The City Times September/October 2016

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CT Welcome Hello readers

Welcome to our September/October edition.

This month we have the fab Trembling Wilburys playing at Chelmsford City FC on 23rd September.

We cannot believe it is our 3rd anniversary already - how the magazine has grown in that time. We feel honoured to produce what we feel - and with the feedback we receive - is a publication that you and our advertisers enjoy!

Chelmsford is changing with John Lewis and the whole new development opening this month, plus there is the new restaurant quarter and so much more to come in the future. We are looking forward to it and we hope you are as well.

Nick & Paul www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk | www.moulshamtimes.com

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

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

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Page 3

CT Fashion - Dressing for the New Season It’s the end of the summer break and back to work for most of us and as I write this, the weather has turned decidedly drizzly and grey - it’s set to cheer up once more though, so fingers crossed for an Indian summer!

In terms of what’s on the high street, we are definitely between seasons, so it has come to that time of year again when what might be staring back at us when we open our wardrobe just isn’t going to cut it anymore. So how do you edit your wardrobe for the change of season? Not all of your summer clothes will have to be packed away…phew! You can still utilize your summer wardrobe until the cold weather really sets in.

So this is how to do it…

Step 1 Take a good look at your summer clothes, what has more mileage?

Tea dresses are perfect for this time of year and can be worn with leggings or tights for chillier weather with ankle boots or trainers and look great with leather or denim jackets. Printed camis can be utilized, and you can layer them with a denim shirt or with a coatigan or longline cardigan. T-shirts span all seasons, again layer with a boyfriend shirt on top. A summer slip dress with spaghetti straps can be worn with a jersey polo or jersey top underneath (see the 90s trend). Slouchy summer cotton knits come into their own now - you can wear them with lightweight printed skirts or dresses and they look great with boyfriend jeans.

There is a shirt dress for everyone out there and they are perfect for autumn.

The more structured style looks great on straight shapes and they also work for an hourglass figure as they make the most of the waist and the softer unstructured styles are good for pear shapes.

The Trenchcoat They are classic, they are stylish and they smarten up every outfit.

You could go for classic camel, navy or black, or experiment with a pop of colour and go for red or jade.

The Pleated Skirt Pleated skirts are a big trend this autumn. For a pear shape choose looser pleats and drop waists. If you are straight shaped or an hourglass, they look great as they add curves to straight shapes and emphasize curves on an hourglass shape. Thy come in a variety of fabrics from sheer to metallic to jersey.

Step 2 Take any really summery items out of your wardrobe (bikinis, shorts, strapless summer dresses, sandals, sarongs, anything beachy) and put them in zip-up vacuum bags or store them in your suitcase with mothballs until next summer.

Step 3 Be realistic about your summer wardrobe, we often hang on to clothes from two or three years or maybe longer that just don’t suit us anymore. For me, I realised anything above the knee was a no go for anything other than the beach.

Step 4 If you have stuff in your wardrobe that is too small or too big for you, don’t hang onto it. Embrace whatever dress size that you are currently. Give the wrong sizes to charity and you will have more room in your wardrobe, which is a real bonus.

Step 5 Assess what you are left with and think if you need to add to it. If so, what might be a wise buy?

Autumn Essentials The Shirt Every girl needs a few shirts in their wardrobe and they will become your friend this autumn. Ditsy printed boyfriend shirts work with cropped trousers or jeans or tuck them into a mid length skirt. The classic white shirt, or the denim or chambray shirt, is good for the daytime. A lace shirt is great for an evening out.

The Stripe Top A long sleeved Breton t-shirt is a must this season. They look great under a classic trench coat, coatigan, or denim jacket or even a leather jacket. For a sixties inspired look, wear with a corduroy or suede skirt.

The Wear-With-Everything Jeans Invest in a great pair of jeans and it will the best thing you can do for your wardrobe this autumn. Head to Levis and try on the many different styles. Pay more for a good pair of jeans and they should last for years and still look great.

The Shirt Dress

The Ankle Boot You will not find a more versatile pair of boots; they look great with tunic dresses, bodycon dresses, long skirts, mid length skirts or with jeans. Go for suede or nubuck over leather, as they are softer and a better transitional piece.

Emma Smith is a personal stylist. She offers personal shopping and wardrobe planning. You can contact her via her website www.emmasmith.co.uk, or email, emma@emmasmith.co.uk or emmapersonalstylist@hotmail.com.

Photo: Primark

Page 4

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Beer by Simon Tippler of roundtowerbrewery. co.uk As the days shorten and the evenings get darker, you might notice the beers in peoples’ hands getting a bit darker. Just as more white wine is drunk in the summer and more red in the winter, the ratio of pale to dark beer starts to shift.

For most smaller breweries, these darker beers are made by using a portion of roasted malt. In most cases these roasted malts are the same barley that makes up the majority of the beer. However, just like coffee, the barley is roasted to change the character of the grain. In fact, some versions of the barley that have been roasted very hot can impart similar flavours to coffee - such as burnt, acrid and roast.

A small percentage of a very dark malt can give the final beer a darker colour without much impact on flavour. Apparently some of the larger breweries use a caramel colour to give their beers the desired colour as they find it easier to produce a consistent product this way.

Once the percentage of the darker grains is increased, then their flavours become more noticeable in the beer. As there is such a large range of different grains available for brewers to use, there is an almost infinite amount of combinations - and therefore beer - that can be produced. As a result of a greater reliance on the malts to make a darker beer compared to a hop driven gold beer, these darker beers often have a much more malty flavour profile and are considered by some people to have a more complex flavour. This is especially true of some of the excellent

imperial stouts that are around at the moment - though perhaps the days aren’t quite short enough for an imperial stout just yet!

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Music by Nick Garner

We have a very busy time ahead for the next few weeks with our own festival and two special shows in October, as well having the Travelling Wilburys at Chelmsford City Football Club on Friday 23rd (see the advert).

We also have two special shows at the Bassment for Blues in the City in October, with Boo Hewerdine (the great singer songwriter) on Wednesday 12th October with the Jamie Williams Collective supporting (see the advert). Then Wille and the Bandits return to the Bassment on Tuesday 25th as part of their tour.

We start with the Blues in the City Festival 6. Yes, it is now six years since we first started - I cannot believe it; where has the time gone I ask myself!?

I am thrilled with the line-up for this year as always. I cannot thank all my sponsors, acts and supporters of the festival enough in helping us raise money for good causes while enjoying great live music. This year we must again thank ADBLY the ground workers for their support for a second year and to Sign Masters and Printwize as well as Round Tower Brewery and It’s Your Media plus Chelmer Web Design. Without all of them it would not be possible to put the festival on - and a very special thank you goes to Jan Yeates, my better half, who helps and puts up with me. I definitely could not do all that I do without her help and support. This year, for their second year in a row, we are supporting the Remus Horse Sanctuary who need £500,000 to operate. We hope we can help contribute towards this target and also raise awareness of the great work that this charity does in looking after animals that need help, as animals cannot speak for themselves.

Salvation Jayne at 6.45pm. We then finish the festival with Red Butler at 8.45pm.

All the the venues apart from the Social Club are free to enter, although we do hope that you will give a donation to the charity.

Coming up at the football club in October we have the Jar Family (see the advert on page 19) who are described as industrial folk - check them out online as we are really excited to have them playing for us.

They are becoming a very big act in the world of folk and roots right now.

There is lots more going on in and around Chelmsford, so check out our What’s On guide in this magazine. As ever, keep supporting great live music everywhere and find out more of what we are doing and putting on via the links below. www.bluesinthecity.co.uk www.facebook.com/bluesinthecitychelmsford Twitter: @BluesintheCity1 www.itsyourmusic.co.uk www.facebook.com/itsyourmusic Twitter: @itsyourmusic

The line-up for this year is amazing and we start on the Friday at the Chelmsford Social Club. Price of a ticket for the one night (in advance) is just £15 - or £18 on the night. For the Friday and Saturday the cost is just £25 in advance or £30 on the night.

The Friday sees three bands playing, with doors opening at 6.30pm.

Jamie Williams and the Roots Collective are on at 7.15pm and then at 8.15pm we have Blue Swamp, with their very special guest Robbie McIntosh on guitar. At 10.00pm we have Jerimiah Marques and The Blue Aces, so a great start to the festival.

