The City Times May/June 2020

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The City Times

Including: Boreham, Broomfield, Danbury, Great Baddow, Maldon, South Woodham Ferrers, The Walthams and Writtle 10000 copies distributed monthly - this edition is online only Issue Number 76 - 14th May - 18th June 2020

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CT Welcome Hello readers, Welcome to the May/June edition. We hope you are all staying well.

Unfortunately, due to the current situation this edition is again available online only. As mentioned last month, while we could still have the magazine printed, we would not be able to deliver the 10,000 copies to the usual pick-up points and businesses that we normally deliver to.

Therefore we would be incredibly grateful if you could share the link, www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia, to regular readers and any friends and family who would usually pick up a physical copy of the magazine.

All of our adverts in this issue have been charged a minimal amount to cover the cost of proofreading. Our 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

largest costs (printing and distribution) are obviously not relevant this month. We have also enlarged the font slightly so that it’s easier to read on a screen.

Please also remember to let our advertisers know that you saw them in this magazine.

Again, the link to share is: www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia.

Stay safe!

Regards Nick & Paul

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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 Printwize.

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Essex 2020 Celebration Essex 2020 is a year-long, county-wide celebration of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) in Essex.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Essex 2020 has now moved online. People of all ages from Essex or further afield, can now enjoy events that you would have previously had to travel to, in the comfort of your own home. Many of the activities on offer are excellent learning opportunities for children and can be an exploration into STEAM and play a role in home schooling.

and the Chelmsford Civic Society are planning to hold the previously published Marconi related events in June.

However they will be delivered online rather than at venues in Chemsford. Everybody is welcome to enjoy these talks and you will find details of how to do this on the CSES website. In October it is 100 years since the formation of Chelmsford Science and Engineering Society.

100 years ago, Guglielmo Marconi changed the world forever and put Chelmsford on the map as a pioneering place of global communications. Back In 1920, world famous opera singer Dame Nellie Melba was booked to give her now historic, 30-minute radio concert from the Chelmsford works, on 15th June 1920. The concert was heard throughout Europe.

To celebrate this heritage, the city has come together to curate a series of radio inspired exhibitions, workshops, performances and a dedicated lecture series. Here is a taster of forthcoming online events: Marconi Lecture Series (CSES/Civic) 10th June Dame Nellie Sings! A night that changed the World - Tim Wander, author and historian and museum curator will be livestreaming at 7.30pm The story of the first radio broadcast experiments from the Marconi Chelmsford New Street Works and Melba’s famous concert on 15th June 1920. Join us online to find out more about our historical city.

This June we are celebrating a great historic event in the City, 100 years since the first professional broadcast by the Marconi Company with Dame Nellie Melba.

The Chelmsford Science and Engineering Society (CSES)

Marconi’s Legacy - Past, Present and Future!

Starting at the birth of Marconi, this exhibition is coming to Hylands House in November, and follows Guglielmo Marconi through his life’s work and on to the company he gave his name to. The exhibition is partnered by the Leonardo company located in Basildon, a former Marconi company.

You can view the full programme of online events at www. essex2020.com.

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Nick Garner’s Music and Ramblings We are still in tough times, but we must try to stay safe and strong to beat this virus. It’s hard having to stick to the rules and guidelines for so long, but we must be sensible if we want to beat this and hopefully, we will come out of this as better, more caring humans and then start to look and take more care of our planet.

We have had some great weather recently and it was good to see that people did not go mad and all head to the coast and parks and other places to gather. We have just celebrated 75 years since VE (Victory in Europe) Day. Of course, lots was planned all over the UK with the bank holiday even being moved to the Friday - but that all had to change. I had to go the shops on VE Day and it was good to see all the bunting out and that people were celebrating in their own gardens with their neighbours in their gardens and making the most of it while keeping to the social distancing rules.

The Government are now easing some of the restrictions on us currently, let’s hope that people take care not to get carried away and that they still keep the right distance from others and understand that we are by no means through this yet.

If we take things slowly and carefully, we may just beat this sooner rather than later. I am still very careful and go out as little as possible, although I would love to be out more and see my family and friends.

One effect of being at home so much is that I now need to lose weight: I am eating healthily, including fruit, and I do not drink alcohol, and I have just one coffee a day and drink a few pints of water each day - yet the weight is still increasing a little!

I have had a good friend who has been very ill after an operation to remove a brain clot, and after two stays in hospital he seems to be recovering. It has been the most awful time for his wife as she is on her own with him. He was a bit out of it with the drugs, while she was fraught with the worry of him coming home with no help, as she also has COPD so has to isolate from him. He has now been home for about a week and he seems to be getting a lot better, thankfully, for both him and his family and friends.

With the latest Government guidelines and changes, we still do not see us being able to get physical copies of this magazine out until July at the earliest. That is if the shops and some of our other outlets are open and will allow the publications in by then of course. Until then we will continue to publish online for both the City Times and Moulsham Times via www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia.

So, what is ahead of us we wonder? A safer more loving world I hope, that does not go crazy and put us back to where we were before - or worse. So take care and be careful out there to help us and all the wonderful key workers, who are all doing such magnificent work.

Music Most of the music about at present depends on one being online, as much of it is to be found on social media, although there are indeed other platforms operating. This doesn’t apply to just music of course, but everything from cookery to fitness, and from quizzes to storytelling, plus so much more. You just have a trawl around the Internet, social media sites, or YouTube and the like to find out what is out there to entertain you.

My bent as you know is music, and I am running the Isolation Festival (www.facebook.com/ isoltaionmusicfestival) putting on around 15 acts each Sunday from 12.50pm to 6.20pm. Each act plays 18 minute sets, except the last one who can do half an hour.

Any remaining time is for my introductions and thanking the artists and all involved.

We are also putting on Friday night concerts. So far, Hazel O’Connor has played an hour set from 8pm. We also have some Saturday concerts planned as well - you will need to keep an eye on our Facebook page for those.

We’ve had a few great acts for our Sunday festivals, like Chesney Hawkes, Louise Goffin (daughter of Carole King and Gerry Goffin) and many others - some well known and some not so well known, including a touch of opera, crooners, jazz, folk and lot’s more. We now have a YouTube channel as well, which you can find at bit.ly/3dEG4wK. We are uploading daily and gradually all the shows will be up there for you to see, so please subscribe and be entertained for free with some great music.

We plan, for the time being at least, to continue with the festivals as so many people seem to be enjoying them - and with all the positive feedback we are getting, we probably won’t be stoping them for a while.

I cannot say too much yet, but we are in midst of planning and working on some other exciting plans regarding entertainment - just some head scratching to do first!

