The City Times - February/March 2021 - Online Only

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The City Times

Including: Boreham, Broomfield, Danbury, Great Baddow, Maldon, South Woodham Ferrers, The Walthams and Writtle Online Only Lockdown Issue Issue Number 88 - February 18th - March 17th 2021

Sunglasses with a twist

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Lingaury a New Upcoming and Unique Fashion Brand

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Lingaury Is a New Upcoming Brand Featuring Uniquely Designed Products Who We Are Lingaury is a new brand, with uniquely designed products, ranging from the graphic range of hoodie dresses and matching handbags to the most daring, yet equally sophisticated ladies’ heel - with the ultimate kick.

to capture with our handbags and hoodie dresses as well as our handpicked sunglasses, brightly coloured wigs and perfectly styled shoes with a kick.

We also specialise in our own extraordinary range of sunglasses and brightly coloured wigs, geared towards those who love to stand out as being truly different.

Lingaury welcomes all!

What Is Our Story?

Our story is one with a difference. Too often we are content to just wonder what it is like to dare to be different in our style and our fashion sense, and to contemplate what a move away from the fashion norms might be.

The intent behind the incredible unique Lingaury brand is to allow you to do just that, regardless of whether your style and personality are naturally daring.

We at Lingaury aim to empower women to not only love themselves, but also to accept that there are no boundaries as to where a strong sense of self can take you.

We have sought to fuse fashion with creative design and imagination aimed at capturing the attention of everyone.

In essence, winter does not have to be dreary, and as for summers, well the sky’s the limit!

Lingaury’s aim with each of its unique designs is to facilitate those who want to have either the best of both worlds, as professionals maintaining their own sense of fashion, and to compliment those who simply wish to be noticed and stand out from the crowd. By the way, Lingaury does also cater for those who are not so daring too...

Our idea is that being daringly different is the power to accept that you love everything about you and love everything about the difference in you. This is exactly what Lingaury has sought

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When personally designed and branded by Lingaury, our products capture our specific customer’s individual and daring personality, charisma and charm. Lingaury seeks to present to you something which is not just unique, but bold, untamed, loud, soft, diverse - and best of all - it’s you!

So regardless of who you are and where you are from, whether you’re big or small, short or tall, youthful or maybe slightly less youthful, whatever your background or inclinations are, Lingaury caters for everyone.

The packaging of our products also exemplifies the same vitality, personality and difference of our founder. We believe that each customer deserves an experience upon purchase and that is why every item purchased from Lingaury comes uniquely packaged as its own brand, for the ultimate retail experience.

Join us on this incredible journey and receive 20% off store-wide by visiting our website at www.lingaury.com.

Please do follow us on social media too!

Instagram: @lingary Facebook: www.facebook.com/lingaury Twitter: @lingaury

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City Times Intro Hello readers, Due to the continuation of the national lockdown, we are online only again this month unfortunately. We will see what the next annoucement contains and hopefully be back in print soon!

Stay safe!

Regards Paul & Nick www.thecitytimes.co.uk | www.moulshamtimes.com Advertising Editorial Nick Garner Paul Mclean 07970 206682 01245 262082 / 07595 949701 ads@itsyourmedia.co.uk editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk

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

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City Times Food Master Frittata! - by Lisa Whittle Frittata is one of those things that I’d never quite got round to making. Is it an omelette?

Is it a Spanish tortilla?

What’s the difference? Well, it turns out - not a lot! Except it is Italian rather than Spanish.

It’s an egg-bake filled with yummy vegetables, herbs, and a bit of cheese, and possibly meat like ham or salami. It’s a form of open (not folded) omelette with a fluffy texture and rich creamy flavour somewhere between an omelette and a quiche.

There are very few rules and lot of possibilities. Having given frittata some lockdown attention I can definitely say it’s worth mastering and holds a lot of potential - hot or cold - for quick tasty brunches, suppers and emergency healthy snacks cold from the fridge. I have been pleasantly surprised.

What You Will Need A lot of eggs… How many depends on what size but expect to use around a half a dozen eggs for 3 or 4 portions. A bit like making a two-egg omelette per person. You can cook a larger frittata than you will eat in one go and eat the rest cold from the fridge over the next day or two, or re-heat.

You will need some extra fluid; you can use water, but recommended most often is dairy, which could be milk, cream or sour cream, or crème fraîche. I found a recipe using almond milk and this worked well. The trick is not to put in too much extra fluid - quarter of a cup per six eggs ie is just over 50ml.

Too much and it will be soggy and hard to set - not enough and it will be dry.

Another trick is to beat or whisk the egg mixture really well this makes your frittata light and fluffy. Plenty of seasoning and flavouring comes next and this goes in the egg mixture and should be mixed in well.

This means quality natural salt, freshly ground black pepper, perhaps a clove or two of crushed fresh garlic or, use garlic granules or garlic salt, and I love plenty of smoked paprika.

If you’re using fresh chopped Chop your ingredients and fry in olive oil if green herbs, they you wish (as I was using the microwave I can go in at this didn’t on this occasion) point too. I find

fresh chopped dill to be yummy, coriander or parsley always works and maybe a little mint is worth a try too depending on what else you plan to put in. Chopped sundried tomatoes, halved cherry tomatoes and sliced olives can promote a mediterranean feel too.

Next to think about is what goes in it - and this is where you can have some fun. You can literally put anything into your frittata that you have to hand; use up leftovers or plan and follow a recipe that catches your attention.

I like a combination of plenty of light, tasty vegetables, such as tenderstem broccoli and asparagus, finely I used chopped tenderstem broccoli chopped with onion, peas, red pepper and and asparagus. All the chunky ingredients are added together in a feta cheese for its tangy flavour. The cheese you heatproof dish add to the dish should be able to melt just enough and have a strong flavour but not melt too much - so avoid processed cheese! Strong grated cheddar works well.

If you are looking for something more substantial you can add in fried, sliced or diced potatoes, as we associate with Spanish tortilla or pre-cooked pasta (it is Italian after all).

How to Cook It The main difference between a tortilla and a frittata is in how the eggs are finished.

Both preparations begin with the eggs and filling cooked on the stove in a frying pan. But whereas the frittata is finished in the oven or under a grill, Spanish tortillas are flipped and finished on the stove.

In fact, as I discovered from a house guest (and confirmed by googling), both can in fact be cooked in the microwave, or at least given a head start, and I did that here for speed.

Start by frying anything that needs frying, such as onions, peppers, potatoes, in olive oil. Garlic can be fried at this point or simply cooked in the egg mixture.

