The City Times - October/November 2019

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Issue Number 72 October 17th - November 14th 2019

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MONDAY Millennium Community Centre, Recreation Ground, Baddow Road, Great Baddow CM2 9RL 9:00am, 11:00am & 1:00pm Lucy 07801 433626 Millennium Community Centre, Recreation Ground, Baddow Road, Great Baddow CM2 9RL 5:00pm & 7:00pm Keeley 07930 231386

WEDNESDAY Writtle Community Association, Longmeads House, 12-14 Redwood Drive, Writtle CM1 3LY 3:00pm, 5:00pm and 7:00pm Jennifer 07792 516866

Springfield Bees Preschool, Perryfields School, Lawn Lane, CM1 7PP 5:00pm and 7:00pm Angie 07814 992628

Boreham Village Hall, Main Road, Boreham CM3 3JD 5:30pm and 7:30pm Marie 07988 426728

TUESDAY NEW GROUP Newlands Spring Community Hall, Dickens Place, Chelmsford CM1 4UU 9:30am Jennifer 07792 516866

Springfield Park Baptist Church, Springfield Park Road, Springfield CM2 6EB 5.30pm and 7:30pm Angie 07814 992628

Broomfield Village Hall, 158 Main Road (behind Angel Pub), Broomfield CM1 7AH 3:00pm, 5:00pm and 7:00pm Victoria 07823 441198

St Michael's Church of England Junior School, Barnard Road, Galleywood, CM2 8RR 7.30pm Lena 07939 675034

Millennium Community Centre, Recreation Ground, Baddow Road, Great Baddow CM2 9RL 3:30pm, 5:30pm & 7:30pm Samantha 01245 266442

THURSD THURSDAY Millennium Community Centre, Recreation Ground, Baddow Road, Great Baddow CM2 9RL 9:30am Samantha 01245 266442

WEDNESDAY Church Of St Augustine Of Canterbury, St Augustines Way, Springfield CM1 6GQ 9:30am and 11:30am Emma 07887 692906

North Springfield Baptist Church, Havengore, o off Pump Lane, Springfield CM1 6JP 5:30pm and 7:30pm Victoria 07823 441198

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THURSDAY Newlands Spring Community Hall, Dickens Place, Chelmsford CM1 4UU 5:30pm and 7:30pm Jennifer 07792 516866 Moulsham High School, Brian Close, Chelmsford CM2 9ES 5:30pm and 7:30pm Emma 07738 278911 FRIDAY The Church Of Ascension, Maltese Road, Chelmsford CM1 2PB 9:15am and 11:15am Samantha 01245 266442 Fit n Fab Studio, Village Square (Near Asda), Chelmer Village CM2 6RF 5.30pm Emma 07887 692906 SATURDAY Springfield Park Baptist Church, Springfield Park Road, Springfield, CM2 6EB 8:30am and 10:30am Emma 07887 692906 　

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CT Welcome Hello readers,

Welcome to the October/November edition.

Our next edition will be the last full month before Christmas, so if you have an event or venue you wish to advertise, please contact us now using the details below.

Please remember to tell our advertisers that you saw them in this magazine.

Enjoy your month!

Regards Nick & Paul www.thecitytimes.co.uk | www.moulshamtimes.com

Editorial Advertising Paul Mclean Nick Garner 01245 262082 / 07595 949701 07970 206682 ads@itsyourmedia.co.uk editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk 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.

it’s your media Ltd The Rayleigh Arms in Terling

Newly opened in June 2019, The Rayleigh Arms is a renovated Georgian country pub set in Terling, renowned for its beautiful surrounding walks and cycle rides and just 7 miles from Chelmsford, easily accessible from the A12 via Hatfield Peverel.

Tony, Debbie and the team would like to extend a warm and friendly welcome, offering a mix of seasonal food, great wines, real ales with a relaxed and friendly service. Dine within the beautiful restaurant or, weather permitting, outside in the garden. Any special requests are welcome and private dining is available in the Long Room which comfortably seats 24; ideal for family or group gatherings.

Debbie is also known for her acting and comedy and has recently appeared on ITV in The Confession with Martin Freeman and Imelda Staunton.

Her comic alter ego Dolly Slatemen, the original Essex pub landlady, makes regular appearances on the national comedy circuit and features within her current show Her and The Change in Me. Debbie is keen to organise special events and has best selling author Kimberley Chambers visiting on November 11th for a Q&A session. Draw and sip nights, book club meets, pub quizzes and musical bingo are also planned for the future.

Take advantage of the exclusive 50% off food offer and take a trip to Terling, where the team look forward to welcoming you. Well behaved dogs are welcome in the bar. Upcoming events include Day Of The Dead Mexican Supper (November 1st) and the Christmas menu launches from November 22nd - December 24th.

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Page 3

Gimbal Review for Camera World - by Nick Garner I have been given two mobile smartphone gimbals to test. I am someone who shoots a lot of live video, mainly of live music, so there is a lot of movement going on. I thought one of these would be ideal for me to use. So below are my findings.

Shoot blooming flowers and rolling clouds, recording all their movements in a stable shot. For an even more dynamic effect, Motionlapse lets you move with the camera while creating equally smooth video.

Cinematic Zoom Control For aspiring film makers, a new built-in zoom slider lets you completely operate your smartphone camera from the handle with more fluid, cinematic zoom. You can even produce dolly zoom - a visual effect that only professional film sets could produce.

So what is a gimbal and how does it work? The word ‘gimbal’ is defined as a ‘pivoted support that allows rotation of any object in a single axis’. The gimbal dictates the movement of the object, not the one carrying it. In the case of these two gimbals, they are used to keep the camera stabilised with no vibration.

The two I have been given are The MOZA mini-S Essential and the DJI Osmo Mobile 2. First the MOZA; here is what they say about it: Capture smooth mobile video with the compact, flexible Moza Mini-S Essential Smartphone Gimbal. This black three-axis gimbal folds to just 7.7” in length, suiting it for both travel and everyday use.

The Mini-S Essential supports smartphones weighing up to 9.2oz and measuring 2.28” to 3.46” in width. A 10° tilt in the Mini-S handle design provides a unique, comfortable gripping position.

Enhance your footage with Hyperlapse, Slow Motion, Sport Gear, Vertigo, Inception, and additional shooting modes. The gimbal’s lithium-ion battery provides a maximum runtime of approximately eight hours. The three-axis Mini-S gimbal offers 270° of pan, 200° of tilt, and 315° of roll, as well as focus control, one-button zoom, and quick playback control. Flip the Mini-S into its vertical Portrait mode for live streaming or selfies.

Connect the Mini-S Essential to the downloadable Moza Genie smartphone app for creative touchscreen camera control. A microUSB cable, camera control cable, mini tripod, and carrying bag are included with the Mini-S Essential Smartphone Gimbal.

I found it very good and affordable at just £69 - good value for money.

It was quite easy to use after downloading the app and reading the simple instructions. I found it a little confusing and a bit on the heavy side with so many controls, although the grip is very good.

The results from video and photo were very good and and the zoom and focus worked very well, I also found the tracking to be very good when filming movement and that both gimbals will track automatically a person or object. I am sure with a little more time I would have mastered it, but at 66 years old I wanted something a little simpler to use.

Next I tried the DJI Osmo Mobile 2 and here is what they say - and I agree with all that follows.

Stable and Smooth Moves The Osmo Mobile 2 was built to film on the go. Just select your subject and Active Track will follow, using built-in sensors and a brushless motors to ensure stability. Whether it’s small vibrations from a skateboard or more intense instability from jumping, this smartphone stabiliser stays steady.

Time in Motion Turn everyday situations into incredible moments with Timelapse.

Reveal a Bigger World with Panoramas Adventures allow us to stumble upon breathtaking landscapes and stunning architecture. Relive these moments with high-definition panoramas. The Osmo Mobile 2 moves automatically to capture multiple photos then stitches them together to create a seamless image. You can also set your smartphone to Landscape or Portrait mode, giving you ideal options for every picture.

Hours of Live Streaming Go live! With up to 15 hours of battery life, the Osmo Mobile 2 can also charge your smartphone for hours of streaming. Beautify mode also keeps you looking great in front of the camera.

This has a retail price of £129, but in Camera World it is just £99.50 - and I love it. The first thing I noticed was that it is lighter than than the MOZA and that the battery life is almost twice as long. There are fewer controls on the handle making it easier for me to use. After I read what to do, I fired it up and immediately found it user-friendly in the simple modes filming, zooming in and tracking, as well as taking photos. No problems at all.

I found the simple handle controls were easy enough to use. The app on-screen touch modes that I have used so far have been pretty easy to use as well. The Osmo app has plenty of easy touch screen options, whereas the MOZA has fewer, though it is nearly half the price.

Well, I know which one I want as the possibilities seem endless and for what I would use it for - the Osmo wins for me.

If had to mark them out of 10 I would give the MOZA 7 and the Osmo 10. I know there are many other similar options out there, and I would advise contacting Camera World as they have always proved knowledgable and helpful. They can assist in advising you what might suit you best. I have been a customer now for about ten years and I have been to similar bigger chains, but I find that this small company always offers good service and I always prefer to go back to them.

Visit www.cameraworld.co.uk for more information to to buy!

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www.broomfieldopticians.co.uk Indoor Market Improvement Plan

The indoor market has stood in its present location for some 30 years.

To ensure its continued success, the Council decided to significantly invest in an extensive improvement scheme.

Now complete, the market is a much brighter, modern trading environment for both traders and valued shoppers, internally and externally. Improvements included new external shutters, a new false ceiling, new energy saving brighter lighting, new external directional signage, cladding and redecoration throughout.

The market is home to over 50 independent businesses, many of which have been passed down from generation to generation. We are proud to have some of the finest eateries in Chelmsford and we also have some fabulous fresh produce stalls including fruit and veg, cheese, a butchers, fresh flowers and plants.

If you haven’t visited us before, you will find that we also have many non-food stalls including an extensive haberdashery stall, a cycle repair stall, babywear and wool, healthfoods, key cutting and watch battery services along with a pet food stall and two great card stalls.

There are also many other unique stalls, offering excellent customer service.

With easy access from the bus interchange, car parking in High Chelmer and the station only 5 minutes’ walk away, Chelmsford Indoor Market is a fantastic place to come to eat and shop.

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Page 5

Nick Garner’s Music and Ramblings

Ramblings Rather annoyingly, my computer and my hard drives crashed. I sent them to top IT people who sadly were unable to recover my years of work except for a little that is on my computer. I have to try and start over again as I have lost so much including lots of photos, videos and music. Still, it is no use crying over spilt milk. I will just have to get on and do my best to continue with what I do.

I had a tough week during this past month, in which myself and some old friends said goodbye to a great man who I had been friends with since my teens. Friends of his organised a memorial send off in Brighton. What a great event it was, a true celebration of his life. It was held on what would have been his 71st birthday and celebrations went on well into the night with lots of happy and funny memories being shared.

