The City Times - September/October 2020

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Regal Kitchens Case Study: Mr and Mrs W in Leigh-on-Sea

Essex based retailer Regal Kitchens provided Mr and Mrs W, who live in Leigh-on-Sea, with an exquisite bespoke unique two colour kitchen with an in-frame shaker-style door.

Their designer, John Martin, added clever storage solutions in the way of magic corners, LeMans pull outs, as well as full larder pull outs and internal bins. He also incorporated an S-Box in the new Quartz island for ease of use with smaller appliances.

The cabinets in the bespoke ornate mantle are fully working, therefore maximising storage space above their new range cooker.

The island, finished in quartz, utilises an overhang to seat up to six people comfortably and the wine cooler was added to the kitchen side so as to not affect the clean lines of the dining room in what is a beautiful open space.

To find out how you can transform the space available inside your home with a beautiful new kitchen, please visit Regal in Navigation Road, Chelmsford CM2 6H. The showroom is open 10am-4pm daily with staff on hand to help with your queries. www.regalkitchens.co.uk

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City Times Intro Hello readers, Welcome to the September/October edition. We hope you enjoy this autumn issue and that you are all staying well.

Stay safe!

Regards Paul & Nick

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City Times Food What Type Are You? - by Lisa Whittle

After last month’s article about weight loss, someone suggested I look at the ‘Eat Right for Your Type’ idea which links your blood group to genetic factors that affect health and well-being and even longevity.

I was intrigued; it’s a theory rooted in the 1960s from observation of clients in clinical practice. It became popular in the 1990s when Dr Peter D’Adamo wrote a book called The Eat Right Diet. It suggests that different nutrition, exercise and lifestyle approaches fit each of the 4 main blood group types, O, A, B and AB. It’s indicating that blood group is linked to other constitutional, physiological factors; it’s rather like a precursor of modern day genetic testing that can take these ideas further, but as it’s easy and low cost to find out your blood group this is worth a look.

If you don’t know your blood group an easy way to find out is to give blood (see www.blood.co.uk for how to do this). Another way is to buy a simple home testing kit online of which there are many options, all around £7, which just requires that you prick your finger for a drop of blood and put it on a test strip.

The two major blood groups in terms of numbers of people who have them are group O, which covers almost half of the population in the UK, and blood group A which is about one third. People with the O group thrive on intense cardiovascular exercise and concentrated proteins from meat and fish, high fats, plenty of vegetables (as do all groups) and a lower intake of grains (many are wheat and gluten intolerant to varying degrees).They have sensitive guts and reactive immune systems leading them to be prone to allergies and intolerances (or another way of putting it a higher risk of internal body inflammation). People in the A group are virtually the opposite in terms of what suits them best - more gentle meditative forms of exercise like yoga and tai chi and a vegetarian diet. They have less responsive immune systems (so fewer allergies and internal inflammation) and they benefit from peace and quiet. D’Adamo links the O blood group with the original nomadic hunter-gather tribes dating back 50,000 years. The A group, he says, developed around 25,000 years ago when a more settled agricultural way of life began.

So that covers about 85 per cent of us, what about the rest? Blood group B is more rare, only about 10 per cent of the UK population have this but it is more common in Asia, particularly China, Japan and Korea. It is thought to date back 15,000 years to groups of populations who first domesticated animals. They can eat some grains and some meats.

should choose green vegetables, eggs, liver and licorice tea but avoid chicken, corn, peanuts and wheat.

Those with type AB blood should eat dairy, tofu, lamb, fish, grains, fruit and vegetables. For weight loss tofu, seafood, green vegetables and kelp are best, but chicken, corn, buckwheat and kidney beans should be avoided.

Whether you are ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ which is the rhesus factor is less significant in lifestyle terms, but if you are ‘negative’ it is thought your immune system is a degree or two more reactive than if you are ‘positive’.

Dr D’Adamo’s 350-page book is fascinating and well worth a read.

My experience is that there are certainly types of constitutions. I am group O positive and I’m vegetarian for moral reasons - and it doesn’t come naturally to my body, I have to work hard at it which fits with this theory. I also have allergies and intolerances from hayfever to gluten and dairy intolerances (albeit subtle). I know people who really don’t like meat and thrive being vegan and guess what: they are all blood group A… If you want to take this further in 2020, consider googling ‘genetic testing for diet and exercise’. A number of company names come up such as www.dnafit.com; www.checkmybodyhealth.com, www. dnalifestyle.co.uk and www.geneplanet.com. They only check for a handful of genes out of your 20,000 or so genes, but nevertheless they pick up if you are best suited to high impact cardio exercise or something more gentle, or if high protein and fat would suit you, or if you’d thrive being vegetarian or vegan and carbs and if you are at risk of allergies and to what. Well worth considering. Do let me know how you get on. lisactfood@gmail.com

Group AB is the rarest group consisting of only 5 per cent of the population worldwide. This is the only one that truly suits eating dairy.

It is the most modern group in evolutionary terms (7,000 years old) and emerged from the intermingling of the group As and group Bs. Here’s a summary of the diet recommendations according to The Eat Right Diet: Those with type O blood should choose high protein foods and eat lots of meat, vegetables, fish, and fruit, but limit grains, beans and legumes. To lose weight seafood, kelp, red meat, broccoli, spinach and olive oil are best, while wheat, corn and dairy are to be avoided.

Those with type A blood should choose fruit, vegetables, tofu, seafood, turkey and whole grains, but avoid meat. For weight loss seafood, vegetables, pineapple, olive oil and soy are best, while dairy, wheat, corn and kidney beans should be avoided.

Those with type B blood should pick a diverse diet including meat, fruit, dairy, seafood, and grains. To lose weight, type B individuals Page 4

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Page 5

Nick’s Music and Ramblings Wow, I cannot believe we are entering autumn already... I know, I have said it often in the past; how time seems to fly as you get older!

It has been a year like no other, what with Brexit, the pandemic and all else that has followed on. Not least the concerns with exams for the youngsters and schooling. Add to that work/working from home for the rest of us. You wonder will it ever end and with the current increase in the positive testing for COVID-19 it certainly does not look like it. We know there are those with their own theories about it all well I suppose we all have our own theories, don’t we? I firmly believe that prevention is better than cure, so I for one will continue to wear a mask and keep a distance and will not enter places where people are all crammed together.

I know that I am getting older with what I am about to say; now, please do not take it the wrong way as it is my personal opinion. What is it with these youngsters! It is by no means the majority of course, I know that. What am talking about? Well, here in Chelmsford where I live we have been getting some awful trouble with fighting around some areas of the city. One of these fights was caught on film and they reckon there was about 80 or more brawling and fighting - both boys and girls - and a couple getting seriously hurt. I have heard it said that there has been some underage drinking going on as well, which wouldn’t help. The pubs really should be ID checking for one, and parents - do you not know what your kids are getting up to?

I remember not so long ago Chelmsford being listed as one of the safest places in the UK to live, I think that sadly has gone out of the window for now when you look at what seems to be going on at present. I know of some people who will not now go out alone and I too am fearful. We need to stand together and say enough is enough and if those in charge will not take responsibility or just choose to ignore the issues, then - there is a problem... Maybe we need to say ‘no more! We want our city back: if you want to cause trouble then go away you are not wanted here!’ This is how I feel. I do not originate from here but I do love the city that I moved to over 20 years ago. My late partner and I though it was such a nice place to live. We must not let the few ruin it for the majority, it is just not on.