Saturday starts in Moulsham Street at the Black Horse for 12.30pm with Catfish, then at 1.45pm we head to the Star and Garter for Elles Bailey. Then we move to the Ale House for 3pm for Dove and Boweevil. After this, we head back to the Chelmsford Social Club for 5.30pm with the Saiichi Sugiyama Band. At 7.00pm we have Northsyde and at 8.30pm we have Nicky Moore playing his last ever electric show with his band, the Blues Corporation. At 10.00pm is the Blues Supergroup, which is made up of Bad Influence and the Monday Band members, Val Cowell, Richard Hayes, Pete Stroud, Steve Simpson and Sam Kelly.

Sunday we start all over again at the Black Horse at 1.00pm with the Blues Consortium and then on to the Star and Garter for 2.15pm and the Delta Ladies. Next we’re off to the White Horse in Townfield Street (near the railway station) for the first time for 3.30pm and Andy Twyman. Next it’s the Ale House for Jimi Whitewolf (Dave Jackson) at 4.45pm. Then for the last two acts we go to the Bassment with Page 6

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CT Gardening by Tom Cole The season is far from over. At Writtle University College the seasonal bedding is really at its best this time of year. Over the last few years we have tried to make it a little more sustainable by using plants that are self-supporting, cover the ground and so block out weed growth and don’t require lots of deadheading. The same can be said for our mixed borders around the campus.

A mixed border may contain trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants and bulbs. Modern gardens tend to be small and may be better suited to a mixed border that can give interest throughout the year. For me the advantages of a mixed border are many: •

• • • •

Labour is expensive and it may be difficult to afford to maintain large areas of herbaceous plants. Herbaceous borders do not provide sufficient all year interest so trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants and bulbs are all grown together in a mixed border to provide extra colour and interest.

Shrubs are used to give structure.

Flowering and fruiting shrubs can provide interest in winter and spring.

Shrubs grown for their foliage colour can provide an effective foil or backdrop.

Herbaceous plants add to the seasons of interest especially in a small garden, by providing flowers and foliage at times when shrubs may be less interesting.

There are a few disadvantages of a mixed border such as:

• • •

So if you want to add a new border this year why not consider a mixed one? If you do, consider the following: • • • •

As far as maintenance goes, check out my simple steps to success: •

•

www.highwoodlandscapes.co.uk • Trees • Pruning • Hedge Trimming • Roots Removed • Topping • Rotovating • Turfing • Fencing • Garden Design • Decking • Patios • Block Paving • Drives • Tar & Shingle Property Maintenance • Roofing • Chimney Repairs • Building Work • Flat roofs • Guttering • Fascias & Soffits

20% discount when you mention The City Times Free written quotes and advice 10 year guarantee on all work 25 years experience Unit 1, The Paddocks, Highwood, Chelmsford, CM1 3PU

The soil must be fertile and well drained with plenty of organic matter and moisture.

The area should be free of perennial weeds, pests and diseases.

The site must be sunny and open, away from overhanging trees, otherwise the plants become drawn and do not flower well. This is less important for foliage plants.

The site should be sheltered so that the wind does not damage plants.

Start planning now and preparing for planting out later this autumn or early spring. If you’re sprucing up existing areas, this time is ideal for lifting up key plants and dividing them. This simple technique enables you to keep young plantlets and discard and compost poor growth.

•

01245 422712 / 07711 606561

Mixed borders can be difficult to plan.

A range of skills is needed as trees and shrubs have to be pruned.

Mixed borders may suffer from trying to look interesting at all times of the year.

• •

• •

•

Fertilisation - an annual application in spring of a balanced fertiliser such as Growmore @ 100g/m² or blood, fish and bone at 70g/m².

Weeding - regular weeding will be required, particularly in the spring and early summer.

Staking - this is best carried out before required. Materials used range from pea sticks, or lengths of hazel coppice, to bamboo canes and metal linking stakes. Staking should be as unobtrusive as possible to allow the natural form of the plant to develop and should be 15-30cm shorter than the ultimate height of the plant.

Division - herbaceous plants require regular division to keep them floriferous and healthy. This is carried out in the autumn or spring.

Irrigation - irrigation may be necessary in prolonged dry periods or when plants are establishing. Ground level irrigation systems, such as porous pipes, use water efficiently and do not damage flowers and foliage. As with all irrigation, a thorough soaking is preferable to a light sprinkling in order to encourage plants to develop deep root systems.

Dead heading - dead head where possible as this will encourage a longer flowering season.

Pests and diseases - monitor and treat pests and diseases accordingly. Commonly occurring problems include aphids and powdery mildew. Use this site for further information: www.rhs. org.uk/science/plant-health-in-gardens.

Mulching - an annual application of a layer of leaf mould, wellrotted farmyard manure, or garden compost helps to reduce weed seed germination and conserves soil moisture and improves soil structure.

Good luck and happy gardening!

For any gardening tips, contact Tom Cole, Senior 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

CT Food With John Jacobs

Sugar and Spice The stars have aligned. Autumn, the best phase in the culinary calendar, is here. The striking russet colours of Central Park are emerging from the glare of summer, the countdown to Christmas launches in earnest and that means one thing... Innuendos at the ready, soggy bottoms and unfeasibly tight double denim along with the pastry world’s equivalent of Whistler’s Mother, The Great British Bake Off has arrived. Bring on the macarons, mille-feuille and ParisBrest. Butter me a croissant, slice off a Kouign Amann and make my tatin as tarte as you can.

For a recovering cake-aholic, it can be a tough time. Before going into Chubbies Anonymous my arteries were ninety percent butter cream, but the heatwave is over and something has to fill the void. May as well be gateaux. So, to the aroma of formaldehyde and Blue Stratos, here come Mary and Paul.

This year’s eclectic bouquet garnet of contestants is the time honoured formula of enthusiastic experienced amateurs and petrified young folk killing time betwixt haberdashers and Oxford. My money’s on the one who cries a lot - there’s always one. This wasn’t always the case, the first series was won by The Sultan of Brunei’s falafel chef, Jean-Claude Falaire (not really). Sadly though, this year we’re lacking the token ‘hipster’ with unhygienically lengthy beard - probably barred on safety grounds. Get that facial topiary stuck in a KitchenAid and we’d be watching The Great British Face Off. I do wish, however, that M and P would synchronise taste buds prior to every episode.

Whatever Mary can’t taste, Mr Hollywood finds ‘over-powering’. Make your minds up chaps, I don’t pay my licence fee for independent thinking. I leave all that to the high-brow cultural low-lights of ITV2.

A tenner says in the next twelve months we’ll see Baking Bad with Danny Dyer. (I ought to copyright that).

I cannot deny the popularity of the show though, or the enormity of its success. The format is sold to twenty countries around the world with a host of spin offs. In Poland it’s called Polski Turniej Wypieków (The Polish Baking Tournament), In Italy it’s Dolci in Forno (Sweets in the Oven), in Greece, Efcharistíes Gia Tin Stroúntel, allá den eímaste plirónoun gia aftó (thanks for the strudel but we’re not paying for it) and in Germany Oh ja du bist (oh yes you are).

Did you know Mary Berry’s mother, Margaret, lived to be 105? I’m not just saying that to crowbar in a weak pun about elderberries either.

She really did - and on a diet of lard and trench-foot, as all people did in them days. So, on to the recette du mois (stop showing off Jacobs, we left Europe for a reason).

It had to be baking but as I am an ambassador for Slimming World it is baking with a twist. Easy and sugar free. This doesn’t have a name so I’ll call it - for the sake of completeness - Bernard. Have a great month everyone. As always, send your foody messages to cctfood@ gmail.com. It’s a pleasure to read them.

Bernard Biscotti Bake I made this to accompany a decent cup of coffee with the potential for dunkability. It’s also a pleasant alternative to cereal bars that are traditionally made with wood chippings and loft insulation. To make a Bernard, I have used filo pastry that I’ve sprayed with a little water so that is breaks down slightly. If you don’t like working with fiddly filo, puff pastry is just as good.

Ingredients 200g mixed dried fruit/peel 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon granulated sweetener Low fat butter spray 3 to 4 sheets filo pastry Preheat oven to 220 C/Gas 7. Line an oven tray with greaseproof paper.

Lay a filo sheet on your work surface and brush with melted butter.

Top with a second sheet, then brush with butter again. Repeat with the third and fourth sheets.

Sprinkle over the mixed dried fruits evenly for the filling.

Roll up the Bernard, starting with the side with the filling and working across to the other side. Spray with the butter spray then seal the ends. Cover with another piece of greaseproof and then press down gently until flattened. Place in fridge for 30 minutes to set into that shape.

Transfer to the prepared baking tray.

Bake the Bernard in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Leave to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting. Dust with icing sugar just before serving. Enjoy!

Dedicated to my Lotus driving, Withnail quoting friend, John Jacobs, who found this column ‘wonderfully mad’. Much missed.

