The City Times October/November 2017

The City Times

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

10000 copies distributed monthly

Issue Number 49: 13th October - 16th November 2017

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CT Welcome Hello readers, Welcome to the October/November edition.

This month we welcome a new business writer, Lindsay Whitehouse.

Lindsay will be conducting business interviews, so if you wish to be considered for this feature please email us.

Remember that the clocks go back 1 hour on 29th October!

Enjoy your month!

Regards Nick & Paul

www.thecitytimes.co.uk | www.moulshamtimes.com

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

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

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CT Fashion - Warming Up For Winter It’s that wonderfully awkward wardrobe time of year again, isn’t it?

We’re waking up in darkness, wondering what the British weather gods will bestow upon us, so we pop the obligatory warm attire on, and then… the sun pops out and you’re on the tube/running up the high street/dashing from meeting to meeting, left high and… sweaty, warm and frankly, flustered. The leaves might be crisper, but it’s not yet snow boot season - and you, like me, might have found yourself in a A/W fashion cul-de-sac.

Luckily, I have some answers to your what to wear in the autumn/winter weather conundrum. The aim is to keep you warm, cool, cosy and comfortable.

Yes, you can have your cake and eat it with autumn/winter fashion - you just need to know the following wardrobe hacks: A/W Work Wardrobe Fashion Fixers: If you’re anything like me, you probably spent September into October wondering whether or not to wear black, skin coloured tights or bare all to work (legs, not everything - obviously).

Yikes. Well, let us not worry - here I introduce M&S’s cooling tights, Cool Comfort, ranging from £5. These will keep you cool even when it’s unpredictably warm.

Next; what to wear on top of your work wear? It’s the season where a light jacket is probably still suffice with a trusty scarf (see A/W accessories below), but what about when those autumnal showers catch you midway through the day? I have a hack for that: the paca-mac. No, I am not joking. I keep mine in my bag and at the first sight of ANY KIND of fine rain, it saves me. The best ones I have seen that are ‘work appropriate,’ cheap and actually keep you dry, are in Primark ranging from £5. Bargain.

The A/W Day to Night Outfit: So perhaps your plans for a shopping trip with your friend turned into a few drinks and a few drinks turned into a few more and before you know it you’re in the kebab shop - or perhaps that’s just me... You’ll need an outfit for the day that turns to night in the lead up to winter too. For that, the best outfit is one of my ultimate favourites; the dress and boot combo.

There are so many beautiful tea dresses that teamed with a pair of knee highs, will make you feel like a million dollars, whether high street prowling or bar propping. I team mine with a leather jacket and a scarf (I am obsessed - again, see accessories) and

just go for it. You just decide whether to wear skin coloured, black or no tights. (I’d recommend skin for now, darker for when it gets real cold). If you’re wondering where to get a cute tea dress from, Topshop, ASOS and Primark have some winners.

The A/W All Nighter: What to wear on an autumn into winter night out…

Well, the typical jeans and a ‘nice’ top combo is still the one. Look out for sequin and velvet for the upcoming festival season. The cold shoulder is still well and truly in - team these with your favourite pair of jeans or leather bottoms. If you’re up for really dressing up, the jumpsuit is a big win. In fact, the tuxedo jumpsuit is set to be pretty hot for this winter’s party season. The best ones I have seen are in River Island (starting from £55).

Weekend A/W Wear: The comfy jumper. I can’t be the only redblooded female who is just SO HAPPY that it is fluffy, comfy, cuddly, soft jumper season is back?! I have seen some amazing fluffy numbers in Primark from £10, some beautifully striking colours in New Look (also £10) and cute cropped jumper tops in River Island - whatever floats your boat. I love to wear these oversized with black jeans (ripped: optional) and boots, or this season you could go for the high waisted black denim skirt and knee highs (I will be investing in one from New Look as soon as my little legs can carry me to the high street).

A/W Accessories: The scarf. If you buy one item for your wardrobe in the run up to winter, it must be a scarf. There is nothing better than a large, oversized shawl scarf and I can tell you why: Feeling cold?

Wrap it round you. Caught in the rain? Pop it over your head ala all grannies everywhere. Legs a bit chilly? Bundle them up in a scarf.

Need something to sit on? Lay down your scarf. You can also go for whatever kind you like, but for simplicity sometimes simple is best; plain, block colours go with everything.

A/W Outerwear: The bright coat. Perhaps you have only a light dress on, or a T-shirt and jeans? Then you’ll want a bigger piece of outerwear for that… and here I say the bright, bold coat. This season’s colour is red, and there are some fantastic offerings on the high street this season. Check out Matalan for a bargain Papaya single breasted coat for £30. It’s available in hot pink, too - wow.

Rebecca Forde is a writer with a penchant for fashion, great literature and drinking a lot of coffee. She writes for pleasure on her blog and is creator of Scribble Panda - a small business offering tutoring and writing services. You can contact her by emailing rebeccaforde@hotmail.co.uk. © All Images Next

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Music by Nick Garner We have had a busy time recently with two gigs at the Bassment and also at the football ground, so I have lots to tell you!

At the Bassment we had our normal Thursday night show with John Verity, formerly of Argent and Phoenix. The night started with Southbound. I have seen these guys a couple of times before and they always impress me - the Bassment audience loved them as well and I think we have to get them back to headline at some point. Next up was John Verity, a man who I love. John is a singer songwriter and a wonderful guitarist. This 3-piece band were superb, John shows a lot of feeling when he plays - and of course he finished the night off with God Gave Rock and Roll To You (Argent).

We also had one of our Saturday night specials with two of Essex’s heavyweights, starting off with Trevor Gentry’s Stony Road who played a good mix of original songs and covers. Next on was the Roy Mette Band - and back on the drum stool was Wayne Bronze, so it was the original line-up. They played a great set with a touch of Roy doing his Rory Gallagher bit, all in all it was fine night.

Moving over to Chelmsford City FC, on Friday 29th we had that band from Canvey Island play - Dr Feelgood. They were supported by Billericay’s very own Connor Selby and his band. Connor mesmerised the audience with his performance and his singing and songwriting - he is only twenty years old, but this young man is level-headed and knows what he needs to do to succeed and has the support from some very notable people in the industry.

As for Dr Feelgood? Well, what can you say, this band are legendary and full of energy and charisma, and we want them back again as soon as possible as does everyone who saw them play.

Our last gig review for this edition is Wille & the Bandits, who I have had the privilege of putting on in Chelmsford now for five years running - starting off in the back room of a pub, then the Bassment,

then this year the football club.

The evening started with the band’s special guest for the tour, Claude Hay from Australia. I had seen some videos and was impressed, but seeing him live, wow. He was amazing and had the audience in the palm of his hands. He is a one man band playing drums and guitar and looping the instruments - and he is about the best I have seen at this. He actually made his amazing guitar himself and it’s a bass, acoustic and electric all in one! A very clever piece of kit that sounded awesome. We want to put him on as a headline the next time he returns to the UK. Wille & the Bandits simply have to be one of the best live bands in the country. Three incredible musicians who never fail to impress. I have seen this band play to (and own) 25,000 people at a festival in the past. They played a mix of new songs from their new album Steal, and some of their classics. The one change is that Wille stood for the whole show except for one song, which was good to see. We can’t wait for the next time they play for us.

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

As ever, please do try to come out and support the great live music 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. www.bluesinthecity.co.uk www.facebook.com/bluesinthecitychelmsford Twitter: @BluesintheCity1 www.itsyourmusic.co.uk www.facebook.com/itsyourmusic Twitter: @itsyourmusic

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CT Gardening by Tom Cole

Firstly, a big thank you for the warm welcome given to me by Galleywood Horticultural Society Charity last week - you all made me so welcome as I gave my talk to you on perennials.

It’s a busy time of the year for us gardeners.

The weather is keeping us on our toes and we are ready to undertake garden tasks in all areas of the garden. The following are just a few of the tasks I’ll be getting stuck into over the next few weeks: Vegetables and Fruit • Plant out spring cabbage and lettuce.

• Finish harvesting summer crops.

• Finish harvesting figs, grapes, pears and apples.

• Mulch trees and bushes.

• Plant new apple and pear trees.

Trees and shrubs • Finish pruning rambler roses.

• Deadhead roses.

• Trim young hedges.

• Add new deciduous trees and shrubs to your garden.

Lawns • Sweep up leaves and worm casts.

• Aerate and spike lawns.

• Remove moss.

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Flowers • Sow sweet peas.

• Lift and store dahlias, gladioli, montbretia, large flowered begonias and cannas.

• Lift and store pelargoniums, if necessary.

• Clear out summer annuals.

• Plant bought-in perennials and lift and divide existing perennials.

• Continue planting out biennials and spring flowering bulbs.

Miscellaneous tasks • Sweep up leaves and make a leaf mould compost heap.

• • Apply slow acting fertilisers.

• Provide frost protection to tender plants outdoors.

• Clean out the greenhouse.

• Put up greenhouse insulation.

• Stretch nets over ponds to prevent autumn leaves falling in.

If this doesn’t keep you busy, then why not book onto my Climber and Wall Shrub Master Class for Friday 20th October 2017 (10am to 3:30pm)?

This practical workshop is for those who are unsure about how to keep their climbers and wall shrubs in proper order and is suitable for both novices and those with experience. This very hands-on course will involve all key forms of pruning and training.

Routine, formative and renovation pruning will be explored on the day, plus support systems and subsequent maintenance.

Participants will work with the likes of Wisteria, Chaenomeles, Pyracantha and Clematis plus any others discovered (on the day) in our extensive campus gardens.