I am sure Chelmsford is not alone in this sadly, but it could turn into anarchy I feel if we do not watch out. These things tend to creep up from behind and bite you, and before you know it, things are out of control. Yes, I am an old hippy and I do believe in peace and love and saving the planet. But what is wrong in that?

In Other Happier News As I am writing this, I am getting ready for a day out tomorrow where I will be off to visit friends in North Norfolk - and sadly too, another friend’s grave who’s funeral I could not go to due to the restrictions.

The following day I have my son arriving and staying over which is fantastic, as it has been far too long since we have seen each other.

The City Times also has a new van as well! Smaller than before, but now I’m getting used to it I am enjoying it and hoorah - it will tow my caravan as well! So it will soon be time to hitch up and get away for a few days.

Music There is some live music going on thankfully, and I have now been to three gigs with more to come hopefully, although at present I am not putting anything on myself just yet, but we are working towards that behind the scenes.

I saw The SharpeeZ of course, which I told you about last month, and we have just provided that show to view online. I also went to see Los Pacaminos featuring Paul Young playing outside at Hatfield House, which was a great show - a shame it got a bit cold. Circles were sprayed on the ground allowing a maximum of 6 people in each.

There were a few hundred there as well, all eager to see some good live music and have a good time.

Previously, they had been showing films for a week on a massive screen which was above where the band played. The band made Page 6

good use of it during the set with two great camera guys, and the sound was perfect too. Everyone looked to be having a good time singing and dancing and I know that the band loved it as well, as I spoke to them afterwards.

The next gig for me was very different; it was at the Prince Of Wales in Stow Maries on Bank Holiday Monday where my mate Richard Holgarth, guitarist for Eddie and the Hot Rods and John Otway, played. The show featured him and John Otway. It was outside and a nice day with great grub. I saw lots of friends, some I have not seen for a long time. They played a full show in two sets and as ever John and Richard are always great and make a good partnership together in this double act. It was a lot of the same from over the years but you really do not mind, and people travelled from afar to experience this performance. All went away smiling...

I am still busy myself writing, playing and collaborating with others and hoping to get a few songs finished soon so that I can share with all and just hope you like them!

I do not know what the future holds gig-wise, I just know that as long as it is safe, I will try to attend. We all have to get used to this ‘new norm’ - we just don’t know for how long. I would love to see everything back as it was before, but in reality I do not see that happening for some time yet - nor do other promoters and artists. We at Black Frog will continue to put on concerts online as we see this as a way forward and to get acts seen by a wider audience across the globe.

If we take care we can hope to see this all pass and return to some kind of normality in our lives - not just for music and the arts, but as a whole for us all. Then it is the planet that at present is still letting us inhabit it - but how much longer will it put up with the damage we are causing it. It will survive but we may not.

Some may say I am all doom and gloom, but I just think I am a realist and I want to see us survive. I have a vested interest with my family and my future family as I want my children, grandchildren and further on to continue living a good life here on earth.

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

Black Frog Bands: For all the info and links go to www. blackfrogbands.co.uk Its Your Music: www.facebook.com/itsyourmusic The Isolation Festival Facebook: www.bit.ly/3cDoCYW YouTube: www.bit.ly/3dEG4wK My new band page: www.facebook.com/yesitis

Please send all your events for inclusion in our listings from 15/10/20 22/11/20 to editorial@ itsyourmedia.co.uk

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City Times Gardening This is a great time of the year to undertake a little preparation for next year whilst trying to maintain what you currently have in the garden.

For me, perennials are the be all and end all of any garden space. I am not fortunate enough to have a true herbaceous perennial border, but I do make the most of using any gaps between woody perennials to give an additional flush of colour at key moments during the garden calendar.

Whatever perennials you have, at this time of year, there are lots of jobs that could be achieved to keep these plants in check and looking their best.

At this time of year its worth considering the following tips for success: •

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Continue to keep on top of those dreaded weeds, especially the likes of any bindweed, couch grass and other creepers such as creeping buttercup. Dig out by hand, remembering to get all of the creeping shoots out of the soil and any root systems.

Alternatively, use gel-based products containing glyphosate to enable you to get closer to the weed without harming your choice ornamentals.

Clear beds and borders of any stakes and ties that are past their best or surplus to needs - store securely for next year.

Continue to stake and tie in late bloomers such as some of the tall Helenium cvs, dahlias and Veronicastrum spp. - especially if they are located in a slightly exposed area.

Clear away dead leaves lying on the soil surface around plants and add to your compost heap. Alternatively, if there are sufficient numbers, bag them up, add a few holes to the bag and drop behind the shed. They will be partially decomposed by spring next year and can be added back to the border as mulch.

Remove any dead plants and start to explore your options for infill. For instant colour, why not pop in blocks of spring bedding to give colour straight way? Try some of these: Viola x wittrockiana ‘Joker Series’ (pansy) Myosotis ‘Blue Basket’ (forget-me-not) Try and leave some of your perennial stems with seed heads on as this extends the season of interest. They will also act as a food source for local fauna. I leave all my grasses, asters, purple cone flowers and sea hollies until next February, then raise to the ground composting all debris.

Once clear, top up mulches to help with your need to keep weeds at bay and also maintain moisture levels. Try to maintain a depth of around 10-15cm (4-6”). This year I have used a combination of leaf mould and well-rotted garden compost. As a result, my watering has been kept to a minimum. Composted bark would also work - avoid the larger chunks as these often get spread around by birds and end up on paths or lawns.

If your border has a front edge of lawn, make good edges and reseed where appropriate.

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wood. The following are good examples: Clematis ‘Jackmanii’, C. tangutica and my favourite, C. viticella.

Trim evergreen hedges in readiness for winter. You should not need to touch these again until next May. Lastly, do not forget to plant spring flowering bulbs. Try some of these: Narcissus pseudo-narcissus (Wild daffodil) Crocus tommasinianus Fritillaria meleagris (Snake’s head fritillary)

Happy gardening!

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

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

Other Jobs for the Month • If Group 3 Clematis CVS have completed their cycle for this year, prune down to two pairs of buds above soil level. It is a hard prune - however, this group will take it as they flower on new Page 8

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Wildlife - by Nick Green August weather proved to be rather dry with the hottest temperatures of the year recorded at the beginning of the month. Temperatures slowly fell and there was even rain towards the end of the month typically, Essex missed most of the thunderstorms!

over towns due to reduced pollution levels and less traffic thanks to the virus.

The coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic continued to strike on an international and national basis. The UK death toll surpassed 41,000 with over 350,000 cases. Chelmsford town centre became more active with more shops and restaurants opening with restrictions being slowly being lifted or relaxed. Social distancing and the wearing of masks was enforced in shops and Chelmsford market.

Buzzards tend to eat small mammals, birds and carrion, and even earthworms and large insects when other prey is in short supply.

Butterflies recorded: small and large whites, small tortoiseshells, holly blue, meadow brown, gatekeeper, comma, red admiral and peacock.

Dragonflies: southern hawker, brown hawker, ruddy darter.

Autumn migration is now well underway with waders, warblers, shrikes and flycatchers represented on the bird front.

The buzzard is an increasing resident and passage migrant and in the last 30 years its range has expanded quite rapidly eastwards.