Page 10 www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk

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What’s On in the Chelmsford Area

September Friday 16th Asylum - Oceans Aside + Spreading The Disease + Far From History Bassment - Mothers Jam: Sound Mirrors + Royy + KUFF + Paul Dale Civic - An Evening of Burlesque Cramphorn - One Man, Two Guvnors Fleece - Sax on Fire Maldon Prom - Essex Outdoor Cinema: Harry Potter & the Philosophers’ Stone Royal British Legion, Great Waltham - Walthamstock Cheque Presentation Star & Garter - VT11 Saturday 17th Asylum - Bearfist + Wychhound + Slave Steel + Inexitus Bassment - Small Worlds + The Boss Civic - Islands in the Stream Cramphorn - One Man, Two Guvnors Fleece - Grounds for Divorce Hyde Hall - Essex Plant Heritage Autumn Fair O’Connors - Half Way to St Patrick’s Day - live music Star & Garter - The Melting Pot - all day event Three Elms - Tapas Night Sunday 18th Cramphorn - Turandot (pre-recorded from Sydney Harbour) Cycle for Life - Farleigh Hospice’s 20th Sponsorer Cycle Ride Hyde Hall - Essex Plant Heritage Autumn Fair Star & Garter - Open mic/jam (3-7pm) Three Elms - Roast Dinners are back! (1-5pm) Wednesday 21st Bassment - On The Pulse: Live Music + Spoken Word + Visual ArtCivic - Jethro: 40 Years the Joker Cramphorn - Lunchtime concert Thursday 22nd Bassment - Live indie rock Cramphorn - The Neon Demon (18) Fleece - Quiz Night Friday 23rd Asylum - Platypus + The Keepers + 3 Foot High + Mr Happy Chainsaw Bassment - Fridays Alright! Indie Alternative Disco Chelmsford City FC - Trembling Wilburys Civic - Sinatra, Sequins and Swing Fleece - Hit Parade Star & Garter - Rewind Saturday 24th Asylum - Leisure Talk + Lady Grey & The Earls + LSD Bassment - Saturdays Alright For Dancin’! Indie Alternative Disco CCFC Away: Eastbourne Borough v Chelmsford City FC Cramphorn - Comedy Club 4 Kids Fleece - The Earnshaws Hylands Park - All About Dogs Star & Garter - Solar 9 Sunday 25th Cramphorn - Gordie MacKeeman & His Rhythm Boys Page 12

Sunday 25th Hylands Park - All About Dogs Star & Garter - Open mic/jam (3-7pm) Monday 26th Cramphorn - Norma (live from the Royal Opera House, London) Wednesday 28th Bassment - Jamie Williams: Solo album launch + Jo Anderton + Stu’s Front Room Civic - Barnum Cramphorn - At the Mountains of Madness Ingatestone Hall - An Invitation to View Old Court Theatre - The Unexpected Guest Thursday 29th Asylum - The Drainz + The Pterodactyls + Psychopathic Romantics Bassment - Americana Night: Bob Collum + Franc Cinelli + The Southern Generals Civic - Barnum Cramphorn - At the Mountains of Madness Old Court Theatre - The Unexpected Guest Fleece - Quiz Night Star & Garter - Acoustic Jam Friday 30th Asylum - Circle of Reason + Enrosadira + Berries Bassment - Rubber Soul: Jerry Dammers (The Specials) DJ set Chelmsford Social Club - Blues in the City Festival (6.30pm - see advert on page 6) Civic - Barnum Cramphorn - Bette Midler and Me Fleece - Cadence Old Court Theatre - The Unexpected Guest Star & Garter - Adrenalin October Saturday 1st Alehouse - Blues in the City: Dove & Boweevil Duo (3pm) Asylum - Stormbringer + Temple of Lies + Gabriel + Scream Serenity Bassment - Saturdays Alright For Dancin’! Indie Alternative Disco Black Horse - Blues in the City: Catfish (12.30pm) Chelmsford Social Club - Blues in the City Festival -(5pm - see advert on page 6) Civic - Barnum County Hotel - Rocky Horror Meal Dark Side Comics - 3rd Birthday Fleece - Steal Old Court Theatre - The Unexpected Guest Star & Garter - Blues in the City: Elles Bailey (1.45pm) Star & Garter - Broadway Clash Sunday 2nd Alehouse - Blues in the City: Jimi Whitewolf (4.45pm) Bassment - Blues in the City: Salvation Jayne (6.45pm) Bassment - Blues in the City: Red Butler (8.45pm) Black Horse - Blues in the City: Blues Consortium (1pm) Cramphorn - Chelmsford Jazz Club Star & Garter - Open mic/jam (3-7pm) Star & Garter - - Blues in the City: Delta Ladies (2.15pm) White Horse - - Blues in the City: Andy Twyman (3,30pm) Woolpack - GC’s Jazz Club: Paul Higgs Trumpet (8.30pm)

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

Tuesday 4th Bassment - AT Music Group Showcase Cramphorn - Midnight Special (12a) Wednesday 5th Bassment - Jazz Funk Monthly with Adam Glasser (harmonica) Cramphorn - Lunchtime concert Thursday 6th Asylum - Tim Smith + SJ Denney + Mike O’Leary + Dave Moriaty Bassment - Bassment Blues Jam Civic - The Sensational 60s Experience Fleece - Quiz Night South Woodham Ferrers Village Hall - Beer Festival Star & Garter - Mojo Moon Friday 7th Asylum - The Franklys + velettes Bassment - Shakey’s Sessions: Goldray + Guilt Coins + 7&6 CCFC - A Night of Classic Rock: GB v USA Cramphorn - Dheepan (15) Fleece - Copyright Star & Garter - Hit Parade Saturday 8th Asylum - The Graphic + Hathors + Void Wales Bassment - Andy Poole’s Riddled With Booze Orchestra + The Drama Llamas + Christopher Walken’s Alien Dance Party CCFC Home: Chelmsford City v Wealstone Cramphorn - Essex Poetry Festivals: The Only Way is Poetry Civic - Romeo & Juliet Fleece - Charies Aunt South Woodham Ferrers Village Hall - Beer Festival Star & Garter - The Statins Three Elms - 2 courses, £16 Sunday 9th Civic - Romeo & Juliet Star & Garter - Open mic/jam (3-7pm) Wednesday 12th Bassment - Boo Hewerdine + Jamie Williams Collective Trio Cramphorn - Lunchtime concert Cramphorn - RSC Live: King Lear (screened live from the Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon) Thursday 13th Asylum - Fatality EP Launch Bassment - Wallop!

Cramphorn - Where to Invade Next (15) Star & Garter - Mojo Moon Friday 14th Bassment - Electric Jam with Paolo Morena + Matt Abbott (poet) + Sean Watkins (beatboxer) Civic - Whitney Queen of the Night Cramphorn - Carry on Jaywick Fleece - Kinetic Star & Garter - GT40s Saturday 15th Asylum - Nasty High + Bled the Fifth + Taming Addiction + Let’s Build an Empire Bassment - The White Gospel: Album Launch CCFC Away: Gosport Borough v Chelmsford City FC Fleece - 6 String Makeover Star & Garter - The Locals Three Elms - Steak night Sunday 16th Civic - Andy Fairweather Low and the Low Riders County Hotel - Wedding Fayre Star & Garter - Open mic/jam (3-7pm)

Venue Websites

Asylum: www.asylumchelmsford.co.uk - Viaduct Road Bassment: www.bassmentbar.com (16-18 Wells St, Chelmsford, CM1 1HZ) Chelmsford Theatres: www.chelmsford.gov.uk/theatres Fairfield Road Chelmsford City FC: www.chelmsfordcityfc.com - Salerno Way The Fleece: www.thegoldenfleece-chelmsford.co.uk - Duke Street Star & Garter: www.facebook.com/star.garter.792 - Moulsham Street The Three Elms: www.the-three-elms.com - Chignall St James

£29 9

Star & Garter Live music every weekend (See listings for gigs)

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Please send us your events for the next edition (for events between 14th October 18th November) to to: editorial@itsyourmedia.co.uk

The Ideas Festival aims to stimulate and inspire people through a set of innovative and enjoyable events suitable for all ages and covering the themes technology, family events, arts, heritage, wellbeing and food. There are talks, workshops, practical activities and events showcasing Chelmsford’s impressive heritage. These will not only provide first class learning opportunities but also help bring the arts and culture to the local doorstep.

