The City Times December 2017/January 2018

Brand New Fusion CHELMSFORD TYRE CO. New & Part Worn Tyre Specialists Indian Restaurant Now open in baddow road Chelmsford formerly known as Coriander.

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Including: Boreham, Broomfield, Danbury, Great Baddow, Maldon, South Woodham Ferrers, The Walthams and Writtle

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Issue Number 51: 15th December 2017 - 17th January 2018

WEDNESDAYS Writtle Community Association, Longmeads House, 12-14 Redwood Drive, Writtle CM1 3LY 3.00pm, 5.00pm and 7:00pm Jennifer 07792 516866

MONDAYS *New Group from 8th January* Millennium Community Centre, Recreation Ground, Baddow Road, Great Baddow CM2 9RL 5:00pm and 7:00pm Lucy 01245 262457

MONDAYS Millennium Community Centre, Recreation Ground, Baddow Road, Great Baddow, CM2 9RL 9:00am, 11:00am and 1.00pm Lucy 01245 262457 Springfield Community Centre, Perryfields School, Lawn Lane CM1 7PP 5:00pm and 7:00pm Angie 07814 992628 Hatfield Peverel Infant School, Church Road, Hatfield Peverel, CM3 2RP 5.30pm and 7.30pm Lesley 07973 239899

TUESDAYS 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, Great Baddow CM2 9RL 3.30pm, 5:30pm and 7:30pm Samantha 01245 266442 WEDNESDAYS Church Of St Augustine Of Canterbury, St Augustines Way, Springfield CM1 6GQ 9:30am and 11:30am Emma 07887 692906

Life Church, Hall Street, off Moulsham Street, Chelmsford CM2 0HG 5:30pm and 7.30pm Angie 07814 992628 Boreham Village Hall, Main Road, Boreham CM3 3JD 5:30pm and 7:30pm Bobbie 07813 324599 Springfield Park Baptist Church, Springfield Park Road, Springfield CM2 6EB 5.30pm and 7.30pm Claire 07852 638666 St Michael's Church of England, Junior School, Barnard Road, Galleywood CM2 8RR 7:30pm Sarah 07494 408634 THURSDAYS Millennium Community Centre, Recreation Ground, Baddow Road, Great Baddow CM2 9RL 9.30am Samantha 01245 266442

THURSDAYS Newlands Spring Community Hall, Dickens Place, Chelmsford CM1 4UU 5.30pm and 7:30pm Jennifer 07792 516866 North Springfield Baptist Church, Havengore, off Pump Lane, Springfield CM1 6JP 5.30pm and 7:30pm Victoria 07823 441198 Moulsham High School, Brian Close, Chelmsford CM2 9ES 5.30pm and 7.30pm Claire 07852 638666

FRIDAYS The Church Of Ascension, Maltese Road, Chelmsford CM1 2PB 9:15am and 11.15am Samantha 01245 266442

SATURDAYS 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 December/January edition.

We would like to wish all of our readers, advertisers and writers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Without you we couldnt do what we do.

If you are reading this in the New Year, we hope that all of your New Year resolutions are going well!

Enjoy your month.

Regards Nick & Paul

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

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Page 3

CT Fashion - New Year, New Wardrobe It is nearly January (or if you are reading this in January, welcome to January). Some say it is the bleakest time of the year - the post Christmas blues rain down supreme and we still have to endure the cooler weather without the festive sparkle. But that’s no reason to not be merry - new year + new beginnings = new wardrobe to help you strut into 2018. Wading through the January sales is the best way to spend the Christmas hangover, trust me.

But of course, you want to invest in pieces that will last you through spring/summer 2018 without breaking the bank, right? Savvy shoppers, unite, because I’ll take you through some trends that are set to stay fresh throughout the year...

Perky Pastels: Thankfully, spring/summer 2018 does not fall far from last year’s (or the year before’s) trends with pastels continuing to be perfectly palatable.

Corals, mauves, mint greens... you name it, if it’s pastel-pale it’s picture-perfect. Pieces to invest in would be blazers (Topshop has the perfect coral piece for £25), tailored trousers (River Island and H&M have some great offerings) which can be dressed up or down, or even blouses (Matalan have some gorgeous flute-sleeved ones).

Dark Denim: Forget double denim, 2018 is about dark denim.

Choose your style; straight, jegging, flared - but make sure they’re dark. If 2018 You is a bit braver than 2017 You, the denim jumpsuit will be a go-to staple. Worn with white trainers or pointed heels for a night out, you’ll be bang on-trend (you can find a great bandeau style denim jumpsuit in Topshop for under £40).

Trench Fash-Fare: That absolute classic the trench style jacket will also be hanging around for the New Year. Belted, thick collars and carefully cut, the trusted style will go the distance keeping you warm and fashionable this New Year.

Must Have Mesh: Not for the faint hearted, mesh tops are here to stay.

But not only that, mesh trousers and skirts will be available for 2018.

The dare devils among us will be able to bare all if they so wish. If you’re a bit more conservative, a mesh top and jeans says ‘on trend but still warm in January’ - and as they’ve been in stores for a few months now, you’re sure to grab a bargain in the sales. New Look and House of Fraser are offering mesh overlay A-line skirts that are just dying to be teamed with either chunky knits for daytime or bandeau tops for a special occasion.

be dressing in blue, or red, or yellow.

Block colour, primary colour palettes worn together will be the perfect way to say, ‘I’m over you, January blues...’

Think red teamed with blue or hot pink. The only rules are that your outfit should be bright and each piece in block colour. Maybe avoid teaming red, amber, green together, though you don’t literally want to be stopping traffic!

Pencil Skirt Perfection: In my mind, the pencil skirt is an absolute staple. Perfect for the office, party and play, the pencil skirt ticks so many boxes. Teamed with a crisp shirt or blouse, a slogan T or a chunky knit, they scream sophistication and versatility. Invest in either a leather-look, checked print, or block colour and play around with tops to see which suits you best. Dorothy Perkins, Marks and Spencer and Topshop offer a range of printed and patterned pencils at affordable prices.

Go Shorty, it’s January: It might still be a bit chilly, but that doesn’t mean the old pins can’t come out now does it?

The short is back in for 2018. Expect frills or lace edges to be the style of the season. Team with opaque tights and ankle boots for a chic day to night outfit, or if your cockles are already warm - bare legs and heels for a night out. High waisted styles teamed with simple camis or T-shirts are great for daytime wear, with a cute blazer or chunky cardigan for comfy casual. You’ll find some cut price shorts in Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins and Next.

Strut Like Someone’s Watching: 2018’s shoe trends are set to be quite interesting. Expect to see the kitten heel taking a walk back into your life, trainers will be getting a blinging revamp and the caged shoe steps up a notch. Kitten heels are the perfect day to night or work heel and pointed styles can be found in Topshop and House of Fraser. Embellished and heeled trainers are the perfect way of upgrading an otherwise tame outfit, try teaming a pair from Michael Kors or Carvela with your jeans and T-shirt combo for instant glam.

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: River Island

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Music by Nick Garner

Chelmsford Arts and Cultural Festival 2018 We are moving ahead with the festival at a pace now, the dates confirmed are 23rd June to 1st July 2018 for this - the first festival which we are hoping will become an annual event growing throughout the coming years.

We have had a meeting in which we gained some good concrete support that will help us not only put on the event, but also to gain more support. We have a public meeting scheduled for Tuesday 16th January at 8pm in Transition, which is at the rear of the Ale House and the Railway Tavern by the bus and rail stations in Chelmsford.

This meeting will be for us to outline what we have planned and for you to find out who we are. If you are interested in getting involved by way of hosting events, or if you are interested in contributing and being part of the festival, or you think you can help in any other way, get in touch.

As I have said before, the festival will have everything from industry to an arts trail, music, theatre, poetry, dance, yoga, tai chi, food and drink and much more. The festival is for everyone of all ages from 0 to 100 plus and for people from all around the world and it will take place in and around Chelmsford. We do not just want to be focused on the city centre, but the whole of Chelmsford, to show what a great place this is to everyone who visits. We are in the process of doing a website and Facebook and all the social media side of things - we will update you on all that in due course. If you want to know more, you can email us at chelmsfordfestival@gmail.com. We are looking forward to seeing some of you at the meeting on 16th January.

Music We had a fantastic night at the Bassment the other Saturday with Connor Selby opening the night with a solo performance playing a mix of originals and covers. Then, all the way from Hartlepool, The Jar Family took to the stage. They are a six-piece band with five singersongwriters, so you get a wide mix from folk to blues and rock, and five piece harmonies that make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.

So far, we have also booked a few shows for 2018 for the Bassment and the football ground. Starting at the Bassment in January with rocking blues - the Bad Day Blues Band are on Thursday 25th. On February 15th we have a band playing who are doing big things - JFK Blues. Then on Saturday 10th March we have our third Essex Delta Blues Day from noon to midnight with 18 acts playing non-stop for twelve hours - and helping us raise money for charity again. We then welcome back Guy Tortora and Ben Tyzak on the 15th March. They will be teaming up again for some special shows. Another very welcome act playing for us on 5th April is Dave Kelly from the Blues Band. He is being joined by Denny Newman, who used to play with Mick Taylor from the Rolling Stones.

the Sex Pistols and Ramones, plus many more over the years. They are still making new music today as well.

The opening act will be Jamie Williams and the Roots Collective who are on the same record label as The Pretty Things - 3Ms Music.

Jamie Williams and the Roots Collective are playing this show as the Diff’rent Gravy Essex album launch for the label and will be playing the whole album, which you can also purchase afterwards.

On Wednesday 25th April we welcome back Albert Lee to play as part of his UK tour. Don’t delay in getting your tickets as the first show he played for us was a sell out. On May 18th we welcome from America the multi-award winning blues great, Larry Garner. Larry will have the Norman Beaker Band paying with him (who also played with Chris Farlowe for us). Opening this show will be Mississippi MacDonald with the Soul Fixers, so if you like your blues you will love this show.

The other show we have so far booked are Limehouse Lizzy, who are returning to play our Christmas show on 7th December 2018.

I hope you agree that so far it is looking to be a great 2018, with the Chelmsford Arts and Cultural Festival and so much more going on in and around our city.

Rather than tell you about everything else that is coming up in and around Chelmsford, please see the adverts and our What’s On guide in this edition of the magazine.

As ever, please do try to come out and support the great live scene that we have in Essex, because if you do not we may lose it. For more information on all of the above and more see the links below.