I just want to say, please; where you can - stay in, stay safe and stay well, and keep social distancing so we can beat this virus as soon as possible.

Please do share the online link for The Moulsham Times and City Times so that all out regular readers can still read each issue. We will continue to publish both online and hope to be back in printed form before too long.

If you are interested in contributing or advertising with us, please contact ads@itsyourmedia.co.uk and we will reply to you promptly.

Remember you can find the magazines at www.issuu.com/ itsyourmedia, and The Isolation Festival can be found at www.facebook.com/isolationmusicfestival.

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www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

A Year in the Life of the Mayor Cllr Jude Deakin is the new Mayor of Chelmsford The new Mayor and Mayoress of Chelmsford for 2020–21 are Councillor Jude Deakin and her daughter Helen.

They were elected on Wednesday 13th May at the first-ever virtual meeting of the full Chelmsford City Council.

Jude lived in South Woodham Ferrers with her two daughters Heather and Helen before moving to Chelmsford in 2006. She previously worked in logistics, recruitment, office management and as a carer.

A member of South Woodham Ferrers Town Council for approximately 15 years, only leaving when she moved to Chelmsford, Jude has represented Marconi Ward on Chelmsford City Council since 2007. Since 2009, she has served on Essex County Council representing Chelmsford West, enabling her to progress casework through both councils, which she enjoys. Jude has served on various Essex committees, including Overview and Scrutiny, Corporate Parenting, People and Families, as well as being chair of Chelmsford Youth Strategy Group. On the city council, she has been Cabinet Member for Safer Chelmsford from May 2019 until now.

Jude has been a member of Chetwood Primary, William De Ferrers and Rainsford High School PTAs and was a school governor at Collingwood Primary, Rainsford High/St Peters College and KEGS. She is currently a member of Chelmsford Community Radio, a trustee of North Chelmsford Community Trust and a past trustee of Helping Hands Essex.

On her election as Mayor of Chelmsford, Councillor Jude Deakin said, “I am honoured to have been elected as Mayor for this great city and am looking forward to actively supporting local residents, businesses, community groups and charities during this challenging time.”

Deputy Mayor – Councillor Linda Mascot The Mayor appointed Councillor Linda Mascot to be her deputy and she will be supported by her husband, Ian, as her Consort.

Linda was born at St. John’s Hospital and has lived in Chelmsford for most of her life. On leaving school, she became an apprentice at Marconi Communication Systems Ltd in New Street and her mum, Pat Starr, was the Essex Chronicle’s Mrs Chelmsford in 1976.

Linda now lives in Tile Kiln with her husband and the youngest of her six children. She was first elected to Chelmsford Borough Council in 2011 to represent Goat Hall Ward and was re-elected in May 2019. She has contributed more than 28 years of community involvement, including The Tile Kiln Residents’ Association and Neighbourhood Watch, being a Founding Trustee of the Moulsham Lodge Community Trust, SEN Governor of Mildmay Junior School, and writing a monthly community column for the Moulsham Times.

As Inclusion Manager at a local junior school, Linda works closely with children who have special educational needs, young carers and other vulnerable pupils, offering practical and pastoral support to help them overcome barriers to their learning, including social and emotional difficulties.

The Mayor’s Charities The Mayor’s theme for the year is ‘wellbeing’ and she has chosen three local charities which work tirelessly towards that goal. They are Helping Hands Essex (HHE), MIND and Sanctus.

Civic Engagements Due to the Government’s advice on limiting the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) the Mayor and/or Deputy Mayor will not be able to physically attend events for the foreseeable future. However, if you or someone you know has a special birthday or anniversary coming up and would like to invite the Mayor to join you by video call, simply visit www. chelmsford.gov.uk/mayor and complete the ‘Invite the Mayor’ form with details of your celebration, your contact phone number and preferred choice of digital platform for video calls. Subject to the Mayor’s availability, she may be able to schedule a call with you.

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CT Gardening - by Tom Cole It’s time for a clean up in the garden and a general tidy for the forthcoming summer season.

As spring flowering bulbs begin to fade, tidy them up by deadheading the flowers. Just snap off the flower head leaving the flower stalk to gradually die back.

This will mean energy going back into the bulb or corm that will help with flowering next year. For tulips, I lift the entire plant and leave it to dry in the greenhouse on shelving and then store in a dry, cool place for planting out again in November.

Other spring flowering perennials, such as hellebores, could also be worked through by cutting back entire flower spikes to the ground such as Helleborus argutifolius.

For others, such as H. orientalis and H. niger, I tend to leave and then harvest seedlings later in the year. In the meantime any leaves that are dying back or yellow/brown are removed to the ground.

During this month, watch out for perennials that have grown up strong and are now starting to flop. Nepeta, Geranium, Rudbeckia and Hylotelephium can be reduced by cutting down by half - known as the ‘Chelsea Chop’.

Plants are much sturdier, bushy and will flower slightly later.

In other areas of the garden start to remove forget-menots, wallflowers, violas and other spring bedding plants as flowers fade. Chop them up and add to compost heaps.

If you want forget-me-nots to spread, leave a few to shed their seed... take care, as they can easily get to ‘weed-like’ proportions.

For the container gardeners out there, water plants well in the morning so they have a good supply that will last all day - avoid watering during the day as splashes on foliage can scorch leaves in the sun. Mulch the surface of pots with gravel or grit to reduce moisture loss and prevent weeds from growing - this practice is excellent for beds and borders. Lastly, move pot-bound shrubs or perennials into larger containers to ensure they grow healthily. On the whole, plants need re-potting on a yearly basis. Just check by lifting plant out of the container - if all you can see is a mass of roots, they need a new pot. It’s also worth feeding container plants with either a good general purpose liquid feed or controlled slow release such as Osmocote; check rates of applications on the packet.

For trees and shrubs that are overgrown or untidy, restore their shape by pruning out any offending branches. Cutting in late spring gives plants plenty of time to produce new growth that will ripen before the cool weather sets in later

in the year. Remove any dead, diseased and damaged growth and then work on the overall shape. Lightly prune ornamental flowering currants, and thin out Kerria japonica when the flowers fade - cut back lanky shoots.

Lastly, take the time to enjoy the sun... we all deserve it!

Next time, more on climbers and wall shrubs.

Happy gardening and keep safe!

For any gardening tips please contact Tom Cole, Horticultural Lecturer, Capel Manor College, Bullsmoor Lane, Enfield, Middlesex, EN1 4RQ by post (including a SAE) or by email at Tom.Cole@capel.ac.uk.

Page 8 www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

A Gentle Practice to Try at Home - by Mandy Haynes Lovely people - how is lockdown affecting you? How much time do you have to yourself, to do something for you? Are you making time to do the things that make you feel good?