You’ll learn why, when and how to prune plants correctly and safely to keep them under control and looking at their best. Give the Short Courses Team a call on 01245 421 782 for booking information.

If you want to chat about any other courses we offer, please come along and speak with the team at the next College Information and Campus Tour Event, Saturday 14th October 2017 (10am-1pm).

Happy Gardening

Page 8 www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

CT Food By John Jacobs

Germany Comes to the City I do miss it. I must relent and admit hand on (slightly clogged) heart, that being teetotal is not entirely all it’s heralded to be. I had hoped that the moment I left behind the papal punch, life would become an 80s film montage of industrious productivity with me finding a cure for cancer, solving the world hunger crises and finally culminating in the first human to build an IKEA wardrobe without bits left over - presumably to house my Nobel prizes.

Accepted, I’m slimmer and have clarity of thought most of my waking hours but there’s a trade off. Firstly, abstaining from alcohol doesn’t carry the godly righteousness it once did. Though in fairness, the only redemption I found being dragged to the Greek Orthodox Church every Sunday, was the heavily fortified part wine, part sherry, part floor varnish that was communion grog. I’m also denied the veganistic smug self-importance of abstaining from animal products.

A state of being I’m happy to forgo for a 10oz rib eye rare enough to still hear it screaming.

What I think I miss the most - and note I said ‘think’ - is the annual pilgrimage across the channel and into the Bavarian heartlands where I and a chosen few would spend several long days and nights consuming beer and bratwurst at Oktoberfest.

Shortly, my friends will depart again without me and head for what we affectionately think of as Disney Land for Drunks. Whilst sobriety is for me the norm, ‘temptation’ is, as its name suggests, tempting. So I stay well away. Fortunately however, Chelmsford is hosting its own Oktoberfest roughly 50 metres from my apartment window. I get to watch other people having fun and don’t have to suffer a 90 minute flight on Air Wahrscheinlichtodh in a seat designed to keep my face in perfect contact with my knees. Considerate.

With Oktoberfest comes German food. It’s not widely popular in the UK but with the opening of our cultural borders to more of Europe (that’s right, I voted ‘in’), a lot of eastern European fare is readily available around the city along with German staples. It is my job therefore to guide you through the menu that awaits at Chelmsford’s own German festival of fine ales and largely pork. Lots of pork. Pretty much all of it in fact.

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• •

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Zungenwurst. Thinly sliced sausage made from pig’s blood, tongue, fat and oatmeal. Enough to traumatise any visiting vegetarian. The high blood content means it largely tastes of lead piping.

Speck. Often referred to as ‘lardo’. Heated pig fat with a little skin spread onto bread. Don’t drink cold beer on top of it unless you wish to experience childbirth a few hours later.

Griebenschmalz. This is a bit like speck but flecked with bits of pork scratching, onions and apple. Again, spread on bread. All good restaurants require you to sign a personal injury waiver before eating and advise making a Living Will on the off chance the clot misses your arteries and heads straight for your brain.

Sülze. Like braun, this is similarly meat from the head of a pig or sometimes cow. The only discernable difference being the size of the jar. Solidified in its own aspic with a little vinegar and spice, it may look like a mini accident in farm machinery but is surprisingly easy to keep down.

Lastly...

Schinken-Teewurst. This is also a pork based sausage with two key differences, namely, it’s spreadable and also raw. Only to be eaten if you’ve been trapped under something heavy unable to reach food or water for several days.

So dear readers, have great fun with the Oktoberfest. It’s always fun to see more of these events coming into our city. Enjoy Halloween

and we’ll meet here again this time next month for what will be the penultimate Christmas edition.

Have a great month Chelmsford.

Simon Says: “Beer”

Beer Trends September saw the end of an era with the retirement of Silent Mike at the Orange Tree.

I say retirement, but I’m sure you’ll still be able to bump into Mike at regular intervals at the Orange Tree over the coming months.

After many years running successful pubs, it is probably going to be quite difficult for him to take a back seat!

Coming up in Chelmsford is the annual Halloween Beer Festival at the Woolpack.

Expect to see a plethora of spooky and Halloween themed beers over the weekend. Interestingly, Halloween has, over the past few years, been identified as one of the best weekends for pubs. So if you are out and about there should be a good atmosphere around town.

In September there was a big beer event in Manchester for independent breweries, called Indy Man Beer Con. Lots of the larger and more progressive breweries were there, including Siren and Cloudwater. There were lots of articles in the beer press about the event and a few talking about beer trends for the next year.

Specifically, there seems to be a trend for lower ABV low bitterness juicy session beers, taking some of the best bits from the American IPAs and DIPAs, but toning down the alcohol so they are more suited to the British drinking patterns. Basically keeping all the flavour you’d expect form a 9% double IPA, those intense fruity notes, but at a lower ABV so you can enjoy a pint of it instead of drinking it by the third. There was also a suggestion that we’ll start seeing more barrel aged beers coming out, but these will more likely be in the higher ABV range. However, they will have to have been planned for a while as the barrel aging process is not quick.

Remembering 1917 at Galleywood Heritage Centre

On Sunday 19th November between 10am and 4pm, Galleywood Heritage Centre is holding an exhibition Remembering 1917 which has been kindly sponsored by Galleywood Parish Council. This exhibition covers the battles and casualties, war at sea and in the air in 1917, the Home Front, women in 1917 and the poets and poetry of 1917.

There will be a number of exhibitors, including the Western Front Association, and items on display will include model ships and aeroplanes and various memorabilia. Admission is free and the centre’s tea room will be open for tea/coffee, home made cakes and light refreshments.

Galleywood Heritage Centre is located on Galleywood Common off Margaretting Road, CM2 8TR. Call on 01245 357 700, or email mail@galleywoodheritagecentre.org.uk, or visit www. galleywoodheritagecentre.org.uk. Where possible, please use the free public car park off Margaretting Road and enter the centre through the back gate.

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What’s On in the Area S AT U R D AY O C T O B E R 2 8 T H STRANGER THINGS 2 BASSMENT CHELMSFORD

8PM  4AM

H A L L O W E E N PA R T Y Friday 13th Asylum - Shakey’s Sessions: Lynchwood + Gin Logic + The Lightscopes + Lee Matthew Platt Bassment - Friday Night’s Alright!

Cramphorn - A Man Called Ove (15) The Golden Fleece - Concourse Star & Garter - Adrenalin Saturday 14th Asylum - Deadsunrising Bassment - Macka B & the Roots Ragga Band (UK tour!)

Chelmsford City FC - Limehouse Lizzy + The Joe Anderton Band Civic - Phill Jupitus: Juplicity The Golden Fleece - The Repetoire Dogs Star & Garter - The Locals The Three Elms - Tapas night Writtle Village Hall - Writtle Art Group Exhibition Sunday 15th Museum of Power, Maldon - Antiques Fair Star & Garter - Open mic/jam (3-7pm) Writtle Village Hall - Writtle Art Group Exhibition Tuesday 17th Bassment - Dom’s Big Birthday Jam Boreham Village Hall - Ballroom and Latin American Dance Classes for Beginners & Improvers (www.danceasy.co.uk) Civic - Tales of Offenbach Cramphorn - Another Mothers Son (12a) Galleywood Heritage Centre - Talk: The Great War in the Air Wednesday 18th Bassmnet - JAR presents: The Vaporisers + Raz + Wesley Stail The Chichester Hotel, Rawreth - Belvedere Jazz & Music Club: Len Phillips Big Band with Gary Williams Thursday 19 Asylum - Mutant Reavers + Lupen Tooth + Gallow Wood Bassment - BRITC presents: Fran McGillivray/Vicky Martin The Golden Fleece - Quiz night Friday 20th Asylum - Goat Monsoon + Fatality + Elysium Sky Bassment - Electric Jam presents: Paolo Morena + The March Fleet + Indigo Face Cramphorn - Hampstead (12a) The Golden Fleece - The Nook Star & Garter - Dead Man’s Hand Saturday 21st Asylum - Imaginary Dreamers + Shock Powder + Pupil Slicer Bassment - The Pussywarmers + Three Birds Blind + Teresa Of Calcutta + iAlpha Civic - Sing-a-long-a Beauty and the Beast Galleywood Heritage Centre - Essex Society for Family History (monthly meeting) The Golden Fleece - Red Leaf Sandon Village Hall - Craft, Pamper Shopping Day Star & Garter - TBC Sunday 22nd Museum of Power, Maldon - Cars and Coffee Meet Star & Garter - Open mic/jam (3-7pm) Monday 23rd Cramphorn - Alices Adventures in Wonderland: LIVE from the Page 12

Royal Opera House Tuesday 24th Boreham Village Hall - Ballroom and Latin American Dance Classes for Beginners & Improvers (www.danceasy.co.uk) Tuesday 24th continued...