The Ideas Festival has been growing since starting in 2012, staging more than 70 events each year. But 2016 is shaping up to be the biggest year yet with over 100 events confirmed. 2015 alone reached out to approximately 3million people during the publicity period and we aim to build on the success of previous years and continue to strengthen the sense of community within Chelmsford.

Chelmsford’s leading cultural base, The Ideas Hub, will showcase a number of events including creative workshops for children, aerial taster classes and much more. Anglia Ruskin University’s Rivermead Campus will host an array of events and talks, including The Future of Our City, and a Royal Society of Arts workshop on a Sustainable Economy for Chelmsford - City and County Town of Essex. Other venues hosting events, talks and workshops include Writtle University College, Marconi Social Centre, Quaker Meeting House and Acanteen.

Since Chelmsford gained city status in 2012, the pace of change has been breathtaking: with the restoration of historic buildings, plus the retail developments in and around the city centre.

The festival provides a unique opportunity to revisit the city’s past and influence its future.

Amongst the festival highlights will be the screening of the original film Battle of the Somme, which takes place in the cathedral accompanied by a full live orchestra. There is also the return of the hugely popular Marconi Exhibition which has seen mass attendance in previous years. And a brand new addition for 2016 is the introduction of Rainworks, a Big Lottery Funding art project featuring secret messages exposed on the pavements of Chelmsford when it rains.

To help launch this year’s festival with a bang we are proud to be staging Chelmsford’s very first Little Monsters Parade. Aimed at children aged 10 years and under, this is a masked parade marching through Bell Meadow Park and Chelmsford city centre, ending back at the Ideas Hub where they’ll be an outdoor stage featuring live music, plus workshops involving poetry, dancing and games.

Prior to the parade the Ideas Hub will be hosting a mask making workshop giving children and

parents the opportunity to create their own masks, whether in the theme of Halloween or inspired by the colours of tribal masks.

The parade and mask making workshop take place on Saturday 22nd October 2016 and will be perfect for families, with adults welcome and encouraged to join in with the fun. The mask making workshop will run from 10.30am-12.30pm, with the parade running from 1-1.45pm, then live entertainment and workshops until 5pm.

Children and adults are invited to join in with the parade even if they don’t participate in the mask making workshop. The Ideas Festival runs from 22nd October to 12th November 2016.

Tickets for events will be available from 19th September in person from the festival box office located in the Chelmsford Ideas Hub, or online via the official website.

For up-to-date festival information visit: www.ideasfestivalchelmsford.org Facebook.com/IdeasFestivalChelmsford Twitter.com/IdeasHubChelms The Chelmsford Ideas Festival is sponsored by: Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford City Council, Essex County Council, Boxed Up Media, AQ2, The Utility Warehouse.

Asylum AlternatiV Festival by Pete at Grab The Mic On the weekend, from 19­th to the 21st August, it was again time for Chelmsford City Council, Virgin and Hylands Park trustees to pull out the tents, load up the beer kegs and construct the stages in preparation for Chelmsford’s yearly trend-fest - otherwise known as the V Festival. Featuring various musicians (a word I will use lightly in this context) such as wannabe punk-rebel-cum-mime artist Justin Bieber and extravagance extraordinaire Sia, it was a weekend of high winds, heavy rain and heavy bass beats which could be heard beyond the wide expanse of Hylands Park. Meanwhile, tucked in a little bar under the Viaducts was another festival, this time known as AlternatiV Fest.

day before the door to the Attic was opened and After Dave brought in the noise with their riffy, hard metal.

Soon after, We Are Bandicoot hit the stage to play a selection of spacey tunes, which led me to seeing images of Dr Dre on the walls (or maybe that was just the fatigue kicking in). Sadly it was at this point that I felt the need to go home due to the aforementioned fatigue with plans to return later. However, as those plans fell through and I peacefully slept, the day/night continued with Party at Your House, Druids and Mercury Rising all performing sets which I’m sure rocked the walls of Asylum, as one would expect.

Throughout both days/nights, charity buckets were being passed around for the J’s Hospice and Young Epilepsy - the latter of which is somewhat personal to a friend and myself - with most, if not all, punters very happy to donate to both causes. With a little encouragement, the occasional festival goer also seemed willing

to drop in what little loose change they had remaining from their overpriced beers, slightly changing my opinion of the average V Festival goer.

Hosted by Eddie and Denise Wood at Asylum, this very local festival played host to a number of local bands and musicians - both new and established - and raised £300+ for the charities, Young Epilepsy and The J’s Hospice.

An estimated total of £330+ was raised through donations, purchases and... use of the toilet charged at £1 per non-paying customer. www.asylumchelmsford.co.uk Photos: David Staplehurst

Opening the event was acoustic Southenders, The Timlins. Followed by Keith Hudson and then The March Fleet.

The volume continued to increase with bands such as Colina Pearl (formerly known as Courtesan) performing their late 80s, pre-grunge metal. Indie punks, Tirade, and the legendary Steve Hooker with his hard blues closed the night.

Meanwhile, those who chose to remain downstairs with the wind softly - neé, violently - blowing their hair, were kept entertained by the Distorted DJs, DJ Willow and Luke (who has recently replaced Andy B), who supplied listeners with a wide range of rock, metal, Tenacious D and Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb.

Day two was opened by former Shamen singer, Cheryl C Hemmings and Max Campbell of Mercury Rising/Party at Your House playing acoustic sets to help those nursing a hangover ease into the

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Business Interview - Live Dosa by Tom Bosher This month I had the pleasure of interviewing Fazila from Live Dosa on Duke Street.

So Fazila when did Live Dosa first open its doors in Chelmsford?

“It was June 2013 when we first opened and we were situated in the Chelmsford undercover market.

We had the plan of what we wanted to open, a ‘Dosa Restaurant’, but all that was available was an ex golf shop, so there was no kitchen at all. We did everything from scratch from fitting the canopies, the kitchen and all the décor. At one point we even carried a 300kg griddle up to a 3rd floor flat where we were living at the time, to practice making the Dosa! We left the market in May 2014 and then in July 2014 we opened here on Duke Street.”

What do you like about this location in Chelmsford’s West End? “It’s great, we are more or less directly opposite the bus station and just a couple of footsteps from Chelmsford train station. After being in the market for 5-6 months we knew it was going to work, so we started looking at licensed properties. I found myself looking morning, lunchtime and in the evenings. We did view others but then found out this was available. It was a struggle getting it completed, we literally worked, lived and breathed here. The whole place has been done by us so it feels very personal to me and for our customers.”

What part of India is Kerala located in?

“It’s the extreme south of India along the coast. Kerala on the map actually looks like the vegetable karela which maybe where it got its name from.”

What makes Keralan cuisine so different from other Indian restaurants?

“We offer a refreshingly different menu of traditional authentic South Indian cuisine, with the main differences being that coconuts, rice and fish form a staple diet in Kerala, which is evident in the dishes at the restaurant. All of the food is flavoured with various spices including cloves, cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, star anise, cumin, fenugreek, fennel and asafoetida plus many others which are abundantly grown in Kerala. Coconut and coconut milk are widely used in Keralan cuisine. Whilst other restaurants that you would have visited probably use cream to thicken their sauces, at Live Dosa, keeping true to South Indian traditions, our chefs use coconut milk as a thickener instead. This not only gives the food a delightful flavour, but also means most curries are dairy free.

“Furthermore, the use of rice and rice flour means there is a huge selection of gluten free foods, with all the curries and almost all of the dosas being completely gluten free. At Live Dosa we do not serve vindaloo, madras or jalfrezi, but the traditional dishes that we were brought up on.”

How do your source your recipes?

“It’s exactly how my mother used to make it. Everything on the menu is the food that we have been brought up on. Obviously the tandori dishes are different, but everything else on the menu is food that we ourselves eat everyday.”

What do you enjoy most about what you do here?

“Everything. I enjoy every bit of it. Both me and my husband are very entrepreneurial minded. He started his first business at the age of 15 in India. The best thing is that we were able to start this business up

ourselves with no partnerships. We want to make all the decisions.

Be it good or bad, we can make it ourselves, which is what I love and makes a huge difference to the way we run our business. The other thing I enjoy is the challenge. There is a new challenge every day which really helps to keep us engaged.”

What would be your signature dishes here?

“Fish. Fish is what Kerala is famous for, so all the fish dishes here are traditionally cooked. The other would be beef. This is unusual because it is not normally served in Indian restaurants. In Kerala there is a strong Christian and Catholic influence.”

What would be your favourite dish?

“My favourite dish would be a para, this is a fish and we use the same method of cooking as we do with the sea bass. It’s marinated and pan fried and that is my favourite. If you ever go to Kerala most of the homes would be cooking with fish. It is the traditional meal.”