Personally, I have very little time for myself with two little ones to look after, but the thing that makes me feel good is moving, so I have made sure that I can fit this in every day.

As well as teaching yoga (now online), my daughter and I join Joe Wicks every morning for PE and we all have a daily walk to stretch our legs and get some fresh air. There is no doubt that movement is good for you - for both your body and your mind - so this month I thought I’d share with you a gentle yoga practice that you can do from the comfort of your home (where else!?)

Make the time, whether that’s fifteen minutes or an hour. I find the best times to practice are first thing in the morning (before your coffee and breakfast), when you’re winding down for the evening (kids are in bed, dinner is in the oven, glass of wine waiting) or just before bed (covers turned down, eye pillows ready). Set the scene - take yourself off somewhere quiet where you (hopefully!) won’t be disturbed.

Put your phone on silent, maybe light some candles, put on some soft music, roll out your mat and take a seat.

Starting in a comfortable seated position, sitting up nice and tall, close your eyes, relax your shoulders and take a few moments to draw your awareness inwards and check in with yourself - notice how you are feeling physically and mentally. When you are ready, move to an all fours position; wrists under shoulders, knees under the hips (you could have a folded up blanket under your knees).

Cat/Cow Begin by moving into Cow Pose: Inhale as you drop your belly towards the mat. Lift your chin and chest, and gaze up toward the ceiling. Broaden across your shoulder blades and draw your shoulders away from your ears.

Thread the Needle From all fours, as you inhale raise your right arm stretching up through the fingers, and as you exhale, thread the arm underneath the left arm lowering your right ear towards the mat.

Move dynamically in and out of this pose a few times and then hold it for a few breaths to stretch across the back of the shoulder. Repeat on the other side.

Sweeping Cat/Cow From all fours, sink your bottom back towards your heels so that the arms stretch out in front of you into Extended Child’s Pose. As you inhale, take your ribcage out to the right as you bring yourself up to the top of the mat, and as you exhale, take your ribcage out to the left as you sink back towards your heels. Repeat 5 times and then rest in Extended Child’s Pose for a few breaths.

You can put this gentle floor sequence together to create a ‘movement meditation’ and repeat it as many times as you want. You could also experiment with feeding other poses in, depending on what your body feels it needs that day and how much time you have.

Finish your practice by coming into Savasana - lying back on your mat (pop a blanket on) with your legs extended, feet and ankles relaxed, and arms down by the side of your body, palms turned up to the ceiling. Draw the shoulders down away from the ears, close your eyes and let go of your jaw. Take 3 breaths here, breathing in through your nose and then gently sighing the breath out of the mouth. Rest here for as long as you feel the need.

If you want a fuller practice guided by expert teachers, take a look at www.hummingbirdpilates.co.uk, where you can find online workshops and small group classes.

Next, move into Cat Pose: As you exhale, draw your belly to your spine and round your back toward the ceiling. The pose should look like a cat stretching its back. Release the crown of your head toward the floor, but don’t force your chin to your chest. Inhale, coming back into Cow Pose and then exhale as you return to Cat Pose. Repeat 10 times.

Tiger Stretch From all fours, step the right foot back, straightening the leg and tucking the toes under to stretch the back of the leg. From here, raise the leg to hip height pressing away through the heel - and if you want a challenge, extend the left arm out at shoulder height to work your core muscles.

Hold for a few breaths then repeat on the other side.

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CT Food: Home Café Lunches - by Lisa Whittle One of the things I miss so much in lockdown is going to a café. The simple delight of popping out to a new inviting environment, scanning a menu, choosing and having a culinary treat arrive at your table that you haven’t cooked yourself.

Before nostalgia overtakes me, let’s consider one of the benefits of working from home, or being furloughed, which you may well be: more time to make interesting lunches for you and your household. You might not be able to go out to a café, but you can bring the café to you by making café style lunches in your own kitchen.

coriander (keep the rest for the end), sugar (this takes off excess sourness from the tomatoes) and season with salt and pepper.

Cook this on a moderate heat for around 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Add the spinach and stir in until it has wilted.

Make 2 dents in the pan to add the 2 eggs and cook till the eggs are done. Sprinkle some fresh coriander on top (optional).

Serve with some crusty bead that you can dip into the eggs.

Here’s some inspiration to you get you started.

Mexican Brunch It’s tangy, spicy, healthy and satisfying...

Shaksuka (and it’s delish…)

To serve 2 you need: • 1 tbsp olive oil (or any oil) • 1 small red chilli, chopped • 1 small garlic clove - crushed or finely chopped • 1 red onion (or white) - chopped • 1 level tsp cumin (or less/more to your taste) • 1 level tsp smoked paprika • 2 large handfuls of spinach • Fresh coriander • 1 tin of chopped tomatoes • A pinch of sugar and salt and pepper to season • 2 eggs I like smoked paprika but normal paprika will do too.

How to Heat the oil and add onions, garlic and chilli and when they’re softened and slightly browned and smelling yum, add the sprices cumin and paprika and let the onion, garlic and chilli mixture absorb them.

Add the tin of chopped tomatoes, some fresh chopped

To serve 2 you need: • 2 limes • 2 tsps of chipotle paste • Fresh coriander leaves chopped • 10 (approx) cherry tomatoes • 1 tbsp (approx) maple syrup or honey • 1 tin of black beans • 1 clove of garlic crushed or chopped • 2 wraps • 1 or 2 avocados depending how much you want • 2 eggs fried (or more if preferred) • Olive oil for frying How to Fry the garlic clove in olive oil until golden. Drain the tin of black beans add to the garlic then add maple syrup or honey to taste (1 teaspoon to one tablespoon). Add the juice of 1 lime and 1 teaspoon of chipotle paste. This varies in strength according to the brand, so take care. Give it a good stir then take off the heat for the time being. Cut the tomatoes into half or quarters and season with salt and pepper.

Mix in all of the chopped coriander, add 1 teaspoon of chipotle paste and add the juice of 1 lime. Mix well.

Prepare and slice the avocado and place 1 wrap on each plate. Fry the eggs and reheat the black bean mixture.

Serve the eggs, avocado, black bean mixture and tomato/ coriander mixture on top of the wraps.

Page 10 www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

• 200g protein (eg tofu, prawns, chicken, Quorn chicken) How to Boil the rice if not pre-cooked - 10 minutes for white rice and 25-30 minutes for brown. Fry the onion, peppers, chilli, carrots and green beans in toasted sesame seed oil.

Add whatever protein you are having chopped into bit size pieces. Add the cayenne pepper - just a small amount. Add the garlic granules, add the drained cooked rice. Add the sesame seeds and stir well. Finally, sprinkle with soy sauce and chopped spring onions and serve.