If you go to the Facebook pages you can preview the up-and-coming acts. www.bluesinthecity.co.uk www.facebook.com/bluesinthecitychelmsford Twitter: @BluesintheCity1 www.itsyourmusic.co.uk www.facebook.com/itsyourmusic Twitter: @itsyourmusic

2018 will have a new pricing structure: for standard shows, tickets sold in advance will normally be between £5 to £7 and on the door between £7 to £9. Yes, we have reduced the cost of entry and hope to get even more people coming along!

At Chelmsford City FC we have lined up some great shows so far for you and tickets are on sale for all the shows that are booked so far.

We begin on 27th January with The Jam Project playing all the hits of The Jam plus our very own Spencer M Taylor opening the night with an acoustic set of original music. On the 23rd February we have The Cureheads, the UK’s leading tribute band to The Cure, who have been doing this since 1990 - so only 14 years less than the Cure!

We have a new young indie band opening the night who have not yet finalised their name as I am writing this article.

On March 16th we have those sixties legends The Pretty Things, who are still fronted by singer Phil May and guitarist Dick Taylor. Dick Taylor helped form The Rolling Stones with Keith Richards and Mick Jagger before leaving to start The Pretty Things. The Pretty Things influenced a lot of big bands back in the day like Pink Floyd, The Who, Page 6

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CT Gardening by Tom Cole

Purchasing trees and shrubs - a perfect time to plant and an excellent gift for loved ones and friends.

The availability of bare root, root balled or container grown trees and shrubs will depend on the time of year, the type of plant and the size required.

Bare Root Bare root specimens are grown in the open field, and are ‘under cut’ several times to encourage a fibrous root system to develop.

When they reach saleable size they are lifted (in the autumn, when dormant) and are available for immediate planting. Once lifted, the roots must be kept protected at all times to prevent drying out. They are usually ‘heeled in’ (planted temporarily) in nurseries or garden centres and wrapped in sacking when being transported or stored short term and must be kept moist and preferably in a shaded area until planted in their final position. They are available in autumn.

are increasingly being sold in containers - the most expensive way to purchase trees and shrubs. Large mature trees may only be available as container grown specimens.

Most shrubs are sold container grown, when the size of plant is determined by the size of the container and categorised according to the volume.

For instance, small shrubs may be in 2L pots and medium sized shrubs in 10L pots.

Trees and shrubs sold as bare root specimens are usually deciduous species such as Fagus sylvatica and Sorbus aucuparia. Some evergreens, such as young box hedging plants (Buxus sempervirens), are also sold bare root. This is the cheapest way to purchase trees and shrubs, particularly when buying hedging plants.

Root Balled Root balled plants are grown in a similar manner and are also lifted in the autumn. Their root ball is wrapped in hessian or plastic webbing in order to keep the soil around the roots damp, moist and intact.

Evergreens, such as conifers, are often sold as root balled specimens. They are often more expensive than bare root specimens.

Container Grown With the rise in popularity of gardening and garden centres, plants

Tree and Shrub Planting The best times for planting are autumn and spring. As previously stated, container grown stock may be planted almost all year round although this may not be ideal.

Remove All Weeds Particular attention must be paid to perennial weeds such as ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria) and field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) as they will persist in the soil and become problematic.

Annual weeds can be removed by hand and many perennial weeds may be spread by disturbance.

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A total translocated herbicide can be applied to the weeds when in active growth. Organic gardeners can mulch with material such as carpet or weed matting - but this will take up to two years to rid the site of perennial weeds. If the tree or shrub is to be planted in a lawn, cut a circle and skim off the turf.

Excavate the Planting Hole When planting a standard tree, the hole should be round and large enough to accommodate the root ball plus 5 cm extra. The depth should ensure that the flare of the trunk (the area where the roots form at the base of the trunk) will be at soil level. Planting too deep is a major fault, usually one spade depth is sufficient.

The base of the hole should be flat and the sides vertical. Spike the sides and base of the hole with a fork on heavy soil. Do not turn

Page 8 www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

over the soil in the base of the hole or add organic matter beneath the tree roots as this can lead to settling and the tree becomes too deep. Do not add any fertiliser at the planting stage; it is not desirable to produce a rich soil environment which is inconsistent with the surrounding soil.

Drive in the Stake If planting a tree, a stake will be required to provide support for the first two to three years. The stake is usually driven in prior to planting in order to avoid damage to the root ball. It should be placed on the windward side of the tree. There are several different methods of staking trees but modern thinking is that a short stake (or stakes) encourages root development. The stake should be roughly one-third the height of the tree. Angled stakes can be used for container grown specimens.

Position the Tree Using a length of wood placed across the planting hole to represent ground level, hold the tree at the correct height. If planting a bare root tree, ground level can be established by looking for the nursery mark - a slight change in colour and texture on the trunk. Root balled and container grown specimens should be planted to the same depth as the soil in the container or root ball. A length of plastic piping can be placed into the planting hole to facilitate watering.

Back fill around the tree taking care to eliminate air pockets. Firm the soil with your boot and finish the soil surface neatly. Attach a proprietary tree tie to the tree and stake to support the tree. Water in the tree thoroughly to settle the soil and to ensure the roots have adequate available water and mulch with a material such as bark chips. A 7.5cm layer of mulch material will help to retain moisture and prevent weed seeds germinating.

After Care Spring Refresh the mulch (ensure the soil is moist prior to mulching). This will help to prevent the germination of weed seeds and aids the retention of moisture.

Carry out formative pruning to develop the shape of tree. Remove any water shoots (unwanted shoots arising from the trunk) from the main stem. Double leaders should be removed, as should crossing or rubbing branches. Cut back to healthy wood any dead, diseased or damaged wood.

Good luck and have a great Christmas and New Year! Most importantly‌ happy gardening!

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.

CT Food - by John Jacobs

Merry Christmas...

Ding-dong merrily... here it is, Merry Christmas and stuff my stockings with all things Yule. Bring on the satsumas and flavour absolutely everything with brandy. I’m planning Christmas day at home with friends for dinner. It wasn’t that long ago I’d be working on Christmas day plating up turkey with all the trimmings in a kitchen sauna.

I’ve never really understood dining out on Christmas day. Fewer opportunities to undo my trousers and fall asleep wearing a paper hat. Thank goodness writing about food affords more opportunities for familial slobbery than cooking it.

If you’re the one tasked with cooking the festive feast and you’re telling everyone what you’re planning and how many you’re cooking for, please remember: NO-ONE CARES. It’s only a roast dinner. A top tip there. The simple rule is, prepare as much of the trimmings as you can the night before. Regarding the top cheffy advice of only buying a bird that’s been fed on lavender and goji berries, brining it for a week, dipping it in cola, rotating it in the oven, creating butter pockets, caressing it with goose tears etc - ignore all of it. It’s nonsense. Stick it in the oven. Cook until done. Delighted to have shared that advice with you all.

As another year draws to a close and looking back on the past twelve months, it’s hard to imagine a better one for new restaurants, new foodie experiences and new opportunities right here in the heart of the city. Those of you who are followers of this column will know that we’ve been focusing on the good, the not so good, the new and the long-time favourites to compile our very own list of the best that Chelmsford has to offer. Diligently and in line with tradition, we’ve checked the list twice for the naughty and nice to bring you our inaugural Chelmsford City Times Food Awards. No ceremony, certificates, painfully insincere acceptance speeches, just our acknowledgement of the hard work of cooks, chefs, waiting staff, owners, suppliers and risk takers that contribute to the palate of local life. Whilst our reviews have been a profitable resource, it’s your comments, feedback and even tales of woe that guided us through the dozens of nominees. There are only three categories and we have awarded a single solitary nod to just three establishments.

Best Dining Experience: Côte Brasserie: Exchange Way High Chelmer This was a difficult category to judge. We wanted to champion small independents that add to the richness of the dining landscape, but also to acknowledge the quality of food and service in those with an existing or recognizable foundation. Saying that however, the bigger names didn’t feature in your suggestions. No Jamie Oliver or Carluccio’s. Neither did mega-stylised Faces and higher profile Chop Bloc. Many of the reviews focused on the somewhat smaller and

intimate independents, who deserve a mention here, such as Live Dosa on Duke Street, Olio on New London Road and Leks Thai Food in Chelmsford Market.

One restaurant did surprise us and indeed you the readers. It’s one of those that manages to the balance of being well established and well funded, but doesn’t rest on its laurels in delivering a superb dining experience in décor, choice of food options and extremely good service. It was a treat to find delights like steak tartare on the menu and a front of house team who were helpful, unobtrusive and knowledgeable. Congratulations to the team at Côte Brasserie, Chelmsford.

Best Secret Find: Stella’s Little Bit of Greece: 28 Moulsham Street Homemade jams, preserves, pastries and frankly the best baklava outside of Athens. It’s hard to pigeon hole this little gem which is coffee shop, patisserie and deli. A tiny shop front hidden away, Stella’s is indicative of what Moulsham Street used to be and hopefully will become again; a place for artisan food and ingredients made by passionate people. You can also find ingredients here that would normally mean a train journey into North London. The husband and wife team who own and run Stella’s encourage you try before you buy, so leave any tight fitting clothing at home before entering. Long may they continue and congratulations to Stella’s Little Bit of Greece.

Reader’s Favourite: Bogaz: 45-46 Moulsham Street Lastly, this nod goes to the restaurant that attracted the most interest for all the right reasons. Again a new diner and again a Moulsham Street artisan. We reviewed this restaurant back in the summer when the smell of the charcoal brazier transported us to the Mediterranean. An authentic Turkish restaurant covering two floors of well spaced dining area, Bogaz ticks every box in terms of quality of food, service, value for money and choice.

Thank you to everyone who expressed a preference, dined in our city and contributed to our final choices. It has been a remarkable year for Chelmsford in terms of food. It is however only right that we acknowledge all those who work long antisocial hours in a risky and materially unrewarding business, but contribute to making our city such a great place to live.

All that remains is to wish you all a very Happy Christmas from us all at The City Times. Felicitations of the guzzling season and a Happy New Year. We await with interest 2018.