A couple of days after, I heard of the sad passing of Barrie Masters of Eddie and the Hot Rods fame. A band I have put on more than once and had guested with on stage playing harmonica. He was not a close friend, but a friend he was - he has been taken from us far too young. He was a pioneer, and the only original member of the band left and was a wonderful entertainer. I always loved watching the band live.

A few days later I heard more tragic news in that we had lost Ginger Baker of Cream and many other bands. Although Ginger had been ill and it was kind of expected, it was still a shock and sad news. I had worked with Ginger back in the early eighties when a friend of mine Keith Hale had joined Hawkwind on keyboards with Ginger being the current drummer. After a short while they both left and Keith and Ginger formed Ginger Baker’s Nutters with three other friends of mine: Billy Jenkins (guitar and vocals), Ian Trimmer (saxophone and vocals) - both of Burlesque and Trimmer and Jenkins from the seventies and eighties - and Rikki Legair (bass and vocals) of the Drones, Blood Donor, and Toyah band. I was the roadie for all except Ginger. We laughed a lot and had a lot of fun, and Ginger could be great and warm, but he could also be a little awkward at times... He was the most amazing musician who I learnt a lot from at the time and have carried with me over the years.

We also lost Jack Bruce from Cream a few years ago, someone who I had the pleasure of putting on in 2012 at Evoke in Chelmsford. In fact, it was the last time he played a set of Cream material and a show I will never forget.

The legacy is being continued with the sons of Jack and Ginger, Malcolm Bruce and Kofi Baker, and nephew of Eric Clapton, Will Johns. They are on tour celebrating and playing the music of Cream and they are probably as good as the originals; well, they did have the perfect teachers. You can catch them at Chinnerys in Southend on 23rd of October. I will certainly be there.

As I am writing this I have heard of another loss. Not someone I knew but have always respected and loved - Molly Duncan. Molly was one of the founding members of The Average White Band, and he is the man who played that great solo on Pick Up The Pieces. Another irreplaceable loss to the world of music.

I am pleased to be able to say that there are some really good new musicians coming through. New live music will continue as long as

you keep on supporting it. These days, I tend to see fewer people coming out to support live (reasonably priced or free) music. Although people will still pay to go to large, outrageously expensive, shows.

I know that with the likes of YouTube you can see and hear lots of good new material and talent, but there is nothing like being there in the room with the performer. And there is lots of this going on all around the world and much of it costing little or no money making it available for all. So please do support your local scene: it is not just the artists but the venues too that you are helping to keep alive.

In other news, Jan and I had a little break in Sussex in the caravan which was great. We visited gardens and monuments and the weather was fine. l have also decided that I am bored with alcohol, so have given it up! I do feel much better for it.

Music Not music as such, but I must first mention that I went to a storytelling night at the Two Brewers recently, which is always a lot of fun - search for ‘Shane Ibbs Oral Storyteller’ on Facebook. The next event is a Halloween stories night at the Two Brewers on Sunday 27th October from 7.30pm to 10pm.

The UB has had some great new acts play this month, with rock and blues from Strangers Know More, the legendary band SNAFU, rock ‘n’ roll from Baz Vegas and the Honywood Big Sound, plus Lyz Le Faye, and a good few favourites playing as well.

Being mid September meant that the UB was half way to to St Patrick’s Day, and with Scott the landlord being Irish, this had to be celebrated with the Irish football cup final and with Barry Owen’s solo show, plus Medicine with their Gaelic folk-rock. It was a day and night to be remembered.

There is plenty coming up. The football club gigs have started up again (as you will see from the advert in this publication) Also check the out listings for all the other events going on in and around Chelmsford - there is loads of free and affordable events that need your support that I am sure you will enjoy.

As ever, please do try to come out and support the great live scene and events that we have in Essex, because if you do not - we may lose them. For more information on all of the above and more, see the links below and go to our the What’s On pages to see what else is happening in your area. Check around the Internet too to see what’s on - Facebook is always good, as is Twitter, plus your local papers and community boards.

Please check out the links below and please ‘like’ our pages on social media and help us by inviting your friends to ‘like’ our pages as well. www.itsyourmusic.co.uk www.facebook.com/itsyourmusic Twitter: @itsyourmusic www.facebook.com/theunitedbrethren www.visitessex.com/events

Writtle Singers

We are currently preparing for our autumn concert, Faire is the Heaven, to be held on Saturday 16th November. The concert takes place in All Saints Church, Writtle at 7.30pm, conducted by Christine Gwynn and will include some beautiful music by Vaughan Williams, Charles Wood, William Harris and Herbert Howells.

For further information about ticket prices and box office, please visit our website, www.writtlesingers.org. Alternatively, please phone 07815 966 978.

A further date for your diary is our popular Christmas Concert to be held on Sunday 8th December. Information and tickets as above.

Page 6

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CT Gardening - by Tom Cole

This is a great time of the year to propagate from all those perennials of yours. Propagating herbaceous perennials by division is fast and reliable. After dividing, each propagule should have an established root and stem system and will often have fully functioning leaves as well. This allows for rapid establishment and development of the new plant, which therefore requires only minimal care and attention. All plants produced in this way are genetically identical to the parent plant. The main disadvantage of this method is that only a few plants can be produced from the parent plant at any one time and diseases such as viruses can be passed on.

Herbaceous perennials can be divided to increase stock or to rejuvenate old plants.

The best time to propagate by this method is during the dormant season just after leaf fall or prior to bud burst.

The parent plant selected for propagation should be healthy, vigorous, pest and disease free and true to type.

Follow these simple steps to success: •

•

Dig up the parent plant from the border or stock bed. Shake or wash off excess soil.

Separate large clumps into sections using a pair of border forks back to back. In the case of very tough clumps with densely interwoven roots, a spade can be used to chop the clump into sections. Smaller or less dense clumps may be teased apart by

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Large clumps can be progressively divided to obtain the maximum number of independent propagules with roots, shoots and leaves.

Alternatively the clump may be split only a few times to produce larger more mature daughter clumps.

Trim excess leaves to minimise water loss by transpiration and thereby reduce transplanting shock. Excess and damaged roots can also be trimmed to ease planting and lining out. Dead leaves and material should be removed to reduce the chances of infection.

Propagules and clumps can be planted out either directly in the final planting position, lined out in a nursery bed or planted in containers. Ensure planting is at the same depth as the parent plant.

Water in, label and date the propagules.

A balanced top dressing fertiliser can be applied once the plants are actively growing and established. The propagules should be ready for lifting or potting up (or potting on) the following dormant season.

Alternatively, why not collect seed from your parent plants? We’re currently doing this with all our full and part time Level 3 students.

Check out this link for further information and guidance: www.rhs. org.uk/advice/profile?pid=675.

We still have a few spaces on a number of horticultural courses this year: For RHS Level 2 Certificate in Practical Horticulture, email christina.lavelle@ writtle.ac.uk for information on availability of days and times.

For RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Horticulture (1 year, day release), RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Plant Growth, Propagation & Development (September - February), RHS Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Garden Planning, Establishment and Maintenance (Starting 14th February - June 2019) and for RHS Level 3 Certificate in Practical Horticulture, email tom.cole@writtle.ac.uk for information on availability of days and times.

We also offer a very comprehensive range of full time and short courses in landscaping, design and garden maintenance. Follow this link for further information: writtle.ac.uk/ShortCourses.

Happy gardening!

For any gardening tips, please contact Tom Cole, Horticultural Lecturer, Writtle College, Chelmsford, CM1 3RR by post (including a SAE) or by email at tom.cole@writtle.ac.uk.

Page 8 www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

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Page 9

A Warming Indian Treat - by Lisa Whittle What better way to combat the dark, damp, cold evenings of our current season than to put some warming Indian food in your belly… this was my thinking when I headed off to Pakwaan, the new Indian Punjabi restaurant in Writtle that opened late February this year. It’s on the corner of Bridge Street and Lodge Road and was formerly the Bridge Lounge and Grill which, once upon a time, was the Cock and Bell pub (not far from Writtle Village Green).

Standing there on the corner, radiating warmth and glamour, there was something that drew me to Pakwaan and made me curious to go inside. On first sight it doesn’t have the standard format of a British Indian restaurant; it doesn’t seem particularly ‘Indian’. The staff are not necessarily Indian (although some are) and the décor is contemporary and stylishly flamboyant. The restaurant has high ceilings, chandeliers and various rooms or compartments giving it both a spacious and intimate feel - there could be a lot of customers here without it feeling crowded or noisy, and there are opportunities for private dining.

We were met at the entrance by Peter the manager with a warm welcome - he personally greets every customer like a special guest. In fact, I later learnt that ‘pakwaan’ in Punjabi means ‘a special feast for a special guest’ - what a great name!

We were sat at a zinc-topped table with comfortable chairs in one of the ‘room’ areas and swiftly supplied with drinks by Nabil, our friendly, attentive waiter. The menu has just been redesigned with helpful signposting for vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options and a few extra dishes. As I scanned the menu of Punjabi dishes anticipating their delicious, fragrant health giving spices (think turmeric, fenugreek, ginger, chili and garlic - all nutrient rich antioxidants, great for combating the coughs and colds of the season) my mouth watered. The classic favourites are there on the menu as well as innovative additions and Punjabi specialities. I chose the old favourite, onion bhajis for a starter and my companion went for more adventurous Alloo Tikki. While we waited, we munched light and tasty poppadums’ with very lovely mustard yoghurt, mint dip and mango chutney.

The onion bhajis were crisp on the outside, soft and delicious on the inside and came with a yummy chutney accompaniment. Russell’s Alloo Tikki he described as an ‘exceptional’ savoury sponge cake which ‘suited his pallet’ and came with a tantalising spicy sauce.

We didn’t have to wait long before our mains arrived. For me a modern jackfruit kofta - spinach with creamy tomato piquant sauce – the spinach must have been there somewhere but I couldn’t specifically identify it. It was totally delicious. Russell had a superb and generous portion of vegetable biriyani which I ended up sharing too. It came in a pot and was truly the best version of this I have ever tasted and Russell concurred. Somehow we fitted in a garlic naan too.

a little more about Pakwaan. Although new to this area he owned a similar Pakwaan in Ilford for 20 years. He sold it three years ago thinking he would retire - and ended up missing it. So when The Bridge restaurant became available (lucky for us in this area) he couldn’t resist rekindling Pakwaan in a new location. Testament to the legend he created in Ilford are the number of customers who make a pilgrimage from Ilford to the new Pakwaan in Writtle, happy to relive this dining experience. Also many business people have refound him for business lunches and corporate events.

Raj explained to me that many of their customers are vegetarian, as many Indian people traditionally don’t eat meat.

If you come to Pakwaan on a Friday or Saturday night you will find live jazz singing, and Sunday evenings are a time for Bollywood karaoke.

You may even want to consider coming here for Christmas Day this year - the staff are excited about their traditional Christmas Day meal with its Indian edge, the details are on the website - it looks delicious.