Garlicy Mushrooms and Spinach on Toast Very tasty and quick and simple to make.

• • • • • •

Toast - any sort 250g chestnut mushrooms 1 clove garlic - crushed or chopped 2 handfuls of spinach Olive oil Worcester Sauce

How to Slice the mushrooms finely and fry in a small amount of olive oil. Add the garlic until it goes golden. Then add the spinach until it wilts and stir - add to the top of the toast.

Sprinkle with Worcester Sauce (veggie version available from healthfood shops).

Smashed Avocado with Poached Egg on Toast A modern café classic…

To serve 2 you need: • Toast - any sort, but sourdough particularly good • 1 or 2 avocados depending on how hungry or indulgent you feel • Tabasco chilli sauce, or fresh chopped chilli or chilli flakes • 2 eggs (or more if extra hungry) • Salt and pepper How to Make the toast and smash the avocado in a bowl with a fork. This is where you discover if your avocados are perfectly ripe or not… I like to add freshly ground pepper to the mix at this point. Spread the mix on your toast.

Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Rice Stir-Fried Spicy Rice To serve 2 you need: • Rice, brown or white - pre-cooked (250g) or dry (100g) • 1 red or orange pepper chopped • 1 onion - finely chopped • 1 carrot - chopped • Handful of green beans - chopped • 2 tsps sesame seeds • 2 tbsps toasted sesame seed oil • Pinch of cayenne pepper • 1 chilli - finely chopped • Spring onions finely chopped for garnish • 1 tsp garlic powder or granules • 1 tbsp soy sauce

Next, poach your eggs. You may have your favourite way of doing this and be an accomplished expert. After having tried the various devices over the years for doing this, I favour the simple method of a saucepan of boiling water with white wine vinegar (or any kind of vinegar) added to keep the egg white from spreading too widely. I find 4 minutes is the ideal time, perhaps less. I find it needs focus and concentration on the timing - a moment’s distraction can blow it, mess up the timing and lead to harder yolks instead of delicious runny ones. As you can see from my photo, that’s exactly what I did here and ended up with less than runny yolks!

Place your eggs on the avocado and toast. Add more black pepper on the egg and salt if you like it and sprinkle with Tabasco Sauce or chilli in another form.

Enjoy!

www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk Page 11

Wildlife - by Nick Green February weather proved to be the wettest on record - and April the sunniest on record. The coronavirus/COVID-19 continued to strike on an international and national basis.

Spring butterflies included a good crop of orangetips, brimstone, small white, small tortoiseshells, holly blue and peacocks. Returning bird migrants from Africa included swifts, swallows, whitethroats, lesser whitethroats and nightingales The white-tailed eagle is the UK’s largest bird of prey with large, long, broad wings with obvious primaries (‘fingers’), protruding head and a short wedge-shaped tail. The tail is brown when the bird is immature but turns white as the bird matures. Classically with a 6ft to 8ft wingspan (females larger than males), the bird is described as a flying barn door! The eagles are versatile and opportunistic hunters and carrion feeders, sometimes even pirating food from other birds and even otters. They eat largely fish, but also take various birds, rabbits and hares. The species actually went extinct in the early 20th century due to persecution. Since, there has been an introduction scheme to the northwest coast of Scotland and Western Isles and the population is now over 100 pairs - there have been many TV programmes about the birds on the Isle of Mull.

In April, there was an extended period of easterly winds and there was a notable influx of immature birds, presumably from countries bordering the Baltic Sea: It will be very interesting to learn how many birds were involved.

Brief Highlights - Influx of Immature Birds Essex: Wivenhoe on 7th. Leigh-on-Sea on 8th. Harold Hill on 21st. Possibly Chelmsford on 22nd. An influx of immature eagles over Stanway on 7th was from the Isle of White reintroduction scheme.

Suffolk: Ipswich and Minsmere RSPB on 7th. Pipps Ford on 15th. Woodbridge on 16th.

Norfolk: Thorpe St Andrew on 3rd.

Red Kites were recorded from a number of sites from all over the county - I even noted one just west of Chelmsford recently, so please keep scanning the skies and keep binoculars and camera at hand! Currently, my lockdown Chelmsford garden bird list stands at 14! Can you do better?

When venues are allowed to open again, please send your events to: editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk for inclusion on to the listings page!

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Adult white-tailed eagle (Copyright: Glyn Evans) Due to travel restrictions, all bird news will not be reported this month but I will note any significant sightings.

For those with lockdown blues: I wanna fly like an eagle To the sea Fly like an eagle Let my spirit carry me I wanna fly like an eagle ‘Til I’m free…

Fly Like an Eagle - The Steve Miller Band (1978)

CT Finance - COVID-19 and Your Money Six Ways to Put Your Finances in Order...

COVID-19 has highlighted our collective, deep-seated insecurities - fears both personal and financial and confronted with our own mortality it is no wonder that we are worried about the future. This applies to all of us, whether we have our affairs in order, or whether we might be struggling with a major unexpected bill.

In spite of the current uncertainty, now is absolutely the time to examine the big picture and fill in any gaps. By taking charge of your financial path you can ease some of that worry about the future and gain momentum.

1. Cashflow - Money In, out and When Factor in any savings and investments, taxes, debts such as cards or mortgage. All that basic info will give you a great insight into your present situation. If you know where you are right now, you know whether you are headed towards, or away from, your goals.

2. Budget Nobody likes to admit it, but it is crucial if you want to get ahead. Whether you love a good spreadsheet or prefer a pen and paper - just do it! Regular reviews of your monthly in and out flows and the type of expenditure (need versus want) do come into their own when assessing your objectives.

3. Emergency Fund Now you know where it all goes you can ensure that you set aside an amount for three or ideally six months worth of expenses. Not everyone has the ability to do this, however with careful planning you can save a little every month and it will soon add up. If you do your budgeting right (see #2) you will have your own crisis fund. The only caveat being: put it into a separate savings account or ISA and do not touch it - that’s the secret!

4. Pension Top up your pension or consider switching funds. If you can afford it, now is an excellent time to increase your contributions. Even a minor increase in contribution, say 2%, will make a difference in the long run. If appropriate, your Independent Financial Adviser may recommend switching funds to maximise recovery if you have less than 10 years to retirement. If you have more than 10 years, you can take advantage of the market volatility as in the long run you will reap the benefits. Tax reliefs on contributions mean you effectively receive ‘free money’ to help compensate for any investment losses.

5. Estate Planning Often the elephant in the room, don’t leave it until it’s too late! Review your will - is it up-to-date and does it reflect your current wishes? Are any trusts in place still advantageous and tax-efficient? Lasting Power of Attorney registered and valid?