The word ‘frittata’ actually comes from the Italian word for fry and was originally a general term for cooking eggs in a pan

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- even fried eggs.

Then in the last fifty years or so the term ‘frittata’ in Italian has come to mean specifically the dish we are talking about here.

You’ll need plenty of eggs…frittata is great to use up any you have spare

I think it goes well with salad, maybe chips too and I love it with garlic mayonnaise.

If you do manage to save some, it stores well for future snacks.

Add in the rest of the vegetables you plan to use and the cheese and stir in the seasoned and whisked egg mixture and mix well.

Cook the mixture slowly over a low heat for 5 to 15 minutes until the underside is cooked, but the top is still runny.

Mastering frittata is well worth the effort!

Out of the microwave 15 minutes later, veg cooked and eggs firm. You may need to keep checking on it in 5 minute bursts

Either at this point transfer to a hot oven (and it helps if you have used an iron pan here that can go safely into an oven) or place under a grill.

The idea here is to set the top part. Or you can do what I did here and cook your Make sure you season the egg mixture frittata in the well - salt and pepper, spices and fresh microwave by mixing any fried herbs ingredients with the vegetables and cheese, stirring through the egg mixture.

Ready to serve...

I found cooking it for 5 minutes at a time then checking on it then cooking for a further 5 minutes worked well. In fact, mine needed 15 minutes or more in the microwave to thoroughly cook.

Let it cool slightly before slicing into Out of the microwave 15 minutes later, pizza sized wedges veg cooked and eggs firm. You may and devouring! need to keep checking on it in 5 minute bursts

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It goes well with salad and garlic mayonnaise!

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Nick’s Music and Ramblings What a good way to start this article, as I have just had my first coronavirus jab, which yes, I know, it does mean I am old - but I don’t care!

I don’t care as I see this as being a glimmer of light at the end of a very long tunnel. I was thrilled when I got the text inviting me to have my vaccination and at the same time a little apprehensive having heard differing reports from people that I know who have had it. It happened late on a Friday afternoon. l went along on my own and waited in a queue for about 30 minutes, then went in and answered a few questions then had my jab - no problem, I got told to sit in my car for 15 minutes before going anywhere which I did and now a few days on I have had no problems, thankfully. So now I just have to wait to get a date for number 2, but now I feel like there is an even bigger light at the end of that long tunnel. Great news that the 15 million target was hit early as well and that they continue to motor forward with further vaccinations.

We are now looking at the schools returning in early March and hopefully the retail sector to follow soon after and then the hospitality sector - and let’s hope the arts will follow as well. With the vaccinations going strong we can look forward and not backwards to getting bacl to what will be a ‘new normal’ as it will never be the same again, I feel.

There are still events and stuff going on although it is mainly online. So much online has changed and moved forward as the past 12 months have unwound. I have learnt so much and I am still learning and finding new programmes to get to grips with. I wonder: if this had happened before the Internet and mobile phones, what would we have done - how would we have coped? I think that is another whole topic of conversation and an interesting one I think. One maybe to discuss another time...

We are where we are, and life has been able to continue although ‘virtually’ in the main, which is a little odd, as I and I know so many of you miss that real interaction and being able to hug each other or just shake hands or get a pat on the back.

As I am writing this it is the last day for voting in the UK Blues Awards for which I and my Isolation Festival are finalists for Best Festival of 2020 Live or Virtual. It is something that I never even considered being part of or getting close to as there are 900 members who put names forward. The top 5 are then picked as finalists - and up my name came! To say I was blown away is an understatement, as I feel these are very credible awards. Now it is a wait to see what happens, but to have just been a finalist is plenty enough for me.

With awards stuff set aside, I, along with my mate Jevon who assists me with the streams, continue to put on shows for free, mainly on a Sunday from 5pm - and yes they are live!

We have been putting on a mixture of styles, from BJ Cole on pedal steel to solo/duo acoustic (original and cover) acts.

We not only stream via Facebook, but we also stream via our Black Frog Presents YouTube channel where you can always Page 6

catch up on previous shows. The plan is that when we can return to proper live shows, we will be streaming them online as well, although these will be on a pay to view basis. I am currently very busy in duscussions with acts and lining these up to play at Chelmsford City Football Club on Fridays. I hope we can do the odd Sunday festival too as we have in the past.

There is also much discussion and debate going on regarding artists being able to tour and perform across the EU. This is an industry that is worth £111 billion a year to the UK economy, making it, I believe, one of the top earners for the UK. So this issue needs to be addressed urgently now and not tomorrow for the sake of everyone. This is not just about the artists, it is about all of those involved around the artists, like assistants, roadies, transport crew, riggers and all other road crew, as well as the many other areas of support. We in the UK are world leaders in most areas of the arts.

I have a lot of friends who rely on playing in the EU and at present it is out of reach. If you take a Spanish visa with a work permit, it will cost each person around £600 which could easily mean they will potentially be out of work.

That said, I hope we are all eventually looking forward to a better world ahead of us all. With the vaccination programme doing very well - lets hope it works for us all and lets us get back to a normal life and that people do not go crazy as before and set us back once again.

The City Times is hoping to be back in print and on the streets again next month, but we have to wait to hear the update on Monday 22nd February form the Government.

Please do keep an eye out online for what I have planned and others as well, as there is so much more than just music happenning. In fact, there is just about anything you can think of that is now being streamed online, from yoga, to cookery, to exercise, to crafts, to self-help, to art and so much more... Just go and search for whatever or whoever you are interested in and I am sure you will find it online. Please see my links below to be kept up to speed of where we are and what we have planned entertainment-wise.

It would be fantastic if you could share both our magazines the City Times and Moulsham Times for us. We continue to publish both online at www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia. If you are interested in advertising with us, please contact us at ads@ itsyourmedia.co.uk, or if you have a comment or an article please send to editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk and we will reply to you as soon as we can.

Stay safe and well please, and let’s start to get ready for the big celebration when we can finally see the other side of all this - as we know that is going the biggest party ever.

For all my updates and information visit Black Frog Bands: www.blackfrogbands.co.uk or www.facebook.com/ blackfrogbands The Isolation Festival/blackfrogbands page can be found at www.bit.ly/3cDoCYW. We are now on YouTube as well; go to www.youtube.com/ blackfrogpresents/ My new band page for Yes It Is can be found at www.facebook. com/yesitis.

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City Times Gardening As I write, the weather has warmed up after the recent snow. If the weather stays warmer, I believe it is time to get out into the garden and do a good clean through, clearing any debris from the surface of beds and borders, pruning, tying in climbers and wall shrubs and planting.

At this time of year I always do a check through the various clematis that I have. For ease, they are divided into three groups for the purposes of pruning.