Not only does Pakwaan offer most of its dishes as a takeaway, it has made the students of Writtle University nearby very happy with its supply of ‘tiffin boxes’ which are freshly cooked Indian food in a ready-meal type pack available on its campus. This is an area of trade Pakwaan intends to expand.

Pakwaan is an all round quality Indian dining experience with a contemporary twist - it is certainly worth a visit for a special feast or indeed, a special snack. lisactfood@gmail.com

Pakwaan, a contemporary modern Indian making a local name for itself

We were both so full at this stage dessert didn’t seem like a realistic option, however at Nabil’s suggestion a refreshing kulfi ice cream slipped down easily.

Over coffee, Raj the owner and Writtle resident was able to tell me Page 10 www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

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

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What’s on in the Area October Friday 18th Bassment - 80s Night Black Bull - Bingo Civic - Friendsical Cramphorn - In and Out of Chekhov’s Shorts The Golden Fleece - Repertoire Dogs Hotbox - The Horse Heads + Swimsuit Competition + The Penny Antics United Brethren - Ugly Guys Saturday 19th Bassment - Club night CCFC (away) - Tonbridge v Chelmsford City The Compasses - Just Jovi (Bon Jovi tribute) Civic - Friendsical The Golden Fleece - Red Leaf Great Baddow United Reformed Church Hall - Janeheadfitness (aerobics/Bollywood 9.30-10.30am) Hotbox - Xixa (+ support) Springfield Church Parish Hall - Chelmsford Cats Protection League autumn sale Transition - Patina Audio Café Presents: Resonance United Brethren - Stony Road Sunday 20th Civic - Stewart Francis - Into the Punset Star & Garter - Open mic/jam United Brethren - Playing For Keeps (4.30pm) Monday 21st Cramphorn - Bait (15) Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Strictly Solo (learn how to dance, 9.15am & 11.15am) Other Halves Dementia Support - Coffee at Chelmsford Library Nationwide Christian Trust (Mulberry House, Chelmsford Road, High Ongar, CM5 9NL) - Time out with God (10am) Transition - Yoga for Everyone Tuesday 22nd The Black Bull - Free pool Boreham Village Hall - Ballroom and Latin American Dance (classes for beginners & improvers - www.danceasy.co.uk) Great Baddow Parish Hall - Janeheadfitness (aerobics - 6pm) Great Baddow Parish Hall - Janeheadfitness (body tone - 7.15pm) Transition - Power Yoga Transition - The Big HeART Exhibition Two Brewers - Pint of Poetry Wednesday 23rd The Chichester Hotel (Rawreth) - Belvedere Jazz & Music Club: Jo Harrop Sextet (£12.50 admission) Civic - Some Guys Have All The Luck: The Rod Stewart Story Cramphorn - Salon Du Chocolat (14+) Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Zumba class (10.45am) Golden Fleece - Karaoke Great Baddow Parish Hall - Janeheadfitness (gentle exercise - 2pm) Great Baddow Parish Hall - Janeheadfitness (gentle body tone 3.15pm) Nationwide Christian Trust - Lunchtime Special (Mulberry House, Chelmsford Road, High Ongar, CM5 9NL) Transition - Mindful Yoga Chelmsford Transition - Essex 2020 Open Collaboration Event Thursday 24th The Black Bull - Half price on main meals all day Civic - The Sensational 60s Experience Cramphorn - The Laughter Academy The Golden Fleece - Quiz night United Brethren - Blues & Roots in the City: Clean Sneak Friday 25th Bassment - Soul In The City with Bootsy Black Bull - Live music with Steve Brewer Cathedral - Lunchtime concert

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Friday 25th (continued...)

Civic - The Rocket Man: A Tribute to Sir Elton John Cramphron - Tucked (15) The Golden Fleece - Rocks with Mischief Hotbox - Paul Dale + Snow in Slow Motion + Ce Ce Xavier Transition - Cosmic Sound Bath United Brethren - Redwood Saturday 26th Bassment - Asylum Takeover: Hadrian + Junkyard Dolls + Gallow Wood Black Horse - Rum & Reggae Night CCFC (home) - Chelmsford City v Dulwich Hamlet Civic - Little Stars Circus The Compasses - Swayze Nights (live 80s music) Golden Fleece - Charlie’s Aunt Great Baddow United Reformed Church Hall - Janeheadfitness (aerobics/Bollywood - 9.30-10.30am) Hotbox - Shakey’s Sessions: The Franklys + Kill Bosco + Children of the Fuzz + Sour O’Connors - Fast on the Draw for Halloween Other Halves Dementia Support - Fish & Chips at Millenium Centre, Great Baddow Transition - Patina Audio Café Presents: Resonance United Brethren - Bob Collum Sunday 27th Black Bull - Kids’ Halloween Party (4pm-7pm) Civic - Milkshake! Live Cramphorn - Raymonda Two Brewers - Halloween storytelling night United Brethren - Robin Bibi (4.30pm) Monday 28th Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Strictly Solo (learn how to dance, 9.15am & 11.15am) Civic - Mr Men and Little Miss stage show Cramphorn - Aladdin (PG) Other Halves Dementia Support - Coffee at Buckhatch Nursery, Nationwide Christian Trust (Mulberry House, Chelmsford Road, High Ongar, CM5 9NL) - Time out with God (10am) Transition - Yoga for Everyone Tuesday 29th The Black Bull - Free pool Boreham Village Hall - Ballroom and Latin American Dance (classes for beginners & improvers - www.danceasy.co.uk) Civic - An Evening of Eric & Ern Cramphron - Toy Story 4 (U) Great Baddow Parish Hall - Janeheadfitness (aerobics - 6pm) Great Baddow Parish Hall - Janeheadfitness (body tone - 7.15pm) Hotbox - Weeed (+ support) Transition - Power Yoga Wednesday 30th The Chichester Hotel (Rawreth) - Belvedere Jazz & Music Club: Len Phillips Big Band (£20 admission) Cramphorn - Relaxed Concert (2.15pm) Cramphorn - In Fabric (15) (7.30pm) Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Zumba class (10.45am) Great Baddow Parish Hall - Janeheadfitness (gentle exercise - 2pm) Great Baddow Parish Hall - Janeheadfitness (gentle body tone 3.15pm) Golden Fleece - Karaoke Thursday 31st Bassment - Silent Disco The Black Bull - Half price on main meals all day Civic - The ELO Experience Cramphorn - Terrifically Terrifying Tales (14+) The Golden Fleece - Quiz night Nationwide Christian Trust - Christian Ladies Day with Susie Harrington (Mulberry House, Chelmsford Road, High Ongar, CM5 9NL - 10am) Transition - Live Comedy: Tony Law + Abi Roberts + Darren Walsh + Andy Poole

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

November Friday 1st Bassment - Shakster Records: The Kubricks + The March Fleet + The Meffs + Silent Disco Black Bull - Bingo Civic - Dear Zoo Live! (0-6 years) (1.30pm & 3.30pm) Cramphron - The Lion King (PG) The Golden Fleece - Blow United Brethren - The Velvet Tree Saturday 2nd Admirals Park - Fireworks Alehouse - Record fair Bassment - Halloween Ultra Violet Freakout Party (+ silent disco) Civic - Dear Zoo Live! (0-6 years) (11am) Civic - Carole - The Music of Carole King CCFC (away) - Slough Town v Chelmsford City The Compasses - Playlister The Golden Fleece - Mushroom Clown Great Baddow United Reformed Church Hall - Janeheadfitness (aerobics/ Bollywood - 9.30-10.30am) Transition - Patina Audio Café presents: Resonance United Brethren - Emjay Media presents: DS4 + Fraser Cattini Sunday 3rd Black Bull - Sip & Shop Christmas shopping event Cramphorn - Chelmsford Jazz Club - Matt Skelton celebrates ‘Shelly Manne’ (featuring Mark Crooks, Jim Davison, Leon Greening, Conor Chaplin and Matt Skelton) United Brethren - Rich Young (4.30pm) The Woolpack - GC’s Jazz Club: Paul Higgs (trumpet) & Graeme Culham Trio (8pm) Monday 4th Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Strictly Solo (learn how to dance, 9.15am & 11.15am) Transition - Yoga for Everyone Other Halves Dementia Support - Crafts at Chelmsford Library Nationwide Christian Trust (Mulberry House, Chelmsford Road, High Ongar, CM5 9NL) - Time out with God (10am) Unit 16 (Ekersley Road, Chelmsford) - Judo class (1st lesson free - tel: 07768 364 435) United Brethren - One Tree Hill Billies Tuesday 5th The Black Bull - Free pool Civic - 42nd Street Cramphorn - Support the Girls (15) Great Baddow Parish Hall - Janeheadfitness (aerobics - 6pm) Great Baddow Parish Hall - Janeheadfitness (body tone - 7.15pm) Widford Village Hall - Natty Chatty Ladies Club (1.30pm) Wednesday 6th The Chichester Hotel (Rawreth) - Belvedere Jazz & Music Club: Ben Holder Quartet (£12.50 admission) Civic - 42nd Street Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Zumba class (10.45am) Great Baddow Parish Hall - Janeheadfitness (gentle exercise - 2pm) Great Baddow Parish Hall - Janeheadfitness (gentle body tone - 3.15pm) Golden Fleece - Karaoke Transition - Mindful Yoga Chelmsford Thursday 7th Bassment - Blues Jam The Black Bull - Half price on main meals all day CCFC - Fullhouse + Sharpeez Civic - 42nd Street Cramphorn - Desiree Burch: Desiree is Coming Early The Golden Fleece - Quiz Friday 8th Bassment - Impious Spirit Metal Night Cathedral - Lunchtime concert Civic - 42nd Street Cramphorn - The Last Tree (15) The Golden Fleece - Break for Cover Hotbox - Frankie Teardrop Dead + Circus Cannon + 3rdart Other Halves Dementia Support - Bowls at Braintree Bowling Club United Brethren - Beat Patrol Saturday 9th Bassment - Backwater Channels live showcase CCFC (home) - Chelmsford City v Dorking Wanderers

Saturday 9th (continued...)