Civic - Milkshake Live Cramphorn - Whitney: Can I Be Me (15) Wednesday 25th Bassment - Sarah Rocks Stevie Nicks The Chichester Hotel, Rawreth - Belvedere Jazz & Music Club: The Al Nichols Swing Quartet Civic - Sensational 60s Cramphorn - Maddy Prior Thursday 26th Bassment - Live Indie Rock Civic - Private Lives The Golden Fleece - Quiz night Star & Garter - Acoustic Jam Friday 27th Asylum - Cold In Berlin + Ventenner + Sickfest Bassment - BRITC: Elles Bailey Civic - Private Lies The Golden Fleece - Charlie’s Aunt Star & Garter - Fast on the Draw Saturday 28th Asylum - Cult Theme Halloween Bassment - Bassment Rocks For Halloween (3pm-9pm), Stranger Things 2 Halloween Party (9pm-4am) Civic - Private Lies Cramphorn - The Sandford Project (meet at Cramphon) The Golden Fleece - Holding Aces Star & Garter - 4 Play Sunday 29th Civic - City of London Sinfonia Museum of Power, Maldon - Halloween Spooky Science Star & Garter - Open mic/jam (3-7pm) Tuesday 31st Bassment - Victories Single Launch Boreham Village Hall - Ballroom and Latin American Dance Classes for Beginners & Improvers (www.danceasy.co.uk) Cramphorn - Le Corsaire Cramphorn - The Graduate (12a) Old Court Theatre - The House of Dracula November Wednesday 1st Bassment - Backwater Channels Presents: TBC Civic - The Simon & Garfunkel Story Cramphorn - Lunchtime Concert Old Court Theatre - The House of Dracula The Chichester Hotel, Rawreth - Belvedere Jazz & Music Club Salute to Benny Goodman: Pete Long Quatet Thursday 2nd Asylum - Bridge the Dark + Phil Twite + Jake Brooker Bassment - Bassment Blues Jam Channels Estate - Autumn Shopping Extravaganza Cramphorn - David Lynch: The Art Of Life (15) The Golden Fleece - Quiz Night

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

Thursday 2nd (continued...)

Old Court Theatre - The House of Dracula Star & Garter - The Phil Ball Band Friday 3rd Asylum - Iron Bast***** + Zen Motel + Butcher in the Fog Bassment - Shakey’s Sessions: SONS + Rolled Up Sleeves + Hadrian + Cohaagen Civic - The Power of Imagination The Golden Fleece - The Flashbacks Old Court Theatre - The House of Dracula Star & Garter - The Mint Saturday 4th Admirals Park - Chelmsford Fireworks 2017 Asylum - Doghouse + Primal Force Bassment - Small Fakers (SOLD OUT) The Golden Fleece - The Strides Old Court Theatre - The House of Dracula Star & Garter - Indigo Hammer Sunday 5th Cramphorn - Chelmsford Jazz Club: Denise King with John Pearce, Simon Woolf and Winston Clifford Star & Garter - Open mic/jam (3-7pm) Woolpack - GC’s Jazz Club: Guest: Richard Exall Saxophone/ Clarinet & Tim Huskisson Trio Tuesday 7th Boreham Village Hall - Ballroom and Latin American Dance Classes for Beginners & Improvers (www.danceasy.co.uk) Civic - Our House Cramphorn - Hampstead (12a - baby friendly screening) Wednesday 8th Bassment - Mick O’Regan and the Brompton Road Band + Philip Marino Band + Oh Maddie Acoustic + Five Fathoms Deep + The Hardy Perennials Civic - Our House Cramphorn - Lunchtime Concert The Chichester Hotel, Rawreth - Belvedere Jazz & Music Club: Salena Jones + Quartet Galleywood Heritage Centre - Talk: The Oldest House in Galleywood - An Update Thursday 9th Bassment - Jazz Funk with Alexandra Ridout Civic - Our House Cramphorn - Dunkirk (12a) The Golden Fleece - Quiz night Friday 10th Asylum - Shakey’s Sessions: 355 + Litter of Kings Bassment - The Confessions Civic - Our House Cramphorn - Mr Darcy Loses the Plot The Golden Fleece - Illicit Star & Garter - Hit Parade Saturday 11th Asylum - Hedra + A Bribe for the Ferryman + As Cowards Wake Bassment - Saturday’s Alright For Dancin’ Civic - Our House Cramphorn - Dunkirk (12a) The Golden Fleece - Beggar Star & Garter - Electrum Sunday 12th All Saints Church - Writtle Singers: Looking Forward, Looking Back Asylum - Culture Shock + Dub Righters + Doozer McDooze Civic - Lipstick On Your Collar Star & Garter - Open mic/jam (3-7pm)

Tuesday 14th Civic - Shakespeare Schools Festival Cramphorn - Soho Cinders Wednesday 15th Bassment - JAR Presents: (TBC) Civic - Rocking and Rolling With Laughter Cramphorn - Soho Cinders The Chichester Hotel, Rawreth - Belvedere Jazz & Music Club: Dave Browning Qrt with Pete Allen Thursday 16th Bassment - BRITC: Toriah Fontaine + Mississippi MacDonald Civic - Rat Pack Live: Celebrating a Centenary of Sinatra Cramphorn - Soho Cinders Friday 17th Asylum - FireSky + Hollow Illusion + Spoiler Bassment - Wet Dream Records: Black Doldrums + Vinyl Staircase + Moon Balloon + Harry Houseago Civic - Signed, Sealed, Delivered Cramphorn - Soho Cinders The Golden Fleece - Cadence Star & Garter - The Sounds Saturday 18th Asylum - RDF Bassment - Marcus Szabo Memorial Gig with The Franklys + These Lips + Magic Seas + The White Gospel Chelmsford City FC - Los Pacaminos (featuring Paul Young) Cramphorn - Soho Cinders The Golden Fleece - Steal Star & Garter - The Stents Sunday 19th Galleywood Heritage Centre - Essex Society for Family History (monthly meeting) Star & Garter - Open mic/jam

Doghouse at Asylum 4th November In a world consisting of a steady diet of manuafactured X Factor clones, DOGHOUSE are an idiosyncratic breath of fresh air - totally unique.

Their look and sound was summed up succinctly by a German fan recently as Punk Clown Trash; a description DOGHOUSE endorse with their carnival, techno punk sounds, Tom Waits/Beefheartesque vocals and mesmerising stage show.

Born out of the ashes of cult techno-punk band SICKNOTE. Singer Doghouse and Slugbucket, his partner and interpretive dancer, embody the same DIY ethics and spiritual anarchism as the former festival stalwarts... Laugh, dance and revolt!!

With songs covering the whole spectrum, from the political to the sublime and a beat to move your feet, this is one show not to be missed.

This is DOGHOUSE’s first live appearance in Essex and as Asylum has a limited capacity of only 60 people, be sure to get there early or risk missing this visual/audio extravaganza.

Please send us your events for the next edition (for events between 17th November and 19th December) to: editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk

CT Business What is the rate of churn for your staff?

In some sectors the staff turn over can be as high as 30%. This costs a huge amount of time and money. Too many organisations breathe a sigh of relief when they manage to fill their vacancy, but that is when the hard work should really start.

How do you know that new employees will understand your culture and way of working? Can you be certain that they will treat your customers in the way you want them to? If you are the boss, how do you make sure that a new member of your team understands what you want and then delivers it?

You only get one chance to make a good first impression, and you only get one chance to induct a new employee and instil in them exactly what you need and want. Ineffective induction feeds a high staff turnover and early discontent, but the real cost to your business is probably incalculable.

Nearly all organisations have an induction programme to speak off, but this is often something to satisfy an auditor. Many inductions are round around the HR department and will inevitably focus on procedure and process. So it will tell you all about health and safety, pay roll, how to claim expenses and you will get a login to the computer system, then perhaps spend a long time doing some mindlessly boring computer based induction training. How many of your team really enjoy doing that type of mindless activity? Let me tell you: none of them.

Organisations succeed through their staff, and you have got to make an effort, but the effort is well worth it.

When I took over the day to day running of a really big organisation in Chelmsford, it had been assessed as a failing organisation. Staff turnover was high, but we had some fantastic long term staff - they were not being used to their best though.

Staff induction was a joke, but not a funny one! I instructed the training manager that I wanted to see changes and told her exactly what these changes would look like. We were a big organisation with new staff starting every week - and that was part of the problem. I immediately said that all new starters had to start on the first Monday of the month and their first week would be devoted to induction. The various line managers and internal departments were in uproar, but I stood my ground.

On their first day, after being greeted by the training manager, I was the first person they saw. I gave them a lot of my time, asked about them and their background. I made it clear what I expected from them, but then listened whilst they told me what they expected from me.

A detailed programme had been drawn up where they visited all departments and learned about how they worked and interacted with each other. All inductees had a quiz to complete but they could only complete the answers by going round to different departments, asking questions and introducing themselves to get the right answers. This was a great way for them to feel part of the team, and more importantly, for existing members of the team to know who had joined, and to get to meet them early. It also opened up a line of communication, so in the future if someone had a problem they knew where to go for help.

All the new starters met at the end of each day to compare notes and to provide feedback as to how their day had gone. They were allocated to attend various department meetings, including the senior management team meeting which I chaired. They were given access to company performance information and complaints. They were expected to know what our performance was and how seriously

we took complaints.

At the end of the week I met them again, and probed into their experiences. No other member of staff was present, just me and the new starters. So they could speak frankly about what they found. I made a point of reinforcing my message: I expected them to work hard, to own problems and not leave it to someone else. I told them if something seemed wrong then it probably was wrong, and they should do something about it. I reassured them that if they made a mistake, that was totally forgiveable, providing they recognised it, sorted it and learned from it and never attempted to hide it.

I promised to call in to see them at their workplace from time to time and then I made sure I did it. I ensured that they all had a mentor appointed to look after them and help them navigate through any difficulties they found. All the mentors were thanked by me personally and all had ÂŁ25 worth of gift vouchers. It was not a lot but they really appreciated it. I also reinforced that I wanted their opinion about the organisation, and if they could see better ways to do things then they should tell me and their line manager.

My message was given to line managers. I also made it clear that no one looked good by trying to make someone else look bad. Guess what happened? Within a short period of time all these new people made a significant impact. Long serving members of staff were encouraged to find a willing band of new people wanting to suck out all their knowledge. Different departments co-operated much better because more and more people knew colleagues who worked there, they had bonded during their induction week.