In 1989 there were just 4 Essex records, but by 2000 there was the first confirmed breeding and there are now over 100 breeding pairs. A spring passage is evident with numbers generally peaking in March and April, but there is a more significant autumn passage with numbers peaking at the end of August and early September when ‘kettles’ of migrants are recorded, presumably Scandinavian birds.

A remarkable 60 migrants were noted in autumn 2000 coinciding with a passage of honey-buzzards and other raptors thanks to strong easterly winds.

Buzzards are regularly reported on the outskirts of Chelmsford and there is a suggestion that this year more have been recorded actually

In the southwest approaches, seabirds recorded have included Buzzard (copyright Glyn Evans) Wilson’s petrel, great, Cory’s and sooty shearwaters, Sabine’s gull and a brown booby from Pendeen, Cornwall. The escaped juvenile lammergeier remained in the Midlands! A bridled tern was reported from Lundy and an Eleonora’s falcon from Norfolk.

Keep safe. Keep alert.

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Page 9

Business Interview by Derek Threadgall

Advanced Metal Finishers Ltd

Advanced Metal Finishers Ltd is a family run business that, for some eight years now has been based in Ingatestone, Essex, having moved from their previous base in Rainham.

One of the Company Directors, Patricia Burton, was my guide on this occasion. Before we sat down to talk, she showed me some work in progress which was very impressive. Even more impressive was the manufacturing of metal gates, railings, fencing, handrails, etc which is achieved by a workforce of just four permanent male workers. However, some of their work can be outsourced to specialist companies or individuals.

In short, if it’s metal, the company can deal with it.

Said Patricia: “We are not looking to expand the business. We are slowly moving out of the problems that lockdown has created, but we are compact.

“The most important aspect of business is that companies make the right decisions, and we believe we have done that. We have a hardworking and loyal staff and a sound client base”.

Advanced Metal Finishers Ltd: 01277 356 306 advancemetalfinishersltd@gmail.com

Complementing the main manufactured products is a full powder coating service and the ability to respray any metal garden furniture, alloy wheels, car and bike parts.

Having acquired their Ingatestone base, Advanced Metal Finishers Ltd employed another company to design the layout of the limited space available that required the main office, bound for ground level, to be moved to a first floor level. All of this required a large financial outlay - and in particular, for the acquisition of equipment.

Naturally the nationwide lockdown adversely affected the company’s business as the workforce was banished to the government’s furlough policy.

Page 10

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Address: Unit 11c Dunsteads Farm, Trueloves lane, Ingatestone, CM40NJ Email : advancedmetalfinishersltd@gmail.com www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk Page 11

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Havens Hospices Is Looking for Shop Volunteers to Play a Part in Supporting Local Hospice Care A local hospice charity is looking for volunteers who can spare few hours of their time to assist in its charity shops in central, west and north Essex.

Havens Hospices operates 23 shops across Essex and helps to raise vital funds for adults, young people and children living with complex and incurable conditions across the county.

Not only is volunteering diverse and rewarding, but by playing a role in the local community volunteering can become a fulfilling part of someone’s life and lead to new opportunities and friendships.

Volunteering is also an ideal way to share skills or learn new ones which can look great on someone’s CV when applying for jobs in the future.

One of the charity’s volunteers is Jonathon, who works at the Witham shop on Saturdays. He is 19 years old and has been volunteering at the shop for three years now alongside his apprenticeship training to be a chef. Back in June when the shop reopened after lockdown, Jonathon kindly carried out several extra shifts whilst he was on furlough leave from work.

Jonathon says: “I find balancing being an apprentice chef with volunteering easy as I volunteer at the weekend when I am not working. It is something I enjoy that is completely different from my apprenticeship. I like working with others and learning new and different skills. To anyone thinking of volunteering I would say come and join us, learn new skills, make new friends and support a great cause.”

Faye Kadesh, Volunteer Services Manager at Havens Hospices says: “If it wasn’t for volunteers, Havens Hospices would not be able to provide palliative nursing and support care to adults and children with complex or incurable conditions free of charge.

“Volunteers come from all walks of life and ages and achieve extraordinary things, so if you think you have some time to spare and would like to make a difference by volunteering in your local Havens www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia

Hospices shop, then why not enquire today?”

To find out the latest vacancies in your local shop please call your local shop manager who will be happy to answer any questions you may have. To find out where your nearest local shop is and its contact details visit www.havenhospices.org.uk/charityshops.

To apply to be a shop volunteer for Havens Hospices, visit www. havenshospices.org.uk/volunteer-roles/volunteer-shop-assistant.

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Page 13

City Times History

Chelmsford in the Second World War (Part Four) - by Stephen Norris Because of the likelihood of air attacks, a curfew was imposed in all areas in and around Chelmsford from July 1940 in tandem with the strict blackout on all private and commercial premises. A week before the outbreak of the war, the traffic lights were masked and the kerbs painted white to aid driving in the blackout along with lamp posts and fire hydrants. In 1941 the editor of the Essex Chronicle complained that numerous shops were flouting the blackout, which was nowhere near complete. He maintained that the large amount of non-essential traffic would make it more difficult for the emergency services to get to affected areas. Fines were regularly imposed for breaking the blackout and were still being imposed in 1944. Despite the strictures of the Chronicle, the blackout does seem to have been effective enough to ensure that most bombs fell in rural areas in the early part of the war and caused little damage. John Marriage remembered the disappearance of the street lights, including a number of newly installed high intensity ones in several of the main streets. Most people bought heavy curtains or constructed removable blackout frames.

In terms of the defence of Eastern England, Chelmsford was just east of the General Headquarters line (GHQ). This was one of the county’s four main lines, but the most formidable. ‘As in all parts of the GHQ line, pillboxes with interlocking fields of fire dotted the river bank (the Chelmer), [and] sometimes in the fields and hedgerows further back.’ There were standard bulletproof infantry boxes which could house section of six men with light automatic weapons. The bigger shellproof artillery pillboxes could house a two pounder anti tank guns or the 6 pounder Hotchkiss gun. 120 of the pillboxes still existed in the Chelmsford area half a century later.

South of Chelmsford a 12 mile anti-tank trench was dug, and on all the roads around Chelmsford there was a barrier of angled steel and pyramid anti-tank blocks along with spigot mortar placements.

Several pillboxes were sited near the big three factories. The heavy AA defences mentioned earlier were all called into action during the two heavy incendiary attacks. Headquarters of the batteries were at Lancaster House, Mildmay Road, Moulsham. Most of the men manning the batteries near the main works worked at those factories.

A field near Little Baddow was used as a temporary ‘starfish’ decoy site. This was designed to draw German bombers away from the Chelmsford factories three miles to the west. Starfish sites were the most advanced of the various types of decoy developed and were intended to reproduce the large fires that a German bomber would expect to find after a raid on an urban area. The decoy site used a number of different fire sources ‘to generate the variation in brightness and colour of a full scale conflagration’. Each basket would contain ‘a highly flammable two and a half hundredweight package of sawdust, scrap wood and shavings all soaked in creosote’. The various baskets were fired ‘electrically from an earth covered shelter which housed the necessary switchgear and communication’. This was roughly 800 yards away. A typical starfish site could get through 25 tonnes of fuel in four hours. The site was used on the night of the Chelmsford blitz, the 14th of May 1943, when 9 baskets were lit. It was obviously unsuccessful in deflecting the raid.