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What’s On in the Area

December Friday 15th Bassment - Rubber Soul with Eddie Piller Civic - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Cramphorn - A Christmas Carol The Golden Fleece - Expose Old Court Theatre - The Merry Wives of Windsor Star & Garter - Rockhouse Saturday 16th Bassment - Oh Maddie + Rubber Jaw + DJ Andy Smith CCFC Away: Hemel Hempstead Town v Chelmsford City Chelmsford Library Foyer - Arts and Crafts Fair Civic - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Cramphorn - Santa in Love The Golden Fleece - Sax on Fire Galleywood Heritage Centre - Essex Society for Family History monthly meeting Old Court Theatre - The Merry Wives of Windsor Star & Garter - Lithium UB - Jamie Williams Collective Sunday 17th Ale House - Open Gaming Cathedral - A Ceremony of Carols Chelmsford Social Club - Christmas Festival Civic - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Monday 18th Civic - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Tuesday 19th Boreham Village Hall - Ballroom and Latin American Dance (classes for beginners & improvers - www.danceasy.co.uk) Civic - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Cramphorn - Alone in Berlin (12A) Wednesday 20th Bassment - The Horse Heads + Monna Vanna + Joe Anderton Civic - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Cramphorn - Gifted (12A) The Golden Fleece - Christmas party night Star & Garter - Mark Absent and the Registers Thursday 21st Bassment - A Very Lemon Curdmas presents: The Lemoncurd Kids + Machine Gun Men + Origami Noise + Mat Frost Cathedral - Nine Lessons and carols Civic - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Cramphorn - Larry Berkovitz and Zak Barrett Christmas Jazz Night The Golden Fleece - Captain Fleecey’s big Christmas Party: Frog on a Rocket Friday 22nd Bassment - Bassment Christmas Party: Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer + Creme De Chevre + The Drama Llamas Cathedral - Carols at Lunchtime Civic - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs The Golden Fleece - Ultimate 80s Star & Garter - Thirsty Work Saturday 23rd Bassment - Saint Nick & The Naughty List + Marc Halls + Jakob Deist + Bongo Steve & Friends Cathedral - Nine Lessons and Carols Page 12

Saturday 23rd Continued...

CCFC Home: Chelmsford City v Welling United Civic - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs The Golden Fleece - The Earnshaws Star & Garter - VT11 Sunday 24th Civic - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Star & Garter - Open mic/jam (3-7pm) Star & Garter - Fishing for Robots The Golden Fleece - Christmas Eve @ The Fleece White Horse Bar & Lounge - Sarah Beth vs Stevie Nicks Tuesday 26th CCFC Away: Braintree Town v Chelmsford City Wednesday 27th Bassment - Junior Jump & The Bottom Line Civic - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Hylands House - Jack and the Beanstalk Thursday 28th Bassment - The Fellowship with Guthrie Govan Civic - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Cramphorn - La Strada (PG) The Golden Fleece - Quiz night Star & Garter - Acoustic jam Friday 29th Bassment - Skamite!

Civic - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs The Golden Fleece - Mischief Star & Garter - TBC Saturday 30th Bassment - Shakey’s Birthday Special: Magic Seas (+ TBC) Civic - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Cramphorn - Howards End (PG) The Golden Fleece - Scooby Sunday 31st Bassment - ‘Jungle Boogie’ party with Rat Boy DJ set + more!

Civic - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Kings Head, Great Baddow - New Year with Sarah Beth Star & Garter - The Class NYE Special The Golden Fleece - Chelmsford’s biggest FREE NYE party February Monday 1st CCFC Home: Chelmsford City v Braintree Town Civic - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Tuesday 2nd Boreham Village Hall - Ballroom and Latin American Dance (classes for beginners & improvers - www.danceasy.co.uk) Civic - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Wednesday 3rd Civic - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs The Chichester Hotel, Rawreth - Belvedere Jazz & Music Club: TJ Johnson Quintet with Al Nicholls Thursday 4th Bassment - Bassment Blues Jam Civic - Relaxed Performance of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs The Golden Fleece - Quiz Night

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

Bassment - Blues Sisters with Tanya Piche Band + Fistful Of Friday 5th Dirt Bassment - Shakey’s Sessions: Undiscovered Solo Heat CCFC Away: Weston-Super-Mare v Chelmsford City Civic - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Civic - Thanks Abba for the Music Cramphorn - Victoria and Abdul (PG) The Golden Fleece - Reptillia The Golden Fleece - DJ Nights Millenium Centre - Baby & Children’s Market Saturday 6th Sunday 21st Bassment - The Sounds Civic - Glenn Miller Orchestra - In The Mood CCFC Away: St Albans City v Chelmsford City Cramphorn - Romeo and Juliet Civic - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs The Golden Fleece - Cover Story Sunday 7th Civic - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Star & Garter - Open mic/jam (3-7pm) Woolpack - GC’s Jazz Club: Tracey Mendham Saxophone & Gabriel Keen Trio WITH PRIVATE SWIMMING POOL FOR RENTAL Tuesday 9th Boreham Village Hall - Ballroom and Latin American Dance • Close to Es Castell, restaurants, bars (classes for beginners & improvers - www.danceasy.co.uk) Cramphorn - Victoria and Abdul (PG) - baby cinima and amenities Cramphorn - Gods Own Country (15) • A short 15 min drive to gorgeous Old Court Theatre - I’ll Be Back Before Midnight beaches.

Wednesday 10th The Chichester Hotel, Rawreth - Belvedere Jazz & Music Club: • Air conditioned bedrooms Derek Nash’s Picante Latin Sextet • Sleeps 2-7 Old Court Theatre - I’ll Be Back Before Midnight th Thursday 11 Tel: 01621 741810 / 07860 232854 menorcaholiday@aol.com Bassment - Jazz Funk Monthly The Golden Fleece - Quiz night Old Court Theatre - I’ll Be Back Before Midnight Friday 12th Bassment - Winston & The Lads Cathedral - Lunchtime concert - organ recitel Civic - The Elvis Years Cramphorn - Williams (15) The Golden Fleece - Tantric Zoo Old Court Theatre - I’ll Be Back Before Midnight Saturday 13th Bassment - It Came From The Noughties! Amnesty International Fundraiser, with Ghostwood Shanks + Mandeville + The Lemoncurd Kids + The White Gospel + Jez Kemp CCFC Home: Chelmsford City v Bath City The Golden Fleece - The Company Old Court Theatre - I’ll Be Back Before Midnight Sunday 14th Cramphorn - Chelmsford Jazz Club: Ron Drake (sax/clarinet) with Ted Beament (piano) Spenser Brown (bass) and Rod Brown (drums) Monday 15th Cramphorn - Detroit (15) Tuesday 16th Cramphorn - Rigoletto - live from the Royal Opera House Wednesday 17th The Chichester Hotel, Rawreth - Belvedere Jazz & Music Club: Top Big Band Vocalist Matthew Ford Thursday 18th Bassment - Live Indie Rock!

Cramphorn - Canaletto & the Art of Venice Friday 19th Bassment - Friday’s Alright For Dancin’ Cathedral - Hans Montanana & Xander Benham Civic - Message in a Bottle Cramphorn - Daphne (15) The Golden Fleece - Strikeout Saturday 20th

MENORCA HOLIDAY VILLA

www.menorcaholidayvilla.co.uk

Please send us your events for the next edition (for events between 19th January to 19th February) to: editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk

Ct Business - Can He Fix It? Yes He Can! Len’s Lawnmowers - by Lindsay Whitehouse In today’s modern consumer society, there is always a new product to sell and nothing is ever repaired - we are expected to dig into our pockets and buy a new one. The good news is, there are some exceptions, and I found one in Len’s Lawnmowers just off the Old Roxwell Road on Reeds Farm Estate.

incredibly long hours, putting in a 6-day week averaging about 65 hours with very few holidays.

The business has grown since moving to Reeds Farm in 1999 and Trevor has added two showrooms to his large and extensive workshop. Whilst they do advertise, much of their business is repeat work from long standing customers or comes from word of mouth. Some is also generated from their very good website.

Sadly, Len, who used to operate from the city centre on the site where John Lewis now stands, is no longer with us. The good news is that Trevor Digby, Len’s son, has now been running the business since the turn of the century. This is a real family concern, Trevor’s right-hand man is his nephew, Jamie.

I visited their impressive facility and the first thing I noticed is the workshop. There were 70 lawnmowers neatly lined up all waiting to be repaired. It is hard to understand how anyone could love a machine, but if it’s at all possible, Trevor and Jamie do exactly that. They clearly take huge pride in refurbishing, recalibrating, repairing and renewing what others might see as a useless old petrol lawnmower gathering dust in the shed.

Trevor told me that whilst sales generate some income for his business, the greater part of the business is around repairs. When Trevor sells you a new lawnmower, he is selling you a commitment to on-going customer service, if it breaks down, he will fix it. If you bring it in regularly for servicing, the odds are that it will not break down and will continue to run in prime condition.

Trevor knows his customers and their needs. If a machine is in for repair, he can loan a lawnmower free of charge for the customer to use until Trevor can fix the problem. This is his unique selling point, and in today’s business environment it demonstrates a standard of customer care that is almost a distant memory. You will not find that in the huge multinationals that specialise in selling garden machinery.

There are some exceptions, and Trevor told me that low cost electric lawnmowers do have a shelf life and sometimes these just cannot be economically repaired. Many of those machines are manufactured in China and they just do not come with spare parts.

Word of mouth recommendations that bring in new customers is the holy grail for any business. I tell my management students that meeting the customer needs is key to all successful and sustainable businesses.

Trevor would be a perfect case study of how to do it well.

His customers tend to be drawn mainly, but not exclusively, from two areas. He supplies lots of professionals - both landscape and jobbing gardeners - and also those homeowners who just love their gardens and want them to look fantastic.

Trevor is also committed to his local community. He comes from Witham and he has used his business to help raise about £8,000 in the last year for Macmillan to continue their fight against cancer.

He is sure that the key to the ongoing success of Len’s lanwmowers is building a personal relationship with his customers, anticipating their ongoing needs and providing a level of service that his competitors cannot match.

Sustainability is key to business success. The dot com boom has fuelled the growth of a huge number of businesses, some of which will go on to have a long and fruitful lifespan. However, many will simply disappear as quickly as they arrived. Trevor’s business does not need an app on a mobile. It does not consume a huge amount of resources or contribute waste materials to landfill sites. If you are willing to pay a fair price for some quality equipment, he will keep it in tip top condition for you and enable you to have a wonderful garden to enjoy.

His workshops tend to do lots of work around petrol driven and cordless machines. His eyes lit up when he told me about Hayter, makers of the finest lawnmowers and from very close to home in Bishops Stortford. Hayter are another family business, and they do supply spare parts. They focus on quality and meeting customer needs - just like Trevor - only on a much bigger scale.

This is a local business that adds value to the community, specialises in locally manufactured quality merchandise, provides free equipment loan if you are really stuck, and recycles as much material as possible to help protect our environment...