Do you have any up coming events at Live Dosa?

“Yes, we have a great event coming up this month from the 13th till 18th September which we are really looking forward to. It’s called the Live Dosa Onam Sadhya. Onam is the auspicious festival of Kerala that marks the start of the harvest season and celebrates the homecoming of the mythological King Mahabali. It’s a vegetarian feast comprising of 15 to 20 dishes all served up on a traditional banana leaf. It is £19.99 per person and the bookings can be made for lunch or dinner. All you have to do is call 01245 697 440 or email bookings@livedosa.co.uk.”

So what are the plans for Live Dosa going forward?

“We have loads of plans. We were planning to open up a separate takeaway, but my dream project would be to construct a building using traditional Keralan architecture. Then it would be a traditional ayur verdic massage. It would be a sanctuary where people can chill out and relax with yoga, health food and pampering in a serene place.

I am sure it would be hugely popular.”

Live Dosa is a great success story of a local independent business in Chelmsford’s West End. So if you like Indian food why not try Live Dosa and experience the authentic difference? You will be sure of a warm and friendly welcome!

bestofchelmsford

What does thebestof Chelmsford do? We provide a valuable service to the people and businesses of Chelmsford.

For members of the public, thebestof Chelmsford is a community focused website. On the website users can find out all sorts of information about our city such as local clubs, schools and associations. They can also find out what’s going on in and around Chelmsford from the events section of the website. But what’s really great about thebestof Chelmsford is the fact that users can log on and add to the site themselves! They can add their own events, or they can blog about issues in Chelmsford that affect everybody.

Thebestof Chelmsford is completely interactive.

There’s also a local business directory showcasing the best businesses in Chelmsford and the surrounding area. The point about the businesses on thebestof Chelmsford is the fact that they’re all recommended by local people - real people. We encourage reviews which the best businesses deserve and ask everyone to let us know of the businesses they love and why.

So why not get engaged with thebestof today?

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therapy by Jenny Hartill Carrying on my series on phobias, today I’m looking at another phobia that many people suffer from. Although aichmophobia is widely used to describe a fear of needles, this term technically describes a phobia that goes much further than that, with people becoming afraid of pencils, knives, a pointing finger, or even the sharp end of an umbrella and different sorts of protruding corners or sharp edges in furniture and building constructions/materials.

Many people might associate these fears with what is also known as trypanophobia, belonephobia or enetophobia. which is an extreme fear of hypodermic needles, or more generally, procedures involving injections. This phobia is most often seen in children (we do go through a lot of inoculations as kids!), but when witnessed in adults, it usually indicates aichmophobia. If left untreated, aichmophobia can worsen over time and can even hinder normal everyday activities and development. Furthermore, in some extreme cases, those with this disorder can be fearful to a degree at which they faint when they are presented with a sharp object, especially needles.

need to be so sensitive to this stimuli and they learn to view the event in a different way.

My hypnotherapy screeds are always positive, so i would also encourage the client to see how positive and free they feel by letting go of their fear, that they do not need their fear etc. I would also encourage the client to set new boundaries and to trust themselves - that they know that they are in control and can assess the situation properly and therefore do not need to be afraid.

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

Identifying aichmophobia should be easy. If the person who has the disorder becomes extremely fearful or exhibits other nervous behaviours when exposed to sharp objects, they may have aichmophobia. Some of the most immediate symptoms that might appear include: • • • • • •

Feelings of dread or panic when in the presence of sharp objects Automatic or uncontrollable reactions in response to their fear (fainting, for example) Rapid heartbeat Shortness of breath Trembling Extreme avoidance

There is no universally specific cause of this disorder. Rather, unique and specific instances (such as an Initial Sensitising Event) and according to some theorists possible evolutionary factors instill the victim with fear and a possible predisposition to developing aichmophobia. Sometimes an initial sensitising event can be rather traumatic and that could have instigated the phobia including painful medical procedures, either that the victim had to endure or simply witnessed, physical or emotional restraint, accidents that involved injury by a sharp object, or Iatrophobia, an extreme and irrational fear of doctors.

I have witnessed aichmophobia myself in a family member, in fact this phobia was so extreme that something quite amazing happened.

They were so afraid of needles that when visiting the dentist for a filling, they could actually block out the pain. They literally felt nothing.

Luckily the private dentist they went to was brave enough to do the filling with no anaesthetic! This is a perfect example of how powerful the mind is, and if you bear this is mind it’s also how we can use hypnotherapy to eradicate this fear.

You see, if the mind is strong enough to block out pain - it’s strong enough to overcome the fear. Firstly I would need to find out how this phobia has manifested itself: Is this a learned fear, or is there an initial sensitising event at work here? Then, we need to deal with the phobia. Systematic Desensitisation is an excellent tool to use - so I could take the client back to what happened and gradually desensitise them to their phobia. We can do this in various different ways, so we could start off perhaps with them watching their initial sensitising event on a screen like a movie, or perhaps they just see one image like a photograph. They could watch their movie until they feel ready to step into it and ‘interact’ with the environment and the event that caused the fear. The client would be under hypnosis and so completely calm and relaxed, they therefore learn that they do not Page 20

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Page 21

Fitness and Well-Being The Fast Track Machine! (Also Known as 50 Shades of Pilates Due to It’s Red Room of Pain Appearance!) by Kellie Jones Well, even if you have no idea what I’m talking about, hopefully I caught your attention as we are very excited to be planning the introduction of Reformer Classes to Hummingbird! Ok so I’ve actually been teaching 11 Reformer Pilates since I opened my first little studio on the 3rd floor in Wells Street 13 years ago, originally on a machine I purchased for £400 from QVC! The training cost 4 times that much but I was just soooo excited to be teaching this transformational technique to Chelmsford peeps. To me it wasn’t new, as I had studied dance and it had been compulsory at theatre college, my saviour when injured and not able to dance. Years later it was suddenly available to the masses and I wanted to share this best kept secret and that dream has continued to come true.

Without wanting to harp on your heartstrings with a sob story I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t say it’s been a rollercoaster of love, sweat and tears owning such a niche, somewhat luxury business during a time of recession in a town hard to convince. But hey we are a thriving, growing city now with plenty of cool people who understand that looking after yourself is where it’s at. (See my article about Chelmsford getting juicier in last month’s edition!)

So it seems the media are giving Reformer Pilates classes a good plug and even we now are the proud of owners of £3Ks worth of a state of the art machine, (I still have the hardy QVC original!), it is still only available exclusively to those who prefer private 11 or 21 sessions.

guaranteed to speed up results, whatever your health and wellbeing goals are, then you’d better keep your ear to the ground for the start date...

Other exciting news is that the Gong is back for this month’s harvest full moon, (sorry this is already sold out!) Essex surfer yogi, Dan Peppiatt, is visiting from Devon again, this time to help you find lightness in your practise with Core Stability and Bandhas, (the body’s internal muscularphysical ‘locks’).

We have loads of new stock arriving at our Hummingbird Lifestyle Store this month too, with new collections from our favourite Yoga Leggs clothing brand, new flavours from Conscious Raw Chocolate, the whole range of Positiviteas and Neals Yard Organic cosmetics too.

Mens yoga gear is next on the order list, whoohoo!

Lastly I will be making my international presenter debut in LA next month, bringing Punk’d Up Pilates to Hollywood alongside my heroes Sadie Nardini and Deepak Chopra. I can’t wait to tell you all about my adventures!

Until then, keep up your #selfloveplan and see you you all soon.

Namaste, Kellie.

Find out more at www.hummingbirdpilates.co.uk. Call 01245 422 556 or download the app from Apple/Google Play.

After yet another enquiry we decided it’s time to step it up a notch, so we are looking to launch officially in January and in the meantime we’ve got the use of some mobile machines to road test the logistics until then.

With a team of 4 pilates beauties to teach you all, including Ellie and yours truly, it’s going to be an attractive addition to our already busy studios. See the photo above of one of my amazing clients who has just blown me away with her transformation and appreciation.

So if you are looking to try something new that is pretty much Page 22

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

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

How can a rubbish X Factor wannabe help you lose weight?

As The X Factor returns to our screens we will no doubt be treated to an endless stream of auditions. Clip after clip (set to the obligatory emotional music of course) will tell of the heart wrenching ‘journey’ that these wannabes have been on, culminating in some teary-eyed twentysomething crying to the camera talking about how they’ve overcome the tragedy of the death of their school’s goldfish and how they are now ‘doing it’ for their aforementioned fishy friend.

