The City Times - November/December 2019 by Itsyourmedia

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Including: Boreham, Broomfield, Danbury, Great Baddow, Maldon, South Woodham Ferrers, The Walthams and Writtle 10000 copies distributed monthly Issue Number 73 November 14th - December 12th 2019

Public Get First Look at Initial Options for Army and Navy Junction Initial options for a long-term solution at the Army and Navy junction in Chelmsford have been shared with the public for the first time. The junction is currently operating significantly over capacity in the morning and evening peak hours, meaning drivers regularly experience delays. The junction has very little resilience to cope with traffic incidents. The issue has been compounded by the permanent closure of the Army and Navy flyover, which Essex County Council announced in September 2019 following the recommendation of a detailed engineering report. The council is pressing ahead with plans to remove the flyover as soon as possible, while various short-term measures have been put in place to manage traffic flow. The initial options for the junction, which are detailed in an online public information brochure, are: •

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Separate T-Junctions: Two new T-junctions created. One linking Essex Yeomanry Way/Parkway and Chelmer Road, and the other linking Essex Yeomanry Way/Parkway and Van Diemans Road. Traffic signals would be used to control traffic flow at the junctions, as well as traffic joining Van Diemans Road from Baddow Road.

Minor Road Layout Improvements: A package of minor improvements, including an extension to the Parkway to Chelmer Road slip road, an additional lane on the roundabout between Parkway and Essex Yeomanry Way, an extra lane on entry to the roundabout from Essex Yeomanry Way, and enhanced pedestrian and cycling routes.

Two-Way Flyover: A new modern standard two-way flyover allowing a significant amount of traffic to avoid the roundabout and travel to and from Parkway and Essex Yeomanry Way in both directions.

Hamburger Roundabout: Otherwise known as a throughabout. Traffic would be able to travel straight between Essex Yeomanry Way and Parkway through the centre of the junction without using the roundabout. Traffic travelling to other arms of the junction would use the roundabout. Traffic signals would be used to manage traffic flows and priority.

The Department for Transport has stressed the importance of sustainable transport in any solution to help reduce travel demand throughout the city centre and a city-wide package of potential sustainable transport measures is being developed to complement the final scheme. Cllr Kevin Bentley, Deputy Leader of Essex County Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “We are working incredibly quickly to develop the best possible scheme for the Army and Navy. The junction is a crucial gateway to Chelmsford and we want to provide a long-term and sustainable solution that is an asset to the city. “I am very pleased to now be in a position to share the initial options that we are exploring at this early stage, and we look forward to giving the public the opportunity to have their say on a revised shortlist of options at a later date, which is expected to be in late 2020 or early 2021. The options are being assessed to initially establish which would be the most effective in improving the junction and encouraging more sustainable travel, while avoiding putting additional pressure on other roads in the city centre. “Steps are already being taken to reduce the programme wherever we can and we will continue to progress the project as quickly as possible, including exploring any opportunities to bring forward elements of the chosen option sooner. However, we must also ensure we get this right and achieve the best solution for Chelmsford.” The public information brochure, which provides background to the project and outlines the initial options for the junction in more detail, including the advantages and disadvantages of the options, is available online at www.essex.gov.uk/armyandnavy. Printed copies will also be available to view at libraries in Chelmsford from Wednesday, 13th November. An audio read-through of the brochure, produced by local charity Chelmsford Talking Newspaper, will also shortly be on the website and sent to its listeners.

•

Enlarged Roundabout: The existing roundabout would be enlarged into the floodplain, creating a larger circulatory. The approach lanes on Parkway would also be widened. Traffic flows would be managed by traffic signals.

For all the latest updates on the Army and Navy scheme, please subscribe to the project e-newsletter at www.essex.gov.uk/ armyandnavy.

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CT Welcome Hello readers,

Welcome to the November/December edition. The festive period will soon be upon us with the Chelmsford High Street Christmas lights switch on happening on 17th November! Please remember to tell our advertisers that you saw them in this magazine. Enjoy your month! Regards Nick & Paul

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CT Business Interview: Pakwaan - by Derek Threadgall There are Indian restaurants and there are Indian restaurants - and then there is Pakwaan Restaurant, offering Indian Punjabi cuisine to the more discerning customer. In 2016, Rajesh Chouhan sold his Indian restaurant in Ilford, moved to Writtle, was enjoying a drink in Writtle’s Blue Bridge pub, noticed the pub was for up sale and bought it - as you do! Pakwaan is a leading award winning restaurant specialising in Indian Punjabi cuisine from northern India. The restaurant is based in Writtle village just outside Chelmsford and specialises in exclusive fine-dining experiences, corporate events, sporting dinners, boardroom lunches and cocktail parties, in addition to other dining experiences. Rajesh established the company out of sheer passion for providing a combination of authentic Indian cuisine, top class professionally orchestrated hospitality and sophisticated entertainment. Rajesh has impeccable taste and a meticulous eye for detail: “All our dishs are freshly cooked by our team of experienced chefs and undergo strict quality control by our executive chefs and staff to ensure that we use only the best ingredients in our preparations. Also, we work closely

medical meetings in the past, it was not surprising to see doctors, cardiologists and other high-end consultants and specialists beat a path to their favourite Indian restaurant. Unlike Bengali Indian restaurants who cater more for the English customer, Pakwaan offers traditional Indian Punjabi food tailor-made for English tastes and especially for those tastes at the high end of the restaurant market, with superb unrivalled presentation. The décor of the restaurant is stunning, as is the friendly and calming atmosphere in which to enjoy your meal. However, when time is short, lunch sometimes can be a headache; supermarket sandwiches and the staff canteen fayre are rarely tuned in to your taste buds, so, it’s welcome to ‘Pakwaan’s Tiffins’ to provide the perfect solution. Fresh, healthy and authentic homemade Indian Punjabi food is delivered straight to your place of work in disposable temperature controlled lunchboxes called tiffins. Why not subscribe to the Pakwaan Newsletter and keep up to date with the restaurant’s special offers, events, entertainment and all the little extras that contribute to the Pakwaan dining experience? You can sign ip via their website below. Book a table (or for any general enquiries): 01245 422 891 www.pakwaan.co.uk info@pakwaan.co.uk 1 Bridge Street, Writtle, Chelmsford CM1 3EY

November/December Issue Deadlines: Articles - 27th November Artwork - 5th December

with all our customers to help us provide bespoke solutions.” Since its inception, the company has built an enviable reputation as one of the leading specialist Indian fine-dining restaurants in the UK, offering professional, dedicated chefs supported by an experienced team of event specialists. Rajesh says: “We combine a high level of service with imagination and innovation when creating your perfect event, whether it is in house or outdoor. We offer a comprehensive catering service to suit all communities and preferences, and in particular, the planning and realisation of weddings and other social events.” Pakwaan opened its doors to Writtle and Chelmsford in February this year, and soon discovered a local clientele eager to sample good Indian food. Word of mouth began to circulate around Writtle and quality customers began to arrive. Soon, Rajesh was catering for events and private parties. Having always dealt with

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Black Friday Record Releases at Intense Records If you love your vinyl, then you will be well aware of Record Store Day, a special celebration held in April, when independent record stores come together with artists to celebrate vinyl, and artists and bands release special limited edition records. The people behind Record Store Day decided to mark another special day on the calendar Black Friday. This year Black Friday falls on Friday 29th November 2019 and Intense Records in Chelmsford will be taking part. Record Store Day has worked hard to shift the culture of Black Friday. Moving away from being a mass-produced, low-as-you-can-go event, and instead concentrating on offering music fans a selection of exclusive and special releases. It’s also a great way to kick off the Christmas gifting season, offering customers the opportunity to get something unique for their friends and family this holiday. This year Intense will be stocking a whole host of exclusive releases from iconic artists such as U2, Arcade Fire, Alice Cooper, Aretha Franklin, The Comet is Coming, James Brown, Kings Of Leon, Lewis Capaldi, NAS, Paul McCartney, Pearl Jam, Sid Vicious, Slipknot and The Doors amongst many more. Our favourites include a festiveinspired picture disc from Jimi Hendrix dressed as Santa Claus, rare recordings from Miles Davis and Elvis Presley on vinyl for the first time ever, and a Motown compilation of rare and unreleased tracks from the vault. The soundtrack of Robert Rodriguez’s classic Desperado also gets its first ever vinyl release on ‘blood & gunpowder’ coloured vinyl.

These rare and in-demand titles will be available on the day in store. So make sure you get down to Intense early before they sell out! If you can’t make it on the day, items will be listed on the Intense website the following day - check out www.intenserecords.com. Open from 8am-8pm, Intense Records (located under the arches near the train and bus stations) will be putting on an in-store party with live acts and DJs. For more information call 01245 347 372 or visit at 33/34 Viaduct Road, Chelmsford CM1 1TS. www.intenserecords.com

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Nick Garner’s Music and Ramblings

Music & Ramblings Sadly, I recently took time out to go to a friend’s funeral, that of Barrie Masters, lead singer of Eddie and the Hot Rods. Barrie sadly left us far too early, as he was only 63. Barrie was one of the really good guys, and no one had a bad word to say about him. He had fronted Eddie and the Hot Rods since 1975 right through to 2019. Probably their most well known hit was Do Anything You Wanna Do from 1977, a song which was played as we left the crematorium, and it had everyone singing and clapping along to it. This was another band from Canvey Island and there were links between them and Dr Feelgood. Most of the Feelgoods, past and present, were there too, along with many other recognisable faces and a good couple of hundred family, friends and fans to say farewell. I am so pleased I went along to say farewell my friend. At the end at the service they released white doves which I think was very fitting. I was lucky enough to have put the band on a few times and also was lucky to have been invited to join them on stage to play a bit of harmonica.