Civic - 42nd Street Cramphorn - Sam & I (12+) The Compasses - Mura (live music - 60s onwards) Great Baddow United Reformed Church Hall - Janeheadfitness (aerobics/ Bollywood 9.30-10.30am) Hotbox - Dharma Bum + Codex Serfani + Guranfoe Keene Hall - Art & Craft Exhibition by Galleywood Art Club (10am-4pm) (Watchouse Road, Galleywood CM2 8PT) Transition - Patina Audio Café Presents: Resonance United Brethren - Dave Ferra Allstars Sunday 10th Civic - Lee Mead - My Story United Brethren - When Rivers Meet (4.30pm) The Woolpack - GC’s Jazz Club Monday 11th Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Strictly Solo (learn how to dance, 9.15am & 11.15am) Nationwide Christian Trust (Mulberry House, Chelmsford Road, High Ongar, CM5 9NL) - Time out with God (10am) Transition - Yoga for Everyone Tuesday 12th The Black Bull - Free pool Boreham Village Hall - Ballroom and Latin American Dance (classes for beginners & improvers - www.danceasy.co.uk) Civic - Shakespeare Schools Festival Cramphorn - Bonnie & Clyde Great Baddow Parish Hall - Janeheadfitness (aerobics - 6pm) Great Baddow Parish Hall - Janeheadfitness (body tone - 7.15pm) Old Court Theatre - The House of Bernada Alba Transition - Power Yoga Wednesday 13th The Chichester Hotel (Rawreth) - Belvedere Jazz & Music Club: Pete Allen/Dave Browning Hot Four (£12.50 admission) Cramphorn - Bonnie & Clyde Danbury Sports & Social Centre - Zumba class (10.45am) Golden Fleece - Karaoke Great Baddow Parish Hall - Janeheadfitness (gentle exercise - 2pm) Great Baddow Parish Hall - Janeheadfitness (gentle body tone - 3.15pm) Old Court Theatre - The House of Bernada Alba Transition - Mindful Yoga Chelmsford United Brethren - Joe Anderton’s Open Mic Thursday 14th Bassment The Black Bull - Half price on main meals all day Cramphorn - Bonnie & Clyde The Golden Fleece - Quiz night Old Court Theatre - The House of Bernada Alba Friday 15th Bassment - Shakster Records - Palps (+ more TBC) Black Bull - Bingo Civic - Money for Nothing Cramphorn - Bonnie & Clyde Old Court Theatre - The House of Bernada Alba United Brethren - Rough and Ready Saturday 16th Bassment - Skafonics Black Bull - Charity Quiz night CCFC (home) - Chelmsford City v Oxford City Civic - Joe Brown 60th Anniversary Tour Cramphorn - Bonnie & Clyde The Compasses - The Red Tones The Golden Fleece - Hit Parade Old Court Theatre - The House of Bernada Alba Great Baddow United Reformed Church Hall - Janeheadfitness (aerobics/ Bollywood 9.30-10.30am) Nationwide Christian Trust (Mulberry House, Chelmsford Road, High Ongar, CM5 9NL) - Christian Men’s Breakfast with John Coles (10am) Transition - Patina Audio Café Presents: Resonance United Brethren - The Warehouse Blues Band Sunday 17th Black Bull - Jazz Jam (4pm-7pm) CCFC - Black Frog Mini Festival: Gregg Sutton + Robbie McIntosh Jamie Williams & the Roots Collective + The Delta Ladies (+ more) United Brethren - Isabel Oliver (4.30pm)

Please send us your events for the next edition (for events between 15th November & 15th December) to editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk

Ideas Hub Festival - 14th October to 27th October The Ideas Hub Festival is an annual festival organised by the Ideas Hub Chelmsford.

The Ideas Hub Chelmsford, based in Chelmsford Library, is a charity using the arts to bring people together for a better community. This year’s theme is Ubuntu: I am who I am because of who we are. All events are free thanks to the National lottery and the Arts Council England. Please note that events may require booking. More details can be found on www.ideashubfestival.org. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/IdeasHubChelmsford for the latest development and anecdotes!

17th October - 6.30pm to 9.30pm The Bundle A play from The Journeymen Theatre about the true story of an asylum seeker; a real woman and her three young children running away from Chechenya.

Arrive at 6.30pm for a prompt start at 7pm.

RSVP: www.eventbrite.co.uk.

Event sponsored by Chelmsford Quakers.

Quaker Friends Meeting House Chelmsford, Rainsford Road, CM1 2QL. 19th October - 11am to 4pm Ubuntu Day A day of fun performances and activities for the whole family.

Asian market with Chinese dumpling making, African dances and drumming workshop, Bollywood dancing, Punch and Judy, Raspberry Pi workshops, henna tattooing, lantern making.

RSVP: www.eventbrite.co.uk.

Venue: Cramphorn Theatre and Marconi Place, Fairfield Road, Chelmsford.

A Pint of Poetry Join Kelly from the Poetry Circle to write poetry around a pint and enjoy a great evening of fun!

RSVP: www.eventbrite.co.uk.

Venue: Two Brewers, Springfield Road.

27th October - 6pm to 8pm - Light Parade Leaving Meteorway Scout Hut at 6pm to walk through Central Park, Bell Meadow Park, down by A Canteen, and up Chelmsford High Street.

To advertise in our November/December issue please email ads@itsyourmedia.co.uk

22nd October - 7.30pm to 9.30pm

Greenest Independent Kitchen Company in Essex?

As homeowners become increasingly conscious of their choices and how they affect the environment, often the kitchen is the most important area to be considered when it comes to designing an ecofriendly living environment.

bit for the environment by diverting food waste from landfill.

Our showroom in Navigation Road, Chelmsford, is open 10am - 4pm 7 days per week.

At Regal Kitchens, we are committed to contributing towards sustainable thinking and helping to reduce pollution and emissions, save energy and reduce food waste to slow down global degeneration. We have selected our suppliers not only on the aesthetics of the products they provide, but also researched their stance on adapting their factories and offices to reduce their carbon footprint and improve their energy efficiency.

Our main furniture manufacturers have won several awards for their sustainability as well as their reduction in CO2 emissions and their impact on the local and worldwide environment. We offer splashbacks made from recycled aluminium in our client homes and also provide filtered water taps through our supplier, InSinkErator, who are committed to reducing the number of single-use plastic bottles in circulation. We also discuss every customer’s recycling requirements whilst helping them choose which integrated waste bin system is right for their family and offer energy efficient appliances through our continued relation with Neff.

Did you know that 7.3 million tonnes of food waste ends up in landfill each year where it emits harmful greenhouse gasses? Instead of going to landfill, food waste can yield valuable bio-gas and other vital soil nutrients which can be recovered at the wastewater treatment plant and re-used in agriculture. Using an InSinkErator food waste disposer keeps your kitchen cleaner and helps you to do your

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Wildlife Corner - by Nick Green

September weather was variable, from cool and overcast to wet at times. River levels remained low and East Anglian farmers were still concerned about the long-standing drought. Return migration continued for waders and passerines breeding in Scandinavia and the Arctic

the Middle East and central Asia and so recolonising Europe and reaching Britain and Ireland. Foodplants include thistles - in Chelmsford, I’ve also seen them feeding on lavender and buddleia.

Essex Selected Wildlife Highlights Butterflies in the Chelmsford area included: painted lady, ringlet, comma, gatekeeper, red admiral, peacock, large and small whites, large and Essex skippers.

Holland Haven: osprey, 2 wryneck, red-backed shrike. Abberton Reservoir EWT: 5 great white and 4 cattle egrets, 2 spoonbill, 2 ruddy shelduck, ring-necked duck. Bradwell: grey phalarope.

Bowers Gifford RSPB: spotted crake. Thames estuary: Sabine’s gull.

Wat Tyler CP: 7 cattle egrets.

Painted Lady (copyright: Glyn Evans) 2019 has been declared the year of the migrant painted lady butterfly with some half a million recorded nationally (Big Butterfly Count through Butterfly Conservation organisation - butterfly-conservation. org)! This species migrates from its winter range of North Africa,

National Selected Migration Highlights Shetland Isles: 2 American golden plovers, snowy owl, Daurian shrike.

Western Isles: snowy owl (St Kilda). Scotland: (American) nighthawk, collared flycatcher. Yorkshire: little crake. Lancashire: eastern blackeared wheatear. Wales: isabelline wheatear (Bardsey). Kent: shorttoed treecreeper. Hampshire: eastern olivaceous warbler. Devon: black-heading bunting (Lundy). Cornwall: brown booby (second for Britain!), blue rock thrush (Scilly).

Chelmsford Library News Tuesday 29th October between 10am and midday sees Chelmsford Library holding a pick-and-mix craft session for children. We are doing our bit for the environment by recycling our wonderful crafts from previous events. All are welcome, so come along and make a pirate’s cutlass, a Father Christmas mask, or complete some Day Of The Dead colouring, plus much more to keep your children entertained.

Chelmsford City Council’s Recycling Team and Waste Busters will be here on hand for friendly advice on how to reuse and recycle.

On Wednesday mornings Chelmsford Library hold Dementia-friendly sessions between 10am - midday. This is when our library tends to be a little quieter and we have a designated area in the library which has a trolley of books and information to help families and carers navigate through what can be a daunting time.

Out of work and not sure what to do? Every Thursday morning between 10am - midday in our newly refurbished upper floor we hold Job Club. Staff and friendly volunteers are on hand to help with CV writing and job searching, and can offer advice on interview techniques.

If between jobs, Chelmsford Volunteer Centre are on hand every other Tuesday between 10am and 1pm. Volunteering can help you gain the confidence to apply for paid work if you have been out of the working environment for a while. Retired and have spare hours each week? Why not come along, and you never know, a whole new world may open up for you.

Essex Sight have a desk in the main part of our library on Friday mornings 10am - 1pm. Come along to discuss what equipment is available and chat to the friendly and helpful staff.

Mencap hold a regular Community Teatime at Writtle Library on Wednesdays after Baby Rhyme Time which is at 10.30am. Come along with your babies and toddlers for songs and stories and stay for a cuppa and cake in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

Community Teatime is also held here in Chelmsford Library once a fortnight on a Saturday between 10-30am and 11-30am. The whole family are welcome, so why not have a break from shopping, pop in

and choose a book and relax with a cuppa?

Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/essexlibraries For more information on our events, visit www.essex.gov.uk/libraries

The Chelmsford Ballet Company to Perform Beatrix Potter Tales as Its Much Anticipated 2020 Production The Chelmsford Ballet Company will be performing Beatrix Potter Tales in association with Frederick Warne and Co at the Civic Theatre, Chelmsford, 25th - 28th March 2020.

Many of the delightful Beatrix Potter characters, enjoyed by generations of children, are brought to life in this imaginative musical interpretation of the famous Victorian author’s best known tales.

We see Beatrix engrossed in her work and watch as some of her characters come to life, such as Peter Rabbit helping himself to lettuces from Mr McGregor’s garden, Jeremy Fisher aboard his lily pad, Hunca Munca and Tom Thumb; two very naughty mice, and a cheeky Squirrel Nutkin. Mrs Tiggy-Winkle gets help with her washing whilst Jemima Puddle-Duck thrills us with her flight from Mr Tod, and Pigling Bland falls in love with the Black Berkshire Pig on his way to market. Tabitha Twitchit also makes an appearance, joining in the fun.

For its 2020 production, The Chelmsford Ballet Company invites dancers aged 7-10 (and under 4’ 6” tall) to join the company as small animals. Successful candidates will be required to attend rehearsals on several Sundays from January - March 2020. There will be two teams chosen and they will appear in alternate performances between 25th - 28th March. Completed application forms, found on the company’s website, must be returned by Monday 7th October.

Tickets for Beatrix Potter Tales will go on sale during November via the Civic Theatre box office, on 01245 606 505. www.thechelmsfordballetcompany.co.uk

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CT History: Chelmsford During the Great War Part 2 - by Stephen Norris ‘The great Nations of Europe are now involved in one of the largest wars the world has ever seen’, so the Essex Chronicle announced the start of the war. As elsewhere, there was a rush to voluntarily enlist and would-be volunteers were given all possible encouragement.