Barrage balloons were important in Chelmsford and not just as part of the town’s defences. Gas from the town’s gasworks helped inflate over 7,000 barrage balloons, though the town itself didn’t have any until 1942. After attacks on Marconi and Hoffmann, further defence of the town was treated as an urgent matter by the authorities.

‘Planes would approach the town from the NE, follow the railway line at 300 feet in a SW direction before swooping and dropping to make a final run on the factories’. At this point they were too low for the factory defences’ machine guns. Two men from the air ministry recommended 31 sites for the balloons, which was above average for a town of Chelmsford’s size. They were thought to be an effective deterrent to air raids although George Brown thought otherwise: “I used to think the barrage balloons just attracted the German planes because they knew the military would only place them at important

targets”. Occasionally loose balloons would cause damage, as in January 1943 when a trailing cable caused damage to five houses.

In 1943 the fire guard wanted the balloons lowered during an electrical storm because of the danger of fire.

An important event during the war in the Chelmsford area was the building of Boreham airfield by the Americans. The 561st Engineer Aviation Battalion of the US Army arrived on the 13th of May 1943 under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Stanley H Lomax. 560 men came by boat, train and truck and lived in tents until they had constructed brick-built quarters. They were given 12 months to complete the work and worked shifts of 12 hours day and night seven days a week. The 620 acre site had previously been orchards and a wood. In all, 130 tons of concrete were used and 50 miles of conduit and cable were laid. Two huge aviation fuel tanks with a capacity of 150,000 gallons were submerged beneath the surface. Gigantic aircraft hangars were built as were 212 Nissen huts to house just over 2,600 men. All the equipment was brought in from the US. In the event, the airfield was finished three months early but the effort apparently caused a breakdown in Lomax’s health and he died soon afterwards in hospital at Braintree.

An American soldier recalled his time helping build the airbase. He wrote of “the excitement of that first air raid (on the airbase), with its minor casualties of skinned knees and banged foreheads”. The soldier also fondly remembered nights at the Shire Hall, the White Horse, the Bucket of Blood and the Royal Steamer. “Falling into ditches which appeared when no one was looking.” There were the nightly farewells in the Chelmsford truck park and “the weary walk back to camp after missing the town truck”. He was fed the usual lines: “I was the first ‘yank’ she had ever gone out with.” Another American recalled going to Chelmsford on the night of the town’s worst blitz. “We were scared out of our wits.” Another remembered a German plane being hit by a rocket and crashing just beyond their tent area and “those cold English fogs at 5.45 reveilles”. The battalion had a dance band which played at the Boreham Red Cross Club, the Shire Hall and the Danbury Country Club.

Boreham became one of 23 operational airfields in the country - 14 used by the US and 9 by the RAF. The first of four squadrons to be based at the airfield left the US on the 29th of January 1944. There were 48 to 60 aircraft including spares. They were used in the bombing offensive leading to D-Day, attacking sites thought to be of vital importance to the defence of enemy held territory, including road, rail and river bridges, airfield gun positions, railway marshalling yards and construction sites.

The 394th Bomb Group left Boreham the day after D-Day. Later in 1945, the 315th Troop Carrier Group arrived at Boreham. They carried men of the British 6th Airborne Division on their way to to take part in the crossing of the River Rhine.

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

Page 14

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Canon Tom’s E-Pistle

Hello everyone. Well it’s been a funny old summer and that’s a fact! Many people who would have normally gone away on holiday have ended up staying in this country and discovered some of the delights of Great Britain, either here in England or Scotland or Wales. For some, that’s been quite an eye opener - which is funny really because we all know how many varied and beautiful parts of our nation there are.

Yet it takes a pandemic and all the after effects of that to make many of us stay put and find a break away here.

I know that many people look to go abroad where there’s a bit more of a chance of good weather, but we have had plenty of sunshine here this year. It’s a strange thing about people - in many aspects of our lives we find ourselves looking at others with a little envy; the grass is always greener on the other side as they say. Sometimes it is I suppose, but I have to wonder if that’s always true though. It can be easy to look into the distance and be dazzled by the things we see there when, in fact, if we looked a little closer to home we might see some equally attractive things right under our own noses. Indeed, others may well be gazing at you and your life with a certain amount of envy.

There are always those however who are struggling with life and who have been dealt a rough hand. Those who live on the streets, who can’t take holidays here or overseas, who are suffering - through no fault of their own necessarily - those who are often overlooked by society and by us as individuals sometimes. There’s very little security for them in these difficult times and absolutely no chance of

getting away from it all, even within our own country.

Perhaps a little reality check on ourselves might make us a little more grateful for what we have and may even make us a little more generous to those who have even less than we do.

Tom

Have you worked in Film, TV, Theatre or Radio?

Have you worked in film, TV, theatre or radio? If so, do you have a story, or stories, to tell? The British Entertainment History Project, based in London, could be interested in interviewing you on camera.

With over 750 interviews already archived, the Project is now a major player in oral history.

Interested? Contact Derek Threadgall, Essex Interviewer for the British Entertainment History Project.

Email: dthreadgall1165@gmail.com Telephone: 07712 378 320

Help Shape the Future of Local Democracy in Chelmsford

A review is underway of the most local level of decision making in Chelmsford. 62% of the population across Chelmsford have a parish or town council, as well as Chelmsford City Council and Essex County Council. The other 38% do not have that very local voice.

Chelmsford City Council wants to hear your views, as part of what is called a Community Governance Review. There are two aspects to the review: (a) should the 38% without that local voice have a new community or neighbourhood or parish council? - and (b) are changes needed to existing parishes?

The 38% without a community council are in the urban centre of the city. The City Council wants to know if they should have that local voice. Elsewhere, especially in areas which have seen a great deal of development, boundaries of existing local councils may need to change. For these reasons, the City Council is carrying out an initial public consultation from Monday 20th July to Friday 25th September.

Have your say at www.chelmsford.gov.uk/parishconsultation.

Neighbourhood/community/parish councils are made up of councillors who are elected to serve and represent the residents of that very local level. They have two main roles: community representation and local administration. They are statutory consultees on planning matters and provide a focus for representing local issues and identity. They also work with local organisations and other tiers of local government to provide services to the local community. These can include village halls, playing fields, community grants, bus shelters, children’s play areas, allotments, events and festivals, among other things.

Parish councils are mainly funded through a very small part of your www.issuu.com/itsyourmedia

Council Tax (and also grants and fees they charge for facilities). This Council Tax amount is set by each parish council, depending on what services and facilities they want to provide.

Councillor Marie Goldman, Deputy Leader of the Council said: “With new development happening across Chelmsford, it’s important we make sure everyone in Chelmsford is properly represented.

We are asking you to help us ensure that our neighbourhood and parish councils are effectively representing the views, interests and concerns of the local communities they serve. If you don’t have that very local level of council, we want to take a look at whether your area would benefit from the community voice that most other parts of Chelmsford already have.”

She added: “If you want to change things, even around your own neighbourhood, it’s vital to get involved with democracy and tell those in power what you want. If you think your parish arrangements aren’t working or you need better representation, please take part in this consultation and make your voice heard.”

Give your views online at www.chelmsford.gov.uk/parishconsultation.

The closing date for comments is Friday 25th September 2020.

Chelmsford City Council will consider the results of the consultation and a report will be put before the Council’s Full Council in December to decide whether to go to the next stage of the review process.

It would be great if you could also share the story on your social media feeds.

Let me know if you require more information.