Trevor learned the business from his dad Len, but then really developed his skills to be a self-taught top notch craftsman. He works

www.lens-lawnmowers.co.uk

What is there not to like?

Flambard Williams - Three Awards

Royal Lancaster Hotel in London for the UK Property Awards. These prestigious awards (in association with Bentley Motors), are one of the most credible in the UK, bringing industry professionals together.

Flambard Williams are ecstatic to announce our accomplishment by winning three UK Property Awards, Real Estate Agency Essex, Real Estate Agency Marketing East of England and Real Estate Agency Website UK.

Flambard Williams are a specialist property investment company established in 2012. Starting in Chelmsford and now with offices throughout the UK, we are a growing company striving to provide investors with their ideal investment. Our team recently attended the

All of the team at Flambard Williams are proud to be acknowledged and presented with three reputable awards within such a competitive and well established industry. Receiving these awards presents the hard work on behalf of everyone at Flambard Williams. It was an honour to be recognised at such an influential event, enhancing our credibility and reputation within the sector.

If you are looking to invest in property, whether you are a first time buyer, or experienced and looking to extend your property portfolio, contact one of our expert brokers today on 0207 183 0646.

Beer - by Simon Tippler of Round Tower Brewer Merry Christmas/Happy New Year (depending on when you are reading this!)

December means many things to many people, but to us it means last minute bottling and a pop-up bottle shop on Saturday afternoons in December. We loved seeing everybody at the tap take overs we had at both The Hop Beer Shop and the Ale House.

As everyone knows, December is a great month for pubs (and therefore also breweries) but January is often a struggle. So this January why not take part in Tryanuary, which is now well established in its third year? Look out for events organised by the local beer and

Tryanuary ambassadors. The idea is to try new beers in January!

In the new year, look out for some exciting new collaborations - we can’t say much at the moment but there are a few things in the pipeline. Also keep an eye out for our beers in Colchester as we are slowly expanding northwards.

Last month saw the opening of The Moulsham Tap. It is great to see a new bar opening that is devoted to keg beer and we’ve had some great beer in there. This is great for Chelmsford and its flourishing beer scene and really cements Moulsham Street as a destination for people who enjoy good beer. Sitting opposite the Hop Beer Shop, The Moulsham Tap is ideally located, with other good pubs such as the Orange Tree and the Woolpack just around the corner.

19th Chelmsford Winter Beer and Cider Festival 14th - 17th February 2018 at King Edward Grammar School (KEGS), Broomfield Road, Chelmsford, CM1 3SX (5 minutes from the station).

The very popular Winter Beer and Cider Festival returns to Chelmsford in February 2018, with over 170 real ales to choose from. Although we will have many of the stronger, darker winter brews, there will also be golden ales, milds, bitters and fruit beers among the other types.

We are also hoping to have gluten-free and vegan beers for the first time, so hopefully there will be something to suit everyone. There will also be a range of over 50 ciders and perries, including national award winners and some special winter varieties.

to valid card presenting CAMRA members at all times during the public sessions and to everyone until 6pm on all festival days. After 6pm there will be an entrance fee of £3 for non valid CAMRA card carriers.

Our website, www.cbcf.info, will be updated regularly, so please visit for the latest information. Put the dates in your diaries now and remember, we are open on Valentine’s Day!.

We look forward to seeing you there!

There will also hot and cold food available at all sessions. Hopleaf will be providing the hot food, including a selection of vegetarian options. There will also be an interesting selection of cold food from Pipers Crisps and Oddfellows Chocolates.

The festival is staffed by CAMRA members who are all volunteers and who give up their time to build, run and take down the festival - all for fun!

Tuesday evening is a special session, only for CAMRA CME branch members and local licensed trade. After this the festival will be open to the public on all four days, Wednesday to Saturday, from noon to 11pm. Last orders will be called at 10.45pm and admission is free www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

Page 15

Quiz Time - by John Theedom 1. According to the ONS, Which girl’s name was most popular in 2016?

2. Saurian applies to which kind of animal?

3. What word connects candle, catholic and holiday?

4. Which animal is affected by myxomatosis?

5. Which fruit juice is used in a Harvey Wallbanger?

6. Which actor is best known for playing Norman ‘Curly’ Watts in Coronation Street?

7. Which famous pop group sang Love Me Do? 8. What is the term for a poem with 5 lines?

9. What nationality was Dame Nellie Melba?

10. What is the title of the world’s longest running theatre show?

11. What is meant by polysyllabic?

12. Who was the actor who played the role of Arthur Daley?

13. What is the first name of Boycie’s wife in Only Fools and Horses?

14. What is Norfolk wherry?

15. What is a tangelo?

16. In WMD, what does the ‘D’ stand for?

17. What was the name of the first BBC wildlife programme in 1954 - 1963?

18. What is or was, a box brownie?

19. Who is the host of TV quiz show Eggheads?

20. Who has become the oldest living artist to get a top 10 album in the UK charts?

21. What did Louis Daguerre invent?

22. Gillingham in Kent is on which river?

23. Which actor played the title role in Bergerac?

24. Which musical instrument did Glenn Miller play?

25. In Roman numerals, what is the value of ‘L’?

26. What is the informal name of the bridge over the River Cam in Cambridge?

27. From which French city did the Concorde 001 prototype first fly?

28. How many children does Jamie Oliver have?

29. What is haemophobia?

30. Which actor played the part of Boon in the TV series?

31. What are rolling, hitch and sheepshank?

32. What traditionally is the material for a 9th wedding anniversary?

33. What does a pargeter do for a living?

34. In which war did ‘The Old Contemptibles’ fight?

35. What is the ‘C’ for in GCSE? 36. What is akimbo?

37. Which Hollywood star of the 1927 hit movies, was called ‘The It Girl’?

38. Which world famous shop is at 400 Oxford Street, London?

39. In WH Smith, what do the initials ‘WH’ stand for?

40. What is the monetary unit of Russia?

Answers on page 30

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Writtle’s Best Kept Modern Day Secret!

Whilst Robert the Bruce’s birthplace at Writtle remains contested, what isn’t contested is the fact that there is a growing’ microbrewery hidden at Reeds Farm Estate.

Owner, head brewer, bottler, labeller and true Scot Martin lovingly brewed, hand bottled and labelled over 40,000 craft beers and ciders in 2017 to take the brewery from a 12 brewers barrel (bbl) at the beginning of the year to an 18 bbl brewery (bbl being 36 gallons) with help from family and friends.

As a small, independent family run craft micro-brewery Fallen Angel has free scope to create speciality beers alongside their core range of hand crafted deliciousness. All the brews are vegan friendly and the company motto is ‘brews with a cheeky twist!’ It’s very appropriate as Fallen Angel brews unique beers and crafts original cocktail creations - If the brew isn’t cheeky they are!!

These include Dark & Stormy’s with a twist, Mulled Spiced Ciders with a hint of Scotch Bonnet, Moscow Mules with Alcoholic Ginger Beer and Sparkling Cocktails.

Here is a sample cocktail for all you gin drinkers - after all, it doesn’t have to be a summer drink!

Fallen Angel’s Fathers Ruin makes 2 generous servings Hot Smiths Smooth Alcoholic Ginger Beer (500ml) 100ml gin of your choice!

Heat gin and ginger beer then add: 25ml Amaretto (optional) but very nice! 2 lime wedges 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 star anise, 2 fresh ginger Fallen Angel are always hosting stalls at festivals and markets, so keep updated with their events page and social media next year to see when and where to visit them. They can also supply bars, beers and banter for events, so get in touch and they can work together with you!

Fallen Angel can also supply Christmas gifts with free local delivery free delivery- all year round to create that truly unique locally made Christmas gift or stocking filler.

Christmas is the season for giving and love. Thank you to all our friends, family and customers we couldn’t do it without you.

Martin 07572 614 067 martin@fallenangel-brewery.co.uk Facebook: fallenangelbrew Twitter: @fallenangelbrew

• Professional local eye care • Bespoke service • Over 20 years experience as a qualified Optometrist • Proud to provide that individual attention to detail • Friendliest caring team in Chelmsford Call now to make an appointment with Nicky

Mr Anish Chauhan, Optometrist

T. 01245 352803

www.broomfieldopticians.co.uk www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

Page 17

Wildlife Corner by Nick Green November experienced rainfall sporadically throughout the month, but river water levels typically remained low. The first frosts were experienced and leaves lingered on the trees with the lack of gales and low temperatures.

The blackcap Sylvia atricapilla is a common summer migrant to Essex, wintering in southern Africa. However, there is also a wintering population in southern England, and another much smaller population heads eastwards from central Europe and also winters in England. Blackcap song can be heard all over Chelmsford and Essex from early April through mid summer as several broods are raised.

The species is rather a drab grey with the adult male having a black cap with the females and juveniles having a brown cap.

Recent Essex Wildlife News The most noteworthy November 2017 news with bird migration rapidly falling away: Abbot’s Hall Farm EWT/Abberton Reservoir - an American ring-necked duck, 2-3 great white egrets. The Naze area - black brant goose, shorelark, little auk, Iceland gull, Dartford warbler. Old Hall Marshes RSPB - glossy ibis.

Male Blackcap (copyright: Glyn Evans)

Great Baddow Bus Gate Residents will have by now seen the plan proposed by Essex County Council for the Great Baddow Bus Gate. The revised proposal is for an eighteen month trial, with the Bus Gate now starting at Meadgate Avenue from 7.00am - 10.00am and 4.00pm - 7.00pm.

Great Baddow East Ward City Councillors, Liz Ahmed, Stephanie Scott and Gill Smith, have noted that Essex County Council have listened to their concerns and those of the residents of Great Baddow East, but have not gone far enough and could go a great deal further to accommodate the concerns of those living in and around the Great Baddow area who will be dramatically affected by these proposals.

Great Baddow residents must, of course, be protected from traffic pollution but also should be able to move around the city safely and without delays.

Nationally, notable selected highlights included: Isles of Scilly - an American Wilson’s Snipe. Cornwall - a Pacific diver.

Shetland Isles - an American pied-billed grebe. Surrey - an American horned lark. Dorset - an American stilt sandpiper.

For Great Baddow East residents please contact: Councillor Liz Ahmed: 07515 595 370 Councillor Stephanie Scott : 01245 222673 or 07775 870 638 Councillor Gill Smith: 01245 472 069 For Moulsham Lodge residents please contact: Councillor Simon Cook:

07920 299 344

Chelmsford Library News Screen on the Green Writtle Library has it’s very own community cinema. This is a non profit making venture created to serve the local community and beyond.