Group 1 Early flowering clematis such as Clematis montana, C. alpina, C. armandii, C. macropetala and their cultivars are fairly vigorous and require a large area in which to grow.

They flower on previous season’s wood and require little or no pruning. They can be pruned hard as a renovation measure but are not guaranteed to survive this! For the time being leave well alone until flowering has finished.

On the other hand, the two remaining groups needs further attention.

Group 2 Large and often double flowered Clematis such as C. ‘The

President’, C. ‘Nelly Moser’, C ‘Niobe’, C ‘Vyvyan Pennell’ flower on both this and last season’s wood. They have two flushes of flowers, in June/July and September/October. In February, cut all stems back to the first pair of healthy fat buds and remove dead, weak or damaged stems.

Group 3 20% discount when you Late flowering clematis such as C. ‘Jackmanii’, C. ‘Hagley Hybrid’ C. tangutica and C. viticella flower on this season’s mention Mousham Times! wood.

• Trees • Pruning • Hedges • Roots Removed • Topping • Patios This group is easy to prune, cut back to a bud 15-30cm above • Rotovating • Turfing • Fencing • Garden Design • Decking soil level in the spring before new growth commences.

• Block Paving • Tar & Shingle • Guttering • Chimney Repairs • Building Work• Roofing • Fascias & Soffits • Drainage solutions Aside from these rampant climbers, do not forget roses.

At this time of year ALL can be pruned (with a few subtle differences according to type).

Over 25 years experieince

Climbing Roses The majority of climbing roses are ‘modern climbers’ and they flower on this season’s wood. Older varieties should be pruned in autumn rather than spring.

Climbing roses need to establish a permanent framework of canes, and these should be trained along a wall or fence as horizontal as possible. This increases the number of flowers by breaking apical dominance.

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Once the framework is established, cut the laterals back to three buds from the main cane and remove one or two of the older canes at ground level in spring.

Rambling Roses Rambling roses are distinct from climbers as they tend to have thinner lax canes. They may be pruned in a similar manner but this may be difficult due to their rampant growth.

If more practical, a thorough dead-heading in the autumn will

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suffice.

Shrub Roses The pruning of shrub roses is quite different from the pruning of bush roses. Shrub roses flower on both last season’s and this season’s wood according to the individual groups, but they can be treated in a similar manner.

If you have not done so already, prune the lateral shoots by shortening them by roughly half.

In addition, some canes should be removed to ground level to encourage new vigorous growth. It is important to retain the height of the rose, as excessive pruning will result in a plant that is all leaf and no flower.

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Bush Roses These flower on current season’s wood and are pruned in early spring. Shoots may be reduced by a quarter in autumn to prevent wind rock. In mild areas plants may have started into growth by March, so pruning in late February is preferable. In colder areas, prune in March as this allows time for growth before the flowering season in June/July.

Lastly, check out this link for further jobs for the garden as we move through February: www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/ february.

Happy gardening For any gardening tips. please contact Tom Cole, Horticultural Lecturer, Capel Manor College, Bullsmoor Lane, Enfield, Middlesex, EN1 4RR, or email tom.cole@capel.ac.uk.

Begin pruning by removing the 3Ds - dead, diseased and damaged wood.

Remove any crossing canes and those that are growing towards the centre of the bush. Aim to develop an open centred or vase shaped bush to increase air circulation and discourage diseases such as blackspot and mildew.

Select 6 to 8 young, strong, well-spaced canes (remove older canes at ground level) and prune these to approximately 30 cm above ground level, cutting to an outward facing bud.

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Moulsham Times Poetry Competition

The categories are: Under 11s 12-17s 18s and over The poems will be judged by Rosie from www.personalpoems.co.uk and the winner from each category will have their poem published M in the Moulsham Times in May. You can submit one poem per person and email paul@moulshamtimes.com with your entry.

The poem can be on any subject you wish. If you are in the under 11s or 12-17s category please include your age.

Closing date for the competition will be 15th April with the winning poems being published in the May edition.

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City Times History

Agriculture in the Chelmsford area (Part One) - by Stephen Norris ‘Besides, the prospect of earning from ten to twelve shillings a week and ending up in the workhouse is not particularly exhilarating...’

The next six articles are not just concerned with agriculture in the rural area around Chelmsford and the market, which so long served as a focal point for its farmers, they will also look at the profound changes that have come about in the rural community over the course of more than a century.

At the end of the 19th and into the 20th century, Chelmsford’s rapidly expanding new firms were able to use surplus farming labour from the surrounding area that was no longer needed.

The mid Essex area had played its part in Essex’s leading role in the period of ‘High Farming’ which characterised the county’s agriculture up to 1873. After this, the area was deeply affected by the agricultural depression which was well under way by 1880. This was instigated by the high imports of food, particularly from North America. Not all farmers in the Chelmsford rural district reacted in the same way; they were also affected by their particular soil and access to transport facilities. The last 130 years have seen a great reduction in the amount of employment connected with agriculture in the mid Essex region. This does not mean however that agriculture was adversely affected throughout the 20th century. Indeed, agriculture is only judged to have had 30 ‘bad years’ in the last century, whereas the 19th century only had 35 ‘good years’. The reduction in agricultural employment in mid Essex was primarily caused by the relentless march of mechanisation; by the late 20th century the large farm with one and a half workers was the norm. This first article looks at the effect of the Great Agricultural Depression on the area.

In terms of its physical features, the mid Essex area is made up of a trough from the North East of Brentwood, following the valley of the Wid until ‘it merges with the depression at the foot of the gently tilted boulder clay and Tiptree Heath’.

The area is also dominated by a wide west to east valley of the River Chelmer leading to the Blackwater Valley. In terms of soil, there are two types of boulder clay in the region; one to the west of the Chelmer where gravel is mixed with the clay, and one to the east where it is ‘heavier and more impermeable’. The post glacial drift deposits are small but have been important to farming in the area. Alluvial deposits in the wide flood plain of the Chelmer and its tributaries have produced fertile soil suitable for market gardening. The soils are mainly loam: ‘Where the loam is free from any drift covering, the soil is very heavy, sticky and brownish in colour, very difficult to work in wet weather’. Whilst the mid Essex region - like much of the eastern counties - has a generally dry climate, there is the danger of thunderstorms at harvest time.

By 1880 the agricultural depression had already been affecting the area for 7 years. 1873 was the start of 20 years of falling wheat prices and falling rents for landowners.

In 1880 the Chelmsford Poor Law Union guardians were complaining about the depressed state of agriculture.