It takes a few moments to check your documents and

will make a world of difference. If you have no plan in place, or don’t even have a will (yikes!) contact us immediately.

6. Protection Insurance is something we all need but don’t like to think about. For very little money you could and absolutely should get a cover appropriate for your needs.

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Ct History: Faith in the Chelmsford Area Since 1880 (Part Five) - by Stephen Norris If you walk around the older parts of Chelmsford and Moulsham, you cannot fail to be struck by the sheer number of different types of churches and chapels in the area. This final article on religion in the area reflects that diversity.

Unlike the established church locally, the Catholic Church has not had a problem attracting a congregation in recent years. Our Lady Immaculate Church on New London Road started as a temporary mission in the Catholic school in the mid 19th century. The actual church was built in just over a year, but early attendances were small, averaging just over 100 with a further 36 attending Mass at New Hall, Boreham. In the 1880s the Catholic School had 66 children, but money to run it had to come from the mission.

Until the 1870s, the Diocesan Inspector of Schools had direct control over such schools. After the Forster and Mundella Acts, the school had its first inspection by a government HMI in 1879. The creation of a new Catholic diocese in Essex almost led the church in New London Road becoming the Catholic cathedral. Cardinal Bourne, who played a major role in the decision, favoured Chelmsford, but the new administrator favoured Ilford as the cathedral site. In the end Brentwood was chosen as a geographical compromise in 1917. In the inter-war period, St Philip’s Priory was established at Claremont Villas on the New London Road, which included a small preparatory school and a chapel. The main school was rebuilt in 1934.

By the 1930s pressure of numbers led to Brooklands house in Broomfield being used to hold Mass, as was a temporary mission at Danbury.

By 1946 the Catholic parish had a population of 1,728, but the average at Mass at New London Road on a Sunday was 1,110 and there were 277 pupils at the school. This led to St Pius being built and in 1959 the new secondary school, the Blessed John Payne opened. The growth of further potential followers in the southern part of the borough led to the Church of Holy Name being built in 1965 in Moulsham Lodge. A similar growth of potential congregation led to a further church, Saint Augustine of Canterbury, being built in North Springfield.

By 1880, nonconformism had been well established in the Chelmsford area for over two centuries after the Great Ejection of ministers from the established church in 1662.

Nonconformists played a major role in the expansion of the town in the mid 19th century; in particular they were responsible for the development of the New London Road estate. By the late 19th century, virtually every type of dissenting group was well established in the town.

By the early 18th century the local Baptists had already split into two groups. The original Baptist group were based in Baddow Lane but a strict Ebenezer group of Baptists had built a chapel on the south side of Duke Street. The distinctive New London Road building of the current Ebenezer Chapel was a design by the well

known local architect James Fenton, who is buried in the nonconformist cemetery in New London Road. He and his family worshipped at the Baddow Lane meeting house.

Land had to be bought on either side of the chapel so that no noise could disturb the worshippers. Fred Spalding senior remembered it being built. By the late 19th century a Sunday school had been established at the chapel and this was used by the Red Cross during the war.

During the Second World War the building was used as a rest centre after aerial bombardment, with stores of blankets and non perishable food provided for emergency use. In the 1930s and 1940s, the chapel developed an open air mission which preached around the Chelmsford area. The portable building used was lost in the 1958 flood.

This was the third time the buildings had been flooded.

In 1903 a group of Baptists were meeting in Crane Court off the High Street, but increasing numbers led them to use the Corn Exchange. Originally they bought a site on the New London Road, but this was sold and the site on the current church on Market Road acquired. Building was started in 1908 and the church opened in 1909 with a Sunday school quickly being established. As with the Church of England, concern for the children on the new Boarded Barns estate led to the formation of a Sunday school there, initially in the homes of followers. This was handed over to the Congregational Church who then built a church on North Avenue.

Apart from its two main established churches, the town’s landscape at the end of the 19th century was dominated by its Congregational and Wesleyan chapels. The Congregational Chapel, situated opposite the Mechanics Institute in New London Road, was capable of holding 1,400 and had been designed by David Rackham for Charles Pertwee’s firm of local architects. It was opened in 1882 and was always well filled. ‘The floor of the church was reached from a platform and steps, some fifteen feet over the platform and thus above the New London Road level. It had a fine facade with a central opening of considerable height, two columns of stone carrying a very simple and straight entablature. At road level there was a set of majestic wrought iron gates and railings, in all a very imposing building worthy of its place and really the beginning of the New London Road. It was a grand sight to see all the Sunday churchgoers, all dressed up in their Sunday clothes, standing chatting after the services and a place where the congregation very much enjoyed attending.’

The interior was very large and wide with a large organ in the balcony. The church was restored in 1926 including an enlargement of the organ. After the building was demolished, the Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society developed the site in the 1970s. During this period the Congregational Church in the UK merged with the Presbyterian Church to form the United Reform Church. The

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local URC now occupies Christchurch on New London Road on the site of the old home of John Ockelford Thompson, which was destroyed during the Second World War. Chelmsford’s Wesleyan Chapel was also an imposing building with seating for 650 on the ground floor and a further 100 in the gallery. The chapel and the Sunday school were situated on the north bank of the Cam by the Stone Bridge on the site of the Cater House building.

It opened in 1898 replacing the old chapel in Springfield Road. A writer in the Essex Review commented: “It occupies a prominent position in the High Street... and it is a very handsome structure.”

The fact that the building was so near the river was the cause of considerable difficulty when it came to the foundations. It was built on broad belts of concrete continuing to the river bed. The building was designed in the perpendicular gothic, predominantly in red brick. ‘The maintenance is in the High Street and is formed by a four centred arch over which is a large mullioned window’. The building was demolished in 1962 when the foundations began to cause considerable difficulties.

Like a number of dissenting groups, the Quakers had their origins in Chelmsford as early as the seventeenth century.

As well as the influence of Anne Knight, the movement made a considerable impact on the area through the work of the Christy and Marriage families. The first permanent meeting house was built as early as 1699. This was replaced by the building opposite the railway station which remained in use for 130 years. It was sold in 1957 to fund the present Meeting House in Rainsford Road.

The wide variety of churches in the borough was matched in the surrounding rural area. Great Leighs had a Baptist chapel which later became non denominational. Woodham Ferris had a Congregational Chapel built in 1882 to seat 150 people. Kelly’s Directory mentions a Congregational chapel on Writtle Green as well as one at Howe Green and a Methodist chapel at Oxney Green. In 1906 Kelly’s Directory mentions a non denominational chapel in Danbury.