One or two of the auditionees will be good - pretty damn good in fact - but most will, at best, be moderately talented (which of course won’t harm their careers none, Posh Spice is testament to this). A few will be rubbish, downright rubbish and it’s these guys, the rubbish ones, that I’m concerned with, for they see themselves as something they clearly are not.

It’s as if they’ve spent hours working with a sports psychologist visualising themselves as pop stars, and have therefore become pop stars. Either that or they are, to coin an outdated and potentially offensive phrase ‘a few sandwiches short of a picnic’; but there’s no way ITV would exploit vulnerable people just to fill air time would they?

Then again have you watched an episode of Jeremy Kyle lately? No I’ll take that back just in case the ITV lawyers are reading and I end up like many a ‘70s entertainer - in the slammer!

So what lessons can we learn from these completely compus mentis auditionees? Firstly, it is how we can harness the power of the mind to help us reach our goals. Just as they look in the mirror and see a bona fide rock star staring back at them, an overweight person trying to shed some timber should not look in the mirror and dwell on what’s staring back at them but instead focus on how they

want to look in the future. Many psychologists believe that motivation tends to be stronger if we are aiming for something positive rather than trying to get away from something negative. So if weight loss is your goal, stop focusing on the size of your bingo wings or your bulging belly and instead spend your time focusing on how you really want your body to look in the future. (Putting a picture of a person with a physique you really admire on your phone’s wallpaper can really help to motivate you here).

Secondly, you need to start behaving like the future you. Just like the X Factor auditionee who dons a pair of saggy jeans, an oversized t-shirt and a flat peaked baseball cap suddenly begins behaving like a rapper, talking in some pseudo Jamaican accent, you need to start behaving like a fitter and healthier new you. As much as possible act in a manner that is in accordance with the future you, go out and try to be as physically active as you can and be mindful of what types of food you eat and how much you eat. In short, go out and behave as if you were already in great shape and it won’t be long before you actually are in great shape. As for the rubbish X Factor wannabe, they’ll just continue to be like many a reality TV star - deluded of their talents!

Thanks for reading. To book your free trial personal training session, or to book a place at my bootcamp classes, or of course for more detailed info on how to motivate yourself to exercise and lose weight, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Matt matt@mlrpt.co.uk | www.mlrpt.co.uk | 07939 316 401 | www.twitter. com/mlrpt | www.facebook.com/mlrpt | www.twitter.com/mlrpt

www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk Page 23

Charity of the Month - CHESS Supporting homeless single adults in Chelmsford and Essex.

night shelter as it was her first time in surroundings such as these.

CHESS seeks to relieve homelessness and related hardship and distress amongst single adults in Chelmsford and Essex through the provision of support services and temporary accommodation that helps them move on in their lives.

She was also struggling to cope with the devastating loss of her mother and then her home and felt intimidated by some of the other service users. She engaged with her support worker and accessed the GP for support. She also worked with a counsellor and grew in independence which in turn boosted her self-esteem. Daisy has since been successful with an application for a part time job and will soon be moving to alternative supported housing. She is optimistic about her future.

In the early 1990s, Churches Together in Chelmsford (CTiC) were concerned for the plight of homeless people in Chelmsford. First responses were to organise soup runs. Harsh winters at that time caused further worries and so local churches took it in turn to open their halls for a week at a time so that homeless people could sleep there at night. It became clear a shelter was needed, and one which was not restricted to winter months only and so CHESS opened a night shelter in the mid 1990s.

CHESS Registered Office: 23-24 George Street, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 0JU - CHESS Registered charity number 1093901 - Company Number 4407742.

The night shelter provides emergency accommodation for up to seven homeless people. Whilst referrals are accepted from other agencies, the night shelter is a ‘direct access’ hostel, meaning that many homeless people can apply for admission. The shelter additionally provides drinks and food along with clothing, sleeping bags and hygiene and laundry facilities to rough sleepers calling at the night shelter for help.

The charity also has four ‘move-on shared houses’ which serve as a further step towards independent living. Move-on homes are intended for those who are progressing towards achieving independent accommodation of their own.

Other support includes a team of support staff who work closely with residents throughout their stay, as well as a part time qualified counsellor and a Secure Tenancies Officer who identifies affordable independent accommodation and provides support and help in independent living for a further 6 months or beyond if required.

From April 2015 - March 2016, 79 people passed through the CHESS service and whilst the charity receives some government funding they also rely on charitable donations from individuals, groups and associations, corporate organisations, legacies and trusts and grants.

CHESS also receives fantastic support from local traders who kindly donate short life food to redistribute to our service users and we receive many donations of goods from the local community which we greatly appreciate.

CHESS also self fundraises, with our next event being a concert

by Men2Sing and New City Voices Choir, which is taking place on Saturday 19th November at Christ Church URC, London Road, Chelmsford - tickets are £12 each. For further information or to buy tickets, please email lhurrell@chelmsfordchess.org.

The charity relies on the tremendous support of volunteers who play a vital role. If you are interested in giving up a few hours or your spare time to help with doing administration, gardening, cleaning or becoming one of over-night sleepers, then please email barbara@ chelmsfordchess.org.

If you are able to support CHESS by fundraising, giving a donation or if you are a group or association who has an after dinner speaker and would like to hear about the work of CHESS then please contact Lindsay Hurrell, CHESS Fundraiser on 01245 281 104.

This is an account of a case study: Daisy’s Story Daisy arrived at CHESS in August 2014. Following the death of her mother she was thrown out of her home by a family member making her homeless. She approached the council and was informed of CHESS and the services that we offer.

If you would like to be our charity of the month please email editorial@ itsyourmedia.co.uk

Daisy was offered a bed but she initially struggled with residing at the Page 24

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The Christy Group Part 1 by Stephen Norris “A firm so steeped in the family traditions of caring and benevolence.”

The Christy group of companies may have been the smallest of Chelmsford’s big companies, but it was internationally known for much of the twentieth century. In the 19th century the Quaker Christy family controlled a strictly run business, but their very benevolent attitude to those who stuck to the rules led to many families working for the firm for several generations. The distinction that it was a family firm with a paternalistic attitude towards its employees worked in its favour until after the Second World War. After 1945 this way of running a business, although still not without merits in many respects, became outdated. The way to survival and further prosper was pointed out to the firm, but unwillingness to take on new management techniques played a big part in its eventual demise. All the big three Chelmsford firms received early support from the Christy Company. The Barrett cousins received a lot of help and advice from the company in the early days of the Hoffmann company.

Early contacts with the Crompton company resulted in Frank Christy being apprenticed to the colonel’s business. This resulted in a second branch of the business being established revolving around electrical engineering. Marconi himself carried out testing on the firm’s premises at Broomfield when he was just beginning to get established. The fact that Christy and Norris’ disintegrator was used in non agricultural industries enabled them to survive the depression in farming in the late 19th century when a number of other local engineers didn’t.

The Christy family tree goes back to the 17th century. Fell Christy, who started the engineering firm, was the youngest son of James Christy and Charlotte Fell. James Christy was a farmer but did a certain amount of clay digging and brick making in ‘Pottery Field’ near Patching Hall off the Broomfield Road. He is known to have established a Temperance Council in Chelmsford. Fell Christy - ‘an engineer by intuition’ - was apprenticed by his father to Whitmore and Binyon, well known millwrights and agricultural engineers at Wickham Market. In 1858 Fell was allowed to buy Browning’s farm, which included a house off the Broomfield Road. This became the site for the family business when Fell went into partnership with his father.

By 1859 the partnership had works in Broomfield and Moulsham but the family were still manufacturing pots. The site at Broomfield became known at the Broomfield Ironworks. Fell spent much of his time servicing and repairing wind and water mills. He went all over the country, even as far as Ireland. During this time he gained ‘a reputation for meticulous care and attention to detail’ and business was good from the start. In the 1860s he was also producing brick making equipment, as well as horticultural and heating apparatus, steam engines and grinding machinery. He did not make his own iron castings until the end of the 1860s when he had an iron and brass foundry built at the Broomfield Road site.

Although there was another foundry in Chelmsford at Coleman and Morton, such foundries were still comparatively rare in the county.

He made sure that the latest iron making techniques of Naysmyth were incorporated into the new foundry. In about 1872 the firm started to make the beater type of disintegrator which had previously only been used in the United States. After this the disintegrator (with many developments and improvements) became the centre of what became Christy and Norris. It was used to reduce a variety of materials into powder very efficiently. Eventually it was employed not only in agriculture but also milling, food manufacture and other industries.