There are a couple of events which I know of that need highlighting. One being Emjay Promotions who are hosting a night in the UB on Wednesday 27th November with the band, We Are Fossils. Martin, who runs Emjay, always manages to get top acts to come and play for him, so it’s always worth making the effort to come along and support Emjay and the acts he puts on. Hot Box in Chelmsford has also been putting on some great shows recently, with alternative acts and some local acts along with others from around the world. This venue is well worth keeping an eye on. The Bassment is also getting back into more live music again with Shakey back hosting regular nights featuring a host of good local acts. As well as all this, Brett is doing all kinds of stuff, just as he did previously in the Fleece. I feel we are very lucky and spoilt with the likes of Hideaways, The Woolpack, The Black Horse, The Star and Garter and The UB all putting varied events on. I am currently booking acts for 2020 at the UB and among these, we have some very special acts coming up - so keep your eyes peeled for updates. I am very lucky that many friends and others want to come and play at the UB, as landlord Scott loves live music and pretty much leaves it up to me who to put on. I try my best to keep it varied, with plenty of original music; as I always say, these are the people who create tomorrow’s covers. I do still book some covers acts of course, but I prefer those musicians who put their own slant on the music they offer up. It makes it more interesting I think, and shows creativity rather than just copying note for note as so many do. I also do the bookings at the football ground and all is looking good for 2020 so far. We finish off 2019 with a great show on Friday 6th December with Los Pacaminos featuring Paul Young, and our very own The Ugly Guys, featuring Paul Shuttleworth and Vic Collins of the Kursaal Flyers, and Bob Clouter of Mickey Jupp. With a mix of Tex Mex, country, and Americana, this is surely going to be a great night. Full details can be found on the poster in this magazine. In January 2020 we have Sham 69 booked, and for February we have Imagine The Beatles. In March we have The Connor Selby Band’s warm up for The Who tour show. Then May sees our annual show with Albert Lee. In October we are pleased to welcome back U2 Tribe and we are hoping that we have Kokomo returning for the Christmas show. Check out the What’s On listings in this magazine. It’s not just for music, but for everything that is open to the public. If you know of something going on then please check out the deadlines and drop an email to editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk.

This continues to be a busy time for Jamie Williams & the Roots Collective. While we are not gigging, we are busy working on our new album which we plan to release in the spring of 2020. So far it is going really well and we think you will all be pleased with the mix of music and surprises that we have lined up for it. As I write this, we about to play a festival in Bude, Cornwall and then another in Devizes and then on Sunday 17th November with The Delta Ladies. Robbie McIntosh and his band (featuring two drummers), Dangerous Daydream (Roy Mette), Connor Selby and Joe Anderton will all be playing a mini one-day festival at Chelmsford City FC from 1pm to 10pm on Sunday 17th November. Tickets in advance are just £15, or £18 on the door - great value I think. There is lots more going on in and around the city with much original music, as well as and storytelling events at the Two Brewers. Also look out for comedy, jazz, folk and open mic nights around the city, as well as the monthly blues jam on the first Thursday of each month at the Bassment.

As ever, please do try to come out and support the great live scene that we have in Essex - because if you do not, we may lose it. For more information on all of the above and more, see the links below and check out the City Times each month and go to the What’s On pages to see what is happening in your area. If you visit the local Facebook pages, look for the ‘Events’ tabs where you can see who is playing and preview all the up-and-coming acts. www.itsyourmusic.co.uk www.facebook.com/itsyourmusic/events Twitter@itsyourmusic www.facebook.com/theunitedbrethren/events www.facebook.com/essexgigguide www.visitessex.com/events

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will retain good levels of moisture, CT Gardening - by Tom Cole This provide anchorage and support; more

This autumn is turning out to be absolutely fabulous this year. The colour of the leaves, fruit and emerging bark is what I would call supertastic!

Walking around the grounds of Writtle University College this week has been an eye opener. The fruit is bright and burgeoning, leaves are vibrant and the stems and trunks of a few select trees and shrubs are starting to reveal their true texture and colour. I think this is going to the best autumn yet.

so compared to multipurpose soilless composts. Ensure once planted and supported that the tree is watered in well. If the tree is to be placed in a sheltered location, supports may not be required. If a tree seems too big a deal for your space, perhaps try any of the following for winter colour:

If you want increased colour for next year, why not plant a tree? Trees are perfect if you have the space. However, a good number can be containerised and/or planted into a restricted space. Here are a six of my all time favourites:

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• • • • •

Cercis Canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’: Crimson flowers in clusters on bare stems in the spring before the leaves turn deep reddishpurple/orange-red in the autumn. Height and spread 4-5m (13-16ft). Prunus Serrula: Polished mahogany bark. Height 8-10m (2633ft). Spread 6m (20ft). Euonymus Europaeus ‘Red Cascade’: Rosy-red fruits, seeds have orange arils. Height 3m (10ft). Spread 2.5m (8ft). Acer Japonicum ‘Vitifolium’: Crimson-red fruits. Height and spread 5m (16ft). Sorbus Vilmorinii: Height and spread 5m (16ft). Amelanchier Laevis ‘RJ Hilton’: Pink-tinged white flowers from pink buds, mid-spring, red-purple autumn tints. Height and spread 4m (13ft).

All of the above examples are great in containers roughly 90cm (3ft) wide x 60cm (2ft) in depth. Ensure the pot has sufficient drainage. In addition I tend to add horticultural grit to the base of the pot and raise it on legs to really improve water flow. For the best results use a soil based compost such as John Innes Potting Compost No 3.

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Euonymus Alatus: A large, spreading, deciduous shrub, developing conspicuous corky wings on its branchlets. Leaves turn rosy-crimson at the same time as purplish-red fruits are produced that split to reveal orange seed in the autumn. Height 250cm (8½ft). Spread 150cm (5ft). Ceratostigma Plumbaginoides: A low growing herbaceous perennial with spreading roots. Leaves turn red or purple in autumn. Clusters of rich blue flowers from late summer. Height and spread 45cm (1½ft). Sarcococca Hookeriana var. Humilis: A compact suckering shrub forms glossy with small clusters of very fragrant creamy-white flowers with crimson anthers in winter, followed by black berries. Height and spread 60cm (2ft).

Planting instructions are the same as those for the tree - just no need for any supports. National Tree Week is the UK’s largest annual tree celebration, marking the start of the winter tree planting season (November to March each year). The Tree Council, one of the UK’s leading charities for trees, first established National Tree Week in March 1975 in response to the national replanting required after the outbreak of Dutch Elm disease. This year, it’s between 23rd November and 1st December. Lastly, if you want to further your knowledge and understanding of these or other gardening jobs, please consider one of the following courses at Writtle University College: For RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Horticulture (1 year, day release on Thursdays), RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Plant Growth, Propagation & Development (September - February on Thursdays), RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Garden Planning, Establishment and Maintenance and for RHS Level 2 and 3 Certificates in Practical Horticulture, email tom.cole@writtle.ac.uk for information on availability of days and times. If you’ve got more time, we also offer full time Level 2 & 3 programmes and apprenticeship schemes. New for this September we’ll be offering part-time garden design programmes. Contact ben. wincott@writtle.ac.uk for more information. If you’d like a shorter programme for say 1 or 2 days, then give our Short Courses team a call. We’ve got courses on construction (erecting fences, paving and brickwork), general garden tasks, such as pruning, propagation, container gardening, successful care of lawns and growing fruit and veg. For the professional, a whole load of competence based certificates covering arboriculture, pesticide application and use of various machinery and equipment.

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Do give us a call, come and see the college, and we’ll help you with any course - large or small. Happy gardening For any gardening tips, please contact Tom Cole, Horticultural Lecturer, Writtle College, Chelmsford, CM1 3RR by post (including a SAE) or by email at tom.cole@writtle.ac.uk.

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Re-Cycle Bikes Re-Cycle Bikes to Africa, a small charity based in Essex, receives used bikes and ships them to rural communities in Africa. Re-Cycle is a charity that cares for the environment, recycling bikes instead of sending them to landfill. Across the UK thousands of bikes are thrown away or lie unused in sheds, whilst many people in Africa are forced to walk for hours carrying heavy loads to get to market, school, work and to fetch water and crops. Enriching the lives of those less fortunate by giving them the independence of a bike, really does change lives. The bikes provide people with opportunities to gain new skills and sustainable income which enables them to invest in their own projects. Bikes which may not be suitable to send to Africa are stripped down for spare parts or are repaired and sold to communities here in the UK. The charity has received 14,500 bikes at its warehouse this year, and since it started in 1998, it has sent over 111,000 bikes. Imagine where those bikes might have ended up if they hadn’t been recycled? Re-Cycle touches the lives of people in the UK as well as overseas by providing life skills and social support to a diverse community through the volunteering programme. As we start to consider Christmas and the buying of gifts for each other, we are also thinking of those less fortunate. Re-Cycle’s 2019 Christmas Campaign is based around the motto of ‘Giving the Gift of Independence’ and Re-Cycle bikes do just that. Donating bikes helps change lives, reduces the impact on landfill, and makes for a cleaner environment. www.re-cycle.org 01206 617 865

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’Tis the Season of Soup! - by Lisa Whittle My friend just came back from Galicia in Northern Spain and raved so much about their local soup - a tasty blend of potatoes, ham, cabbage (or more traditionally turnip leaves) and stock made from beef bones - that it got me thinking about soup and its tasty warming qualities in this cold weather.

Making a soup often starts with frying onions for 10 minutes or so then adding garlic, and soon after some other chopped up vegetables and meat or fish. Add the stock and leave it to simmer for 20 minutes or so. That’s basically it done. You may choose to blend it up so it’s smooth or partly blend it leaving some texture. Another option is to start with a ready made soup as a base and add your own fresh and tasty ingredients to it, like extra vegetables which also increases nutritional value.