Page 15

City Times Finance COVID-19 and Your Money Savings in Child Trust Funds Coronavirus is shifting our perspective on many different levels, but some concerns remain the same and as back to school time is gradually reintroduced, our thoughts turn to practical matters such as finances for our children.

Enter Child Trust Funds The first accounts are maturing now (September 2020).

This was introduced (between 1st September 2002 and 2nd January 2011 - replaced by Junior ISAs) to encourage parents to save for their kids’ future, the ensuing silence on their fate has meant that a lot of parents and indeed beneficiaries have forgotten or lost track, so just to recap: The Basics Tax-free savings account belongs to the child, if yours is turning 18 this month you can rejoice now. However, if any of your offspring turn 18 between now and 2029 they are in for the windfall. This will depend on the contributions and the investment strategy.

Silvia Johnson BSc(Hons) DipPFS EFA CertCII (MP) is a Director and Independent Financial Adviser at Royale Thames Wealth Ltd. www.royalthameswealth.co.uk silvia@royalthameswealth.co.uk 020 8720 7249 / 07908 109 741 Royale Thames Wealth Ltd is an Appointed Representative of New Leaf Distribution Ltd which is authorised and regulated by Financial Conduct Authority number 460421.

The value of your investment may go up as well as down and the value is not guaranteed. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Wills and Estate Planning are not regulated by the FCA.

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Background Parents were sent £250 vouchers by the HMRC (£500 for low income parents) and this sum was used to set up the CTF account in the child’s name and invested in one of the following ways: Cash CTF: Akin to a deposit account, earning tax-free interest.

Shares CTF: Invested into stock markets.

Stakeholder CTF: Invested into stocks and shares, but to safeguard the savings, riskiness of these portfolios is gradually reducing from the child’s 13th birthday. The charges are capped at 1.5% per annum.

This type of account might have been opened by HMRC if the parents did not open any type of CTF within a year of obtaining the voucher.

On maturity of these funds, your child can either withdraw the cash or it may be transferred in to an adult ISA. If, for whatever reason the funds are not used, don’t panic - the money will be held in a protected account until such time that your child is ready.

It is estimated that some 2 million CTFs have been lost to people whom they were set up for, maybe because it was HMRC who set it up, the parents have forgotten it exists or have not updated their address. The reasons are many, however fret not - these accounts are not really lost and to locate them is straightforward.

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Please supply up to 800 words introducing the charity and covering what the charity does. editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk

Currently (2020/21) parents, family members or friends can collectively pay up to £9,000 each year, until the recipient turns 18.

Alternative Junior ISA: CTF can be switched to Junior ISA (but you can’t have both) in the long term JISA is better value with more choice and lower charges. We are happy to advise on best course of action.

If you are the lucky recipient of the CTF payout you can either take the money and run - or, much more sensibly, make your money go further and invest it into an adult ISA to build up your reserve.

Whether you are a parent, guardian or indeed a recipient of CTF and unsure of your options, please contact us and we will explain all your options and help with dilemmas such as spend (university fees?) or save (first home deposit?) and see how we can make your money go further.

Page 16

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What Has 2020 Taught Us?

Very Vintage Tea Party, based in Chelmsford, Essex has been hosting afternoon tea parties since 2010. What started as a year full of bookings and celebrations turned out to be quite the opposite!

Firstly, I would like to introduce myself. I am Anna-Maria and I run the very much-loved business Very Vintage. I started out as an art teacher, hence the meticulous eye for detail and the visuals. The seed of an idea to combine afternoon tea with all the beautiful vintage styling and offer a mobile service soon blossomed and grew.

Within a few years after a lot of hard work and building a great team, Very Vintage was hosting weddings, corporate events and more for up to 300 guests.

So, when 2020 took a turn for the worst, what did we do when we could no longer host our events?

We had to pivot the business, keep it visible, keep servicing our customers old and new even though we were not able to offer business as usual. We boxed up our afternoon tea and set up a delivery service. This spread so much joy and happiness especially during the harshest weeks of lockdown when people were so isolated. Our customers adapted too, having Zoom parties and virtual street parties where everyone could be together when they were not physically able to.

During this time, we also had an amazing opportunity to write for a book. Ready to Rise, the brainchild of Helen Vandenberghe, was put together in a matter of weeks - a collaboration of insights, stories, and experiences from 50 entrepreneurs and small business owners across the globe. The involvement in the book created such a

community and cohesiveness of people offering their thoughts and wisdom of how they reacted, adapted, and coped in their businesses through COVID-19. The book became a number one best seller on Amazon with all proceeds going to two leading charities, the NHS, and the World Health Organisation.

So, going into the last quarter of the year what have I learned?

Confirmation of what I already knew and the very reason and essence of why I love the business that I have created and grown: people need people, people need community, people need connection and relationships and people love to join together and share.

This is our service to you - bringing people together with food and drink amongst a beautiful setting, the core of our happiness.

Check us out at www. veryvintageteaparty.net, and please let us know what you think of our article.!

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Page 17

Page 18 www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

Quiz Time - by John Theedom 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

What is another name for the plant belladonna?

What year was London’s Heathrow airport opened?

Mossad is the secret service of which country?

Hippology is the study of which animal?

What is the Mappa Mundi?

Tenor Alfie Boe has just split from his wife of 16 years, what is her name?

How many lifelines did the recent winner of a million pounds on Who Wants To Be a Millionaire have left?

Which former Beatle became a narrator on the TV series Thomas The Tank Engine?

When did the last working UK coal mine finally close for good?

How old is Sean Connery in 2020?

In the football world, what do the initials VAR stand for?

From what does the expression ‘perm’ originate?

What type of event is a Tough Mudder?

In the TV children’s programme The Magic Roundabout, what type of animal was Dougal?

A rehoboam of champagne is equivalent to how many standard. bottles?

What is the first name of the mother of the 9 children, star of the Channel 5 TV programme Our Yorkshire Farm?

Which group is the guitarist David Gilmore a member of?

How old is Claudia Winkleman in 2020?

19. In which year did actor Macaulay Culkin star in Home Alone?

20. What sort of drink is Atholl Brose?

21. Brooklands motor circuit is in which English county?

22. Which London Football Club played at Griffin Park ground?

23. In the TV series M*A*S*H, what does the ‘M’ stand for?

24. From which part of the world do we get pecan nuts?

25. The term ‘pram’ is a corruption of which word?

26. What is the German town of Meissen famous for producing?

27. Which British author wrote the books featuring Narnia?

28. Curragh is the Irish name for what?

29. If you have pulchritude, how does it affect you?

30. What kind of drink is bock?

31. When were British troops sent to Korea?

32. You’ve heard the name Nat Lofthouse who died in 2011, But who was he?

33. What happens at Calder Hall in Cumbria?

34. What type of animal is batrachian?

35. Location, Location, Location is celebrating how many years?

36. Who was the lover of Maria Callas?

37. What is the house number of the Simpsons?

38. How many pounds are there in 1.5 tons?

39. From which animal do we get ermine?

40. What was the first name of Ms Doolittle, Fagin’s girlfriend?

(Please see page 31 for the answers)

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Page 19

City Times Fitness

Yoga Practice at Home Part 4 - by Mandy Haynes

This month we are entering the penultimate stage of our home practice. We are looking at balancing poses and I wanted to take a moment to talk about this often challenging group of poses before we select a few to add to our home practice.