Groundhog Day (1993) will be shown on 21st December 2017.

Doors open at 7pm. Showtime at 7.30pm for all showings.

Tickets cost £5 each and are available at www.goldengiving. com/wall/screen-on-the-green, or directly from Writtle Library.

Visit our Facebook page for further information: www. facebook.com/writtlecinema.

The councillors have raised other issues including: The proposed bus route is not inclusive of all the schools in the area. Also, buses are not always accessible for the elderly and those with disabilities and the impact which the dispersed traffic will have on already congested routes out of Great Baddow and through Moulsham.

City Councillor Simon Cook of Moulsham Lodge Ward is supporting the Great Baddow East councillors as he feels the effect of the Baddow Bus Gate project will also impinge on his residents within Moulsham Lodge.

The Great Baddow East city councillors are still in consultation with Essex County Council officers and cabinet member Kevin Bentley to achieve a plan that offers the best outcome for all of the residents of Great Baddow. No plans have been set in stone as yet and the councillors would welcome your views.

Please note: toilets are not DDA compliant.

Author Event A date for your diary - Friday 12th January 2-3pm at Chelmsford Library. Local Author Fiona Bowman has recently released her book Did I Wake You Pet. It tells the story of her true life experience of domestic abuse.

She says: “Never let go of hope, happiness is never out of reach”.

Domestic Abuse Charity in Hertfordshire and Essex.

Outside of work, Fiona is also a keen choral singer, guitarist, painter and traveller. However, her crowning achievement is obtaining a life of peace and happiness.

“I used to write down my experiences in notebooks as a cathartic exercise and eventually, in 2004, put it together as a book. I still didn’t let it out, as I was still worried that my exhusband would see it and find me,” says Fiona. “He had always promised that he would come and find me and kill me. So, the first time that I told my story was on Radio 4 Woman’s Hour with Jenni Murray.”

This harrowing autobiography realises ten years of pain and suffering, creating an emotional and unforgettable read.

For information contact Chelmsford Library on 03330 132 634, or visit www.essex.gov. uk/libraries.

Fiona is currently the Interim Head of Facilities at Safer Places

Page 18

www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

Me and Chelmsford - by the Hairy Monster Well, 2017 is nearly at an end and what a success it’s been so far.

Brexit progressing well and stability in world politics now that we have level-headed politicians in America, Russia and Asia. Let’s hope 2018 is even better for everyone on our tiny planet.

My wish for the year ahead is that we can be more caring and less judgemental towards those we class as ‘different’ - it has been disturbing to see that intolerance seems to be creeping back into society. Britain has always prided itself on its inclusiveness, so let’s see a return to our traditional values. Let’s not judge others by their nationality, colour of their skin, their religion or their lifestyle.

It disturbs me to hear the opinions of people in Chelmsford recently about the homeless people who live on our streets. Yes, it is a blot on our landscape, but complaining that these people are a nuisance is to ignore the problem that we have all helped create. Nobody chooses this as a lifestyle. Circumstances have forced these citizens into a position they would never have planned to be in. Each and every one is the son or daughter of someone like you. Think of them like that and maybe you will be more caring in your attitude.

It may surprise you - or maybe not - to know that Sanctus in Chelmsford, who provide meals and a safe haven every day of the year for those who have fallen on hard times, prepared almost 2,000 meals for the homeless in November alone, three times as many as 18 months before. Something is dreadfully wrong with a society that turns its back on the less fortunate and obsesses with personal wealth. You’ll be seeing collecting boxes for Sanctus around town very shortly, so if you’re not keen to give cash to rough sleepers in the street, please contribute to the awesome work that Sanctus’s volunteers carry out every day of the year.

Hotel in Paris and whilst I cannot fault the cleanliness of my room or the comfort of my bed, I’m a tad disappointed that they choose to use cheap batteries in the TV remote. I’m not sure how long they’re going to last in my shaver. And why doesn’t the shower head unscrew?

Is there any reason the soap dispenser is attached to the wall with lockscrews? And I’d be interested to know how they expect guests to get a double mattress through a window when it only opens half way.

Premier Inn next time I reckon...

On Remembrance Sunday I went to Duxford War Museum with two of my Polish friends. I go every year because I think it’s important we never forget the sacrifices of previous generations that have allowed us to enjoy the freedom that we take for granted today. One statistic that my friends pointed out was that 141 Polish pilots flew for the RAF in the Battle of Britain; so next time you hear someone complain about foreigners invading our country, remind them that these are the same nations who kept Britain free from Nazi tyranny just two generations ago.

Happy Christmas (or whatever festivity you choose to celebrate)!

See page 23 for an article about a local schoolboy and how he helped the homeless

Here endeth the first lesson.

On an entirely different subject, I recently stayed overnight at an Ibis

www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

Page 19

Therapy - by Chelmsford Therapy Rooms Hi everyone, Jenny here. Last time I wrote about some of the pressures of the holidays, from the Christmas parties to self regulation during the festive season. Let’s imagine that someone wants to seek help or think they might need help, what could be holding them back from taking that very brave step? Todays article aims to tackle some of the negative self talk that people might experience when thinking about seeking help. It’s very common for people to do the following:

Talk themselves out of seeking therapy: ‘the therapist will think I’m being silly…’

Belief that therapy will somehow change someone completely, so they are no longer ‘themselves...’

‘Do I really need therapy? Am I sick enough? i might be wasting their time...’

Private therapy just doesn’t occur to the person as an option, or they believe it ‘isn’t for them...’

In terms of the first point - we absolutely, categorically will NEVER think you are being silly. Believe me, we’ve seen it all! There’s nothing you can tell us that will make us judge you, think you’re being an idiot or shock us. No matter what you may think of yourself or your issue, or what other people may have said about it, what’s important to us is that we do everything we can to help you. If it’s bothering you, we believe you are absolutely justified in seeking help and therapists absolutely want to help!

Now to look at the second point - a hypnotherapist is NOT going to make you change into someone or something that you don’t want to become. Of course, people change through therapy - hypnotherapy after all is all about reprogramming the mind so that you no longer repeat negative behaviours. A hypnotherapist should only guide you to the destination that you want to go to after an initial consultation where you discuss in depth with the hypnotherapist exactly what you want to achieve through hypnotherapy. We can’t, and won’t, change your personality. Therapists are trained to help you feel better: in the dictionary the word ‘therapy’ is defined as: ‘treatment intended to relieve or heal a disorder’.

behaviour patterns and decide to visit a private hypnotherapist, we’re here to use our expert training to help that person feel better asap.

My last point is about private therapy not occurring to people as an option or people believing that it’s ‘not for them’. Unfortunately in my private practice I do see people who have been to the NHS but feel they have not received the help they needed. As far as I’m aware hypnotherapy is not provided on the NHS but the NHS does mention on it’s website the use of hypnotherapists accredited by the UKCP, the CNHC and the Hypnotherapy Society.

The NHS is overwhelmed with people suffering with mental health issues. Waiting times can be up to 9 months or more to see a psychotherapist on the NHS. I’m not saying that the therapy on the NHS is necessarily a bad option, I’m not saying ‘don’t go to your GP’, I’m saying go to your GP and discuss the options, all of them, including private therapy. It’s only fair that you have as much information as possible before making a decision. Some people may be fine with waiting to receive therapy on the health service, but for those who are not, a private therapist can usually see you very quickly. I aim to see new clients within 24 hours to 1 week tops.

The NHS is there for everyone, but private therapy is also there for everyone. Make sure you have all of the options available so that you can make the right decision for you.

If anyone is interested in therapy, at 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.

Chelmsford Therapy Rooms is owned and run by Jenny Hartill, an Integrative Counsellor and Hypnotherapist, who is happy to answer any questions!

One of the most popular issues I deal with just before, and then just after, the festive season is over-eating. A hypnotherapist is here to help you find out why you over-eat and analyse your behaviour patterns/thoughts/feelings around food and then explore how we can change the things that you want to using hypnosis, as well as teach you self regulation techniques so that you can still enjoy life and maintain a healthy lifestyle. The point I’m trying to make is that hypnotherapists are here to help, not to force you to be somebody you don’t recognise or don’t want to be. You may well look back and not recognise the person you were when you sought therapy, but that should be through positive eyes where you are happy with the person you have become and happy within yourself.

You need to find a therapist that you know is a professional, someone who can prove membership and insurance. This is why at Chelmsford Therapy Rooms all therapists are vetted so you can be sure you’re getting a professional.

Next: ‘Do I really need therapy?’. In a therapist’s eyes, seeking therapy isn’t about how sick you are or whether you’re wasting our time, because you are never wasting our time if you turn up to the session and work on whatever it is that you want to change. If you have behaviours/thoughts/feelings you feel are impacting upon you negatively and you want to address them and change, we’re here to help. We don’t judge how ‘sick’ someone is, so please don’t judge yourself in this way and try not to be so hard on yourself!

If you have back problems, you might not know what the cause is, but most people will seek help for the pain/lack of mobility from a chiropractor or physiotherapist who will use their expert training to help that person’s back feel better asap. So, if someone feels in emotional pain or that they need help with tackling negative Page 20

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Why Kindness Equals a Healthy Heart by Kellie Jones Without wishing to criticise our western ways of living, it has become increasingly clear to those who see through slightly bigger picture eyes that the more we focus on fear, hatred, blame and shame, the sicker and more depressed the population seems to get. I have expressed this before and maybe it’s just my belief but if it is true that what we focus on we get more of, then it’s time for us to focus on the opposite. Newsworthy or not, I am totally focussed on discovering, listening, reading and being more accepting, more loving, more responsible and to express more praise, regardless. This ultimately means that we just need more kindness in the world if we are to begin to heal the great gaping wounds that all the bad news is creating. My favourite experts on this subject, (so far), are David R Hamilton PhD and Gregg Braden.

These guys are pioneers in bridging the gap between science, spirituality and the ‘real world’. I have listened to many talks, podcasts and seminars, read books, attended workshops and researched for hundreds of hours on this subject and ultimately have practised living according to their theories. What I’ve discovered is that regardless of the fact that bad stuff will always happen in the cycle of life it’s how you perceive it, receive it and respond to it that matters. So whilst those who still are yet to awaken see loving kindness meditation as something men in orange robes who live in a cave for months on end do, it is now an actual science that thinking kind thoughts, sending kind thoughts and being kind can actually keep your heart healthy.