Two weeks after the commencement of hostilities the Chronicle recorded ‘Colonel Travers drove into Chelmsford bedecked with the Union Jack and from the gun platform in front of the Shire Hall appealed to the farmers to assist in recruiting for Lord Kitchener’s army.’ Chelmsford was one of the three main recruitment centres in the county, and by the middle of September, 1,000 men had enlisted in the county town. The big employers in the town were encouraging their workers to enlist with the promise that their jobs would be safe at the end of the war. In the rural areas, the larger landowners often put heavy pressure on young tenants to enlist. In his wartime diaries Reverend Andrew Clark mentioned the ill feeling stirred up in Great Leighs village by the high handed stance of the Tritton family, who thought all young men in the area should join up and those who were older should join the reserve to protect the roads, bridges and telegraph posts. The squire’s daughters put up recruiting posters.

Despite this, ‘there was a great village feeling against lads who are of age and physique to enlist and who have not done so’. JH Tritton and Clark himself were the names at the top of the list for the volunteer reserve in the village and Tritton chaired a recruitment meeting at his residence, Lyons Hall. After his initial speech came several recruiting officers. H Sergeant, a villager and employee at Marconi, was turned down at the recruiting office because his chest size was just below the minimum required. He bought himself a pair of dumbbells and a fortnight later successfully offered himself for service again. Not everybody was caught up in the tide of jingoistic fever however. A well attended peace meeting was held at the Shire Hall in August and the Chelmsford Adult School based at the Friends Meeting House sent a resolution to Asquith in favour of peace.

As elsewhere, after six months there was a fall in recruiting. The National Registration Act of 1915 revealed there were a large number of men who should have been available. Under Lord Derby’s scheme, door to door visits in the town forced men to attest that they would be available if needed. Reports in the local papers of anti-German riots elsewhere in the country were also used to encourage men to enlist. Already the previous October ‘evidence’ of German atrocities had been used at a recruitment meeting at the Shire Hall. By June 1915 recruitment was again rising, but a considerable number of those enlisting were either unfit or classified to class 3, the reserves.

In October 1915 there was a final march of yeomanry through the county for recruitment.

Nationally there was no avoiding conscription. In January 1916 a Military Service Bill was introduced for single men and this was extended to married men in May. A tribunal had already been set up in Chelmsford to hear appeal cases. George Taylor, the Mayor, chaired the tribunal which heard 40 cases in the first month of the year. The editor of the Weekly News probably spoke for the majority when he said that a few conscientious objectors had a genuine conscience, but most were frauds. ‘There was a particularly fine specimen of the class at Chelmsford... who refused to enrol as a fighting man or take service as a non combatant.’

By March, most of those who appealed were being passed for non combatant service and were being put to work as farmers. Those appeals that claimed likely hardship to the family were often refused.

Farmers were often appealing on behalf of their men. In January 1917 it was announced that no further Essex men were to be called up if they were involved in the production of milk. The growing shortage of soldiers meant that medical exemption was sometimes revoked, as happened to a Chelmsford man with a serious heart condition. Those with key council jobs, like the borough engineer and the surveyor, were automatically given a conditional exemption.

The tribunals exhibited a class bias. When Edward Craggs, a former officer in the Sportsmen’s Battalion, was in Chelmsford court applying for a discharge of his bankruptcy, the possibility of sending

him to the forces did not arise. After resigning his commission he was allowed to stay at home.

By September 1914 thousands of troops were in the Chelmsford area and the King inspected a large number in the grounds of Hylands House in October. Many of the troops just passed through the area.

In August 1914, for example, the East Anglian Division of Territorials marched through the town, and during September the Berkshire Territorials were billeted in the town for several weeks before moving on to Broomfield. They were praised for their conduct and behaviour.

The number of troops that had to be found billets varied during the war, but may have been up to seven thousand. In December 1914 the council were finding it difficult to find billets due to the fact that many houses were affected by measles, whooping cough and chicken pox. During 1915, the military authorities requisitioned the casual wards of the workhouse. Eventually a large number of huts had to be built on the recreation ground. Although the soldiers were a boost to the local economy, the military authorities frequently had to give compensation to house owners for damage to their property.

In August 1916 Andrew Clark reported that ‘plenty of empty houses are to be obtained in Chelmsford, but all are so badly damaged by soldiers as to be almost uninhabitable’. He described a house in Hamlet Road, Moulsham: ‘In it the soldiers have torn up the boards just to make firewood and in compensation the military authorities have given the landlord the wholly inadequate sum of £12’. Besides the soldiers themselves, accommodation also had to be found for a large number of horses. In the town the military authorities used the market premises at a charge of 6d per horse per night.

In a town where even before the war the water supply and drainage system was only just coping, the arrival of such a large number of people was bound to put that part of the town’s infrastructure under intolerable strain. The military authorities tried to reduce the need for the soldiers to wash at their billets by negotiating with the council for use of the slipper baths at the town’s baths every afternoon. Many of the facilities where the soldiers billeted were still very primitive.

By September, the need for water was reaching a record 440,000 thousand gallons per day. The deficiency in the daily supply resulted in the level at the Longstomps reservoir falling to only four feet deep. A new borehole at Admirals Park only just saved the town from imminent disaster. The Inspector of Nuisances was often called in to investigate cases of overcrowding where soldiers were billeted, and Dr Thresh blamed the military authorities for the first outbreak of pneumonia in the town in 1915 - they had failed to disinfect houses and huts where soldiers had succumbed to the disease. An outbreak of cerebro-meningitis in the area in the winter of 1914-1915 was also attributed to soldiers. These medical cases were dealt with at Oaklands Hospital, where huts were built in the grounds. In addition to having to pay for the construction of several short roads for their soldiers to use, the military authorities also had to pay for damage inflicted on existing public roads. In 1915 after a road in Great Baddow had been badly damaged, the Chelmsford RDC applied to have it repaired under the Military Traffic Scheme. Just like the town, villages such as Stock found it difficult to cope with the number of soldiers billeted there. In the case of Stock this was because of its position on a possible invasion route and the fact that it was surrounded by gun placements and large searchlights. Within a week of the war breaking out, an infantry regiment was stationed in the village, a complement a thousand strong. A Scottish regiment of the Royal Artillery was also stationed in the village. Most of these soldiers were placed in private houses. Incredibly, in addition to all these soldiers, Belgian refugees were also placed in the village.

By 1917 the Chelmsford area also had to find room for the large numbers of munitions workers flooding in. Conscription had meant that large numbers of existing workers were called up and had to be replaced. Hoffmann alone lost 1,000 workers. This led to the establishment of a central billeting board. The increasing employment of women in the big factories and the municipal

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gasworks still did not solve the shortage.

One of the most immediate pressing problems regarding the stationing of soldiers in the area was the question of what they were going to do in their spare time. From the outset, excessive drinking was a likely problem. Heavy fines were often imposed on out of hours drinking - for example, on the landlord of the White Hart in 1916.

Licensing hours were not altered in Chelmsford until September 1915. Public house closing times were put back from 11pm to 10pm on Mondays to Thursdays and from 10pm to 9pm on Sundays.

Alternatives to heavy drinking needed to be provided however.

The Corn Exchange was immediately established as the centre of entertainment activities for the soldiers but all the town’s cinemas, the Regent Theatre, when it opened in 1916, a skating rink and a number of churches were also used. Soldiers clubs were quickly established, one in the hall at St John’s, Moulsham, and another at St Peter’s School in Rainsford End. Concerts were put on weekly at the Corn Exchange, often by the soldiers themselves. In December 1914 there was a military tattoo at the Recreation Ground with officers at the garrison meeting the expense. By January 1915 weekly entertainments were taking place at least three places other than the Corn Exchange. The Woolpack Inn, for example, held a concert in 1916 to raise money for cigarettes and tobacco for the wounded soldiers at the Hylands hospital and the Chelmsford Red Cross Hospital. A New Year’s social for soldiers was held in the Wesleyan school room. The Society of Friends opened their premises for the troops’ recreation.

A New Canal Link for Our City?

Chelmsford would not exist in its present form if it were not for its lovely waterways. Its’ very name gives us a clue. The ford over the River Chelmer is why the Romans (and earlier civilisations) set up a camp and trading base here. It and its other rivers, the Wid (babbling brook to the Anglo-Saxons) and the Can gave a good supply of drinkable water. The Chelmer was generally deep enough and reasonably straight, so it could be canalised in the 18th century significantly reducing the cost of transporting heavy goods into the town. This led to a huge growth of industry, largely engineering based, which was a major factor in attracting the first inland power station (the gas works) and eventually Marconi who set up his famous radio laboratories and works.

The Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation was built rapidly and opened in 1796/7. It finished at Springfield Basin, nicely out of sight and sound of the town centre. It operated until 1972 by which time its commercial use had considerably diminished. After that time, the navigation fell into disuse although a number of stalwarts had visions of bring it back into use for a more leisure-based existence. Roy Chandler worked for the Borough Council as a town planner and was instrumental in ensuring the adoption of a strategy to ensure that, over time, the town would turn itself around so it would look at and embrace the potentially attractive waterways rather than having its back turned to them.

One aspect of the vision was the creation of a short length of new canal (about 170 metres), linking the navigation from just below the basin, across the gas works site and joining The River Chelmer just upstream of the flood defence weir. This would go past where the Essex Records Office now is.

This would enable narrow boats and smaller pleasure craft to access parts of the (now city centre) bringing colour and life to some rather dull parts of the waterways. Over time, some of the low bridges over the rivers could be raised allowing even further access.

Roy and other stalwarts such as the late Dudley Courtman and William Marriage (who helped form the Friends of the Navigation, now The Chelmer Canal Trust), never gave up on their vision despite

Chelmsford’s best known entertainment group was the Funnions led by Fred Munnion, ‘the Funnion’. They played all the YMCA huts, Hylands Hospital, Oaklands Hospital and most of the military camps.

The Funnions always played for charity. For example, they gave a concert in the Primitive Methodist Church in Hall Street to a large audience of 130 in order to raise money for the nearby Red Cross Hospital. Entertainments were also put on by and on behalf of soldiers stationed in the outlying villages. The soldiers of the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry put on entertainments in Writtle for the Writtle and Widford Nursing Association and the Belgian refugees.

Stephen currently offers the following talks about the history of Chelmsford to local organisations: 1. 4 QI Chelmsford MPs. 2. The Suffragettes in Chelmsford.

3. Chelmsford Lives, Memories of Chelmsford 1940s - 1970s (snippets of interviews with local people plus 100 photos in the background, for the Friends of Chelmsford Museum).