In yoga philosophy there is the concept of sthira and sukha. In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras he gives us the principle of ‘sthira-sukhamasanam’, which is most commonly translated as ‘asana (postures) should be stable (sthira) and comfortable (sukha)’. Finding this balance between being stable and comfortable, between effort and ease, between strength and softness, can be applied both on and off our yoga mat.

But let’s stick to on the mat, and talk about balance poses. When I’m planning a class I might pop the odd balance into a general flow, but more often than not if I’m thinking about balancing poses I will plan an entire class around them. If I announce at the start of the class that we’re focussing on balance there are very often several groans - this can be a tricky group of poses and they require us to leave our ego to one side and not judge ourselves if we wobble or fall. Ego and self-judgement is something that many of us struggle with however, which is why these poses are often not enjoyed as much as some others! There will be times where your balance is completely off and you can’t stand on one leg for love nor money, but there are many things that affect our balance; injury, some medical conditions, hormones and the biggest culprit - the mind! If we’ve got a lot going on in our lives and our thoughts are super busy, or you’re preoccupied with something, worried, stressed or anxious, all of these things will affect your balance. The key here is acceptance - it really doesn’t matter if you wobble, or need to use a wall for support, or just can’t get into Tree pose - try again next time!

Balance poses, whether these are poses we do on our feet, arms, hands or our head, offer us both physical and mental benefits.

Physically, we strengthen our muscles, get to know our centre of gravity and how to align ourselves. We improve our equilibrium and learn the principle of rooting down. Mentally, this group of poses teach us how to focus our attention, switch off from external stimulation, and how to stay steady in one place and start to tune into our calm inner centre.

All of these things are important qualities both on and off the mat so rather than avoid the balancing poses, why not give them a go?

To begin, give yourself a few minutes to settle and check in with yourself before going through the movement meditation at least 5 times and then parts two and three of the home practice series, ending in Mountain Pose.

Tree Pose Starting in Mountain Pose, find a still point in the room to gaze at - on the floor or on the wall in front of you. Your hands might be on your hips or in prayer at your heart’s centre. Take the weight into your right foot. Maybe just rest your left toes on the mat to test your balance to begin with and then open your knee out to the side. You then have several options of what to do with your left foot; you could keep your toes on the mat and have your heel resting on the right ankle; bring the sole of the foot to the inner calf, or to your inner thigh; or cross your ankle over the thigh in half lotus. Keep rooting down through your right foot, lifting your kneecap up into your thigh to engage those muscles and keep the standing leg strong and press the sole of your foot and the right leg into one another. If you’re well balanced here you could raise the prayer above your head and maybe even close your eyes. Repeat on the left side.

Eagle Pose Start as above taking the weight into your right foot, then bend into your right knee a little and cross your left leg high over the right. Your left toes might then rest on the mat next to the right foot, rest next the calf, or wrap all the way around the back of the right calf. The

more you bend into your standing leg, the deeper you may be able to wrap your left leg around. Your hands could be on your hips or in prayer, or you could try Eagle Arms here - stretch your arms out in front of you at shoulder height, cross your right arm over your left, bend at the elbows and bring your palms to touch in line with your face. It’s a bit of a tied-up-in-knots-looking balance, but a fun one!

Repeat on the left side.

Dancer Pose Again, start as above and then bend your left knee and bring the heel towards the bottom. Reach back for your foot with your left hand (I prefer to take hold of the big toe side of the foot as this keeps the shoulder open and helps with the heart opening aspect of this pose).

Raise your right arm and start to bring your weight forward, whilst keeping the chest lifted, as you lift up through your left leg, kicking the foot into the hand. This balance not only strengthens the standing leg but also gives us the benefits of a backbend and heart opener.

Repeat on the left side.

Next month, we conclude our home practice series with our closing sequence and relaxation.

If you’d like to learn more about balancing poses, why not join me in a yoga class? Take a look at the schedule at www.hummingbirdpilates. co.uk.

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City Times Well-being

Therapy - by Chelmsford Therapy Rooms Something I get asked a lot in hypnotherapy is ‘will hypnosis help me with negative thoughts?’ The answer to this question can be complex because it depends on what’s causing the negative thoughts. At the moment negative thoughts could be centred around worry about the current pandemic, and now we have new guidelines to follow and lots of people are worrying about Christmas. Hypnosis can help you get to the bottom of what’s driving you to think in this way, but in addition to this you can use certain techniques to help you get out of the habit of thinking negatively.

There’s a simple method of dealing with both these situations:

Thinking in a certain way becomes habit for most of us. Once we’re in a habit, your unconscious mind keeps performing this habit because it thinks the habit is beneficial to you. Even if you don’t want to think negatively (who does?) your unconscious mind might believe it’s doing you a favour. For example, we could think negatively to stop us from doing something, therefore negating the risk that we ‘screw up’ and make a fool of ourselves. A good example of this at the moment is wearing masks in shops. Of course it’s good to create a positive habit of having a mask with us at all times, but less good to create a habit of negative thinking to ensure you don’t forget the mask.

Step Two: Once you’ve stopped, next you need to take a step back.

Ask yourself: ‘do I really need to worry about this?’ Take a few deep breaths and assess the situation. This is aimed at bringing your mind and bodily reactions back into reality. Stress is stress, even if it is caused by negative thought patterns, your body will tell you physically when you are stressed. This is why many people suffer with feeling ill, light-headedness or a feeling of being ‘off balance’ just before feeling anxious or as a result of it.

Everyone suffers from negative thoughts from time to time, but sometimes they can pounce upon you for no apparent reason and you end up obsessing over them and dragging yourself further and further down the spiral into a black hole of negativity, sadness and depression.

Remember that these are your thoughts. You have the power to interrupt them. You have the power to stop them. The reason these thoughts are so unsettling, other than the fact they’re negative, is because they can feel intrusive, like you have no control over your own mind.

Don’t despair! You can be in control of your own thoughts, it just takes practice. The reason you feel so out of control is that the thoughts have begun to appear out of habit, they are triggered by something and your brain has learned to think a certain away in response to a specific trigger.

The good news is that you can break the negative response you have to a trigger - you are the master of your conscious thoughts and if you don’t want to allow yourself to think in a certain way anymore you can train yourself to change the way you think. Below are examples of situations where negative thoughts occur and some suggestions on how to cope with them.

Step One: Just stop. Stop everything. Physically stop if you’re moving.

Throw a spanner in the works. Stop the cycle. Give yourself a moment to register what’s happening. This interrupts the cycle. It allows you to regain control of your conscious thought and stops the flow of negative thought. Eventually this will become a new habit, and when used in conjunction with the second step, will serve you as a fantastic coping mechanism in various life situations.

Step Three: Organise your thoughts into a positive and constructive solution-led pattern. For example, you may want to carry on with your previous activity or you may decide to do something completely different. As you come back into reality of the situation take stock.

The pressure you felt to begin with will become less as you prepare yourself using the courses of action described above. These steps, when engaged in over and over again, will eventually become so ingrained you’ll do it automatically. As you feel less and less stressed by the negative thoughts, they themselves will wane.

Following these steps at first can be extremely hard, but remember these negative thoughts come flooding into your brain so readily it’s become automatic. All we’re doing is creating a new, more beneficial habit that your mind will take on automatically because: a. That’s the way your brain is built because it makes our lives easier: for example, driving a car is one huge habit! b. If you feel better from a habit you will take it on and eventually perform it without thinking. Habits are formed not only because they are of benefit to us, but also through repetition. This is how the mind learns. The brain loves repetition and familiarity, so keep going and your new positive habit will click!