Here is an exert from The 5 Side Effects of Kindness by David R Hamilton: ‘On a biochemical level, it is believed that the good feeling we get is due to elevated levels of the brain’s natural versions of morphine and heroin, which we know as endogenous opioids. They cause elevated levels of dopamine in the brain and so we get a natural high, often referred to as ‘Helper’s High’. Acts of kindness are often accompanied by emotional warmth. Emotional warmth produces the hormone, oxytocin, in the brain and throughout the body. Of recent interest is its significant role in the cardiovascular system. Oxytocin causes the release of a chemical called nitric oxide in blood vessels, which dilates (expands) the blood vessels.

This reduces blood pressure and therefore oxytocin is known as a ‘cardioprotective’ hormone because it protects the heart (by lowering blood pressure).’

Today I witnessed the evidence of this when the Cool to Be Kind team presented 7-year old Jacob with a medal and a T-shirt for his acts of kindness. Jacob witnessed some homeless people in Brighton sleeping in scaffolding and he was so struck by this that he came home to Maldon and raised £3,000 in 3 months and spent it all on 138 rucksacks and supplies for the homeless in Essex and Brighton.

Whilst being filmed by BBC Essex at Sanctus in Chelmsford, Jacob said: “Homeless people are just humans with hearts like all of us...” and, “it’s easy to be kind”. This boy has the most open healthy

heart I’ve ever experienced and humbled every ‘adult’ in the room. He literally had the Ready Brek glow around him. I know that we all felt lifted just by being in his presence.

This is why I am part of the Cool to Be Kind team, focussed on encouraging more kindness in our community.

In fact just encouraging a sense of community is part of the way to being healthy and happier.

Feeling part of something, being included, recognised and accepted, are all part of self-compassion and actually decreases our cortisol levels and increases our oxytocin levels. At Hummingbird Pilates & Yoga, we encourage this and discourage self-deprecation. I believe this is part of the reason that people begin to feel better and heal up, not just because they are stretching and strengthening their muscles, but because they feel accepted and part of a kinder community.

With that I’d like to remind you that it’s your last chance to book our 30 Days of Unlimited Classes For £35 offer before the price increase in the New Year. I’d also like to wish you a festive season full of kindness and compassion for yourself and each other.

Peace and love to you all and see you again in 2018!

Book your 30 Days of Kindness at www.hummingbirdyoga.co.uk and check out the Cool to Be Kind Chelmsford page on Facebook for plenty of inspiring good deeds.

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The History of Marconi in Chelmsford Part Three - by Stephen Norris FG Kellaway, previously a Liberal MP, became the successor to Godfrey Isaacs as Managing Director of Marconi in 1924. The series of imperial radio stations across the empire were eventually built by Marconi despite initial opposition by the Post Office. A first beam station, using Marconi’s newly developed shortwave beam system, opened in 1926 in Canada. Developing the beam system came at considerable financial cost but proved very successful. The Government were keen however, to prevent the company getting into another monopoly situation. In 1928 a new company was formed that covered all the cable and wireless operations that carried messages across the empire. This included all the Marconi beam stations and in 1934 became Cable and Wireless Limited.

After 1916, all British ships had to be fitted with radios. As the only British company in a position to carry out these installations, this greatly benefitted Marconi. Despite the fact that it was a great aid to safety, the increase in the use of direction finding equipment on ships was slow before it eventually became compulsory in 1952.

It was later superseded by radar. Marconi was also involved with the development of radio telephones. These were widely used in the inter-war period for communication between lightships and the shore. The company was also involved with the use of automatic alarm systems on ships, as ships had to be always able to receive distress messages. Marconi produced small radio sets for life boats.

The first installation of a radio in a boat of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution was made in 1926. In 1923 the Weekly News reported proudly that wireless telephones manufactured at New Street were to be used by Scotland Yard for police purposes. Rapid transmission of messages with the descriptions of wanted men saved time.

Marconi’s entry into the manufacture of radio receiver sets was short lived. The Marconiphone sets, designed at Chelmsford, were made at Ilford by Plessey, research for the sets continued at New Street however. The Marconiphone Company was sold to the Gramophone Company in 1929 and the company itself never again attempted to sell radio sets to the general public. The Gramophone Company became part of EMI and they produced domestic sets until 1956 under the name of Marconiphone.

Marconi himself led a somewhat chequered life. His marriage was dissolved after he started a relationship with a new Italian girlfriend.

It was then discovered that he hadn’t been properly married in the first place and he married again in 1927. The Italians had given him a knighthood as early as 1897. In 1915 he was made a lieutenant in the Italian army, but during 1916 he transferred to the sea and was given the rank of commander. During 1923 he joined the Fascist Party and remained a Fascist for the rest of his life, although he claimed not to be interested in politics. He was made the first President of the Mussolini Royal Academy. In 1935 Mussolini invited his ‘friend’ to fight for Italy ‘not in the field in Africa, but over the

airwaves’ and Marconi was promoted to Rear Admiral. It is interesting to consider which side he would have chosen in the Second War if his health hadn’t broken down leading to his death from a heart attack in 1937. If he had lived beyond the outbreak of the war, would he have been interned if he had set foot on British soil? After his death, transmitters all over the world fell silent for two minutes.

Despite his failing health, the last ten years of his life saw Marconi continuing to work on all sorts of scientific developments. Much of this work was done on his yacht, Elettra. One of these areas of development was what was to become radar. As far back as 1916, Marconi and CS Franklin had found in their work on short waves that these were reflected back by objects in their path.

Charles Samuel Franklin spent his entire career with the company.

He had gone out to the Boer War to supervise transmissions and was credited a number of developments in radio including the Franklin Oscillator and the Franklin Beam Aerial. Little work was done on the phenomenon but the first mention of what was to become radar came at a lecture by Marconi in 1922. “In some of my tests I have noticed the effects of reflections of these waves by metallic objects miles away. It seems to me that it should be possible to design apparatus by means of which a ship could project a beam of these rays in any desired direction, which rays, if coming across an object, such as a steamer or ship, would be reflected back to a receiver on the sending ship and thereby immediately reveal the presence and bearing of another ship in fog or bad weather.”

In the 1930s as German rearmament, especially in terms of its air force, came to be seen as a threat, much attention was given to using these reflected rays to detect aircraft. This came after the idea of developing a ‘death ray’ was rejected as impractical. In 1935 a bomber was successfully detected after flying through a beam from the Marconi built station at Daventry. Marconi then built 250 foot high towers to track aircraft flying at over 1,500 feet and 75 miles away. This work resulted in the Chain Home Stations being built right across East and South East England by the start of the war. Each CH station had four 360 feet masts for transmission. Antenna wires were strung between these masts 180 feet apart and the returned signal was received on four separate 240 foot masts.

Only Marconi had the expertise in 1937 to fulfil the Government’s need for transmitter aerials for the CH beacons. After the first three stations were tested, a further 17 stations were commissioned. By 1938 Britain was covered by a system which could track aircraft up to 15,000 feet. Besides the development of antennae for radar, the firm also worked on a new valve called the magnetron which was at the heart of the radar system. Although invented by John Randall and Harry Boot outside the company, the ‘resonant’ cavity magnetron was produced in large numbers at Marconi, Chelmsford. This was capable of generating very powerful radio signals at very short wave lengths. The first magnetron ‘blocks’ were made under conditions of great secrecy at the firm’s laboratories at Great Baddow. A ‘block’ was the intricate copper machining which formed the anode for the magnetron. Initially only 20 per week could be made. The company was one of three main suppliers of magnetrons during the conflict.

After production was switched to a former van garage in Waterhouse Lane, a peak of 2,500 cavity magnetrons a month was reached by 1945.

The Marconi Company was also closely connected with the development of television, although Marconi himself was not interested in its research and the company never attempted to make receiver sets. John Logie Baird approached the company with his invention in 1926 but Marconi decided to set up its own research group. Again, Franklin was involved. During 1932, low definition television signals were sent from Chelmsford to Australia and the Marconi - EMI Company was set up to carry out further research. In

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1934 the Chronicle reported on a test transmission at Chelmsford where pictures were transmitted to an audience 100 feet away. It predicted a ‘tremendous future for television’. The BBC chose the Marconi - EMI system over that of Baird to launch its new service.

The first public service of high definition television programmes in the world started from the Alexandra Palace on the 2nd of November 1936.

It used an aerial and transmitters designed and manufactured at New Street. The chosen system was much more flexible than Baird’s and could transmit images simultaneously. Reception was only expected within a 25 mile radius, but pictures were actually seen as far away as Manchester. Franklin designed both the sound and vision antennae shortly before retiring in 1937. After trying both the Baird and Marconi - EMI systems, the latter was found to be far superior and was used for all programmes until the outbreak of war. Although the new TV service covered a quarter of the population, there were only 23,000 sets in use in 1939 and they were very expensive to buy. Marconi - EMI spent a great deal of money on new camera designs, better vacuums, new types of glassware, improving receiving cathode ray tubes and developing larger screens than the early seven inch ones. Much of this new technology was useful to radar and the Government requisitioned many of the scientists working for the joint company.

The company was certainly not immune to the depression, but a big issue of three million new shares cleared off its debt. Kellaway ruthlessly pruned the staff. Marconi’s problem was that all of its research normally took over 10 years before any commercial benefits were seen. Despite Kellway’s economies, profits fell from £796,000 in 1929 to £260,000 in 1935. The firm was now firmly a manufacturer of capital as opposed to consumer goods and its skilled craftsmen had remained faithful to ‘model shop’ methods of manufacture. There was no use of ‘conveyor belt’ production, which was by then used in many industries, including the production of radio receivers. Considerable pieces of equipment were built however. In 1930 for example the company built the then most powerful transmitter in the world for the Polish Broadcasting Corporation. It was 150 times more powerful than

that built for the first London broadcasting station.

In 1935 a Weekly News reporter was shown round the New Street works, where Marconi’s mammoth masts were in the process of being dismantled. The works then employed 1,250 people. Its basic layout was unchanged from when it was built, but it had almost doubled in size. Raw materials still arrived by train on a siding from the Chelmsford goods station. A power test room was used for medium sized and small transmitters, while the station test room was large enough to accommodate the biggest transmitters produced by the works.

Receivers and components were tested in the instrument area and large air-cooled, oil and water valves in the valve testing area.