4. The Hoffmann Company in Chelmsford.

5. Life in the Wood Street Workhouse: The Chelmsford Poor Law Union 1835 - 1871.

6. The Poor and Society: The past 60 Years of the Chelmsford Workhouse and Infirmary.

7. QI Chelmsford Councillors and Mayors (in preparation).

For more information or to book Stephen, please email: stephen754norris@btinternet.com. the fluctuating priorities of formal planning policies which did alter the perceived official attitude to the new canal.

For several years now, a group of organisations and individuals who are passionate about Chelmsford and who can see the value of a new canal have been meeting to develop detailed proposals for a Chelmsford Canal and Rivers Link.

CRACL is supported by Chelmsford Civic Society, Essex Waterways, the Inland Waterways Association and Chelmer Canal Trust. Together, they have produced detailed, costed proposals for the new link and have submitted these to the City Council. These include dealing with some of the potential problems of a development across a former gas works site which probably has some contamination, crossing a high pressure gas main and other services, accommodating a road to the site which will serve the new dwellings and more. These have been examined and costed and can all be dealt with at a reasonable cost.

So far as we can tell, the developers are in favour of the proposals.

There is some political support and everyone one we speak to thinks the project should go ahead. However, there is some opposition and we are speaking to appropriate people to try to overcome this.

The project was formally launched at the recent Annual General Meeting of the Chelmer Canal Trust, held appropriately at Moulsham Mill when Roy Chandler gave a very detailed presentation of the work done to date (largely by himself!). He had commenced consultations with the City Council and we eagerly look forward to a positive response.

Further details of the proposals are available on the websites of the associated organisations. It might be easiest in the first instance to type ‘Chelmer Canal Trust’ into your browser and search from there!

Whatever happens, we all believe that Chelmsford’s waterways are one of the jewels in the crown of our beautiful city and should be given as much support and protection as the national crown jewels in The Tower of London!

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Therapy - by Chelmsford Therapy Rooms First of all, I have a very exciting announcement to make!

Since 2015 Chelmsford Therapy Rooms have strived to provide the best service and care to clients and therapists alike. In under four short years we have achieved so much and on the 18th June 2019 we received some truly fantastic news. Chelmsford Therapy Rooms was nominated for an award at the GHP healthcare and pharmaceutical awards 2019. Just to be nominated was a fantastic recognition of all we have achieved, and will continue to achieve, as a local mental health services business. Evidence was collected and sent to the expert judging panel and we awaited the results of their extensive research and judging process. We have now received the outcome of the nomination.

It is with delight to confirm that Chelmsford Therapy Rooms has been awarded: • •

Best Private Hypnotherapy Clinic 2019 - Essex GHP Excellence Award in Outstanding Mental Health Services 2019 - Essex

We are over the moon at winning these awards from such a prestigious global healthcare platform. GHP is a global information sharing platform & a multi-disciplinary members community.

Established to enhance communication networks & collaboration across all themes and disciplines within 3 main categories; Human, Animal & Environmental Health. Whilst the membership is organically grown and closely audited, members have tended to fall into a number of general categories; Academia, Industry, Public Bodies & Health Systems, Governments & Policy Makers, Funding Agencies & Groups, Investors, Regulatory & Professional Bodies.

The Global Health and Pharma Awards were established to uncover and recognise those individuals and businesses making a real difference in their communities through being innovative, pushing boundaries and showing unrivalled dedication to their chosen field. At GHP, their extensive research and judging process is driven by merit, meaning that awardees must demonstrate expertise within a given field, dedication to customer service, and commitment to excellence and innovation.

Research was centred around an in-depth evaluation of skills and services on offer. The wider market reputation of each nominee was also taken into consideration.

As founder and owner of Chelmsford Therapy Rooms I am truly grateful for all of the support and belief from friends, family, colleagues and clients. I couldn’t have built the business without you!

I feel a huge amount of gratitude from everyone that has helped me along this Chelmsford Therapy Rooms Journey, and will continue to show this gratitude as we grow as a business and help many clients and therapists going into the future.

Our nomination remains confidential, but to qualify for a nomination only clients or colleagues can put a name forward. Therefore, whoever you are, I am honoured to know you felt Chelmsford Therapy Rooms deserved to be nominated for an award. I am truly grateful that we had the opportunity to help you and I hope you know how much I appreciate this accolade.

individuals suffering from depression who have used mindfulness based treatment. The study concluded that there are three keys for making mindfulness effective in the treatment of depression (Nauman, 2014 June): 1. Mindfulness helps people learn to be present in the moment, which helps them take a moment to pause, notice their own thoughts and feelings, and choose a response that is not based in their present emotions.

2. Mindfulness teaches people that it is okay to say ‘no’ to others, which helps them balance their own lives and enhance selfconfidence.

3. Mindfulness allows people to be present with others, meaning that they are more aware of the state of their relationships with others, are able to acknowledge their own communication problems and thus more effectively relate with others.

In previous articles, and in sessions with clients, I have described practices focused on breathing and muscle relaxation such as square breathing or progressive muscle relaxation. The technique I’m describing today, the ‘sorting into boxes’ exercise, is also helpful for dealing with depression.

The exercise of sorting boxes follows these steps: 1. Set a timer or an alarm to go off in however many minutes you wish to do this exercise for. I recommend a minimum of 10-15 minutes.

2. Focus on your breathing, without trying to change it. I usually find it helps to close your eyes or focus on a specific space, like a spot on the wall.

3. Notice any thoughts, sensations, or emotions that come into your awareness.

4. Imagine that there are three boxes in your mind, labelled ‘thoughts’, ‘sensations’, and ‘emotions’.

5. Continue to focus on your breathing, and continue to observe anything that comes into your awareness.

6. Identify these things as thoughts, sensations, or emotions and sort them into the corresponding box in your mind.

7. Continue clearing your mind by putting these thoughts, sensations, and emotions into their respective boxes until you hear the sound of the alarm.

Following this guided mindfulness exercise will help you to clear your mind of worry about the past or the future, and allow you to focus on the present moment.

Jenny Hartill is a therapist and owner of Cloud9 Therapy and Chelmsford Therapy Rooms. She is a counsellor and hypnotherapist and can help with a multitude of issues. Please see the therapist list on the website at www.chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk, or you can email info@chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk, or call 0330 100 5162 to enquire about an initial consultation. Alternatively, Jenny’s own company website is www.cloud9-therapy.co.uk, her email is info@ cloud9-therapy.co.uk and her telephone number is 07507 307 170.

Further information about the award and other winners will be available in the GHP press release that has just been published.

Once again thank you everyone for your support and belief. I really couldn’t have done it without you!

For the rest of this article I wanted to talk about mindfulness and guided imagery techniques for mental health issues such as depression. Mindfulness is increasingly used in the treatment of depression as it helps to reduce depressive symptoms and therefore lowers the risk of relapse. One study included interviews with 11 Page 20

October/November Issue Deadlines: Articles - 30th October Artwork - 7th November

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Chelmsford Charity Needs a Helping Hand

Local transport charity, Chelmsford Community Transport, needs your help to give vulnerable people in the area an exciting day out.

Due to a lack of volunteer minibus drivers, the last two weekend excursions organised by the charity have had to be cancelled, letting down 47 disappointed passengers.

This vital charity organises a day trip every Saturday throughout the year for registered users who are either elderly or disabled; a wonderful team of volunteers help to drive a 14-seater minibus to various places around the Chelmsford area.

Kirsty Mountain, Excursions Coordinator for the organisation, explained: “These trips are a really good way of helping people stay active and mobile, as well as reducing loneliness and isolation. Many families are busy with their own children at weekends so these trips are a good way of getting their older or disabled relatives out of the house, meeting new friends and visiting new places.”

Volunteers are essential to the continuation of the day trips and the charity is seeking friendly and enthusiastic minibus drivers to join a team of drivers who offer their time on a rota basis. Volunteers are welcome to bring a plus one on the trips, and the charity offers lunch money so that volunteers can sit with their passengers and ensure they have a great time! The only criteria for volunteering is that volunteers hold a D1 category on their licence. Previous experience is beneficial, but all training is provided.

If you think you’d be perfect to help out and put a smile on these passengers faces, please contact the charity by calling 01245 477 789 or email info@chelmsfordct.org.

Charity Christmas Party Event Limited tickets are still available for an evening of great food and fantastic entertainment.

Including a live performance from the world renowned singer Baby D, hosted by Comedy Drag Queen Honey Luvnuts and Great Sounds by DJ Iain Black giving you the ultimate night out.

A fun-packed night with excellent gifts, games and surprises that will thrill and entertain you!

We are patients fundraising for UK research into lyme disease and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). We also have a superb calendar which will be available for purchase before and on the night. See the ‘Events’ page on www.benoxer.com for ticket links and scoot on over to youtu.be/3z04uuznbFM for details of this action-packed, not to be missed evening of entertainment and secure your seat. We look forward to seeing you.

County Hotel Chelmsford Saturday 23rd November 2019

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Yoga and Self-Awareness - by Mandy Haynes I first came to yoga when I was 18 years old. Prior to that my exercise habits were generally situated at the gym; running on the treadmill and attending body pump classes. I was looking for something new and fell upon a celebrity yoga DVD that kick started my love for yoga.

At the same time as this, I was going through a particularly rough patch dealing with an eating disorder and depression and although physical exercise was something that I craved, I was also after something more - a way to get out of my own head and quieten my mind. I started attending yoga classes, but the majority of my practice was at home in my living room where I muddled my way through sun salutations and some other basic poses.

Of course yoga has a myriad of physical benefits and through the practice I was building strength, particularly in the upper body, that I had not achieved with gym workouts and increasing my flexibility.

As my practice grew, I started to find that my thought process about my body began to shift very slightly. Instead of hearing the almost constant negative, critical and downright cruel thoughts, new thoughts gradually began to appear - I was finding a new way to think about my body and I started to notice and appreciate the way my body was able to move and the shapes I was able to make as well as feeling a vague sense of pride as my practice began to improve.

Now, I am not claiming that yoga cured me of my eating disorder and body image issues, but it certainly played its part. It showed me new ways of thinking.

I loved the physical practice of yoga, but more than that, what I needed most was the benefits to my mental health that it was able to provide. For me, it is a form of moving meditation - the synchronisation of the breath and movement creates a union between body, mind and breath and really helps to quieten the normal ‘mind chatter’.

5 years ago I decided to do my yoga teacher training - I was looking for a new challenge and realised that teaching yoga would allow me to do something I love, and share that love with others! Nowadays

Galleywood Art Club Needs You We are a friendly group of a mixture of inexperienced and experienced artists who enjoy working at our own pace with like minded people. Some of our members are complete novices at art, but we encourage and advise where help is needed.

We meet every Tuesday at Keene Hall, Watchouse Road, Galleywood CM2 8PT between 12.45pm and 3.30pm. The annual membership, paid in April, is £40 (full membership). Associate membership is currently £15 annually, and that enables you to have ten attendances in the year.

Included in the membership fee is access to three art demonstrations a year by established artists. We try to invite artists with different media skills to have as broad a spectrum as possible to inspire our members. In the past we have invited Pauline Hazelwood, the illustrator, Hashim Akib, Carole Massey, Rob Wareing and many more to demonstrate their skills. The demos are enjoyed by members and their guests and are much appreciated by all.