The rise of non denominational churches in the rural parishes put pressure on the local Church of England churches. A church at Chignal St James for example slowly declined and was deconsecrated in 1982. The lack of sufficient funds for a church school in the Chignalls led to a thriving school board by the 1880s, fully supported by the surrounding chapels. In general, the rancour between the chapels and the established church, principally over tithes, did die down. During 1904 for example, All Saints Church at Springfield was ransacked with altar ornaments and vases being stolen and pews vandalised. Afterwards however, donations came in from all sections of the religious community and the items were soon replaced.

This came less than a generation after there had been serious disagreements between the different religious groups within the same community.

Chelmsford Young Men’s Christians Association (YMCA) www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

celebrated its centenary in the town in 1977. It had been founded barely thirty years after the original YMCA started in St Paul’s churchyard, London, in 1844. The first centre in Chelmsford was above Bonds (now Debenhams).

In 1927 the organisation moved to its current headquarters in Victoria Road. During the war, the YMCA provided canteen services until a new wing which had been built in 1935 received bomb damage. Today the organisation provides child care and youth work services in the city.

In November 2013 a new YMCA youth club started in Moulsham School.

In the new millennium, evangelical groups such as the Elim Pentecostal Church in Hall Street (now known as the Life Church) continued to thrive as do the two Muslim organisations. One mosque is by Parkway off Moulsham Street. The other was at a small house in Regina Way. This has been demolished and planning permission had been granted to build a four storey mosque and community centre. There were two small protests at the proposed new mosque by the right wing English Defence League in 2012 - all the protestors were from outside Chelmsford. The Chelmsford Muslim Society has currently raised £750,000 of the £2,500,000 needed.

Next month will see the first part of a series of articles on Chelmsford during the Second World War, which will take us up to the end of the year. All being well, 2021 will feature articles on the recent history of sport in the Chelmsford area, local agriculture, the co-operative movement, schools, employment and trade unions.

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Therapy - by Chelmsford Therapy Rooms Since technology has blossomed in our society, human kind seems to be drawn closer and closer to it, especially in these current times with COVID-19 where we can’t interact socially as normal. The need for contact with one another, a normal part of human behaviour that is currently somewhat restricted, has developed from a level of keeping in touch via letter or a phone call to texting, WhatsApp, SnapChat, FaceTime, Skype, Zoom, Twitter, Facebook and the many other apps we have on the touch screen devices that we carry around with us. Just as moths are drawn to a flame, we are drawn to keeping in touch with each other digitally.

Because we don’t really have a choice but to use our mobile phones and iPads/tablets, today I’m discussing nomophobia - the fear of being without your mobile phone.

The idea for this article came to me because of a recent experience (apologies to our editor Paul who has already heard my rant over this issue!). A couple of weeks ago my iPhone died. I had been with my phone provider for 17 years - in fact I used to work for them - and mysteriously my iPhone has completely broken around the same time of year, every year. I use Apple products regularly because of their durability, so the fact my iPhone’s motherboard completely packed up within 18 months of me having the phone (and treating it with care) more than once seemed somewhat odd to me. My phone provider was not empathetic, didn’t care about my situation (that I use my phone to keep in touch with friends and family some of which are hundreds, if not thousands of miles away) and they informed me I had to pay them £234 to upgrade or be without my phone for two weeks whilst they repair it (again costing hundreds of pounds). I might be a therapist but I am also human and I’m not embarrassed to admit that I panicked. I was shocked and upset at how my phone provider treated me. It wasn’t just the 17 years of loyal service, it was the fact that they weren’t even attempting to offer me a deal, taking into account that I’m self-employed, having to work from home where I can, and therefore my income has been affected by the current pandemic (as is the same for many others). The thought of being cut off from the people I’m closest to scared me.

It has been argued that the number of cases where nomophobia is a true phobia is limited, and actually what people experience is more of a form of anxiety disorder. In my personal experience yes, fear of losing or being without a mobile phone is one of the symptoms I’ve seen in anxiety disorders. However, when this fear becomes so intense it takes over your thoughts and begins to affect your life, that’s when we have a problem. In the current pandemic, clearly this type of fear is going to be more prevalent than before simply because we are more reliant on our technology, especially our phones, than we were perhaps a few months ago.

So, where might the fear come from? According to Bianchi and Philips (2005) psychological factors are involved in the overuse of a mobile phone, possibly including low selfesteem, when individuals looking for reassurance use the mobile phone more often than they normally would do, for example checking the phone every few seconds out of fear or worry for a loved one or worry about something you’ve said. Someone could have an extroverted personality, when naturally social individuals use the mobile phone to excess because we’re not allowed to socialise normally. It is also highly possible that nomophobic symptoms may be caused by other underlying and pre-existing mental disorders, with likely candidates including social phobia or social anxiety disorder, social anxiety and panic disorder.

So where does the term nomophobia come from? Well, for once this isn’t latin! It was coined during a 2010 study by the UK Post Office who commissioned YouGov to look at anxieties suffered by mobile phone users. It literally stands for ‘No-Mobile-Phone-Phobia’. The study found that nearly 53% of mobile phone users in Britain tend to be anxious when they ‘lose their mobile phone, run out of battery or credit, or have no network coverage’. The study found that about 58% of men and 47% of women suffer from the phobia, and an additional 9% feel stressed when their mobile phones are off.

The study sampled 2,163 people. 55% of those surveyed cited keeping in touch with friends or family as the main reason that they got anxious when they could not use their mobile phones. The study compared stress levels induced by the average case of nomophobia to be on-par with those of ‘wedding day jitters’ and trips to the dentist. Another study found that out of 547 male undergraduate students in health services, 23% were classified as nomophobic while an additional 64% were at risk of developing nomophobia. Of these students, 77% checked their mobile phones 35 or more times a day. More than one in two nomophobes never switch off their mobile phones. I have a feeling that as this pandemic continues the figures quoted above will change substantially as we struggle to keep in touch in this socially distant time.

So, how can we use hypnotherapy to help someone worrying about being without their phone so much it could be classed as phobic? Firstly, I would need to speak to the client about how they see their mobile devices. My concern would be whether they are building a relationship with the device as opposed to people in real life to the point where, even when we’re back to normal, they still use their phone rather than socialising with loved ones where they can.

Secondly, how did the fear start and how did it develop? At the moment we are forced to use technology more often that not. When we are back to normal, has their phone use developed into a habit and then further developed into a fear of giving up this habit? Does the phone now represent something different to what it did before the lockdown?