What’s our national soup - do we have one? Heinz Cream of Tomato? No, please! There must be a greater tradition than that… Some brainstorming followed to think of the best English soup... Maybe cream of mushroom? No, it’s got Italian and French origins apparently. Leek and potato? A contender, but has strong links to Wales. Minestrone? Well, that’s Italian. Carrot and coriander? This has French roots apparently. Tom yum? This is the classic Thai soup. Chinese hot and sour soup? Chinese. Cream of vegetable? Hmm, surely there’s something more exciting in our heritage... Oxtail? Now we have a possibility - its thought to have started in the 1600s in the East End of London. Pumpkin? A Halloween special, but of American origin. Miso soup? This is Japanese. Tuscan bean soup? Italian of course. Chicken soup? This is sort of international but with big links to Jewish culture. Gumbo soup? A spicy Creole creation. Mulligatawny? An Anglo-Indian spicy soup. Borscht? This is beetroot soup from eastern Europe, particularly Poland. Cock-a-leekie? This is Scottish even though it sounds French. French onion? French obviously. Lentil? A possible contender because lentils were around from the middle ages, associated with the food of the poor because they are nutritious and cheap. Then there’s Dahal - Indian soup made of lentils. Or pea and ham? Another contender as this is traditionally English… I grew up thinking soup came out of a can, or at the very least a packet. Then the 90s brought New Covent Garden fresh soup in a carton and a trend was started for fresh soup in a plastic tub, now a widespread phenomena. This social and commercial revolution has hidden one very surprising fact: soup is very quick and easy to cook yourself! Genuinely fresh soup prepared in your own kitchen is tasty and wholesome and perfect for this time of year. Once you start making your own I’m sure you’ll find it’ll be hard to go back to soup from plastic containers, because homemade tastes so much better! You can even freeze it for convenient storage and it still tastes superior.

Lentil soup is one of my favourites and is really easy to make. To make enough for 2 or 3 people, chop one onion and fry it in some olive oil in a large saucepan. Add a small amount of garlic, then add a peeled chopped carrot. Now add half a pack of red lentils (about 250g) and stir well. Next add around a litre of water, perhaps a little more depending on the size of your saucepan (you can always boil it off by heating for longer if it turns out to be too much). Add a teaspoon of turmeric and two teaspoons of bouillon powder. You can also add extra flavouring such as Engevita flakes or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (both of these you can get from healthfood shops) or Worcester Sauce. Add salt and pepper, bring to the boil and boil for about 20 minutes. The kitchen will smell of a lovely aroma as it cooks, which you certainly don’t get with ready made soup.

Soup, so often taking the role of just being a starter, can be a meal in itself too. A great lunch with delicious bread and butter, something to tempt the elderly with small appetites, or those convalescing from illness. It’s very easy to digest, yet when fresh and homemade, nutritious too. I also find it useful if I’ve come home late and have missed dinner - maybe it’s too late to eat a full meal but I’m still hungry. Hot soup can fill that gap without being too heavy - better for sure than resorting to toast or breakfast cereal! So how do you make it? A good stock is the basis of good soup because it provides the taste and depth. Boiling up bones to get the goodness out of the marrow in the middle is a habit perhaps we are losing, but it makes excellent stock. So don’t throw away that chicken carcass after the Sunday roast is done - boil it up for an hour or so then strain the liquid and keep it. Meat offal can also be boiled up in this way too and strained. Fish bones also. A vegetable stock can be made by boiling a selection of vegetables for half an hour such as onion, garlic, carrot and celery. ‘What about a stock cube?’ I can hear you ask... Stock cubes have their place, but best not to use ones that contains MSG, the artificial flavour enhancer, as many well known brands do. I am a fan of Marigold vegetable bouillon powder, Suma make one too.

When it’s done, add chopped fresh herbs such as parsley or coriander. I also like to add a squeeze of lemon juice. Taste just before serving to see if it needs any seasoning adjustments. Enjoy!

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1 Bridge Street, Writtle, Chelmsford, CM1 3EY 01245 422 891 www.pakwaan.co.uk Mon-Sat 12pm-2.30pm & 5pm-10.30pm Sun 12pm-10pm

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What’s on in the Area November Friday 15th Bassment - Shakster Records: Palps + Rolled Up Sleeves + Kill Bosco + Asking for a Friend Black Bull - Bingo Civic - Money for Nothing Cramphorn - Bonnie & Clyde Hotbox - Mandeville + Big in Sheyboygan + Saucermans Old Court Theatre - The House of Bernada Alba United Brethren - Rough and Ready Saturday 16th Bassment - Skafonics Black Bull - Charity Quiz night CCFC (home) - Chelmsford City v Oxford City Civic - Joe Brown 60th Anniversary Tour Cramphorn - Bonnie & Clyde The Compasses - The Red Tones The Golden Fleece - Hit Parade Hotbox - Stealing Signs + Lemoncurd Kids + Alex Fox Old Court Theatre - The House of Bernada Alba Galleywood Heritage Centre - Essex Society for Family History meeting Great Baddow United Reformed Church Hall - Janeheadfitness (aerobics/Bollywood 9.30-10.30am) Mulberry House (Chelmsford Road, High Ongar, CM5 9NL) Nationwide Christian Trust: Christian Men’s Breakfast with John Coles (10am) Transition - Patina Audio Café Presents: Resonance United Brethren - The Warehouse Blues Band Sunday 17th Black Bull - Jazz Jam (4pm-7pm) CCFC - Black Frog Mini Festival: Gregg Sutton + Robbie McIntosh Jamie Williams & the Roots Collective + The Delta Ladies (+ more) Chelmsford High Street - Christmas Lights Switch On Galleywood Heritage Centre - Remembering 1919 & 1939 (exhibition) United Brethren - Isabel Oliver (4.30pm) Monday 18th Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Strictly Solo (learn how to dance, 9.15am & 11.15am) Chelmsford Library - Other Halves Dementia Support: Coffee at the library Mulberry House (Chelmsford Road, High Ongar, CM5 9NL) Nationwide Christian Trust: Time out with God (10am) Transition - Yoga for Everyone Tuesday 19th The Black Bull - Free pool Boreham Village Hall - Ballroom and Latin American Dance (classes for beginners & improvers - www.danceasy.co.uk) Galleywood Heritage Centre - Music, Books and Me (by Brian Southall) Transition - Power Yoga Wednesday 20th The Chichester Hotel (Rawreth) - Belvedere Jazz & Music Club: Vasilis Xenopoulos Quintet (£12.50) Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Zumba class (10.45am) Golden Fleece - Karaoke Mulberry House (Chelmsford Road, High Ongar, CM5 9NL) Nationwide Christian Trust: Lunchtime Special Transition - Mindful Yoga Chelmsford Thursday 21st The Black Bull - Half price on main meals all day The Golden Fleece - Quiz night United Brethren - Blues & Roots in the City: Danny Boy Piper Friday 22nd Bassment - 80s Night Cathedral - Lunchtime concert The Compasses - Chocolate Fireguard Experience The County Hotel - Club Sober: East Anglia’s biggest alcohol free club night (www.soberisfun.co.uk) Hotbox - Shakeys Sessions: The Delta Jacks + Penanceville

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Friday 22nd (continued...) + The Royals United Brethren - The Delta Ladies Saturday 23rd Bassment - JAR Records Live Showcase: Boujitsu + Circadian + The Meffs Black Horse - Move on Up: Reggae & Soul County Hotel - Charity Christma Party with Baby D & DJ Iain Black (hosted by Comedy Drag Queen, Honey Luvnuts) Golden Fleece - Scooby Transition - Patina Audio Café Presents: Resonance United Brethren - The White Gospel Sunday 24th Galleywood Heritage Centre - Christmas Craft Market The Swan Hotel Maldon - Jazz Workshop Sunday United Brethren - Ellie Rees (4.30pm) Monday 25th Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Strictly Solo (learn how to dance, 9.15am & 11.15am) Perrywoods Garden Centre - Other Halves Dementia Support: Coffee at the garden centre Mulberry House (Chelmsford Road, High Ongar, CM5 9NL) Nationwide Christian Trust: Time out with God (10am) Transition - Yoga for Everyone Tuesday 26th The Black Bull - Free pool Boreham Village Hall - Ballroom and Latin American Dance (classes for beginners & improvers - www.danceasy.co.uk) Transition - Power Yoga Wednesday 27th Boreham Village Hall - Boreham Art Circle: Demonstration by Erica Dennison, A passionate Potter The Chichester Hotel (Rawreth) -Belvedere Jazz & Music Club: Salute to Benny Goodman; Pete Long Quartet (£12.50) Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Zumba class (10.45am) Golden Fleece - Karaoke United Brethren - Emjay Sessions: We Are Fossils Thursday 28th The Black Bull - Half price on main meals all day The Golden Fleece - Quiz night Mulberry House (Chelmsford Road, High Ongar, CM5 9NL) - Nationwide Christian Trust: Christian Ladies Day with Susie Harrington (10am) Friday 29th Bassment - Asylum Takeover: Mercury Rising + Hunted By Elephants + Leon Helsby The Golden Fleece - Wishbone Hotbox - Cosmology launch party United Brethren - Do Do Bones Saturday 30th Bassment - Three Birds Blind + Snow In Slow Motion + Whom By Fire Bond Street - Christmas Market in aid of Mencap (live music includes Leane Louise + Rachel Brooks + The Sidekicks + Katie B) Civic - Peter Pan Cramphorn - Le Corsaire (prerecorded from the Bolshoi Ballet) CCFC (away) - St Albans City v Chelmsford City The Compasses - The Soul Occupants The Golden Fleece - The Heaters Hotbox - Hanya + Las Guadalupes Millenium Centre (Great Baddow) - Other Halves Dementia Support: Fish & Chips at the centre Salvation Army - A Christmas Celebration Transition - Patina Audio Café presents: Resonance United Brethren - Rubber Soul

December Sunday 1st Bond Street - Christmas Market in aid of Mencap (live music) Civic - Peter Pan Cramphorn - A Christmas Carol