The portable test area was mainly used for testing aircraft wireless apparatus and military equipment. A beam test area was a replica of a wireless station for testing beam apparatus. The paper noted that all of the planes of Imperial Airways carried Marconi apparatus and that the London Airport at Croydon was fitted with apparatus for communication with aircraft that was made at Chelmsford. He was shown a device called the echometer which measured the depth of water beneath a ship. At the time the firm was still using Hall Street as a laboratory as well as other laboratories at Writtle and Broomfield. The company’s college at Arbour Lane was training British Government and foreign users of Marconi apparatus, as well as Marconi engineers in the most up to date developments.

Financial problems didn’t prevent a big extension to the New Street works being carried out in 1937 and land was bought from Ridley and Son Limited. A four story building, Marconi House, was built and office staff transferred from London. This coincided with the introduction of new working conditions. A new pension scheme was introduced, along with a five day working week of 45 hours, and a five and a half week of 47 hours. New facilities were introduced for morning and afternoon tea and all workers were given a week’s holiday with pay. By this time Marconi’s social and sporting activities rivalled those of the Hoffmann Company.

r fe d f t O ite 5 n im £3 ie Cl Unl for w s ) Ne Day shipapply r s 30 mbe(ts &c Me

Pilates, Yoga, Meditation Book your space online or call: Small Classes & 1-2-1’s www.hummingbirdpilates.co.uk Inspirational Teachers 01245 422556 Friendly, Community Vibe Reeds Farm Estate, Writtle, CM1 2ST www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

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Machine Knitting is Making a Comeback Machine knitting is making a comeback in a big way it seems - it certainly is for me. I wanted one machine and ended up (by the good grace of some lovely people) with three. One of which is my dream machine, the Passap E6000. This was gifted to me by a complete stranger and I and my hubby are in the very exciting stages of cleaning/restoring it… It’s taking weeks due to the complexity and lack of time on our part, but it’s getting there. The engineering aspect of these (and all, actually) knitting machines is amazing… wow, what a piece of work it is - and don’t do this dismantling thing at home, WITHOUT the manual! Ha!

let me know if you already have one or the details of one you go to and I’ll see you there.

Anyway, I am so so so looking forward to getting my own designs out there. Meanwhile, with my brushing the rust off and getting into the flow (sometimes not so zen, but hey) of knitting, and all the excitement of it and all the future projects I have already produced in my mind, I have discovered a dearth in this area of active groups, supplies, teachers, helping hands etc. There are some groups in Essex, but none in Chelmsford, Braintree or Witham to my knowledge.

The lovely Edwina of the Guild of Machine Knitters has helped me over the phone but I can go no further until my machine is looked at.

I am thinking that I cannot be the only one in this situation? Are you interested in becoming part of a group? Or perhaps you would kindly

I recently met a lady in a shop in Chelmsford who used to knit professionally, supplying local shops etc with knitwear from her machines. She is very interested in coming along and has said she would be happy to teach and give whatever advice as and when needed. Whoop whoop!

I live near Great Leighs and I would be happy to host a gathering or to arrange one in Chelmsford/Braintree/Witham or somewhere else local if anyone out there is interested. I hasten to add, I am not a teacher or an expert by any means, I just think it would be a good idea to see how many other machine knitters are out there reading this. Apart from having all the advantages of brainstorming and a friendly ear or helping hand, there can be coffee and cake.

Let me know if you are interested or have any information on existing happenings. Thank you so much. I look forward to our adventures around the gate pegs.

Contact: Catherine, 07889 514 749 or email merry.cath@gmail.com.

The Chelmsford Ballet Company

The Chelmsford Ballet Company, calling the city its home for almost seventy years, will be performing as guests of the Hutton and Shenfield Choral Society on Saturday 23rd December at the Brentwood Centre.

The company will be performing excerpts from its 2017 Alice’s Adventures, ahead of its highly anticipated production of Snow Queen, which will run at the Civic Theatre, Chelmsford from 21st - 24th March 2018.

In the perfect prelude to the Christmas season, the company’s dancers will perform at the Brentwood Centre as part of a special evening of family-filled festivities, with performances interspersed with carols and music from the Aurelian Symphony Orchestra. To book tickets, visit www.ticketsource.co.uk/ huttonshenfieldchoralsociety.

The company’s full length production of Snow Queen will run from 21st - 24th March 2018 at the Civic Theatre in Chelmsford, Essex.

Tickets are now on sale - contact the box office on 01245 606 505 or visit www.chelmsford.gov.uk/theatres/whats-on/dance/snowqueen.

The amateur company prides itself on its professional standards, and requires dancers to audition before joining. Dancers are then eligible to audition for the annual production, which is the pride of the company, its committee, and the residents of Chelmsford. www.thechelmsfordballetcompany.co.uk

January/February Issue Deadlines: Artwork - 11th January Articles - 3rd January

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New Race for Life Kids Event Launched in Chelmsford CHELMSFORD boys and girls are being invited to get muddy for a good cause at a brand new event from Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life. The city has been chosen to host Race for Life Pretty Muddy Kids for the first time at Hylands Park on Sunday 22nd July.

Pretty Muddy Kids is a new exciting obstacle course designed just for children with added mud, thrills and spills. From scramble nets and space hoppers to mud chutes and muddy pools, children will face a range of fun and muddy obstacles to crawl under, clamber over and charge through.

The Race for Life family of events also includes the traditional 5k, 10k and Pretty Muddy courses, which thousands of women will take part in at the same venue on Sunday 22nd July.

By taking part in Pretty Muddy Kids, children in Chelmsford can have fun with friends and help raise valuable funds to beat cancer sooner at the same time. Money raised will help Cancer Research UK scientists find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease, helping save more lives.

Gill Burgess, Cancer Research UK’s Chelmsford Event Manager, said: “We can’t wait to bring Race for Life Pretty Muddy Kids to the city for the very first time. The obstacle course promises plenty of fun, thrills and spills and we hope children will rally their friends, family and schoolmates to sign up and make a splash for Cancer Research UK. Race for Life events are not competitive and children can complete the Pretty Muddy Kids course at their own pace - climbing, jumping, walking and laughing their way around. Whether they plan to wade their way through the mud or make a big splash, every muddy step they take will help to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.”

This January (1st - 31­st January), Chelmsford women are being offered 30% off entry fees for Race for Life 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy, Pretty Muddy Kids, Half Marathon and Hike events.

To enter Race for Life Pretty Muddy Kids today, go to raceforlife.org or call 0300 123 0770.

People in Chelmsford who are looking to make a resolution with a difference, and connect with their local community, are being urged to volunteer at Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life. By signing up to Race for Life’s volunteer team and joining the fight against cancer, Chelmsford’s men and women will be playing a crucial part in beating this devastating disease.

As the countdown starts to the 5k, 10k and Pretty Muddy events at Hylands Park on Sunday 22nd July, organisers are calling on people to sign up as helpers at raceforlife.org Gill Burgess, Cancer Research UK’s Chelmsford Event Manager, said: “This New Year, why not make a pledge to make a difference.

Whatever time and skills you have to share, we’ve got the perfect role for you and there is training available on the day. The atmosphere promises to be electric as people from all walks of life unite in the fight against cancer. We’re calling on local men and women to get stuck in, cheer as loud as they can and help motivate our inspirational participants all the way to the finish line.”

Race for Life Events in Chelmsford 5k Events in Essex Sunday 22nd July 2018 at Hylands Park, Chelmsford 10k Events in Essex Sunday 22nd July 2018 at Hylands Park, Chelmsford Pretty Muddy Events in Essex Sunday 22nd July 2018 at Hylands Park, Chelmsford Ten things to know about Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life Pretty Muddy

One in two people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer at some stage in their lives, but the good news is that more people are surviving the disease now than ever before. Cancer survival in the UK has doubled since the early 1970s and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of that progress.

Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, in partnership with Tesco, is an inspiring women-only series of 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy, Half Marathon and Hiking events which raise millions of pounds every year to help beat cancer sooner by funding vital research.

Cancer Research UK’s life-saving work relies on the public’s support.

Thanks to the generosity of its supporters, the charity was able to spend over £49 million last year in East Anglia on some of the UK’s leading scientific and clinical research - helping more men, women and children survive.

Gill continued: “Pretty Muddy Kids has all the fun and camaraderie of our much loved Pretty Muddy events - but with an extra dose of muddy fun for the little ones. It promises to be a fantastic event for all the family, so we urge people across the city to sign up right now.”

The entry fee for Pretty Muddy Kids is £10.00. The event is open to boys and girls aged from 5 to 12 years old and there is a minimum height requirement of 1.2m. All children must be accompanied by a supervising adult, who have free entry to the event.

1. Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life is a series of fun and inspiring women-only events raising money for research to help beat over 200 types of cancer.

2. Pretty Muddy is an exciting, mud splattered addition to the Race for Life family - which also includes 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy Kids, Half Marathon and Hiking challenges.

3. Pretty Muddy is a women-only, non-competitive 5k obstacle course - with added mud, thrills and spills. The event is open to women and girls aged 13 and over.

4. Participants will face a number of messy and muddy obstacles to climb over, crawl under and charge through - plus a few surprises in between!

5. Participants can tackle the course at their own pace. It isn’t about blood, sweat and tears - it’s about fun, friendship and fundraising to help beat cancer sooner. This year, there are 88 epic Pretty Muddy events across the UK. 6. Boys and girls can also get muddy for a good cause and take part in Pretty Muddy Kids - a new exciting obstacle course designed just for children aged 5 to 12 years old.

7. Volunteers play a vital part in the success of Pretty Muddy events - there are roles for both men and women, and it’s a great way to connect with your local community.

8. Look the part on event day with the official Pretty Muddy merchandise range - from slogan T-shirts and vests to wristbands and accessories.

9. Money raised through Race for Life will help Cancer Research UK scientists find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease, helping save more lives.

10. Signing up to take part couldn’t be easier - simply visit raceforlife.org or call 0300 123 0770.

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Rotary Lights up Chelmsford in Essex.

Throughout the year Rotary organises a number of competitions for young people and the concert in Chelmsford Cathedral presented an opportunity to bring together some of the participants and winners. There really is a wealth of talent out there and the concert consisted entirely of young performers. Ethan Huang, our district’s representative in the National Finals of Rotary Young Musician, gave a brilliant piano recital of three intricate pieces, and vocalist winner, Abbie Ward, sang beautifully to us as did another soloist, Jessica Edom. Another instrumentalist, Christopher Wilkin, treated us to a rendition of Bach’s Cello Suite in G which really held the audience.

Youth Speak winners, Millie Mitchell and Jack Boulter, read the winning entries of the Rotary Young Writer competition and this combination enthralled the audience. On top of this, the Southend High School for Boys Chamber Choir (which included lots of girls) and High Mead Vocal Group led the audience in traditional carols and also some classical pieces. All the music was enhanced by the wonderful acoustics in the cathedral.