Thirdly, although research suggests that this is a form of social anxiety disorder I also believe that some people get hooked on these devices because of another reason: FOMO

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- Fear Of Missing Out. I would encourage the client to think logically, have they missed out? In session we can explore many things, for example what would it be like to be without their mobile phone? What do they actually get from living their life through their mobile? What would it be like to live without their phone just for one day? I know that we need our devices more than usual right now, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not healthy to take a break from technology! The client’s responses would give me a great idea of their underlying beliefs about their device and about themselves. We can then develop a script around remaining calm and relaxed and being able to cope with life without being so reliant on their phone. What else can they experience that the phone cannot provide?

Also, guess what? Mobile’s are switched off during session. Oh yes. I am that cruel. Not completely at first though, this is a form of systematic desensitisation. Switch off for 5 minutes. Back on. Nothing happened. Switch off 10 minutes. Back on. nothing happened, etc. I would encourage the client to see the real world and experience that, and compare it to the digital world they experience now. The rest is up to them...

Jenny Hartill is a therapist and owner of Cloud9 Therapy and Chelmsford Therapy Rooms. She is a counsellor and hypnotherapist and can help with a multitude of issues.

Please see the therapist list on the website at www. chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk, or you can email info@ chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk, or call 0330 100 5162 to enquire about an initial consultation. Alternatively, Jenny’s own company website is www.cloud9-therapy.co.uk, her email is info@cloud9-therapy.co.uk and her telephone number is 07507 307 170.

Please share the link for this online issue enabling as many of our regular readers to be able to view the magazine as possible: www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia

Canon Tom’s E-Pistle Hello everyone, allow me to introduce myself: I’m Canon Tom Page from the Church of the Ascension with All Saints, Maltese Road, Chelmsford (C of E, nothing fancy!).

One of the things that has been most challenging during the lockdown has been getting used to the restrictions on how we interact with other people. It’s so natural and normal to just walk out of our homes and pass people by in the street, perhaps with a ‘good morning’ or ‘hello’ maybe even a bit of a chat if it’s someone we know well. Then suddenly, that was all cut short. We are told to stay home for our own safety and for the safety of others. For many, work has stopped or changed drastically, some learning to work from home. In all cases our usual contact and interaction with others has had to evolve into something new.

For one, I thank goodness for the Internet and modern communication technology, not something I thought anyone would hear from me! Just imagine if the C-19 outbreak had happened twenty or thirty years ago, before Skype, Zoom

and all the other ways we now have of communicating these days. At least many of us are able to see each other now when we make a call - and that’s good, but it’s not the same as good old face-to-face.

There is a great difference in the quality of the interaction that we have when we are actually with someone, in the same room. We are able to tell so much more about what’s going on with them, through body language and the other little signals that we pick up. We may respond to others in a more immediate and practical way too, you can’t put your arm around someone’s shoulder when you’re on the phone.

One of my hopes for the future is, that when this current situation is over we shall be more appreciative of ‘being present’ with each other. It is indeed, a gift - a ‘present’ if you will - to share our lives with others in the fullest way we are able. When the lockdown comes to an end, let’s re-learn how to enjoy the company of others and enjoy it for the gift it’s always been.

Tom

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Spot 10 Differences (answers on page 21)

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Quiz Time - by John Theedom 1.

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In the USA, what do the initials ZIP stand for?

What was the name of killer Fred West’s wife?

Paloma is the Spanish word for which animal?

What was the nickname of the snooker player Alex Higgins?

Rose Dawson (69), has a B&B in Yorkshire, but also rescues owls - how many does she have?

Philip Schofield recently ‘came out’ and has now left his wife and children and has moved to where?

What year did the SAS raid the Iranian Embassy in London?

The TV programme Heartbeat takes place in which village?

Which British kids’ comic features Gnasher and Dennis the Menace?

How many feet are there in a fathom?

Ailsa, Craig, Setton & Snowball are all types of which vegetable?

Flash is the highest village in the UK which county is it in?

Who was the American divorcee that King Edward VIII abdicated the British throne for?

What is the surname of the well known TV choirmaster Gareth?

Who is the new leader of the Labour Party?

What is Meghan Markle’s father’s name?

What kind of creature is a smew?

With which musical instrument is Sir Yehudi Menuhin associated?

What is the term for the person who attends to your feet?

During it’s life cycle, which common fish can be alevin, parr, smolt or grilse?

Which group had a top 10 hit in 1969 with Hello Suzie?

In which ocean is Sri Lanka?

When is St George’s Day? Which female singer had a hit with Shout?

Why did the scientist disconnect his door bell?

Apart from his singing talent, what was Roy Orbison’s trade mark?

What BIG mistake did the Coca Cola Co make in 1985?

28. You remember Boycie and Marlene in Green Green Grass, but what are their real names?

29. What would you do with a huffer?

30. How long ago was the famous Felsted School founded?

31. What do the initials RSPB stand for?

32. Which singer only worked From 9 till 5?

33. What material does a tanner work with?

34. Which country uses a dong in it’s currency?

35. Approximately how tall, in feet, is the bird called a crane?

36. How old was Jeremy Paxman in May 2020?

37. Who is the current Speaker of the House of Commons?

38. Who was the actress who starred with Pierce Brosnan in Die Another Day? 39. What is the name of Diane Abbott’s son?

40. From what is copra made?

Answers on page 24

Spot the Difference Answers

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with friends that they otherwise would not be able to enjoy.

Rotary clubs are also holding online quizzes and raffles so money is still being raised for good causes and the Rotary campaign to end polio is still ongoing.

Scaling the Peaks of Coronavirus We listen avidly to the weekly bulletins from Downing Street on the latest figures of this pandemic. Numbers tossed into the air, another 654 dead today but good news; it was 732 yesterday... Thousands of new cases every day. The UK Government, like governments around the world, is learning on the job and whilst it is obviously true that things could have been done differently, it does not necessarily mean that we would have been in a better situation.

The Prime Minister announced on Sunday 10th May that people who could not work at home are to be encouraged to go back to work, so the lockdown restrictions are being relaxed because we are through the peak of coronavirus.

Ignoring for a moment the logistics of how people are to get there whilst still observing social distancing, are people as a whole ready to risk close contact with the general public?

The Government faces the unenviable dilemma in trying to balance safety with the damage to the economy.

Every strand of society has been badly hit including the voluntary sector and Rotary is no exception. The regular meetings have all been cancelled and plans for fundraising projects put on hold. The ability to help others on a oneto-one basis is virtually impossible, although individual members of many clubs are assisting those self-isolating by collecting prescriptions and doing essential shopping.

One member of Chelmsford Phoenix has raised around £2,500 for the NHS by producing ‘Thank You NHS Boards’ for the public to put in their windows or outside their houses to show their appreciation. They are free, but people can make a donation and the money raised will go to a local NHS charity. Other Rotary clubs in Essex have taken up the project and together the amount raised is approaching £10,000. There is another very exciting challenge coming very soon where four of the Chelmsford Rotary clubs are joining forces to produce protective snoods for local people including key workers. More about that next time.