The resulting rapid growth of the firm meant that much of Fell Christy’s time was being taken up with the engineering side of the business and he had little time left for the equally essential commercial side of a business. For this reason he approached James Alfred Norris in 1880. As we have seen, Norris worked for

Eddington’s. His financial acumen was vital but also his knowledge of agricultural engineering opened up further business for the company and in 1885 he became a full partner of the business. The Essex Chronicle in 1884 reported on a dinner to celebrate Fell Christy’s silver wedding at which all the seventy workmen employed at the iron and brass foundry and milling works on the Broomfield Road site attended. Richenda Christy said: “Now the works cover half an acre.

14 years ago there were only six workers.”

In 1890 a serious fire occurred at the Broomfield works. At the time it was common for workmen to supply their own tools and many of these were destroyed in the fire. Subscriptions raised by councillor Whitmore amounted to over £39 and were used to replace these tools. As with the fire at Crompton’s Arc Works the previous year, Christy’s responded to the blaze positively. Rebuilding was done on modern lines enabling them to experiment further in methods of grinding, sifting and conveying. The firm benefited from the rapidly expanding demand for both feeding stuffs and fertilisers. Its disintegrator and the connected equipment were recognised as the leader for these types of products.

The two partners were certainly hard task masters. Work began at 6am and the gates were then locked. They were re-opened to latecomers at 6.25am. After that nobody was let in until breakfast.

No overtime was given until it was considered essential. Smoking and swearing were banned. Rule 13 included the sentence ‘we look to the men to see that the lads do no mischief’. The fines system included 6d for leaving work before the horn blew, 6d for being absent without reason and one shilling for wasting materials. All the fines went towards the employees’ sick club.

In 1897 William Christy, Fell’s son, was taken on to concentrate on millwright activities. He was responsible for improving the windmill at Stock. Meanwhile as the disintegrator progressed, it was used for grinding limestone, hooves, horns, bones and phosphate rock for the fertiliser industry. Well before the end of the century, Christy and Norris were becoming well known in the British Empire and South America.

Frank Christy, another son of Fell Christy, was born in 1865. He was educated at the Friends School in Croydon. After being apprenticed to Colonel Crompton’s Arc Works he set up a business in the Broomfield Road in 1883. In 1887 he went into business with another brother, Leonard Fell Christy, to form Christy Brothers. Initially they carried out electric lighting installations in mills, factories and farms. An Irish bacon factory was their first contract. This involved installing 200 lights. It was followed by installations in a number of flour mills at Bristol, Tewkesbury, Bedford and Nuneaton. In 1889 the Chronicle reported ‘Messrs Christy’s firm appears to be making rapid progress in the electrical world.’

The new venture was only 18 months old but had already lit 30 flour mills including Ridley’s at Chelmsford. In 1891 the Weekly News reported that electric lighting was making steady progress in the shops and houses in Chelmsford, according to a pamphlet produced by the firm. During the 1890s installations were made in worsted mills, hosiery and boot factories, silk mills, paper mills, dye works and foundries. Electric installations were also carried out in a number of country houses beginning with Lord Rayleigh’s house at Terling.

Before the end of the century, much of the Christy Brothers’ business became the provision of public electricity supply undertakings. At the same time the use of water power to produce electricity began to fascinate Frank Christy. The firm produced a small scheme for a country house in Aberdeenshire in 1897 and a larger scheme at Fine.

At the turn of the century the firm became one of the pioneers of the electrification of small towns and villages. In 1900 the firm produced the lighting for the town of Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight and in 1903 they lit Midford on Sea, Hampshire. This was followed by contracts for

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towns and villages in Yorkshire, Wiltshire, Essex, Cornwall, Devon and Suffolk. The firm also lit the Chelmsford and Essex Hospital as well as the hospital at Colchester.

Frank Christy was also interested in the motor car and in 1907 the firm took the agency for the Adam Hewitt car. This didn’t last long but the car was popular with the medical profession. For some time the firm serviced both cars and electric accumulators. At this time the firm also had the first motorised taxi cab rank in the town. Christy Brothers also invented and patented an electric oven for the baking of flour samples, it was an interesting example of the two sides of the business converging. This electric oven became widely used in mills across the country. Christy’s also patented an electric magnetic separator for separating iron ore. The Christy Brothers arm of the family business was converted into a private limited company, Christy Brothers and Company Ltd, in 1883.

The large Christy family played a wide ranging part in Chelmsford life in the late 19th and early 20th century. Miller Christy was an extensive writer on natural history and county history, he was also a member of the Essex Field Club and of the Council of the Essex Archaeological Society. Richenda Christy belonged to the Chelmsford Women’s Liberal Association. She was also Honorary Secretary of the Chelmsford branch of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies - the moderate wing of the women’s suffrage movement. In 1888 she passed the Cambridge University External Exam.

before the war and their total sales reached over a third of a million pounds a year. A new share issue for the North Somerset Company was oversubscribed. All Christy Brothers employees were given a minimum bonus of two weeks wages.

The company had also established a successful radio relay service in Chelmsford and at the home of their other works at St Neots. This brought radio programmes to homes, schools and hospitals. It was needed because ironically, radio reception was often poor in the town that was the ‘home of radio’.

During the war Frank Christy refused to let the Christy Group of companies be directly involved with war production and he went into farming. Christy Brothers did however design a vast underground factory at Corsham. This was a high production aircraft unit and amounted to a virtual underground city. They also designed factories at Riseley and Wolverhampton and played a part in the construction of the Mulberry Harbour for the D-Day invasion.

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James Christy junior was the eldest son of James Christy senior. He lived all his life in the Chelmsford area and was a well known farmer and breeder of horses. James was a member of the Council of the Essex Agricultural Society and a keen hunter, especially with the Essex Staghounds. He was a member of both the Chelmsford Poor Law Guardians and the Chelmsford Rural District Council. In 1905 he became a Justice of the Peace. James was also churchwarden at Writtle parish church. Much later Leonard Fell Christy was a borough councillor and in 1930 he was the Mayor.

The firm was always an enthusiastic participant in the Chelmsford works’ sports day. In 1918 two years after the death of the founder Fell Christy, the original partnership was converted into a private limited company with five directors. HB Norris the son-in-law of James Norris and FB Wiseman, who had started at the company as an apprentice, were both invited to be directors.

William Christy was responsible for a new range of machines for milling and millwrighting after the first war. In 1929 William introduced a non contributory pension scheme covering every employee. The firm also started a co-partnership scheme. Employees could buy vouchers which received a dividend at a similar rate to the ordinary shareholders. In addition, a profit sharing scheme was drawn up covering all employees of the firm. Christy’s wasn’t large enough to run an apprenticeship school of their own so apprentices were released one day a week at the local technical school.

The 1930s saw a further extension of the firm’s buildings with the erection of a modern steel fabrication workshop. A new iron foundry was opened in 1938 and 1942 saw the first production of the Essex Mill, which was redesigned six years later. This was the ideal grinder for all types of farm material and was a major success. In 1933 the firm became a public limited company.

At this time the Essex Chronicle recorded that Christy Brothers were the oldest firm of electrical contractors in the country (although Crompton had in fact started earlier). It made steady progress in the 1930s. In 1930 Frank Christy formed the West Devon Electric Supply Company, which covered 830 miles. A hydro electric power scheme was started there in 1931. This wasn’t completed until 1937. At the time it was the largest HEP scheme in Britain. The Devon Company performed well, as did one established in North Somerset. Christy Brothers regularly issued dividends of 10% on their ordinary shares www.chelmsfordthecitytimes.co.uk Page 27

Kid's Page

From Party in a Box

Summer is nearly over and we have beautiful autumn to look forward to. We love going out and about with the kids at this time of year.

Collecting autumn’s bounty makes for the most fun craft box fillers. We hope you get out and have fun.

Leaf Votive Holders Your kids will be really proud of these tea-light holders as they grace your autumn dinner table. So simple but so pretty.

You will need: > Autumn leaves (in as many shades as possible) > PVA glue > Paint brush > Jar The fun starts by getting out and about gathering autumn leaves. Once you have them smear a jar with PVA and start layering your leaves on. Try to cover the whole jar but don’t layer your leaves too thickly. Leave to dry and then give another lick of PVA to seal.

Beautiful and simple.

Pinecone Hedgehog

MAKE THEM LAUGH: Windmill one: ‘What’s your favourite type of music?’

These are super cute and super east to make.