Farmers felt the burden of the Poor Law rate and church tithes even more than usual. Four years later the Essex Chamber of Commerce met at the Shire Hall to discuss The Agricultural Crisis and Remedial Action. A motion on the imposition of imported corn was discussed. Major Carne Rasch was one who sided with free trade. Another said: “Free trade was taxing

ourselves and letting the foreigner go free.”

The trade of the United States had increased by 80% in the previous 20 years, but that of Great Britain only 20%. Another speaker bemoaned the burden of the tithe on tenant farmers.

Chamber of Agriculture meetings repeatedly asked for this burden to be lifted. Another said: “Farmers could not afford to farm high [ie, invest in fertilisers and mechanisation].”

One factor which often added to the problems of the local agriculture was animal disease. There was a prevalence of sheep rot in 1880. Three years later foot and mouth was widespread amongst cattle - Chelmsford market was blamed.

The newly formed Essex Agricultural Labourers Union blamed bad farming for the depression. Even in 1894 wheat prices were continuing to fall. In the Chelmsford Corn Exchange, English wheat could be bought for 24 to 26 shillings a quarter, when foreign wheat could be obtained for 19 shillings a quarter. In the same year there were 36 petitions by farmers in the Chelmsford Bankruptcy Court. During 1891, the area was visited by a commissioner investigating the depression.

The Essex Chronicle thought that the amount of uncultivated land was very small, but that many people had left the rural districts because of the increased use of agricultural machinery.

Although there was a marked shift in the area from wheat growing to pasture during the depression, this was by no means uniform. The effect of the depression depended on the types of soil mentioned earlier. In the Chelmsford area the parishes of the North West, the Chignalls, Good Easter, Pleshey and Great Waltham tended to have chalky clay. The parishes with mixed soils covered those of the Chelmer Valley including Broomfield, Springfield, Little Waltham and Great Waltham. Danbury, the Baddows and the Leighs could also be included. Heavy clay soils were found in the South East of the area including the Hanningfields, Rettendon Runwell and Woodham Ferrers.

In the mid essex area the three types of farming were arable, dairying and livestock farming, and horticulture. Arable farming included the growing of wheat, barley, bare or fallow, and fodder crops. Livestock included horses for agricultural purposes, permanent pasture and cows for milk. Horticulture included nursery and market gardening, orchards and soft fruit. In 1874, 25% of land in the whole area was under wheat production and by 1901 this was down to 15% - there was a similar decline in barley production. Farmers in parishes in the north west of the area with lighter soil persevered with wheat even though the price had fallen.

In parishes like Pleshey there was a lack of good transport for the new alternative cash crops, so farmers stayed with wheat and barley. In Runwell, Rettendon, and Woodham Ferrers the heavy clay required labour intensive farming and as a consequence wheat production halved during the years of the agricultural depression. Similarly, barley production was less than 5% of total production in these three south eastern parishes by 1901. Putting land down to permanent pasture or letting it become fallow cut costs for the beleaguered farmer.

Farmers in the area could only respond to the pull of the huge

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London market for cash crops if they had access to railways, and Great Eastern Railway was often criticised for not helping such farmers. Crops such as peas, soft fruit, and of course milk, were transported on the railway at their own risk. The growth of Chelmsford by the turn of the century also produced a small, but significant market for such crops.

Farmers turned to dairying only where they could get their milk and butter to the market. Beef prices remained low and did not encourage the switch to pasture, and sheep farming declined steeply. Again, dairy farmers depended on the nearness to a railway station. There was a lot of support - including from Major Carne Rasch - for a light railway from Chelmsford to Epping, which would have benefited the farmers of Broomfield, the Walthams and Great Leighs.

Good transport did not always ensure the success of the market gardeners. In 1890 the mid Essex cucumber crop failed. The Weekly News reported ‘The large market gardeners of mid Essex have sustained a heavy loss by the bulk of their cucumber plants dying off just at the time when they should have been coming into full bearing’. By this time the GER was becoming more efficient in helping the producers of products like peas. The GER ‘have recently shown remarkable powers of dispatch. The green pea traffic, now practically concluded, has displayed remarkable activity this season, the growers whose districts converge at the stations of Kelvedon, Witham and Chelmsford’. One weekend saw the stations between Colchester and Chelmsford deliver 732 tons of peas to London. This involved 237 trucks and eight heavily laden trains.

By the end of the Great Depression the local papers were bemoaning ‘the process of transforming Essex from a wheat growing to a grazing and milk producing county’. In 1892 the agricultural returns showed a loss of 3,376 acres of wheat production in the county. This was dwarfed by a loss of more than 23,000 acres the following year.

Meetings on the depressed state of agriculture continued at Chelmsford. Carne Rasch noted that while farmers and their landlords were always represented, farm labourer was not, even though they had been equally badly affected and now had the vote. Wages were often dropping as low as 9 shillings a week in the area, and in 1894 a large number of local farm labourers were unemployed. By the mid 1890s, alternative occupations were beginning to appear for the local agricultural labourer in Chelmsford itself. ‘Besides the prospect of earning from 10 to 12 shillings a week and ending up in the workhouse is not particularly exhilarating’. Meanwhile, the local papers continued to criticise the endless stream of investigations and reports both nationally and locally which did nothing to ease the pain of landowners and farmers.

One of the most interesting aspects of the agricultural depression was that it marked the beginning of the influx into the county - and mid Essex in particular - of Scottish farmers. They were attracted by the availability of farms and the fact that they were cheap, and the drier weather was more attractive than the inclement weather in their homeland. By the third decade of the new century they were still arriving in the area and joining several generations of such farmers. The original Scottish arrivals put their survival down to the fact that they were prepared to work twice as hard as their fellow www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia

farmers in the county. It was a common occurrence for these farmers to work alongside their hired labourers looking little different in what they wore while working in the fields.

Chelmsford Library

We’ve sadly started 2021 in another lockdown with our libraries temporarily closed again. However, we are optimistic that the situation is improving across the country and it is great news that the vaccine rollout is making good progress.

Some libraries, including Chelmsford, are remaining open to offer emergency public computer access by appointment only. Please check individual library locations to see what services are available. You can book a library computer session online or by ringing the library enquiry line on 0345 603 7628. You will need a permanent library card number to complete your booking.

While library services are limited, don’t forget the fantastic range of eResources that we have on offer; including eBooks, eAudio, eComics, newspapers and magazines - all available from our catalogue home page. If you’re not a library member you can join online to access these eResources with an online temporary membership number.