The important thing to remember is - don’t give up. Don’t give in to the negative. It might seem incredibly hard now but it will get easier.

You’re engaging in an activity that doesn’t require much conscious thought, so you automatically start thinking negatively about certain situations or worrying about things and before you know it you’re in a pit of despair sometimes having no idea what the first thought was in the first place. This is a classic situation where your unconscious has taken this opportunity of quiet in your conscious brain to rudely interrupt and remind you of all the things you’ve been worrying about, or it gives you things to worry about.

Chelmsford Therapy Rooms has a range of therapists that help clients both online via Zoom or Skype, with some therapists now working face-to-face once more. Chelmsford Therapy Rooms offers many therapies from hypnotherapy to counselling to nutrition. Please see the website at www.chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk, or you can email info@chelmsfordtherapyrooms.co.uk, or call 0330 100 5162.

Something happens, maybe you make a ‘silly mistake’, or you feel ill, or maybe you have been asked to perform a task and suddenly you feel distinctly negative. Immediately the self degradation begins, you convince yourself you’re not up to the job, you worry you’ll never be able to perform the task/finish the task/start the task - the negative thoughts fill your brain and you begin questioning life itself and what the point is anyway. And of course, that familiar pit of despair beckons… This again is your unconscious intervening with negative thoughts but for a different reason. This time your unconscious has picked up on a self-esteem issue and its trying desperately to ensure you don’t perform the task you unconsciously are so petrified of failing at and looking completely useless! This is a typical symptom of Imposter Syndrome.

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

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Page 21

A Year in the Life of the Mayor At the end of a very surreal summer, I’d like to share some of the activities and events I’ve been to. It continues to be challenging to raise money for my charities, Sanctus, Helping Hands Essex and Mid Essex Mind, so I was grateful to Andy Poole and the UB for hosting two quizzes and raising more than £430 both in person and by streaming online. Watch out for information on my Facebook page for other fundraising events coming up.

The Deputy Mayor and I visited the food bank at the end of August where volunteers explained their working process, and how COVID-19 had impacted on the service they offer. Instead of their customers collecting food parcels, they have been delivering them as the safest alternative. We all hope that one day there will be no need for food banks, but until that day we are very grateful for their contribution to our community.

Thanks to all the Foodbank volunteers, pictured below are Simon, Maureen, Alice, Roy, Malcolm, Pippa, and Ruth.

in Great Baddow, where families were very grateful for the activities provided for children who had become bored at home.

As we tentatively ease out of lockdown, I was delighted to take the opportunity to thank volunteers who stepped forward to help others in need by signing up to Chelmsford’s Centre Supporting Voluntary Action. Instead of presenting them with their certificates at a formal event, I spent a couple of days knocking on their doors and chatting about their experiences. It was lovely to meet so many kind-hearted people who put others before themselves to support the vulnerable during such a challenging time.

The Deputy Mayor and I were delighted to visit Hylands House to thank the Friends of Hylands for their generous donation towards the redecoration of the Blue Room (garden room). One of the upsides of lockdown was that renovation work was able to be brought forward and carried out as events had been cancelled. We were able to see work that had been carried out by craftsmen using traditional methods and were awestruck by the wood panelling that was actually painted plaster. It was our pleasure to be able to wish Eddie, the Manager, a very happy retirement and thank him for all his efforts to make Hylands such a wonderful asset to residents and visitors to Chelmsford.

When Riverside Ice and Leisure opened its doors after restrictions were lifted, I visited with the Deputy Mayor to see how safety measures were being implemented with big changes to operating practice such as a one-way system and bookable activities only.

As we walked round, users of the facilities praised the staff and enthused at how safe they felt using the facilities. The same was evident at South Woodham Ferrers Leisure Centre with the pool lanes being booked in time slots and selling out quickly. Masks are worn while inside and while using the gym. We thanked the enthusiastic staff for their continued hard work during these difficult times.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Jacob and Euan Crouch from Springfield who have been making loom bands and selling them to raise money for the homeless. Their six week project began with the aim of raising £100, they are currently close to £300! Well done boys, keep up the good work.

The Deputy Mayor and I spent some virtual time with members of our HR team. Interesting to hear just how much coronavirus has impacted on the work that they do. Well done, we appreciate your contribution to keeping City Council services going.

Stay safe and take care Cllr Jude Deakin Facebook Mayor of Chelmsford Twitter: Chelmsford Mayor Instagram: chelmsford_mayor

To commemorate the 75th Anniversary of VJ Day, we spent a morning making paper cranes to be sent to Japan and assembled into a paper wreath for the Children’s Peace Memorial in the Hiroshima Memorial Peace Park.

The Deputy Mayor and I were invited to Frank Whitmore Green (by the viaduct and underpass to the skatepark in Central Park). I was there to open the newly refurbished half basketball court which was repainted in bright colours and is easily accessible for young people.

Our thanks go to Tarryn Algar and Gareth Roberts who made the basketball event quite special and taught us both some tricks as well as shooting some hoops.

On the hottest day of the year I was with the Mayoress, Deputy Mayor and her consort. We spent a lovely afternoon at a picnic hosted by the Chair of Harlow, Cllr Maggie Hulcoop, in their museum garden.

We all stayed in our mayoral bubbles, took our own picnics and were entertained by a very talented singer as we took shelter under our socially distanced gazebos - how events have changed this year!

During the summer holidays Play in the Park activities, with added safety restrictions consisting of staff in bubbles and smaller numbers, proved very popular with families in Central Park where I joined the storyteller and had a turn on the bouncy castle - great fun but tricky to exit gracefully! Deputy Mayor Cllr Linda Mascot attended Page 22 www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

Shepperton Studios - A Personal View by Derek Threadgall Shepperton Studios - a Personal View lifts the lid on a traditional British independent film studio operating before CGI, Video Assist and other film making technology.

Derek Threadgall worked in management at the studio from 19601965. He presents an insider view of movie making at Britain’s major independent studio from its beginnings in 1932 and described by Threadgall as a ‘seat of the pants’ studio - the preferred method of getting things done.

Hollywood came to Shepperton following the Senator McCarthy anti-communist so-called ‘witch-hunts’ in America, leading to the blacklisting of artists including Carl Foreman, Joe Losey, Hal Wallis and others who then abandoned Hollywood and brought Hollywood A-list actors with them to Shepperton.

In 1972, Threadgall returned to Shepperton Studios to run the successful sixteen months campaign to prevent the studio being demolished by city ‘asset strippers’ of the day.

Derek Threadgall is available for interview.

Mobile: 07712 378 320 Email: dthreadgall1165@gmail.com Signed copies of this book can be purchased from the author at £9.50 (including post and packing for UK postcodes) (Cheques made payable to ‘D Threadgall’ and sent to: 10 Robjohns Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 3AF).

Please quote M&S

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Advertise your event or business with us!

We have space for advertisers who are builders, cafés and sandwich shops decorators, dentists, drainage companies, estate agents, hotels, retailers, recruitment companies, restaurants, roofers and many more!

• 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 Email ads@itsyourmedia.co.uk for more information or call us on 07970 206682 Page 24 www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

Goodbye Polio in Africa - Thank You Rotary The eradication of polio has been the major global project of Rotary since 1985 and another great milestone was reached on the 25th August 2020 when The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that transmission of the wild poliovirus has officially been stopped in all 47 countries of its African region.