I found lots more suggestions coming forward from people who could see how they were able to influence things for the better. Morale improved because staff realised that we had high expectations, but we supported everyone to achieve them. No one needed to fear getting something wrong. People felt good working for an organisation that wanted them to succeed.

Staff turnover dropped, corporate performance improved, and at our next inspection we had gone from bottom of the class to the top of the class. The value of good staff induction could not be overstated.

My message is: get the induction right, and everything else will follow.

If you are a member of staff and you are left frustrated by poorly planned and inadequately executed induction, then tell someone.

Leaders need to lead and insist on setting and maintaining high standards. It starts from the first day your staff walk through the door.

Induction is the most important tool you will have to set the right tone at the right time.

Lindsay Whitehouse Currently lecturing in leadership and management, somewhere in Essex.

Business Interview with Beverley Matthews from Perfect Day Caterers

share the same ethos as me. The flavour of our dishes is the number one priority, followed closely by presentation, which is so important with event catering, as guests want to be impressed with how the food looks.

“Overall, I want Perfect Day Caterers to be known for consistently providing a first-class catering service and for customers to come back year after year to us for their special occasions.”

Following a true passion for food, and having left a successful career in marketing to run an event catering business, we ask Moulsham resident Beverley Matthews, the owner of Perfect Day Caterers, how the first year in this new venture has been…

Firstly, tell us a little bit about Perfect Day Caterers?

“Perfect Day Caterers is an outside catering business. We are based just outside of Stansted providing catering throughout Essex. Catering for all kinds of events from small intimate dinner parties to larger celebrations, no event is too large or too small. Our aim is to always provide delicious food that is presented beautifully as well as taking care of every aspect of the catering so that our customers can enjoy their special day.”

Why did you decide to start up a catering business?

“I’ve always been passionate about food and would usually spend most weekends in the kitchen trying out new recipes and entertaining friends and family whenever possible. I wanted to be able to turn my love of food into a successful business.”

How have you found the transition from marketing to catering?

“I must admit, going from a 9-5 office job to working long hours in a kitchen was a bit of a shock to start with. But I just threw myself into it. I wanted to do as much of the kitchen work as I could to really learn the world of catering as quickly as possible. I’ve worked with fantastic chefs over the last year who have taught me so much and they are now an integral part of the Perfect Day team.”

What has been the hardest thing about running your own business?

“I’m lucky to say that I love it as much as I had imagined I would, so the long hours and working at weekends hasn’t been too difficult.

I think the most difficult part has been trying to juggle everything, especially during the busy summer months. Prepping for the next event, whilst taking new enquiries, keeping up with invoicing and paying bills… it can get on top of you sometimes. And with any new business you end up having to wear so many different hats.”

What has been your biggest achievement so far?

“I’d have to say the first wedding that we catered for. Just the word ‘wedding’ alone ups the ante! I just wanted everything to be perfect for the couple’s special day. Luckily I had a great team on the day, it went really well and the couple were over the moon with our service and loved the food. I’m really looking forward to our wedding bookings coming up.”

What have you found most rewarding?

“That’s easy, receiving positive feedback from customers is the best thing about running a catering business. There is nothing better than seeing guests enjoying the food that we have created and thanking us at the end of the event. My team all work very hard to ensure the food is tasty and presented well so it’s always worth it when we see delighted customers at the end of the day!”

What do you want Perfect Day Caterers to be known for?

“The quality of the food we produce is so important to me. Over the past year I have managed to build up a team of talented chefs who

What are your future plans for the business?

“I want to expand our high-end dinner party catering service. I have recently started working with a fantastic wine expert, who hosts wine tasting events, wine training and wine pairing throughout London and Essex. We can now provide something new and different to our customers: a unique dinner party experience in your own home with wine tasting and pairing. The feedback so far has been amazing, so we hope to host many more dinner parties with our wine expert in the future.”

To find out more about Perfect Day Caterers visit the website www.perfectdaycaterers.co.uk, or send me an email to beverley@ perfectdaycaterers.co.uk.

BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU DAY Thursday, 16th November THE WINE CELLAR, CHELMSFORD 12 noon - 11pm Since the 1970s, the Wine Cellar has celebrated Beaujolais Nouveau Day in style. Enter the Cellar on Thursday, 16th November and you will be transported into a festive, French bistro.

Decorated with French flags, being served Beaujolais Nouveau by French maids and enjoying French snacks throughout the day, it really is a lot of fun. Our restaurant will also be serving a wonderful 2/3 course French menu, but tables are limited and reservations are essential (please see our website for information).

So what is Beaujolais Day all about?

Beaujolais Nouveau, made from the Gamay grape, must come from the Beaujolais AOC and must, by law, be harvested by hand.

It belongs to the category of wines called vins primeurs, which is defined as any wine sold in the same year in which it is harvested and not long after fermentation.

Traditionally, the Beaujolais region had always made a vin de l’année to celebrate the end of the harvest. In 1951 the date for Beaujolais Nouveau was officially set to 15th November and the idea of having a race to Paris with the first bottles of the new vintage was born. By the 1970s it had become a national event, and by the 1980s the races spread to neighbouring European countries and beyond. Who could be the first to get back from Beaujolais to open the first bottle of the new vintage?

Nowadays the date has been fixed to the third Thursday in November, and we don’t have to race to Beaujolais to pick up the bottles for sale on the big day - the distribution network is set up to deliver directly from France to us here in Chelmsford. However, all cases come with strict labelling that they cannot be sold before 12.01am on Beaujolais Day itself.

So, if you fancy joining in the craziness that is Beaujolais Nouveau Day without having to leave Chelmsford, The Wine Cellar would love to see you! Come down and say Bonjour! À Bientôt!

01245 349 646 www.thewinecellarchelmsford.co.uk

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Page 15

Local Leaders Help Open New Environmental Initiative A sunny Friday afternoon saw the opening of Old Park Meadow Natural Burial Ground in North End. Many of the area’s leading figures in conservation and end of life practices attended the event north of Chelmsford, which signalled the beginning of a project hoping to provide a lasting environmental legacy.

Sat atop a grassy hillside, the ground’s newly built lodge looks over 34 acres of former farmland now reserved for burials and ash interments. The building itself is a clad in golden larch wood, with large glass folding doors that were left open for the day’s proceedings. Delyse Jackaman, manager of the venue, says it has been designed to hold funerals and wakes for people of any faith, or none, meaning guests from all backgrounds were due to visit that afternoon to see what was on offer.

venue for a bright, positive and environmentally conscious funeral.

After the talks, it was time for tea and cakes, including some particularly popular Eton messes and fresh cream scones. Many then took the opportunity to walk round some of the grounds, viewing the four different areas currently available for burial and ash interment.

Much work has been done with the Essex Wildlife Trust, the RSPB and the Woodland Trust to ensure the site contributes successfully to the local ecosystem, and Jackaman was keen to point out that the nature reserve being created here is open seven days a week, so anyone can come and have a look around whenever it suits them.

From half past two, councillors, conservationists, vicars and many more flocked in to look around the site, hear from the guest speakers and most of all, enjoy the beautiful weather. The leader of Chelmsford City Council, Councillor Roy Whitehead, opened proceedings by talking about the special relationship the council has with the project, a co-operative venture with Strutt & Parker Farms, making Old Park Meadow the first council affiliated natural burial site in the region.

Charlie Fillingham, Managing Director of Strutt & Parker, followed with a brief word on the burial ground’s aim to provide a long lasting and sustainable contribution to the area, emphasising the billions of tons of concrete, steel and embalming fluid deposited underground every year. Old Park Meadow is part of the movement to put an end to such waste, he said.

If you would like to know more about Old Park Meadow Natural Burial Ground, please call 01245 806 332, email info@oldparkmeadow. co.uk, or visit www.oldparkmeadow.co.uk.

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Finally, Josefine Speyer gave a fascinating talk on the importance of environmental burial and having freedom of choice when it comes to planning for death. As a founder member of the Natural Death Centre, Speyer has made it her life’s work to spread the word that death does not have to be overly formal, and many new burial grounds, including Old Park Meadow, can provide the perfect open

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Dr Marten’s Store Opens with Ratboy

On Wednesday 20th September, hundreds queued right into the High Street to try and get a place to see local musician Ratboy opening the new Dr Martens store in Bond Street.

We were lucky enough to get a press pass to see Ratboy who was supported by another local band, the Suspects. Both bands played amazing sets and got the crowd dancing and were watched by dozens of fans inside and outside the shop. Ratboy did two sets to allow people who could not fit into the shop for the first set to be able to get in and see him.

Check out Ratboy here: www.ratboy.co.uk, the Suspects here: www.facebook.com/suspectsofficial1 and Dr Martens here: www. drmartens.com/uk.

Our Place, Your Christmas

When enquiring please quote "M&S VOUCHER�

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Page 17

Wildlife Corner by Nick Green September experienced rainfall on a regular basis throughout the month but river water levels remained low.

grass, ideal for their prey including rodents, particularly the field vole.

The most favoured locations include Hamford Water, Langenhoe, Blackwater northern shore, Foulness, Wallasea Island RSPB and Rainham Marshes RSPB. Identification: a medium-sized, rather brown owl with long wings.

Pale face with black patches around distinctive yellow eyes and there’s an obvious yellow-orange patch on the outer upper wing on the primaries. Flight is rather buoyant with frequent glides with wings held slightly lifted. The species is largely nocturnal and crepuscular (dawn and dusk) but is one of the most active owls during daylight.