Not sure what to read next? Try our Book of the Month with unlimited access to the eBook and eAudio versions on BorrowBox! Don’t forget Chelmsford Central Library’s new temporary opening hours will be 9am - 5pm Monday to Saturday, and 10.30am - 1.30pm on a Sunday. For the opening hours of other libraries, please visit our website.

To find out more and to keep up to date, or to browse the the Essex Libraries’ Catalogue, or to follow us on Facebook or Twitter, or by subscribing to our newsletter, please visit, libraries.essex.gov.uk.

We look forward to welcoming you back soon. When we do reopen, we will continue to adhere to government guidelines regarding social distancing, face coverings and hygiene to ensure you will be able to have a safe and enjoyable visit.

Page 13

City Times Finance COVID-19 and Your Money: Are You Thinking of Retiring?

Lockdowns, struggling businesses, potential job losses - these are some of the reasons why you may be wanting to access your pension pot today. Whatever the reason, let’s have a brief look at some of the options available.

There are currently 4.7 million eligible pension pots, but just under 0.1% (£40 billion) have been withdrawn since 2015. So what are your options if you are the owner of one (or many) such pots?

Gone are the days when the only option was to buy an annuity - the guaranteed income for life is certainly suited to some but with increasing longevity, change in working patterns and not so great a return, this is no longer the only option.

The move away from annuities into drawdown products was one of the aims of the pension reforms. The worrisome feature here however, is the fact that too many drawdown arrangements happen with an existing provider without any meaningful access to independent financial advice. Without solid advice appraising individual circumstances, attitude to risk, capacity for loss, investment strategy and charges, many people may not necessarily on the right path when it comes to deciding upon their retirement options.

Let’s meet Max. He is 62, in good health and happy working.

Rather than moving into drawdown arrangement, Max is better

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off keeping his money in his pension. In the past Max would have had to purchase an annuity, an irreversible decision not aligned with his lifestyle values. With pension freedoms, the choice is not set in stone and Max is free to discuss his plans and priorities with his adviser, thus meaning that he makes an informed choice and his financial future is on track.

Understandably, not everyone is in a position to be able to wait or even wishes to. Sue, 56, a self-employed divorcee, has several small pots. She is not suited to drawdown or annuity but could avail herself to the money via her uncrystallised funds pension lump sum, or as the mouthful is known, the UFPLS. It is an alternative way to access her pension. 25% is tax-free and the remaining 75% is liable to tax. If any funds remain in the pot, the money continues to be invested. This option may be suited to those looking to take out small pension pots as a one lump sum. Again, financial advice is crucial here as the rules are complex.

As we can see pension freedoms have brought a lot of changes and with it an array of choice and it is imperative to seek professional advice. There is no potential for error don’t leave your biggest asset, your future, to confusion and uncertainty - there are as many retirement outcomes as there are people, so don’t leave it to chance and contact us today for an initial, no obligation chat.

Silvia Johnson Bsc(Hons), DipPFS, EFA, CertCII (MP) is a Director and Independent Financial Adviser at Royale Thames Wealth and provides independent financial advice to individuals and businesses. www.royalthameswealth.co.uk silvia@royalthameswealth.co.uk 07908 109 741 / 020 8720 7249 Royale Thames Wealth Ltd is an Appointed Representative of New Leaf Distribution Ltd which is authorised and regulated

by Financial Conduct Authority number 460421. The value of your investment may go up as well as down and the value is not guaranteed. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance. Wills and Estate Planning are not regulated by the FCA.

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Next Issue Deadlines: Articles 1st March Artwork 4th March www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

Learning from Lockdown - By Mandy Haynes We are fast approaching a year since the UK’s first lockdown, which of course came as a huge shock, and very quickly major adjustments in our lives needed to be made. I don’t think anyone could have predicted where we would be now, as we find ourselves in our third lockdown. However, this time there is an end in sight with the roll out of vaccinations going well and it feels like there is a light at the end of the tunnel, a feeling that we are moving forwards, finally.

When we welcome in a new year it is often a time of reflection, of looking back on the last twelve months and reflecting on what the year has given us, or perhaps taken from us, what we have learnt, what we might like to leave behind from the year and what we would like to take forward into the new one.

I imagine that for many of us it is mainly about leaving things behind - all of the sadness, stress, worry, uncertainty, lack of control... all the negatives. However, I think that most people would also agree that actually, there has been a lot that we have learnt that we may not have done had we not found ourselves in the middle of a pandemic, things that we would like to continue with and keep with us as we move forwards.

The thing that I have learnt most is to be ok with being home all day - just us. From literally the day after our first child was born, just over 3 and a half years ago, I can probably count on one hand how many days we have stayed home and not left the house. I made plans every day, often not very exciting ones, but ones that meant that for at least a part of the day we would be out somewhere, doing something or seeing other people. My phone’s calendar was full - there wasn’t a day where there wasn’t something written on it. I spent a lot of time rushing to get things done; washing, cleaning, cooking etc... as well as going places and seeing people and trying to work everything around the kid’s meal and nap times. It was quite tiring but I liked being busy. It made the times where we were at home playing or watching a film that much nicer. So to go from that, to months on end of an empty diary was HARD! I know that I’m not alone in saying that. I also know that I am very lucky not to have had to home-school, that I can do my job around the kids and that my husband is working just upstairs, but there have been many days where I have felt lonely, been shattered and at my wits end with the constant noise and demands of a 3 and 1 year old and lots of the time just plain bored! I worried that the kids would be bored too and that we wouldn’t be enough entertainment for them, but I have found that I don’t need to play with them every second of the day; it’s lovely to watch them make up a game together or see them find something they enjoy doing by themselves (there have been times where I’ve tried to join in with them and I’m told I’m not allowed to) and I have also discovered that they both love helping with the washing and cleaning (it’s not always actually that helpful, but at least www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia

they’re keen!).

There are lots that we are all missing; our family and friends mostly, places, and old routines - but there is also something to be said for keeping things simple, for doing less. I can’t wait until I can start filling my diary with lovely things again, but I also now know that I won’t panic if we don’t have something planned for every day.

The other thing that I have been reminded of is just how important yoga is to me and how lucky I am that my ‘job’ is to teach and share yoga with others. I am so grateful to the wonders of Zoom and the Internet that we have been able to continue with classes, to be able to communicate with each other and build on such a wonderful little community.

As much as I really miss teaching face-to-face classes, I have found lots of positives for teaching online classes and even when normal life and face-to-face classes are able to resume, I will absolutely continue with some remote teaching - I am able to reach people that weren’t able to get to my classes before, offer recordings for those that prefer to practice in their own time or can’t quite fit a class into their schedule, and provide a slightly different experience (including the lovely long Savasanas as I log off and leave students to rest and relax). It has never felt more important to carve out a little bit of time just for yourself - to move your body, to breathe, to quieten your mind and switch off from the world - and I am incredibly grateful to yoga for giving me that and that is exactly what I hope I am able to provide for others by sharing the joy of yoga.