Face to face meetings might have been cancelled for the time being, but online meetings have come very much into vogue. My own club, Chelmsford, meets weekly and is able to plan projects and strategy for the time when we are free to resume normal business. We have many members who fall into the over seventy category but they have manged to embrace technology and Zoom has given them contact

Planning is important, and whilst I have mentioned that many projects have been cancelled, others have been merely postponed and will take place when the situation allows.

Next week we should have been engaging in the club’s second showcase which would give the general public the opportunity to meet Rotarians, hear about some of the great projects accomplished and look to the future as how to be part of the worldwide organisation. Alas, not to be, but this will take place in due course.

COVID-19 has opened up opportunities for Rotarians to listen to international speakers via special webinars and Zoom meetings. I have already engaged with the incoming Rotary International President and the head of the Rotary Foundation and have been able to ask them questions.

This week there is a talk by the Chief Executive of National Council for Voluntary Organisations entitled The Modern Shape of Volunteering. This should be interesting to hear how other organisations are faring during this pandemic and also what they are finding successful in meeting the needs of the community. Equally, the next one by a leading author is How to Maintain Momentum in Tough Times, so very apt and I look forward to that one as well.

Moenu Kiuchi, a Japanese peace scholar studying at Essex University, speaking at a Rotary Foundation dinner just before lockdown The Rotary year starts on the 1st July, and it appears that coronavirus will impact on us for many more months, so strong leadership will be required as we enter phases 3 and 4 of the fight against the virus. Rotary will survive, but will be looking for impetus from new members to take us forward. If you would like to find out more, please give me a call on 01245 260 349.

Stan Keller

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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. We usually host a new exhibition of local art in our window every month, but as a measure against the spread of COVID-19 will be hosting virtual exhibitions until further notice.

Our featured artists for May 2020 are the students of Landscape Architecture and Garden Design from Writtle University College. You can find their virtual exhibition, interview and pictures on our website and Facebook pages, at: www.windowgallery.org and www.facebook.com/ ChelmsfordWindowGallery Project: The Moonlight Garden: A conceptual student project, inspired by the moon in all its guises.

“We started teaching Garden Design over 30 years ago and this has diversified into our Landscape Architecture programme. We help students develop artistic ideas, skills and creativity, applying this to gardens for both people and nature, where artistic ideas take place in real space and time.

“Garden design and garden designers have changed a lot since we started teaching it over 30 years ago. Previously it seemed to belong in the realm of hobby gardeners and DIY water features, while simultaneously as status symbols for the elite, yet never much in between.

“We have dedicated design studios and arts facilities at Writtle plus our fantastic gardens. Both art and design students create environmental artwork in the grounds and in the studios.

“Our courses run throughout the academic year, from September to May. Students also develop design journals as part of their studies so creative work can continue over the summer.

“Our students’ work has been exhibited all over the world from close to home in Chelmsford and London, all the way to South Korea - at garden design shows, art exhibitions, design competitions and for public consultation in real design projects.”

The WUC Design Degree Show is going to launch at 12pm on Wednesday 27th May. You’ll be able to access all of the students’ work here: writtle.ac.uk/DesignShow2020.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/writtledesign Facebook: www.facebook.com/WrittleDesign Twitter: twitter.com/WrittleDesign Website: writtle.ac.uk

“Nowadays, with the realisation that quality outdoor spaces can improve health and well-being and that both designers and their clients can make a real contribution to mitigating climate change, there’s great appeal to the idea of garden design as a profession.

“Our students are inspired by many things - art, architecture, poetry, science and behavioural psychology! The project we are sharing here used moonlight as a conceptual start point to explore these ideas.

“There’s always something to inspire garden designers - the clients, the site, concepts, landscape and garden theories, abstract ideas, ideas that can be explored through drawing, model making and digital technologies.

We run lots of workshops for students, have regular visits from artists and designers, as well as curriculum that is centred around ideas generation. www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk Page 23

Stargazing with Mark Willis - May/June The summer months with their longer days and shorter nights often don’t seem very good for stargazing. However, all is not lost.

Most public events have been either cancelled or postponed. I like to look at this as an opportunity. So, I list my 3 ‘desert island’ astronomy books with my comments.

24th May: Venus appearing 3.7 degrees, very close to the Moon.

26th May: Castor and Pollux, these two stars can be seen very close to the crescent Moon.

5th June (18:40): Penumbral Lunar eclipse visible from europe. You might wonder what a penumbral lunar eclipse is; picture the moon and imagine a line just below the bottom of the moon and then imagine that line rising to about halfway covering the moon. The difference in colour between the penumbral area of the moon and the untouched part of the moon is quite subtle, but you will see it. The darker area is caused by the shadow of the earth in front of the moon.

20th June: Summer Solstice. This is the point where the nights grow longer than the days.

New Moon: On 22nd May and 21st June 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.

1. Philips Guide to the Night Sky - by the late Sir Patrick Moore (about £6) - only 51 pages so not too daunting!

2. Stargazing for Beginners 2nd edition - by Will Gater and Anton Vamplew. New edition out in November (about £16) - wonderfully laid out, comprehensive and superb pictures.

3. Collins Dictionary of Astronomy - cheap as chips, but even so, excellent!

These are all good books for beginners and others.

As usual, email me with any questions.

I would normally present LiteBites every Tuesday at 12 midday on Chelmsford Community Radio.on 104.4 FM and online throughout the world. Sadly, I am in the vulnerable group. I hope to return to the airwaves as soon as I can. www.chelmsfordcommunityradio.com mark.willis@chelmsfordcommunityradio.com

Quiz Answers

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1. Zone Improvement Plan 2. Rosemary 3. Pigeon 4. ‘Hurricane’ 5. 54 6. Central London 7. 1980 8. Adensfield 9. The Beano 10. 6ft 11. Onion 12. Staffordshire 13. Wallis Simpson 14. Malone 15. Sir Keir Starmer 16. Thomas Markle 17. Duck 18. Violin 19. Chiropodist 20. Salmon 21. Amen Corner 22. Indian Ocean 23. April 23rd 24. Lulu

25. He went in for the ‘No bell’ Prize!

26. He always wore sunglasses 27. Proposal to change the formula, customers rebelled 28. John Challis and Sue Holderness 29. Eat it, it is a traditional Essex, doughy bun 30. 456 years 31. Royal Society for the Protection of Birds 32. Dolly Parton 33. Leather 34. Vietnam 35. 4 feet 36. 70 37. Sir Lindsay Hoyle 38. Halle Berry 39. James Abbott-Thompson 40. Dried coconut

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