In 2014/15 I was District Governor and in that particular year Rotary brought in a theme ‘Light up Rotary’. This was open to individual interpretation and I looked upon it as a message to illuminate the work being accomplished by Rotarians and thereby raise its public profile. During the past week, entirely different connotations have arisen as Chelmsford clubs have been out and about lighting up.

As is often the case, the by-product of these events is to raise money for worthy causes, and the beneficiaries were Age UK Essex and Changing Pathways which supports people experiencing domestic abuse.

Members of the five Chelmsford based clubs, admirably led by Chelmsford Phoenix, were out in force on Sunday 26th November in support of the Mayor’s charities for the year. From a stall in the High Street they sold mince pies, cookies, mulled wine and non-alcoholic hot drinks to busy shoppers prior to the official turning on of the Christmas lights. A magnificent profit of £1,985 was raised and this will be handed over to the Mayor shortly.

Besides acknowledgements by District Governor Nick Sillitoe and Inner Wheel Chair Celia Clark, the final vote of thanks was made by Chairman of Essex County Council, John Aldridge, who thanked the participants, the organisers and the helpers for a quite magnificent evening’s entertainment. I spoke to the Mayor and Mayoress during the interval and they stressed how much they enjoy these occasions.

It might be part of their civic duties, but witnessing the talent of these 11-18 year olds is not a task to be endured - it is something to look forward to and they were not disappointed.

Charities which will benefit are Age Concern Essex, Mencap Chelmsford City and Columbus School. As it happens, these are all charities that are supported independently by Rotary. It came as a bit of a surprise to us at some talks a year or so back that if you make a donation to Age Concern or to Mencap, the local branch will not see any of the money as it goes into the general pot, so it is essential that you specify the local branch if that is where you would like your money to go.

So Rotary was there for turning on the Christmas lights, but where else could Rotarians be seen lighting up? This was a more metaphorical meaning and occurred at Chelmsford Cathedral on Tuesday 28th November when Rotary and its sister organisation, Inner Wheel, joined forces to illuminate the special talent of our youngsters

I think both these recent events demonstrate how Rotary helps to light up our community and it is never-ending. Very soon the 2018 competitions will begin and the cycle restarts. If you would like to know more about how you could be involved, either with young people or other groups, visit www.rotary1240.org or phone me, Stan Keller, on 01245 260 349. You will help bring smiles to a lot of faces, not least your own.

Lastly, on Monday 22nd January 2018 it is Holocaust Memorial Day at Chelmsford City Council Chambers, Duke Street, 7pm for 7.30pm.

Entry free but ONLY by prior reservation at events@chelmsford.gov. uk. Hear personal testimony from a survivor. Essential to book early as limited space.

Stan Keller

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My Top Baby Buys for a Better Night’s Sleep - by Eleanor Searle My plan this month was to write about sleep regression, which for those of you who don’t have children is a phase that babies go through (for the first time) at about 3-4 months, where they wake up every few hours. They do this it seems, to keep you on your toes, just when you think that you’ve got bedtime sussed. Consequently, largely due to a lack of sleep and the inevitable rush to get this written before I’m needed again, I thought I’d share with you my favorite baby sleep enhancing purchases between the age of 0 and 6 months and save the serious business of the trials and tribulations of getting a baby to sleep for next time and in fact, next year.

I had put together this list for a friend of mine who is due to give birth very soon, but here it is for all of you who might also be in the same boat.

A Snuzpod is a lovely alternative to a Moses basket that sits next to your bed and unzips so that you can slide your little angel towards you for feeding and cuddles in the middle of the night. It is well made, practical, stylish and has a mesh window that lets you see your baby without having to get up and peer into their cot. Available at John Lewis and Amazon for £199 and in my mind worth the investment.

However, if you opt to use it with a Sleepyhead mattress, you won’t be able to see your baby through the mesh panel as easily, as the Sleepyhead sides come up to the middle of the Snuzpod window. Still

my baby slept happily in both, until he hit sleep regression and barely slept at all, without a fight and the help of my next recommendation.

Ollie the Owl, by the Grow Company, is a sleep aid with a cry sensor.

It really helped my little one to settle, particularly when set to white noise. Obviously, he still woke up for feeding and nappy changes but it did seem to help settle him back to sleep quickly if he woke up.

Well worth £34.99 and in fact my mum bought it for me and told me that she was investing in the hope of me getting some more sleep, an investment that paid off!

The other lovely calming product that I brought (for both parents and their babies) is the DSTANA night lamp and star light projector, £20.99 from Amazon. I used this when feeding my newborn as a great alternative to turning the main light or bedside light on. It projects a starry sky in a range of colours and is both mesmerising and calming. Initially, he obviously couldn’t see it as babies can’t see very far, but now it definitely helps to keep him either calm or amused, depending on which colours I set up.

I hope that this helps some of you to get a better night’s sleep or at least that if you buy a projector, you enjoy looking at it yourself. We’ve recently brought some at Hummingbird Pilates and Yoga, as they’re also really good for promoting relaxation, something that all of us need, regardless of whether or not we are try to get a baby to go to sleep!

Locating Your Business in the Countryside

Rural offices available outside Chelmsford With increasing traffic and limited parking in the city, it is now becoming an appealing option for businesses to locate their set-up in the countryside. Technology advances resulting in fast internet connections in remote locations means this is now a viable option.

Strutt and Parker (Farms) Ltd, a farming business, first diversified into rural offices creating the Whitbreads brand in 2011. Managing Director Charlie Fillingham, who initiated the project gives the reasons behind it: “We had attractive redundant farm buildings that we wanted to make use of and providing rural offices for businesses seemed the way forward. It was important to us to offer high quality offices with charm and character.” Their most recent project, completed last year, comprised of a converted old Dutch Barn, a unique building giving a great first impression.

Whitbreads has several business centres located 15 minutes outside of Chelmsford in the picturesque countryside, making it an idyllic place to work. The easy commute for employees and hassle-free parking means that everyone can arrive at work feeling relaxed and ready to start the day. One tenant explains their reasons for choosing their office here: “Having looked at office space in surrounding towns, we chose the Dutch Barn because it gives our business, Heavyweight Digital, a home we can be proud of. Every client who has ever visited has been wowed by the location, surroundings, standard of the building and our office space.”

With one office site having up to 35 offices, there is a real sense of community and it creates great networking opportunities. Businesses include financial services, business consultants, estate agents, interior designers and charities. The size of the offices start from 110 ft² and go up to 900 ft², making it suitable for either a small start-up business moving away from home, or a larger business looking to house a number of employees.

For more information on available offices please call 01245 363 030, or email sophie.rooney@spfarms.co.uk.

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Stargazing with Mark Willis - November/December December 31st at 05:00: Looking southeast - if you’re lucky enough to have recovered from the bleary eyes of Christmas - this very early morning in the constellation of Libra you will see Mars. It will appear to be heading towards Jupiter. Jupiter will appear south-southeast and will appear much brighter than Mars. Mars is a tiny planet compared to Jupiter and is about two-thirds the size of the Earth.

How would you like to look through a telescope at the Moon, the planets or even other galaxies? The North Essex Astronomical Society invites you along to their public star gazing nights. There are 4 dates for 2018:

Saturday 20th January Saturday 24th February Saturday 17th March Saturday 21th April

Newlands Spring Primary School Yoga

Year 6 pupils at Newlands Spring Primary School are really feeling the benefits of their weekly yoga and mindfulness sessions. Here are some of the pupils’ feedback comments.

“Yoga is nice and peaceful, the exercises are fun.”

“Yoga helps you to calm down if you are in a bad mood.”

“I used the calming down mantra before a football match and it really helped!”

“We practise lots of different positions, it really helps if you are trying to get to sleep.”

“It really helps you work and stretch all of your muscles, I really look forward to yoga on Wednesdays!”

Thanks for another enjoyable session!”

Stow Maries’ Neighbours Day! The popular Airman’s Mess Café at the Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome is now fully central heated. Our new heating system has been installed thanks to a significant grant from the ECC Community Initiative Fund and was commissioned last weekend. This is a significant step forward for the charity. It will enable us to use the evocative World War One building for many more community and social activities, as well as welcome regular visitors for lunch or a cup of coffee and piece of cake or homemade scone.

The stargazing sessions are held at Great Notley Discovery Park. For more information search ‘north essex astronomy’ and once on the site, see the stargazing page.

New Moon: On January 17th 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 on 104.4 FM and online at chelmsfordcommunityradio.com.

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

During the class, the pupils learn to use breathing techniques to calm down and manage their emotions, as well as building up strength and flexibility.

“I take the children on adventures through the jungle or under the sea and use a range of animal poses and characters to teach them yoga as well as build resilience. The children are finding that the mindfulness approach is really helping them to deal with difficult situations at school and at home,” Catherine explains. “The benefits of yoga and mindfulness for improving mental health are well known, and these sessions can really help improve pupils’ ability to focus.”

Catherine Eubanks is available to teach yoga and mindfulness in primary schools in and around the Chelmsford area. Email to find out more information at catherine.bestyoga4kids@gmail.com. knowledgeable volunteers. The Neighbours Day was supported by a grant from SHARE East.

Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome is now open Friday - Sunday until April, with a brief break over January. During open days, there is free admission to the shop and The Mess. Just collect a wristband from the shop on arrival.

Just this Sunday over 100 neighbours, bordering farmers and local residents accompanied by their families, visited the historic aerodrome for its first Neighbours Day. They discussed the recent successes of this internationally important site and chatted about current issues, such as planning applications with trustees, volunteers and staff over a cup of tea. This enabled the community to give their input to the future plans for the site, and have their views heard by the trust itself in the warmth of a Great War era building.

Visitors also had the opportunity to be hands on with objects from the collections and were given tours by the army of enthusiastic and

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Olivia Lizard Roman Rabbit Orange Kevin Kennedy The Beatles Cinquain Australian Mousetrap Long word George Cole Marlene

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Type of boat Ugli fruit Destruction Zoo Quest Early camera Jeremy Vine Dame Vera Lynn Camera The Medway John Nettles Trombone 50

26. Mathematical bridge 27. Toulouse 28. 5 29. The fear of blood 30. Michael Elphick 31. Types of knots 32. Copper 33. Decorates houses with plaster pictures 34. WW1

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Certificate Hands on hips Clara Bow Selfridges Henry Walton The rouble

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