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

Monday 2nd Civic - Peter Pan Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Strictly Solo (learn how to dance, 9.15am & 11.15am) Transition - Yoga for Everyone The Follu Bistro (East Hanningfield) - Other Halves Dementia Support: Christma Lunch Mulberry House (Chelmsford Road, High Ongar, CM5 9NL) - Nationwide Christian Trust: Time out with God (10am) Unit 16 (Ekersley Road, Chelmsford) - Judo class (1st lesson free - tel: 07768 364 435) Tuesday 3rd The Black Bull - Free pool Civic - Peter Pan Cramphorn - Wild Rose (15) Galleywood Heritage Centre - Book sale Widford Village Hall - Natty Chatty Ladies Club (1.30pm) Wednesday 4th The Chichester Hotel (Rawreth) - Belvedere Jazz & Music Club: Pasadena Roof Orchestra (£22.50 reservations only) Civic - Peter Pan Cramphorn - At Eternity’s Gate (12A) Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Zumba class (10.45am) Mulberry House (Chelmsford Road, High Ongar, CM5 9NL) - Nationwide Christian Trust events: Christmas Lunchtime Special (ring 01277 365 398 to book) Quaker Meeting House - Chelmsford Retirement Action Group Transition - Mindful Yoga Chelmsford Thursday 5th Bassment - Blues Jam The Black Bull - Half price on main meals all day Civic - Peter Pan The Golden Fleece - Quiz Hotbox - The Psychotic Monks + Cannibal Animal St Michael and All Angels Church Main Hall (Leigh on Sea) Christmas Concert (an evening of jazz, popular and Christmas tunes) Friday 6th Bassment - Shakey’s Sessions: Sans Wilfred + Sour Cathedral - Lunchtime concert CCFC - Los Pacaminos + The Ugly Guys Civic - Peter Pan Cramphorn - Iron Sky: The Coming Race (15) Hotbox - Kungens Man + Circus Cannon + Forest Mourning United Brethren - Keepin’ it Soulful Saturday 7th Alehouse - Record fair Bassment - JAR Records Live Showcase (line-up TBC) CCFC (home) - Chelmsford City v Hungerford Town Christ Church - Chelmsford Singers’ Christmas Concert Civic - Peter Pan Compasses - Fever Golden Fleece - Barney & the Rubbles Transition - Patina Audio Café Presents: Resonance United Brethren - Jamie Williams & the Roots Collective Sunday 8th Civic - Peter Pan Cramphorn - Chelmsford Jazz Club: Jo Harrop (vocals), Tony Kofi (sax), Graham Harvey (piano), Dave Chamberlain (bass) and Matt Home (drums) United Brethren - Dan Maitland Monday 9th Civic - Peter Pan Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Strictly Solo (learn how to dance, 9.15am & 11.15am) Mulberry House (Chelmsford Road, High Ongar, CM5 9NL) - Nationwide Christian Trust: Time out with God (10am) Transition - Yoga for Everyone Tuesday 10th The Black Bull - Free pool Boreham Village Hall - Ballroom and Latin American Dance (classes for beginners & improvers - www.danceasy.co.uk) Civic - Peter Pan Transition - Power Yoga Wednesday 11th Civic - Peter Pan Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Zumba class (10.45am) Golden Fleece - Karaoke Transition - Mindful Yoga Chelmsford

Wednesday 11th (Continued...) United Brethren - Joe Anderton’s Open Mic Thursday 12th The Black Bull - Half price on main meals all day Civic - Peter Pan Cramphorn - A Season in France (12A) The Golden Fleece - Quiz night Hotbox - Death Hags Friday 13th Bassment - Asylum Xmas Party: Machine Gun Men + Settle For Less + Mr Happy Chainsaw + Laurence Crow Black Bull - Bingo Civic - Peter Pan The Compasses - Irish Rock Band Cramphorn - Santa in Love Golden Fleece - Beggar Hotbox - Chasms Braintree Bowling Club - Other Halves Dementia Support: Bowls at the bowling club United Brethren - Darryl Butcher Saturday 14th Bassment - Lemoncurd Kids’ Xmas Party Civic - Peter Pan The Compasses - Old Skool Band (getting the Xmas party) Cramphorn - Santa in Love Galleywood Heritage Centre - Essex Society For Family History Meeting The Golden Fleece - 6 String Makeover Mulberry House (Chelmsford Road, High Ongar, CM5 9NL) - Nationwide Christian Trust: Christian Men’s Breakfast with John Coles (10am) Millenium Centre (Great Baddow) - Other Halves Dementia Support: Christmas Party at the centre Transition - Patina Audio Café Presents: Resonance United Brethren - Andy Twyman Sunday 15th Civic - Peter Pan The Compasses - Musical carol service (5pm courtesy of Broomfield Road Evangelical Church) Cramphorn - The Nutcracker (prerecorded from the Bolshoi Ballet) United Brethren - Stephen Brian Leonard (4.30pm)

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Please send us your events for the next edition (for events between 13th December to 19th January) to editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk

The Krays’ London: A History and Guide - by Caroline Allen (Win a Copy!) Author Caroline Allen has links and inside knowledge of the Krays, and this new book contains previously unknown information about the twins... A great guide for those wishing to explore the London gangster scene! There are many conflicting stories about who Ronnie and Reggie Kray were. Films depicting their lives have made the public vilify them, adore them and even admire them. This guide book will dig a little deeper into the places they spent their time. Many of the places are renowned as the stomping grounds of the devious duo, but there are one or two exclusives here that are not yet covered anywhere else, including the untold story of

their lifelong hairdresser. Chapter by chapter, a map of their lives will reveal itself, making this the perfect read for anybody around the world interested in London’s gangster scene. About the Author Caroline Allen is an author and journalist. Her grandfather cut the hair of the Kray twins for ten years and was even picked up and taken to secret locations whilst they were on the run. Caroline has spent her life researching and hearing stories about them and would like to share her knowledge to help people build a picture of the real Kray twins. RRP: £14.99 ISBN: 9781526733818

Competition Time We have a copy of this new book to give away to one lucky City Times reader; just email us with the correct answer to the following question for a chance to win! What was the name of the Kray twins’ older brother? A) Arthur B) Clive C) Charlie Send you answer to paul@itsyourmedia.co.uk. The winner will be notified by email by 12th December.

Local Kitchen Showroom Receives National Award and Commendations Trade body The Kitchen, Bedroom, Bathroom Specialists Association (KBSA) announced the winners of its 2019 Designer Awards at the Stratford Manor Hotel in Stratford upon Avon. The awards were presented following the KBSA conference and AGM on Wednesday 25th September by host Kevin Keegan OBE.

Regal Kitchens, based in Navigation Road in Chelmsford, scooped the highly sought after Customer Service Award, which was collected by Business Development Manager Emma Mcloughlin, who says: “Our customers will love the fact that we have won this award as it means we are always looking after our clients and showing that they are number one, because... Client is King.”

National chair of the KBSA Richard Hibbert said: “Congratulations to all of the shortlisted designers and the winners. The standards this year were extremely high, reflecting the outstanding talent amongst members that we can all be proud of.” Founded in 1978. the KBSA is the only trade association operating specifically for the KBB industry, and represents independent KBB specialists.

Regal’s Senior Designer John Martin was also commended in the Kitchen Designs Under £25,000 and Over £50,000 categories. Showing how varied the different ranges can be, the judges’ comments read: ‘Inspiring to see so much design talent across different price points’.

Why use a KBSA member for you home improvements? • • • • •

Confidence that you are using a reputable and reliable company. Satisfaction that your chosen company meets the stringent membership criteria required by the KBSA. Quality in the service, design and installation of your home improvement project. Security in the knowledge that your money is protected. Delight in the end result!

Regal Kitchens showroom in Chelmsford is open 10am - 4pm, 7-days per week. www.regalkitchens.co.uk Page 14

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Wildlife Corner - by Nick Green

October weather was variable from cool and overcast to wet at times. River levels remained low and East Anglian farmers were still concerned about the long-standing drought.

The redwing is a common winter visitor and passage migrant. The breeding range is east from Iceland, Scandinavia, Russia and eastern Siberia.

Return migration continued for waders and passerines breeding in Scandinavia and the Arctic.

Essex Selected Wildlife Highlights The Naze: barred and Pallas’s warblers, red-throated pipit. Abberton Reservoir EWT: 10 great white egrets, 2 spoonbill, longtailed ducks, 2 ring-necked ducks. Thames estuary: Leach’s petrels, pomarine skua. Wat Tyler CP: 7 cattle egrets. National Selected Migration Highlights: Shetland Isles: snowy owl, bee-eater, lanceolated warbler, red-flanked bluetail, rufous-tailed robin. Orkney Isles: Steller’s eider. Western Isles: snowy owl (St Kilda). Wales: isabelline wheatear. Devon: black-heading bunting (Lundy). Cornwall: upland sandpiprt, yellowbilled cuckoo, red-eyed vireo, white-throated sparrow. Isles of Scilly: American species included nighthawk, yellow-billed cuckoo, black and white warbler, red-eyed vireo, Swainson’s thrush.