You can join me for a Candlelit Vinyasa Flow class at Hummingbird Pilates & Yoga (online) www.hummingbirdpilates.co.uk - I would love to see you on the mat (virtually, for now)!

To view both our magazines online, visit www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia

Page 15

Being Practical During Lockdown We are all fully aware of all the things we can’t do during a full lockdown or other Government restrictions. No family hugging, no meeting up with friends, no meals out, no drinking at your local, schools shut, limitations on places of worship and so it goes on. This also means fundraising has been curtailed, so Rotarians have had to be imaginative in the way that they meet and how they can continue to mark Rotary and raise money for good causes.

February is an important month in the Rotary calendar as the 23rd is Rotary’s 116th birthday. Founded in 1905 in Chicago by five businessmen, it has gone on to become a worldwide organisation of 1.2 million men and women. Rotarians around the world have looked for ways of celebrating the anniversary and this year has obviously given some extra challenges.

On this date many clubs make a special effort to support End Polio Now, an initiative started by a member in the Philippines in 1985 when there were 1,000 new cases every single day. This has been reduced to just over a hundred in 2020 worldwide, with the only two endemic countries being Pakistan and Afghanistan. More good news is that so far in 2021 there has only been one new case, so eradication is 99.9% there. The lessons learnt for mass immunisation have been important in delivering vaccines for ebola and now coronavirus.

at 7pm, and Chelmsford Mildmay has one on 17th March at 7.30pm. Chelmsford Phoenix had an enterprising Treasure Hunt which was successful and I believe you can still try this yourself.

Like thousands of other people, some Rotarians made New Year resolutions and Willie Fraser gave up alcohol and meat in January. Not particularly original, but it did raise £2,248 - and still rising. Another member, a talented artist, is auctioning two pictures he painted recently and these will be auctioned at the Rose Bowl Quiz.

Desperate times have led to innovative solutions and there are numerous local charities that have benefited from the efforts of local Rotary clubs. If you have an idea why not suggest it to a local club to see if they can help bring it to fruition? Of course, it’s not all about fundraising. For example, Rotarians have volunteered at vaccination centres and collected laptops to help children’s online learning.

Fraud Another practical event that is going ahead is a webinar, again open to the public, that deals with online and telephone fraud.

We are all being pestered incessantly by unwanted emails and telephone calls and it is easy to be confused or frightened into doing something that you shouldn’t. The date is Friday 26th February at 7pm and the presenters are a fraud coordinator at Essex Police and a Barclays Bank fraud specialist. Contact me if you would like details of how to register.

Whilst we can’t embrace each other, we can embrace technology, even those considered to be in the older age groups. Zoom has come into the lives of us all for gettogethers and many Rotary clubs have organised their regular meetings as well as online quizzes, auctions, plus a host of webinars with interesting speakers.

In fact, if you visit the district website at www.rotary1240. org, you can find details of various online events being organised which are open to the public. You have just missed Chelmsford’s Valentine’s Quiz, but Dunmow Rotary Club is holding the annual Rotary Rose Bowl Quiz on Friday 5th March

There have been a couple of lulls in the restrictions over the course of the whole year that we have suffered this pandemic, and many events have managed to be completed. However, there is no doubt that all of these are severely depleted and we will see the impact of this moving forward when we simply will not be able to offer the same degree of support to other charities or individuals. It goes without saying that Rotary is looking for more people to join clubs so that the important work can continue. So again, either refer to the website above or give me a call on 01245 260 349 if you would like to know how you can help. Everyone is welcome: men and women, all ages.

Stan Keller

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Canon Tom’s E-Pistle

Hello everyone. As I write this, we have just heard of the death of Captain Sir Tom Moore. Aged 100 years, he had a good innings by anyone’s standards, but it was ironic that the life of such a dedicated and good man should come to an end because of the coronavirus.

Captain Tom as he was fondly called, raised a huge amount of money, around 30 million pounds, to support the NHS as it struggled under the extra burden of work that the pandemic caused. Not only were there huge numbers of people needing treatment in hospital, but also the need for appropriate personal protection equipment (PPE) was putting a strain on resources. Captain Tom’s amazing efforts were an example to us all of selfless giving for the good of others, and this from someone who had already given so much for the nation during the Second World War. There have been many people across the country who have have similarly sought to raise money for good causes by undertaking challenges of various kinds and seeking sponsorship. It has helped them, by giving them something to focus on and work for during the lockdowns, and at the same time helped those who have been the recipients of the funds

they have raised.

In some ways the pandemic has given people the opportunity to demonstrate their kindness and generosity, because beyond the efforts that have been widely publicised, there have been many more that have gone unnoticed. There have been many small, local and individual acts of support and kindness that are just as praiseworthy as the ones we see on telly, but are done quietly and lovingly without fuss or fanfare and there has to be room for both.

I hope that once we emerge from the restrictions we currently live under that we shall be able to maintain this sense of love and support for our communities and our way of life. We must continue to show how much we value the NHS and make sure our politicians value it too, by making sure they fund it properly for the future.

Past governments, of all shades, have let things slide when it comes to funding healthcare and the pandemic has shown us the danger of that. We shouldn’t have needed Captain Tom or countless others to step up, although thank God they did, we just need a properly funded and sensibly run NHS. Tom

Quiz Time - by John Theedom 1.

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In 2021, how old is Neil Diamond?

What was the everyday product Mazawatee?

Historically, who introduced the potato to the UK? With which sport is Jack Dempsey associated?

Who, in 1924 created the American FBI? Which musical instrument did Sir Yehudi Menuhin play?

Which company did Steve Jobs and Steve Woznick found in the USA? What is the term for the money that boxers fight for?

What is an ampersand?

What type of structure do the Inuit tribe live in?

Who played Sandy Olsson in the film Grease?

What sort of creature is a rudd?

Where will you find an ashlar?

Which wood is used to make cricket bats?

US talk show host Larry King has just died, aged 87, how many times was he married?

Who is the presenter of the TV show The Repair Shop?

For which club did footballer Bobby Charlton play?

What do the initials USDAW stand for?

Which band features Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James, Dave Rowntree?

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Catatonia had a 1998 hit with Mulder And Scully.

From which TV series did the song take its name?

What type of garment is a pelisse?

Apart from a light, what else can be a Lucifer?

What is the name for the place where coins are made?

What connects ‘Press’, ‘Statement’, ‘Record’ and ‘Prisoner’?