Our members bring materials of their own choice and work at their own pace, but we do hold voluntary monthly themes for those interested in trying to win vouchers for art materials. Members vote for their favourite entry on the last Tuesday of each month.

Refreshments are available at the club and some members take turns to help out serving the teas and coffee. For the £1 weekly charge, a raffle ticket is issued to each member per week to have a chance of winning a £10 Marks & Spencer voucher at the end of each month.

due to my teaching schedule and having a young family, I don’t get the chance to get to class as a student as much as I used to but I have found that teaching yoga has been just as beneficial mentally.

It doesn’t matter how my day has been, or what I’ve got going on in my personal life, when I’m on my mat guiding my students through a vinyasa flow sequence, I am fully in the present moment and focused.

I am able to let go of all that stuff and enjoy an hour of mental stillness.

As well as providing a fun and creative flow for my students, I hope that I am able to give them that opportunity for their thoughts to quieten and for them to build on their sense of self.

I always begin my classes with a period of settling - I invite students to take a scan through their body to tune into how they are feeling physically at that moment; taking time to notice any injuries, aches or pains, areas of tightness or tension, or where in the body they might like to find more space. We then move on to noticing how they are feeling mentally, emotionally and how their mood is at that point in time. For some, it might be the first time that day that they’ve really had the time to check in with how they are feeling and what’s going on in their body and mind. I also use pranayama techniques and guided meditations to allow my students to move more deeply into their practice and increase their self-awareness.

There is a growing body of research to back up yoga’s mental health benefits. Yoga can increase body awareness, relieve stress, reduce muscle tension, strain, and inflammation, sharpen attention and concentration, and calm and centre the nervous system.

Whatever the reason you come to yoga, you’re bound to experience the benefits to your physical and mental well-being. If you’re yet to try it, what are you waiting for? Hummingbird Pilates Yoga has an amazing variety of classes on offer - head over to www. hummingbirdpilates.co.uk to find out more!

it will be in June. It gives members the opportunity to sell their art works and it is well supported by the community.

Art & Crafts Exhibition Saturday 9th November 2019.

Galleywood Art Club Keene Hall, Watchouse Road, Galleywood CM2 8PT. Admission £1 (accompanied children free).

Original art works, crafts, Christmas gifts, raffle, refreshments.

10am until 4pm (stallholders set up 9am).

Please call the Club Secretary: 07788 103 233 for a stall.

We are actively seeking more new members as we unfortunately had a few bereavements amongst our members in the last few months.

So if you think you would like to have a go, either email or telephone Beth Schluter (Club Secretary) at schluterbeth@hotmail.com, or call 01245 630 625 for more details. Or you can just turn up any Tuesday afternoon to see if we are your thing (we do not bite)!

Send your events to editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk for inclusion on to the listings page!

We hold our annual exhibition this year in November, but next year Page 22

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Spot 10 Differences (answers on page 31) - this month’s dedicated to Leanne and Karima, who compete to see who can complete it the fastest each month!

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Quiz Time: Auto Quiz - by John Theedom (answers on page 31) 1.

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When BMC launched the Mini in 1959, what was it officially called?

Morris called one of their models Isis, why?

What was the nickname given to the Ford Model T? Who is the owner of the Tesla Car Company?

Where was the Ginetta car originally produced?

Which car company bought the Rover Group in 1994?

In which country is the Spa Motor Racing circuit?

What do the Initials BSA stand for?

Which two car companies used the model name Vogue?

Who designed the Rolls Royce mascot Spirit of Ecstacy?

What is an EGR valve?

In an engine type, what is meant by oversquare?

Why do we drive on the left?

On early radios, what was meant by AM and FM?

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Who is the parent company of Skoda?

Who designed the original VW Beetle?

What did the initials DKW stand for?

Where on a vehicle will you find cipes?

How often is a car stolen in England and Wales?

In which city are the taxis yellow?

Which company produced the ‘bug’?

The Bradford van was made by which company?

Apart from the Reliant van, which other vehicle did Del Boy own?

Where did the name Wolseley originate?

What is happening if your vehicle is planing?

How time flies. Next year will be thirty years since Chelmsford officially twinned with Backnang in Germany, and this year is twenty years since Chelmsford twinned with Annonay in France.

We are still going strong and we hope to see a Backnang stall again in the Cathedral this year. Look out for the Chelmsford Christmas Market in December; Backnang have visited us for the last two years at the market and have sold out of their German goods on both occasions. Come along this year and taste what they have to offer.

During December, Chelmsford will also have a stall in Backnang selling typical English goods such as orange marmalade, English tea of different flavours, Christmas crackers, shortbread, ginger wine etc.

Before December, the Chelmsford Twinning Partnership will be holding a quiz night at Galleywood Heritage Centre on Friday 1st November. If you are interested in attending, either on your own (we can always fit you into a team) or with your own team of up to eight people, we would be glad to see you (there will be a fish and chip supper too). Please book your place by emailing towntwinning@ freenetname.co.uk by 20th October 2019.

As mentioned above, it will be thirty years since Chelmsford twinned with Backnang and there will celebrations to mark this achievement next year. If you were involved in the twinning at any time since 1990 please get in touch on the above email so that we can include you in some of our activities to celebrate this milestone.

Or why not join the partnership? It costs £7 for an individual membership, £12 for family membership, £15 for groups with fewer than 100, and £30 for groups with over 100. Please request a membership form by email. As a member you will receive newsletters, news of outings, help with accommodation if visiting our twin towns, and much more. The partnership would love to hear from you.

Gloria Nichols Vice-Chairman, CTP

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Next issue is out from 14th November

• 10,000 copies of the City Times • 9000 copies of the Moulsham Times • Discounts available for longer runs or when advertising in both our magazines • Editorial/business interview for regular advertisers

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Local Arts for Arts Sake - by Kenneth Louis Shepherd There are several places in the UK where a community of artists have decided to settle. I will only mention most of them briefly as I wish to focus upon Great Bardfield which is local.

The London area of Camden Town, which I know well, was one such place. Another group of artists who were based in London were the Bloomsbury Set. Stanley Spencer moved to Cookham which is upon the River Thames and several artists followed him there. Far away from these was the Art Group based in Newlyn, Cornwall which was the most effective group and the longest lasting.

I will however write at length about the Great Bardfield art group who settled in that large village in the middle of the 20th century. Today it houses just over 1,000 people. It is very remote being is 9 miles from Braintree and 12 from Saffron Waldon. I have no idea why the group chose this particular village.

John Aldridge, aged 27, was already a successful artist when he and his first wife moved there in 1933. This couple opened their home for exhibitions he displayed his oil paintings and she her home-made rugs. He worked alongside his friend and neighbour Edward Bawden in creating wallpaper designs for a prestigious London company. In this respect, they remind me of William Morris.

In 1970 Aldridge was divorced and he married the widow of an Dear Editor I read with interest Kenneth Shepherd’s article on the lack a decent art gallery in Chelmsford. It does seem strange that the powers that be in a city the size of Chelmsford have not pursued this matter with more intent. I’m only responding to the article because I have been a keen amateur artist for most of my life, and during the 1990s whilst inbetween jobs, I worked as a security guard in London.

I found myself redundant from my airline job of 23 years and wondering what to do. Having received a generous payoff, I spotted a newspaper advert for part time gallery attendants with a security company, and having been a keen amateur painter most of my life, decided it would be an interesting experience. I applied and was accepted and after a couple of days training, went off to do a stint a the Hayward Gallery on the South Bank. One day during an exhibition featuring romantic painters of the Victorian era, an earnest old lady approached me saying there was ‘something wrong’ with one of the paintings. I went with her to look at it and couldn’t see any damage.

The painting was by the famous German artist Caspar David Friedrich, and depicted a group of three people, two women in heavy Victorian dresses, and a man, sitting atop a rather large round rock, looking out to sea titled Moonrise over the Sea. Many keen art lovers may be familiar with this painting.

I asked her what was ‘wrong’ and she said that the two women in the painting couldn’t possibly have climbed up on to the rock with those heavy dresses on. I decided to ease her apparent distress and told her that the artist had painted a ladder on the other side of the rock and as it was on the back of the painting, could not be seen by viewers. She swallowed the explanation without question and toddled off with a satisfied grin on her face to possibly cause alarm and despondency to other attendants.

Working for the security company meant we could be sent to any of the major galleries they were contracted to, and my next amusing experience was at the Royal Academy. The person in charge of us (mostly older people) was a young Irish lad, lets call him ‘Harry’. His only interest in life was football and beer, and he couldn’t tell an artwork from a bucket of bricks (possibly questionable). His job was to patrol the galleries ensuring we were all at our appointed positions and that everything was in order. Later in the day, I was informed he had been fired, and I asked for what reason. Apparently, on an earlier walk about, he spotted a bronze bust on a short pillar, situated in a shaded corner, which had what appeared to be marker pen scribble on the side. School children frequently try to add moustaches and

artist named Norman Carrington. During WW2 he worked for British Intelligence interpreting ariel photographs. After the war he returned to painting and produced mostly landscapes of the Essex countryside, plus what he viewed in his own large garden. He travelled to Italy and Mallorca and created works which relate to those areas.

The previously mentioned Edward Bawden was versatile. As well as being a wallpaper designer, he created commercial posters and was an illustrator who created graphic artworks - he produced artistic metal garden furniture. He created and designed book covers (which I know from personal experience helps a book to sell). One of my books, Streets Ahead, recently won an award for being one of the ‘12 best books that designers will appreciate’.

During WW2, Bawden was a war artist and he spent time in the Middle East. This affected his original art style in later years as they developed an eastern look about them. Two of his original works can be seen in the Chelmsford Museum.

Stanley Clifford-Smith, who lived from 1906-1968, moved into this village in 1952 and took part in art exhibitions held there in 195455 and 1958. He was an artist and a textile designer. His wife Joan Glass was also an artist.

other marks to paintings and sculptures, hence the need for gallery guards. Harry took it upon himself to remove the offending marks before the curator spotted it on his own walkabout. He went to the stores, found some white spirit and a rag and carefully wiped off the marks before anyone noticed.

Later on, when the curator asked him if he had seen the bust, and whether there was anything wrong with it. Harry decided to come clean and explain what he had done and why. ‘What you have done’ the curator said, ‘is remove the artist’s signature’. Harry was immediately dismissed no doubt extremely red faced as his actions involved sending the bust all the way back up to Scotland to have the artist reapply his signature.

There were many other amusing incidents during my time in the galleries including an incident at the Tate on Millbank, when the liquid filled glass containers in the main hall showing Damian Hirst’s Mother and Calf Divided began to leak. I believe the liquid was quite toxic and gave off a gas when exposed to air. We had to clear all the visitors out and seal off the building awaiting the arrival of the fire brigade.

All in all it was a very interesting experience and despite the appalling pay, was something I wouldn’t have missed for anything. Next time you visit an art gallery and see rather bored looking attendants walking around, remember they are probably wondering what they might have to deal with in their next few breaths.