Short-eared owl, copyright Jeff Delve The short-eared owl (Asio flammeus) is a locally common migrant and winter visitor to Essex with the majority of the European population breeding in northern latitudes. The species is a rare breeder within the county, but the BTO estimated the Scottish breeding population at 780-2,700 pairs. Migrants begin to arrive in August but autumn passage numbers build to a peak in December and January. The preferred habitat is found in estuarine locations where there is rank

Recent Essex Wildlife News The most noteworthy September 2017 bird news: County-wide, selected highlights included: Abberton Reservoir: 2 rednecked phalaropes, 3 pectoral sandpipers, white-winged black tern.

Wat Tyler CP: cattle egret. Coalhouse Fort: yellow-browed warbler.

South Woodham Ferrers: yellow-browed warbler. Holland Haven: redbreasted flycatcher.

Nationally, notable selected highlights included an American redstart on Barra, Outer Hebrides, the first UK record for 32 years! A great snipe, lanceolated warbler, an American black-billed cuckoo, yellowbreasted bunting, Siberian thrush on the Shetland Isles. Scop’s owl in County Durham and an American rose-breasted grosbeak on the Scilly Isles.

What is the definition of craft beer and gin? By the New Moulsham Tap Room Craft Beer In the USA, there is a legal definition of ‘craft beer’ and the US Brewers Association define craft beer as being ‘small, traditional and independent’. However in the UK there is no definition. So what is a craft beer and how can it be differentiated from other beers on the market? Is it just opinion, or is it something that can be set in stone?

We know craft beer when we see it, but that does not help much in pinpointing what exactly constitutes a craft beer. Sometimes it is easy to look at a craft beer for what it is not. For example craft beers are not owned by large corporations, do not use cheap, low quality ingredients, are not driven solely by profit and are not brewed to be tasteless and drank ice cold. Conversely, craft beer is about having passion and creativity, about discovering new tastes and enjoying a variety of different styles, using the best methods where possible to bring to your beer and the brewers using everything in their power to preserve the quality of the product. The beer should be a reflection of the brewer and their personality.

This does not bring us any closer to being able to define craft beer though and whilst in America there is a specific definition, this does result in a number of issues. For example, within the American definition a ‘small brewery’ is defined as having an annual production of 6 million barrels or less. In England all of the micro-breweries combined probably do not produce 6 million barrels per year.

‘Traditional’ is defined as a brew in which at least 50% of the beer consists of ‘traditional or innovative’ ingredients. When you start quantifying things this raises a number of problems; for example is Brewdog a craft beer? Since it is now stocked in Tesco’s and in over 40 pubs within the UK and around the world and is valued at over £1 billion, this is questionable.

One thing is clear: craft beer is beer and always will be and is usually small batch beer that is made with quality, taste, creativity and authenticity at its core. The craft beer revolution has just started and may be the ultimate goal for craft beer is simply to become known as

‘great beer’. Therefore having a precise definition for craft beer may do the opposite of what is intended and stifle creativity.

Craft Gin So what constitutes a craft or artisan gin? For many craft distillers it is not about making money. Whilst they want to make a profit, it is not just about the bottom line. It is about working for themselves and making something they love. As a result ‘craft gin’ is as much about the people behind the product as it is the finished spirit. The human story is the very reason why consumers can relate with the end product. It is what gives craft gin that extra dimension.

In truly authentic cases of craft gins this ethos of care and attention goes from grain to glass where at each stage the distiller will personally know the farmers, growers, pickers etc. Everything is traceable. Each ingredient has provenance and is made by people who share similar values and are all working towards the same goal.

Unfortunately these people are few and far between, and for every one craft distiller who shares these values, there are a number who shamelessly misuse the term.

Craft distilling as a term cannot be solely considered to be about the scale of production either. ‘Small batch’ and ‘craft’ are not one and the same thing. For example, a newby distiller having suddenly discovered a love for gin and bunging in a load of ingredients that they bought from a giant supplier into a small pot and switching the heat on does not make it a craft gin. Similarly, something that is made by an industrial third party distiller at the request of a company but call it craft because they make it in small batches also does not constitute a craft gin. Finally, tea bagging an already finished gin with a botanical, then bottling it is definitely not a craft gin.

It is all too easy to band the ‘C’ word around, but as gin fans we should be very defensive of it. Truly crafted products have resonance.

They ring true in a world that has become obsessed about instant gratification and mass produced commodities.

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RINT

E AT . D R I N K . C E L E B R AT E

Join us for a magical weekend of Christmas fun & celebrations CHRISTMAS MARKET FRIDAY 24th November (5-9pm)

Be one of the first to visit our Christmas shopping stalls and Santa’s Grotto. . Christmas Market Shopping Stalls . Santa Arrives by Sleigh at 6pm, Grotto Opens! . Live LOGO - Music PRIMARY

by Squire & Smith . Christmas Lights Switch On (8pm) . Burgers, Hot Dogs and Thai Food . Cask Ales, Mulled Wine & Cider Adults £5 | Children under 10 FREE

Doggie’s

CHANNELS CHRISTMAS FAIR FRI 24th - SUN 26th NOVEMBER

CHRISTMAS PARTY

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA

SATURDAY 25th November (2-5pm & 6-9pm)

SUNDAY 26th November (8.30-10am)

Chelmsford’s first Christmas party for dogs!

Celebrate with your canine friends. . Dog Display . Pet Photo’s

Have you been good this year? Come and see Santa and write your Christmas wishes letter.

. Dog Competitions: Musical Sit, Loveliest Lady, Fabulous Fella, Best Fancy Dress

. Family Breakfast (see website for Menu)

. Dog Groomer

. Santa Arrives by Sleigh

. Festive Stalls with Doggy Gifts

. Grotto Open: 10:30 - 12:30am and 1:30 - 3pm

Owner/Adult £5: Winter warmer on arrival and Christmas nibbles.

Dog £3: Includes a present for our waggie tailed friends and a donation to AA Dog Rescue.

. Kid’s Creative Corner . Letters to Santa

Adults £10 | Children under 10 £7 Includes Breakfast with tea, coffee or hot chocolate, plus time to write your letter to Father Christmas.

Grotto Entry £5: Includes a present.

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DISCOVER THE CHANNELS ESTATE:

Channels, Pratts Farm Lane East, Little Waltham CM3 3PT (access via Park & Ride roundabout)

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Page 19

therapy by Chelmsford Therapy Rooms Hi everyone! Last time we heard just a few words from some of our fellow therapists at Chelmsford Therapy Rooms. Today I am very pleased to present an article from one of those therapists. So here is Sarah Day and her article on nutrition: How Good Is Your Gut Health?

“All disease begins in the gut”- Hippocrates.

Most people associate gut health with digestive issues such as IBS symptoms, candida, diarrhoea, constipation, food intolerances or reflux. Having a healthy gut also has a big impact of the overall health of the body and the different systems within it. For example, 70% of the body’s immune system cells are located in the gut, so if you are getting frequent colds and infections and feeling run down or if you suffer from skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis, then it is recommended to make sure that you are having foods that promote a healthy gut by including bone broths, fermented foods like saurkraut, kimchi, miso and natural yoghurt along with prebiotic foods which help to feed the good bacteria such as onions, celery, garlic, leeks and bananas. A good quality probiotic supplement is also good to take, especially if you have had a history of using antibiotics as these wipe out the good bacteria.

Another area which has generated a lot of research is the braingut connection and how the health of the gut impacts our nervous system. I’m sure many people have felt nauseous in certain situations, have had an upset stomach when they are nervous or felt butterflies when they are excited. These feelings show that the gut is sensitive to emotions such as anger, sadness, anxiety, depression and stress, and a person’s stomach or intestinal upset can be the cause or the effect of anxiety, stress and depression. This is because the brain and the digestive system are intimately linked.

rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes and chronic fatigue syndrome.

There are ways in which you can manage and repair the digestive tract if you feel that you could be suffering from poor gut health. As mentioned earlier, eating fermented foods which repopulate the good bacteria and prebiotic foods which feed it along with taking a daily probiotic supplement can make a difference. If you feel that you are suffering from a food intolerance, then eliminating those foods for a while and keeping a food/symptom diary when you reintroduce the food to assess what effect it has is a good way to start. Stress management can also be very beneficial as well as mindfulness techniques such as meditation and having a good amount of sleep.

These all help toward calming the enteric nervous system within our gut. In addition, cutting down on sugar and processed foods will also go a long way in the protection of the gut and replacing them with a foods as close to their natural state as possible.

Working with a nutritional therapist can provide you with the tools and support to repair and improve your gut health as we would look towards the root cause of the issue rather than the conventional medicine approach of merely masking the symptoms. Various functional testing and food intolerance testing can also be used to get a clearer picture of what is going on inside.

If anyone is interested in seeing a therapist, Jenny Hartill owns and runs Chelmsford Therapy Rooms. They have a range of therapists that can help with a multitude of issues, offering many therapies from hypnotherapy to counselling to nutrition. Please see the website, www.chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk, or you can email info@ chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk, or call 0330 100 5162.

The gut is often referred to as the second brain, as it contains it’s own set of neurons called the enteric nervous system which operates independently but is also a division of the body’s main nervous system. These neurons can function on their own to produce neurotransmitters such as serotonin which controls mood, appetite and sleep as well as gut motility.

There are even links to behavioural issues such as ADHD and autism.

For years scientists have noticed that people with autism often suffer from gut issues such as IBS or food allergies.