What was Mr Flintstone’s first name?

What nationality is Jose Mourinho?

Who was the creator of the world’s first vaccine?

Who is our Chancellor of The Exchequer?

In the world of measuring, what is a bar?

Which year were Blackpool lights first switched on?

Complete the title of the Beatles song .... in the Sky With Diamonds.

Khamsin is a type of what?

Which seasonal animal was given the name Vixen?

What is the origin of the name TESCO? The term ‘doosra’ is used in which sport?

Elton John’s middle name is Hercules, after who or what?

What is the term for a word that has the same meaning as another?

For what is curare used?

Apart from half a diameter, what is a radius?

Which charity is Camilla Parker-Bowles patron of?

(Answers on page 25)

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Below are a few of the websites we have designed and built!

We also design and supply: business cards flyers roller banners brochures In fact, almost anything that is printed!!

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Chelmsford Window Gallery Presents...

The Window Gallery Chelmsford was set up in June 2018 to give local artists a space to display their work; currently we are hosting monthly virtual exhibitions.

Featured Artist February 2021: Elena Khomutova-Miller When did you start making art?

“Practically, since I was three years old when they gave me my first box of colour pencils. My second stage as an artist came with attending the art school in my hometown, where I studied painting, art history and artistic drawing.”

What kind of art do you create, and has this changed over time?

“It is called contemporary art, shape design and philosophy of colour. In my works I try to give another shape to the objects known in decorative art, such as flowers or still life and I try to experiment with intense colours.”

What inspires you?

“My three great inspirers are: music, medieval art, and paintings by the Spanish-Catalan artist, Joan Miro.”

Do you have any connection to the Chelmsford arts community?

“Yes, I have participated in the Chelmsford Creative Collective meetings and lately I am working as a volunteer at The Art Place in Chelmsford. I have several things being exhibited in this place.”

How often do you create art?

“Taking advantage of the lockdown restrictions we live in; I do art creation every day or at least 4 days a week.”

What is the best thing about being an artist?

“It is the freedom of expression of my ideas and opinions on absolutely everything that surrounds me.”

Where have you exhibited before?

“My last exhibition was at The Art Place, Chelmsford in November 2020 and at the Lloyd’s Art Group in London. In 2019 I participated in the Art Trail of Brentwood.”

What do you do if you are not inspired?

“Inspiration is for amateurs. For art professionals, inspiration is a matter of discipline.”

Do you sell your work? If so, is it difficult to part with?

“Yes, I sell it although not as often as I wish. Some works will never leave my house due to high sentimental level as it is about my old work.”

What superpower would you have and why?

“I hear my own voice. I read the tarot cards. I speak with stars.

I follow my dreams.”

Instagram: www.instagram.com/elenakhomutovamiller Facebook: www.facebook.com/elena.khomutovamiller.58 Twitter: @KhomutovaMiller Website: www.ekm-gallery.com www.windowgallery.org

Where do you make art?

“At home, in my mind, in my life. Where can someone see my work? Usually at my house.”

To view both our magazines online visit www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia

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Page 19

A Year in the Life of the Mayor By the end of January I had volunteered (via Chelmsford CVS) for 11 days as part of the Covid Vaccination Programme at Rivermead Surgery by the University. I had the most enjoyable time volunteering and working with some really lovely people at Rivermead, the whole thing was well organised and although sometimes cold, especially for those on outside duties, everyone kept smiling throughout. It was a real team effort and many of us are looking forward to doing it again when the next round begins. A big thank you should go out to Chelmsford CVS and in particular to Sally Medd who gathered most of the volunteers together and organised us for both Rivermead and Whitley House vaccination centres.

I was invited by Rochford District Council to join others to watch the ceremony for Holocaust Memorial Day (online this year) featuring an extremely moving talk by Holocaust survivor Mr Leslie Kleinman, a memorial service by the Chairman’s Chaplain, Rev David Oxtoby with Jack de Metz from the Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation, and a presentation by Fitzwimarc sixth form students on lessons from Auschwitz. You can view the Holocaust Memorial here www.rochford.gov.uk/HMD. Charity fundraising has proved extremely difficult through this further lockdown - these are some of the innovative ways my charities are fundraising, with an update from all three: Tom Willis moved into a house on Galleywood Road, Chelmsford in 2016, three years later he won a seat for that ward in the City Council elections. Now aged 76, he has decided to support the Mayor’s charities for this year Helping Hands Essex, the Mid and North East Essex branch of MIND, and Sanctus. As a former mayor himself, he has every sympathy for this year’s mayor, in seeking to raise funds for the worthy charities at a time when all the usual methods for doing so are not allowed due to Covid.

The Essex Indians Celebrations Event was delayed from December and took place online on New Year’s Day. The Deputy Mayor, Cllr Linda Mascot and her escort, husband Ian, attended this joyous meeting and had a fabulous afternoon of celebration for Christmas and New Year with performances from all over the world with Essex Indians hosted by Dr Anirban Mandal.

Due to the current lockdown rules, the Jack Petchey Awards had to go online. I was very pleased to be able to record a video to welcome and congratulate the Chelmsford Schools that took part on their achievements. Well done to everyone who took part.

As a keen gardener, he has decided to set himself the challenge of performing a Mucky Marathon - that is, over a period of time, undertaking 26 round trips from his house to a local stables and represents about a mile in all, taking an empty barrow in one direction but a laden one going back.

Tom is a keen organic gardener, and has a variety of uses for the manure, the best-rotted can be spread around roses, fruit trees and other plants. Tom is an inveterate re-user and recycler - very little reaches his black bin and his brown bin is rarely used. It all cuts down his carbon footprint - which is appropriate, since earlier this year, he was appointed the City Council’s Climate Ambassador. To donate please go to www. justgiving.com/campaign/TomsMuckyMarathon.

Val Chiswell from Helping Hands Essex has completed her sponsored skydive - at the ripe old age of 75. Being sound in wind and mind, Val has set herself challenges around each birthday falling in December. A challenge achieved gives her a personal sense of satisfaction, but if it can be combined to achieve some good for the wider community, then all the more satisfactory. She has been Chairman of Helping Hands Essex (HHE) for seven years, a charity which runs a rehabilitation programme for alcohol and substance misusers in their early days of recovery. The qualification for residence is being

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homeless or facing homelessness and not having the funds to access private rehabs. All of her challenges have been sponsored, and raised funds for HHE including her first tattoo (the logo of HHE on her upper arm), a wing walk, and sleeping out on the ice when she was in Antarctica.