Nigeria had been the last country in Africa to eliminate this paralysing and sometimes fatal disease, but certification was given as the last cases of polio caused by the wild virus were recorded in Nigeria’s northern state of Borno in August 2016. Conflict, along with challenges in reaching mobile populations, had hampered efforts to immunise children there.

Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) - WHO, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Gavi, the vaccine alliance are offering it as proof that strong commitment, coordination, and perseverance can rid the world of polio.

to increase their efforts to reach every child with polio vaccine.

Since 1996, countless Rotary members from across Africa and around the world have raised funds, immunised children, and promoted vaccinations, enabling the GPEI to respond to and stop polio outbreaks. More than 9 billion doses of oral polio vaccine have been provided throughout the region, preventing an estimated 1.8 million cases of paralysis. Each year, about 2 million volunteers help vaccinate 220 million children against polio multiple times in the African region. Staggering statistics!

Members of Rotary clubs around the world, including those in Chelmsford, have contributed nearly $890 million toward polio eradication efforts in the African region. The funds have allowed Rotary to issue PolioPlus grants to fund polio surveillance, transportation, awareness campaigns, and National Immunization Days.

Apart from raising funds and immunising children, Rotarians have provided basic items that are taken for granted here to improve sanitation such as soap and health kits. These have made an enormous difference.

Now that the African region is free of wild poliovirus, five of WHO’s six regions, representing more than 90 percent of the world’s population, are now free of the disease. However, polio caused by the wild virus is still endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

President of Rotary International, Holger Knaack spoke about people needing good news during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic: “The challenges ahead are formidable,” he said, “that’s why we must recognise this great achievement and commend all the people who played important roles in reaching this milestone. It took tremendous effort over many years.”

Not detecting any wild poliovirus in Africa is in stark contrast to the situation in 1996, when 75,000 children there were paralysed by the disease. That year, at a meeting of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Cameroon, African heads of state committed to eradicating the disease from the continent.

Also in 1996, to bolster the effort Rotary, its GPEI partners and South African President Nelson Mandela launched the Kick Polio Out of Africa campaign. Using soccer matches and celebrity endorsements, the campaign raised awareness of polio and helped more than 30 African countries to hold their first National Immunization Days.

Mandela’s call to action helped mobilise leaders across the continent

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The extensive polio experience has also been used to respond to the Ebola crisis in 2014 and to COVID-19, with which the whole world is suffering, as well as to protect communities from yellow fever and bird flu.

The work is not over. There still remains the challenge of eradicating wild poliovirus in the two countries where the disease has never been stopped - Afghanistan and Pakistan. Unfortunately numbers have increased in 2020 to just over a hundred new cases. Additionally, routine immunisation in Africa must also be strengthened to stop the poliovirus from returning and in this, Rotary still has a critical role to play.

Many local Rotarians have been part of the success to date in bringing the number of polio cases down from the 1,000 new cases every day in 1985 when the campaign began, to just a relative handful left in Afghanistan and Pakistan, but unless we can eliminate these final cases, there is every chance the virus will re-establish itself.

The EndPolioNow campaign is just one area where Rotarians have made a difference, but if you would like to volunteer and be part of a global organisation offering help locally and internationally, please give me a call on 01245 260 349.

Stan Keller

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City Times Fun

Spot the Difference

Page 26 www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

10 to find(answers on page 31)

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Chelmsford Window Gallery Presents...

Window Gallery - Broomfield Road, Chelmsford The Window Gallery Chelmsford was set up in June 2018 to give local artists a space to display their work. We usually host a new exhibition of local art in out window every month. Whilst these physical exhibition are on pause, we are creating virtual exhibitions instead.

This also means we can join forces with musicians to find the perfect song for each video. You can check out our latest video exhibition on our Facebook page.

Featured Artist September 2020 Name: Steve Mortimer Artist Name (if different): Black Chapel When did you start making art?

“In terms of visual art, I started about two and a half years ago.”

What sort of art do you create? Has this changed over time?

“The visual art I do is really lots of layers of different subjects or pictures. They are then edited and filtered with different effects.

Often, I’ll use double, triple or quad exposure to create new layers and textures. It is a theme I still do now.”

What inspires you?

“Spirituality, justice, cosmology, ecology.”

What do you do if you’re not inspired?

“Breathe.”

Where do you practice art?

“Usually at home in my music studio but sometimes in live settings.”

Do you have any connections with the art community in Chelmsford?

“Yes, I am a friend of Chelmsford Creative Collective and enjoy seeing the incredibly talented people and the work they create.”

How often do you create?

“The visual side sadly has had to be put on the back burner for now.

The music and video aspect of my work has been really busy at the moment as I’m working with a number of artists on Connect - a multi media project exploring the links between science and spirituality as part of Essex 2020.”

is and to free them from the lie that all art begins with a capital A.” blackchapelartist.com www.windowgallery.org

ot p s s i h t n i e s i t Adver e City Times in Th 130 + VAT for £ Promote your business to thousands of local people every month!

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What’s the best thing about being an artist?

“There are no rules and no such thing as perfect.”

Where have you exhibited before?

“I have never exhibited before - this is my first one!”

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

“No, not yet.”

What superpower would you have and why?

“To help all people realise they are all artists in their lives - whether they are a painter, sculptor, nurse, doctor, teacher, whatever their job

We also publish

MoulshamTimes

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Are you / or do you represent a charity in the local area?

We love to feature a charity each month free of charge !

Send an email to Paul paul@itsyourmedia.co.uk

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Stargazing with Mark Willis - September/October September 22nd - September Equinox: Today, there will be nearly equal amounts of day and night throughout the world. It also means that today, it is officially autumn.

October 7th - Draconids Meteor Shower: The shower produces only about 10 meteors per hour. Best viewing is in the early evening instead of early morning like most other showers.

October 13th - Mars at Opposition: Mars tonight will be at its closest to Earth, brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. Even with a medium-sized telescope you’ll see some of the dark details on the planet’s orange surface. Don’t miss this one as the next good view of Mars will be 2033!

October 21th, 22nd - Orionids Meteor Shower: This shower produces up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. Should be a good show!

October 29th, 30th - Southern Taurids Meteor Shower: This one produces 5-10 meteors per hour. Best viewing will be just after midnight from a dark location far away from city lights.

October 31th - Uranus at Opposition: Uranus will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view Uranus. Due to its distance, it will only appear as a tiny blue-green dot in all but the most powerful telescopes.

New Moon: On 17th September and 16th October 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.

Email me with any questions at the email below.

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

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

n i e s i t r s e m i Adve T y t i C e h T n i t o T p A s V s i + h t 0 2 2 £ r fo

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op

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Classifieds Quiz Answers 1.

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Deadly nightshade 1946 Israel Horses The first map of the world (kept at Hereford Cathedral) Sarah 3 Ringo Starr August 2020 Ninety Video Assisted Referee Permanent waving of hair Obstacle race Dog Six Amanda Pink Floyd 48 1990 Scottish, made from whisky, oatmeal, eggs and honey

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Surrey Brentford Mobile North America (hickory) Perambulator (walker) Porcelain CS Lewis Racecourse You are beautiful Strong lager 1950 32. Bolton footballer, capped 33 times for England First commercial nuclear power station connected to the national grid in 1956 Frog or toad Twenty Aristotle Onassis 742 3,360 The stoat Eliza

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