The other impact that having a compromised digestive system has is with the absorption of nutrients. Most of the nutrients that we require are absorbed in the small intestine, so having digestive issues such as diarrhoea can lead to nutrient deficiencies such as vitamin A, and B vitamins such as B12, B1 and folate, which are essential for energy production. Other conditions which can arise from nutrient deficiencies are fatigue, muscle pain and neuropathy from iron deficiency and magnesium deficiency. Osteoarthritis and other bone problems develop as a result of the malabsorption of calcium, boron, silicon and manganese, so it’s not always a case of taking a multivitamin complex to correct a deficiency as the body won’t be able to use the nutrients without good intestinal health.

So, what are the causes of ‘leaky gut’ and other gut issues? Today’s western diet has a detrimental affect on our gut health. Diets which are high in sugar, refined/processed foods, alcohol and the overuse of antibiotics compromise the beneficial bacteria that we have in our guts and break down the lining of the gut - a condition known as ‘leaky gut’ or increased intestinal permeability. This is where the lining of the digestive tract starts to develop holes or leaks allowing larger particles of food to enter the bloodstream causing inflammation in the body. This gives rise to conditions such as candida and food intolerances which are becoming more common and can lead to more serious autoimmune conditions such as Hashimoto’s, lupus, Page 20

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Fitness and Well-Being

Autumn, Ahimsa and Adventure - by Kellie Jones After the emotional rollercoaster I’ve had over the summer months, it was no surprise that I woke up last week with what seemed like the beginnings of a cold.

I can honestly say that I’ve not been ill at all for 3 years now, so I was a little miffed that my healthy history was about to dwindle and wondered what was the biggest contributing factor or missing ingredient to my immunity. Whilst I’m a believer in the power of the mind, I’m not certain that my decision to not be sick was

is good for the soul. I’m off to Spain to retreat in a couple of weeks and will certainly be doing all of the above with maybe a little glass of red to top it off with.

So as the autumn leaves rapidly turn to beautiful shades of reds, oranges and browns, it seems to me that it’s the perfect time to join our warm and welcoming studio to prepare yourself for the winter ahead. We are now stocking some very desirable yoga mats so you can really get your well-being plan underway!

Take advantage of our 30 Days Unlimited Classes for £35 offer before the price increases. Book your classes via our website www. hummingbirdpilates.co.uk, or download our free Hummingbird Pilates Yoga app at Apple or Google Play stores.

why it worked or not but within 48 hours I was clear of any symptoms. I made a point of not talking about it, not focussing on it and talked about having a good immune system instead. I also upped my intake of my magic lemon potion each day and filled myself up with juices and plenty of roasted organic root vegetables.

As a dedicated yogi and self love teacher, I knew I had to practise ahimsa, (nonharming to all beings including myself), so I allowed myself a morning in bed to rest and recoup and took it real easy when teaching and in my own practise.

Another really effective way to do this is to practise a loving, kindness meditation.

It has been scientifically proven that kindness is good for your heart, as when we give and receive kind thoughts and gestures we experience a release of oxytocin in our arteries and natural opioids raise our dopamine levels in the brain. As much as anything, sending kind thoughts to yourself encourages you to treat yourself with love and care. This means you take more care with what you put into your body, who you surround yourself with and and what you fill your mind with. Sometimes we find ourselves in situations where this seems almost impossible, such as my recent time spent nursing my dad; being surrounded by sick people and toxicity in a hospital is not going to keep your vibe high. But I believe that regular practise before this time and since, has helped me to manage my grief with compassion instead of anger and ultimately keep me well.

Another way to keep our well-being up is to get outside in nature. Whether it be just a walk in the park, sitting by the river, exploring in the woods or dipping your feet in the sea, a little adventure outside Page 22

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3 Ne M 0D w em a C l be ys ien r Un t O (T s & h lim ff C 's i ap p pl f ite er y) o r d ÂŁ3 5

Pilates, Yoga, Meditation Book your space online or call: Small Classes & 1-2-1’s www.hummingbirdpilates.co.uk Inspirational Teachers 01245 422556 Friendly, Community Vibe Reeds Farm Estate, Writtle, CM1 2ST www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk Page 23

“Young Man, If You Think I Am Going to Climb up There at My Time of Life, You Are Very Much Mistaken” The History of Marconi in Chelmsford Part One This article is the first of a series of articles on the history of Marconi in Chelmsford. These are taken from my book on the recent history of Chelmsford. The Marconi chapters and the others covering industry in the (then) town were checked by Geoff Bowles, then the curator for industry at the museum. All mistakes are of course mine.

For nearly all of the twentieth century, Chelmsford was known as the ’Home of Radio’. These articles looks at how that reputation became established and why Guglielmo Marconi came to Chelmsford and his early links with the other firms in the town. They look at the research completed at the Hall Street and New Street works, as well as some of the famous engineers associated with the firm such as Round, Eckersley and Franklin.

Marconi was responsible for both the world’s first factory producing radio equipment and later the first purpose built factory manufacturing radio equipment. By 1945 the company had a number of research sites in the area as well as the Marconi College.

Many of the early developments in both television and radar were made in Chelmsford. The early progress of the Marconi Company before the first war was not without its problems. Its factory in Hall Street was actually closed for four years when production moved to North London. Once Godfrey Isaacs was brought in to run the company, he played a vital role it getting it properly established financially. This involved fighting for the firms’ patents in the courts and getting the New Street factory built in record time. The company made an enormous contribution to Britain winning both wars. It suffered to a considerable extent when as a result of the conflicts, patents and research were opened to others. A large number of engineers devoted themselves to the company for decades and felt a strong affinity to Guglielmo himself. Their ‘model shop’ techniques lent themselves to the production of capital equipment in their field rather than consumer goods. These engineers did not want to use standardised mass production techniques. Marconi certainly did not invent radio on his own, his contribution was however, sufficient for him to share a Nobel physics prize with a Telefunken engineer.

Marconi’s perceived mistreatment by the British authorities over the ‘Marconi Scandal’ led him to stay away from Britain for long periods and after the first war he hardly ever visited Chelmsford.

Marconi was born in Italy but his mother had Scottish and Irish ancestry. Building on the experiments of Hertz, Marconi was sending ‘wireless’ messages more than a mile by 1895. The Italian authorities showed little interest and the family made arrangements to send Guglielmo and his equipment to England. His mother’s contacts were sufficient to get him an immediate meeting with the General Post Office. This was followed by trials on the roof of the General Post Office building in St Martin’s and on Salisbury plain. In July 1897 the Wireless Telegraphy and Signal Company was formed, which was soon changed to Marconi’s Wireless Telegraph Company Limited. The new company then set out to get control of all Marconi’s patents in all countries apart from Italy and her colonies. He was by this time certainly already familiar with Chelmsford.

So why did Marconi choose Chelmsford? Mid Essex was flat and therefore suitable for sending messages and property was fairly cheap. It is possible that Colonel Crompton made Marconi aware of the Hall Street premises. Although it was currently used by Wenley’s as a store, it had previously been a silk factory run by Samuel Courtauld and, crucially, was equipped for steam power. In December 1898 it became the world’s first radio factory.

Before this it is possible Marconi conducted experiments in the town. In 1963 a memo from FF Christy of Christy and Norris to the Marconi Company included the following comments: “My father told me during the 1930s that an old black shed which stood on the side of our present roadway to Kings Road was in fact the shed where Signor Marconi did his first transmission tests in England. Marconi had come to Colonel Crompton as the best electrical engineering works and it was through the acquaintance of Colonel Crompton with

my father that his shed was the first place loaned to Marconi. The second shed was 300 yards away.”

Charlie Jarvis, a Christy man at the time, remembered Marconi being ‘rather short with a limp’. This would have been caused by an accident that had occurred in 1899, two years after he probably came to Chelmsford. Marconi was probably checking on the reception of signals on Christy’s land. It is more likely that Marconi originally came to Chelmsford because of the connection with the Jameson business empire, which Marconi’s mother was related to, and therefore with the grain trade. Several of the directors of the first Marconi Company were corn merchants.

In April 1899, the Weekly News interviewed Marconi’s assistant George Kemp when a 150 foot pole was about to be erected on the corner of Hall Street and Hamlet Road. Kemp talked about possible transmissions from Chelmsford to Harwich. He enthused about the success of cross channel experiments: “This is going to be our works it will also be our experimental station.” Two further experimental stations were also being established in Alum Bay and Poole Harbour.

“Vertical wire enables messages to be sent long distances. The message is sent by long and short taps or long and short air waves, which answer the same purpose as dots and dashes in ordinary telegraphy. Wireless telegraphy will be simply invaluable where ordinary telegraphy between telegraph or telephone cannot take place, from lighthouse to shore, between ships at sea and on land where a wire cannot be laid.”

In 1901 the Essex Chronicle reported that the company had erected a 160 foot mast at Frinton where half a dozen students were being instructed in the use of Marconi apparatus. The Boer War was the first conflict to use wireless telegraphy in the field, although its use and effectiveness were limited. Orders were few with the exception of the Royal Navy.

To develop demand from commercial shipping companies a subsidiary, the Marconi International Marine Communication Company, was set up. The new medium obviously had great potential for the safety of international shipping. The company offered both the equipment and the operators to use it. Marconi installed his wireless equipment in the Royal Yacht so that Queen Victoria at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight might send messages to the Prince of Wales.

The company needed to be able to transmit much longer distances if it was to compete with the powerful cable companies. To the general horror of his Board of Directors, Marconi spent £50,000 on huge transmitting equipment to send messages across the Atlantic. After the celebrated three clicks were heard in Newfoundland having been sent from Poldhu in Cornwall in 1901 the cable companies and the newspapers sought to discredit his achievement. They immediately saw the competition Marconi could represent. Progress however, was slow, in 1907 only 139 ships of all flags used Marconi’s system which had a range of 150-300 miles and most of these ships had only one Marconi man on board. These wireless operators were paid £4 a month, but were not expected to pay anything for their board and lodging at sea. Ashore they were given two shillings and six pence a day. These skilled men were prepared to put up with these comparatively low wages and were immensely proud of their new messaging service.