Next issue is available from Thursday 12th December

Redwing (copyright: Glyn Evans)

Chelmsford Library News On Saturday 30th November between 2-3pm we are hosting Elizabeth Rotherham in our Gallery Area at Chelmsford Library. This is a free event and there is no need to book. Elizabeth’s book, The Mayhem Of Bipolar, is an honest and open account of her life from youth, through her teenage years and her relationships leading up to a breakdown and being sectioned. Through her own experiences this has led Elizabeth to conduct talks in schools, companies and universities in order to educate and help people reduce and understand the stigma and discrimination which sometimes surrounds this condition. Talking about your emotions helps you realise you are not alone. I love practising mindfulness and meditation along with walking my dogs in the countryside. We all have extremely powerful minds and when you learn to master your mind you will realise that we truly live in a magical world. My cup is always full and I love to spread my energy to make people smile and feel happy. This book will really make a difference and show people we all face challenges, but it’s how you respond and deal with each situation that makes you a stronger person. As we are counting down to the festive season, don’t forget you can choose from a large selection of Christmas cards and gifts from Cards For Good Causes. They supply Christmas cards from a wide range of charities, so there is sure to be one dear to your heart. The volunteers who give up their own time are here in the library between 10am and 4pm Monday to Saturday up until 18th December. If you want to send loved ones who have moved away from Essex a gift, Essex calendars or tea towels make the ideal gift for posting. Have you made a reservation for a library item? We can now offer customers notification by email. This is not only more environmentally friendly, but the item you have requested can be yours quicker than waiting for the postman. Just pop in to your local library and speak to a member of staff for this free service. For more information on our events, please visit libraries.essex.gov. uk. Facebook: www.facebook.com/essexlibraries

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CT History: Chelmsford During the Great War Part 3 - by Stephen Norris Patriotic fervour led to a great deal of fundraising activity in Chelmsford during the First War. Nationally, a relief fund was established for the distribution of funds to the dependants of soldiers and sailors killed or wounded in action. Several flag days, when flags with Russian emblems on them were sold in town, were held for the huge amount of soldiers wounded in the war. Before Lenin took Russia out of the war, glowing tributes were made to the Russians at a fête held in the town in September 1916. A local War Savings Committee was established with Mayor JO Thompson as president. Within nine months, by November 1917, it had raised almost £17,000. In January 1918 the Essex Chronicle maintained that there were two ways readers could help Britain win. One was by buying War Bonds, the other was by drinking coffee rather than tea, because there was an acute shortage of tea. By February 1918 Chelmsford had raised £100,000 - the third highest amount in the county. In May 1918 Chelmsford held an Aeroplane Week, with an aim of raising £50,000 which would be sufficient for 20 planes at £2,500 each. Bishop Watts Ditchfield strongly supported this move, which was aided by the display of an aircraft in front of the Shire Hall, and local papers pointed out that the roller bearings for the biplanes were made at the Hoffmann factory. A Tank Week was also held when a tank stood in front of the Sevastopol cannon at the Shire Hall. Apart from monetary funds, blankets were also regularly collected for the troops. A Boot and Shoe fund was also started and orders given to the Industrial School. Mrs Aylmer Maude, a noted local suffragist, organised the provision of clothing for soldiers. The YMCA also collected magazines for the troops. As happened in the rest of the country, large mansions in the area were converted into much needed hospitals and convalescent homes. Sir Daniel Gooch was on his way to the Antarctic with Shackleton when the war broke out. He immediately sent a message that Hylands should be used as a hospital, but it was Lady Gooch who did much of the organising. It helped that the estate was close to the railway line with its own siding. By October, Belgian wounded were arriving at the hospital and by May 1915 the wounded at Hylands included Canadians too. At the end of 1914 a temporary hospital was erected at the back of the Chelmsford and Essex Hospital on London Road. This was a Red Cross hospital for the treatment of sick and wounded officers. In September 1915 this accepted a party of 18 wounded officers from the Dardanelles. During August 1917 this hospital accepted its 1,000th patient. In June 1918 Bellefield, the former home of Frederic Chancellor, was also taken over for more space. During July 1917 it was arranged that the Voluntary Aid detachment of the Red Cross Society was to assign a member to visit each school upon public warning being given of a hostile air raid. Oaklands was also used, with military cases of influenza being taken there. A number of houses in the rural areas around Chelmsford were made into convalescent homes for the wounded, including Skreens Park at Roxwell, which was demolished after the war in 1920. By the end of the war, the home economy was under more state control than had been known before. Imported food supplies were being increasingly disrupted leading to big increases in food prices and necessitating food controls. As early as 1914 the local Trades Council wrote to the Chelmsford Star Co-operative about the need to keep prices down. Wheat prices increased by over a quarter in the last four months of 1914 alone, with a consequent effect on bread prices. There was an immediate demand to increase home food production, which had a knock-on effect on the farming areas around Chelmsford. By 1915 sugar beet production began in the local area. The Cultivation of Land Act of 1917 resulted in much unused land being dug up, including part of the Recreation Ground, which was used to grow potatoes. In January 1917 the Council said all possible measures had to be taken to use all unused land in the borough.

Essex, like Kent, became one of the leading counties for the Women’s Land Army working in agriculture, and in 1918 there had to be a recruitment drive to save the harvest. Despite the increase in mechanisation of local agriculture, shortages of equipment was an increasing problem, as was the lack of personnel after conscription to train the women workers. Clark reported in September 1915 that ‘most of the women in the parish, and in the district are potato lifting today and have been for some days’. Ploughmen were exempted from conscription and in 1917 the two councils were instructed to release any council workers who had knowledge of ploughing for two months’ work on the farms. Towards the end of the war, many townspeople increasingly felt that the town’s traders were taking advantage of the food situation to make excessive profits. The introduction of rationing probably came just in time to prevent serious outbreaks of civil disobedience in the town. In January 1918 a Local Food Control Committee was set up, and all households had to register for supplies of butter or margarine. Volunteers had to fill out and distribute the eventual 20,000 cards produced for the Chelmsford area. The Committee attempted to buy up and keep a store of frozen meat. Towards the end of the war it was pressed to set up communal kitchens, partly because so many women were working and had little time to cook. A major conflict occurred in the town over the price of milk that the Food Control Committee had set, which retailers thought was too low and caused them to go on strike. This proved unsuccessful, partly because the Star Co-operative refused to participate. June 1918 saw a public meeting at the Drill Hall discussing food prices and rationing. The issuing of ration cards did not proceed easily because not everybody had put their addresses on the cards. There was also no co-operation from the Education Committee. In Colchester, schools were closed for a week to enable teachers to help the process to proceed more smoothly. Instead, in Chelmsford, twelve temporary clerks had to be employed to assist regular staff in this work. The composition of the FCC had to be extended to meet mounting criticism; the extra members included a nominee from the Trades Council, a further women’s representative and a member of the Co-operative Society. It had previously been felt that the original committee was dominated by the town’s traders. Towards the end of the war there were a number of reports of discontent at the military camps. At the Lyons Hall barracks in Great Leighs for example, this was caused by poor food. All the town’s big firms benefitted from the war, especially the Hoffmann Company, whose bearings were used in all three armed forces. German prisoners of war were also used for the big expansion of the Hoffmann site that occurred towards the end of the conflict. Crompton’s fully exploited the production of munitions and as a result in 1916 was subjected to the excess profits tax. Stephen currently offers the following talks about the history of Chelmsford to local organisations: 1. 4 QI Chelmsford MPs. 2. The Suffragettes in Chelmsford. 3. Chelmsford Lives, Memories of Chelmsford 1940s - 1970s (snippets of interviews with local people plus 100 photos in the background, for the Friends of Chelmsford Museum). 4. The Hoffmann Company in Chelmsford. 5. Life in the Wood Street Workhouse: The Chelmsford Poor Law Union 1835 - 1871. 6. The Poor and Society: The past 60 Years of the Chelmsford Workhouse and Infirmary. 7. QI Chelmsford Councillors and Mayors (in preparation). For more information or to book Stephen, please email: stephen754norris@btinternet.com.

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Gards Celebrate 100 Years J Gard & Sons Ltd was established in 1919 by Jack Gard. He moved to Chelmsford from Debford to work as a timber handler. After learning the trade, he set up a business in 1919 from a site in Beehive Lane Chelmsford and started chopping and selling firewood, which at the time was an essential commodity.

skirting, Gards can cover all aspects of timber and associated products, and they still offer the specialist machining and a full cutting service. With a fleet of 10 vehicles, Gards can now also offer a full range of bagged decorative stones and aggregates along with porcelain and sandstone paving.

Gard’s staff celebrated the 100 year anniversary with a weekend away at the Potters Resort in Norfolk this year, and customers have been given celebratory free gifts together with goodie bags with every delivery throughout the course of the year. Keeping up to date with the latest technology along with sticking to traditional values is foremost to the company, and it hopes to launch a full online service later this year along with a new user-friendly website.

In 1921 the business expanded, and more land was obtained. A small mill was built in order to retail timber, fencing and sheds. As the company grew it moved on to a greenfield site in Baddow Road, which is now Parkway, long before the Army and Navy roundabout was build.

Martyn Gard has always prided himself on good customer service and stands by his father’s motto that ‘a satisfied customer is our best advertisement’. www.gards.co.uk Tel: 01245 400 181

Gards continued trading through the good times and the bad, even having to dismantle their own racks to sell as lengths of timber during World War II and surviving recessions over the years. Through its 100 years, the company has remained a family business which it continues with Kevin Gard, the great grandson of the founder, having worked through the business and now one of the directors carrying the company forward into the next 100 years.