NB: I’m a member of the Cartoonists Club of Great Britain and attach one of my cartoons which you may wish to publish.

Roger Braga Burnham on Crouch

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Inspiration Comes in Different Guises There are so many ways we are inspired to try something out of our comfort zone. The World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar could be a case in point. Many people, particularly the young, watching the efforts of Dina Asha-Smith and Katarina JohnsonThompson winning gold medals will be motivated to take up athletics, to vow to do the extra training, commitments, the hard work, in order to emulate these women and achieve excellence.

We know that this is true. We have only to look at precedents such as the huge numbers that took to their bikes following the halcyon years of British dominance in cycling both in the velodrome and on the roads, and as a result this country is still at the forefront of cycling performance.

For those of us past the age when no amount of training and endeavour will make any difference to our ability to win medals, there are still considerable health benefits to exercise so the inspiration is still valid, albeit at a lower level. But there are other forms of inspiration that make us want to do something extra.

Our annual weekend Rotary District Conference has just finished.

This year it was held in a lovely centre near St Neots, so only about 75 minutes from Chelmsford. The purpose is to cement friendships, have fun, share ideas for projects and be inspired by what others are doing, so we in turn can add to their achievements. We had a range of excellent speakers, some from charities which Rotary supports or which are seeking our support, some from people who have done something special in their lives, and some who have done well in their careers, often against the odds.

I will try to give you a brief overview of the programme to demonstrate what can be done if we all put in a little extra effort. For several years Rotary clubs have been supporting Coram Life Education which goes to schools when invited and talks to young children about issues which affect them. The anachronym SCARF sums it up: Safety, Caring, Achievement, Resilience, Friendship. These are designed to combat bullying and raise self-esteem, so important in today’s world of social media.

A talk about the work done by Medical Detection Dogs which can sniff out diseases such as cancer, diabetes and Parkinsons well before they show up on scans amazed us. I was asked to look after Buddy, the cocker spaniel and thankfully he didn’t seem to find anything wrong with me. Then followed an update from a friend of Chelmsford Rotary, John Miles, who gave an update on the remarkable work of

Global Sight Solutions which has already helped one million people have their sight restored in developing countries. It makes us realise how fortunate we are here in having the NHS free of charge. Another frequent visitor to Chelmsford, Tony Quinn, informed us of the latest developments with their Water Survival Boxes which basically filter dirty water and make it drinkable. This is invaluable in disaster areas, including the Somerset floods a few years back.

Peace is something we strive for and Rotary supports Peace Scholars in several universities around the world including Bradford in Yorkshire. Chance Kalolkeseya from Malawi told us about the initiatives in Rwanda after the genocide in 1994. There has been relative peace for some while now and shows what can be achieved in the aftermath of such atrocities.

I mentioned above that inspiration comes in different forms and we heard how Concorde pilot, Richard Westray became a hero when he averted a disaster at Chicago Airport and 435 lives were saved.

Paul Heiney, television personality, told the story of his single-handed crossing of the Atlantic. What they had in common was that they had been inspired themselves to go out and do something that may have seemed beyond them and their stories will encourage others that with the right attitude anything is possible.

The Rotary Conference is also about having a good time and if you ever get the chance to hear Lydia Slack, then don’t miss it. She is really funny and I would not be surprised if she became the next Victoria Wood. She has a similar style which certainly appealed to me. We also had music and dancing and a silly T-shirt competition, so Rotarians can let their hair down whilst still doing good work in the community!

Rotary needs more like-minded people in the community to carry their work forward. On Thursday 21st November the Rotary Club of Chelmsford is organising a showcase event at Hamptons Sports and Leisure Centre from 12pm to 2pm. It is free to attend, but you need to pre-register - and there will be free sandwiches! It is an opportunity to hear about Rotary projects, to meet people, to network with business men and women and hear about different ways you can become involved, not necessarily as a full member in the early days. If you would like to attend could you please email secretary@ chelmsford.rotary1240.org, or phone me on 01245 260 349.

Stan Keller Photograph: Chelmsford Rotarians as Where’s Wally at the Silly T-Shirt night

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Mellow, Like Good Wine

Veteran Chelmsford motorcycle racers John Chisnall and Anthony Davis have produced a book, And the Wheels Went Round, on the exploits of their youth. Packed with hair-raising experiences and humorous anecdotes, it takes us down memory lane to a golden age when, in sport, dash took precedence over cash.

If you have ever wondered what it is like to hurtle round a track on the platform of a racing sidecar at over 100mph then this book will fill that vacuum.

Imagine finding yourself alone on a spinning outfit because the centrifugal force has thrown off your driver. Or being close to arrest for espionage at an iron curtain checkpoint merely for taking a photo. Or being treated like royalty during a visit to the BMW factory for an engine re-con.

Brought up during the war, child of a poor family in an agricultural environment, John’s earliest memories

were of watching German prisoners of war working on the farm where he lived. He could never have imagined then that he would one day find himself in a Derbyshire coal mine on the way to becoming an international motorcycle racer, riding in the Isle of Man TT and on major British and continental circuits, rubbing shoulders with the idols of the sport.

Co-writer Tony first took an interest in motorcycle racing watching John’s exploits riding grass-track as the passenger to local hero Derek Yorke. He too took up the sport and raced on grass-track and road and eventually in the TT. Apart from being a successful bike racer, John was also a first class engineer who designed and built racing machines. Some of you may remember his motorcycle sales and repairs workshop in Two Brewers Yard off Springfield Road.

And the Wheels Went Round is published by local firm, Bear Alley Books.

To order your copy contact John at jaw.chisnall@yahoo.co.uk.

A Chance to Win a Copy!

We have two copies of the book to give away. To be in with a chance to win one of them, please email editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk with your name and address and the answer to the following question: What year was the first Isle of Man TT race?

A: 1999 B: 1907 C: 1920 The wInning entries will be drawn on 14th November 2019.

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Stargazing with Mark Willis - October/November 20th October: Due south-west Saturn and Jupiter, these planets can be seen fairly low in the night sky.

5th - 6th November - Taurids Meteor Shower: You may be lucky enough to see about 5 to 10 meteors an hour. Believed to be associated with Comet Encke.

11th November - The Transit of Mercury: On May 9th 2016 I was lucky enough to observe this transit. You might expect to see Mercury cross the path every single year. Surprisingly, there are only approximately 13 transits of Mercury each century.

If the weather is not cloudy, I am sure that many astronomy clubs will have their telescopes set up to display this impressive sight for you to see. The transit starts at 12:35, at mid-point 15:20, and ends at 18:04 local time.

On This Day, 15th November 1738: William Herschel discovered the planet Uranus.

17th - 18th November - Leonids Meteor Shower: showing about 15 meteors an hour, believed to be the remains of Comet Temple-Tuttle discovered in 1865.

On This Day, 20th November 1889: Edwin Hubble was the first to postulate that what were called ‘distant nebulae’ were in fact, galaxies.

New Moon: On 28th October and 26th 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 any questions to mark.willis@ chelmsfordcommunityradio.com.

Mark Willis presents Willis Wireless at the new time of 12pm every Tuesday afternoon on Chelmsford Community Radio on 104.4 FM and online at chelmsfordcommunityradio.com.

Twitter: @WillisWireless

Chelmsford Creative Collective - Katie Osborne Chelmsford Creative Collective (CCC) is a group of friendly, local creatives. We have an active Facebook group where we share events, discuss collaborations and support each others creative endeavours.

We meet on the last Tuesday of the month at a local pub, please check Facebook or email chelmsfordcreativecollective@gmail.com for details. Everybody is welcome for a drink and a chat.

Who are you and what do you create?

“I’m Katie Osborne (@klosborne_art on Instagram), age 20. I’m an aspiring professional artist who has recently turned my hobby into a business. Most of my work is commissions and personalised orders, so I create portraits and hand-painted gifts. But I am open to any project my skill set can be used for. For instance, I have painted wall murals and personalised school shirts.”

“I am very new to Chelmsford Creative Collective but am already so impressed with the sense of community. The driving force behind the collective is amazing and they achieve so much in regards to helping local artists like myself! (Thank you!)”

You’re stranded on a desert island with three items of your choice what would they be and why?

“The ‘well planned out’ side of me is longing for all the specifics of this question. But seeing as there aren’t any I’m going to have to go with a private jet, a pilot and a good book to read on the way home.”

Chelmsford Window Gallery Fundraising Calendar Goes on Sale

How would you describe your working process?

“I’d describe my working process as well planned out, absorbed and time consuming.

I like to have a mental plan of how I’m going to approach the piece & everything figured out beforehand so I can ‘get in the zone’ and allow the art to unfold. And I would have to stress time consuming, as I’m very patient with my work and hate the thought of having to rush a piece and sacrifice something along the way. I am currently very faithful to acrylic paint and extremely tiny brushes but I would be open to different mediums as my art style progresses.”

The Window Gallery is taking orders for a 2020 wall calendar to help them continue to support the local artist community and share great art throughout next year.

Who or what inspires you to be creative?

“I’m inspired by other people’s passion. For instance, with my celebrity portraits I appreciate how much love people have for their idols and this fuels me to create a unique, special piece for them which represents this. I also thoroughly enjoy creating meaningful gifts for people to give to their loved ones that they couldn’t necessarily find anywhere else.”

Window Gallery curator Candy Joyce says: “I have been giving a lot of thought to how to maintain, improve and promote the Window Gallery without making the artists pay. One of the fundraising ideas I came up with was to rob a bank! Another more viable idea was to create and sell a calendar of artists work.”

Tell us about your most recent project.

“My most recent project was a gift for a customer’s grandparent. I create plaques consisting of 9 painted tiles that represent a loved one. This particular piece’s tiles included a fox, a family tree, a wedding anniversary, a record and his grandparents initials.”

What does Chelmsford Creative Collective mean to you?

The disused shop on Broomfield Road was turned into the Window Gallery in June 2018 and has displayed a new exhibition of local art every month since, hosting the work of over 80 local artists. They firmly believe that artists should not have to pay to exhibit their work, this keeps the gallery artist-friendly and accessible to all but does leave a shortfall on running costs.

The 2020 wall calendar will help to raise funds and will feature beautiful work from 12 talented local artists: Carol Chesher, Diana Mayo, Flipping Zombies, Katie Osborne, Keith Bird, LoFi Guy, Magnolia Lily Prints, Martin Bagshaw, Pearl of Thunder, Puddle Paints, Samantha Reilly and Tony Maskell. Artists whose work appears in the calendar will also earn a percentage from each sale.

The calendars are on pre-order now via the Window Gallery website, www.windowgallery.org. The price of £10 includes delivery within the UK. All orders will be posted first class by December 10th.

Window Gallery Broomfield Road - windowgallery.org October 5th - November 1st: Matthew Brazier exhibition November 2nd - November 29th: Skateboard exhibition November 30th - January 3rd: Flipping Zombies exhibition

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