So, to celebrate her 80th birthday and raise money for all three mayoral charities, Val did a skydive on December 13th being lucky enough to do it 5 days after her birthday and before Covid shut everything down. Val said it was a totally exhilarating and amazing experience, and she was well looked after by Tandem Tim, with whom she floated gently down over the Suffolk landscape from 10,000 feet.

Val has been called, brave, crazy, mad and an ‘utter nutter’, but as someone once said, ‘it’s a moment of serendipity when madness coincides with goodness’ - and she can’t top that! Val’s target is £1,500 and she still has £300 to go, so if anyone is kind enough to support the madness/goodness, thank you. The Just Giving page to support the cause is still open Please donate to: cutt.ly/wgO4ZpT. A New Home for Sanctus - Next Door!

We’ve been operating successfully since 2012 as the only day centre for the vulnerable in Chelmsford and the surrounding areas. Year on year the demand for our services has increased and we now support a client base of 200-250 people. With the Covid outbreak, our numbers have risen fast putting a far greater demand on our services.

The current building has served us well for many years, but rising numbers and limited space mean it is increasingly difficult for us to provide the support that the homeless and most vulnerable in our community so desperately need.

We have made the decision to move to larger premises and expand our services.

new building to the public in June 2021. This is a massive step for the charity and for Chelmsford, and as always we need as much support as possible! If you would like to donate financially, or offer to help in any other way, please get in touch by emailing info@sanctus-home.com.

Mid and North East Essex MIND had to cancel the Fire Walk at the end of February but have rescheduled it to take place on Sunday 10th October, World Mental Health Day. They unfortunately have had to furlough their fundraising team, with much less fundraising income this financial year it is the best course of action in order to protect the roles moving forward but they are all looking forward to a much brighter spring and summer where they can attempt to put the fun back into fundraising.

If you wish to invite the Mayor to attend an actual event or a virtual one, please email: mayors.office@chelmsford.gov.uk.

Twitter: @chelmsmayor Instagram: Chelmsford_mayor Facebook: Mayor of Chelmsford Podcast: You can ask your smart device to play ‘The Chelmsford Mayors Podcast’ (available on Spotify and other platforms)

We are moving to the building next door to Sanctus which offers a significantly larger dining area, seating around 100, compared to our current capacity of 30. It also has a large kitchen, walk-in fridge and extensive storage facilities, giving us the opportunity to increase the range and quantity of food we offer. The top two floors provide an increased capacity for counselling sessions, training courses, meetings, work spaces, mentoring, clothes exchange, donation storage and much more.

The new building can be the catalyst required to create a multi-organisational approach to tackling homelessness and other vulnerabilities that we have long aimed for. Our extended services will include more work with those suffering social isolation and domestic abuse, tie ins with private landlords, and a focus on tenancy sustainment to ensure that people remain housed.

Our service users are familiar with our location, so the move will retain those clients that we already help, whilst the increased size and service range will encourage new people to attend. Our building will be at the heart of the support system currently being developed in Chelmsford and will be utilised by other external support services.

Maintenance and refurbishment work is already underway, made possible by a handful of funders. We hope to open our www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia

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City Times Fun

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Spot the Difference - 10 to find (answers on page 25)

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Page 23

Stargazing with Mark Willis - January/February 18th February at 17:27: Looking due south, the Moon and Mars will make a close approach. Mars will be very easy to spot as it will be sitting directly above the Moon.

Equinox. ‘Equi’ = equal and ‘nox’ = night. The length of day is 12 hours and 9 minutes, so it doesn’t work out exactly as 12 hours.

22nd February between 19:28 and 05:06: you should see Asteroid 29 Amphitrite. It should reach its highest point around midnight. It’s about 200km (120 miles) across. But don’t worry - it’s not coming here! Asteroids are minor planets.

28th March: Clocks go forward 1 hour at 1am today, from Universal Time, or GMT, to British Summer Time, BST.

3rd March at 21:00: Looking west, Mars will be directly beneath the Pleiades, often called the Seven Sisters. An amateur astronomer on the BBC Sky At Night programme described the Pleiades as a ‘shopping trolley full of jewels’. An excellent chance to spot Mars and also the Pleiades in one go.

19th March at 17:27: Looking south-west, there’s another chance to see Mars - apparently sitting on the Moon’s head!

Best time will be around 18:30. The pair sets on 20th March at 00:57.

20th March: Spring Equinox, or to give it its correct title, Vernal

New Moon: On 13th March there will be a new Moon. This means the skies will be extra dark which is a great opportunity to see planets, galaxies and deep space objects.

As usual, please email me with any questions.

I would normally be presenting LiteBites every Tuesday at 12 midday on Chelmsford Community Radio on 104.4FM and online throughout the world. As soon as I have had my vaccine, I hope to return to the airwaves as soon as I can. www.chelmsfordcommunityradio.com m.willis@hrc.org.uk

To view both our magazines online visit www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia

Chelmsford Community Radio The month of February gives us Valentine’s Day - and just before, we had another type of day to show our love for radio broadcasting!

Saturday 13th February was #WorldRadioDay and online there was a flurry of posts from our presenters showing their love for the medium and how they got into radio.

We at Chelmsford Community Radio 104.4FM believe that radio should be accessible and open to all in our community.

The station has helped many young people find a path into the industry and it has also supported individuals in building up confidence and skills which have helped them in their lives.

Our shows continue to showcase the wonderfully talented people of Chelmsford and the local area. If you haven’t yet tuned in, try us now by switching on 104.4FM, or find us online at www.chelmsfordcommunityradio.com.

If perhaps you are in a band or are a solo performer living in Chelmsford and haven’t yet been included in our shows, then we would love to hear from you. Get in touch on admin@ chelmsfordcommunityradio.com and we will pass your details to our presenters for consideration.

If you have an interesting article you wish to share, please email paul@itsyourmedia.co.uk

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Quiz Answers

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80 Tea Sir Walter Raleigh Boxing J Edgar Hoover Violin Apple Purse & Igloo Olivia Newton-John Fish Top stones on a wall Willow 8 (yes eight!)

Jay Blades Manchester United Union of Shop Distributive and Allied Workers Blur The X-Files

Classifieds 21.

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A woman’s long, fitted coat The Devil, Satan The Mint Release Fred Portuguese Edward Jenner Rishi Sunak Atmospheric pressure 1879 Lucy Wind One of Santa’s reindeers ‘TES’ from TE Stockwell, original supplier of tea, and ‘CO’ from owner Jack Cohen Cricket - type of delivery Horse in Steptoe & Son Synonym Poison on arrows Bone in the arm National Osteoporosis Society

Spot the Difference Answers

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