerick Centigrade Emerald Sid
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