Despite owning most of the world’s master patents for radio, and the fact that the use of wireless was becoming essential for shipping companies to get insurance, the Marconi Company was having financial problems. The Hall Street factory was closed down for four years starting in 1903, and the company moved to bigger premises in Dalston. In 1904 the Wireless Telegraphy Act, by granting licenses to transmit and receive messages, bought a temporary stability to the company. Shipping companies were finding that the promise of communication ashore to their better off customers as well as

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messages to other vessels if anything went wrong, was proving a major attraction. The development of the ‘bent aerial’ made transatlantic transmissions much more feasible.

Marconi’s engineers also experimented with wireless direction finding, which was to prove important in the First World War and was eventually to prove the forerunner of radar. In 1906 however, the company was hit by an international conference which said that all coastal wireless stations should receive from and transmit to all shipping regardless of type of apparatus. The decision was taken on the grounds of safety, but Marconi had easily the largest number of radio stations, many more than its competitors such as Telefunken.

This had been a strong inducement to use Marconi equipment and engineers. For this reason Marconi had previously refused to allow their shore stations to accept messages from their competitors. The vote was a major boost for Telefunken in particular. In contrast a transatlantic messaging service finally started in 1907.

One of the company’s great engineers, Henry Round, joined the company in 1906. He experimented with transmitting intelligible speech and in 1908 speech was transmitted over thirty miles but the quality was not good.

The huge works at Dalston was not a success, with the company forced to produce products other than radio equipment, including ignition coils. It closed in 1907 and the Hall Street works were reopened. A new 200 foot tall mast was erected at the Moulsham works in 1909. Godfrey Isaacs, who had been brought in to run the business side of the company, so that Marconi could concentrate on research, thought that Hall Street was too small and soon began looking for a larger works.

In 1911 the company bought land on New Street. The New Street works was completed in 17 weeks, despite a strike. In June 1912 the Chronicle reported: “Six months ago the site was a cricket ground.

Two new roads are being constructed and cottages built for the ’denizens’ of the new works. The ground was pegged out on February the 10th and bricklaying began on February the 26th. The buildings, floor and piping were completed in early May. Two quarter million bricks were laid, 400 tons of steelwork erected and 9,000 cartloads of earth carted. Fronting New Street is a two storey block comprising general offices, show rooms and a drawing office, 200 foot long by 40 foot wide.”

vicinity. Actually many more might have been saved if the operator on one of those ships, the Californian, hadn’t been off duty at the time.

Marconi radios had already saved lives after the collision of two ships in 1909, but this had garnered far less publicity. Marconi also gained a good deal of positive publicity through the sending of information across the Atlantic, which led to the capture of Dr Crippen. Even before the Titanic the company’s financial position had improved through Isaacs methodically taking to court those who tried to break Marconi’s patents, particularly the 4 Sevens patent. This involved the use of selective tuning where the transmitter and receiver were tuned to the same wavelength. The patent also gave Marconi a 50% share in wireless used at sea until its term ended in 1914.

The next article will deal with the so called ‘Marconi Scandal’, the company during the First World War, Dame Nellie Melba and the first sound broadcasts, Marconi’s contribution to the development of radar and also the development of television.

By Stephen Norris

November/December Issue Deadlines: Artwork - 7th November Articles - 3rd November

The paper also mentioned the ‘handsome entrance with its inside hall of noble dimensions, paved with marble.’ A reporter was shown around the new works and the mounting shop was the first department. Here, army carts were fitted with wireless telegraphy.

Many were to be used by the Italian army. In the next, girls were engaged winding miles of wire - they were employed because the work required lightness of touch. Like Hoffmann, Marconi employed significant numbers of female workers before the first war. The assembly shop had transmitters and receivers in various stages of completion. These were the same as the one used to send the fateful messages from the Titanic. New Street had its own power house and water supply; water sprinklers were fitted in all rooms in case of fire.

For this, a water tower held 8,000 gallons.

The official opening of the works coincided with the visit of the International Conference with representatives of practically every government in attendance. Two hundred and fifty delegates were shown a demonstration of signals sent between Poldhu to the new works by means of a 15 kilowatt shore set connected to a 250 foot mast outside. There were already plans to erect two 450 feet masts with aerials between them. The visitors were also shown a replica of a wireless cabin used on board liners and battleships, and a wireless fitted on a motor car. Marconi House, the new company headquarters, was also opened in the Strand in the same year.

The Titanic disaster obviously did a great deal to make the name of the Marconi Company, although the New Street factory was already being built when it occurred. All the 711 survivors owed their lives to the senior wireless operator who sent distress signals to ships in the www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

Page 25

FEELING STRESSED? Come to Mind Space to do one of our mindfulness courses and bring a sense of stillness into your busy life. Mind Space is a new facility that has recently opened at 17 Trinity Square, South Woodham Ferrers, CM3 5JX opposite the library. Mind Space is a secular, pioneering health and well-being organisation helping people look after their mental and physical health. We teach Mindfulness Based Approaches to adults to manage stress and anxiety.

These courses can help you increase your sense of personal confidence and help you feel that you have more options, giving you greater strength to face challenges in your life. The courses are led by teachers with years of experience in teaching meditation and mindfulness.

An 8-week Mindfulness for Stress course has recently been successfully completed by a group of people wanting to explore ways of managing stress and anxiety. Marion, one of the participants, had this to say about the course: “Although mindfulness is not new to me, having taught yoga for over 27 years, I found the course extremely useful. I have used much of the information from the course to enhance my yoga teaching, and several of my students have expressed an interest in attending the next course�.

Svadhi, a Breathworks trained mindfulness teacher, will be leading the courses below.

Dates for Your Diary There will an Introduction to Mindfulness course on Monday 20th November 2017 from 7-9.30pm.

There will be an 8-week Mindfulness for Stress course starting on Monday 8th January 2018 from 7-9.30pm.

For More Information Visit www.mid-essex-buddhist-centre.org.uk, or search for us on Facebook, or ring 07936 534 546.

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Chelmsford Mildmay Rotary Busy on Several Fronts This month I am concentrating on a couple of events organised by the Rotary Club of Chelmsford Mildmay, one of five located in the city itself. Mildmay, as it is commonly known locally, meets on a Tuesday lunchtime at the Hampton Sports and Leisure Centre in Beehive Lane and is the second oldest of the Chelmsford clubs.

are organised by Chelmsford Mildmay Rotary Club. Added to known amounts that individual charities raised in sponsorship, the grand total is £32,000. Rotarian Robert Cappin took the opportunity to thank sponsors, Rotarians, helpers, marshals, runners and everyone who helped to make the races such a success.

Recently it arranged a visit by Mark Little who is head of the international Rotary group called Rotary Action Group Against Slavery, or RAGAS for short. The talk proved quite an eye opener to members and guests alike.

Charities benefiting from the 2017 Races are Kids Inspire, HomeStart Chelmsford and The League of Friends of Hargrave House who donated their cheque to Little Havens Hospice.

Slavery in Our Modern Society Forty six million people in the world today are slaves. That was the shock statistic given by Mark Little, chairman of RAGAS, in his talk to an audience at Writtle College. Mark recently returned from Atlanta, Georgia, USA, where his presentation attracted an audience of 700.

Slavery is found in places such as the mining industry in Africa, in brick kilns and carpet factories in India and in the sex industry worldwide. Mark explained that it is a ‘hidden’ felony, with customers buying such products as a carpet unaware that it has been woven by people held captive in primitive conditions.

The work of RAGAS involves not only finding and freeing those held in slavery, but also to help rehabilitate them so that they can return to a normal life.

Mark’s aim is also to raise awareness of this hidden crime so that governments are shaken out of their complacency and that people start to question how the goods they buy are produced. He posed the question: If there is a cheap hand car wash near you, how do you know that the people working there are being paid?

This was a very thought provoking talk which was designed to shake the listeners out of their comfortable world and show them pictures of children and young adults released from slavery, who are now able to tell the story of their suffering.

Mark’s message for us all to take away was: “We must be aware of slavery in our modern world and together do our utmost to end this evil practice.”

Following this presentation, Chelmsford Mildmay Rotary was pleased to make a donation to RAGAS. It is interesting that modern slavery is becoming part of the English lexicon as there is more and more publicity in the mainstream media, but this issue is something that has been addressed by Rotary for many years and will continue to have prominence as long as it is not tackled properly by governments throughout the world.

36th Great Baddow Races Are a Success!

On 23rd July at Great Baddow Millennium Community Centre, cheques amounting to £15,000 were presented to all those local charities benefiting from this year’s Edmund Carr Great Baddow Races which

This year, there were 800 runners in the 10 mile and 500 runners in the fun run. It really is a great community event with thousands of spectators on the grounds and lining the route. It is a huge event and work starts on the next race as soon as the current one is finished, so the city is indebted to Mildmay for continuing to arrange such a well organised and fun day.

Mildmay Thanks Young Writer Rotary is always keen to get young people involved and to give them an introduction into helping less fortunate people. Chelmsford Mildmay welcomed eleven year old Paynton Highfield, together with some of her family and a friend, to lunch to thank her for helping support the club’s efforts to raise money for the End Polio Now campaign and also for helping to raise awareness of this important cause.