Windmill two: I’m a big Just get a pinecone and metal fan! attach a cute hedgehog face and feet. You can do this by sticking on paper. But we love this version using polymer clay. It would work Win a well using air-dry t h e m ed party clay and paints Just pop over to our Face too. So adorable. page and book

Competition

post a p icture o f your eces bef ore 15th Sept for a ch ance to win. facebook .com/ukp artyinab ox

masterpi

IN W N I W N I W j

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Wildlife Corner by Nick Green August enjoyed some warm weather but little rain. Typically temperatures returned to the low 20 degrees Centigrade (C).

In Essex, the clouded yellow is generally a scarce summer migrant with most records on the coast - but I did find one in Chelmsford on 24th! The larvae typically feed on leguminous plants like lucerne and clover but cannot survive a British winter.

Essex Wildlife clubs include: Essex Birdwatching Society: www.ebws.org.uk RSPB: www.rspb.org.uk/groups/chelmsford Essex Field Club: www.essexfieldclub.org.uk/ Essex Wildlife Trust: www.essexwt.org.uk/get-involved/local-groups/ chelmsford Recent Essex Wildlife News The most noteworthy August 2016 bird news showed: Autumn passage truly was underway and Vange Marsh RSPB recorded commoner waders - such as common and green and wood sandpipers, little stints and curlew sandpipers - and scarcities such as lesser yellowlegs, glossy ibis and even great white egret. There has been some good seabird passage reported from the Thames in suitable easterly weather. Migrant passerines passing through the county were represented by all the common warblers plus whinchats and the odd wryneck.

Abberton Reservoir recorded red-necked and up to 4 black-necked grebes plus hobby and peregrine. The butties and cake at the Essex Wildlife Trust Centre café (just north of the Layer-de-la-Haye causeway on the B1025) can be still recommended!

Clouded yellow butterfly on fleabane Copyright Glyn Evans

Nationally, in Cornwall the dalmatian pelican and Hudsonian whimbrel plus the American white-winged scoter in Aberdeenshire all still remain. The western purple swamphen disappeared from Minsmere RSPB but on 30th turned up on a reserve near Scunthorpe!

Rotary - Everyone welcome, except politicians!

Among the early Rotarians of 1905 there were many unwritten rules. Chief among these ‘gentlemen’s agreements’ was the exclusion of all politicians and bartenders from holding Rotary membership.

According to Harry Ruggles, one of the founders of Rotary, ”the ban on saloon keepers was due to the fact that some of the boys spent too much time at the brass rail and arrived at the meeting feeling rather jolly and relaxed.” In time, Rotary’s position regarding bartenders and alcohol changed dramatically. However, the ban against politicians, to this day, is still in effect.

to be fair. And the only way to be fair is to be informed. It does not go against the tenets of neutrality to listen to or question those who propose to lead us. So while it is absolutely essential that no club endorse or validate one candidate or position over another, it is critical that Rotary provide a fair and balanced forum that allow Rotarians and the general public to make their own decisions.

Things have changed a lot since the initial days of 1905. First and foremost, membership is now open to women as well as men so this has had a major impact on how clubs conduct themselves and,

From the beginning, Rotarians felt that any discussions about politics or contentious public issues only encouraged discord that went against the first founding principles of Rotary which was based on ‘Honesty, Morality and Sobriety’.

Interestingly, even with this apparent prohibition against political involvement, there are several instances where the early club violated their own mandate. They often made public statements in support of, or in opposition to, matters like tariffs or clean water or other divisive issues not directly related to the few goals of a Rotary club. In fact, Rotary’s first service project of providing rest facilities in downtown Chicago was highly political and stirred debate for many years.

But here again, as time went by, the issuance of political statements evolved into a position that ‘no corporate action or corporate expression of opinion shall be taken or given by Rotary on political subjects’. Only once, during the lead up to World War Two, did Rotary International express an opinion that stated the goals of Rotary could not exist in any country where the fundamental human rights of free speech, freedom of religion, and tolerance were suppressed.

So while the official position of all Rotary clubs and Rotary International is to remain neutral, and that Rotary best demonstrates its commitment to peace and humanitarian endeavours through its desire to serve, it does not mean Rotarians should live in a vacuum.

Some of the most iconic pictures show politicians standing at a podium decorated with the Rotary wheel. It is the duty of all Rotarians

indeed, the type of projects that clubs undertake. Other constraining rules, such as having only one member from any one profession or business, have been abandoned so it is possible to have two bankers in the same club (if that’s something you aspire to these days). The membership issue is one which taxes the minds of every voluntary organisation, not to mention religious group and Rotary has addressed this drastically to make it easier for everybody to be able to make a contribution without the same time commitment as in the past.

So as long as you aren’t a politician, why not visit www.rotary1240. org or www.chelmsfordrotary1240.org to find out more about joining this wonderful organisation and the benefits it will bring to you personally and the lives of so many others? Or call me on 01245 260 349.

Stan Keller

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Stargazing with Mark Willis - September/October New Moon: Occurs on 1st October. These dark skies give you an excellent opportunity to seek out those distant planets, galaxies and meteor showers.

15th September: Look north. Although the Alpha Aurigids Meteor shower is only 10 per hour, the trains are bright, easy to spot and photograph. No telescopes or binoculars needed. Just a deck chair and some hot coffee!

16th September: Harvest Moon. This is the name given to the September full Moon, which occurs, this year, 6 days before the Autumnal Equinox (Equinox is where the day and night are of equal length) and this occurs on 22nd September.

15th October: Uranus is at opposition, so this is a good time to see it.

Although keen-sighted people might see it, it is very faint. A telescope will be best. Uranus’s orbit is crazy! If were to represent Uranus, I would be laying on my back with my head pointing slightly downwards and feet pointing slightly upwards!

30th October: Looking east you’ll see The Pleiades, or Seven Sisters, a lovely open star cluster about 444 light years from us. An open cluster is a group of up to a few thousand stars. Directly (almost) below, you’ll see a very bright star reddish in colour. This is Aldebaran, about 65 light years away. It’s big! Imagine our Sun the size of a pea, Aldebaran would be about the size of a beach ball!

Interesting fact: Pioneer 10, which is a probe that explored the outer planets in the 1970s, will make a close encounter with Aldebaran in just 2 million years time!

Boots, Shoes, Handbags and Much More!

Ladies, need an excuse to buy those new boots?

Come to the Inner Wheel Shoe Sale at the Keene Hall Galleywood on October 29th 2016 from 10am til midday. By supporting us you will also be helping to support Families in Focus (Essex), our charity this year.

We will have the latest autumn/winter styles of boots, shoes, handbags from Hotfooted, as well as ladies clothing, jewellery, greetings cards and a Christmas gift stall.

Also we will have on offer our usual excellent homemade cakes and fresh coffee.

Come along and help support a local charity whilst satisfying that need for new boots!

hire · sales · install · events

01245 863 863

sales@eventsoundandlight.com www.eventsoundandlight.com

As usual, email me with any questions...

Mark Willis presents Willis Wireless every Monday at 7pm on Chelmsford Community Radio.

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

Mayor Opens New Skatepark

• Total cost of design and build was £150,000 • Ramps of all different sizes to suit users of different levels • Time to complete the build was 14 weeks • 220 cubic metres of concrete was used Page 30 If you would like to advertise with us please email ads@itsyourmedia.co.uk

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Carers Views Sought About Online Information and Support Healthwatch Essex is looking for feedback from unpaid carers looking after a friend or relative about their experiences of using online information and support that is available locally. The views of any carer with something to say are welcome - you don’t need to be a computer expert to join in the conversation!

“We appreciate that there is much more that can and should be done to help carers access services and understand what is available to them” said Healthwatch Essex Chief Executive Dr Tom Nutt.

“So what we are trying to do is gain an informed understanding of exactly what resources people are using online and how useful they find available information and support.”

Healthwatch Essex works to gather the ‘lived experience’ of the people of Essex to help inform changes and improvements to health and care services in the county. In order to capture the feedback of carers in this instance it is taking a two-pronged approach.

Carers can, if they are able, attend one of three workshops being hosted over the coming weeks at three libraries around the county. Carers should phone 01376 572 829 or email carers@healthwatchessex.org.uk if they would like to come to one of the workshops.

The first workshop will take place between 10.30am and 12.30pm at Harlow Library on 20th September. Or there is the opportunity to attend workshops at Chelmsford Library between 10.30am and 12.30pm on 4th October and at Rayleigh Library between 10.30am and 12.30pm on 13th October.

Obviously by the nature of being a carer it can be difficult to attend events and workshops such as this, so Healthwatch Essex is also providing carers the opportunity to join in from home.

This will require access to the internet, which we appreciate not everyone has, but those that can and want to contribute to the discussion will be able to. Anyone wanting to take advantage of this method should email carers@healthwatchessex.org.uk for details.

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