Martyn Gard, Managing Director and grandson of the company’s founder, took the company to new premises in East Hannningfield in 2005 as it had far outgrown the site on Parkway. With ever increasing traffic at the Army and Navy, relocating once again was the only way the company would be able to continue developing its business. The site in East Hanningfield offered adequate customer parking and can enable trading well into the future. Now one of the largest independent timber merchants in Essex, Gards can offer a full range of timber and fencing materials to both the trade and general public. Good customer service has always been key to the business and with friendly and knowledgeable staff, this is what sets them apart from the superstores, along with keen prices and a good stock range. If it’s a full garden makeover or a replacement length of bespoke

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Therapy - by Chelmsford Therapy Rooms Hi everyone! Previously I mentioned that Chelmsford Therapy Rooms had won two awards. I now have some more exciting news for you! I can finally share that due to the business growing so much, we need more room to accommodate the numbers of people seeking our help and the number of therapists joining CTR. We have now moved to 212A Baddow Road, CM2 9QR. Our new premises has a fresh new look and much more space. To start off with we will have two therapy rooms, quickly expanding to three early next year. We have a reception and waiting area and also limited free onsite parking. The expansion doesn’t stop there though, I have chosen a premises that we can grow into, including space for two more therapy rooms (taking the total to 5 within the next 18 months) and a space for business training for therapists. I’m so excited to share this with you because the therapists who are members of CTR can grow their own businesses and see more clients, meaning we can help even more people seeking therapy! The journey of Chelmsford Therapy Rooms has been an exciting one so far and I’m so pleased to be able to offer our services to more people. I’m still working on all the admin that goes on behind the scenes, including updating the website, fielding the many, many sales calls from energy brokers trying to sell me ‘the best deal’ etc, but at least the new premises is up and running and ready for new therapists and clients! Due to this exciting new chapter, I thought that this would be a good opportunity to explain what we do at Chelmsford Therapy Rooms. There seems to be some confusion that I would like to clear up surrounding what type of therapy we offer and how you can book our services. To start off, we are not - I repeat NOT - beauty therapists, massage therapists, or anything at all connected to a spa-like facility offering facials etc. You can’t just ‘drop in for a treatment’ and we don’t sell any products. Currently, our therapy rooms are not suitable for osteopaths, physiotherapists, massage therapists or anyone else needing a massage table. Now I’ve explained what we are not, I’ll explain who we are: Chelmsford Therapy Rooms (CTR) is owned by me, Jenny Hartill. I am a counsellor and hypnotherapist. CTR is a group of self employed counsellors, hypnotherapists, nutritionists, psychotherapists and clinical psychologists.There are two angles of the business that are relevant to you depending on who you are and what you need: 1. You are looking for private counselling, hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, or nutritional therapy - you are a ‘client’: At CTR we have therapists who can help you overcome many different types of issues. These will be issues that are psychological, emotional, cognitive or nutritional. Please note that we are private therapists - that means you pay for our services the same as you would a private osteopath or physiotherapist. Perhaps you feel anxious, have a fear or phobia, are over weight or underweight, feel down or depressed, have suffered a bereavement, feel you don’t have confidence in yourself, have lots of negative thoughts, overthink everything, have self esteem issues - these are just a snapshot of the types of problems clients come to us with. I’ll explain the process of how to get help for these things later. 2. You are a self employed counsellor/hypnotherapist/nutritionist/ psychotherapist/clinical psychologist looking for a comfortable premises from which to run your private practice - you are a ‘therapist’: CTR is a membership organisation. All therapists are fully vetted before being allowed to rent a therapy room from us. You must provide copies of proof of membership of a professional body, proof of your qualifications, proof of professional indemnity and civil liability insurance and also I personally meet all therapists before I allow them to become a member. We rent the therapy rooms on an ad-hoc basis as this is more economical for most private practice therapists. You can rent the room by the hour or the half hour. We also run additional business training events and courses that you will be

informed about. Clients if you would like to find out more information about our therapists and how we can help you, visit www.chelmsfordtherapyrooms. co.uk and click on either the ‘All About Therapy’ tab or the ‘Therapy Services’ tab and then click on ‘Therapists’ - this will take you to the list of therapists currently taking on new clients. Each therapist has a link on this page to their own page that tells you all about the therapist, how they work, their fees etc. If you want to contact us about making an appointment you can do this four ways: 1. Fill out the form on the website. If you know which therapist you want to see, please say so on the section that says ‘therapist you want to see’. 2. Contact the therapist directly from their profile page using the contact information they have provided. 3. Call 0330 100 5162 to get through to me and I’ll have a chat with you to see which therapist is most suitable for your needs. 4. Email info@chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk - tell us what your issue is and what kind of help you’re looking for and I will forward this email to the most relevant therapist. So the first step is that you have to contact us in some way. Please note that we are therapists, not sales people. We have to abide by our code of ethics - we absolutely will never pass your details on to any third parties. All information remains completely confidential at all times: Confidentiality is a cornerstone of our work. Next, you need to speak to a therapist. Either you will contact the therapist you want to see directly and arrange an initial consultation with them, or your enquiry will be referred to a relevant therapist that can help you, and this therapist will contact you to make an initial consultation. The initial consultation is where the therapist and client meet for the first time to assess the client’s needs and discuss how therapy can help going forward. At the end of the initial consultation you can make your next appointment with your therapist. Your therapy will continue for as long as you need it to. This is between you and your therapist. Therapists If you would like to talk about joining CTR and arrange a viewing with a view to renting the therapy rooms, there are three ways you can do this: 1. Fill in the form on the website. Mention that you are a therapist and what type of therapist you are. 2. Call 0330 100 5162 to get through to me and I’ll have a chat with you. 3. Email info@chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk - I’ll get back to you asap. Again, all details are kept completely confidential and never passed to any third parties. Once you’ve arranged a viewing, you meet me, give me copies of your credentials as mentioned above, and then you can sign a contract. Access to the premises is given when you physically have a client to book in and see. I hope all of that makes sense and has been helpful to anyone looking for therapy or looking to join CTR. Jenny Hartill is a therapist and owner of Chelmsford Therapy Rooms and Cloud9 Therapy. 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 private practice website is www.cloud9-therapy.co.uk, her email is info@cloud9-therapy.co.uk, and her telephone number is 07507 307 170.

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Chelmsford; England’s Newest City in 2012: UK City of Culture in 2025? On 15th November, Chelmsford Civic Society will hold an open meeting to decide whether or not to support a bid for UK City of Culture status in 2025. The idea came out of the success of Liverpool as European Capital of Culture in 2008. In 2009 the UK Government launched a competitive selection process that led to Derry-Londonderry becoming the first UK City of Culture in 2013. This was followed by Hull holding the title in 2019. A report by Hull University in 2018 noted that the city’s cultural programme had attracted £220m of investment and 800 new jobs. An impressive 4,000 volunteers were recruited to help deliver a wide variety of events over the year. Coventry was chosen for 2021. The overall City of Culture process is to promote the use of culture and creativity as a catalyst for ‘regeneration, to promote the development of new partnerships, and to encourage ambition, innovation and inspiration in cultural and creative activity’. Applications are judged on the following criteria: • • • • •

The capacity to deliver a high quality cultural programme. Use of culture and creativity to promote lasting social regeneration. The ability to create a demonstrable economic impact. Ensuring a significant legacy and evaluation. Presentation of credible plans for budgeting and managing the programme and its legacy.

Undoubtedly, Chelmsford would face a number of challenges in putting together a realistic bid. Most obvious is the accessibility of London and its unmatched variety of cultural venues. Yet, evidence abounds of local creativity. This can be seen routinely in the Ideas Hub, through the recent Ideas Festival and its light parade with 5,000 or so participants, the 3Foot People and Fling Festivals, Cathedral Concerts, Theatre performances and the brilliant Chelmsford Summer Festival.

coherence and direction to the Changing Chelmsford mission.’ A number of individual ‘Citizen Initiatives’; the buildings of the Heritage Triangle: Anne Knight, Marconi New Street offices, Shire Hall, the Ideas Hub, Chelmsford Ideas Festival, Urbanism events promoting community engagement. Similarly, this year the Royal Society of Arts has published an article on the Changing Chelmsford Initiative in its magazine entitled A Ground Breaking Initiative. This refers to the development of a stronger retail centre and the plans for ‘Essex 2020 The Year of Creativity’, including the British Science Festival due to be held at Anglia Ruskin University. All in all, Chelmsford is well placed to submit a bid for UK City of Culture and to benefit from it hugely. There will never be a better time to take this forward. However, it depends on the public authorities, businesses, voluntary organisations and the people of the city and county to come together to make it happen. References: 1. UK City of Culture 2021 Guidance for Bidding Cities Department for Culture, Media and Sport. 2. Sunday Times - Best Places to Live 2028. 3. Changing Chelmsford: an experiment in collaborative urbanism - re-imagining spatial learning, identity and interactions in ‘Our City’ by Nezhapi, Delle Odeleye (Anglia Ruskin University) and Roger Estop (formerly Planning Design Manager at Chelmsford City Council) 2019 Stipo Publishing A Placemaking Europe Publication. 4. A Ground Breaking Initiative - Malcolm Noble RSA Journal 2019. Malcolm Noble Chairman Chelmsford Civic Society

There would have to be an inventory of both outside and inside venues. Bringing Shire Hall into use is an absolute must, as is making better use of our rivers and waterways. A first step is the undertaking of a proper analysis of likely costs and benefits. This requires the City Council to take a lead. However, from the outset there needs to be involvement from the county, the Cultural Development Trust, One Chelmsford, and business and community representatives. If a decision is taken to proceed, then the city must register an intention to bid by the end of February 2021, make an initial bid by completing a reasonably simple 30 page form by the end of April 2021. Then, if shortlisted, a full application by the end of September 2021. In 2018 the Sunday Times labelled Chelmsford as the best place to live in the East of England, with reference being made to the momentum gained from city status. A chapter in a recent publication entitled Our City, enumerates a series of ‘Changing Chelmsford’ initiatives from 2009 onwards: ‘How Bold is your Vision? - giving www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia

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Restorative Retreat - by Mandy Haynes December is a busy month for most of us. There are plans to make, gifts to buy, seemingly never ending to-do lists to work through and occasionally that feeling of forced jolliness. With all the rushing around, we sometimes forget to put aside some time for ourselves to recharge and relax. The perfect solution could be right on your doorstep; Hummingbird Pilates & Yoga are holding a Restorative Retreat on Sunday 8th December, which comes just at the right time to slow down and show ourselves some kindness this festive season. The retreat will be hosted by yoga teacher Catrina Shenston. Catrina teaches a variety of classes at Hummingbird, including Ashtanga Vinyasa, Gentle and Restorative Yoga. This is how she describes restorative yoga: “Restorative yoga is a beautiful contrast to the more active forms of yoga; it’s the yin within the yang. It is as it says to restore, bringing us back to our centring point. We learn to take time out and relax within each asana, whilst having the support from bolsters, cushions, blocks and blankets to help soften the body, to breathe into the body to release any stored up tension. Once we have mastered the relax and surrender of the body with this support and to breathe, we come into this calming place so that we can restore and heal the body and mind from within. “Join us on this blissful retreat of gentle, restorative yoga and total relaxation. Treat yourself to a Sunday to yourself where you’ll enjoy gentle yoga, relaxing and crafts. “Our retreat will start with a beautiful meditation and end with a nurturing restorative yoga practice, giving your body and mind the time, space and gentle movement that it craves. “We will start the retreat by connecting to our breath and exploring a comfortable seat, to sit into for a gentle meditation. Once we’ve reconnected our bodies and minds, we will move gently and softly,

opening and strengthening our bodies, while allowing them to become more relaxed. “There will be a beautiful space for you to rest and connect with others, read a book, curl up and chill, have a nap or enjoy some mindful colouring. Herbal teas, juice and delicious organic snacks will be provided. “We will end the retreat with a beautiful restorative yoga practice to encourage total relaxation.” As with all Hummingbird’s retreats our wonderful massage therapist, Jo, will be on hand to provide some pure R&R if you choose to enhance your retreat experience by booking an addition massage treatment. Treatment Options Include: • Hot Stone Back Massage: Allow warm basalt stones to release deep-seated tension and fatigue from the muscles. Combined with a soothing aromatherapy oil blend of frankincense, lavender and black pepper. • Indian Head Massage with Hot Stones: While lying on a bed of warm basalt stones, enjoy an ayurvedic scalp, neck and shoulder massage. 2pm - 2.15pm: 2.15pm - 2.30pm: 2.30pm - 4pm: 4pm - 5pm: 5pm - 6.30pm:

Welcome circle Introduction to breath and meditation Gentle yoga Rest and relaxation Restorative yoga and colour meditation

The gift of ‘presence’ is truly the best gift we can give, so take a little time away from your to-do list and indulge in some serious self-care. To book your space on what promises to be a wonderfully restorative afternoon, head to www.hummingbirdpilates.co.uk, or call 01245 422 556.

Local Arts for Arts Sake - by Kenneth Louis Shepherd At this time of year we need to choose which calendar is going to hang upon the wall of our home for the next 12 months. In the kitchen I have a basic simple uncomplicated school type calendar with no frills. But in the living room I purchase one which shows a different picture every month. The choice of view is decided by the manufacturer and is therefore out of my control. I do not want to see a cold snowy Christmassey scene each December, though perhaps others do. As a result of my interest in art I usually choose one which displays various works of art, and I tend to choose an artist whom I admire.

works. We would all have different reasons for the choices we make.

At the end of the year when most people dump their calendar in the bin along with the Christmas cards, I often retain them and file away the prints which I have gazed at month after month. I have hoards of them which I have stashed away over the years. I am pleased if the art work which I least like appears between January and March as I need to stare at it for 3 or 4 days less! A leap year evens things up...

Having said that I find the one which I saw in both the Mind and the Heart shop to be very interesting. It covers the impressionist artists and each month shows a different artist. It lasts for 16 months and at £3.99 is good value. The cheapest that I have seen is in Pound Stretchers at a mere 69p; an incredible bargain, however there are no choices which relate to art. This also applies to those found in Chelmsford indoor market where you will pay an acceptable 99p.

There are some famous art works which are never seen in calendars. Consider staring at Hieronymus Bosch’s Temptation of St Anthony for 28 day let alone 31. The thought of seeing Mathias’ version of this for 30 days and 30 nights is just as unacceptable. Looking at Mandyn’s version would cause me to be very miserable indeed! Arcimboldo’s Grotesque Head is aptly described. And I could not cope with viewing John Holmes’ Female Eunuch for a day let alone 30. The same applies to Buried Alive by Antoine Wiertz. The works of Gordon Beningfield are so boring that they will send the whole year sleeping. So, from what is not acceptable to what is. An artist whom you find amusing. An artist who inspires you. An artist whose private life you can relate to. One who reminds you of happy times spent viewing his

Remember that this choice that we make is a passing fancy, unlike the art works which we hang upon our walls that could be there for life. Consider the opinions of others who live in the property too. Now we come to the 2020s calendar and where to purchase it locally and where to get the best bargain. I personally have a problem with charity shops which sell bought in lines as this is not fair upon professional traders, so I will not purchase such an item there.

Surprisingly, Waterstones have no calendars which relate to art that I could see. The same applies to Both WH Smiths and Clintons, although both have ones which show poster art forms. World of Books has no calendar which shows works of art, but at £2 (including an acceptable diary) they are excellent value for money. Foyles has ones which relate to Lowry and The arts and crafts movement led by William Morris. I was tempted to buy the latter, and both are priced at £10.99. I visited the art shops in Chelmsford but none of them sold calendars. I walked the length of Moulsham Street but found no calendars for sale!

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Spot 10 Differences (answers on page 31)

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Quiz Time: Auto Quiz - by John Theedom (answers on page 31) 1. What is another name for lockjaw? 2. Who is the host of the TV programme Take Me Out? 3. What is the first name of the former union leader, Mr Scargill? 4. Which comedian had a really smooth finish to his performance? 5. From which animal do we get the fur sable? 6. What is a Clyde puffer? 7. Which symbol of England was created by Dr John Arbuthnot? 8. What is the official motto of the RAF? 9. Which edible plant is known as aragula in the US and rucola in Italy? 10. Who was the one-eyed giant? 11. What exactly is an ‘impi’? 12. How many legs does a pinto have? 13. What is Evel Knievel most famous for? 14. How long was Arthur Miller married to Marylin Monroe? 15. How old was the composer Chopin when he died? 16. What nationality is Julian Assange? 17. What are the names of the 4 children of Kim Kardashian? 18. Which former runner was nicknamed The Jarrow Arrow? 19. What connects ‘arms’, ‘human’ and ‘relay’? 20. A fleam was a small metal instrument once used for what medical procedure? 21. What is another name for a bethel? 22. What is a skein?

23. In which well known show does the character Uriah Heap feature? 24. Who is the author of War and Peace? 25. How many sheets of paper are there in a ream? 26. What is roti? 27. In which English county is Hastings Pier? 28. There’s No Place Like Home is a song from which famous film? 29. In the building trade, what is the job of a pargeter? 30. Where will you come across a ginnel? 31. What is a bole? 32. If you ‘souse’ your food, what are you doing with it? 33. What is the county town of The Isle of Wight? 34. In which year did the Aberfan Disaster take place? 35. How did the Russian spy George Blake escape from Wormwood Scrubs Prison? 36. Where on your person would you wear puttees? 37. In texting, what does the last ‘W’ in FWIW stand for? 38. In which English county is the village of Swaffham Bulbeck? 39. What type of bird is a tercel? 40 In the UK we call them lawyers, but what are they known as in the US?

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Cool to Be Kind Launch the Rucksack Project 2019 Cool to Be Kind, the Chelmsford based community project, is once again running The Rucksack Project to help rough sleepers this winter.

So, what is the Rucksack Project? We asked co-founder of C2BK, Brian McGovern, this question. Brian told us: “It is simple really; we ask members of the public to fill a rucksack full of items that will make a rough sleeper a little bit more comfortable over the winter months.” What should people put in the rucksack? “This is what we suggest: sleeping bag, fleece, tracksuit bottoms, warm hat and gloves, underwear, toothbrush and toothpaste, liquid soap, wet wipes, flask, non-perishable snacks such as chocolate, biscuits and crisps.” How do the public get their rucksack to you? “Rucksacks can be dropped off at the United Brethren Public House in New Writtle Street, Chelmsford. Or alternatively, if people are unable to get there, then they can contact us via our Facebook page or on our ‘Contact Us’ form on our website (www.c2bk.co.uk) and we will make alternative arrangements.” How do you distribute the rucksacks? “We are working in partnership with Help the Homeless Chelmsford

Chelmsford’s Chess Challenges Local Media to Sleep Rough in Essex on 22nd November 2019

CHESS (Chelmsford-based homeless charity) today called for members of local media to join its sleep out event for a photo call and also to spend the night sleeping rough. Every year CHESS hosts its own Sleep Out in the grounds of Chelmsford Cathedral, and last year’s participants raised over £20,000 for us. This year we would like to raise even more and make it our biggest event ever. Why not join us and experience what it is like to sleep rough for a night? When: Friday 22nd November Where: Chelmsford Cathedral Time: 7.30pm - 7.30am Register free at chesshomeless.org/ registration-form Due to the popularity of this event, we would encourage you to register your place in advance. If you are not able to pre-register you can just turn up on the night and register. The event is professionally organised with marshals, hot food and drinks on hand and indoor cover/toilets. Participants need to bring sleeping bags, ground mats, warm and waterproof clothes and a small tent if required. Celebrities We have invited a host of Essex-based celebrities. Last year, Chelmsford MP Vicky Ford attended with a host of local dignitaries.

who carry out regular outreach where the rucksacks will be distributed locally. We will also leave several at Sanctus for them to distribute to their service users. Last year we received over 400 rucksacks, so we were able to share these with other rough sleeping support groups throughout Essex.” Why is this important? “Rough sleeping has increased by 169% since 2010, nearly 800 rough sleepers died last year alone, and it’s just 18 months since Rob O’Conner died in the doorway of the vacant Argos building in Springfield Road.” Can groups get involved? “Yes, definitely. In past years many schools, scout groups and work collectives have donated many rucksacks to us.” Can people volunteer? “Yes, we have a number of roles that people can get involved in, such as outreach, project management and administration, so I hope volunteers will contact us.” www.c2bk.co.uk