Chelmsford Mildmay’s bear, one of the many used by clubs around the country to publicise the campaign, is affectionately known as Fred and helped the club raise £700. Paynton wrote a lively and interesting back story for Fred, the full version of which was reprinted in a special supplement to the summer 2017 edition of Mildmay Matters.

Terry Dean, last year’s District 1240 President, was rightly impressed with Paynton’s clever and inventive writing.

As a result, he was invited to meet her when she visited Chelmsford Mildmay Rotary Club. In addition to thanking her very much on behalf of the club and the district, Terry presented her with her very own Polio Bear. World Polio Day is 24th October and it is hoped to announce some good news about the number of new cases in 2017.

If you would like to know more about Chelmsford Mildmay, or any of the other Rotary clubs in the town, visit www.rotary1240.org, or give me a call on 01245 260 349. All the clubs are on the lookout for likeminded people who want to put something back into the community.

Stan Keller

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Me Time! By Eleanor Searle

My baby is now nearly 4 months old and the potential for some blissful me time is on the cards. I love my baby and being a mum, but the thought of an hour to myself is very appealing.

While I was pregnant, we introduced Thai yoga massage at Stretch. Jo, one of our wonderful massage therapists, is now able to combine her love of yoga with a massage, for a totally holidayinspired massage experience. I haven’t been able to have one yet, as it’s not suitable during pregnancy and I’ve been busy learning how to be a good mum. Now though, it will be perfect for some much needed me time pampering. It’s a tough choice between this and a hot stone massage for my first post baby time to myself. Either way, the benefits to my well-being and batteries will be enormous. It’ll also help to ease the aches of the prolonged sitting while feeding my baby. As new mums, we need to learn to prioritize ourselves, rather than trying to be super woman cleaning the house or putting on yet another load of washing. Honestly, it can all wait - but our own well-being can’t.

Actually, taking out time for yourself will

make you better able to cope, so it’s a win-win situation!

If you are also a busy parent and desperate for an indulgent hour of massage in order to recharge and regroup, give us a call on 01245 505 866 and choose from an hour’s holistic, hot stone or Thai yoga massage for the special offer price of £35 (when quoting this article) saving up to £25! Available Sundays only.

Alternatively, if you’re just desperate to get moving, join us at Hummingbird Pilates & Yoga for a pilates or yoga class. We have a wide range of classes throughout the day and evening, letting you book and manage your classes online at www.hummingbirdpilates. co.uk, or via our Hummingbird Pilates & Yoga app. We also have a special new client offer, letting you come to as many classes as you like in your first month for £35.

We look forward to seeing you soon and hope that you enjoy your time out with us!

Kip McGrath When I set up the centre just over 20 months ago, it was with the intention and the hope that I could make a difference. I thought that if I could make even a handful of lives easier by giving students the extra support and care that they needed to ensure that they reach their full academic potential, then I would have been satisfied.

To date I have witnessed the incredible growth and success of the centre itself. I couldn’t be more proud of and overwhelmed by the outcome that myself and my team have worked so continuously hard to achieve. With every session that we run, I have the privilege of seeing each child progress in so many important ways; be it the big victories such as obtaining the desired GCSE grades on results day, or simply observing the triumph of a student who has mastered a new skill that had to them once seemed impossible.

The centre works not only towards fulfilling academic goals, but also aids in the development of fundamental social skills, friendships and each students’ confidence - a lack of which can often contribute to parents’ worries. As a parent myself, I can not only understand, appreciate and often empathise with such anxieties, but I can also recognise the importance of and will make it my mission to provide you with as much support and reassurance as is given to our students. Please get in touch.

01245 352122 www.kipmcgrath.co.uk/chelmsfordsouth Arati Hirani

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Stargazing with Mark Willis - October/November 20th October: 20:30 UT+1: Looking south west, Saturn is quite low near the horizon and always a joy to behold. The Cassini probe is now incinerated and has become a part of Saturn. Cassini has been a super hero probe exceeding all mission targets, and scientists will be busy with the rich Cassini data for probably years!

Looking west, a little higher up is a star called Arcturus, about 36 light years distant. If an alien has an ability to recieve BBC1, he or she would be watching the first series of Juliet Bravo (a police series set in Yorkshire). Arcturus is an orange giant star with a radius of around 11 million miles (18 million km), which is around 26 times the size of our sun. Arcturus is now on its way out. It is now fusing helium, unlike our own sun which is still fusing hydrogen.

Looking south, Altair is a bright star 17 light years away. If Altair were substituted for our sun, at the distance the Sun is now, life on Earth would be doomed, as Altair shines with 11 times the Sun’s visible light. However, Altair isn’t much hotter than the Sun and Altair is thought to be in excess of 1.7 times the mass of our sun.

5th November: 21:45 UT: Orion is beginning it’s return to its winter dominance. Becoming very observable, although mid January will be the best time to observe this impressive constellation.

Meteor Showers: December’s Orinids should be the best showing this year. More about that next month.

New Moon: On 19th October & 18th November there will be a new Moon. This means the skies will be extra dark which is a great opportunity to see planets, galaxies and deep space objects.

As usual, email me with any questions.

Mark Willis presents Willis Wireless every Monday at 7pm on Chelmsford Community Radio on 104.4 FM and online at chelmsfordcommunityradio.com.

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

Essex Band Backing Stars at the World’s Biggest Northern Soul Event Members of an Essex based band, The Signatures, felt honoured to perform at the world’s biggest Northern Soul event.

The band were the backing group to top class singers at Soul Survivors Northern Soul Weekender at Skegness, which was organised by Russ Winstanley, who established the world famous Northern Soul Club, The Wigan Casino.

“It was a dream come true for us. It’s been a lot of hard work and commitment but it’s what we’ve been aiming for,” said drummer/ manager, Gavin Webb, whose passion for Northern Soul led the band to join the music and dance movement that emerged from the British Mod scene in the early 70s and which is growing again in popularity.

The Signatures were first established in 2009 and have slowly evolving into their current line-up. After having issues with unreliable vocalists, the band decided to work towards being a backing band and over the last two years have played with various vocalists on their Northern Soul Live nights, including: Stefan Taylor, Paul Stuart Davies and Essex vocalists, Dani Clay and Miss Bobbie Shepherd.

The other members of The Signatures are: Sharon Creates-Webb of Chelmsford (vocals and percussion), Jay Cresswell of Wickford (bass), Ben Pegley of Sudbury, (guitar), Iain Peat of Cambridge (trombone), Sean Canning of London (trumpet), Elli Warren of Ibstock, Leicestershire (sax) and Gary Cunningham, Billericay.

Gavin said: “Our aim was to establish ourselves at such a professional level that we would be invited to work with some of the bigger artists. Through this year we have played live and in the studio with soul legend Tommy Hunt [originally a member of doo wop group The Flamingos, before establishing himself on the UK Northern Soul scene in the 70s]. Getting the gig for The Soul Survivors weekend has allowed us to achieve what we set out to achieve. It’s a great honour to have performed with some of your musical influences.”

The Signatures play cover versions, but don’t try to copy the original artists - they put their own personality into the songs to create a balance between an authentic and a modern sound.

The band’s members had an amazing time playing and singing alongside Northern Soul legends like: Dean Parrish, Brenda Holloway, Tommy Hunt and Tobi Legend, who made her first ever UK live appearance. They also supported UK artists Paul Stuart Davies and Stefan Taylor.

Gavin added: “The band has built a good reputation across the UK for the outstanding quality of musicianship within the band.”

The band will soon complete recording their much awaited Northern Soul album. 2018 is already looking extremely busy for them with many gigs already booked across the UK.

All Saints Church. Writtle Looking Forward, Looking Back Writtle Singers are currently preparing for their autumn concert to be held on Saturday 11th November. Looking Forward, Looking Back is a collection of songs of hope and promise, reminiscence, regret and recall, interspersed with prose and poetry. Pieces include Parry’s Songs of Farewell, Finzi’s Three Elegies and the delightful Lullaby for Lucy by Maxwell Davies. Other composers include Campion, Holst, Pearsall, Vaughan Williams and Whitacre.

The concert takes place in All Saints Church, Writtle, CM1 3EN conducted by Christine Gwynn. Full information and tickets can be obtained from www.writtlesingers.org, or call 07815 966 978.

Writtle Singers is a chamber choir of mixed voices. We have been delighted to welcome several new members in recent months and we are always pleased to hear from people who might like to sing with us. Any interested singers should call the chairman on 01992 611 711.

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Chelmsford Library News - Autumn is on its Way Springfield Library Springfield library opened its doors to the public on 17th May 2013 and is a community run library staffed entirely by volunteers, situated at the Springfield Parish Centre in St Augustine Way.

something back to your community.

We are looking for volunteers to help deliver a library service to the local people and the wider community.

Drop into Chelmsford Library and join in with our Community Teatime hosted by Mencap.

Volunteers can decide what hours a week they can commit to, but we would require a commitment to be on a regular basis of at least one session per fortnight.

A warm welcome is assured so come and enjoy a cuppa and a cake every first and third Wednesday of the month.

Induction and training will be provided by Essex Library staff who provide support to the volunteer team.

Chelmsford Central Library Are you thinking about Christmas shopping?

For more information on any of these subjects, contact Chelmsford Library on 03330 132 634, or visit our website www.essex.gov.uk/ libraries.

Baby and Toddler Rhyme times are an ideal way of meeting new mums and for your children to develop in a safe and welcoming environment.

These sessions are held weekly during term time on Thursdays between 2-2-30pm.

A Knit and Knatter group is held on alternate Fridays 12-2pm, as well as Make and Meet craft groups every Tuesday 1-3pm.

Volunteering is a great way to learn new skills, make friends and to give

hire · sales · install · events

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