A Small Good Thing Project

A Small Good Thing project has been running since July until the middle of October. The project entailed a collection of personal care items such as wipes, toothpaste, deodorants, razors etc. These items were distributed to two local homelessness charities, CHESS and Sanctus, in Chelmsford. A large proportion of the donations were from a group of 10 young people who participated in the National Citizen Service (NCS) over the summer. They held a quiz night for family and friends to raise funds for a project they had to do. They received more funds than required so they kindly decided to purchase some items to donate towards A Small Good Thing project. The team had organised and delivered the items to the charities on the last day of their NCS social action project. The Essex Youth Service in Moulsham Street was used as a donation point for the public throughout the project. Samia Uddin, the founder of the project said: “We have reached over 650 items. Altogether over the three summers that the project has been running, approximately 2,500 essential items have been delivered to the charities to distribute to Chelmsford’s homeless community. It’s lovely to see how responsive the local community have been towards A Small Good Thing and I would like to thank everyone for their support towards the project.” Angela Frazer, fundraising assistant at CHESS said: “Thank you very much for your recent generous donation of items to CHESS Homeless. We really appreciate your support. Your donations were used to support our residents in the night shelter, and those in our longerterm residential houses. “In total we support 32 residents sleeping each night in CHESS houses and we also continue to support many ex-residents and rough sleepers who come to us each morning, at weekends and in the evening for food and drink. “Thank you so much for helping us to provide basic human comforts and to make a difference to the lives of people for whom life is proving difficult. We couldn’t do what we do without the support of kind-hearted people like you.” Emma Hughes, Trustee at Sanctus, said: “We would like to thank everyone who has contributed this year to A Small Good Thing. The collections of toiletries and goods are invaluable to our homeless and vulnerable community. We are humbled and grateful for the kindness shown by Samia and those who have donated.”

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The News Is Mixed on Polio October 24th is World Polio Day and Rotary has been at the forefront of the campaign to eradicate polio since 1985. This has involved Rotary clubs from all parts of the globe working together to rid the world of this debilitating and often fatal disease that has crippled millions of children. When Rotary embarked on the scheme there were 1,000 new cases of polio every single day spread over 125 countries, and this year to date the number of cases is just 98 in two countries - Afghanistan and Pakistan. That seems like very good news, yet it isn’t really because in the whole of 2018 there were only 33 cases, so the numbers have actually increased for the first time in decades. There are reasons behind this. Polio can only be prevented by immunisation and the two endemic countries mentioned are in places in the world where there is suspicion of the vaccination programme, some tribal areas believing it is a western plot to cause sterilisation. You may have heard via the media how volunteers have been killed when carrying out mass national immunisation days, but still they carry on and despite the setback this year and overall the number of new cases is still quite encouraging. This should be a lesson for all those who are against vaccination for measles which is also on the increase now - even in Britain and the USA. Left to its own devices these diseases will grab a foothold and return. That is why it is so essential to finish the job on polio and make it only the second disease after smallpox to be eradicated completely. I said in the headline that the news is mixed, and there is some good news too. Polio Virus type 3 was declared eradicated on the 24th October, so that just leaves one strain, Polio Virus 1, left. More good news was that the last case in Nigeria was exactly three years ago, so Nigeria - and indeed the whole of Africa - is now non-endemic. Certainly things to cheer about but the fight must go on to beat the last hundred cases. In Chelmsford the Rotary clubs have made major contributions to the worldwide polio project. The purple pinkie name started with a Chelmsford club before extending throughout Britain and the website www.purplepinkie.com, which attracts global donations, is administered from here as well.

Stan Keller The Mayor of Chelmsford, Councillor Bob Massey was joined at the planting ceremony by Deputy Mayor, Councillor Janette Potter and President of Chelmsford Mildmay Rotary, Richard Oscroft MBE campaign to end polio in particular. We look forward to spring when we hope to see a carpet of purple to remind all who pass of the importance of ridding the world of polio.” In his response the Mayor, Councillor Bob Massey said: “We are honoured to support the Rotary Club in raising awareness for the Purple4Polio campaign. Thousands of crocuses have been planted by Chelmsford City Parks and the Rotary clubs, which not only supports this wonderful cause but also enhances biodiversity for the area.” The border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the two last endemic countries, is 1,240 miles in length. Our Rotary District in Essex is number 1240, so two Rotarians in Cumbria decided to mark this coincidence by driving a small Bugatti sports car from their club base in Appleby to Grays to arrive at 12:40 at the Grays Thurrock Club in District 1240 donating £1,240 to the Rotary Get Moving to End Polio 1240 Challenge. The Chelmsford club was asked to help coordinate the effort and it was duly completed in the proper time despite the awful fact that the lorry with 39 dead people inside was discovered in Grays just the previous day and Grays was virtually closed off. This drive challenge is yet another example of Rotary clubs working together. As an aside, Jonas Salk who discovered the polio vaccine would have celebrated his 100th birthday on 28th October. He forfeited 7 billion dollars by refusing to patent the vaccine so that it would be available worldwide at an affordable price for polio eradication. Children of the world are indebted to him.

It is called purple pinkie because when a child receives their life saving polio drops on mass polio immunisation days, their little finger is painted with purple dye, so it is clear they have received their life saving vaccine. World Polio Day itself was marked in Chelmsford with the planting of 12,000 crocus corms in Viaduct Meadows, Central Park. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor joined Rotarians from the Rotary Clubs of Chelmsford Mildmay and Chelmsford Rivermead and the District Governor Pauline Dean. Richard Oscroft MBE, President of Chelmsford Mildmay Rotary, said: “My thanks to Chelmsford City Council for donating corms, making this space available and to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor for assisting with the planting. “In addition to it being World Polio Day, Mildmay’s efforts are largely in memory of Ken Buck who died earlier this year. He was a past District Governor and member of our club who did so much towards promoting the work of The Rotary Foundation generally and the

Rotary has instigated many wonderful initiatives to make the world a better place, and also supports countless other worthwhile projects. Is this something you feel you would like to get involved with? On Thursday 21st November the Rotary Club of Chelmsford is holding a showcase at Hampton’s Sports Centre, Tydemans (off Beehive Lane) from 12pm to 2pm to explain different ways of association with Rotary. It is free, but please advise if you are coming by emailing me at stan@graphic-impressions.co.uk, or give me a call on 01245 260 349. Stan Keller

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Stargazing with Mark Willis - November/December On This Day, 15th November 1738: William Herschel discovers the planet Uranus. 17 -18 November - Leonids Meteor Shower: Showing about 15 meteors an hour, believed to be the remains of Comet Temple-Tuttle discovered in 1865. th

The ancients believed that comets were fireballs and worse - portents of doom and despair! Of course, we now know that comets are ‘dirty snowballs’. A fascinating account of what it’s like to be on a comet is given in just the first chapter of Carl Sagan’s excellent book, Comet. 19th November: Last quarter of the Moon appears tonight close to Saturn. On This Day, 20th November 1889: Edwin Hubble was the first to postulate that what were called ‘distant nebulae’ were in fact, galaxies. Some wonderful opportunities to spot planets this month! 24th November: Venus appears very close to Jupiter looking south

west just after sunset. 29th November: Saturn lording it above the thin crescent Moon. 10th-11th December: Venus passing over Saturn, low down in the south-westerrn sky. 28th October and 26th November - New Moon: This means the skies will be extra dark which is a great opportunity to see planets, galaxies and deep space objects. Next month: The Christmas Star... What was it? As usual, email any questions to mark.willis@ chelmsfordcommunityradio.com. Mark Willis presents Willis Wireless at the new time of 12pm every Tuesday afternoon on Chelmsford Community Radio on 104.4 FM and online at chelmsfordcommunityradio.com. Twitter: @WillisWireless

Chelmsford Creative Collective - Katie Osborne Chelmsford Creative Collective (CCC) is a group of friendly, local creatives. We have an active Facebook group where we share events, discuss collaborations and support each others creative endeavours. We meet on the last Tuesday of the month at a local pub. Please check Facebook or email chelmsfordcreativecollective@gmail.com for details. Everybody is welcome for a drink and a chat!

all the way round. I do tend to work in quite a structured way because of this.” Who or what inspires you to be creative? “I can’t remember a time when I haven’t been drawing, painting or making something. I find it I’m not making something then I tend to get a bit bored and grumpy!” Tell us about your most recent project. “Currently I’m working on my range of hand painted Christmas ornaments which I sell on my Etsy page, via Facebook, and at craft fayres. This year I’m only attending The Helen Rollason Christmas Food and Craft Fayre (on the 23rd and 24th November), which is being held at the Chelmsford City Racecourse. “My ornaments are totally unique and I spend a lot of time on them getting them just right. I love Christmas and have fond memories of when we used to put the tree up for Christmas. It was a huge 8ft gold Christmas tree, totally over the top and my mum used to put every decoration under the sun on it. “Nowadays, all the decorations are the same and impersonal, I want mine to be the special ones that come out year after year and are passed down through the family.”

Who are you and what do you create? “My name is Kay Stewart and I create various works of art. I specialise in animal portraits and landscapes in various mediums and I absolutely love painting glass. I create hand painted glass ornaments for Christmas and hand painted glasses and vases for the rest of the year and special occasions. Most of my work is commissioned.” How would you describe your working process? “Portraits and landscapes are quite straightforward as you are just putting to canvas what you see. However, my glass art is much more involved. I have to create my design to fit a 3d object as it will be seen

What does Chelmsford Creative Collective mean to you? “It’s a chance to meet and talk with like-minded artists. Learn new things, try something different. Even if you can’t get to the meetings, everyone keeps in touch online and are really supportive. Being an artist isn’t easy. You doubt yourself and your abilities constantly and having a group of people encouraging you is amazing and helps you to carry on, to keep improving, to strive to be the best you can be.” You’re stranded on a desert island with three items of your choice what would they be and why? “It would have to be my sketchbook and pencils to keep me sane, a toothbrush to keep my teeth minty fresh and a blanket to wrap myself up in at night.” www.facebook.com/kaystewartartwork November 2nd - November 29th: Skateboard exhibition November 30th - January 3rd: Flipping Zombies exhibition

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